Page 94 of Conveniently Wed
They scattered.
He heard several surprised shouts from the other cowboys, but didn’t have time to dwell on it.
Several steers headed right for him and he jumped into the saddle, quickly guiding his horse to join them.
They jostled him until he was sure his leg was bruised. He gripped the horse with his thighs, fighting to stay on. Then he gained his seat and his horse got a burst of speed. He got in front of them far enough to look behind.
The cattle had gone in all directions, and he caught glimpses of the other cowboys riding along, trying to guide them into one cohesive group. With no luck.
The largest group of cattle was headed to the east. Without anyone out front to try and turn them.
His stomach dropped, and fear coalesced in his veins.
Those cattle were headed straight for the wagon, where Fran and Emma were.
He hesitated.
Among the cattle like he was, he couldn’t turn his horse too sharply. If a steer plowed into the side of his animal, they’d both go down and be trampled.
He urged his horse in that direction as best he could, fighting through the cattle.
It was like riding through molasses. Like trying to swim across a raging river.
Nearly impossible.
He started praying that the girls had been awake, had heard the thundering hooves, and had somehow known to get on oneof the draft horses. If they could stay on the horse long enough for it to outrun the cattle, they might have a chance…
But then he remembered they were city girls. What if they’d thought the noise was a thunderstorm? After the last disaster, would they even stick their heads out of the canvas wagon cover to see?
Fran was smart. He had to remember that, to think positively.
They were going to survive this.
He kept pushing his horse, fighting through the cattle, but he could tell it was a losing battle.
Then he caught sight of Ricky doing the same from the opposite direction. Ricky was a little closer.
But the first of the cattle were also closing in on the wagon.
Edgar couldn’t see any movement around the wagon. Where were the girls?
The horses weren’t where they had ground-tied them the night before.
Had the girls managed to escape somehow?
Or had the animals panicked and managed to tear their ties from the ground, only saving themselves?
Fear and desperation drove him to push his horse too hard. The animal stumbled, and Edgar desperately tried to right the both of them.
To no avail.
He cried out as his horse went down, surrounded by the horde of racing beasts.
“The big one went down.”
The man with the binoculars spoke, his voice slightly muffled.
With her hands tied in front of her and sitting on the horse behind one of Underhill’s men, Fran could only see some of the cattle racing around.
