Panhandle raiders, p.15
Panhandle Raiders, page 15
“You’ll have to put up with his grub, Smoke but I won’t, since I’ll be remaining here in Fort Griffin,” Rudy pointed out as they paused on the edge of the sidewalk and he shifted the sack in his hands.
“Nobody’s forcin’ either one of you to eat my chuck,” Jim grumbled. “You can always go hungry.”
“That might be preferable to the bellyaches I get from your biscuits,” Smoky rejoined then stopped short, looking around in near panic.
“Oh Lord no!” he exclaimed when he caught sight of Cindy Lou as she emerged from Wetmore’s Café and headed in the Rangers’ direction. It only took her a moment to close the distance between them and stalk up to McCue, her eyes reflecting hurt and disappointment.
“You won’t change your mind, Smoky?” the saloon girl questioned.
“Cindy, I’m a Texas Ranger. I have to go where I’m sent. I explained all that to you,” Smoky quietly replied.
“But what about me? I thought …” Cindy Lou’s voice faltered, her gaze dropping. “I thought we had something special.”
“We did, Cindy Lou,” Smoky answered, “But I have to be movin’ on. Besides, I’m sure you won’t be lonesome.”
Cindy’s eyes widened in anger. “Smoky McCue … you … you …” Furiously she slammed both hands against his chest. As he was rocked back by the unexpected blow, Smoky’s boot heel caught in a crack in the rough boardwalk, sending him sprawling backward into the muddy street. The horrible crack of a breaking bone echoed audibly across the street. Smoky tried to push himself up, then fell back, grimacing with pain as his leg collapsed under him.
“Oh, Barnabas!” Cindy Lou screeched as she clamped her hands to her mouth in horror. “What have I done to you?” Wailing, she hurried from the walk to kneel in the muck alongside Smoky. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“Just… just what did you call me?” Smoky snapped, as realization set in. The pain flushing his face was now supplanted by embarrassment and anger.
“She called you Barnabas, pardner,” Jim laughed. “Don’t tell me that’s your real name, McCue.” Beside him, Rudy trembled as he tried with only partial success to contain his mirth.
“Smoky. Oh, no. I didn’t mean to,” Cindy whimpered. “It’s just that when I saw you hurt it … it slipped out.”
“Cindy.” McCue shook his head in disbelief, struck speechless.
“Barnabas! No wonder you didn’t want anyone to know your name, Smoke.” Tears were rolling down Jim’s cheeks as he doubled over with laughter. Almost overcome with hilarity, the lanky Ranger swayed precariously at the edge of the boardwalk. Too late, he tried to pull back as his foot slipped off the edge and he overbalanced and toppled forward. A hitchrail caught him just above the belt buckle and his laughter was momentarily choked off as the air was driven from his lungs. He jack-knifed over the rail and somersaulted into the road, landing on his back in the mud with a huge splat.
“Serves you right, Jim,” McCue growled as he scooped up a thick gob of mud. Ignoring the pain shooting through his broken leg, he let the mud fly, catching Blawcyzk square in the face.
“Oh yeah, Barnabas?” Jim chortled, grabbing a handful of sticky muck and letting it go, splattering it into Smoky’s chest.
“Try that again, Jim. I dare you.” Smoky challenged, as he gathered another fistful of glop. Within moments, both partners were covered head to toe with mud. Then their laughter slowed, and in sudden silence they stared up at the boardwalk where an untouched Rudy was still convulsed with laughter.
“Oh no you don’t,” Flores yelped as he instantly grasped his partners’ intentions.
“Oh yeah we do,” Jim grinned as Rudy pivoted to dive for cover inside the store. Before Flores could reach shelter, Jim sent an enormous blob of muck smacking into his back, then Rudy was pinned against the wall under a veritable barrage of mud. He sank to the walk, laughing wildly.
“Stop it, all of you!” Cindy Lou shrieked from where she’d fled, several feet away.
Jim and Smoky glanced at each other in complete understanding.
“Her turn!” Jim fired first, his aim unintentionally truer than he’d intended, as the huge glob of mud landed right smack in the middle of Cindy Lou’s cleavage to dribble down between her full breasts. As much from surprise as the impact, Cindy sat down hard in the middle of a puddle. When she did Jim and Smoky, laughing uncontrollably, slathered her with mud.
Smoky had just picked up another handful of muck to toss in Cindy’s direction when he stopped short to gaze at a column of men and horses approaching at a lope. A moment later the column came to a halt alongside the mud smeared trio.
“Lieutenant, I realize it’s not Saturday night, but you sure could use a bath there. I reckon that goes for all of you.” Texas Ranger Sergeant Jim Huggins grinned down from the back of his leggy chestnut gelding, Dusty. “You want to explain to me what’s goin’ on here?”
“You might want to ask Barnabas that, Jim,” Blawcyzk replied, with a nod in Smoky’s direction.
“You mean that’s McCue’s real name?” Huggins drawled. “Why, that’s a fine old Christian name. Goes all the way back to the Apostles.”
“So there, Jim,” Smoky retorted.
“It might be a fine old name, but it still sounds awful funny on you, pard,” Jim answered. “I reckon I’ll stick with callin’ you Smoky.”
