Desperado

"Yes em you did but I got tired of laying there like a pole axed steer and decided a little fresh air would do me good."

The Marshal rode up to the ranch house about an hour later. He was leading three horses with men draped across the saddles. He stopped in front of the Ellie and Clint on the porch. "Marshal this is Clint Lowell," Ellie said.

"Howdy Mr. Lowell," Marshal Todd said not dismounting. "Hear you had a run in with the Jones boys," he added pointing over his shoulder with his thumb.

"Don't know their names Marshal but I stopped three cattle thieves," Clint replied. "I gave them the chance to drop their guns and come back with me." He looked Marshal Todd square in the eye and told him about his run in with the three rustlers. "They didn't want to come."

"How's your wound Mr. Lowell?" The Marshal asked.

"Mite stiff right now but I'll be okay in a few days." Clint fingered the bandage on his side and asked, "There gonna be trouble about me killing those three?" He paused and added, "They didn't give me much choice Marshall. They pulled down on me and I fought back."

"From the way it looked out there appears to have happened just as you said. Besides the Jones brothers are well known cattle and horse thieves. But there aren't any warrants out on them so I couldn't arrest them." Marshal Todd smiled. "Won't be no trouble with the law. Y'all might have to tell your story to the circuit judge when he comes through but I doubt it. Fact is you probably did the ranchers around here a favor."

Marshal Todd looked around at the ranch for several seconds. Then almost as if he were talking to himself he said, "There was a wanted poster on a man named Lowell from over to Arizona a few years back. Talk about a shootout in San Antonio too." He turned and looked directly at Clint. "Course that warrant from Arizona don't matter here in Texas and from what I heard this Lowell fellar was just defending himself in San Antonio."

The Marshal nodded to Clint and tipped his hat to Ellie. "Ma'am," he said. Then added, "I'll let you know if you need to talk to the judge Mr. Lowell." He turned his horse and began the long ride back to town.

I reckon I'm healed up good enough to ride, Clint thought two weeks later. Time I was movin on. He hesitated for a minute then said aloud to his horse, "Every place I go seems I shoot someone or get shot at. That's no life for Ellie. She needs a man that don't have no warrants or paper out on him. If I stay someday somebody from Arizona or Deming, New Mexico will come lookin for me."

Clint chuckled a little and added, "Hell that don't even count Pecos, Fort Stockton, Odessa, and San Antonio. Thought I was getting away from trouble when I came to Texas." Guess I'll tell Ellie I'm leavin come mornin, he added silently to himself.

After supper that evening Clint looked at Ellie as she poured the after supper coffee. "Ellie, I'm gonna be leavin in the mornin."

Ellie was shocked. "I thought you liked it here Clint. I thought you liked me."

"I do, but I need to move on." Before she could say anything he continued, "You need a man that don't have a past comin after him. You need a man that can think of nothin but being with you. Ellie, I ain't that man. I've done some bad things in my life and couldn't make you pay for them."

Clint took Ellie's hand. "I care about you too much to have that happen to you. I'll be leavin in the morning."

Ellie put her head down for a few seconds. Looking up at Clint she said, "It's time for you to make a stand Clint. You been drifting for a long time; I don't know what you're afraid of but it's time to stop riding fences."

She stopped to wipe a tear from her eye. "I have feelings for you Clint but you won't let me get close to you. Time for you to let someone love you and you love them back. If your past comes after you we'll stand up to it together. Stay with me Clint; we can make a good life for ourselves."

He stared at her for a bit. "Ellie I can't. I'd never forgive myself if somethin happened to you because of the things I've done in my life. I'll be leavin at first light."

The next morning Clint put the pack saddle on one horse and saddled his mount. He stepped up onto his horse and looked at the house. Ellie didn't come out to say goodbye. Can't blame her, he thought. Clint turned his horse and rode out of the valley.

********************

Sam was quiet as Clint finished his story. "Don't mean any disrespect sir, I mean Clint, but how could you ride off and leave Ellie. You said yourself you cared for her, you said she needed help, and you said she loved you. How could you ride out?"

"Well son...You see I.... Look there," Clint said pointing to a car pulling up to the house. "There comes the family. Reckon you'll get to meet the woman that finally roped and hog tied me."

The big sedan stopped in front of the ranch house. An elderly, silver haired woman got out of the passenger side. Even Sam could see the beauty she had been in her youth. Must be about 70, he thought.

A tall whipcord thin man got out of the driver's side. If that's not Clint's son I'll be surprised Sam thought. He looks like Clint must have 30 years ago. The man had the same gray streaked brown hair that Clint showed and wore the same walrus type mustache. A younger version of the older woman got out of the rear door of the car. Her mane of reddish blond hair had a few gray ones in it and she wore it unfashionably long. It hung down her back almost to her waist.

