Hannah nodded. “That’d be my sister Sarah. She lives on the next section east, down the river. She married Archie Bowen near a year ago. Course he got kilt.” She thought a moment. “You knowed I was the fourth to marry into that gang.”
Longarm blinked. He had not “knowed.” He said, “No, tell me about it.”
Hannah sat up further, causing the blanket to fall down around her hips. Longarm swallowed. It was a sight that it was hard not to be affected by. She said, “First one was my fourth oldest sister, Rebeccah. She married Lester Gaskamp. Little over two years ago it was. ‘Course he was the leader of that bunch when they first commenced their stealin’ and whatnot. You know he was killed.”
Longarm stood there in some amazement. He’d been in town a full week and this was the first he was hearing about such matters. He said, “No, no, I’ve never heard the man’s name. The one I heard was the leader was Wayne Shaker.”
Hannah tossed her head sending her fine, long hair flying in a shimmering sheen of light brown. “Oh, some says he is, some says he ain’t. He’s a Mason County boy, you know, but he ain’t all that bright. They was a lot of hope for Lester, but he got kilt when they was trying to rob a bank in Junction City, and them fool boys didn’t know any more about robbing a bank than a mule knows about Santa Claus. They was just startin’ out an’ ups and tries a big bank like that one in Junction City. That was just plain silly.”
“The sister that was married to Lester—Rebeccah?”
Hannah nodded.
“Did she get a cabin and land and money?”
“Oh, yes. Boys around here know they might not as well come around unless they got the price of our hand in marriage. Got to be a nice place on a good piece of land. And the land had better be a section, six hundred and forty acres, and the money better be ready to hand. Daddy ain’t always so strict about the amount of land as he is about the quality. Now this land on the river ain’t nowhere near a section, but Daddy says water is worth a whole bunch of acres of dry land. I don’t know if that is so or not, but that is what Daddy says.”
Longarm said slowly, “That’s three. Any more?”
“Well, yes. I’m kind of ashamed about him so we don’t talk about him much. Daddy is the most ashamed of all. Was a boy named Jim Squires. He asked for the hand of my sister Salome, she’s my second oldest sister. But he didn’t have the price. Well, they was in love and Salome was kicking up a ruckus about the matter, so Daddy said they could go ahead and get hitched, except Salome was goin’ to have to live at home until Jim could raise the money for what was needed. When he got that tended to they could live together like man and wife, whatever that is supposed to mean. Well, you wouldn’t believe what happened. Jim Squires went off with that bunch and they was going to stick up the mail stage comes down from Austin. Was a little shootin’ and that Jim Squires turned tail and run off like a rabbit. We ain’t seen hide nor hair of him since. Salome is just plain mortified. And I reckon she has got good reason to be. I know I would if a husband of mine pulled some such trick.”
Longarm stared at her, dumbfounded. Finally he said, “As a general rule, where do these young men get the kind of money to afford you and your sisters?”
Hannah shrugged. “Steals it, I guess. I don’t know. But I know this. They ain’t never again none of them goin’ to get one of us on credit. Daddy done said that. It’s cash on the barrelhead and no exceptions. My word, you ought to have seen Daddy when he got the news about Jim Squires. He just ranted and raved till the world looked level. He’s just layin’ for that young man to show his face ‘round these parts again. He’ll get himself a divorce so quick it’ll make his head swim.”
“So there have been four of you married into that gang. Any children?”
Hannah gave a hoot of laughter. “Not very likely. Ain’t a one of ‘em got a chance to do his duty. I ain’t the only flower wiltin’ on the vine.”
Longarm shook his head slowly. “This is about the damnedest situation I reckon I ever run up against. Did your momma give you girls any advice?”
“Advice about what?”
“Well, you don’t seem to have any luck with husbands. How did she figure you were supposed to get your petals plucked?”
Hannah said, “She told us all to take the first one came along we took a shine to and get right after it.”
“And I’m the first one to come along.”
“First one seemed to know what it was all about.”
Longarm nodded. “Well, I’ve got to comment that your daddy has got one of the most unusual businesses going I ever heard of. Seems to be doing right well.”
“Oh, yeah. Daddy was always one to find a way to make money.”
“Tell me, have all the boys been Mason County boys, all the husbands?”
She shook her head. “Naw. Lester Gaskamp was the only one.”
“Where is yours, Gus Home, from?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know. I never passed ten words with the man. When the wedding was over Daddy come up and whispered in his ear and he was gone. Now there is some talk that this Wayne Shaker might be allowed to marry my sister Rebeccah, the one that’s been on the vine over two years. Course I hear she ain’t been lettin’ the ground grow under her feet all that time. Daddy says it would tie things up in a neat package. Daddy don’t like no loose strings danglin’. Too many womenfolks around the house to suit Daddy.”
“What about the one that married the boy that run off, Squires?”
Hannah pulled her lower lip down. “Why, there’s nothin’ can be done about that worthless trash till Daddy can arrange to get him kilt. He’s just extra baggage right now. Poor Salome can’t be free until he shows up, which he ain’t going to, or Daddy can find him and set matters straight.”
The knocking came at the door again. Longarm gave it an annoyed look.
“Hold up, dammit!” he yelled. He put his hand on the latch. “Hannah, honey, I’ll be back just quick as I can.
