A Reason to Die Read online

  Helping himself to a couple of boxes of .44 cartridges as he went back through the store, he hurried to the horses. With darkness rapidly approaching, few people were on the street to notice as he untied his horse and two others, which were as many as he wanted to fool with. He rode out the upper end of town at a lope, leading the two horses behind him.

  CHAPTER 11

  Sensing that the shooting had finally ended, the citizens of Atoka gradually returned to the street from the places where they had taken cover. Perley walked past them on his way to the diner.

  “Looks like it’s all over,” Lottie sang out to Peggy and Link, who were in the kitchen. “Here comes Perley now.” They came from the kitchen to join her as she opened the door for him. “We heard an awful lot of shooting,” she commented when he walked inside. “I’m mighty glad to see you’re still walking.”

  “Yeah, it turned out all right,” Perley said. Looking at Link, he added, “We won’t have to worry about that gang anymore. The only one left is that big woman, and she’s locked up, waitin’ for a deputy marshal to come get her. Three of the four men are dead. The other one got away, but he’s wounded. He wasn’t part of the family, so he’s likely tryin’ to get as far from here as he can. It ain’t gonna make up for losin’ your mama and papa, but you at least know they didn’t get away with it without being punished.”

  He, Lottie, and Peggy all studied the young boy’s face while Perley gave him the news. It was difficult to imagine what Link was thinking. His expression never seemed to change from the stoic calm they had become accustomed to seeing.

  When it became obvious he was not going to show any emotions, Perley finally asked, “How ’bout it, Link? Are you ready to get back on the road to Texas?”

  “Yes, sir, I reckon I am,” was Link’s quiet answer.

  “Let’s go pick up the horses and we’ll head down the trail a while before we make camp tonight.” He turned to thank Lottie. “How much do I owe you?”

  “Nothing.”

  He came back with, “How ’bout the horses ? Any charge for keepin ’em there at the hotel?”

  “Of course not,” Lottie replied, pretending she was offended. “After what you just did for the town? Besides, they didn’t do anything for your horses but let ’em stand around in the corral. You just be damn sure you stop in to see us next time you pass though Atoka.”

  “You can count on that.” He reached out and gave Link a tug on the shoulder. “Let’s go, Link! As soon as we get home, I’m gonna see if we can find you a saddle. You’re gonna need one if you’re gonna be a real cowhand.” He couldn’t tell if that prospect excited him or not. The boy’s noncommittal expression seldom changed.

  Relieved to find his horses and packs just as he had left them, Perley got them ready to ride. He gave Link a boost up on the paint and said, “We oughta be done with all the fuss and excitement now and just have a nice ride home.”

  “How far is it from here to your home?” Link asked, surprising Perley with the question. It was the first time he had shown any interest in caring where the road led.

  “Our home,” Perley quickly corrected. “I figure we’ll be there in two days. We’ll start out on the road to Durant till we strike Clear Boggy Creek, and make camp there for the night. In the mornin’, we’ll just follow Clear Boggy to the Red River. Once we cross the Red, we’ll practically be in our front yard.” Perley watched the boy’s eyes as he followed his words, and decided that Link was finally thinking about what his life might be, now that his folks were gone. It was a good sign. “How ’bout it? That all right with you?”

  “That’s all right with me,” Link said with a hint of a smile, the first Perley had seen on the boy’s face.

  “Let’s go, then.” Perley gave Buck a gentle nudge with his heels.

  * * *

  Thirteen-year-old Jimmy Farmer was perched on the top rail of the corral, watching John Gates work with a spirited buckskin gelding that had shown no interest in accepting a saddle. A couple of the men who rode for the Triple-G had given the buckskin a try, but no one had been able to take the cantankerous streak out of the horse. It was the kind of challenge John eagerly accepted, so he decided that today was the day he and the buckskin, appropriately named Sidewinder, would come to terms. John had hoped to saddle break the ornery horse before approaching suppertime, but had not yet imposed his will upon it.

