The Trail West Ch. 06

Josh spurred Diablo to get out of the way but the big horse slipped on the mud and sand bank of the creek. The buffalo was on them very quickly in spite of his injured rear leg. He butted Diablo in the ribs knocking the horse off his feet; as he went down Josh pulled his feet from the stirrups and rolled away. Josh was able to hang on to his rifle; as he came to his feet fired at the animal from about 20 feet away.

The first shot just seemed to make the bull angrier; he turned toward Josh, snorted again, and lowered his head. Josh moved quickly to the side and put three more shots into the bull's chest before the animal could charge again. The big animal snorted one more time, spraying blood from his nose and fell over on his side.

Josh limped over to the animal and made sure it was dead. He cut its throat to bleed the carcass so that it wouldn't spoil. No need to waste all that meat he thought, although I'd rather shoot at them from 100 yards away. This was a mite too close.

Diablo came to Josh favoring his left leg; his knee was beginning to swell. Josh inspected the knee and decided that the injury wasn't serious. It was a light sprain and would be fine after a day or two; but he couldn't ride Diablo back to the ranch house that day. Lucky we're only about four miles from home so I guess I can walk and lead Diablo, he thought.

Josh limped as he walked around his horse checking for any more injuries and his leg started to ache and burn. During all the excitement he hadn't noticed that he was injured too. He looked down at his leg and saw blood seeping through a tear in his pants. Josh sat down on a rock beside the creek and pulled his pants leg up. I guess the bull got his licks in after all, he thought.

He was bleeding from a gash an inch deep in places and six inches long in his calf; the bull had come close to goring Josh right through his leg. Josh washed his leg in the creek, grimacing at the burning sensation. He got a spare shirt from his saddle bag and cut strips to make a bandage for the wound. Don't look like I'll be walking back today he said to himself. Guess I'll make camp and wait for tomorrow.

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It was early evening and getting dark; Red had been back for over two hours. He was beginning to worry because Josh hadn't returned yet. Most hunting success comes early in the day Red thought; there's no reason for him to still be out on the range.

"Shouldn't Josh be back by now?" Danni asked Red with a worried tone.

"Yeah, he should. He must have run into some problem or something," Red answered. When he notice how worried Danni was he said, "Don't worry Danielle, Josh can take care of himself. He'll be alright."

"Is that why you're twisting that lariat around in your hands?" She asked smiling at Red.

"Like I said he can take care of himself, but I'd feel a mite better if he was here. I'll head out at first light to follow his trail. It's too late tonight; as good as I am I can't track in the dark."

Before first light, Red was saddling Jasper to go look for Josh. When he came out of the barn leading his horse he saw Jerry mounted and waiting for him.

"Where're you going Jerry?" Red asked unnecessarily. He knew very well what Jerry planned.

"Josh is my partner too Red. I'm going to help find him; beside two of us can cover more ground," Jerry said.

"Okay, let's go." Red knew it was a waste of time trying to talk the youngster out of going to look for their friend.

They headed south from the ranch house and picked up Josh's trail almost immediately. It took them two hours, moving slow, following Josh's trail, to get to Black Squirrel Creek. Jerry gestured at the tracks leading out of the water on the far side of the creek. Red pointed at smoke from a campfire rising into the early morning air; he led the way across the creek headed toward the smoke. Jerry and Red cleared the last stand of cottonwoods and saw Josh sitting by a campfire.

He looked up as his friends rode over to him. Red saw the bloody pants leg with part of bandage sticking out. Jerry stiffened when he saw the blood but Red just sat on his horse and looked down at Josh.

"You'll do about anything to get out of your share of the chores, won't you?" Red asked with a smile.

"I thought you two could handle it so I thought I'd take a break, don't you know. You boys have any coffee with you?"

Jerry got down and took a small coffee pot out of his saddle bag. As he added water and coffee to the pot, Red noticed the dead buffalo. He dismounted and examined Josh's leg; there wasn't much more that could be done until they got back to the ranch.

"You know you're supposed to shoot those animals not wrestle them to death," Red remarked.

"I've done that; thought I'd try something new. But I don't think I'll do that again," Josh said with a lopsided grin. "At least it'll give us enough fresh meat for quite awhile, so it wasn't a total waste of time."

