Читать книгу TY HOLT-TEXAS RANGER - Aubrey Smith - Страница 11

With the long days, Ty was at the Sabinal River above Vanderpool an hour before sundown. Reining the mule to the water’s edge, he knew he was not far from where Dade and Matthew had found the first dead Indian. The recollection of Dade pulling him into a clump of trees to tell him the story was vivid in his mind. He’d not soon forget the sight of those three dead redskins stretched out next to Shine’s still, wrapped in a bloody army blanket.

Ty dismounted and let the mule drink his fill. He walked upriver a few feet to fill his canteen. He was only half a mile from the very spot where Dade had shared his story of the dead Indians. Ty let the mule graze as he stripped off the clothes he’d been living in for the past three days. The sun felt good on his naked body. As the sun began to set in the west, Ty stepped into the cool water and bathed.

He washed his trail clothes as best he could. When they were as clean as they were going to get, he stepped out of the river, laying them on a large flat rock to dry. His three-day beard felt like a currycomb, and he decided to get his razor from his war bag. Once again, when he left the water Ty gingerly walked across the gravel until he caught the mule. The mule hardly looked up when he unleashed the leather sack from the pommel and returned to shave.

After scraping his whiskers, he laid the razor and soap on the bank and swam out into the deep water to a big rock, then back to the gravel bar. There was still half an hour of daylight, and Ty stretched out in shallow water to wait for his clothes to dry. He hoped the river would wash away some of his tension and anger.

Ty was almost asleep when he heard footsteps. Someone was watching him. He stood with a start. Grabbing Dade’s Sharp rifle he crouched beside the big rock where his clothes lay drying. With one hand he dragged his pants off the rock. They were hot and dry to his touch. After he managed to pull them on, he grabbed for his shirt. That was when he saw the peeping Tom scurry behind a big tree on the other side of the river.

Across the river, he could hear Mary Jane giggle as she darted away. Her blue gingham dress caught on a bush, and she had to jerk it free before she could complete her escape.

“That saucy little wench,” he said aloud laying his rifle on the rock.

Quickly, Ty finished dressing and cinched his gun belt around his waist. He gathered his belongings and put them back into his war bag. Within a few minutes, he was on the mule that he had begun to call Gray and was riding toward the Barrows’ cabin.

The cabin was well lit. Someone was on the porch with a candle. Riding closer, Ty could see that Mary Jane, her mother, and brother, Jeb were all outside. They were squatting near the far end of the porch. It was almost dark as Ty reined the mule to a stop in some trees long before he was close enough for anyone on the porch to see or hear him.

I wonder what in the world they’re fiddling with?

Sue Carol, Mary Jane’s younger sister, came running out of the house with a saucer and knelt beside the others. It wasn’t long before Mrs. Barrow and then Mary Jane stood. Ty watched a few minutes more, and then slowly rode toward the house. Mary Jane was the first to hear him coming.

Ty put the mule in the corral before he walked to the house. Mary Jane met him at the gate.

“Ty, I’m so glad to see you,” she said with a grin as big as all of West Texas.

He wanted to say something to her about her little spying escapade, but he decided to hold back. He knew this was not the time or place. What she really needs is her cute little fanny tanned with a cypress switch, he thought. He smiled at the thought and wasn’t nearly as mad as he had been.

Dropping the wire latch over the gatepost, he said, “I told you I’d be back.” Looking past Mary Jane to be sure no one was within hearing range, he whispered, “You still got a mind to go back into that cave?”

Mary Jane took a step closer. They were almost touching. “I’ve been waiting on you, Ty Holt. Every night lying in bed, all I could think about was what you and I were going to do when you came back.” Mary Jane gave him a smile that would tempt any man. She spoke with a soft voice that was coated with a slow southern drawl that made Ty melt like butter in a hot skillet. He knew she was only talking about searching the cave, but he couldn’t help thinking how good it was to see her again. For a minute, he forgot about all his troubles.

