The storm Josh had predicted earlier was at its height as they gently carried the blanket-swathed Wagon owner to a buggy the punchers had found at the livery stable. It had a top and side curtains, but it was a tight fit for the three men. Josh drove the rig, while the sheriff supported Kirby's body in as comfortable a position as he could. They began the drive back to Streeter, lightning flashes cutting the night. Rain fell in torrents, and gusts of wind swayed the high-topped buggy, threatening to overturn it on the trail.
Several miles out from town, Curly yelled through the curtains: 'I'm going on in and have Doc get ready.' In an instant he was lost in the night. In what seemed like a very few minutes he was back.
'Take the short cut to Wagon,' he yelled above the roar of the wind. 'Doc is tending a hurt puncher at Triangle. I'll get him and bring him to Wagon… try to have him there by the time you make it.' Again he pounded away in the darkness.
The storm did not slacken but increased in violence as they bounced and jolted on the rough Wagon trail. Josh had difficulty finding the turn into the Wagon yard until a flash of lightning showed the way. The brilliant illumination also told the anxious watchers within the house that Wagon's owner was coming home.
Josh brought the buggy as close as possible to the porch as Doc Williams and Jen came out to meet them. Heedless of the pouring rain, the bunkhouse crew surrounded the buggy. Gentle hands lifted Kirby and carried him to the room he had shared so briefly with his bride.
Jen's eyes were wide, her face as white as the sheet beneath his head, as she bent to kiss his cold lips. At their touch his eyes opened and a vast relief crossed his face.
'Jen, I came home. It's all over now. I won't have to leave you again.'
'I'm glad, Kirby,' she whispered. 'I knew you'd come home to me. Go to sleep now. I'm right here. I'll be here when you want me.'
He closed his eyes as her lips again found his. And they did not open again as Jen stepped back and Doc Williams took her place.
Dancing shadows flickered on the wall as a breeze riffled the new leaves on the cottonwood outside the window. The shadows, scampering like mice, were the first thing to catch Kirby's attention when he awakened and fought for consciousness. Puzzled, his gaze searched the room, coming to rest at last on the slender girl dozing in the rocking chair. The sunlight touched her hair, bringing out the red highlights and accenting the pallor of her cheeks. Suddenly he knew where he was and why. He struggled to raise himself on one elbow, but the effort brought such an overwhelming giddiness that he fell back. His movement awakened her.
'Jen,' he said weakly.
In an instant she was at his side. 'Kirby, I didn't know you were awake. Why didn't you call me? I must have dozed off.'
'You looked so tired I didn't want to disturb you,' he said. 'What time is it? From the sun, I'd guess the morning's almost gone. Doc must have given me something to make me sleep.'
'Doc said that people suffering shock always sleep a lot. And you lost a lot of blood. Weakness makes you sleepy. The long rest was good for you.'
He touched his face, then felt more intently of the stubble of beard.
'Just how long have I been out?' he asked.
'This is the morning of the fourth day since they brought you home.'
Alarm crossed his face as he studied her expression. 'What does Doc say? Am I…' He waited anxiously for her reply.
'You're fine. The bullet didn't touch a vital spot, and the wounds are healing. Doc says sleep and rest are the medicine you need. If no more infection shows up, you may be up and around in a week.'
He caught her hand.' There's too much to do. I can't stay in bed a whole week. Couldn't sleep…'
She brushed aside his protest. 'Maybe you should remember that you could be sleeping where Bill is.' She stopped, aghast at what she had said. 'Oh, Kirby, I didn't mean that.'
He sought for her hand. 'All right. I deserved that. I'm not thinking too straight yet.' He spent a moment in thought. 'Was anyone else hurt the other night? I don't seem to remember much about the windup. And I seem to have a recollection of a storm.'
'You were the only one hurt,' she answered. 'And they brought you home through one of the worst storms the range has seen in a long time.'
His eyes were far away and his voice tired. 'You might say that the whole range has been through a bad storm,' he murmured, 'a storm of trouble. And we had our own storm, didn't we? But it's all over. The sun is shining again, and time will cover all scars.' He sighed deeply.
'Right now I could eat up a storm. Do you suppose Maria could scare up a steak and some potatoes?'
She was horrified. 'You talk like you just have a sprained ankle. Of course you can't have such heavy food. But Maria's been simmering some broth that smells mighty good. I'll call her.'
In a few moments she was back, followed by Maria, bearing a tray whose contents sent their savory fragrance into the room ahead of her. Kirby found that he was ravenous and, propped up on his pillows, let Jen feed him. He felt strength begin to flow through his body and growled again about the ignominy of being spoon-fed like a baby.
'Behave yourself or I won't let anyone in to see you. The sheriff has been here every day. And Josh had to threaten to send Ringo to line camp to get him out of the house.'
'Why?' he asked around a mouthful of toast. 'What's wrong with Ringo?'
'He feels responsible for your getting shot. Says if he'd aimed better, the outlaw he hit wouldn't have had a chance to shoot you in the back.'
Kirby was alarmed. 'Where is he? I want to set him right. It wasn't his fault at all. If he hadn't downed his man, I might have more than one bullet hole in me. Send Josh for him.'
'Send Josh where?' His foreman stood in the open door. Doc Williams looked over his shoulder. Josh was grinning his pleasure at seeing Kirby able to take nourishment. 'Seems to me you're givin' a lot of orders for a sick man.'
Kirby's answering smile was almost lost in his four-day-old beard. 'Howdy, gents. Didn't mean to be throwing my weight around. I just want to set Ringo's mind at peace. I'll tell him he's a man to ride the river with.'
Josh said dryly, 'Do that, and you may have to marry him. He thinks you're a man who rides tall in the saddle. Pay him a compliment like that, and he might bust wide open.'
Maria went out with the tray, and Doc took her place. He slipped a thermometer between Kirby's lips and seized his wrist. In a couple of moments he beamed.
'Temperature normal, pulse normal,' he said. 'You sure take a lot of killing, boy. For a man shot plumb through the bread basket, you come back fast. If you don't know it, Lon Peters had a lot to do with your being here. If he hadn't cleaned the wound with whiskey, you might have had a bad infection. And his bandage kept you from bleeding to death during the trip from Galeyville.'
'Someone mention my name? Hope something nice was said for a change.' The sheriff ambled into the room, clutching a cup of coffee. 'Maria's brew is wonderful. My old lady…' He caught Jen's twinkle. 'My old lady's coffee is only a mite better.' He walked to the bed. 'It's my turn to ask you to shake hands, boy. You done real good.' Having delivered this accolade, he took a sip of coffee.
'You people hurry up and git,' said Doc. 'This boy is better, but he's not out of the woods yet by a long shot.'
'Let me ask a few questions first,' Kirby begged. 'There's a lot of things I don't know yet. Sheriff, how about the gang… the Syndicate? Did we clean it up?'
Lon sighed. 'This Wagon crew is the darndest bunch of hombres. Of course you cleaned up the gang, to the last man.' His voice grew plaintive. 'But I still don't see why you couldn't have let me in on the fun.'
Josh looked at him and said wickedly, 'Maybe you're gettin' too old!'
The sheriff glared at him, then exploded, 'Old? Why, dang your buttons, you was a grown man before I started to school, you old goat.' He caught their gleeful smiles and grinned ruefully. 'Maybe I am gettin' old to let a joker rile me like that.' He turned his attention to Kirby.
'Don't want to tire you out, but there's one more thing. We searched the saloon and King's room. We found a stack of money and the dangdest thing you ever heard about. King must have had the soul of a bookkeeper. We
