entered the cabin. “Good morning, ma’am. Sally and Susie, you two are pretty as ever.”
The girls giggled and pointed him toward a chair as Bridget poured coffee for him and for her husband and herself. The girls already had tall glasses of milk. “Sheriff, isn’t it early to be out riding?” Bridget asked with a smile.
“It sure is. I spent the night here on your land, Seth, but it’s best we talk after breakfast. We wouldn’t want this food that Mrs. Masterson cooked to go to waste after she worked so hard to make it.”
Seth took the subtle hint for what it was and waited until breakfast was over before telling the girls to get to their morning chores and gather the eggs and check the garden. Once they were outside, he turned to Bill and asked, “What’s going on?”
“Indians, Seth. There are a couple of renegade braves making trouble for folks, and I’m trying to find them and bring them in.”
“They were here yesterday, Bill. Gave my wife and girls a fright. Bridget hit one of them on the side of the head with a bucket full of berries, and he died from it. I shot the other one; buried both of them.”
Bill nodded. “No one has seen any others, just them two, but they have caused a ruckus around here for sure. Killed Joe Ferguson and shamed Mrs. Ferguson before killing her, too. I’m thankful that you’re all fine.”
“Seth saved us, Sheriff,” Bridget said softly as she poured more coffee for all of them. “That Indian hated us, but I think his hatred was because I killed the other man.”
“Could be they were related, Mrs. Masterson…? I’m just glad to know that they won’t be botherin’ folks anymore.” He sipped his coffee, but once it was gone he got to his feet and thanked Bridget for breakfast. “I have to be gettin’ back to town and reassure folks they’re safe. You two need to come in more often and spend the day.”
“There’s always something that needs doing here, Bill, but we’ll be in real soon to stock up on supplies and such. I’m thinking of adding on a couple of bedrooms.”
“That’ll be real nice. If I can help, just let me know.”
“I might take you up on that,” Seth said with a grin. Susie and Sally came to the house with a bunch of eggs and Susie was fuming. “What’s the matter, daughter?”
“Ronald pecked me again! I told him I was going to wring his neck!”
“Let me see, darlin’,” Bridget was instantly sympathetic.
“Now while Papa is here,” Susie said, her face beet red with embarrassment.
“He got you on the backside?” Seth demanded. “We might be having a stewed rooster if he keeps this up.”
“You go on, Seth. I’ll take care of our daughter.” Bridget waited to see how he would react to that, and he just nodded and said once again to stay close to the house today. He wanted to make sure and certain it was safe for them to wander the property without fear before he allowed them to do so. “We plan to do just that, Seth. Do we no’, girls?” They agreed, and once he was gone, Susie raised her skirts and lowered her drawers to show Bridget an angry red mark on her right butt cheek. Bridge found some salve and warned the child that she might need a soft cushion for a wee bit.
They hurried to get the household chores done. There were always dishes to do after a good meal, and eggs to wash and sort, and milk from the cow to separate and butter to make from the cream. Bridget insisted that they dust and sweep every morning, too. She was even more of a stickler than Seth when it came to keeping a house company ready at all times. The girls kept making guesses about the project they were going to do, but Bridget merely smiled and kept shaking her head no.
“I hope this is something fun!” Susie finally declared, getting tired of guessing.
“I hope you think ‘tis fun,” Bridget said. Finally, everything was done to her satisfaction, and
The girls giggled and pointed him toward a chair as Bridget poured coffee for him and for her husband and herself. The girls already had tall glasses of milk. “Sheriff, isn’t it early to be out riding?” Bridget asked with a smile.
“It sure is. I spent the night here on your land, Seth, but it’s best we talk after breakfast. We wouldn’t want this food that Mrs. Masterson cooked to go to waste after she worked so hard to make it.”
Seth took the subtle hint for what it was and waited until breakfast was over before telling the girls to get to their morning chores and gather the eggs and check the garden. Once they were outside, he turned to Bill and asked, “What’s going on?”
“Indians, Seth. There are a couple of renegade braves making trouble for folks, and I’m trying to find them and bring them in.”
“They were here yesterday, Bill. Gave my wife and girls a fright. Bridget hit one of them on the side of the head with a bucket full of berries, and he died from it. I shot the other one; buried both of them.”
Bill nodded. “No one has seen any others, just them two, but they have caused a ruckus around here for sure. Killed Joe Ferguson and shamed Mrs. Ferguson before killing her, too. I’m thankful that you’re all fine.”
“Seth saved us, Sheriff,” Bridget said softly as she poured more coffee for all of them. “That Indian hated us, but I think his hatred was because I killed the other man.”
“Could be they were related, Mrs. Masterson…? I’m just glad to know that they won’t be botherin’ folks anymore.” He sipped his coffee, but once it was gone he got to his feet and thanked Bridget for breakfast. “I have to be gettin’ back to town and reassure folks they’re safe. You two need to come in more often and spend the day.”
“There’s always something that needs doing here, Bill, but we’ll be in real soon to stock up on supplies and such. I’m thinking of adding on a couple of bedrooms.”
“That’ll be real nice. If I can help, just let me know.”
“I might take you up on that,” Seth said with a grin. Susie and Sally came to the house with a bunch of eggs and Susie was fuming. “What’s the matter, daughter?”
“Ronald pecked me again! I told him I was going to wring his neck!”
“Let me see, darlin’,” Bridget was instantly sympathetic.
“Now while Papa is here,” Susie said, her face beet red with embarrassment.
“He got you on the backside?” Seth demanded. “We might be having a stewed rooster if he keeps this up.”
“You go on, Seth. I’ll take care of our daughter.” Bridget waited to see how he would react to that, and he just nodded and said once again to stay close to the house today. He wanted to make sure and certain it was safe for them to wander the property without fear before he allowed them to do so. “We plan to do just that, Seth. Do we no’, girls?” They agreed, and once he was gone, Susie raised her skirts and lowered her drawers to show Bridget an angry red mark on her right butt cheek. Bridge found some salve and warned the child that she might need a soft cushion for a wee bit.
They hurried to get the household chores done. There were always dishes to do after a good meal, and eggs to wash and sort, and milk from the cow to separate and butter to make from the cream. Bridget insisted that they dust and sweep every morning, too. She was even more of a stickler than Seth when it came to keeping a house company ready at all times. The girls kept making guesses about the project they were going to do, but Bridget merely smiled and kept shaking her head no.
“I hope this is something fun!” Susie finally declared, getting tired of guessing.
“I hope you think ‘tis fun,” Bridget said. Finally, everything was done to her satisfaction, and
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