Thief of My Heart (Watty Awards Finalist 2012)

Chapter 6

Riding  a bare backed mule could try a man's  patience real quick.  This blessed animal was going to cost him another  day at least.   Always the gentleman he'd let the girl have the horse.  Thank goodness she was a decent rider.  He didn't think his nerves could have taken riding this mule and having to deal with an inexperienced horseman too.  The mule just wasn't used to having a rider on her back.  She was used to pulling a wagon with a team and she was letting her discomfort with the situation be known.  She'd  certainly made better time yesterday when he'd been leading her by rein.  He would have to come up with a solution to this problem.  Because it was costing them time.  Time they didn't have.  He wanted to put as much distance between them and those outlaws as he could, if they were following them.  Not to mention, he was way behind schedule to meet Mr. McCreedy.

He was almost a day behind schedule now.  That meant only one thing.  He'd have to ride all night without stopping to sleep.  It wasn't the first time he'd had to do that.  Why, he and the Kid had had to outrun that posse from Diablo Wells for three days and had only slept about an hour a day.  He wasn't much of a sound sleeper any how.  Never had been.  His mind was always churning and working, not letting him sleep. Kid on the other hand could sleep on a bed of nails in the middle of a snow storm.  He'd always envied him that.   He looked at the young woman riding a few feet ahead of him, now dressed in her younger brothers clothes, her hair pulled back and tied with one of his bandanas, his black hat atop her head to shield her from the sun. He hoped she didn't require alot of sleep, because he was afraid she wasn't going to get much tonight. 

Heyes prodded the mule up beside the horse and broke the virtual silence they had been riding in for the last few hours.    "How you holding up?"

"I'm holding up alright. Why?  Is something wrong?"

"Well, I'm afraid we're not going to be able to stop and make camp tonight.  I'll feel alot more comfortable if we can get a lot closer to Alpine.  I figure the best way to make up some of the time we've lost is to ride all night and into the next day.  Maybe make camp tomorrow afternoon.  Do you think you're up to that?"

She thought about that for a minute then shrugged. "Well, I can't promise you I won't fall asleep in the saddle, but I'll do whatever you think is best, Mr. Smith.  I trust your judgement.  I know you'll do what's best." 

"Alright, then.  Let's stop here for a while.  Let the horses rest up.  Then we'll be on our way again.  And stop with the 'Mr. Smith' stuff, will ya.  It's Joshua."

For the first time since he'd known her she smiled, although slightly.  "Alright then, Joshua.  But only if you call me Evangeline."

"Alrighty, then, Evangeline,  let's stop here and  rest a spell."  He then favored her with a smile and she was marveled by the way that smile transformed his face.  She'd never seen such beautiful dimples.  She didn't think she had ever seen a man as handsome as Joshua Smith.  Not even her Daddy, who until that moment had been the most handsome man on earth to her.

They dismounted and lead the animals to the water's edge.  As they watched the thirsty animals drink their fill, Joshua dreaded the conversation he knew he had to have with Evangeline.  He had to approach the subject of her family's murder with tact and compassion.

"Would you like to sit down over here in the shade?"  he asked.

"The shade sounds nice, but my fanny and my thighs think standing for a while sounds even better."

They strolled under the shade of the trees that grew along the water's edge. 

"It takes a while to get used to being in the saddle this long.  It'll get easier everyday."