  Jimmy twitched and turned in unison with the horse’s every maneuver to rid itself of the rider, traits that earned the horse its name. Sidewinder wasn’t named for the rattlesnake. He was named for his method to shuck anyone off his back—dancing stiff-legged along the sides of the corral, bouncing against the rails, and trying to pin the rider’s legs.

  “They oughta named that cuss Devil Dancer,” said Jimmy’s father, Fred, as he walked up to watch with his son. He started to climb up beside him, but paused when he caught sight of some riders approaching from the north. “Look yonder. Who’s that?”

  Knowing his father’s eyesight was not as keen as when he was a younger man, Jimmy turned to look. After a moment, he answered excitedly. “It’s Perley! It’s Perley, and it looks like he’s got a little boy with him.” It was enough to bring Jimmy down off the rail and deprive the bronc rider of his audience.

  “Run to the barn and tell Rubin,” Fred said, and Jimmy was off at once to deliver the message. Fred turned back toward the corral, but decided John was too busy to be disturbed at the moment as Sidewinder took him for another circuit of the corral rails. They’ll be mighty glad to see Perley, he thought.

  Both of the older brothers couldn’t help but worry about him, in spite of the natural gift of speed and accuracy he was born with when it came to handling a firearm. It was the fact that he also appeared to have inherited an unavoidable tendency to draw trouble to him like a magnet. Fred stared at the approaching riders, eager to hear the circumstances that caused Perley to be arriving with a young boy in tow. He was joined a few seconds later by Rubin Gates.

  “So the wayward son has come home,” Rubin joked and peered out across the prairie, too. “I sent Jimmy up to the house to let Ma and the other women know. Wonder who the hell he brought home with him?”

  “I wonder,” Fred echoed, and they both laughed.

  Behind them, John, oblivious to the homecoming, had his hands full trying to keep Sidewinder off the rails.

  By the time Perley and Link rode into the barnyard, Jimmy had come back from the house with Rubin’s two sons and John’s seven-year-old daughter trailing behind him. By the time Perley reined Buck to a stop, his sister, Esther, and his sisters-in-law had come to the welcome party.

  “I swear,” Perley said, “if I’da known we were gonna get such a big welcome, I’da stopped at the river and cleaned off some of this trail dust.”

  “Let’s hear it,” Rubin said abruptly, knowing there was a story waiting to be told.

  His wife Lou Ann interrupted. “First, you should introduce the young man with you.”

  “You’re right,” Perley replied and stepped down from his saddle while Link threw his leg over the paint’s back and slid off. “This is Mr. Lincoln Drew,” Perley said with a flourish. “Better known to his friends as Link. He’s come to stay with us at my invitation. Link, this shaggy crew is part of the Triple-G family. I can’t vouch for their character. You’ll have to decide that for yourself after bein’ here a while.” He then went down the line and introduced each one by name.

  They all gave Link a warm smile with a few polite words of welcome, especially the women, for they knew there was bound to be a good reason Perley had brought him. They were also astute enough to know that the full details of Link’s arrival would be forthcoming when they were no longer in the boy’s presence.

  “Well, I guess we’ll need to decide where Link will bunk,” Lou Ann said, “so we can help him put his things away. He can bunk in the house with my boys. There’s plenty of room.”

  Perley could have kissed her for suggesting
it. He hadn’t decided what he was going to do, as far as Link was concerned. His first thought had been to give him a bed in the bunkhouse, but then he’d changed his mind when he realized Link was too young to be thrown in with a rowdy bunch of ranch hands, no matter how good their intentions. At the same time, he felt uncomfortable asking the family to accept him as a family member.

  “Thank you, Lou Ann. That’s a dandy idea. As far as his things, he’s wearin ’em.”

  “Oh,” she responded. “Then I suppose we’ll have to do something about that, too.”

  “Well, you got here at a good time,” Esther commented. “Supper’s almost ready, so you’d best take care of those horses. Maybe Henry can show Link where to wash up.”

  Henry, her eight-year-old son, grinned and nodded to Link.

  Content to let the women handle the situation with Perley’s orphan, Rubin was a little curious about the sacks on Perley’s packhorse. “What are you totin’ in the grain sacks?”

