"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
Posted September 24, 2018
Speed touched his mount's flanks with his boot heels and caught up with Addy. "Doubt anyone will be out and able to disturb your wagon." He assured her. Darkness was falling quickly as it sometimes did in open country, the chances of anyone being out along the trail were slim. Most folks were honest and wouldn't bother it if they came upon it.
He scanned what was visible around them, but saw nothing out of place. "We can start again at first light, get back here and see what can be done about getting the wagon to town. Be my pleasure to help out."
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
Posted September 24, 2018
Speed touched his mount's flanks with his boot heels and caught up with Addy. "Doubt anyone will be out and able to disturb your wagon." He assured her. Darkness was falling quickly as it sometimes did in open country, the chances of anyone being out along the trail were slim. Most folks were honest and wouldn't bother it if they came upon it.
He scanned what was visible around them, but saw nothing out of place. "We can start again at first light, get back here and see what can be done about getting the wagon to town. Be my pleasure to help out."
"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
Posted September 30, 2018
As they neared town, she glanced at Speed. "Best see th' Doc fer that knock on th' head," she suggested, "make sure ya don't need it stitched up or somethin'.”
You might do the same, a lot of jossling and jolting, and then dealing with the horses.” Speed suggested, not sure if the was a problem or not. But he thought better safe than sorry. And his head ached something fierce!
"I'm gonna see if th' sheriff's in, let 'im know what happened, so he can spread th' word ta be careful." Then she'd have to notify the folks, including the doctor, waiting for their shipment that it was going to be late. "Dang'n hellfire!"
“What?” He responded to her exclamation. “What is it?”
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
Posted September 30, 2018
"Nothin', nothin'...sorry." Addy shook her head. "Just loaded to th' muzzle with rage...danged bear, killin' my horse an' messin' up business. I'm surprised we ain't hear 'bout 'im yet, causin' trouble." Hopefully, they'd get the word out soon enough to prevent any more trouble. "Too danged bad we didn't get a good shot at 'im."
Not that she was blaming Speed, the opportunity just really hadn't been there, what with four panicked horses trying to get away. "Look there..." She nodded to the barn by the hotel where the errant horse was standing, his head hanging low. "Come home..." Sighing, she steered her mount that way. "One less thing ta worry about," she muttered. At least she wouldn't have to go looking for it, she just hoped all the horses were in good shape, but she wouldn't know for sure until the light of day.
"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
Posted October 2, 2018
"Too danged bad we didn't get a good shot at 'im."
“Yep! I’d say the one chance to kill it and nothin’, except for this crack on the head.” Speed bemoaned. “Could of put an end to it, had luck prevailed.”
Not that she was blaming Speed, the opportunity just really hadn't been there, what with four panicked horses trying to get away. "Look there..." She nodded to the barn by the hotel where the errant horse was standing, his head hanging low. "Come home..." Sighing, she steered her mount that way. "One less thing ta worry about," she muttered. At least she wouldn't have to go looking for it, she just hoped all the horses were in good shape, but she wouldn't know for sure until the light of day.
“Just like you said. Glad of that. Well, we have a wait.” Speed observed. “Not going to wake the Doc for this, sort of stopped bleeding anyway. What would be good is a hot cup of coffee and something to put over this bump.” He was glad of the stampede strings that held his hat back, as he couldn’t wear it regularly at least until the swelling went down. Well, it could have been either worse or better he would just accept how it turned out, but with regrets.
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
Posted October 6, 2018
"Coffee it is." Addy nodded, wearily slipping off her horse then leading it into the big barn behind the hotel. While she thought that Speed could use a doctor, she couldn't much complain about him not going, after all, she could use one, too, yet here she was, tending her horses and thinking that after some sleep she'd be just fine.
The inside of the barn was fairly big, with two banks of stalls on either side of an open breezeway that was wide enough to accommodate the freight wagon. Overhead was the hayloft, and at the back of the barn was a tack room that doubled as Addy's quarters. It wasn't grand, but there was a cot, a table and a couple of chairs, a trunk and a pot-bellied stove, more than enough for the stage driver.
"Ya mind gettin' th' tack off them horses while I set th' water on ta heat? I'll be out in just a minute ta help."
"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
Posted October 9, 2018
"Ya mind gettin' th' tack off them horses while I set th' water on ta heat? I'll be out in just a minute ta help."
He dismounted and patted the animal as Addy talked. Glad to be back in town, at least in the interim before they rode out to pick up the wagon. It had been a long night so far, and it would be a bit longer before it ended. “Sure, I can do that.” He responded as he began to remove the harness from his mount. He looked forward to the promised cup of hot coffee.
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
Posted October 12, 2018
It took only a few minutes for Addy to get the fire going and the pot on for coffee -- she had a boy who kept track of that for her, and he knew she'd be back around this time, so the embers in the stove were already glowing brightly. It would take a while, though, for the coffee to brew, so she went back out to help Speed with the horses.
"Sorry 'bout all this, not whacha bargained for, is it? Do appreciate th' help." For now, she'd just let the tack pile on the floor -- cleaning it was yet another task to add to the list -- and once she had the first horse naked, she ran her hands over his chest and rump, then down down his legs, checking for injuries. "Ain't seen nor heard of a bear that big 'round these parts," she commented, "mighty bold, too, ya think there'd be whispers if he'd been here long."
Satisfied that the horse was unscathed, she brushed him down then put him in a stall before moving to the third. "I'll get this if ya want ta go pour yerself some coffee...oughta be brewed by now.
"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
Posted October 12, 2018
"Ain't seen nor heard of a bear that big 'round these parts," she commented, "mighty bold, too, ya think there'd be whispers if he'd been here long."
Speed stopped and looked at Addy, “Well, it’s here, that’s for sure.” He smiled and continued, “Reckon they’ll be a hunting party out after it. I’d like to be in on it, but we need to get back to your wagon and get ‘er back her.”
Satisfied that the horse was unscathed, she brushed him down then put him in a stall before moving to the third. "I'll get this if ya want ta go pour yerself some coffee...oughta be brewed by now.
“I’ll help myself and bring you one too.” He replied. “So what’s a new horse going to run you? I’ll likely have need of your services, so if need be, I’d be glad to help with that.”
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
Posted October 14, 2018
Addy smiled and gave the man a grateful nod. "It's part of th' work...I got some savin's set aside, but I do appreciate th' offer, an' th' work so I can get that money back." It was just the way things were. "Real problem is findin' a suitable nag that'll get along with these three. And coffee'd be muchly appreciated, too. There's mugs over th' basin, an'..."
A noise from the large front barn doors caught her attention and she turned to see a young boy coming into the dimly lit barn. "Miz Addy," the boy muttered with the hint of a lisp, but he hesitated, looking from Addy to the man.
"'S'all right, Weedy, this here's Speed. Ya mind showin' him th' coffee fixin's?"
"Yes, ma'am." He nodded, but kept his distance as he headed to the back where the small living area was.
"He's a good kid," Addy whispered to Speed, "just a bit shy's all."