Before Jake was halfway down the access road, Bill Jackson had spotted him on the gray gelding. He started walking to the front of the ranch house to take care of the horse but wouldn’t bother asking any of his many questions. He knew that the boss would want some private time with his bride, so he’d just do his job and patiently wait with the others when Jake decided to tell them what had happened.
Jake picked up Bill Jackson heading for the house in his peripheral vision, but he never shifted his eyes from Sara.
When he was a hundred yards away, he unfastened his ties holding down his saddlebags then lifted them onto his right shoulder. He soon stopped before the long hitchrail, dismounted, then let his reins drop just before Bill Jackson arrived.
Bill said, “I’ll take care of the horse, Jake.”
Jake never turned his eyes away from Sara as he replied, “Thank you, Bill.”
Sara thought she might explode as Jake stepped onto the porch but just took his hand. After entering the house, Jake closed the door, dropped the saddlebags on the floor and scooped Sara into his arms.
"Are you okay?” Sara asked quietly as she held onto him as if she never would let him go.
“I’m fine. It’s all over, Sara.”
When she looked up at him to ask what happened, she wasn’t able to utter a syllable.
Jake kissed her as if he’d been away for two years and not two days.
Sara thought she might faint as her knees buckled and her toes curled. Just seconds ago, she desperately wanted to know what had happened, but now she no longer cared.
Jake had planned to guide her to the couch and explain everything, but once he had her in his arms, that notion disappeared as if it had never existed.
As soon as the kiss ended, the newlyweds wordlessly strolled across the main room then entered the hallway before quickly turning into their large bedroom.
_____
After their long reunion, Jake smiled at Sara and said, “I suppose I should tell you what happened now.”
Sara kissed him on his nose then replied, “I already know what just happened, sir.”
Jake grinned as he said, “You know what I mean, ma’am.”
“I do, and as much as I want to know, I’m sure that the men in the chow house are just as anxious to hear about it as I am. Why don’t we go there and have our supper with them, so I don’t have to cook?”
Jake replied, “That’s a good idea,” then slapped her damp behind and quickly rolled off the bed before she could retaliate.
_____
While Sara and Jake dressed, the men were all standing around one of the long benches in the chow house staring at the spectacularly damaged Martini-Henry.
Charlie was almost finished cooking their big dinner when Bill Jackson carried the mangled rifle into the chow house. They forgot about eating when he laid it on the bench.
Tex Emerson exclaimed, “Where did you get that thing, Bill?”
“I saw it wrapped up in his bedroll and figured he took it back from Dave. He was even ridin’ that gray gelding that Dave took. I didn’t bother takin’ it out of there until I’d taken care of the horse and put away Jake’s tack. I left his Sharps and Winchester in their scabbards and was gonna just leave it wrapped up like that. But when I picked it up to put it on the shelf, I was felt a sharp stab in my hand and dropped the bedroll. I looked at my palm and saw some blood and couldn’t figure it how it got cut.
“Then I looked at the bedroll and what looked like the tip of a knife stickin’ out. That seemed mighty queer, so I unwrapped it and was saw this thing. I gotta tell ya, boys, I was damned lucky I didn’t lose my hand. Look at it! I ain’t never seen anything like it before. Have any of you seen a rifle explode like that?”
The crowd of men shook their heads as they mumbled their assorted negative replies.
Colt Hipper said, “I’ve had a few jams and misfires, but I never saw one blow up like that. I hope Jake shows up soon to tell us what happened.”
Mike Tucker snapped, “I just hope it blew up in Dave’s face and he lived long enough to suffer for what he did.”
The other men all agreed with Mike, but the strong and welcomed smell of Charlie’s grilled steaks soon overpowered their interest in the shattered Martini-Henry. They began lining up to pick up their plates and cutlery when Jake and Sara appeared at the door behind them.
Charlie was the only one facing the door, so he loudly asked, “Are you and the missus joining us for chow, Jake?”
Ten faces whipped around as Jake replied, “If you don’t mind, Charlie. I see that you found what was left of the Martini-Henry. After everyone is sitting down behind a loaded plate, I’ll explain how it got that way and what happened after I left.”
The line to fill their plates moved much faster than usual, and after each of them had taken a seat, Jake let Charlie take his supper before he added a steak and baked potato to Sara’s plate and then one to his. Charlie always prepared extra helpings in case the boss showed up. If he didn’t, then the first men to finish could have seconds.
After he and Sara sat at the end of the
