Rud and the Damsel

Chapter 23 - A New Threat Emerges

Everyone enjoyed the day, and true to form, Bessie came up to Rud before they left to thank him for the hospitality. Rud said he needed to know something and did not want to ask in front of others. He asked Bessie why she wanted to come here before asking him to look after the girls. She could have asked him anytime they visited, and the answer would have been the same.

Bessie said she was worried about the girls coming to the valley by themselves. She wanted to know if it was something the girls could do and if they would be safe. Rud said he understood, but why now? Bessie indicated the girl's father had come looking for them twice, and always about this time of the year when travel from the cities was easier.

Last year she had caught their brother watching her house. So far, she believed the girls had not been seen but had an uneasy feeling about the brother. She just wanted someplace the girls could go to be safe.

Rud said, "You mean all of you." Bessie said she was not leaving her home for any reason and certainly not for the likes of those two. Rud said, "Okay, Grandma," which earned him a thump on the arm from Bessie.

Billy hitched the horses to the wagon, drove it up near the cabin, and stayed on the driver's bench. The mule was tied to the back. Martha and Alice were saying goodbye to Patience as Bessie climbed up and sat next to Billy. Billy looked a little uneasy sitting next to Bessie.

Alice saw Bessie next to Billy and gave Bessie an angry look. Bessie said, "Okay, okay. I will sit on my new bench. Thank you, Rud." As she sat on the bench Rud had added to her wagon, Bessie winked at Patience and said, "Can I keep him until tomorrow? He needs to work off some of this youthful energy splitting the rest of the wood he cut last time."

Patience told Billy, "Just be home by dark this time." Billy nodded and shifted a little towards Alice, who had quickly taken the spot next to him. Once Martha was aboard, Billy flipped the reins to get the team moving.

Rud stood with his arm around Patience, watching the wagon head out of the valley. When they heard the sound of shod hooves on the rocky hill, Rud kissed Patience softly and turned to finish his chores before nightfall.

Since the conversation with Bessie that morning, Rud had been thinking about what he would need to do in case the girls came here needing his help. He would need a plan, and the sooner, the better.

The hideout was built for the three, but with the chance Martha and Alice may also need the hideout, Rud and Billy expanded the size, stocked it with more provisions, and hung a partition so the girls would have some privacy. Even if they never needed the hideout, it was good to have it just in case.

* * * * *

Rud had made both Billy and Patience practice with the firearms he had. He rarely used them because the powder was expensive and did not keep very well, and with no source of lead for forming the lead balls without buying it, they were not practical for anything other than defense and taking larger animals.

Both Billy and Patience became proficient at loading and shooting the rifles and pistols. Rud had quite a few of each, and as they were not cheap, Patience asked Rud why he had so many. Rud replied, "I keep what I kill." He had always planned to trade some of them but never did. Rud thought someone might recognize one as belonging to a specific individual and ask questions.

The days again settled into a routine: wood, food, homestead, furs, and trade goods. Rud and Billy had built bunk beds to go in the cabin. Rud slept on the bottom, and Billy slept in the top bunk. It was much better than the floor, and Billy was no longer sleeping in the same bed as his sister. But unfortunately for Rud, it eliminated the chance of Patience ever sleeping next to him on the tattered old rug again.