Gone to Kansas Ch. 04

Four days later Ben and Emma rolled into Baxter Springs, Emma drove the wagon and Ben was on his sorrel gelding he'd named Red.

"Emma were lookin for a man named Mr. Davis, he runs the stockyards. I'm thinkin he might have the horses we're lookin for or at least know where we can get them."

"Ok Pa, are you still thinkin one stud horse and six mares?"

"Yeah, that would be a good number to start with, besides, between 25 head of cattle and seven horses I think we'll be spreadin our grass pretty thin, not sure our place can handle much more than that.

Looks like that's the stockyards straight ahead there Emma, let's see if Mr. Davis is around."

"Pa, while you're lookin into that I'm goin to go to the store and get all the stuff we're needin back home, that way we don't have to mess with it later."

"Sounds good honey, I'll be here, if you get done before me just come on back here and wait for me."

"Sure thing Pa, I shouldn't be too long."

Emma took the wagon to the store where she'd had the run in with Chas the carpet bagger. "I sure hope that greasy carpet bagger ain't still hangin out at the store," Emma thought to herself. When she pulled up, she breathed a sigh of relief, he wasn't on the porch trying to make a sale. Emma got down and went in.

"Hello there Miss, can I help you find anything?" Said the clerk, a middle-aged man with black hair and glasses.

"Well Sir, I need to get all the items on this list."

"Names Vernon Moore, Ma'am, at your service."

"Thank you, Mr. Moore, I'll just look around a bit while you get that together."

"Excellent, Miss, you never know, you might just find something else you just have to have," he said with a smile and a longing look.

Emma thanked the clerk for his help and went about checking out the other items in the store, not finding anything else, she waited at the counter for Mr. Moore. She didn't have to wait long, and Mr. Moore was ringing up her total.

"That'll be $6 Ma'am," said Mr. Moore. Emma handed him the money and he helped her load the items in the wagon. "Miss, it sure was a pleasure doing business with such a beautiful young lady, don't be a stranger."

Emma thanked him and said, "we live a far piece from here, so I probably won't be back anytime soon, but thank you anyway." Emma pulled out and went back to the stock yard. When she got there, Ben was waiting outside.

"Well Pa, what didya find out?"

"They didn't have what I was lookin for here, but he told me where I could find it. A place on our way back has some good horse stock for sale, about halfway between here and Coffeyville. Which'll work out better for us since we won't have to drive the horses as far."

Two days later Ben and Emma rode up to the Rafter H Ranch, owned by Jim Harding, he raised horses for all sorts of uses, but was best known for his saddle horses. Ben intended on raising and training his own saddle horses to sell to the army or whoever might be looking for a quality mount.

They rode into the ranch yard and were met by a man near the corral. He was clean shaven and about forty years old but had a rough look about him. "You Mr. Harding," asked Ben.

"No, I just hired on here not long ago, names Murdock. You lookin for Mr. Harding?"

"Yeah, I wanna see about buyin some of his horses, would he happen to be around?"

"Sure is, I'll go fetch him, you all just wait, and I'll have him here shortly," he said while checking Emma out from head to toe.

Ben and Emma waited, about three minutes later Murdock was back with Mr. Harding.

"Names Jim Harding, how can I help you folks."

"Well Mr. Harding, I'm Ben Lee and this is my daughter Emma, we're lookin for a stud horse and six mares. Wanna raise some good saddle horses, I hear you got the best breedin stock in these parts, was wonderin if you'd be interested in sellin some to me?"

"Well Ben, Emma, it's a pleasure to meet you," Mr. Harding said while tipping his hat to Emma. "As a matter of fact, I do have some I could sell you right now. Murdock bring out the Bay stud horse and bring out all the mares in the paddock behind the barn, just bring em to this corral and Mr. Lee can see what strikes his fancy, and yell at Ronnie, he's in the barn, have him help you."

A half hour later Ben was eyeing some mighty fine horse flesh, occasionally getting Emma's opinion on a horse. Emma had been helping Ben with horses since she was a little girl and had a good eye for what to look for. Ben was focused on the horses and never noticed Murdock studying Emma, but it didn't go unnoticed by her. Emma was getting a very bad feeling about Murdock, she didn't want to be caught alone with this man, he was leering at her, unnoticed by Mr. Harding or Ben.

