The Stranger from Abilene

The stars looked so close, Vestal believed he could reach out and grab a handful, then scatter them on the ground and let them burn out until only cinders were left.

Somewhere in the gloom the coyotes were calling close and a night bird—

Suddenly Vestal was alert.

He had never heard a bird call like that on the Southwell range.

There it was again, a soft warble. A short spell of quiet; then it was repeated.

Instinctively he reached for his gun. No! He’d left it in the carpetbag.

The Apaches came at him in a rush.

Chapter 46

To Cage Clayton’s joy, Emma agreed to meet him on the hotel porch after she finished work. At the appointed time, she showed up on the arm of Nook Kelly, who arrived grim-faced and silent.

“I’m meeting Angus McLean this evening,” Clayton said. He looked at Emma. “He wanted you to be here.”

The girl smiled, but it was a wan effort. “Cage, I can’t talk you into taking his job. That’s a decision only you can make for yourself.”

“I took the job,” Clayton said. “Ninety a month, and another ten after a year.” Now he plunged in again. “We can live on that.”

Emma made no answer, and Clayton said, “Can’t we?”

She rushed into his arms. “Of course we can! Oh, Cage, this is wonderful news.”

Kelly stuck out his hand. “Congratulations. You’ll do a terrific job.”

Clayton shook hands, but his eyes never left Kelly’s.

“He’s still alive, you know,” he said. “Despite what you told Emma, Lissome Terry is in Bighorn Point.”

He watched the lawman struggle with the lie that hovered on the tip of his tongue, but in the end the truth clenched out of him.

“Yes, he . . . probably is.”

Emma swung her head. “But, Nook, you said that Terry—”

“Was dead? I told you that because I thought you might be able to convince Cage it was the truth.”

He looked at Clayton. “Enjoy the new job, Cage. Leave Terry to me.”

“He’ll get tired of waiting, of looking over his shoulder,” Clayton said. “And eventually he’ll come after me.”

“If he does that, I’ll be ready.”

Clayton shook his head. “No, I’ll be ready. This is my fight, not yours.”

“I’m the law in this town and that makes it my fight.”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake, I can’t bear to hear you two squabbling over which of you gets to kill a man,” Emma said. “Can’t you forget about Terry, let his own guilty conscience make him suffer?”

“I don’t think he has one of those,” Clayton said.

Emma stared at Clayton. “Cage, do you want to marry me?”

“Of course I do.”

“Then forget that terrible man. Think about us.”

Kelly smiled. “Sounds like good advice.”

“It is good advice,” Clayton said, “and I’ll take it—until the time comes.”

“Terry is dead,” Emma said, “dead to us.”

Clayton nodded, glad he had no need to add words to the gesture.

Angus McLean arrived an hour before dark. He dismissed Moses Anderson with a stern warning that he should change his robbing ways “instanter,” heed the teachings of the Church of Scotland, and make sure he visited Edinburgh Town at his earliest convenience.

Moses smiled, bobbed his head, and promised to do all of the above.

“Aye, weel, I hope ye do,” McLean said. He found his steel purse, opened it wide so it gaped like the jaws of a shark, and extracted some coins.

“Here, a wee bonus to ye for your help,” he said. “Don’t spend it on whiskey and scarlet women, mind.”

He thought about that; then, “Weel, the whiskey is all right, but stay away from the painted Jezebels.”

“Praise the Lord,” Moses said, grinning.

“You’re learning,” McLean said. “Now be off with ye, and damn ye for a thieving Hindoo.”

The Scotsman watched Moses leave, then turned to Kelly and said, “A lad o’ parts, that one. He’ll go far and make his mark or my name’s not Angus McLean.” He looked at Emma. “And this is the lassie who’ll be taking care of my ranch house and all the outbuildings pertaining thereto.”

A thought occurred to him. “Oh, I hope I’m not speaking out of turn. Has your intended told you he’s my new manager?”

“He has,” Emma said, “and I want to thank you for such a wonderful opportunity.” She glanced at Clayton. “And so does Cage.”

McLean held up a hand. “No need for thanks, lassie. Your man is a robber, but I think he’ll do well.”

He smiled. “Here, Miss Southwell is still at the ranch. You should go out there and talk to her. She can show you the workings of the stove and where the washtub is kept and the scrubbers and buckets for the floor. Women stuff like that.”

Kelly smiled. “I doubt that Lee Southwell has scrubbed a floor in her life.”

“Aye, you may be right. She’s a bonnie lassie and no mistake but not a housewife. Still, I wish it was her accompanying me to Boston and not her partner.”

“Partner?” Kelly said, surprised.

“Mr. Vestal. He’s a braw-looking lad, but not my cup o’ tea, if you take my meaning. But he’s Mrs. Southwell’s partner in the ranch and I had to deal with him.”

“Vestal is going with you to Boston?” Kelly said.

“Aye, we leave on the noon stage tomorrow.”

“Did you talk to Lee?”