Golden Feather Press
EMERALD VALLEY

CHAPTER 12

At dawn the next day, Woody delivered a new sledgehammer to Randy Bruter. After relishing a huge slice of Laura Bruter's peach pie, Woody started home. Sitting atop Tonka's massive back, Woody ran his fingers through the bison's thick, wooly mane.

"Yessiree," Woody said to Tonka. "That Randy's a desirable man. Almost as desirable as Kyle." He patted Tonka's head. "Randy likes it up the ass, too. Slow and easy-like." Woody chuckled. "Always have to wipe my chest and beard when he's done." He shrugged. "But he's a liar like most. He never looks at me in town and sneaks to my house after dark." He grinned into the horizon. "Kyle's not a liar."

After galloping Tonka a few miles to exercise him, he saw someone in the distance…on foot...out here on the Coby ranch! Woody knew he needed to warn the person to watch out for the Coby hands. They were a ruthless bunch. He always steered clear of them, and they kept their distance from him. Woody had always ridden where he wanted. He'd made that known the first week he'd been in town. While riding on the Coby ranch, he'd been confronted at gunpoint by Coby's men.

"Get off this land or we'll shoot you dead!" Rory Calhoun, the top hand of the Coby outfit, had shouted.

"Shoot me an' you'll have to make your own wagon wheels!" Woody had hollered back.

They let him pass through the ranch after that.

Woody headed his bison toward the lone individual on foot and was surprised to find Francine Coby trudging along toting a leather bag. Francine stopped, dropped the bag and shaded her eyes as he rode up to her.

"What're you doing out here, ma'am?" Woody asked. He reined Tonka to a stop and slid from his saddle. "Where's Matilda?" he asked as he walked up to her.

Francine swept back a strand of hair. "I'm looking for her. Father brought her to a mesa to graze."

"Why'd he do that? How're you supposed to get around?"

"That's the point. I'm not allowed away from the ranch. I was going to leave here and go back to Boston, but Father doesn't want that, especially now that I know he…." Francine stopped. She didn't want anyone to know her father had paid to have Dix killed, and possibly Bill Lewis. At least, not until she found Matilda.

"Don't you fret. Tonka and I'll take you to search for Matilda. I'll climb up first, then haul you up behind me."

Once Francine and her bag were situated on Tonka behind Woody, he yelled over his shoulder, "Hold on tight!" Tonka began galloping toward Green Top Mesa. When they reached the foot of the flat-topped mountain, Tonka carefully picked his way to the top of the horse trail.

Green Top Mesa, separated from five surrounding mesas, was a half-mile wide and a mile long. The reddish table mountain had steep sides with rocks and scrubby brush scattered to the top. A large forest and grassland covered most of the center of the mesa. The presence of a spring with several water holes kept the forest and grass green. Since the top of the other mesas were barren with an occasional twisted juniper, this would be the only mesa on which a horse could graze.

Woody headed Tonka toward a grassy area graced with clusters of huge cottonwood trees. As they approached, he spotted a lone bay horse that raised its head, but didn't move from the spot.

"It's Mattie!" Francine cried. "I wonder why she isn't coming to greet me."

"She's tethered," Woody said. "I bet she's plenty sore about that."

As they reached Matilda, the horse reared briefly and snorted. It was then they could see the rope around her neck. Francine slid off Tonka and ran to her. Matilda showed Francine her rump.

"Oh Mattie, it wasn't my fault you're up here," Francine said soothingly. "You know I'd never bring you here."

Matilda turned suddenly to face Francine, but looked beyond her at two horsemen riding toward them.

Still sitting on Tonka, Woody instantly pulled his shotgun from the saddle boot, made sure it was loaded, then drew his Smith & Wesson from his heavy leather belt. He turned Tonka to face the oncoming riders, which he knew were Rory and Bryce. Woody considered Bryce a sniveling momma's-boy hardcase. Rory was another matter. He wasn't afraid of Rory, but he'd have his guns pointed straight at him just in case of one of his temper flair-ups.

"What are you two doin' here?" Rory Calhoun shouted. "The boss don't want nobody up here!" He stopped his horse in front of them and sat in the saddle with muscles bulging under his royal blue shirt. The scar across his nose reddened from his sneer.

"We're here to get Mattie," Francine said. "I don't care what my father wants, I'm getting Mattie off this mesa."

"Oh, no you ain't," Bryce said. "He don't want you ridin' outta here. You know your father. His word goes."

Francine stamped her foot. "You sniveling skeleton. Why I thought I'd be happy marrying you is a mystery to me."

"Francine? Why're you saying that?" Bryce asked. "You know we're 'posed to marry. You promised two years ago."

"That was before I went to school," Francine snapped. "I've met a man back East that makes you seem like a mean, underfed child. And a dumb child if you take orders from my father!" She turned her back on him.

Rory's face screwed up in hatred. "That ain't no way for no woman t'talk to her future husband!" He pulled his gun, pointed it at Francine's back and cocked it.

Woody cocked his Smith & Wesson and leveled his shotgun as he moved Tonka into Rory's line of fire. "Don't you go shootin' Miss Francine!" he shouted. "Even if you shoot me, I'll blow you in half with my Greener!" (Note Greener is a brand of gun)

Rory looked at the shotgun, lowered his pistol and glared at Woody. "You're a dead man, nigger!" He turned his horse toward the trail that led down the mesa. Bryce followed.

Francine watched the two men until they descended beyond sight. She looked up at Woody. "Rory cocked his gun at me. Would he have shot me?"

"I wouldn't put it past him," Woody said. "Rory's a mean cuss." He shrugged. "I guess wagon wheels don't matter anymore." He slid off Tonka and pulled up the stake holding Matilda. He stroked Matilda's muzzle. "You had a heck of a time up here. But you and Francine are back together now."

Having been shod by Woody many times, Matilda nuzzled his chest. She shook her head at Francine and snorted.

Woody spun around to Francine. "We have to get you to the hotel...secretly. I don't want you staying at your father's house anymore."

Francine smiled. "I'm not afraid of my father. I'll stay at the house. Can you keep Matilda out of sight?"

"I sure will, ma'am."