“How come you’re out here waiting on me tonight? Did you know I was on my way here?”

“I hoped you’d be back,” she answered as she put both of her arms around his waist, hugging him tightly. He took her face in his hands. Her skin was soft and smooth. Her eyes were a clear, penetrating green that took away his breath. “I was so scared when your dog drug himself up here last night, I was afraid you were dead. I couldn’t sleep all night, worrying about you. Then when I saw you today …”

Ah-ha, I’ve got you now, Ty thought. “When did you see me today?”

Mary Jane stepped back, looking Ty right in the eye. “Why—when you rode up just now,” she answered, as innocent as a shirt pocket.

“What did you say?” Ty asked.

“I said I saw you when you rode up to the house on that mule.”

“No, what did you say about Dog?”

“I said he came dragging himself up to our cabin yesterday. He was about dead. I hate to tell you this, but someone shot him.”

“He’s alive? Where is he?”

“On the porch,” Mary Jane answered. “By some miracle, I think he’s going to make it.”

Ty took Mary Jane’s hand in his and they quickly walked to the porch. When Mrs. Barrow saw him, she stepped back, pulling Sue Carol aside. Jeb stood and he, too, backed away.

There on an old green horse blanket lay Dog. As soon as he saw Ty, his tail began to pat the wood floor. With tears swelling in his eyes, Ty squatted beside the yellow Lab. His hand trembled with emotion as he began rubbing Dog’s head.

“Hey, old boy, how you doing?” Dog’s tail wagged faster. His brown eyes were filled with love and trust for his master. Ty sat down and gently moved the dog’s head into his lap.

“We’ve been putting some homemade salve and a little of Professor Low’s Liniment on his wound,” Mrs. Barrow said.

Mary Jane added, “Sue Carol fed him some lard mixed with eggs and sweet milk.”

“And some mush with molasses,” Sue Carol interrupted.

“I thank you,” Ty told the Barrows, and then he told them everything that had happened. “It’s been a plenty bad last few days.”

After a spell, Ty laid Dog’s head back on the blanket and scooted himself up, using the wall for support. He was tired to the bone and needed sleep. Jeb said he’d unsaddle the mule and bring Ty’s stuff in. Ty was grateful and glad to let him. He followed Mary Jane into the cabin.

Mrs. Barrow and Mary Jane scurried about, fixing a meal of fatback and beans. Sue Carol came to where Ty was sitting in Shine’s rocker and hugged his neck.

“I’m sure glad you didn’t get kilt, Mr. Holt. Mary Jane likes you.”

“Sue Carol,” Mary Jane yelled, “shut your mouth. Get over here and help me. Now!”

As tired as he was, Ty couldn’t help but smile as he watched the Barrows fixing supper. Mrs. Barrow fried the meat. Mary Jane stirred the beans to keep them from scorching while she boiled a concoction of water and vinegar. Every now and then, Sue Carol checked on the cornbread that was baking in the oven. Mary Jane looked over at Ty and blushed. He watched her closely.

“I’m glad you’re staying for supper, Mr. Holt,” Sue Carol said. “We only get sucamagrowl when we have company,” Sue Carol said, still leaning over the sweet dumpling in the oven.”

Mary Jane whacked Sue Carol on the rear and whispered something to her that Ty could not hear. Sue Carol looked at Ty and grinned, and then she ran to the other side of the room. She lifted a trapdoor and pulled up a bucket of milk from the cellar below the floor.

Mary Jane said, “There’s a cold spring well under there where we get our water and keep things fresh. That’s why Pa built the cabin here.”

Ty agreed. “Maybe someday they’ll figure out a way to have ice in the summer in Texas, the way they do up north.”

“When cows fly,” Mrs. Barrow remarked, more to herself than to anyone else.

About that time, Jeb came through the door and told Ty he’d rubbed the mule down. He asked, “Where you want your stuff?”

Ty was about to tell Jeb to pitch it on the porch when Mrs. Barrow said, “Just put it in the loft with you kids. Mr. Holt can sleep in the house tonight.”

