The Outlaws: Sam (27 page)

Lacey rose with dignity despite her bitter
disappointment. "I won't waste any more of your time, Mr. Markle.
Good day."

Lacey left the bank in a daze. She felt as if
her life were falling apart. Sam was gone, there was no hope of
saving her ranch, and Andy blamed her for taking him away from his
father. Matters couldn't get any worse.

Of one thing Lacey was certain. She wasn't
going to marry Taylor or sell him the ranch. She'd have to make
plans for the future after she and Andy were evicted, but those
plans didn't include Taylor Cramer. If he wanted the ranch so
badly, let him bid for it on the courthouse steps when it was sold
for back taxes.

Lacey had one more stop to make before she
returned home. She wanted to visit the land office. There had to be
some reason Taylor wanted her land. She was leading her mare toward
the land office when the sheriff hailed her.

"Mrs. Gentry, can you spare a minute?"

Lacey waited for the sheriff to catch up to
her. "Did you wish to speak with me, Sheriff?"

"That I did, Mrs. Gentry. "I'll bet you were
happy to hear your husband has been cleared of charges stemming
from that bank robbery in Dodge. I wanted to apologize in person
for the law's mistake. Have you seen him? I hope he wasn't
seriously wounded. It was a terrible mistake."

Lacey stared at him. "I...I don't understand.
Are you saying that Sam is no longer wanted by the law? How long
have you known?"

Hale's brow furrowed. "Some weeks now. I
received a telegram from Sheriff Diller in Dodge stating that the
Gentry brothers have been exonerated. He thought I should know
since Denison was the last place Sam Gentry was seen. Your husband
has nothing to fear from the law."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Her voice shook
with barely suppressed anger. "You had no right to keep something
as important as that from me."

Hale looked properly abashed. "I'm sorry,
Mrs. Gentry, but I thought you knew."

"How could I know? You never told me."

"I intended to ride out to your place to give
you the news as soon as I heard. Then I happened to bump into Mr.
Cramer. He said he was riding out to the B&G and would tell you
himself. I figured it would save me a trip out there so I agreed. I
had no reason to believe Mr. Cramer would deliberately withhold the
information from you."

Lacey's first thought was that this was
something Sam needed to know. It could change the course of his
life. Of their lives.

"Thank you, Sheriff, I'll see that Sam
receives the good news."

"Tell him he's welcome back in Denison, and
that I hope he bears no grudge against me or the posse. We were
only doing our job."

His words barely registered as Lacey swung
into the saddle and rode off. Instead of heading straight home,
Lacey made a slight detour to Taylor Cramer's spread. She drew rein
in a cloud of dust and flying hooves and leaped from the saddle.
Mindless of the curious stares following her, she walked up the
front steps and pounded vigorously on the door.

Cramer opened the door himself. A slow smile
stretched his lips. "Lacey, I see you've come to your senses Which
will it be? Are we to marry or will you sell me the ranch?"

Lacey shoved open the door and strode past
him. She halted in the foyer and spun around to confront him, her
face a mask of fury. "Damn you, Taylor Cramer! Why didn't you tell
me Sam had been exonerated?"

Cramer's expression immediately turned wary.
"Where did you hear that?"

"I ran into the sheriff in town today. He
said you were supposed to deliver that information to me. But that
didn't meet with your plans, did it? You wanted me to believe Sam
was still wanted by the law. Do you know what your omission cost
me? Cost Sam? You'll never have my ranch, Taylor. I'll beg, borrow
or steal the money to keep you from having my property."

"Simmer down, Lacey," Cramer cajoled. "You're
well rid of Gentry. The man cares nothing for you. If he did, he
wouldn't have abandoned you."

"What happened between me and Sam a long time
ago has nothing to do with this, with us. What did you expect to
gain by letting us believe Sam was still wanted by the law?"

"You know damn well what I wanted," Cramer
snarled. "I wanted Sam Gentry out of your life. He was a
complication I hadn't counted on. It seems I succeeded. Gentry is
gone and you are no longer married to him."

He moved closer, his demeanor abruptly
changing. "Let's put all this behind us, my dear. I really do want
you, Lacey. It's more than the land."

