to soaking them fairly soon. He said, “Well, I figured to maybe help ease them out. I didn’t want to see no gunshots getting fired. One of ‘em must have scuffed his knee or his hand or something.”
Mrs. Higgins sniffed. “Sounded to us like was a herd of cattle runnin’ loose through the place.” She rounded on her husband. “Then I hear this one yelling at the top of his lungs about blowing people in half. Laws! Nearly scared me and Rita Ann to death. We never knowed from one second to the other what to think. And couldn’t see much through the crack in the door.”
Higgins said placatingly, “Now, Sylvie, we git them kind through here now and again. We’s jus’ lucky we had Mister Long here to help out with matters. They was only some bullies needed showing the error of their ways. And we done that, didn’t we, Mr. Long.”
“Yes, yes, Herman. We sure did. You did the biggest part of it, of course. But I thought you handled the situation right nicely. You ought to be proud, Mrs. Higgins, Sylvia. Quite a man, your husband.”
Mrs. Higgins gave him a stern look and said, “He ain’t big as a minute and thinks he can take on the world. One of these days he is gonna bite off more than he can chew and then we’ll just have to see about it.” But at the tail end of her look, a little maternal fondness came into the sternness. “I guess I’ll keep him.”
Rita Ann came over to Longarm and before he could react, took his right hand in hers and lifted it up. The scuffs across the knuckle were clear. She dropped it and picked up the left. It had a cut across the first two knuckles. She said, “Looked like it must have been a two-fisted fight. Didn’t go exactly the way you told it, Mr. Long.”
He cleared his throat. “Well, there was a little scuffling. But not enough to write home about. However, I would be obliged to get a pan of warm salty water and maybe soak these here mitts of mine before they get sore.”
Mrs. Higgins said, “I’d be obliged. You jus’ give me a minute to run into the kitchen and I’ll fetch it right out here. Herman, you come along with me. You ain’t out of the woods about this scuffling affair. No, sir. Not by a long shot. I’ll have a few more words with you, mister.”
Higgins said, “Now there you go, Sylvie, makin’ a cow outten a kitten. They ain’t nothin’ else to it.”
But he followed her obediently as she walked back into their living quarters.
As soon as they were out of sight Longarm turned immediately and started for the front door. He wanted to make sure the three men had kept riding and had not cut around to approach them from the back. He was aware that Rita Ann was following him, but he walked 50 yards out in front of the relay station and slowly swept his eyes across the terrain from north to south to east to west and then back north again. He could just pick out some little dots moving along at a pretty good pace. They appeared to be about three or four miles away. It could be the three that had come in the station, or it could be three entirely different men. He meant to speak to Higgins as soon as he conveniently could about putting his Mexicans on watch. It wouldn’t hurt to keep a close lookout until dusk.
Behind him Rita Ann said, “Why did you beat those three men up?”
He whirled around. “What?”
She said, “I could see a little through the crack between the door and the wall. It was almost over by the time we got there, but I saw that two men were laying on the floor and I saw you kick one in the head when he tried to get up. Why’d you do that?”
He stared at her. “Hell, Mr. Higgins told you. They were making trouble. They started in on him and I had to step in and help.”
She shook her head. “No, that is not true. Mr. Higgins was back getting the shotgun when the trouble started. I heard it. You were the one out there. You were the one using your fists. I saw you had left your gunbelt on the divan, which means you had gone out there to fight. You didn’t want to be weighed down by it.”
He gave her a perplexed look. “Who the hell are you? The sheriffs I don’t know exactly how it happened, but Mr. Higgins came back through the door and said it looked like he was going to have to run some hombres off, so I went out to see what was going on. I didn’t wear my gunbelt because I didn’t want to take a chance on any shooting. Damn! Talk about minding other folks’ business! What the hell has this got to do with you?”
“Nothing,” she said calmly. “I only want to know who you are.”
“I’ve told you. How many times I got to tell you?”
“You’re a businessman. Well, from the way you fight I’d recommend you go in the fighting business.”
He said, “I always wondered who the person would be who exasperated me beyond my reason. I think I may be looking at her.” Then he stepped around her and went back into the station, where Mrs. Higgins was waiting with the pan of hot, salty water.
Supper that night was a subdued affair. Higgins said, “You know, I’m gonna be right sorry, Mr. Long, to see you and Miss Rita Ann leave on that stage tomorrow. Place won’t be the same, will it, Sylvie?”
She said, “I should think not. I know I’ve enjoyed the company of another woman. Especially one as bright and gay as Rita Ann.” She sighed. “But then all good things must come to an end. That’s what my dear old mother said.”
Longarm looked at Rita Ann. “And bad ones too, I hope.”
They had gotten to bed early that night, not much after ten. Longarm had turned into his blankets naked, in anticipation of Rita Ann’s arrival. Part of him was aroused, but part of him was also angry. She had called the turn at every juncture. If she came to him this night it was going to be different.
She was so long in coming that he was almost asleep when he realized she was standing by him in the voluminous nightgown she had borrowed from Mrs. Higgins. He sat up immediately as she began to pull the gown over her head. When it fell to the floor she stood there, again reflected in the firelight, while he studied her beautiful body with true appreciation. Then she slowly knelt down, landing on her knees on the edge of his blankets. She was about to reach for him when he took her under the shoulders and lifted her onto his bed on her back. Then, moving too fast for her to realize what he was doing, he was on top of her, prying her legs apart. He fell forward, guiding himself into her and covering her mouth with his at the same time. He held her by the buttocks, one in each hand, and began pulling her into him, making her rhythm match his. He started slowly, but then he began thrusting harder and harder, almost angrily. As he probed her depths he could feel her gasping out of the corners of her mouth, but he wouldn’t let her mouth loose from his. Her hips were starting to arch up, clearing the blanket by six inches. She hoisted her legs and wrapped them around his middle, squeezing him tight. They were locked in an intertwined and frenzied embrace. He kept thrusting and thrusting, pushing her up the blankets.
