Gone to Kansas Ch. 03

I blushed and stammered around a bit, thinkin to myself, "this old lady sure is forward," I told her I just met her and didn't know her that well. She just smiled and said, "Sonny, I can tell your sweet on this girl and I haven't even seen you with her. Does she know you're sweet on her?"

"No ma'am, I don't think so, I mean we've talked quite a bit, but I've never told her I have feelings for her."

"My advice to you is this, you let her know your feelins as soon as you can, or you might regret it.

So, you want this here yellow summer dress? By your description of her I believe this one will fit her pretty good, but she can always take it in, or let it out a little if it doesn't fit perfect. I think she'll love it."

I bought the dress and a three pack of colored hair ribbons and paid Mrs. Dobs the $7 I owed then decided to head on back to where Emma was.

While I was ridin back I could see Emma standing on the covered porch of the general store, there was a man, probably about 50 years old or so talkin to her. As I got closer, I could see he was some kinda slick, a damn carpet bagger and it looked like he was trying to talk Emma into buyin somethin.

I got all the way up to the Lee's wagon and hopped off Buddy and tied him off to the wagon, Emma hadn't noticed me ride up, so I just stood by the wagon to see what played out. I could tell by the look on Emma's face she wasn't comfortable with the dude.

"Now, young lady, this here elixir works miracles, I understand women can get cramps at that time of the month and this here potion will solve all those issues and more, why I've heard women claim it makes conceiving an absolute wonder!"

"Sir, I don't feel comfortable talking with you about such things. Please leave me alone, I'm not interested in your elixir."

Emma and the slick still hadn't noticed me, I was by the wagon just watchin the show and enjoying Emma's predicament, probably more than I should of.

Well young lady, I could let you sample this bottle for only.25 cents, normally I sell it for a dollar a bottle. I'm only offering it to you at that price because you are so beautiful, possibly the most beautiful girl I've seen West of the Mississippi.

Emma just stood there workin her hands together lookin more uncomfortable than ever. I figured it was about time to rescue her.

"Did I mention it works as a cleanser for wounds and, it can even cure diseases! You said you're headed out to homestead with your father, well let me tell you, every household on the frontier needs a bottle or two of this stuff."

"Sir, I told you I wasn't interested, now would you please leave me be."

He was just gettin ready to launch into another sales pitch when I walked up on the porch and took Emma by the arm and said, "there you are dear, are you ready to go?" Before Emma could reply the dude bulled up and came towards me.

"Excuse me young man, my name is Chas Fredrick, the lady and I were having a conversation, and I don't like to be interrupted. I was just showing her my wares and she was about to make a purchase, so please move along for now." He said in a nasally Eastern accent.

Well, I didn't think I had much of a temper but ole Chas's words, disrespectful behavior and just his appearance touched a nerve. He was wearing a white shirt with a ruffled front, black dress pants, a derby hat and had several gold rings on his fingers. He had his hair slicked back with grease under that stupid hat and his carpet bag was at his feet filled to the brim with the bottled shit he was pushing. I guess the combination of his disrespectful behavior, his looks, and being a carpet bagger just pissed me off.

I let go of Emma's arm and looked him in the eyes for a bit, not saying a word, my jaw was tight, and I could feel the anger burnin up inside me.

"I couldn't help but overhear your sales pitch Sir...... sounds like that bottled shit works wonders on about everything."

"First of all, boy, my elixir is not shit, it is a high-quality blend of various medicinal substances that medical science has developed and done extensive testing on. I don't expect a simple hillbilly such as yourself to have the mental capacity to understand it's properties, but I can see this well-bred young lady here could understand its usefulness."

"Mind if I take a look at that there bottle of magic.... Sir?"

"That's the spirit boy, of course you can take a look, here you are." He said as he handed me a bottle. I opened up the cap and took a sniff. "Now boy, since you've opened that bottle, you have to pay for it, that'll be a dollar."

The liquid was a dark brown color, I took the opened bottle and splashed it on the dude, dousing his white ruffled shirt with the brown liquid. It looked like someone had spit tobacco juice on him.

"How does it work on stains?" I asked. Ole Chas blustered around and began cussing me, I let him say a few words then I got tired of his yammerin.