  “Oh, them,” Perley responded. “That’s seed corn. A special kind. I’m gonna set them on the front porch at the house for the time bein’.” He handed his horse’s reins to Jimmy Farmer. “Take ol’ Buck to the barn for me. I’ll be there in a minute.”

  “What? Are you thinkin’ about takin’ up farmin’ now?” Rubin asked, knowing it was highly unlikely.

  “I might,” Perley answered, and started to hand Jimmy the paint’s reins as well.

  “I can take my horse.” Link suddenly spoke up and took the reins from Perley.

  “Right,” Perley responded, surprised. “I sorta forgot what I was doin’ for a minute there. You can take care of your horse. Just follow Jimmy, and I’ll be there as soon as I unload this one.” He led the packhorse up to the front porch and unloaded his four sacks of seeds just outside the door, then went to the barn.

  * * *

  Perley stuck his head inside the door to his mother’s bedroom. “How you doin’, Ma?”

  Sitting up in bed with a stack of pillows behind her, Rachel Gates beamed with pleasure at the sight of her youngest son. “Perley,” she pronounced softly. “I’m doin’ all right, I guess, for a woman my age. I’m glad to see you back home, son. Come sit by me.”

  He pulled a chair up beside the bed and sat down, giving her hand a little squeeze. The Gates family had never been a hugging family, so she knew that gesture was meant to show his affection for her.

  “I see Rubin and Lou Ann have moved in with you. Have you been doin’ all right?”

  “Oh, I’ve been having some spells of being dizzy-headed,” she said. “Nothing that worried me. When you’re as old as I am, you’re supposed to be dizzy-headed. Anyway, they thought it would be best if they were here with me. So they moved out of their house and Fred and Alice and Jimmy moved into it.” She smiled and squeezed his hand. “Don’t worry. I told them your little room in the back is still yours.”

  “If they need more room, and they might, I don’t mind sleepin’ in the bunkhouse with the rest of the crew.”

  “Nonsense,” his mother said. “This house is as much yours as anybody else’s in the family.” She gave his hand another squeeze. “Thank you for finding your grandfather, I’m sorry he didn’t survive to make it back with you, but I’m glad you found him before he died. Your telegram didn’t give a lot of details.”

  “Yes, ma’am, he was truly glad that I found him and he really wanted to make things right with the family. It didn’t all turn out the way I wanted, but I think it turned out to suit him.” Perley patted her hand. “Are you feelin’ strong enough to make it to the table for supper?”

  “I wouldn’t miss it,” she quickly responded. “I was just a little tired. Thought I’d rest a little before supper. I wanna hear all about your trip to Deadwood, but I’ll wait till we all get to the table so you don’t have to go over it twice. Get out and let me put my robe on.”

  He started for the door, but she stopped him. “Esther said you brought a little boy back with you.”

  “Yes, ma’am. His name is Link Drew, and he’s in bad need of a family. I’ll tell you all about it.” He left her then to get dressed for supper.

  The whole family gathered in the main house for supper, which was a combined effort of both daughters-in-law, as well as that prepared by Alice Farmer, Fred’s wife, who normally did the cooking. It was a joyous homecoming for Perley and afterward, when the youngsters had left to show Link around the barn and stables, Perley told them how he happened to find Link after his parents were murdered. “He’s got a lot of bad memories to try to forget, but I think he’s gettin’ better every day.” He then recounted the story they were all eager to hear. When he finished, he summed it up with these words. “Grandpa gave his life to save mine. He wanted to make sure I got back home with those packs. I know he purposely drew on that man to make him shoot that shotgun, so I’d have time to get him. I promised Grandpa I’d bring his treasure back home for the family, and that’s what I did.”

  There was a moment of silence afterward until Rubin, always the practical one, spoke. “Grandpa’s treasure,” he groused. “You risked your neck, and most likely that boy’s, for four sacks of corn?”

  “Not just corn,” Perley replied with a wide grin, “seed corn. The kind that’s hard to come by. Let me go get a sack of that corn and show you.” He got up from the table and went to the porch. He came back with one of the grain sacks and dropped it in the middle of the dining room floor. Thoroughly enjoying the skeptical expressions on everybody’s faces, especially the women, he proceeded to untie the sack and started pulling double handfuls of corn out and dumping them on the floor, until finally one of the women had to protest.