“If y’all are through playin’ in the muck, me and the boys would sure like you to show us a place to rest up and get some grub,” Huggins dryly stated. “And who’s your lady friend?”
“They’re no friends of mine, Ranger!” Cindy Lou huffed.
“Don’t believe a word she’s sayin’, Sergeant,” Smoky retorted. “Even if she did break my leg just now. Any of you hombres reckon you can get me to the doc’s?”
“Well, now that I’ve finally found you under all that muck, I have to say you won’t be riding for several weeks, Ranger,” Doctor Gibson stated as he finished his examination of Smoky’s leg. “Luckily it’s a clean break, but you will have to be in a cast.” After the mud fight, Smoky had been lifted onto Jim Huggins’ horse and taken to the Fort Griffin post hospital. Doctor Gibson had been rather surprised, to put it mildly, to see the lawmen in his office yet again. Blawcyzk and Flores had remained with Smoky while the newly arrived Rangers headed for the livery stable to put up their horses, then the hotel to obtain rooms for themselves. Still covered in dried mud, the two partners and Cindy Lou stood by while Gibson worked on his patient.
“Smoky, I never meant to hurt you. It’s just that you made me so mad,” Cindy Lou tearfully explained as she saw McCue’s jaw tighten while Gibson set the broken leg.
“It’s okay, Cindy,” Smoky gritted against the pain. “It was my own fault for what I said to you.”
“Smoky, Rudy and I have to be gettin’ back to town,” Jim spoke up. “I’ve got to go over things with Jim Huggins and the rest of the boys before I leave and I plan on ridin’ out at sunup, so I want to hit the sack early. I’ll let Captain Trumbull know what happened. Are you gonna be all right?”
“I’ll make sure he is, Lieutenant,” Cindy answered as she leaned down to plant a kiss on Smoky’s mud smeared cheek.
“Yes, I guess he will be at that. You’re his kind of nurse, Miss Cindy Lou,” Blawcyzk grinned. “And you’d better make that Jim instead of Lieutenant,” he added. “I have a feeling we’ll be seeing a lot more of each other.”
“Ah, just get outta here, Jim,” Smoky snarled good-naturedly.
“Sure, pard,” Jim smiled. “C’mon, Rudy, let’s head for the barber shop to get baths and shaved. I can see we’re not needed here.” He shook his head in bemusement as Cindy Lou fussed over her injured man.
“Smoke, as soon as you can ride again, make sure you wire Captain Trumbull,” Jim ordered. “I’ll miss havin’ you side me, pardner.”
“Same here, Jim,” Smoky replied. “Now get outta here before you make me start bawlin’.” Smoky’s attention was already focused on his nurse.
“All right, Barnabas!” Jim quickly ducked out, chuckling as a medicine bottle Smoky had grabbed and tossed at his head crashed against the slamming door.
CHAPTER 21
“Jim, I’m going to make cornbread for your breakfast tomorrow if you’d like. I know it’s one of your favorites.” Julia said, eyeing her husband as he leaned on the porch rail, gazing pensively across the ranch yard at the rising full moon, which loomed huge and yellow on the eastern horizon. Once he had related all that had happened during his assignment, Jim had been unusually quiet since returning from north Texas, and notwithstanding her best efforts Julia had failed to draw him out. While he had been as cheerful as ever when roughhousing with Charlie, he barely spoke to Julia. Even her attempts at lovemaking had been turned aside, Jim pleading he was still too tired and hurting from his injuries. Now, with Charlie spending the next two nights at his friend Joe’s house, Julia was determined to get to the bottom of whatever was troubling her husband. “Would you like that?”
“I surely would,” Jim replied with a smile. “You know I love anything you cook … well, except carrots. Sam can have those.”
“That horse of yours gets enough of my food around here that he shouldn’t,” Julia shot back. “And don’t think he’s getting any of that cornbread.” While outwardly she scolded, inside she was joyful. Jim’s retort was the first sign he’d shown of returning to his old self.
Julia stood alongside of him and slipped an arm across his back as she leaned her head on his shoulder. She felt his skin jump underneath his shirt as he winced at her touch.
“Jim, do you really think Smoky is going to marry that woman he met up at Fort Griffin?” she questioned.
“I sure do,” Jim replied. “You should have seen them together. And if anyone can tame … Smoky McCue, it’s Cindy Lou Lepore.” Jim took in a deep breath as he realized how close he had come to letting Smoky’s real name slip out. Before leaving Fort Griffin he had visited his partner at the post hospital one last time, and Smoky had elicited Jim’s promise to never reveal his true name to anyone. “They seem to be meant for each other. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’ve found a preacher and gotten hitched already.”
“I always knew Smoky would settle down once he met the right woman,” Julia stated. “I hope to meet her some day.”
“I’m sure you will,” Jim answered. “Smoky’s not going to up and quit the Rangers just because he’s married. Once his leg heals he’ll be heading back to Austin. He’ll bring her by, I’m sure. After all, they’ll need a place to live. Maybe they could stay here while they’re looking for one, if you wouldn’t mind. Smoky won’t be living at the Headquarters barracks anymore, count on that. And business at the Silver Star Saloon is about to plummet, bet a hat on that. The gals there are sure gonna miss ol’ Smoke.”
