Chapter 13

Chris's head felt like a stampede had run over it. He glared at Jake, at least the best he could. Since he saw two heads, he wasn't sure which one was the real Jake. "What do you think you're doing? Put me down."

Jake dropped him, letting him fall to the ground. "Your wish is my command. I just hope that knock on your head slapped some sense into your brain. What did you think you were doing?"

"I was getting us money to fix up the ranch like we need to. We're going to have to build another house. You're right. Mary Anna isn't going to be happy with that little house, much less the bunkhouse." Chris pouted. "Help me up. I feel like I'm on a whirling bronc."

"Sit there for a bit. You're too heavy for me to carry." Jake stood watch over his partner. Then he heard gunshots and yelling. "That must be your gang robbing the bank."

Chris groaned. "The Southern Bank. That's the one we were going to rob."

"You mean the Southern Branch Bank?" Jake groaned. "They weren't owned by Rebs. The name means the Southern Branch of the Chicago Bank. Chris, that was where our money was."

Chris looked paler than he had from the knock on the head. "Our money?"

"Yeah, how does it feel to be helping the gang that stole our money?" Jake kicked a rock and was happy when it slammed into Chris's leg. "Unless Drake failed, our money is gone."

"Can't be." Chris looked like he was going to pass out again.

Serves him right. Jake shook his head and paced in front of his partner. "Now, how are we going to make it right for the women? Just when I was going to make sure Sheila married me."

Chris struggled to his feet. "How were you going to make Sheila marry you? She hates you."

"Tell her I love her. That's all she wanted to hear." It was simple, Jake thought. How hard did Chris think it could be?

"You have got a lot to learn about women."

"I didn't think you knew that much." Jake glared at him.

"No, I don't. But I learned enough to understand that I don't know anything about women, and I'm married to one." Chris rocked on his feet and lurched a few steps before collapsing.

Jake caught him just before he hit the dirt. "Easy, does it. You just rest a while until you feel stronger. We're safe here and out of the way of the holdup. No one will have reason to accuse us of anything. Good thing you didn't have your horse near the bank. Steve will vouch for us that both our horses were in his barn."

Chris nodded, holding his head with both hands. "I guess that is something to be thankful for." He looked up. "Thanks for keeping me from robbing the bank."

"What are partners for?" Jake sat down beside Chris and picked up a stick to draw in the dirt.

"What are we going to do, Jake?"

"I don't know. I guess one or both of us could get jobs. I'm not sure about the women. We can't have them stay out on the ranch by themselves. Of course, we have nothing to ranch with. Not even one cow to look after. Pitiful." Jake couldn't believe how quickly their lives had changed. One minute, they had a new ranch, and the next, they had no future.

Chris patted Jake's shoulder. "I'm sorry. It's all my fault."

"You didn't rob the bank."

"Only because you stopped me." Chris groaned. "What am I going to say to Mary Anna?"

"Our money was stolen from the bank. That's the truth. Neither of us was at fault." Jake fished in his pocket. "I still have a hundred dollars. I wasn't sure what it would cost for the deed and title."

Chris felt in his pockets. "I have ten dollars. We could buy chickens and live on eggs."

Jake laughed. "That's something, I guess. Come on, let me help you up." He held out a hand to his partner. "We'll just take it slow. I think we better talk to Mary Anna."

"That ought to be exciting. Try to leave out the part where I fought with the Rebs and was going to rob the bank."

"I won't say a thing, but I think she already knows how you feel about the Rebs." Jake caught Chris as he stumbled. "You need to lie down, anyway. I'm a little worried your head isn't as hard as I thought. Kind of gives me hope that Mary Anna can talk some sense into you."

"I don't know, Jake. I seem to be bent on ruining my life." Chris felt the bump on the back of his head. "Hope my brains aren't trying to come out."

Jake laughed. "Would we notice?"

Chris chuckled. "Probably not. Let's go face Mary Anna. Actually, I have to admit, I kind of like her. Maybe she'll surrender."

Jake nodded. "Maybe." He said it for Chris's sake, but what Jake had seen of the fiery Reb told him that their war was far from over.

***

Mary Anna paced around the room. Where was Chris? Alice had invited them over for dinner, and it was almost time to go. Did Chris expect her to starve? If it hadn't been for Alice, she'd have missed lunch. For all she knew, he'd drifted off and abandoned her.

She'd heard all the excitement about the bank being robbed. It happened right on her street. If she'd been looking out her window, she might have seen who did it. But she'd been sitting at the table wondering what her life had come down to.

A picture of Marshal Owen Trask came into her mind. Was that what he'd been waiting for? She wondered if he'd be part of the posse. She'd put her money on the marshal to track them down and bring them to justice. He was not a man to be messed with.

That left her to think about Chris. Her husband . So far, he'd not shown himself a very caring man. At least not toward her. She pouted until she remembered he had given her a room in this hotel. He was giving her time to get to know him before they were truly married. And today, he was going out to look at the ranch he and Jake were buying.

She was halfway to the window when there was a knock on her door. Remembering that this was a lawless town, she called out before going to the door. "Who is it?"

"Chris and Jake."

Finally! She withheld the about time she wanted to shout and opened the door. Jake was holding onto Chris, who looked a little worse for wear. "What happened? Chris, are you hurt?"

Jake nodded. "He bumped his head."

"Well, that explains the look in his eyes, but what is with the split lip and bruises?"

Chris grinned. "I had a little fight. No harm done."

Mary Anna looked at her husband and put more checkmarks against the man. Bad enough, he was a Yankee; now she could add a fighter to his list of less-than-exemplary traits. If she had the money and a place to go, she'd be on the next stagecoach to somewhere.

She stepped aside. "Come in. Set him on the bed." She went to the washbasin and put a washcloth in the water. "Let me clean your wounds. It's the least a wife can do." She looked at Chris with a sarcastic grin.

Jake put him on the bed and then stepped back.

She could tell there was something else going on between the two, but neither was talking. She huffed and cleaned the back of his head and felt the goose egg. "So, how was the ranch? That you've both been fighting does not give me confidence."

Chris looked up at her and smiled. "The ranch is great. The house is a little small, but we can add to it."

Mary Anna wanted to throw the basin of water on his grinning face. A little small? What did that mean? She pictured a closet. "Why were you two fighting?"

Jake shrugged. "Just what men do."

She shook her head. "There was some excitement down below. Seems a bank was robbed. On the stagecoach that I came in on, there was a U.S. Marshal. I bet he's hot on their trail."

Chris sent a worried glance to Jake.

Jake shuffled to the window. "I haven't been to the bank, but I think they robbed the one where I put our money. If so, we might be in a bit of a bind."

"Oh?" Mary Anna glanced at him. "Why would that be?"

"We don't have the money to fix up the house or stock the ranch." Chris looked sorrowfully at her.

"And that's why the two of you were fighting?"

They both innocently shook their heads.

Jake pulled some money from his pocket. "We have a hundred and ten dollars. We could buy chickens."

Mary Anna put her hands on her hips. "Something will turn up. Tonight, Alice and Steve asked us over for dinner. Jake, you're invited along with Sheila. We need to leave now, but I'm not sure Chris is up to it."

Chris sat up. "I can go."

She grimaced. "I don't know. You still look a little rocky."

"I'm fine. I know where they live."

She nodded. "Alice and I already invited Shiela?"

"I thought she had to work." Jake's face paled, while Mary Anna noticed a look of fear in his eyes.

"Oh, all right. Let's go. I'm hungry." Mary Anna grabbed her shawl and waited for Jake to help Chris. He probably should stay and rest, but this would more than likely be the best meal they could count on in the near and far future.