"Mr. Chas, I'm gonna give you some advice.... pick up your shit.... and walk away." I said lookin him right in the eyes.

Chas just looked at me with hatred in his eyes and said, "it's Mr. Fredrick to you boy and you owe me a dollar."

"Mr. Chas, if you don't walk away now you might have some blood on that white shirt next. I'm done talkin, pick up your bag of magic juice and get on down the road."

Ole Chas walked up to me and put a finger to my chest, he was about to say somethin when I hit him right square in his nose with a jab, which broke his nose and showered his shirt with blood. Ole Chas just grabbed his face with both hands and was looking for a place to sit, crying out in pain all the while.

I took Emma by the arm, "let's go find your Pa," I said, and we walked away. As we came off the porch, I noticed we'd drawn a crowd of people, they were laughing at the carpet bagger and congratulating me on a job well done.

I helped Emma up on the wagon then got on up there with her, I took up the leads and gave a couple a clicks and we started down the street. Ben wasn't outta the saloon yet, so I figured to treat Emma to a meal, there was a restaurant just down the street. We would be just caddy corner to the saloon he was in, and I figured he'd have no problem spottin us if he got done before we did.

Once we got there, I helped Emma down outta the wagon, taking her hand in mine and admiring her as she stepped down. I swear she got prettier every time I looked at her.

When we got inside, we found a table off to ourselves and I was looking forward to our meal and time together.

"Zeb, I want to thank you for getting that man to leave me alone, maybe you didn't need to break his nose though?" Emma said with a concerned look.

"Well Emma, I didn't start out with that intention, but that man needed to learn some manners, he's lucky it was me he ran into, a lot of others woulda just shot him."

"I suppose so, Zeb.... What are you going to order? I think I'm going to get the fried chicken with mashed potatoes and green beans." Emma said, obviously not to concerned about what happened to Chas.

I couldn't help but smile at Emma's lack of concern and said, "that sounds pretty good to me too Emma, I think I'll get the same thing." We placed our order and while we were waiting, we had a good conversation about getting things started on their homestead.

"So, Zeb, are you planning on going on to your aunts ranch?"

"Yeah, she needs my help in a bad way, and I can't let her down, I'm committed to bein there."

Emma got quiet and looked down, I could tell she had something on her mind, so I took her hands in mine and went on saying, "Emma, your new home is only about a two-day ride from my aunt's place. I was wondering if you'd mind me calling on you once we get settled in?"

"I'd love that Zeb!" Emma said with a big smile.

"Do you think your Pa would be ok with me comin around?"

"Yeah, I think he would be up for that, but you should probably be askin him."

"I'll do that, it'll probably be a few weeks to a month before I can get away to see you. I told you that my uncle died, well fact is he was murdered, and we don't know who done it. My aunt believes it's possible one of her wranglers knows something and maybe involved in her husband's death, but no one is talkin. So, I might be ridin into some trouble."

Emma looked up at me with worry in her beautiful eyes, "Zeb, you watch yourself, I don't want anything bad happening to you."

"Emma, don't you worry your pretty little head, I'll be extra careful, besides I'd be afraid if somethin happened to me you might run off with ole Chas the carpet bagger."

"Zeb, you better be funnin me, I would hope you'd not think so little of me to think I'd run off with that slick!"

"Yeah, Emma, I'm just givin you a hard time. But, in all seriousness I want you to know that I have feelins for you, I think you are an amazing young woman, and I sure would like to get to know you better if you'd allow me the pleasure."

"My, my, Zeb, aren't you a sweet talker. I suppose I could tolerate you comin around to call on me, although that Chas sure was quite the man, you got your work cut out for you to sway me from his charms."

We both laughed at that and finished our meal, once we were outside Ben was waiting for us in the wagon.

"Ben, you coulda come in an joined us," I said.

"I didn't want to interrupt you two; besides they had pickled eggs and sausages in the saloon, I had my fill of em. Are you two young love birds ready to roll out?"

Emma and I both blushed and said we were ready, and we took off for Baxter Springs. I scouted ahead and found out there was a ferry that could take us across the Spring River. We made it to the East side of the Spring River and camped for the night. The next morning we'd cross the river and head into Baxter Springs.

