Page 39 of Wagon Train Melody
Manny giggled.
“Quiet,” Otto growled. “Let’s get that hoss and vamoose.”
They edged toward King.
Rudy waited until they were reaching for his horse and then shouted, “Not today boys.” And fired his gun in the air. He held King’s tether so the horse didn’t bolt.
Otto cursed. Manny shrieked as the pair fell over each other, scrambling to get away.
Rudy fired another shot skyward for good measure. A few minutes later, he listened to hoof beats galloping away.
“Rudy?” Alice’s whisper carried on the breeze. “Are you alive?”
“Yup. And those two are long gone.”
She jumped from the wagon and hurried to his side. “Did you shoot them?”
“Only warning shots to scare them off.” He could have killed them both but couldn’t find it in his heart to do so. Besides, then he would have to deal with digging graves. And explaining to Bo and the girls what happened. Nope. Far easier to send them into flight.
“Alice, Rudy?” Bo’s frightened voice came from under the wagon.
“Everything’s all right,” Rudy soothed.
“Is it safe to come out?”
“Yes, join us. Did the girls wake?” Rudy asked of Alice.
“They didn’t even stir.”
Bo joined them and wanted to know exactly what happened. He laughed as Rudy described Otto and Manny’s frightened retreat. “Wish I could have watched it.”
“I hope we’ve seen the last of them.” Alice stood so close to Rudy that he felt her shudder.
“Are you cold?” He put an arm around her shoulders and drew her close, surprised and pleased when she didn’t resist. In fact, she might have pressed ever so slightly to his side.
“More frightened than cold, I think.”
Bo bounced on the balls of his feet. “I guess they won’t stop racing away all night.” His voice was thin with excitement. Or maybe it was nervousness. “Sure glad Rudy was here to scare them.” He rushed to Rudy’s side and patted his shoulder. “Rudy, you’re a good guy.”
“Thanks, Bo. But I was just doing what anyone would do in the situation.”
“Nah. You stayed with us. Not everyone would do that. Would they, Alice?”
“He’s right. You protected us, and I appreciate it.”
Their gratitude both pleased and embarrassed him. “It’s because of my horse that they followed us.” There were times he considered trading King for a less noticeable animal. Except he knew he never would.
Alice nudged him in the ribs. “You know that pair would have bothered us even without the horse and doubly so if there wasn’t a man accompanying us.”
He supposed that was true.
Bo yawned. “Guess I’ll go back to bed.” He crawled under the wagon.
Rudy expected Alice to leave too. But she stayed beside him. The clouds blew away and the moon cast a silvery light around them. He looked down into her upturned face. She smiled. And looked so kissable he began to lower his head.
Stopped himself just in time.
He knew she was simply reacting to the fright his gunshots had given her.
