to a tree. She gathered food for them, put it in a box so they could feed, and then shook her head.
“They could break those ropes if they wanted to.”
“They won’t though. Oxen are pretty nice critters. Lots nicer than some humans,” Owen grinned. “At least I knowwhat to do with you if you act rambunctious. I’ll tie you to a tree like I did old Delilah here.” He slapped the brown and white oxen on the shoulder, reaching up to do so.
“You’re not tying me to a tree.”
“Why, I might if you don’t behave yourself.” His eyes danced with fun. He suddenly reached out and grabbed her. “I’m bigger than you are, so you better mind me.”
Joelle was powerless. He held her by the upper arms, and she knew he could pick her up if he wanted to. Quickly she said, “Turn me loose, Owen. Stop your foolishness.”
“All right. Well, come on. Let’s go see if we can find Harry Jump.” He turned and led her back into the town, and as they walked down the wood boardwalk, they passed a café. “That grub smells pretty good. Let’s try to have a shot at finding Harry. If we don’t find him tonight, we’ll come back here and get a cooked meal. Be nice to set down at a table instead of squatting alongside a fire, won’t it?”
“Yes, I’d like that.”
Owen stopped several men and asked them if they had ever heard of a fellow named Harry Jump. None of them had, and finally Owen turned to Joelle. “I guess we’ll start with the sheriff.”
“The sheriff? Why would he know where Harry is?” Joelle didn’t want to go to the sheriff’s office, for she feared there might be a reward with her description on it. She had had a nightmare about this more than once, but she saw that Owen was determined.
He said, “Well, sheriffs know almost everybody. They’re elected officials so they have to be pretty good politicians. Come on. I saw the sheriff’s office down here.”
They made their way down the boardwalk, and the streets were less crowded now. It was growing dark although the April sun was setting later. When they reached the sheriff’s office, Joelle’s eyes darted quickly to the board as Owen turned to go in. She had only time for a glance, but she had to know. She scanned the board.
“Come on. You’re not going to capture any of those criminals, Joe.”
Quickly Joelle turned and followed Owen. Inside she saw a tall man seated at a desk, leaning back and reading a book. He put it down and came to his feet. “Can I help you folks? I’m Sheriff Moseby.”
“Maybe, Sheriff. My name’s Majors. This here is Joe Jones. We’re looking for a man.”
“A wanted man?” Moseby had direct gray eyes and a very steady gaze. He was examining the two as if he would to describe them later on, probably a habit with the man.
“No, not that I know of, but we thought maybe you had heard of him. His name is Harry Jump.”
“Harry Jump? You’re a friend of his, I take it.”
“Sure am, Sheriff.”
“Well, you’ve come to the right place.” Moseby gave his head a sideways jerk. “He’s one of my guests here.”
Joelle saw that Owen was not too surprised. “What’s he done?” he said without much trace of emotion.
“Oh, the charge is disturbing the peace. He got into a ruckus at the Shady Lady Saloon.”
“Well, he does drink too much, and he gets a little bit ambitious. He thinks he can whip anybody, but as far as I know, he never has.”
“Oh, he was sober, Majors. He started preaching.”
“Preaching? Why, Harry’s no preacher!”
“Well, he thinks he is. In any case, he got to preaching, and Bing Taylor took an exception.” The sheriff grinned broadly. “Said he had come to gamble and get drunk, not listen to a preacher. He told Jump he’d break his head if he didn’t leave.”
“I take it he didn’t.”
“No. He just kept on so Bing lit into him. From what I hear, Jump tried to talk his way out of it, but Bing’s a rough cob. The two of them flew at it. Finally a
“They could break those ropes if they wanted to.”
“They won’t though. Oxen are pretty nice critters. Lots nicer than some humans,” Owen grinned. “At least I knowwhat to do with you if you act rambunctious. I’ll tie you to a tree like I did old Delilah here.” He slapped the brown and white oxen on the shoulder, reaching up to do so.
“You’re not tying me to a tree.”
“Why, I might if you don’t behave yourself.” His eyes danced with fun. He suddenly reached out and grabbed her. “I’m bigger than you are, so you better mind me.”
Joelle was powerless. He held her by the upper arms, and she knew he could pick her up if he wanted to. Quickly she said, “Turn me loose, Owen. Stop your foolishness.”
“All right. Well, come on. Let’s go see if we can find Harry Jump.” He turned and led her back into the town, and as they walked down the wood boardwalk, they passed a café. “That grub smells pretty good. Let’s try to have a shot at finding Harry. If we don’t find him tonight, we’ll come back here and get a cooked meal. Be nice to set down at a table instead of squatting alongside a fire, won’t it?”
“Yes, I’d like that.”
Owen stopped several men and asked them if they had ever heard of a fellow named Harry Jump. None of them had, and finally Owen turned to Joelle. “I guess we’ll start with the sheriff.”
“The sheriff? Why would he know where Harry is?” Joelle didn’t want to go to the sheriff’s office, for she feared there might be a reward with her description on it. She had had a nightmare about this more than once, but she saw that Owen was determined.
He said, “Well, sheriffs know almost everybody. They’re elected officials so they have to be pretty good politicians. Come on. I saw the sheriff’s office down here.”
They made their way down the boardwalk, and the streets were less crowded now. It was growing dark although the April sun was setting later. When they reached the sheriff’s office, Joelle’s eyes darted quickly to the board as Owen turned to go in. She had only time for a glance, but she had to know. She scanned the board.
“Come on. You’re not going to capture any of those criminals, Joe.”
Quickly Joelle turned and followed Owen. Inside she saw a tall man seated at a desk, leaning back and reading a book. He put it down and came to his feet. “Can I help you folks? I’m Sheriff Moseby.”
“Maybe, Sheriff. My name’s Majors. This here is Joe Jones. We’re looking for a man.”
“A wanted man?” Moseby had direct gray eyes and a very steady gaze. He was examining the two as if he would to describe them later on, probably a habit with the man.
“No, not that I know of, but we thought maybe you had heard of him. His name is Harry Jump.”
“Harry Jump? You’re a friend of his, I take it.”
“Sure am, Sheriff.”
“Well, you’ve come to the right place.” Moseby gave his head a sideways jerk. “He’s one of my guests here.”
Joelle saw that Owen was not too surprised. “What’s he done?” he said without much trace of emotion.
“Oh, the charge is disturbing the peace. He got into a ruckus at the Shady Lady Saloon.”
“Well, he does drink too much, and he gets a little bit ambitious. He thinks he can whip anybody, but as far as I know, he never has.”
“Oh, he was sober, Majors. He started preaching.”
“Preaching? Why, Harry’s no preacher!”
“Well, he thinks he is. In any case, he got to preaching, and Bing Taylor took an exception.” The sheriff grinned broadly. “Said he had come to gamble and get drunk, not listen to a preacher. He told Jump he’d break his head if he didn’t leave.”
“I take it he didn’t.”
“No. He just kept on so Bing lit into him. From what I hear, Jump tried to talk his way out of it, but Bing’s a rough cob. The two of them flew at it. Finally a
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