Savage. Part 51

We stood side by side, gazing at the far-off town. There wasn't much to see. A pattern of streets, rows of buildings near the middle and a bunch of other buildings scattered about the area. It was too distant for us to make out any of the people there.

Jesse stopped gazing after a while. She handed the reins to me and wandered over to a rock, where she sat down with her back to the town. She unwrapped her turban. She used it to wipe her sweaty face.

"Well," she said, "looks as how we made it." She gave me a rather grim, one-sided smile. "What'll we do when we get there?"

I led General closer to her, and found myself a rock. It felt all-fired good to sit down after so much walking. "We'll have ourselves a splendid meal in a restaurant," I said.

Her smile brightened some. "Tired of mule?"

I made a snorty "Hee-haw," and she laughed.

"What I'm hankering for's a bath," she said. "I could use some fresh duds, too, before I sit down to a meal."

"I'll buy you a fine dress."

"Buy a dress, and you can be the one that wears it. Ain't gonna catch me in any such getup."

"I'd certainly like to see you in one."

"Ain't about to, so you'd best forget it."

"You are a woman, you know."

"None of my doing. I'd a sight rather be a man."

"I'm quite glad you're not one."

"Oh, I sure do know that."

I fl.u.s.tered some when she said that, but I was so hot and sweaty she likely couldn't notice. "Well, I don't aim to force force you into wearing a dress." you into wearing a dress."

"Couldn't if you tried."

"I suppose you'd take your knife to me."

I expected a snappy retort, but instead she frowned down at her boots. "I wouldn't cut you," she muttered. "You oughta know that."

"I know."

She hung her head and rested her elbows on her legs.

"Are you all right?" I asked.

"Nope."

"What is it?"

She shook her head.

"Jesse?"

She looked up at me. Her green eyes were awful solemn.

Going all soft and squirmy inside, my throat tightening on me, I hurried over to her. She stood and I took her in my arms. She held onto me tight. "What's wrong?" I asked. "What is it?"

"Oh...everything."

"Everything?"

"Can't we...stay here? I don't wanta..." She shook her head.

I held her and patted her. "We'll stay here. Maybe not here. here. We'll find ourselves a good spot to camp. We won't go into Tombstone. Not tonight. All right?" We'll find ourselves a good spot to camp. We won't go into Tombstone. Not tonight. All right?"

She nodded.

"We don't need to go into Tombstone at all," I said. "We'll just ride on by, tomorrow, if that's what you want."

She kept holding onto me for a spell, then eased herself out of my arms. She put her hands on both sides of my face. She gave my lips a gentle kiss, then gazed into my eyes.

"We'll go in," she whispered. "Tomorrow. But I just ain't ready for it yet. Not yet."

PART FIVE.

The End of the Trail

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN.

Tombstone Shy.

We made our camp in a dry wash on the north side of the rise so we couldn't see Tombstone. Jesse was uncommon quiet, maybe embarra.s.sed by the way she'd backed out of going into town, or maybe it was just that she had too much on her mind in need of sorting out. Whatever, I didn't press her.

We sat by a small campfire, and ate our jerky in silence.

When we finished, we kept on sitting there. I opened my mouth time and time again, figuring to ask her what the trouble was. Each time, though, I thought better of it.

She was on the other side of the fire, and sometimes gave me strange looks through the smoke.

Finally, I said, "I'm not actually eager, myself, to ride into Tombstone."

"You're only just saying that."

"It's the honest truth."

"What about that-there fine meal in a restaurant?"

"Oh, I should like that. And I daresay you should enjoy having a bath and new clothes."

"But not a dress."

"Certainly not."

"So how come you ain't eager?" she asked.

"I don't quite know, really. It would be different, I suppose. I reckon I've just gotten used to traveling with you. I hate for that to end. There'd be other people about. We wouldn't be alone together. It just wouldn't be at all the same. I like things the way they've been."

Jesse stared at me for a bit, then got up and came around to my side of the fire. She sat on the ground beside me, leaned against me and put an arm around my back.

