Denton was always leaving for one reason or another.
Still, it didn't excuse him leaving a woman with a child and his simple-minded brother to fend for themselves. Judge remembered the first time he'd ridden out to try and convince them to come into town. Madeline had refused him at rifle point. Told him to clear off her property, or she'd fill him full of lead. He laughed out loud when he remembered the sight of her, thin beyond reason and still wearing a dancehall dress.
He remembered Natalie, too. A skinny girl, hanging on her mother's skirts and not a bit afraid of him. He'd liked them both instantly, but there'd been nothing he could have done to convince them to come with him. He'd settled for striking up a friendship with Dermott and helping them out when ever he could. Maddie was a proud woman and didn't take to charity. After all, they were just a silver strike away from heaven, right?
"What ya laughing' about, Judge?" Dermott asked as he sat up, groggily rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
"Oh, just remembering about the first time I rode out here. I remember Maddie pulling that single shot rifle on me."
"Aw, she was a picture back then, wasn't she? You shoulda ' seen her when she worked up at Jack's place. She danced so pretty. She could kick her legs up clear over her head." He smiled broadly at the memory.
" Maddie was a looker, that's for sure. Natalie can dance as well as her mother. Too bad she don't have much to dance about these days." Judge put the coffeepot on to boil.
" Naw , she don't, does she."
They sat quietly for a moment, the sounds of the forest awakening around them. Judge sighed, remembering patches of his own life these last few years after Tildy's death. He'd felt pain for Natty's mother then. Both of them had been lost in their grief.
"He's gonna take her outta here, ain't he, Judge? That boy's gonna take my Natty and give her a home somewhere far away. Further away than San Francisco, I think."
"What makes you say that, Derm ?"
"Cause I know the way they look at each other. It's just the way Maddie used to look at Dent. She's gonna fall for him, just like her Ma fell for my brother. When he leaves, she's gonna follow him just the same."
"Is that a bad thing, Dermott? You know as well as I do there isn't any silver in this hillside."
Dermott nodded. "I know it as well as I know my own name."
"Why did you stay all this time? Why keep digging in the ground if you knew that nothing would ever come of it? It was a damn waste, that's what it was."
"I stayed because of Maddie ," Dermott whispered.
Judge studied the other man carefully. "You loved her, didn't you?"
Dermott smiled, "Yeah, I did. But she was Dent's girl. He didn't deserve her, and she loved him to all ends. It didn't matter. I was just happy to be with her."
"Did you tell her, I mean after Denton died?"
"I meant to. But she was so heart sick, and then when her health got poorly, I couldn't tell her. She woulda ' likely laughed. I can't blame her none. My brain ain't never worked right, so what's that to give a woman? I forget things, or get them all mixed up. Naw . I was just happy lovin ' her the way it was. I was really the lucky one. How many men can say they ever really loved a woman?"
Judge smiled. "You're right about that. I hope that young renegade in there wakes up and realizes what a treasure Natalie is. She's worth every bit of silver and gold there is, and
Still, it didn't excuse him leaving a woman with a child and his simple-minded brother to fend for themselves. Judge remembered the first time he'd ridden out to try and convince them to come into town. Madeline had refused him at rifle point. Told him to clear off her property, or she'd fill him full of lead. He laughed out loud when he remembered the sight of her, thin beyond reason and still wearing a dancehall dress.
He remembered Natalie, too. A skinny girl, hanging on her mother's skirts and not a bit afraid of him. He'd liked them both instantly, but there'd been nothing he could have done to convince them to come with him. He'd settled for striking up a friendship with Dermott and helping them out when ever he could. Maddie was a proud woman and didn't take to charity. After all, they were just a silver strike away from heaven, right?
"What ya laughing' about, Judge?" Dermott asked as he sat up, groggily rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
"Oh, just remembering about the first time I rode out here. I remember Maddie pulling that single shot rifle on me."
"Aw, she was a picture back then, wasn't she? You shoulda ' seen her when she worked up at Jack's place. She danced so pretty. She could kick her legs up clear over her head." He smiled broadly at the memory.
" Maddie was a looker, that's for sure. Natalie can dance as well as her mother. Too bad she don't have much to dance about these days." Judge put the coffeepot on to boil.
" Naw , she don't, does she."
They sat quietly for a moment, the sounds of the forest awakening around them. Judge sighed, remembering patches of his own life these last few years after Tildy's death. He'd felt pain for Natty's mother then. Both of them had been lost in their grief.
"He's gonna take her outta here, ain't he, Judge? That boy's gonna take my Natty and give her a home somewhere far away. Further away than San Francisco, I think."
"What makes you say that, Derm ?"
"Cause I know the way they look at each other. It's just the way Maddie used to look at Dent. She's gonna fall for him, just like her Ma fell for my brother. When he leaves, she's gonna follow him just the same."
"Is that a bad thing, Dermott? You know as well as I do there isn't any silver in this hillside."
Dermott nodded. "I know it as well as I know my own name."
"Why did you stay all this time? Why keep digging in the ground if you knew that nothing would ever come of it? It was a damn waste, that's what it was."
"I stayed because of Maddie ," Dermott whispered.
Judge studied the other man carefully. "You loved her, didn't you?"
Dermott smiled, "Yeah, I did. But she was Dent's girl. He didn't deserve her, and she loved him to all ends. It didn't matter. I was just happy to be with her."
"Did you tell her, I mean after Denton died?"
"I meant to. But she was so heart sick, and then when her health got poorly, I couldn't tell her. She woulda ' likely laughed. I can't blame her none. My brain ain't never worked right, so what's that to give a woman? I forget things, or get them all mixed up. Naw . I was just happy lovin ' her the way it was. I was really the lucky one. How many men can say they ever really loved a woman?"
Judge smiled. "You're right about that. I hope that young renegade in there wakes up and realizes what a treasure Natalie is. She's worth every bit of silver and gold there is, and
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