“I’d like that very much if they’d agree to stay here,” Julia concurred, “With luck, they might even find a home nearby. It would be wonderful to have another woman around for company while you’re away, and she’ll probably appreciate someone to talk to when Smoky’s away from home too. And perhaps I can give her some pointers on how to put up with a fiddlefooted Texas Ranger, who can’t stay home very long before the itch to be on the trail sets in again.”
“I know living with me hasn’t been easy, Julia,” Jim sincerely replied, “but I do love you.”
“I know,” Julia softly answered, as she kissed him lightly on the cheek. “But why haven’t you shown me that since you got home? Something’s bothering you horribly, Jim.”
“I’m just tired, that’s all,” Jim answered. “I only need a couple more days of rest, then I’ll be fine.”
“There’s more to it than that, and keeping whatever it is bottled up inside won’t help,” Julia persisted, kissing his cheek again as her fingers unconsciously fumbled with the buttons of his shirt.
“Don’t!” Jim ordered, more harshly than he’d intended. He pulled back from her.
“Jim, you have to tell me what’s wrong,” Julia insisted. Her lower lip trembled as she fought back the tears welling in her eyes.
“I … can’t,” Jim mumbled.
“Jim, we’ve been through so much together, and we’ve always been honest with each other. Please, don’t shut me out now,” Julia pleaded.
Jim heaved a deep sigh, drawing in a deep breath before reluctantly answering, “All right. You’ll have to know eventually anyway.” He carefully unsnapped the buttons of his shirt, revealing the livid, still-healing scar across his chest and stomach. “This is what I didn’t want you to have to see,” he murmured.
Julia’s eyes widened for a moment, as any person’s would at sight of that injury, then she whispered, “Is that all that’s been keeping you from me?”
“Isn’t that enough?” Jim gruffly responded.
“Jim, I married you because you are a loving, caring person, not for your good looks,” Julia explained. “And if you don’t know that by now, then perhaps I did make a mistake when I fell in love with you.”
“Oh, so you’re saying you think I’m an ugly hombre,” Jim suddenly grinned, relieved that his wife had not been repulsed by the disfiguring wound. “I guess you’d rather I slept in the barn with the horses.”
“Oh, James Joseph Blawcyzk, you’re impossible!” Julia retorted. “I never said that at all!”
“And you married me for my caring nature?” Jim teased. “I reckon I sure had you buffaloed.”
“You keep it up and you will sleep in the barn,” Julia threatened.
“I’ll bet you mean that, too,” Jim answered, knowing full well she didn’t. Jim again grew serious for a moment as he asked, “This scar doesn’t really bother you?”
“Your other scars don’t, do they?” Julia answered, referring to the several old bullet and knife marks her husband’s body bore. “And don’t forget who doctored you back to health in Red Springs, when you arrived in town half dead from the beating you’d taken. And I’ve worked on far worse wounds than those when I was assisting my father with his practice. Your scars aren’t all that bad.”
“I guess at least they aren’t as repulsive as my ugly face,” Jim dead-panned.
“Jim, you … I guess I’ll just have to show you how I feel about you,” Julia shot back, “Like this.” She ran her fingers lightly down his side, knowing Jim would be completely helpless at her touch. At their first meeting, Julia had inadvertently discovered the big, rugged Texas Ranger’s main weakness. Jim was extremely ticklish along his ribs.
“Julia, stop, please! Anything but this!” Jim was convulsed with laughter, powerless as she pressed him against the porch rail.
“Am I going to hear anything ever again about that scar lessening my love for you?” Julia demanded.
“Never. I promise.” Jim acquiesced.
“Are you certain?” Julia insisted.
“Absolutely,” Jim promised.
“Then I’ll stop,” Julia agreed. As she took her hands off Jim’s ribs, she added, “Jim, do you remember I promised you a swim just before you left for the Panhandle?”
“I seem to sorta remember something like that,” Jim vaguely answered.
“And we never got to take that swim. It’s a warm night tonight, and there’s a full moon. It’s the perfect evening for it.” Julia replied.
“It’s also a great night for fishing,” Jim answered with a grin. “They’ll be biting. I’ll dig the worms while you get the poles.”
“Jim, don’t make me do this again,” Julia warned, as she once again ran her fingers lightly over his ribs.
“All right, I give up,” Jim yelped. “Let’s go for that swim.”
As they stepped from the porch and across the dusty ranch yard to begin the short walk to the swimming hole, Jim tried to apologize to his wife.
“Julia,” he quietly stated, “I’m sorry I doubted you. It’s just that…”
“Hush, Jim,” Julia ordered. “That’s enough talk. As the old saying goes, ‘action speaks louder than words’, cowboy.”
“Then you’ve heard my last word on the subject, I promise,” Jim softly responded, as he wrapped Julia in his arms and pressed his lips to hers.
ENDOTES
1 Texas State Historical Records, 2005 Texas State Travel Guide.
2 Ibid.
James J. Griffin, Panhandle Raiders
