Free [Texas Rangers 04] - Ranger's Trail by Elmer Kelton Page A

genuine.
    There’s hope for her, after all, he thought. Maybe she’s smartened up. Perhaps this bitter experience would bring out the strength and will that was her rightful heritage from Clemmie and Lon Monahan.
    They rode by Fort Griffin but did not tarry longer than was necessary to pick up a few supplies. Rusty suspected that pursuit would not be long in coming. Bessie Bascom would insist upon it.
    They rode by the saloon where he had stopped for information. The barkeeper stood out in front, puffing smoke from an evil-looking black cigar. His eyes lighted with curiosity as he saw Alice riding with Rusty and Andy. He asked no questions, and Rusty did not pause to offer any answers. But he noted that the man looked hard in the direction from which they had come.
    He figures like I do, Rusty thought. They’ll be coming after her.
    “ Let’s pick up the pace a little,” he said. “We can cover a lot of miles before dark.”
     
    Rusty did not ride boldly into the Monahan headquarters. He reasoned that Corey Bascom would expect them to head straight for Alice’s home. Though it was unlikely, there was a chance that he and his brothers might have pushed hard and gotten here first.
    He watched a while to be sure everything looked normal. He saw Evan Gifford riding a hackamored young horse around and around in a corral. Geneva stood on the porch and shouted for Billy to come home. He climbed down reluctantly and trotted toward her.
    Rusty eased. “I don’t see anything amiss.”
    “ Let’s hurry,” Alice said. “I want to see Mama.”
    As they rode in, James Monahan came out of the barn, a bridle in his hand. Seeing Alice, he quickly hung the bridle across the top of a fence, then trotted to meet the three riders. “Alice!” he shouted. “Baby sister!”
    He had every right to be angry with her, and some recriminations might come later, but now was not the time. He lifted her down from the saddle and hugged her as if she had come back from the dead.
    “ Mama is goin’ to be tickled to see you. She’s liable to get up and come runnin’ when you walk in the door.”
    “ How is she?” Alice asked anxiously.
    “ Fair to middlin’. She’ll do better now.” He looked up at Rusty and Andy. “Did you have to kill anybody?”
    “ Not yet.”
    “ Where’s Corey?”
    Rusty looked behind him. “Back that way, somewhere. We figure he’ll be comin’ for Alice. We just don’t know when.”
    James gave his sister a searching look. “When he does, will you be wantin’ to go with him?”
    “ I’d rather kill him than go back there.”
    “ We’ll try to see that you don’t have to do either one.” James reached up to shake hands with Rusty, then Andy. “Fellers, I ain’t got words enough to thank you.”
    Rusty said, “It wasn’t much trouble to get her away. Keepin’ her may be somethin’ else.”
    “ We’ll keep her. We’ve fought off rebel hangmen and Comanche Indians and horse thieves. Corey Bascom ought not to be that much of a challenge.”
    Alice said, “You haven’t met the rest of his family. Especially his mother.”
    James frowned. “I don’t see how one old woman could give us much trouble.”
    Andy said, “You’ll think different if you see her. When she dies and goes to hell even the devil is liable to take out a-runnin’.”
    Geneva saw Alice and hurried down from her house, throwing her arms around her sister. “Thank God you’ve come back.”
    “ Thank Rusty and Andy. I wouldn’t be here if they hadn’t come and fetched me.”
    Geneva turned to express her thanks to Rusty. She held onto his arm long enough to stir old feelings he had hoped he had put behind him. He was almost relieved when Evan came up to join his wife.
    Josie stepped out onto the porch in response to the racket. Recognizing Alice, she came running. She embraced her sister with tears in her eyes. “You’re the best medicine anybody could’ve brought for Mama.” When she released Alice she hugged