“Way you pushed that horse, you’ve got news. What’s up?”
“Charlie told me not to spare the whip.” Noble entered the parlor, nodding to Thomas. “We think Doolin’s about to make his move.”
Tilghman looked at him. “Why so?”
“Edith Doolin bought a wagon and horse from the livery stable this mornin’. She’s got it parked out beside her dad’s house.”
“How’d you get wind of it?”
“Saw her drive by in the new rig,” Noble said. “Last time she left town, we remembered she’d done the same thing. So Charlie talked to the feller that owns the livery.”
“Yeah?” Thomas coaxed. “What’d he find out?”
“She didn’t dicker none a’tall about price. Agreed right off, like she’s in a powerful hurry.”
“Tell me,” Tilghman said casually. “Has the news hit Lawson about the Wild Bunch?”
“Has it ever!” Noble wagged his head. “Everybody in town’s been talkin’ about it ’cause there was no word on Doolin. We heard the others was all killed.”
Tilghman and Thomas exchanged a glance. Their fears were confirmed that the news would goad Doolin into hasty action. The fact that Edith Doolin had bought a wagon was all the corroboration they needed. She was planning on leaving town.
“Let’s get back to the wagon,” Tilghman said. “Has she loaded it, or is it just sitting there?”
“Just sittin’ there.” Noble paused, then went on. “’Course, I lit out to bring you the word. She could’ve started loadin’ up after I left.”
Tilghman considered a moment. “Where’s a good place to keep watch on the Ellsworth house? Your smithy won’t do, not for us. Too much chance we’d be spotted.”
“Lemme think.” Noble studied on it, scratching his jaw. Finally, with a quick smile, he bobbed his head. “There’s a big patch of woods off to the west of town. Starts maybe a quarter-mile behind Ellsworth’s place.”
“Yeah, I remember,” Tilghman said, nodding. “I was checking on the Doolin woman at the time and didn’t pay much attention. Do I recollect a trail leading into the woods?”
“You sure do,” Noble affirmed. “Old logging road that cuts through there to Eagle Creek. Anyplace in them woods, you’d be lookin’ right at Ellsworth’s back door.”
“No rest for the weary,” Tilghman said, glancing at Thomas. “We’ll have to leave tonight.”
“Suits me,” Thomas agreed. “I’ve done without sleep before.”
An hour later, mounted on fresh horses, the lawmen and Tom Noble reined away from the corral. They rode north under a star-studded sky.
* * *
John Ellsworth looked stricken. Seated in the parlor, he nervously clasped and unclasped his hands. He stared blankly at the wall, avoiding his wife’s steely gaze. She glowered at him from the sofa.
A plain dumpling of a woman, Sarah Ellsworth was stout, with sharp, beady eyes. She had the formidable manner of a drill sergeant, and she ruled her household with an iron hand. Tonight, watching her husband, she was incensed by his attack of nerves.
“Stop twitching,” she said angrily. “Any minute you’ll start having conniption fits.”
Ellsworth winced. “Sadie, you know the law’s not far behind whenever he shows up. How’d you expect me to act?”
“You’ve got no spine, never did. Edith loves him and he’s the father of our grandson. Now, let’s hear no more about it!”
Doolin had appeared at the back door late last night. The word was out that his gang had been eliminated, and Ellsworth knew what his sudden arrival meant. All the more so when Edith had gone out this morning and bought a horse and wagon. Yet he wasn’t able to summon the strength to contact the federal marshals. Nor was he able to defy his wife.
“How did it come to this?” Ellsworth said heavily. “When he showed up again tonight, that was the beginning of the end. You know he plans to take Edith and the boy … don’t you?”
“What did you expect?” she said with a nettled look. “They’re man and wife, and they want to be together. You just keep your nose out of it.”
Ellsworth slumped down in resignation. At the end of the hall, a bedroom door opened and Edith walked to the kitchen. She filled a glass with water, then paused in the dining room, looking into the parlor. She smiled at her father.
“Don’t act so glum, Daddy. The world’s not coming to an end.”
She disappeared down the hall into the bedroom. Doolin was seated at the foot of the bed, holding the baby. She gave him the glass, then took the baby from his arms. As he drank the water, she gently nestled the baby between pillows at the head of the bed. She laughed softly.
“Daddy’s such a fussbudget. He can’t bear the thought that you’ve finally come for me.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Doolin said, placing the glass on the floor. “Your ma will bring him around.”
“I’m sure,” she said, seating herself beside him on the bed. “Whatever tune Mama plays, Daddy hums along.”
“Well, let’s let them work it out for themselves. We’ve got plans of our own to think about.”
She hugged herself with merriment. “I still can’t believe it! We’re really on our way this time, aren’t we?”
“For a fact,” Doolin said earnestly. “Come tomorrow night, we’re Californey bound.”
“And we’ll make it.” She took his hand, pressed it to her cheek. “Nothing’s going to stop us this time.”
“Nothing or nobody,” Doolin said with a determined edge to his voice. “We’re gonna get there come hell or high water.”
“You’re sure the law has no idea you’re here?”
“Honey, they don’t have the least notion of where I’m at.”
Doolin had spent almost two weeks covering his trail. He’d stuck to the backwoods, living off the land, as he slowly made his way from the Cherokee Nation to Lawson. After scouting the area, he had made camp on Eagle Creek, some three miles west of town. Then, certain his wife wasn’t being watched, he’d left his horse in the woods last night and approached the house. Walking still bothered him, but he was happy to endure the pain. By tomorrow night, they would be long gone.