Sue Carol grinned. Mary Jane blushed redder than a summer apple as Jeb carried Ty’s bedroll and war bag up the ladder to the loft where Shine Barrow’s three children slept.

As soon as they had finished eating, Ty took the scraps out to the porch and fed Dog. He felt the Lab’s nose and knew that his fever had broken. He patted the dog’s head and returned to the cabin.

Mary Jane and Sue Carol were washing dishes. Mrs. Barrow was putting up leftovers. Jeb was bringing in wood for the morning fire. Ty took a towel from a peg on the wall and started drying dishes. Sue Carol giggled, and Mary Jane whopped her again. “Go on,” Mary Jane said. “Get yourself to bed. Mother, make Sue Carol behave.”

Mrs. Barrow called for Sue Carol, telling her to get ready for bed. Sue Carol protested, but Ty could see that when Mrs. Barrow spoke she didn’t back down. In a few minutes, Sue Carol gave Ty a hug and then scurried up the ladder. As soon as Jeb finished stacking the kindling, he, too, disappeared up the ladder. Ty could make out whispered talk and giggles in the loft.

Mary Jane handed Ty the last of the dishwashing and excused herself, saying she was going out on the porch. Ty thought that that was a strange thing to do, it being bedtime. He saw Mrs. Barrow give Mary Jane a look that would stop a panther in his tracks, but it didn’t slow Mary Jane down a step.

Ty excused himself and crossed through the house, heading out the back door to the privy. When he returned, he could see that Mary Jane was still on the front porch. Mrs. Barrow was sitting in a rocker. Ty told them he was dead tired and said goodnight. He walked past the women and went into the house. He got himself a drink and then climbed up into the loft.

There were two beds. Sue Carol was asleep in one, Jeb in the other. Ty could tell by their breathing that they were both already asleep. Jeb was facing the wall. He had left room for Ty on the outside of the bed. Quickly, Ty took off his boots. Because he had washed his clothes in the river today and there were others sleeping in the same room, Ty laid down fully dressed. There were two small windows in the loft and a cool cross breeze made the warm night bearable.

Ty was almost asleep when he heard the porch door slam. He could hear Mary Jane and her mother arguing. He couldn’t make out what they were saying, but he guessed it was about him. In a few moments, he heard someone climbing the ladder. Even as tired and emotionally drained as he was, he had already thought about the plan for him to sleep in the same room with Mary Jane. When he thought about it now, his heart started to pound. It even pounded harder when he saw that it was Mary Jane climbing into the loft.

In the dark, he could barely see her standing by one of the windows, looking out into the night. She was barefoot and made virtually no sound as she moved about the small room. Through half-open eyes, he watched her as she pulled a white nightshirt over her head before she slipped off her gingham dress. His heart was now beating so loud now that he was sure she could hear the drumming in his chest. He broke into a sweat. When she moved toward her bed, her nightgown brushed his face, and he could smell the sweetness of the garment.

Slowly, she pulled the bedcover around Sue Carol, and then suddenly turning, Mary Jane bent over and kissed Ty on his forehead. His reaction was immediate. He felt an urge to reach up and pull her to him, but he was afraid to move and pretended to be asleep.

What a time to be pinned between her brother and little sister—and her mother, downstairs, was listening to every sound, he was sure.

Mary Jane stood and started down the ladder to sleep in her mother’s bed. Taking a chance, Ty reached his hand out to Mary Jane and she took it in hers. They remained with hands locked until Mrs. Barrow called, “Mary Jane, what are you doing? Come down. Now!”

When Ty awoke in the morning, the sun was up and he was the only one still in the loft. Turning over, he smiled, thinking about the night before. Below, he could hear people stirring about. He smelled fresh-boiled coffee and ham or bacon frying in a pan and he knew that a good, home-cooked breakfast, in addition to his adventure with Mary Jane and the cave, were waiting for him.