“Fourteen.”
“Fourteen! What got ya tied up with these fellas, if’n ya don’t mind my askin’?”
“See the one up at the front o’ the line? That’s mah brother Teddy. He tole me to come along. He knew Ah didn’t have no other horse to ride.”
“Told ya to come along and be an outlaw?” Eli asked in shock. “Do yer folks know where ya are? Where do ya live?”
The young man’s cheeks flamed red under the dirt and grime on his face. “Oregon City.”
“And ya just decided to up and join this bunch?” Eli asked.
“Er, yessir, I s’pose.” He looked away again.
“How long ya been running with these men?”
“A little over two months.”
Eli thought a moment as he studied the youth. He was no longer a boy, but not quite a man. He remembered what he was like at that age. His older brother either had a huge influence on him, or threatened him to get him to join up. “What’s yer horse’s name again?”
“Mitzi. She’s the gray mare with the black mane ‘n tail. Real purty. Promise me ya’ll find a good home for ‘er?”
Eli finished tying the knot and patted the kid on the back. “I promise.”
“Thank ya, Deputy,” he said with a genuine smile of relief. “Thanks a lot.”
“Don’t mention it. What’s yer name?”
“Ninian, sir. Ninian Rush.”
“Ninian? That’s a different sorta name.”
“Yeah. Teddy calls me Ninny for short.”
“Not real brotherly of him, is it?”
“No, guess not,” the youth agreed. “My ma usta call me Nan.”
“Used to?”
Ninian met his gaze. “She died ‘bout three months back. Our pa’s gone too.”
“So your brother Teddy came along, gathered ya up and thought he’d teach ya his business?”
“That’s ‘bout the size o’ it, Deputy.”
Eli sighed. Poor kid. “Well, Nan is better than Ninny, I guess.” He sighed once more as he studied the boy again. “I’ll take good care of Mitzi for ya, Ninian. And the foal too.”
“Can I … if’n I’m able, come get ‘er?”
Eli saw the love the boy had for his horse. “Sure. Soon as yer able.”
Ninian nodded before he straightened and faced forward, a look of firm resolve now on his face. The youth was ready to face whatever was next. Eli hoped the judge would go easy on him. He’d have to make sure Ninian told the judge everything he’d just told him.
Tom gave a loud whistle to signal they were about to leave. Eli mounted his horse and rode over to his brother. “I’ve got somethin’ to pick up and take back to town. I’ll catch up to ya.”
“What is it?” Tom asked.
“The boy’s horse. Told him I’d keep it for a while.”
“Boy?” Tom turned in his saddle to face him. “How old?”
“Says he’s fourteen.”
Tom shook his head. “Land sakes, they get younger and younger. All right, go round up their horses and take them over to Chase at the livery.”
Eli nodded, spun his horse around and headed for the trees. He wondered what caused the boy to join his brother in an outlaw gang, other than the loss of his parents. Whatever it was, he hoped it didn’t ruin his life for good. He pushed the thought aside – the sooner he and the others got this band of ne’er-do-wells locked up, the sooner he could meet his mail-order bride. He just hoped he didn’t discover that the outlaws were better company.
* * *
“ Y ou do all your own laundry?” Pleasant asked, her voice a little shaky. She needed to get a hold of herself.
“Oh, I know it sounds like a lot of work.” Sadie crossed the kitchen and grabbed an iron kettle off the stove. “But it’s not if you have enough help. My daughter Honoria has become quite an accomplished cook.”
Pleasant studied the pretty girl sitting across the kitchen table from her, peeling potatoes. Honoria Cooke looked to be the same age as Pleasant, with her mother’s long, thick, sable brown hair and her father’s dark eyes. She was beautiful and would have no problem fetching a husband, that was for sure.
“Fourteen! What got ya tied up with these fellas, if’n ya don’t mind my askin’?”
“See the one up at the front o’ the line? That’s mah brother Teddy. He tole me to come along. He knew Ah didn’t have no other horse to ride.”
“Told ya to come along and be an outlaw?” Eli asked in shock. “Do yer folks know where ya are? Where do ya live?”
The young man’s cheeks flamed red under the dirt and grime on his face. “Oregon City.”
“And ya just decided to up and join this bunch?” Eli asked.
“Er, yessir, I s’pose.” He looked away again.
“How long ya been running with these men?”
“A little over two months.”
Eli thought a moment as he studied the youth. He was no longer a boy, but not quite a man. He remembered what he was like at that age. His older brother either had a huge influence on him, or threatened him to get him to join up. “What’s yer horse’s name again?”
“Mitzi. She’s the gray mare with the black mane ‘n tail. Real purty. Promise me ya’ll find a good home for ‘er?”
Eli finished tying the knot and patted the kid on the back. “I promise.”
“Thank ya, Deputy,” he said with a genuine smile of relief. “Thanks a lot.”
“Don’t mention it. What’s yer name?”
“Ninian, sir. Ninian Rush.”
“Ninian? That’s a different sorta name.”
“Yeah. Teddy calls me Ninny for short.”
“Not real brotherly of him, is it?”
“No, guess not,” the youth agreed. “My ma usta call me Nan.”
“Used to?”
Ninian met his gaze. “She died ‘bout three months back. Our pa’s gone too.”
“So your brother Teddy came along, gathered ya up and thought he’d teach ya his business?”
“That’s ‘bout the size o’ it, Deputy.”
Eli sighed. Poor kid. “Well, Nan is better than Ninny, I guess.” He sighed once more as he studied the boy again. “I’ll take good care of Mitzi for ya, Ninian. And the foal too.”
“Can I … if’n I’m able, come get ‘er?”
Eli saw the love the boy had for his horse. “Sure. Soon as yer able.”
Ninian nodded before he straightened and faced forward, a look of firm resolve now on his face. The youth was ready to face whatever was next. Eli hoped the judge would go easy on him. He’d have to make sure Ninian told the judge everything he’d just told him.
Tom gave a loud whistle to signal they were about to leave. Eli mounted his horse and rode over to his brother. “I’ve got somethin’ to pick up and take back to town. I’ll catch up to ya.”
“What is it?” Tom asked.
“The boy’s horse. Told him I’d keep it for a while.”
“Boy?” Tom turned in his saddle to face him. “How old?”
“Says he’s fourteen.”
Tom shook his head. “Land sakes, they get younger and younger. All right, go round up their horses and take them over to Chase at the livery.”
Eli nodded, spun his horse around and headed for the trees. He wondered what caused the boy to join his brother in an outlaw gang, other than the loss of his parents. Whatever it was, he hoped it didn’t ruin his life for good. He pushed the thought aside – the sooner he and the others got this band of ne’er-do-wells locked up, the sooner he could meet his mail-order bride. He just hoped he didn’t discover that the outlaws were better company.
* * *
“ Y ou do all your own laundry?” Pleasant asked, her voice a little shaky. She needed to get a hold of herself.
“Oh, I know it sounds like a lot of work.” Sadie crossed the kitchen and grabbed an iron kettle off the stove. “But it’s not if you have enough help. My daughter Honoria has become quite an accomplished cook.”
Pleasant studied the pretty girl sitting across the kitchen table from her, peeling potatoes. Honoria Cooke looked to be the same age as Pleasant, with her mother’s long, thick, sable brown hair and her father’s dark eyes. She was beautiful and would have no problem fetching a husband, that was for sure.
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