  “Perley, really? In the middle of the dining room floor?” Esther sighed.

  “I’m sorry. I reckon I coulda done this in the barn. I just thought you’d like to see it.”

  “I don’t know who you think is gonna plant all that corn,” Rubin said. “I thought you knew we’re in the cattle business.” He was about to say more but paused when Perley dug deeply into the sack and pulled out a smaller one.

  “Come here and take a look at this,” Perley said, dropping the sack to the floor and untying it. “This is what I risked my neck for.” He stepped back then as Rubin and John both hurried to see.

  “Good Lord in heaven,” Rubin exclaimed upon seeing the contents of the sack.

  John reached in and lifted a handful of the dust up for everyone to see. He looked at Perley. “How much of this stuff have you got?”

  “Well, when I left Deadwood, gold was sellin’ at twenty dollars and sixty-three cents an ounce,” Perley said. “That’s a ten-pound sack you’re holdin’ right there, which would make it worth about thirty-three hundred dollars. There’s two more bags like that one and another one with about four pounds less.” He had no intention of admitting that that particular four pounds went to the town of Blue Creek, Nebraska, for the construction of their first church. His family might likely be in favor of the donation, but if they didn’t know about it, they wouldn’t have to decide if they liked it or not. He had a strong feeling that his grandpa approved of it, and that was what counted most.

  The table was deserted within a couple of seconds as they all gathered around the sack of gold dust.

  “Somebody get a pencil and paper,” John said. “I can’t figure that much in my head.” He looked up at Perley. “Have you got it all added up?”

  “Nope,” Perley lied. “I was too busy tryin’ to keep it from bein’ stolen.” He wanted them to have the surprise he’d had when he’d figured it out.

  Esther came back from the parlor with paper and pencil, sat down at the table, and began to total it. When she came up with a final figure of around eleven thousand, nine hundred dollars, there was a simultaneous whoop of surprise, followed by some question of the accuracy of Esther’s figuring.

  “No, that’s about right,” Perley confirmed, “and it’s the reason it worried me to death till I could get home wit
h it.” He reminded them then that Grandpa had made him promise to take the gold home to his family, to help make up for having deserted them so many years ago.

  “Well, for goodness sakes,” Lou Ann exclaimed. “Go bring the rest of those sacks in the house. You can’t leave them out there on the porch.”

  * * *

  The crew at the Triple-G were all happy to see Perley back home. The days were already getting the chilly feel of autumn as the men prepared the cattle for the coming winter. Perley was pleased to find the youngsters, Jimmy Farmer and Rubin’s oldest boy, Henry, eager to take charge of Link’s orientation to life on a Texas ranch. Although Henry was a year younger than Link, Link was more than willing to learn from him. Since he had staked an aggressive claim to Grandpa’s paint gelding, no one disputed his ownership of the horse. Jimmy, with Sonny Rice’s help, taught him how to take care of the horse and they found a saddle for him to use. It was one that Sonny had used when he was not much older than Link.

  Because of the family’s general acceptance of Link, Perley was soon free of the responsibility for him. His days right after his return were spent preparing the cattle for the winter range. He noticed that the cattle were already starting to grow their winter fur, usually a sign of an early winter. After only a few days back at the ranch, he also noticed that, in spite of the trouble he had encountered on his trip to the Black Hills, it was a life far more suited to his nature than taking care of cattle. He wondered if he should be envious of Rubin’s and even John’s day-in and day-out monotonous routine of tending cattle. Not likely, he decided. He still wanted to see what was on the other side of the mountain. Thoughts of this nature made a trip into town a welcome break from the ranch.

  One such trip was soon scheduled with his brother, John.

  John’s wife Martha caught Perley by the elbow as he passed through the kitchen on his way out to the barn where John was already hitching up the wagon. “I’m depending on you. I know darn well you two will stop in Patton’s to have a drink of whiskey. Promise me you won’t let John have more than one or two. The last time he went into town, he came home with a bloody nose and one eye swollen shut.”