"I doubt that," Lacey spat. "I'll never
forgive you, Taylor. If you want the B&G you'll have to bid for
it on the courthouse steps. Get out of my way."

Lacey shoved him aside and charged out the
door. "Stay away from me, Taylor. My hands have instructions to
shoot trespassers."

Lacey fumed all the way home. She couldn't
begin to count what Taylor had cost her. Because of him her
marriage to Sam had been annulled. Had Sam known he was no longer a
wanted man there would have been no reason for him to go into
hiding. He'd been wounded and hounded like a dog for a crime he
didn't commit, and Taylor had known all along that Sam was
guiltless. How could she have ever thought Taylor Cramer was
interested in her welfare? What a fool she'd been to believe he
cared for her.

Lacey rode into the yard and dismounted.
Lefty ran up to take the reins.

"Is Rusty around, Lefty?"

"He's in the tack room, Miz Lacey."

"Thank you." Lacey hurried off. She needed to
talk to someone and Rusty was the only one who would
understand.

Lacey entered the tack room. The scent of
leather and horses was overpowering, but it wasn't an unpleasant
smell. Lacey knew she would miss everything about the ranch after
she was forced from her home.

Rusty saw her immediately. "Did you get the
loan, Miz Lacey?"

"I need someone to talk to you, Rusty."

Concern colored his words. "What is it? Did
something happen in town?"

"Yes. Something good. I spoke with the
sheriff. The charges against him and his brothers were dropped some
time go. Sam is no longer wanted by the law "

A smile lit up Rusty's craggy features.
"Glory be! Is this something Sheriff Hale just learned?"

"No, and that's the problem. He's known for a
long time. Taylor Cramer was supposed to tell me but conveniently
forgot to mention it. Everything that's happened since needn't have
happened at all."

Rusty spit out an oath. "Do I have your
permission to shoot Cramer if he shows up here again?"

"You can run him off my land but shooting him
will only get you in trouble."

"What are you gonna do? Sam needs to know the
charges against him have been dropped."

"My sentiments exactly. I'm going to return
to the Indian village and tell him. He might not welcome me but
he'll surely welcome the news I bring."

"I'll ride along with you."

"No need for that. I can find the camp on my
own."

"You ain't going alone, Miz Lacey, and that's
final. How soon do you want to leave?"

"First thing in the morning. It's too late to
start out now. I hope and pray Sam is still there. He might be on
his way to California by now."

"I'll saddle the horses and be ready to leave
first thing tomorrow morning," Rusty said.

Lacey headed out the door. "I'll be
ready."

"Miz Lacey, before you go, did you learn
anything in town about your land, or why Cramer might want it?"

"I never got to the land office. I did get to
the bank, though, not that it did me any good. Mr. Markle turned
down my request for a loan. Then I learned about Sam and was
anxious to return home and make plans. When I return, the first
thing I'll do is to find out why Taylor is so eager to get his
hands on my land."

Lacey returned to the house, anxious to talk
to Andy. She found him in the kitchen with a big piece of cake in
front of him. His eyes lit up when he saw her.

"Mama! You're home. Did you take care of your
business?"

"Yes, honey, I did. I also learned something
that should make you happy."

"You saw Papa!"

"No, son, but I did learn that Sam is no
longer wanted by the law. The charges have been dropped."

Andy squinted, as if trying to digest what
Lacey had just told him. Apparently it was too much for his
five-year-old brain. "What does that mean, Mama?"

"It means that your papa can come home
without fear of being sent to prison. The law doesn't want him
anymore. He's a free man."

Andy let out a yelp of delight. "Can we go to
Running Buffalo's camp and tell him?"

"Rusty and I are leaving first thing in the
morning. I can't take you with me this time."

"Aw, Mama, I want to be the one to tell Papa
he can come home."

"Sorry, honey, but I'll tell him for you. I'm
sure he'll want to see you as soon as he knows he's free to
return."

"Promise?" Andy said.

"Promise."

Lacey prayed she wouldn't have to break her
promise. What if Sam decided not to return? What if he had already
left for California, believing he was still wanted by the law? What
if he loved Yellow Bird?

