Free The Handsomest Man in the Country by Nancy Radke

scalp me.
    I bloused up my waist and stuck the pistol inside, loaded and ready, the hammer resting on an empty chamber. It took two trips for me to get the ammunition to the wagon and put away.
    Then I looked around for Trahern. He was nowhere in sight, but it didn't worry me none until one of his soldier friends stopped and asked. Seems he couldn't find him anywhere.
     

CHAPTER EIGHT
    He was gone, vanished while I was getting supplies. Now a man doesn't do anything without leaving tracks or somebody noticing, so I commenced askin' around in hopes of finding him right off. But no one had seen him go. Fortunately, the men of our train had decided to rest over one more day, so it gave me time to look for him.
    Now the fort wasn't a big place and there weren't that many horses about. I looked first for Trahern and then for Comfort, but didn't see hide nor hair of either. What had become of them?
    I knew I was acting like a wife, a-fretting and getting myself all worked up over a man and his doings when he had probably given no thought to me and my feelings. Worrying makes a body want to do something, anything, rather than just sit like a pickle, so I gathered my rifle and that new pistol and mounted one of the mules and took a long ride around the place, checking depressions and ditches; anywhere's a man's body could be hid. I found nothing except some rabbits so shot one for meat.
    By that time it was growing dark so I rode back and tied my mule with the others, skinned the rabbit and had supper. Still no Trahern. No word either. For the first time that bed felt empty and I had difficulty falling asleep.
    The next day I struck pay dirt. A man rode in from the northeast who said he'd seen a man dressed in black broadcloth, riding a long legged bay horse with two white stockings. He described Trahern exactly, even to the way he sat his saddle. It looked like I'd been deserted, but although reason said I'd been left, pride said I hadn't.
    I asked the man for more information, but he had none; except to say that Trahern was traveling swiftly. "The road had forked; I didn't get close enough to speak to him and he wasn't waiting for me. He was headed east along the Platte."
    Was he traveling swiftly to get back to me sooner or to get away from me? Why had he ridden off without a word?
    I thanked the stranger and walked back to my wagon. The mules were rested, ready to go. Trahern had Uncle Dem's rifle and pistol, leaving me with my Sharps and two pistols. I could continue on if I wished, hiring a man here to drive for me. But the desire to go to Oregon had left. I could go on to Ogallala, leaving word for Trahern that I'd gone ahead. Then if he came back, he could follow and find me. If not, I'd at least be at a town.
    I pondered this through the second day he was gone; finally seeking out Web for advice.
    "He'll be back, Mally. Don't you worry, none. He had something to do."
    "What? Do you know what it is?"
    "I'm not sure, but he might've got wind of the men who robbed him."
    I'd forgotten about them. "How long ago was he robbed?"
    "Three weeks ago; a week before the Indians got him. Three men shot and robbed him, took his money, guns and horse and left him for dead. He walked as far as the trail, had just reached it and was waiting for some wagons to pass by when the Indians jumped him."
    A shudder went through me as I imagined him out on the prairie, alone and unarmed. He wouldn't have been able to defend himself. He'd walked for a week, then been tortured by savages before he was rescued. No wonder he'd been in such bad shape when I married him.
    "I'll wait here then."
    "You do that. If it was those men, it might take him awhile, but he'll be back."
    Comfort was a goer, a fast moving horse and Trahern had our best weapons. If those three didn't ambush him, he had a chance.
    I had no real knowledge of the man I had married although what I'd seen so far gave lots to admire. I had to take Web's word that he would probably come back