After Josh got a cup of coffee, Red asked Jerry to ride back to the ranch and bring a wagon out to get the buffalo back to the house so they could butcher it. It would take about three hours for Jerry to make the round trip.

"Nothin to do but wait I guess," Red said as he flopped down using a big rock as a back rest.

"Come on, let's start skinning this beast. It'll help get the heat out of the body so it won't spoil," Josh said as he got up and limped over to the buffalo carcass.

"I did both of our chores last night since you weren't there so I should get to rest this morning," Red kidded as he went to help Josh. They made the necessary cuts in the hide and attached a rope to Jasper's saddle and to the hide. Using the power of the horse they were able to strip most of the hide off the buffalo. They could see the steam coming off the body as it cooled.

Jerry returned and between the three of them they got the big carcass into the wagon. Josh tied Diablo to the back of the wagon and got up on the seat with Jerry. He tried to hand the reins to Josh.

"You drove it out here, you drive it back. Besides I'm injured and I'm just gonna be your passenger today," Josh teased Jerry.

Two hours later they pulled into the yard at the ranch house. The entire Maguire clan was standing on the porch as they pulled to a stop. Danni ran off the porch to where Josh sat on the wagon. She took his hand in hers and looked up at him.

"Are you alright?" She asked. When Josh nodded she asked, "What do you mean, worrying us all to death and why are you riding in the wagon?"

"Diablo sprained his knee and I didn't want to ride him."

"Diablo's hurt?" Danni left Josh's side and went to the big horse. He nickered at her as she stroked his neck. "Poor baby, Danni will take care of you. Jerry take him into his stall and get him some grain, I'll be down to take care of him later," she ordered.

Josh and Red quickly told everyone the story of the bull buffalo, pointing to the carcass in the wagon. "We need to butcher him pretty quick before the meat turns bad," Josh said.

Red helped Josh get down from the wagon as his leg had stiffened up on the long ride back to the ranch. Danni turned back to the wagon and for the first time saw the bloody pants leg as Josh limped toward the porch. She ran to his side and put her arm around him to help him into the house. Danni made him sit at the table and gathered the things she needed to tend to his injury.

Maggie brought hot water in a wash basin, cloths to clean the wound, and coal oil to treat the deep cut. She also brought a bottle of whiskey and offered it to Josh; he shook his head turning down the drink. Danni sat on the floor and put Josh's foot on a low stool so she could work on his leg. She slit his pants leg and long johns up the side so she could get to the long gash better.

Red picked up the whiskey and said, "I'm a little shaky even if Josh isn't. Maybe I'd better have a little drink to settle me down." He put the bottle to his lips but before he could take a drink, Sarah took it away from him. She playfully slapped Red's shoulder and told him to bring in more wood for the stove.

Danni cleaned up the wound and applied coal oil directly onto and into the gash. And then applied a pad soaked in coal oil to the wound and bound it up. The whole time she worked on his leg she talked to herself. "You could've been killed. How could you be so dumb? Don't you know you worried me to death?" And then softly almost in whisper said, "I don't know how I could take it if something happened to you."

In spite of the soft and quiet tone, Josh heard every word. He put his hand out and touched Danni's hair. She looked up at him and he could see the tears trickling down her cheeks. Their eyes met and in that exact moment he knew that he may never go back to the farm in Missouri; and if he did return he wouldn't be alone. It was at that exact moment that he knew he loved Danni and that she loved him. It was at that exact moment that he knew that their lives would be tied to each other forever.

Danni smiled up at Josh, wiped the tears from her cheeks and eyes, and went back to treating his wound. "This is going to hurt some," Danni said showing him the needle and silk thread she would use to sew up the gash. "Are you sure you don't want some whiskey to deaden the pain?"

"Naw, if I drink that stuff I might get sick to my stomach. I'd rather put up with the pain."

Daniel stepped into the house to see how Josh was doing. He heard Josh refuse the whiskey and walked over to a storage trunk and pulled something out. Walking back to Josh, Daniel handed him a thick piece of rolled up rawhide. "You might want to bite down on this son."