Ben and Mr. Harding worked out a deal, Ben ended up paying a little more than he intended but Mr. Harding told him he'd have his hands deliver the horses by the end of the week to their place. They shook hands and Ben and Emma were headed back home.

"Pa, I got a bad feelin about that man named Murdock. He was eyein me harder than you were those mares."

"Well Emma, can't say I took much notice, I was so busy makin a deal with Mr. Harding."

"That's ok Pa, I just got an uneasy feelin about him, you make sure you're around when them horses are delivered. I don't want to deal with that man by myself."

"Ok Emma, I'll make sure to be there when they come."

Three days later Ronnie and Murdock showed up at the Lee's and delivered the horses without incident, much to Emma's relief. Later that night over supper Ben said, "Emma tomorrow I'm gonna go and finish cuttin those logs for the addition, probably be gone all day."

Ok Pa, now that that Murdock's gone, I'll be fine, besides I've got to finish gettin everything picked that's left in the garden, since fall's comin on."

Murdock and Ronnie drove the stock into the corral at the Lee's place. Murdock looked about but didn't see the girl anywhere. "Damn Ronnie, I was sure hopin to see that pretty little thing."

"Yeah, she was a looker all right," replied Ronnie. Once they got the horses delivered, they wished Ben good luck and rode off.

"Ronnie, I've been thinkin, I don't think I'm cut out for this job with Mr. Harding. I think I'm a gonna ride on and see what else I can find. When you get back to Harding's would you tell him I'm movin on?"

"Sure thing Murdock, but what about your pay?"

"I ain't to worried about that Ronnie, we was just paid a few days back so I won't be out of much."

"Ok Murdock, well good luck to ya, see ya around some day," and Ronnie rode off, heading back to the ranch. Murdock stopped his horse and thought about his little plan, and how much fun it was going to be having his way with that pretty little Lee girl.

The next morning Ben headed out to finish up the logs and Emma went to the garden to pick the rest of the vegetables. Little did she know she was about to be paid a visit by a man that had been raping girls and women since he was old enough to know what a hardon was for.

Murdock had left his horse tied about a hundred yards from the Lee's house, he walked in before first light and found a hiding spot he could watch the house from. He saw Ben leaving and not much later Emma walked out with a basket. She was wearing an old threadbare dress that hugged her curves, she was barefoot, and Murdock liked what he was seeing, the girl had a body that was made for breeding, and he was primed for it!

He followed her at a distance, keeping an eye on her as she walked to the garden. Once she got there, she began picking beans; he was well hidden, and he started to take off all his clothes. Murdock had been raping girls for years and he liked to go in ready if possible. He liked being completely naked so he could feel the girls flesh on his. He planned on taking his time with her, making a day of using her body any way he wanted. He hopped she was fertile so his seed would make her with child, he planned on fucking her until his balls had no more to give.

Emma was picking the last of the green beans, she had a feeling she was being watched and turned, nothing was there, so she went back to picking beans. Murdock shucked the last of his clothes off and grabbed up several lengths of leather strapping to restrain the girl. His cock was hard and sticking straight out from his body, in anticipation for what was to come. He was going to wait for Emma to work her way back down the row of beans and when she turned away to pick the next row, he'd rush out and grab her. He hoped he could make it the distance across the open ground before she noticed him, but he figured he'd be able to catch her even if she did notice him and tried to run.

Emma came back to the end of the row closest to Murdock, then turned to go up the next. Murdock quickly rushed out from cover, running across the open ground towards her. What Murdock didn't realize was, that ever since Emma lived through the attack on her and her dad on their trip here, she didn't go anywhere without a weapon of some sort. Today, Emma had a Colt.31 caliber pocket pistol laying in her bean basket.

Emma heard some movement behind her, she quickly turned, grabbing up the pistol and dropping the bean basket. Murdock had made it about halfway across the open ground, he only had about another twenty steps to go when he saw the girl turning with the pistol in her hand.

Emma spun and cocked the hammer on her pistol, she wasn't quite ready for what she saw next. It was a man, running towards her with not a stitch of clothes on, and to make things even more crazy, his cock was hard and bobbing up and down slapping his belly as he ran towards her. Emma took this crazed man's behavior as a threat on her life. Emma fired her first shot striking the crazy bastard in the upper shoulder, she put her second round in his chest, which slowed him a bit, but he was still coming. Her third shot hit him in the pelvis making him almost stop, but he continued on, with a limp cock at this point.