While we were camped out, I spoke with Ben and Emma about my plans of sticking around Baxter Springs for a few days to speak with the local law and see if I could find anything out about my uncle's murder. Ben and Emma were going to head on through Baxter Springs without stopping and head for Coffeyville, Ben was anxious to get to the homestead. Ben figured it would take about three and a half to four days to get to Coffeyville, it was about 50 miles, but the terrain had flattened out considerably and we were averaging about 15 miles a day with the big wagon.

I could tell Emma wasn't too thrilled about me not going with them, truth be told I didn't want to leave her either, but I had a job to do, and our budding relationship would have to be put on hold for a bit. After Emma went to the wagon to get ready for bed, I got the nerve up to ask Ben if he minded me callin on Emma once things got settled.

"Ben, I sure do think a lot of that daughter of yours, I want you to know my intentions are honorable and I want the chance to get to know her better. If you'd allow me to come callin."

Ben laughed at me a bit and said, "Zeb I can tell you two are sweet on each other and you have already proven to me you are more than capable of being a good man for my Emma, so nothing would please me more than you callin on her."

Needless to say, I was happy to hear that, and we both headed for our bedrolls. I had a hard time gettin to sleep that night just thinkin about Emma and our possible future. That and the fact Emma undressed in the covered wagon again with the lantern back lighting her silhouette, making the wagon cover somewhat transparent, damn that girl had a body on her!

I could see she was brushing out her long hair and her breasts were jutting out from her slim body as she had her arms raised to fix her hair for bed. I was needing some relief, but I just couldn't get up the nerve to take care of business with Ben nearby sleeping under the wagon. I'm pretty sure I had a hard on the whole night, talk about bein uncomfortable!

That next mornin Emma fixed somethin to eat and Ben and I hitched up the mules and I saddled up Ed and loaded Buddy down. Breakfast that mornin was kind of a sad affair for Emma and me, we knew our time together was short and neither of us were lookin forward to parting.

"Zeb, our place is located west of Coffeyville about eight miles, we're on the Spring Creek. You be sure to come see us as soon as you can get away, you're always welcome in our home."

"Thanks Ben, you can bet I'll be there as soon as I can be. Emma, I got a little somethin for your birthday, I know it's tomorrow but since I won't be with you I wanna give it to you now, you can't open it till tomorrow though."

"Zeb, thank you so much, you didn't have to do that for me."

"Well, truth be known it's somethin I might like more than you, but that's the only hint I'll give you," I said with a big grin on my face.

"What do you mean by that Zeb?" Emma asked with a confused look on her face.

Ole Ben started chuckling about then, "You two are hopeless, Emma I guess you'll just have to wait till tomorrow to see what ole Zeb is gettin at."

I handed the package wrapped in brown paper to Emma, she reached out and took hold of it and I pulled her in close, looked into her eyes and leaned in and kissed her forehead saying, "happy birthday beautiful."

Emma looked up at me with a smile and pulled me in for a hug, thanking me for her gift. I woulda kissed her solid on the lips had her old man not been standing right there, we were friends and all, but I didn't want to push my luck by being so brazen with his daughter.

We got across the Spring River without a hitch on the ferry and rode into Baxter Springs Kansas. Ben and Emma were going to keep on going and I was going to spend a few days in Baxter Springs and see if I could find out anything on Uncle Tom's death. We said our goodbyes and I got another big hug from Emma and before we let go of each other she quickly got up on her tippy toes and gave me a quick peck on the lips, which sent my head spinning, then they rode off on their way and me on mine.

As I watched Emma ride off in that wagon, I felt empty inside. I thought to myself, I can't imagine my future without her in it! I knew then and there that Emma was the one, and I was going to do everything in my power to win her heart.

*********

It was about mid mornin when I rode up to the town marshal's office. I tied off my horses to the hitchin post and walked in. It wasn't a very big set up, mainly just an office with four jail cells all in the same room. There was a man settin at the desk with a badge on his shirt and he looked up when I walked in.

"Sir, my name is Zeb Schmidt, I come into town this mornin, I'm originally from Missouri. If'n ya got the time I have a few questions for you about a relative that was killed hereabouts a few months back."

"Pull up a chair Son, I'm the marshal, names Ken Russel, I got some time, let's hear what's on your mind."

My first impression was that Ken seemed like a nice enough guy, he looked to be in his mid-40's, average build and probably about my own height.