Josh took the rawhide put it between his teeth and Danni began sewing the edges of the cut together; this would make it heal more quickly. She had done the same thing with others in the family when they were hurt and even to some of the live stock. Danni pulled the sides of the gash together and made a zig zag stitch back and forth across the cut to close it.

Afterwards Maggie brought Josh one of Daniel's night shirts and a quilt. "Get out of those duds so we can wash the blood out of them," she ordered. "After they're clean we can sew up the slits in the legs."

Josh blushed and Maggie laughed at his embarrassment. "The girls and I will step outside until you get decent. You can sleep on the sofa tonight so we can keep an eye on you."

The girls left and as Josh was changing Red came back into the house. He grinned as Josh explained what Maggie had ordered him to do. "Maybe I ought to get hurt so I can have three pretty women takin care of me," Red laughed. "On second thought, gettin horned by a buffalo is a mite far to go just to get some attention."

That evening after supper, Josh told the story of his run in with the bull buffalo in more detail. Red teased Josh some more about getting out of his chores but everyone could see that Red had really been worried about his friend. Late in the evening Red and Jerry went back to the bunkhouse. The Maguires went to their rooms with the exception of Danni.

Josh was bedded down on the sofa and Danni pulled her father's big chair closer. She explained to Josh that she would need to check on his bandage a couple of times during the night and this would be the easiest way. The two young people talked softly late into the night; Josh fell asleep still holding Danni's hand. In the morning she kissed his cheek to wake him and handed him coffee.

While he drank his morning coffee, Danni examined the wound again. "It's already started to heal and looks good. There's no sign of blood poisoning and the blood isn't seeping out anymore. You should be back on your feet in a couple of days."

It was actually three days before Danni would let Josh go back to doing his chores around the ranch. Josh had tried to get back on his feet the day after the accident. Danni got angry and told him he could get up if he wanted but not to come running to her the next time he did something stupid and got hurt. Josh didn't think it would've been a good idea to point out that she came running to him to take care of him. He didn't know a lot about women but he knew enough not to respond so he sat it out for two more days.

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May rolled around and the roads and wagon tracks began to dry out. Danni had to go back to work at the freight office but she did made a deal with the owner of the company. She would work full days Tuesday through Thursday and a half a day on Friday. She would go back to the Maggie M on Friday afternoons and return to Fountain on Monday.

The freight business was picking up but it would be late June before things got real busy. Even then Danni thought she could get everything done in four days which would give her more time at home. It would also give her more time with Josh; that was becoming more and more important to both of them.

Danni was all set to come home on the second Friday of the new work schedule and was waiting for her "knight escort" as she called them. She was surprised to see Jerry ride up to the boarding house to join her on the ride home. He was riding the big chestnut horse he called Charger.

"Hello Jerry. I thought Josh or Red would be coming for me."

"Hello Miss Danielle," Jerry greeted her. "Red is helping your Pa round up the spring calves for branding and Josh was at the S Bar S training horses that Mr. Sanders needs for his round up. With both Josh and Red busy I was the logical choice to come fetch you; I mean come and ride back with you. I hope you're not too disappointed."

Danni smiled and replied, "I'm honored to have such a fine young knight escort me home. Thank you Jerry."

They rode back to the ranch alternating walking and trotting the horses and talking along the way. Danni asked, "What are your plans for the future Jerry? What do you want to do with yourself?"

"I don't really have any plans. I'm real happy just where I am and as long as Mr. Maguire will keep me on, my only plan is to stay on the Maggie M. It's a good place to live and your Ma and Pa have been real good to me," Jerry replied.

Danni saw that Jerry was very alert and paid attention to the country they were riding through. There hadn't been any trouble since the rustler had been killed on the way into town but Jerry wasn't taking any chances. Josh would be really mad if I didn't take care of Miss Danielle, he thought to himself.

They were riding close to a big rock bluff and Jerry saw sunlight shinning off of something on the far side of the trail. He slapped Sunny hard on his rump making the big horse jump into a run; at the same time he put the spurs to Charger. As the horses started to run, a rifle shot rang out chipping rock off the bluff when they had been.

"Get behind that big rock," Jerry ordered a surprised Danni pointing to a house size boulder. They got behind the rock and dismounted. As Jerry jumped off his horse he pulled his Henry rifle from the saddle scabbard and quickly fire two shots back down the trail. Then he fired two more in rapid succession and chuckled.

