Little Sharpshooter

Little Sharpshooter Chap 25

The sheriff didn’t have any trouble keeping Clyde longer than the law allowed knowing he was a problem. It gave them two days to get ahead of him and his gang.

They left the next morning. Thankfully, their journey to the next town was not as far as the one before. It gave Bronson some leisurely time to talk up Randy all evening. The following day they put on their show without much trouble. Bronson was disappointed there were no outlaws to bring him any bonus money. But he wasn’t going to wait for them to show up. They headed on to the next town the next day.

Randy’s name and her sharpshooting reputation had spread. When they entered another town a few days later, all eyes were on her the moment she arrived just like at the restaurant that one night. She sighed. Randy would have to find a way to cope with her rising fame and the extra attention.

A crowd gathered immediately when Bronson started talking her up at the start of the contest. Some men were dead set to make her lose and some just wanted the honor to say they’d tried. Randy lost to a few good opponents. But it didn’t bother her. She wanted her growing reputation to settle down a little.

Bronson was livid when they returned to the hotel.

“You need to be the best. Always. That Annie Oakley doesn’t miss. I’m toutin’ ya to be just as good as her.”

“How do you know she doesn’t miss? I mean anyone can say that. They can still say that about me. How many hundreds of shots have I made and not missed? I can count the losses on my two hands. I don’t think it’s all that bad. It just shows I’m not perfection.” Randy slumped down in her chair.

“But you are perfection. You just don’t wanna be.”

“No, I don’t. The people know who I am before you even say a word. I hate it. We’ve been lucky in these past two towns that we haven’t had any trouble.”

“Well, we are farther away from the places that know your pa. Here you don’t even need his name to make ya famous now.”

“I don’t want it! I just wanted to go to California.” Randy folded her arms and looked away. She knew everything wouldn’t stay calm for long.

“We’re gettin’ closer and we’re still ahead of Clyde. We’ll leave in the mornin’ just like we’ve been doin’.”

Randy stormed out of the room. She needed to tend Al and he was a much better companion than Bronson anyway.

“I’ll come with you.” Trevor jumped up to follow her when she was closing the door.

“No. I want to be alone with Al for a little bit.”

“You shouldn’t be alone.” Bronson protested.

“Anyone who comes near me better watch their trousers. That goes for you both.” She pointed at them before she slammed the door.

Al was calm for once when she entered the stables. She leaned on the stall door and Al horse whispered to her softly.

“I’ve been watchin’ him. He’s a mighty fine horse when he’s with you. You must be magical with horses because he ain’t no angel when you’re gone.”

Randy jumped and turned. A young man leaned against a post. His hat shaded his face, but he had the straightest, whitest set of teeth when he smiled.

“Of course you might just be magical with the way you can handle a gun. That was mighty impressive.”

“If ya like that sort a thing. I dunno what all this magical stuff is.” Randy waved her hands in the air when she said the word magical. She tried to ignore him when she entered the stall to rub Al’s neck. The boy wouldn’t be able to get near her as long as she was with her horse.