"You'd have yourself a real bed," she said.

"In a hotel. Where the wind wouldn't freeze us up and make you lie with me to keep warm."

"Maybe I'd lie with you anyhow."

"Would you do that?"

"Maybe. Long as you behaved."

"Tombstone might be all right, then."

Jesse went quiet again, but not for long. "Maybe you'd rather have Sarah in the bed with you."

"Jesse!"

"Well? You ain't thought about it, I I sure have. She might just be in town there, waiting for you. What'll you do, then? Give me the boot?" sure have. She might just be in town there, waiting for you. What'll you do, then? Give me the boot?"

"No! Good grief! That's what you've been fretting about, is it?"

"I know you claimed I'm prettier, and all, and how you're done with her, but you might just see things different when you're face to face. Maybe you forgot how pretty she is. Maybe you'll remember, right quick, and remember a few other things, besides, like how it was to be with with her. You been her. You been with with her, Trevor. You ain't never been with her, Trevor. You ain't never been with me. me."

I looked at Jesse.

"Don't you get no funny ideas, buster!"

"You're the one who brought it up, actually."

"Well, put it right outa your head. I'm gonna stay pure for the man that marries me, or die trying."

"Perhaps I'm that man," I said, my heart all of a sudden bas.h.i.+ng fit to explode.

"And perhaps not. Just perhaps you'll run into your fancy Sarah tomorrow and that'll be it for Jesse Sue Longley."

"That won't happen," I said.

"I reckon we'll find out, soon enough."

"She's nowhere near near Tombstone." Tombstone."

"It's where you were heading with her."

"That was before I got pitched off the train. For all she knows, I might be dead. You're daft if you think she made the rest of the trip and she's waiting around in town for me to pop in."

"That's where I'd be," Jesse said.

I pondered on that for a while, and judged Jesse was right. She would would go on, hoping I'd finally make my way to Tombstone. go on, hoping I'd finally make my way to Tombstone. She She would. Jesse. But I had strong doubts about Sarah. Mostly because of how Sarah had taken on with Briggs. would. Jesse. But I had strong doubts about Sarah. Mostly because of how Sarah had taken on with Briggs.

"I'll be mighty surprised if she's there," I said.

"Like I said, we'll find out tomorrow."

"Even if she is, there's no call for you to fret."

"So you say."

"If it worries you so, why don't we put the town to our backs and head elsewhere?"

"How we gonna track down Whittle if we don't go in and ask around? It's where we gotta go if we're gonna pick up on his trail."

"I doubt he has has any trail to pick up, actually. It must be two months since he murdered those Clemons women. He likely dodged off long ago." any trail to pick up, actually. It must be two months since he murdered those Clemons women. He likely dodged off long ago."

"He didn't bolt straight outa London."

Indeed, he'd continued his grisly work in the East End for more than two months, and might've kept at it longer if I hadn't mucked him up. "That was quite a different situation," I pointed out. "London's a great metropolis with vast crowds of people and hundreds of streets and alleys. A bloke might duck around a corner and disappear forever. Whittle Whittle might've gone on forever there. But not in a town like Tombstone. Why, he was lucky he didn't get himself caught. Especially being a stranger there, and without a nose. I doubt he stayed in town long enough to see the sunrise." might've gone on forever there. But not in a town like Tombstone. Why, he was lucky he didn't get himself caught. Especially being a stranger there, and without a nose. I doubt he stayed in town long enough to see the sunrise."

"Maybe," Jesse said. "Maybe not. He'd have no call to run off if n.o.body saw him kill them gals. He might just be in town this very minute."

"That's why you wanted to stay out!" I blurted, having her on a bit. why you wanted to stay out!" I blurted, having her on a bit.

"That ain't why, and you know it."

"You've got Whittle and Sarah both down there, just itching to have a go at me!"

"Whittle don't worry me none."

"Well, he ought to."

"I hope he is down there in town. We can have us a race to see who's first to pump him full of lead. With any luck at all, maybe we'll catch your Sarah in the crossfire."