As the three stepped onto the porch the older woman asked, "What kind of trouble have you gotten into now old man?" She smiled at Sam and beamed at her husband.

"I'm as innocent as a new born babe Honey," Clint answered with his own smile. Turning to Sam he said, "This is my wife Sam, Ellie Conroy Lowell." He chuckled at the look on Sam's face. "Ellie this is Sam Reybern. He works for that National Geographic magazine and they're doing a story about me."

"You said you rode off Clint," Sam accused. He faced Mrs. Lowell and said, "Excuse my manners. I'm pleased to meet you Mrs. Lowell."

Ellie extended her hand to Sam. "You're writing a story about my husband? What could be so interesting about this old scoundrel?"

"Well Ma'am, I'm doing a story about the Pleasant Valley Range War and Mr. Lowell is the last living person who was involved." Sam grinned and added, "But he's had an adventurous life."

"I'm sure he told you all about it too," Ellie replied laughing. She stepped over to Clint, leaned down and kissed him.

Clint reached out and patted her on the behind. "Time for supper woman. I'm hungry," he said.

"Yes sir," Ellie said. "Introduce our guest to our children. You will be staying for supper won't you Mr. Reybern?"

"Thank you Ma'am but I have to get back to my hotel room. I've got a lot of writing to do before I head back to L.A. And I need to call my editor and tell him the story has grown some."

"Well let me introduce you to our children before you leave." Ellie smiled and said, "They're part of Clint's story too."

"I'm Jerrod Lowell, please to meet you Mr. Reybern." He stepped forward and shook hands with Sam. "This is my sister Lorena."

Sam turned to look in disbelief at Clint and heard him chuckle. "Yes sir, I did," Clint said.

"It wasn't until two years after Lorena was born that Clint told me why he wanted to give her that name," Ellie said with a grin. "To be honest I thought it was a fine way to honor a woman that had helped my husband when he was very young and very alone."

Sam laughed. "Thank you Clint for your time and patience. It was a pleasure to meet you Mrs. Lowell and you too Jerrod and Lorena." He walked to his car, waved and drove back to New Braunfels. Got a lot of work to do on this story, he thought. Might just have to expand the story past the Pleasant Valley War.

"Nice young fellar," Clint said. "But he can't drink worth a damn." He reached for the bottle of Jack Daniels but Ellie took it from him. She looked at the nearly empty bottle, smiled and took it inside.

"I think you've had enough for today," she said and kissed him again.

"Dang woman, takes all the fun out of a good day," Clint complained. But his eyes were full of love as he watched his wife go into the house.

His children laughed at their parents and went inside to supper.

********************

Three months later Sam was once again at the Lowell ranch. As he stopped his car in front of the house Ellie came out to greet him.

"Howdy Mrs. Lowell. Don't know if you remember me, I'm Sam Reybern."

"I remember Sam. It's nice to see you again," Ellie said. "What brings you back to the Circle C?"

Sam smiled and answered, "I convinced my editor to do a story about Clint's life after his involvement in the Pleasant Valley War." Holding up a manuscript Sam said, "This is a first draft of the story and a book I'm writing. Thought Clint might go over it with me."

Ellie sadly smiled. "You didn't hear did you?" Before Sam could answer she continued, "Clint passed away last month."

Sam was surprised to hear that Clint, who he thought of as indestructible, had died. "What happened Mrs. Lowell?"

"Please call me Ellie. I think Clint would have liked that. To answer your question, nothing really happened except old age. He was fine that evening when we went to bed. Just before I drifted off to sleep Clint leaned over kissed me and said 'Thanks for saving me Ellie girl."

She used a handkerchief to dry her eyes. "I got up the next morning and fixed coffee. When he didn't come out of the bedroom I went in to wake him." Ellie sighed, "He looked peaceful with a smile on his face; like he was having a nice dream. But he was gone."

"I'm so sorry Ellie," Sam responded. "I sure did enjoy talking with Clint." After a few seconds Sam gave a little laugh and said, "He sure was an interesting man with an interesting life. I envy him."

Ellie nodded and smiled at the young man. "Reckon interesting is a good description of Clint Lowell."

Sam handed Ellie the manuscript. "If you would, when you find time maybe you'd like to read this over. If you like the story, I'd be proud to see that it gets published."

Ellie nodded and took the book. "What's the title?" She asked.

"Desperado," Sam answered.

She smiled and said, "Clint certainly was that."

The End