the big horses.â
âJesus will get you a good horse in the morning. Should I send a buckboard over to bring your father back to a doctor?â
The youth shook his head. âWe have good neighbors. I am certain they would bring him.â
âThen itâs settled. Before dawn, we ride out. Bring a tent.â
She shook her head. âNot for me.â
Jesus returned Chetâs nod, that he would handle it.
âSee you all early in the morning. Brant, Jesus will find you a bunk. Get lots of sleep.â
In bed later, she snuggled in his arms. âThank you for taking me along. I wonât slow you down.â
âNot a matter of that. I may not want to get out of a warm bedroll with you.â
âOh, you silly guy. I am very excited. Thanks. You wonât regret me being along.â
âYou may have to hold the horses for us.â
âI can do that, too.â
He kissed her. Despite some misgivings, he felt proud she wanted to go with him. That way he wouldnât miss her.
C HAPTER 9
Under the early morning stars, his men assembled the pack train. The breath of humans and horses came in clouds of vapor. Lea had fed them breakfast and they were on the way shortly. When they left, the sun still had not peaked over the mountains in the east. Liz wore a large-brimmed black hat Jesus found that fit her. She looked enough like a Mexican teenage boy to suit Chet.
Chet and Liz rode his strawberry roans and left in a trot. Cole had a spunky horse that bucked some, so he took the lead for Camp Verde Village. After passing through town, they began to climb the face of the north side. In a short while, they were in the pines, and Liz twisted in her saddle to look down at the great expanse of the riverâs route far beneath them.
Mid-morning, they took a short break. Jesus handed around some fried apple pies Lea made for the trip, and they washed them down with canteen water. Chet put Liz back on Baldy with a wink and they rode on. Mid-afternoon, with him pushing, they reached the Bates ranch. A woman in her thirties, wearing a black wool coat over a housedress, came out on the porch to greet them.
âYou must be Chet Byrnes?â
âYes, Mrs. Bates.â
âYou sure got back here fast.â
âHow is your husband?â
âHeâs making it.â
âDoes he need to go to a doctor?â
She turned up her hands.
âThis is my wife, Liz.â
âNice to meet you, Mrs. Byrnes.â
âYour name is?â Liz asked as they went on the porch.
âOh, Iâm sorry. Iâm Doris.â
She patted her arm. âNice to meet you. May I see him, too?â
âCertainly. I sure hated to bother your husband, but I knew if he came there was a good chance heâd get those rustlers and our horses back.â
âHeâs good at that,â Liz said.
âI knew that. Andy, this is Byrnesâs wife, Liz,â Doris said to her husband.
The pale-faced man sitting up with pillows nodded. âSure hated to call on you two, but I just couldnât ride far after them.â
âI want your wife to take you to a doctor in Camp Verde. Who can we get to haul you there?â
Doris spoke up. âThe Van Horns will take him.â
âSend Brant to get them. I want all the information you have on these rustlers,â Chet said to the pair.
âWhen they rode in here, I figured they were on hard luck. Three good old boys riding the chuck line, I thought.â Pain caught him and he winced. âAnyway, Doris fed them and then they pulled a gun to rob us. Made me mad and I ran for my .44.â
She made a face. âThey gunned him down.â
âYou have any names?â
âCurly, Fan, and Pick.â She shook her head. âLast name Smith.â
Chet nodded. âDescribe them for me.â
âLong hair, whiskers. Curly had reddish hair, stood about five foot six inches. Fan had gray hair. I donât
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