When Murdock sprang from cover and was running across the open area, he saw the girl turn, dropping her basket as she did so, that's when he noticed the pistol in her hand. He heard the shot ring out and saw the smoke from the pistol, there was instant pain in his right shoulder, but he was still determined. Then he felt the shot to his chest, it burned like hell and his breathing got labored. That crazy girl just kept firing and he felt the third shot hit his hip, damn near causing him to drop, but he was close to the prize, he reached out his hands and got a hold of her, taking her to the ground, he was definitely going to make her pay for this.

Emma recognized the crazed man as Murdock, he grabbed her and took her to the ground, she managed to keep a hold of the pistol, he was on top of her, straddling her, with one arm he had her left hand pinned and the other hand was around her throat. Emma couldn't breathe, it felt like he was going to crush her windpipe, she could smell Murdock's stench, his breath was awful, not to mention the smell coming from his body as he held her down. He was yelling at her, and spittle was hitting her face. She was screaming at him as she brought the pistol up and pressed it to Murdock's left side and fired her fourth shot. It was a good one and took out both of Murdock's lungs. She felt his grip weakening and she was able to get out from under him. He managed to roll over but stayed on the ground, staring up at her wheezing, with blood coming out of his mouth and nose.

Emma had one shot left, she knew he was a goner but wasn't about to take any chances, she cocked the hammer back and sent her last round through Murdock's right eyeball. The.31 caliber wasn't known for its power but at that range it pretty much vacated Murdock's brains from his skull. Emma breathed a sigh of relief, she was shaking like a leaf on a tree, but made her way back to the cabin, leaving him lying in the dirt.

Not fifteen minutes later, Ben burst in the cabin with his pistol drawn, "Emma, I heard shootin, are you ok, what's goin on girl!"

"I'm ok Pa, just really shook up, that damn Murdock fella came back and paid me a visit!"

"Well, what happened girl?"

"Right after you took off, I went out to pick the rest of the beans. I'd just finished a row and was headin back down another, when I thought I heard somethin comin at me from the brush. It was Murdock and he was as naked as the day he was born, runnin right at me! I'd dropped my basket and shot him several times as he was runnin toward me, it didn't stop him though, and he took me to the ground tryin to choke the life outta me. I put that pistol to his side and shot him through the lungs, that sure enough did him in. Once I got up, I made damn sure he wasn't gettin up and put one through his head."

"Thank God you're ok," Ben said, hugging Emma close.

"I know Pa, I was so scarred, he looked like he was possessed, runnin at me without any clothes on."

"Show me where he is and we'll get rid of him, can't have him stinkin up the place."

Emma took Ben back to where Murdock was laying and they tied him off to Red and hauled him to a gully, then stacked rocks over his body, it was too dry to burn him, and they didn't want the coyotes draggin his bones all over their place.

On their way back they found Murdock's horse, his pile of clothes and all his other belongings. "Emma, you take Red, I'll bring this horse back and we'll put him in the corral for now. If he's a good one, we'll keep him and if'n he ain't we'll sell him."

******

I'd been sittin on an overlook, watchin that damned herd of cows for three days now with no sign of Charlie or Clive, it made for some long days. I'd ride out before daybreak, get set up on the cows and stay till the sun was settin with hardly any light left to ride by, then I'd make my way back to the house. I'd been thinkin a lot of Emma and was itchin to put this mess behind me so we could start makin a life for ourselves. Little did I know what kinda trouble she'd had or what kinda trouble was about to come to me....

"Charlie, it's been damn near a month now, let's quit fuckin around and go take care of that wet nosed shit. I need to get ahold of that woman, it's been drivin me plum mad thinkin of her and all the things I wanna do."

"Easy Clive, we'll pay her a visit soon enough, but I've been thinkin, how about we take the rest of those cattle from her first, kill the boy and then maybe we can talk her into makin some sort of deal where we don't have to force her into givin it up, you know, she could work for us so to speak. That way she lasts a lot longer, if we have to force her, she'll only be good to us for a couple of days at most, but this way she could take care of us for a real long time."

"Damn Charlie, I like your thinkin, that sounds a whole lot better to me, let's go get those damn cows and take care of that boy!"