"Got 'em pinned down now," he said grinning at Danni. "They're not going anywhere too soon."

"Got who pinned down?"

"Those two that shot at us. See that big rock on the far side of the trail? They're hiding behind it." Jerry paused to fire twice more and then reloaded his rifle. "Miss Danielle I'm going to cover you and you ride like hell for the ranch and get help." Before she could protest he added, "You're the reason those two are here. I don't know if they meant to scare you, kidnap you, or kill you but if you're not here they can't do any of that. So get going."

Danni was surprised at the way Jerry took charge. She remembered that Josh had said Jerry was a veteran of two raids on their wagon train. Danni also remembered how he had came up behind Rafe and his friends as Josh and Red faced them.

She lean over gave him a swift kiss on his cheek and said, "I think you can call me Danni. I'm going for help."

He nodded and as she mounted he fired several times at the rock where the two gunmen were hiding. Jerry didn't really expect to hit anything; he just wanted to keep their heads down while Danni got away. Danni pushed Sunny into a gallop and headed for the Maggie M, about two miles away.

Jerry reloaded and watched carefully for movement and every time one of them stuck his head up Jerry would fire at him. Those guys are sure dumb, he said to himself. They didn't hold on to their horses and now they can't move from behind that rock. If they try for the horses, they'll be out in the open, if they try to retreat they'll be out in the open, and if they try to rush me they'll be out in the open. Not real smart are you boys?

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Josh had spent Thursday night at the S Bar S after working with Mr. Sander's horses. He had worked from first light until about noon on Friday. He rode back to the Maggie M because he wanted to be there when Danni and Jerry got home. Josh had loosened the saddle cinch to let Diablo rest a little and was talking to Red as he unsaddled and brushed Jasper. Red's horse had been working cattle all morning and deserved a rest.

Red had just feed Jasper and started toward the bunk house when Danni came into the yard at a high gallop. She was off Sunny and talking to Josh before the horse came to a full stop. Danni explained what had happened and that Jerry was still back there.

Josh asked a couple of questions as he cinched up his saddle and waited as Red saddled his other horse, Queenie. Both men checked their guns and rode off at a fast pace; they needed to get to Jerry in a hurry. It took Red and Queenie less than ten minutes to reach Jerry's defensive position. Josh and Diablo weren't far behind; Diablo was very fast for a big horse but he couldn't keep up with Queenie. She was a quarter horse and could run like a big cat for short distances.

Red was grinning and held up his hand as Josh rode up. He pointed to where Jerry had made his stand. Red was a war veteran and saw at once that Jerry was in charge. It took Josh a minute to understand and then he smiled too. Jerry had someone pinned down behind a big rock on the far side of the trail.

Josh whistled like a quail to attract Jerry's attention. When the boy saw them he smiled and pointed at the big rock. Using sign language Red found out that Jerry had two men pinned down. He signed to Jerry that he and Josh would flank them and come up behind them. When Josh and Red were in position, Josh whistled again and Jerry fired four shots into the base of the rock to keep the men's heads down.

The next sound the two men heard was Josh telling them to drop their rifles. They frozen for a second or two and then started to turn. "Oh please do," Red pleaded. "You know I'd really like a chance at you two so keep on turning. Damn Josh, it's our old friends Rafe and Barry."

Rafe and Barry weren't the sharpest tools in the shed but they weren't stupid. They dropped their rifles and put their hands over their heads. Josh held a gun on them as Red stripped them of their pistols and picked up their rifles. Josh yelled to Jerry that they were coming out and walked the men onto the middle of the trail.

"I warned you boys what would happen if you caused anymore trouble for the Maguires. Josh let's give them back their pistols and settle this right here," Red suggested. Josh wasn't sure if he was serious until Red winked at him.

"You can't do that. We're your prisoners, you have to take us to the Sheriff," Rafe said almost begging.

"I told you before I'm not the law," Red answered. "Give 'em their guns Josh."

"You know Red if these boys would tell us who's behind all this trouble we might see our way clear to take them to Sheriff Horton."

"It's Larson, that's who it is," Rafe said quickly. "He told us to steal Maguire's cattle; everything was going good until you caught Carl and shot him."