her again tell her Everett said ‘hello’. Tell her my pup’s doing just fine.”
“Your pup?”
“Heather saved him. Gotten a’hold of Coyote poison, I guess. I got him out to her ranch and she took over. She’s got a way with animals, all right. She stirred up something and poked it down his gullet. He started puking. Didn’t think he’d ever stop. Anyway, he’s fit as a fiddle now. But you tell Heather, he’s still chewing up every piece of leather in sight.” The smile on Everett’s face told him that the pup’s chewing was pretty much okay with him.
“Pup’s no good.” Harley added, his eyes dancing.
Everett rose to the bait like a trout to a worm. “Now you listen here, Harley. That pup’s got more between his ears than most people, present company included.”
“Dumb.” Harley leaned back in his chair and reeled Everett in.
“Smartest one of the litter!” Everett thrust his chin out. “He picked me. I moseyed up to that box of pups and over the side he came, fat little belly dragging the ground. Waddled right over to me and darned if he didn’t lay his head on my boot and go right to sleep. Like I said, he picked me.”
“Like I said. Dumb.” The spittoon bounced with the velocity of the well-placed wad.
Everett snorted, his face an angry red. Then he saw the gleam in Harley’s eye and knew he’d been had. Whip had seen it first, and his laughter filled the room.
“You ain’t got the sense God gave a goose, Harley. Don’t know why I put up with you. I’m probably the only friend you got.”
“Only friend I got left, you mean. Rest is dead and buried. We’re getting old.”
“Speak for yourself.” Everett spit out, turning his back as if to say, Harley was no more than a splinter, barely able to penetrate his thick hide.
“Just hold on now, young fella, Everett said. “Don’t pay him no never mind. Where was I? Oh, yeah. Heather,” he said warming to his topic. “Single woman. Pretty as a picture, too.” He waited for Whip’s reply, daring him to differ.
“That she is,” Whip offered cautiously, not wanting to give the two old gossips fodder.
“Fella could do worse.” His eyes narrowed. “Got a mighty nice spread.”
“She does that.”
Everett frowned. Not about to give up, he threw out, “Sassy.”
“Mmm, hmm.” Whip smiled, easing away from the pair. “That’s a fact.”
“Course I like my women sassy. How ‘bout you, sonny?” Everett’s voice rose, nipping at his heels.
“Now, Everett, that’s a double-barreled question,” Whip said softly. “Either way I answer could hang me.”
Harley gave a phlegmy chuckle. “He’s got you there, Everett.”
“You two have a nice evening. Hope to see you the next time I come in for supplies.” Whip tipped his hat at the two, then paused. “And, Everett,” he said in a confiding tone, “there’s not a darn thing wrong with sassy. Nope. Not a darn thing.” He left the two with their mouths open, watching him stride toward the back of the store and his waiting wagon.
Chapter 19
“Don’t wiggle.” The whisper in the night was muffled by the canvass tarp.
“You can’t be crying!” The voice continued scolding as if its strength alone would stop the tears. “We gotta be quiet and still. He find us now and we’re gonners.” The sound of quiet sniffling was met with more admonitions.
“You ain’t no baby. Stop being one. Told you I’d take care of you and I will. I’m big and strong.”
A small hiccup and a shuddering sob heralded the effort the crier made to follow the orders of the “big and strong” person.
“Wipe your nose on your sleeve. Here,” the voice continued. “You can hold my hand this once.” Canvass mounds moved ever so slightly.
“Here’s the plan one more time. We got to do it just right. You listening?”
Silence.
“Okay. We’ll hitch us a ride on this here wagon until we’re out of town. When I think it’s safe, we’ll jump. I’ll have your
“Your pup?”
“Heather saved him. Gotten a’hold of Coyote poison, I guess. I got him out to her ranch and she took over. She’s got a way with animals, all right. She stirred up something and poked it down his gullet. He started puking. Didn’t think he’d ever stop. Anyway, he’s fit as a fiddle now. But you tell Heather, he’s still chewing up every piece of leather in sight.” The smile on Everett’s face told him that the pup’s chewing was pretty much okay with him.
“Pup’s no good.” Harley added, his eyes dancing.
Everett rose to the bait like a trout to a worm. “Now you listen here, Harley. That pup’s got more between his ears than most people, present company included.”
“Dumb.” Harley leaned back in his chair and reeled Everett in.
“Smartest one of the litter!” Everett thrust his chin out. “He picked me. I moseyed up to that box of pups and over the side he came, fat little belly dragging the ground. Waddled right over to me and darned if he didn’t lay his head on my boot and go right to sleep. Like I said, he picked me.”
“Like I said. Dumb.” The spittoon bounced with the velocity of the well-placed wad.
Everett snorted, his face an angry red. Then he saw the gleam in Harley’s eye and knew he’d been had. Whip had seen it first, and his laughter filled the room.
“You ain’t got the sense God gave a goose, Harley. Don’t know why I put up with you. I’m probably the only friend you got.”
“Only friend I got left, you mean. Rest is dead and buried. We’re getting old.”
“Speak for yourself.” Everett spit out, turning his back as if to say, Harley was no more than a splinter, barely able to penetrate his thick hide.
“Just hold on now, young fella, Everett said. “Don’t pay him no never mind. Where was I? Oh, yeah. Heather,” he said warming to his topic. “Single woman. Pretty as a picture, too.” He waited for Whip’s reply, daring him to differ.
“That she is,” Whip offered cautiously, not wanting to give the two old gossips fodder.
“Fella could do worse.” His eyes narrowed. “Got a mighty nice spread.”
“She does that.”
Everett frowned. Not about to give up, he threw out, “Sassy.”
“Mmm, hmm.” Whip smiled, easing away from the pair. “That’s a fact.”
“Course I like my women sassy. How ‘bout you, sonny?” Everett’s voice rose, nipping at his heels.
“Now, Everett, that’s a double-barreled question,” Whip said softly. “Either way I answer could hang me.”
Harley gave a phlegmy chuckle. “He’s got you there, Everett.”
“You two have a nice evening. Hope to see you the next time I come in for supplies.” Whip tipped his hat at the two, then paused. “And, Everett,” he said in a confiding tone, “there’s not a darn thing wrong with sassy. Nope. Not a darn thing.” He left the two with their mouths open, watching him stride toward the back of the store and his waiting wagon.
Chapter 19
“Don’t wiggle.” The whisper in the night was muffled by the canvass tarp.
“You can’t be crying!” The voice continued scolding as if its strength alone would stop the tears. “We gotta be quiet and still. He find us now and we’re gonners.” The sound of quiet sniffling was met with more admonitions.
“You ain’t no baby. Stop being one. Told you I’d take care of you and I will. I’m big and strong.”
A small hiccup and a shuddering sob heralded the effort the crier made to follow the orders of the “big and strong” person.
“Wipe your nose on your sleeve. Here,” the voice continued. “You can hold my hand this once.” Canvass mounds moved ever so slightly.
“Here’s the plan one more time. We got to do it just right. You listening?”
Silence.
“Okay. We’ll hitch us a ride on this here wagon until we’re out of town. When I think it’s safe, we’ll jump. I’ll have your
Similar Books