"Well sir, about last March I had an uncle by the name of Tom Carrington bring in a herd of cattle with some of his hands, he sold the cattle and, on his way, home, was killed about a mile or so outta Baxter Springs.

According to my aunt, only one of the hand's was with Uncle Tom when he was killed. The rest had left for home the day before, since they weren't needed anymore. The one that was with Uncle Tom was a man named Charlie Price. Did you look into that shootin or did the sheriff work that?"

"It was me that worked it Mr. Schmidt, it wasn't that far outta town and we don't have a sheriff at the present time, so it was gonna be me or nobody. Your uncle was shot, I believe from ambush, from what the hired hand said, I believe his name was Price, if I remember correctly. Price told me once they were ambushed, he ran his horse to cover, then worked his way back to town to report it to me.

I gotta say though, I surely didn't get a good feelin from Mr. Price, if you ask me, I'd bet he's been on the wrong side of the law a time or two. Him not stickin around to help out your uncle shows bad character, if you ask me."

"Well Marshal, I never met him before, fact is I never met any of the hands before. My ma got a letter from Aunt Helen telling what happened, from what Price told her, and asked for help running the ranch, so here I am, on my way to help her out. I didn't want to go ridin in there blind so I figured to stop in here and see what I could learn. I gotta feelin some of the hired hands aren't going to be so happy to see me. Oh, and sir, you can just call me Zeb."

"Well Zeb, like I say best I could tell is your uncle was ambushed, Price claimed he didn't stick around once the shootin started and when I rode back out with Price there was no money to be found from the cattle sale. Your uncle appeared to be shot through the chest with a rifle round, there was an entry hole in his chest with a decent size exit hole coming out his back, I'd guessed it probably was a buffalo gun, but hard to say for sure. Hell, it coulda been one of those ole.58 caliber muskets from the war, but they wasn't accurate enough for the range Price believed the shot was made from."

"Did you ever hear rumors of who might have killed Uncle Tom, Marshal? I mean people eventually talk some and it's been about five months since his killin, surely there's some word floatin around?"

"Zeb, it's just me and two deputies for the whole town of Baxter Springs, we're spread pretty thin to say the least, so I'll admit we didn't spend a lot of time lookin into that killin, but I have heard a few things in the last several months. Not enough to do anything with, just rumors, but sometimes there's some truth to what you hear. Grant it, it wasn't enough for me to act on but definitely something to keep in mind.

Supposedly the Miller brothers, Jim and his younger brother Billy, were said to have some part in the killin. They've been under investigation before for rustlin cattle, robing stages and freight wagons among other things."

"Well, at least that gives me somethin to start with, did you ever hear of Price runnin with the Miller brothers?"

"No, but that don't mean it ain't possible, like I said, I'd venture to say ole Mr. Price has been involved in his fair share of illegal dealins."

"Was uncle Tom's horse and belongings taken with the money?"

"No, everything looked to be there, found his horse close by and his rifle was still in the scabbard, he still had a belt gun on him, and it didn't appear anything was missin. Had I not known about the cattle sale I would have never known there was money stole. He still had a little over $20 on him.

Mr. Priced loaded up your uncle and all his belongings onto your uncle's horse and said he was takin it back to Mrs. Carrington. Now whether he did or not I don't know."

"Thank you for your time, Marshal! I'll be hangin around town a day or so just to see if I can learn anything else. Oh, while I'm thinkin about it, who do I need to talk to about sellin cattle around here? I'll probably need to be bringin another herd of cattle in to sell just to get my aunt through the winter."

"Go over to the stock yard and ask for Mr. Davis, he runs the stockyard."

"Thanks again Marshal, I'll probably be seein you around."

"Yeah, good luck to ya Zeb, and be careful, those Miller brothers are a rough bunch, take care."

I walked outside, saddled up and headed to grab some lunch, then to the stockyard to find Mr. Davis, maybe he could shed a little more light on the situation.

After I grabbed a bite to eat, I found Mr. Davis, and he didn't have anything to add to the story other than the amount uncle Tom got for the sale. Uncle Tom had sold the cattle for $12 a head and he'd brought in 96 head, bringing the total to $1152. Loosin that much would definitely put Aunt Helen in a bind.