asked.
“This way.” Maggie led them to where she’d left the horses, and just as she feared, Sage was on the ground. The two men picked him up and lugged him to the cabin, while Maggie took care of the horses. She noticed a large shed nearby and led Henry and Nell inside, next to four other horses that were unsaddled and nibbling hay from a trough. She began unloading supplies off Nell’s back when the heavy-set ranch hand came inside.
“I’ll do that, ma’am.” He tipped his hat slightly. “My name’s Joe Cable. Sage said I should let you rest. Go on inside. There’s stew on the stove, if you can stomach Bill’s cooking. Sage gave us strict orders to be proper gentlemen.”
Maggie wished she knew how much she could trust any of them. “Thank you,” she answered. “If you have any bear grease or poultice you could put on Henry’s chest, that would be advisable. A grizzly got to him when he reared up—put some pretty good scratches in his chest.”
“Yes, ma’am, I’ll look after him.” Joe hung a lantern on a nail and studied her a moment. “Sage says you saved his life—shot a griz ’fore it could chew him up and spit him out. That’s somethin’, I’ll say, especially for such a little thing like you.”
“Well, I pointed my old Sharps and pulled the trigger. The rest was up to God.” Maggie suddenly felt light-headed. “It has been a long day. I guess I’ll take you up on your offer and go inside.” She walked past Joe.
“How’d you end up travelin’ with Sage anyway?” he called after her. “And what was he doin’ headin’ back home? He was supposed to be goin’ after some sons of bitches that killed one of the ranch hands.”
Maggie turned, realizing Sage had not explained the details of how they met. It was probably best for now. She didn’t want the stress and embarrassment. “It’s a long story, Mr. Cable, and I’m too tired to talk about it tonight.” She wondered how these two and the rest of the ranch hands would look at her once they knew the truth. She held her chin up, reminding herself again that it didn’t matter. It didn’t change her morals or her pride.
“Bill’s last name is Summers,” Joe yelled before she reached the line shack.
Maggie could already hear Sage shouting a stream of expletives from inside. She shook her head, figuring Bill Summers must be doing some stitching. She headed inside, not terribly fond of the thought of sleeping in a one-room shack with three men tonight, two strangers, and the third likely to pass out from loss of blood, unable to help her if she needed it. Still, Sage had apparently given orders to treat her right, and she had a feeling his men were not apt to disobey the man.
Nine
Maggie felt removed from herself, a stranger in a strange land, surrounded by more strangers. She couldn’t grasp the reality of all that had happened, or that James lay in that grave so far away. She longed to sleep soundly, in a soft bed, free of pain, free of ugly memories that tried to steal her sanity. Maybe once they reached Sage’s ranch house she’d at least get the soft bed, and eventually, her injuries would heal. Healing her emotions and thoughts would take much longer.
She spent part of the night helping nurse Sage, who now lay on a travois Joe made from a couple of sturdy limbs from aspen trees and a buffalo hide secured between them. The buffalo hide was taken from the wall of the line shack… brung this big fella down myself last year , Joe had told her. Ain’t nothin’ much more challengin’ than a buffalo hunt, ’cept for facin’ a grizzly.
The man couldn’t get over the fact that Maggie had actually shot the grizzly herself. Joe was big and rough, but amazingly kind and respectful, seemingly in awe of the abilities of “such a little thing.” The men are gonna have some fun teasin’ Sage about this one , he’d joked. His hide saved by a woman.
The trouble was, Sage’s situation was no laughing matter, and
“This way.” Maggie led them to where she’d left the horses, and just as she feared, Sage was on the ground. The two men picked him up and lugged him to the cabin, while Maggie took care of the horses. She noticed a large shed nearby and led Henry and Nell inside, next to four other horses that were unsaddled and nibbling hay from a trough. She began unloading supplies off Nell’s back when the heavy-set ranch hand came inside.
“I’ll do that, ma’am.” He tipped his hat slightly. “My name’s Joe Cable. Sage said I should let you rest. Go on inside. There’s stew on the stove, if you can stomach Bill’s cooking. Sage gave us strict orders to be proper gentlemen.”
Maggie wished she knew how much she could trust any of them. “Thank you,” she answered. “If you have any bear grease or poultice you could put on Henry’s chest, that would be advisable. A grizzly got to him when he reared up—put some pretty good scratches in his chest.”
“Yes, ma’am, I’ll look after him.” Joe hung a lantern on a nail and studied her a moment. “Sage says you saved his life—shot a griz ’fore it could chew him up and spit him out. That’s somethin’, I’ll say, especially for such a little thing like you.”
“Well, I pointed my old Sharps and pulled the trigger. The rest was up to God.” Maggie suddenly felt light-headed. “It has been a long day. I guess I’ll take you up on your offer and go inside.” She walked past Joe.
“How’d you end up travelin’ with Sage anyway?” he called after her. “And what was he doin’ headin’ back home? He was supposed to be goin’ after some sons of bitches that killed one of the ranch hands.”
Maggie turned, realizing Sage had not explained the details of how they met. It was probably best for now. She didn’t want the stress and embarrassment. “It’s a long story, Mr. Cable, and I’m too tired to talk about it tonight.” She wondered how these two and the rest of the ranch hands would look at her once they knew the truth. She held her chin up, reminding herself again that it didn’t matter. It didn’t change her morals or her pride.
“Bill’s last name is Summers,” Joe yelled before she reached the line shack.
Maggie could already hear Sage shouting a stream of expletives from inside. She shook her head, figuring Bill Summers must be doing some stitching. She headed inside, not terribly fond of the thought of sleeping in a one-room shack with three men tonight, two strangers, and the third likely to pass out from loss of blood, unable to help her if she needed it. Still, Sage had apparently given orders to treat her right, and she had a feeling his men were not apt to disobey the man.
Nine
Maggie felt removed from herself, a stranger in a strange land, surrounded by more strangers. She couldn’t grasp the reality of all that had happened, or that James lay in that grave so far away. She longed to sleep soundly, in a soft bed, free of pain, free of ugly memories that tried to steal her sanity. Maybe once they reached Sage’s ranch house she’d at least get the soft bed, and eventually, her injuries would heal. Healing her emotions and thoughts would take much longer.
She spent part of the night helping nurse Sage, who now lay on a travois Joe made from a couple of sturdy limbs from aspen trees and a buffalo hide secured between them. The buffalo hide was taken from the wall of the line shack… brung this big fella down myself last year , Joe had told her. Ain’t nothin’ much more challengin’ than a buffalo hunt, ’cept for facin’ a grizzly.
The man couldn’t get over the fact that Maggie had actually shot the grizzly herself. Joe was big and rough, but amazingly kind and respectful, seemingly in awe of the abilities of “such a little thing.” The men are gonna have some fun teasin’ Sage about this one , he’d joked. His hide saved by a woman.
The trouble was, Sage’s situation was no laughing matter, and
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