"So you actually care about her, don't you?"Wesley stared.
"Yeah, this ole pig farmer cares, not likeyou think though. And I tell you something else. I will pay you tosee after her." Dickens said quietly sitting back down.
"See after her?" Wes frowned as his browshot up.
"I don't want them lazy no-account boys ofGeorge's messing with her. They find out her husband died, that'sabout all it would take. She quit comin' into town because thoseboys made eyes at her and whistled and carried on. From then on,she never came back. I don't want to see her hurt. She could fit inthis town once people get to know her."
Wesley sank back into the chair at thetable. "Let me get this straight, your hiring me to protecther?" Again Wesley looked completely baffled.
"Yeah, but you gotta do it discreetly." Hetold him. "And help her get those crops in."
"How long?" Wesley asked, his interestpeeked.
"I ain't sure, until my money runs out, Iguess."
"You'd spend all your money on that littlegal, why?" Wesley wanted to know.
"Lots of reasons, I guess. She sat up allnight with me nursin' one of my pigs back to health. With herhusband griping because she stayed. She reads to me, sometimes whenshe comes over. Because she knows I like books. And when she usedto come to town, she always spoke to me, and smiled. Ain't no oneever done anything like that for me. Not one soul. Not until Iproved myself. But with Kate, I didn't have to prove anything. Shesaid I got quality. I'm just a dirty old pig farmer, but she don'tsee that. If I'd have had kids, they'd be like her, that's a fact.I got money saved up, and I want you to protect her, until she canprotect herself."
"Well I'll be damned." Wesley slumped backin his chair and eyed Dickens with a smile.
"You probably will." Dickens cast him asarcastic smile. "You're a nice, clean fella. You got manners, yougot religion, and what I consider morals. I don't think you'd takean advantage of her like most men might. Not many have thosequalities. I trust you Wesley. Don't make me regret it. I want yourpromise you'll see after her."
Wesley studied Dickens closely now, andslowly nodded. He was silent a moment, as though thinking over allDickens had said, then he smiled. "You got it."
"Just like that?" Dickens twisted hishead.
"Just like that." Wesley nodded.
"I'll hold you to it, Wesley."
"I give you my word," he held out his handto shake it.
Dickens shook it and smiled. "Good."
They talked for a bit, then Wesley droveback to the farm. Wesley thought about all Dickens had told him andreflected on it a bit. Dickens was getting up in years and althoughhe'd saved a lot of money, he had no family to give it to. But forsome reason Kate Marley had caught his eye, in a fatherly sort ofway. Wesley hadn't expected that. But he'd keep his promise toDickens.
Kate was still pulling corn and sweat wastrickling down her back. Her shirt was nearly soaked. He studiedher for a long moment. If this little gal could impress Dickens,she must be special.
She wasn't at all bad to look at. She had anice figure, and pretty face, and if he were the settling down kindof man, she would be exactly the kind of lady he'd consider. Butbeing a drifter, he had to shuck that notion.
They worked together all afternoon, and ashe put the wagon in the barn and washed up, he came inside to smellher fried chicken and put the money on her counter for her.
"Dickens bought the corn?" She asked whenshe saw the money.
"Yep, said he'd take the entire crop."
"I know he has a lot of hogs, but I wouldn'tthink he'd need all of it."
"Guess he's got some use for it." Wesleytold her.
"I like him, always have. As I've told youmy husband wasn't too friendly and not many liked us. But Dickenshe always spoke to me, and he took our corn right off."
"Well," Wesley glanced at her quickly notwanting to dwell on how pretty she was. "I'd say you have a goodfriend in Dickens."
"I'm sure glad he's taking it."
"You got any buyers for the hay?"
"Not yet. No."
"Want me to scout around and see who mightbe needing it?" He asked.
"Maybe later when we finish the corn. Thatmight be a good idea. I'm not much of a haggler on prices and such.Jim always handled that." She told him.
"Alright, fine."
"So why don't you tell me about yourself alittle?" she asked as she put the supper on the table.
"Well, what do you want to know?"
"Got a wife and family somewhere? I mean,maybe you left them or something." she asked, not looking directlyat him. "I know you said you didn't, but sometimes men don't liketo talk about their family."
"No, ma'am, never settled anywhere after allmy folks died."
'How old are you?"
"Twenty-six." He said quietly as she pouredhim some coffee. "How old are you ma'am?"
"Twenty-two." She said sitting down oppositehim.
"Twenty-two and already a widow, that's kindof sad." He remarked. "Especially since there are no children."
"Yeah," she said wistfully. "Wasn't muchchance of that."
Kate covered her mouth quickly, as she wasafraid, she might have said too much.
Chapter Five
The next day they filled the wagon high withcorn, and Kate stared at it strangely.
"Something wrong?" Wes asked her.
"No, but… do you think he really needs allthis corn?" she asked staring at it with a frown.
"I guess he does, he asked for all you had,didn't he?"
"Yeah, but even I know that's a considerableamount of corn?"
"Maybe he has other uses for it."
"It's a powerful lot of corn for one pigfarmer." She insisted. She stopped what she was doing to look atWes. "Sometimes, I feel like he's just being charitable to me. Likehe feels sorry for me or something. I don't want anyone feelingsorry for me. I'm no different than anyone else. Just that thingshappen."
Wes stopped harnessing the mule and staredat her, "Maybe he gives it to other people who need it."
"He is
