Gunslinger Page 11

  Janie continued as if nothing was amiss. She slowed down on selecting items. A bystander might even say that she was stalling. Truth be told ... she was. Aggie soon re-entered the store. They finished Janie's shopping not long after. Mr. Jorgenson had been keeping a running total. His assistants reported the items and prices as they stacked up the purchases. Clint asked for the damages and the total surprised him. When questioned about it, Jorgenson replied,

  "Newlywed discount on first order," and he turned back to his assistants, directing them to load the wagon.

  Bruce and Clint just stood by, letting the two load the wagon with practiced ease. The two women sidled up to the men. Janie took Clint's arm, and Aggie slipped her hand into Bruce's. Janie directed Clint out all casual like, and Aggie, with Bruce in tow, followed. The men thought nothing of the short stroll since it would take a while to load.

  You could have knocked the men over using a feather when they realized that the stroll had brought them to the church. Clint frowned first, then saw what they were doing. He planned to talk to Janie about this when they had a moment, but she beat him to it. A wide grin spread over his face. Bruce was still clueless.

  "Why are we here?" he asked.

  "We have a little business to transact today," replied Janie. "Come on up here."

  Aggie and Bruce followed Janie without question. She positioned the pair in the same location as she has stood yesterday. Still without a clue, Bruce looked at Aggie. She was radiant, staring up at him with her eyes beaming. He didn't notice Reverend Moore enter and take his place front of the pair since he was looking at her. It startled Bruce when he turned and noticed the minister standing there. He was astounded when he noticed that the church was filling with townspeople.

  Bruce tried to move away when he felt a strong grip on his shoulder. Clint shook his head as he held the man in place.

  "Dearly beloved..." Moore began as the assembly quieted.

  Eugenia Agnes Farnsworth became Eugenia Agnes Farnsworth van Horn five minutes later. (Whew, that's a mouthful).

  Janie provided the rings, purchased at the store without the knowledge of anyone except Mr. Jorgenson. Strangely enough, it also was the couple's first kiss when Bruce kissed the bride at Rev. Moore’s instructions.

  "After all," Janie explained, "I'll need help on the ranch and we can't have you two living in sin, now can we."

  They all laughed at that. The auxiliary served a light lunch. Janie told the couple that they had purchased supplies for the ranch manager's house, and they would clean it up this afternoon. The four returned to the store now that they had finished with the wedding. The assistants were loading the last of the purchases into the wagon. They filled it to the top of the sideboards. Bruce had an idea and went off. He came back with his horse and Timmy in tow.

  "We'll need help to unload, and I've hired Timmy to assist us. Executive decision, Boss. That all right with you?"

  "Good idea, Bruce. Say, Timmy, how set are you on working for Smitty. I mean, do you have a contract with him or are you free to seek advancement?"

  "I speak for myself if you mean what I think you mean, Sir. I can decide where and for whom I will work. Smitty knows, and he'd be agreeable iff'n he knew that I'd be working for you."

  "Well, how does twenty a month and found sound to you," Clint asked.

  The boy's eyes grew big. That was three times was he was getting at the stable. A silly grin spread across his face with disbelief as he nodded.

  "You need to tell your mama that you're moving. Go tell her and take the roan mare with you. You can ride out to the ranch. You can find the old Wilson ranch, right?"

  He nodded, and Clint continued. "I’m hiring you, as of this moment. Get your clothes from your mother's home and get out to the ranch. We'll expect you by high noon. That'll be about an hour according to the sun right now. We'll take care of the rest of your stuff tomorrow when we come in to town for ranch supplies."

  "I've got a hound, Sir. May I bring him, too?"

  "Yes, please do. It will be good to have a watchdog. Bring him."

  Still grinning, Timmy ran off to get his stuff. Bruce mounted up after helping his wife up on the wagon’s bench seat. Clint kissed Janie's forehead and assisted her to the high seat. He climbed up to the driver's position by her side, checking everything before starting. Clint clucked at the mule and the animal pulled the load forward.

  They arrived at the homestead, and Janie pulled a special marked package out from the wagon and set it aside for a moment. The group began unloading the wagon. When they were alone, Janie handed the package to Aggie.

  "Fresh sheets," she remarked with a grin. Aggie blushed.

  The couple made their way to the foreman's house. Bruce carried her over the threshold and they didn't see the newlyweds again that day. Little screams came from the open window as the couple consummated their marriage.

  “OK gents, you too Timmy, this is how it’s going to work,” Janie gave them the lowdown. “We’re going to put stuff away as we work. No dumping things is a pile. Some of the stuff in here needs to go out, Now! Start a burn pile out back and let’s get to it.”

  The men carried out the unpalatable detritus as they worked, and they made a pile off away from the house where they located an obvious burn pile.

  Janie cleaned an area of the bunkhouse, and Timmy moved in. He would eat at the main house until they hired the rest of the crew and found a trail cook.

  They occupied the K-Bar Ranch again as the russet hues of the sunset streaked the sky. The ranch would prosper under the care of Clint Robertson, his wife, Janie, Bruce van Horn, and his wife, Aggie. Clint and Janie started their family on their wedding night. Bruce and Aggie did the same. The women would be pregnant together.

  As the clouds streaked the morning sky, Clint convinced Janie to follow him without explaining before heading out on the trail. He already had her horse saddled alongside his. They rode back towards town making small talk until they came to the trees Clint had marked their first day back in time. He turned her in, and the horses brought them to the small clearing once more. They had folded the tents, and packed and stored the campsite equipment in one barn yesterday.

  She scanned the clearing with a question on her face. She spied what Clint had brought her here to see in a moment. She saw the plaque on the tree behind where the tents stood. She nudged her horse closer and read the wording aloud.

  "Our love spans the paradox of all generations of time." Her thoughts flew back to that day, so far into the future, yet in their past.

  She smiled that knowing smile.

  Join Clint and Janie as they begin their lives together in the Old West in Gunslinger 2 – The Reaper coming soon. If you enjoyed this offering please consider leaving a review for other readers.

  Now our time draws nigh and we bid you adieux. As a great philosopher used to say at the end of his TV show in a kinder, gentler time, “Good night, and may God bless.”