"Help? The woman's alone, and she doesn'tknow much about farming either. Her house is spotless, and shetries her best to keep up with me in the field. And granted hercooking is well worth the work itself."
Dickens smiled. "She'd make some lucky youngman a good wife."
Wes shot Dickens a quick frown, "Yeah,probably."
Wesley found himself taking up for the lady."This town must be full of bible toting hypocrites." Wesley raisedhis voice.
"For sure and certain that's right." Dickenslaughed. "But I knew you could help her."
"I just came through this way, day beforeyesterday!" Wesley's voice was still raised in indignation.
"I got a feeling God himself sent you."Dickens chuckled.
"Oh now don't start on me. You know I don'tsettle down to regular work long." Wesley complained.
"That's true, but you can help her while youare here, can't you?"
Wesley frowned at the man. "If I didn't knowbetter, I'd swear you were setting me up for something."
"Look, it's a job. And she needs you… "
"She sure as hell does!" Wesleyaffirmed.
"Kinda pretty too, ain't she?" Dickenschuckled again.
Wesley frowned once more, his temper rising,"She just lost her husband three days ago." Wesley hollered.
"He wasn't much. He wasn't much to lose, letme tell you. Oh he did work. He got that land looking good heworked it so hard. I'll give him credit for that. And if he'd beena bachelor, I'd have probably really liked him, just for that."Dickens made a face. "But as for Kate, she'll do better withouthim."
"You didn't like him either?" Wesleychallenged.
"Nope, not much. He was a hard man, abraggart to boot. And he left that pretty young thing home while hewent visiting the saloons every weekend."
"Why would he do that? I mean—"
"I don't know. I couldn't ask such a thing.But he did. And everyone in town saw it too. He shore didn't hidethe fact."
"What was wrong with him?" Wesley toned histemper down fast.
"Aside from being arrogant as hell, hetreated that gal like a slave. Talked down to her all the time.Don't cotton to men who treat their women like that. He barked ather all the time. She fixed that place up right pretty. But itweren't enough for him, he had to drag her out in the fields andmake her work right alongside him. All because he was too cheap tohire anyone."
"What do you mean a slave?"
"Well, he ordered her around all the time.She'd fix the house up and he'd rant and rave that she wasn't outthere helping him. Nobody liked him, not even Kate… "
Wesley's mouth flew open to say somethingbut just stared.
"Well, she must have liked something abouthim, she married him, didn't she?" Wesley fished for an answer.
"I think she figured that a mistake reallyquick. She'd been alone a long time before that. I imagine anyonewho came around and ask about her would impress her." Dickensnodded.
"You know anything about her?" Wesley asked,as he began to relax now.
"Just that her folks are dead, his folksdidn't like her, she's alone and I don't know how she's going tomake it."
"Why didn't his folks like her. I mean, Isee nothing wrong?"
Dickens stared at him a minute.
"She took Jim away from their farm, and hewas the only one that was any good at farmin' in his family. Theyresent Kate for that. From what Kate said, his family farm was areal showoff kind of place. But it was due to Jim, not hiskin."
Wes grew silent.
"Gotta admire a man that works hard," Wesagreed.
"Yeah, that's why I always treated him rightwhen he came selling his corn. But it really got on my nerves theway he ordered her around like some kid or something. She's a grownwoman, a pretty one at that. You'd have thought he would appreciateher."
"Well, I don't know much about how they gotalong except she don't seem to really mourn him."
"Naw, and I can understand that."
"She could sell the place." Wesley shook hishead.
"Maybe so," Dickens seemed to consider him aminute. "But I got a feelin' that gal don't have a home to go to.And despite she can't get any help around here, she still wants tostay. Now you figure that one out. But that ain't why I sent youout there."
"What do you mean?" Wesley's expressionhardened on him.
"George Smith and his boys up the road fromher. They are a rough bunch, always drinking and carousing. I'mafraid for the little gal. I know you are good with a gun, Wes. Iwas kind of hoping you'd stay a while and make sure they don't hurther. She's alone out there, and no one knows her very well, andwell, they could take advantage of that, if you know what I mean.They think she's pretty as they hooted and hollered the first timeshe came to town. So much so, she seldom came in."
Wesley eyed Dickens now. "You got aninterest in the woman yourself?"
Dickens made a face at him as though hecouldn't believe Wes asked him that question. "I'm a God-fearingman, and no I ain't got no interest like you are thinking. But…she's alone out there. And I've been doin' business with her andher husband since they came. I'm kind of fond of the little gal.She's got a lot of potential without that husband of hers."
Wesley stood up and frowned, "You want herfor yourself? Your way too old… " He stopped and saw the expressionon Dickens face.
"Yeah," Dickens frowned as he stood up andfaced Wesley. "Old enough to be her daddy, and that's how I seeher. Now we got that straight."
"You mean—you really think that much ofher?"
"She comes from good stock, and I can tellthat. She reads, likes animals, and she's pretty to boot." Dickensturned his head and eyed Wesley close. "Reads books and such. She'sgot a little education too. She can read and write and do sums.She's just been held down by that husband of hers. It'll