After supper that night, Lacey tucked Andy in
bed and sought her own bed. She wanted to be well rested when she
started out for the Indian camp in the morning. And she had to
prepare herself for disappointment if Sam had already left for
California.

Lacey and Rusty left early the following
morning. They reached the Indian village at sundown. Lacey's heart
plummeted when she saw that nothing remained of the camp except
cold fire pits.

"This is the place, I'm sure of it," Lacey
cried.

"They were here, all right," Rusty concurred
as he hunkered beside one of the fire pits and examined the
contents. "I'd say they left three, maybe four days ago. The women
and children will be walking, I could easily catch up with
them."

Tears of remorse dampened Lacey's cheeks.
"For what purpose? Sam won't be with them."

"Maybe, maybe not. If Sam's not with them,
they can at least tell me if he rode West like he planned."

Lacey shook her head. "It's too late. We'll
stay here the night and return home tomorrow. I hope I can find the
words to explain to Andy why his Papa won't be coming home."

The farther Sam rode away from the B&G
the more he regretted leaving. Nothing was right in his world. He
wasn't an outlaw and he shouldn't have to be on the run, worrying
about when the law would catch up to him. He should be with Andy,
teaching his son how to ride, and all the other things a son learns
from his father.

Sam tried to blame Lacey's for the problems
he'd encountered in Texas, but his heart knew it wasn't true. The
wanted posters would have caught up to him sooner or later. The
more he thought about Lacey lying to him and taking Andy away, the
more he realized that she'd been acting in Andy's best interest.
Sam was angry, but he understood. He'D taken Andy away without
Lacey's permission and that was just as bad. Of course he'd had a
good reason. Taylor Cramer would make Andy's life miserable and he
didn't want that for his son.

Sam glanced over his shoulder at the long
line of women and children trudging after the pack horses. After
three days on the trail left them weary and haggard. The life of an
Indian woman was hard, Sam reflected. They were expected to raise
and dismantle the tipi's each night and morning and prepare food
for their men. All the manual labor associated with every day
living, except for hunting, fell on their shoulders. He admired
them a great deal. But he also admired Lacey for carrying on
without him after she gave birth to Andy. It couldn't have been
easy for her.

"Your mind is far away, friend," Running
Buffalo observed as he rode up beside Sam. "Your woman and son are
gone and you are bitter."

"Lacey will take good care of Andy," Sam
replied, "but I will miss him. I would go to him now if I
dared."

"You are right to fear the white man's
justice," Running Buffalo said sagely. "Will you remain with us?
Yellow Bird is fond of you. She would accept you for her mate if
you would have her."

"Yellow Bird deserves a man who will be
around to provide for her," Sam said. "I am not that man."

"Your honesty speaks well for you, Sam. I
value your friendship, but I believe as you do. My sister should
choose a mate from among our people. Many braves have asked for her
but she has refused them. I have not forced her to accept one of
them for I respect her wishes to choose her own mate."

"Don't worry, Running Buffalo, I agree
wholeheartedly. Your sister is lucky to have you for a
brother."

My sister is strong-willed. She will not
easily give up on you."

"I don't want to cause any trouble, Running
Buffalo. I have tried to discourage Yellow Bird but I fear you are
right. She is as determined as she is strong-willed. I've noticed
some of the young braves aren't as friendly to me as they once
were. They look upon me as a contender for Yellow Bird's
affections. I don't want to cause dissention among your people.
Perhaps I will go California like I originally intended."

"It is your choice, Sam Gentry."

Though the chief hadn't asked him to leave,
the conversation left little doubt in Sam's mind that Running
Buffalo thought his sister's infatuation with Sam was damaging to
the tribe. Sam was beginning to think the same thing. But he'd been
too hurt to think clearly after Lacey had taken Andy away. The
knowledge that Lacey had looked him in the eye and deliberately
lied had plunged him into despondency.

Suddenly Sam's choice became clear. "Time has
come for me to leave," he told Running Buffalo. "After I'm gone,
tell Yellow Bird I left because I am not the right man for
her."