"Well Clive, I've been thinkin on this, here's what we'll do, we'll take our time with the cows. We'll start lookin for them on that unclaimed land first then we'll start movin in closer till we find some, we'll take about a dozen head at a time so you and I can manage it. I don't figure there's more than seventy head left to take, if we run across the boy, we'll deal with him. If we don't, we'll get him after we get the cattle, then we'll move in on Helen, I figure to start tomorrow. So, lets you and me kick this off by gettin drunk!"

"Damn straight Charlie, let's do it!"

Charlie and Clive made good on getting drunk, as matter of fact they did such a good job they didn't get started till after noon the next day. After covering a fair part of the unclaimed land to the Northwest Charlie said, "damn Clive, we ain't seen a cow yet, I'm beginin to wonder if that boy moved the cattle in closer?"

"Well Charlie, if'n he done that it would make him a bit smarter than I'd a given him credit for, but you may be onto somethin."

"Let's call it a day Clive, tomorrow we'll start on the perimeter of the ranch and slowly make our way in till we start seein cattle. I got a plan on how to deal with that boy. I think we'll take about a dozen head of cattle, take em to the valley and just keep them there. You find you a good hidin spot overlookin those cows and I'll keep bringin a few in at a time. Sooner or later, he'll come a lookin, and you'll be there to greet him with that buffalo gun of yours."

"Damn Charlie, I like it. Then we'll go get the Carrington woman! I'm thinkin once she finds out her nephew is dead that'll take the fire outta her, maybe make her start seein things our way. Let's stop in at the tradin post tonight, I sure could use somethin to cut this dust."

"Sure thing Clive, that sounds good to me, I could use a stiff drink myself, and hell you never know, maybe we'll just have a piece of that there squaw while we're at it."

I headed back to Aunt Helen's house at sundown with the last light of the day barely visible. I took Ed to the corral, unsaddled and brushed him down, then turned him loose. I cleaned up a bit at the water tank and went inside to see what Aunt Helen had fixed me for supper.

"Hello Aunt Helen," I said as I walked into the house.

"Hello Zeb, any luck today?"

"No, I didn't see any sign of them, it's getting kinda old babysittin them cows, but I still think it's a good plan. Lord knows I sure didn't have any luck gettin anyone to tell me their where abouts. I still believe they're around here just waitin for the time to be right, then they'll come back. They've had it to easy, there's no way they can walk away from what they believe will be easy money."

"I don't know Zeb; I just hope they left for Colorado like they said they were. I'm ready to be done with all this trouble. Now you're here and a I've put your life in danger, I guess I hadn't quite thought through all the dangers of having you come to help. If something happened to you over this, I'd never be able to forgive myself."

"Aunt Helen, it's going to be ok, we'll get this straightened out sooner or later and things will get back to normal, besides you're family, and you needed help. I came out on my own free will because we don't let family down when they fall on hard times. I'm here to see this through to the end no matter what the cost. You or Uncle Tom woulda done the same thing if this had happened to momma, it's just what we do."

"I suppose your right Zeb, but I'd be lying if I didn't admit this is really takin its toll on me, livin in fear isn't somethin I can get used to. I've been thinkin Zeb, I'm stayin till this mess is cleaned up, but when it's done, I don't intend to stay on here at the ranch, I'm done with this place."

"What do you plan on doing?"

"Well, I'm either going to sell it, or there's another option I like better, that's letting you run the place. I'd give you half the profit, we'd split the cost's and I'd move to Coffeyville and find some work or maybe even move back to Missouri. You'd live here in the house and run the ranch like it was yours. What do ya think about that?"

"Well Aunt Helen, that sounds mighty generous of you, have your really thought this over, or is this somethin you just came up with?"

"No, Zeb, I've been thinkin on this since before you even got here. I'm done with this place; I understand if you don't want to manage it though. If that's the case, I'll just sell it for whatever I can get and move on."

"As of right now it sounds good to me, but I'll let you decide for sure what you want to do once we get Charlie and Clive sorted out. You might change your mind once the threat is gone."

"I don't think so Zeb, but that's fine, we'll wait till this is settled then we'll work out the details."

I hit the sack fairly early that evening. I wanted to be in position once the sun began breakin the horizon, all the time I'd spent watchin them cows would be wasted if I was spoted by them two. Aunt Helen packed some sandwiches for me the next mornin and I headed back out to baby sit those damn cows.