The Texas Kid
by Patricia Henry
Chapter Three
If Cecily was impressed with Jess; Slim wasn�t. �You should have been back an hour ago!�
�Slim, the fence was down. You want me to leave and let them cattle wander?�
�No! But I thought you were checking on all the fences yesterday.�
�I fixed five yesterday. Two the day before. And-�
�All right!� Slim snapped. �Put your horse up. I�ll get the stage horses changed. But next time I want you here on time.�
Jess mumbled as he headed to the barn. �Like a bear lately!�
After the females left the stage; the two cowboys jumped down from the stage. �What do you think, Jack? Or should I call you The Texas Kid?�
�I knew that time I met that reporter, I shouldn�t have been talking so much.�
�You were drunk. And spinning stories like I never heard.�
�Well who thought he�d write a novel about me.�
�Ain�t about you. You ain�t nothing like the Texas Kid. So what do you think? Instead of fighting for justice, why don�t we do a little injustice. Seems this might be a better place than town. The one changing the horses ain�t wearing a gun. And the other-Something about fixing fences. His boss sure weren�t happy. If we get a gun on the females, he ain�t going to start nothing. That is if he stays around. He might ride off to get to work on them fences. So what do you say, Texas Kid?�
�Might be a good place at that. Let�s check inside the cabin first. See how many we�ll be facing.�
Cecily looked around the yard.
�Don�t you want to come in and get something to drink?� Mrs. Corey asked.
The young girl shook her head. �I think I�ll stay out here and just look around. Absorb this wonderful Western atmosphere.�
�Well don�t get in anyone�s way. And don�t go too far. We�ll be leaving shortly, in just a few minutes.�
�Yes ma�am.� She watched the tall, blonde cowboy rope horses in the corral. And she watched the Texas Kid head towards the barn with his horse. She glanced at the door of the cabin. She did have time! And she had to talk to him! She hurried to the barn.
Inside the barn it was dark. She could smell hay and horse ding. �Hello,� she called out standing in doorway.
Jess moved from a stall. �Howdy. What can I do for you, Miss?�
She smiled. �How are you today?�
Jess looked taken back. �Fine. Something I can do for you? You�re one of the passengers, ain�t you?�
�Indeed I am!� She moved forward, with her hand extended. �I�m Cecily Corey.�
Jess started to shake her hand, then had a second thought. He wiped his hand across his shirt.
Just like the Texas Kid did in the second novel when he met Lady McIntosh, an English lady traveling through the wilds of Texas.
Jess took hold of her hand but just briefly. �You any kin to Mort Corey?�
�His niece.�
Jess grinned. �Well glad to know you. I heard Mort was expecting you and your Ma. She inside?�
�Sure is. Say that�s a beautiful horse. Is he yours?�
Jess nodded then began brushing the animal.
�Does he have a name?�
�Traveler.�
She gasped.
Jess turned quickly. �Something wrong?�
�Did you say Traveler?�
�I named him after Robert E Lee�s horse.�
�So you�re from the South?�
�Texas.�
She gasped.
�Something is wrong but...�
They heard the gunfire. �You stay here!� Jess moved quickly to the doorway of the barn, keeping out of view from anyone in the yard.
One of the cowboys had everyone from the cabin and Slim along with Mose standing in the yard with their hands raised. The other cowboy was breaking into the boot of the stage.
�It�s here all right,� he called. �You see that other cowboy?�
Jess backed into the shadows of the barn.
�Nope. He must have rode out. He�s fixing them fences right now.� He laughed. �Shouldn�t have been so hard on him, boss.�
Slim said nothing.
�I don�t know where Cecily is,� Mrs. Corey whispered anxiously.
�It�s going to be all right, ma�am,� Slim quietly assured as he glanced with worry around the yard, hoping the young girl wouldn�t startle the two cowboys into firing their weapons.
Jess quickly glanced around the barn. What could he use to distract their attention for a few seconds? He grabbed the bucket. As he moved forward, Cecily followed but at a distance. Jess suddenly darted from the barn. Cecily ran to the doorway, keeping out of the sight, peeking from the wooden frame.
�Hey!� Jess called. The cowboy with the gun, turned his head just for a second. The bucket hit him in the face. Slim rushed for him. As the second cowboy dropped the strongbox and started to draw, Jess drew his gun.
�You�re fast!� Cecily cried out as she moved to the doorway.
Jess glanced for a second at her. The second cowboy went for his gun. Jess fired. The cowboy grabbed his arm. Jess was angry that his attention had been distracted. There had been no need for gunfire. Jess walked to the gun and kicked it out of the way. He looked down at the man on the ground. �You�ll live!�
Slim had the gun on the other cowboy.
None too gently, Jess yanked the other cowboy to his feet. The cowboy cried out with pain. Jess pushed him forward.
�Jess, get some rope.�
While Slim kept his gun on the two cowboys, Jess went back to the barn. Cecily stood in the entrance smiling at him. �That was wonderful. You saved the day! You�re a hero!�
Jess looked confused. �I just stopped them from stealing that�s all.�
�The Texas Kid is modest too. Even though he sees that justice is always done.�
�The Texas Kid?� Jess� brows puckered with confusion.
�Jess, hurry up!� Slim called.
Jess grabbed the rope hanging near a stall and moved quickly to the yard. It took only a few minutes to tie up both men.
�Do we have to ride with them in the coach?� Mrs. Corey asked. �I don�t feel safe.�
�Jess, why don�t you ride inside with them to Laramie?� Slim suggested. �I don�t want to leave them alone with these two.�
�Sure.� Jess offered the two females help into the coach. For a long second, Cecily kept her hand locked on Jess� glove hand. She smiled at him.
�You have blue eyes,� she said.
Jess felt uncomfortable. She was young. Much too young for him.
�Cecily!�
Cecily climbed into the coach. Jess followed. He had no choice but to sit next to Cecily, so he could face the outlaws. Slim pushed the two cowboys forward. They climbed into the stage. �Sit down,� Jess ordered.
�Shouldn�t you hold your pistol on them?� Cecily asked.
Jess shook his head. �They�re tied. Ain�t much they can do.�
�I don�t know. They look like bad desperados to me. Of course, with you by my side, I�m not afraid. You�re so brave.�
One of the cowboys laughed. �Yeah, he�s �bout as brave as the Texas Kid, ain�t he, honey?�
�You watch your mouth!� Jess snarled. He looked at the young girl. �Who�s this Texas Kid?�
�I think you know, Jack.�
�My name is Jess. Jess Harper.�
�And ain�t one that we�re going to be forgetting,� one of the outlaws warned.
�One more word and I�m gagging both of you. We got awhile to get to Laramie and I won�t be
spending it listening to you two yap.�
Cecily smiled at her mother. Her mother sighed. For the rest of the trip Cecily kept her eyes locked on Jess. Jess, though, was tired. He put his hat over his eyes, and within minutes he was asleep.
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