Double The Bounty

Chapter XVII

The next afternoon they came within sight of a ranch house. There was a barn that was in a state of disrepair, and a corral with a few horses in it, but beyond that it didn’t look like much of a spread.

“Are we going to stop?” Felicia asked.

“To water the horses and ask some questions.”

Felicia moved as if to go forward, and Decker put his hand on her arm to stay her.

“We don’t know who’s down there, Felicia, and so far my questions have not been well received.”

“You want me to watch you closely, right?”

“Right.”

“Okay.”

“I’ll go first.”

Decker urged John Henry on and Felicia fell in behind them.

As they approached the ranch house, the front door opened and a man stepped out. He was followed by a woman, and then a girl.

The man appeared to be in his midforties, solidly built, his black hair flecked with gray and cut short. He had a solid jaw and a thin slit of a mouth. The woman was about thirty-five, handsome and well-shaped, with dark hair pinned up in a bun. The girl was no more than seventeen or so, slender and blonde, her hair worn long and loose. She was very lovely.

“Can I help you?” the man asked.

At that point Decker veered John Henry to his right, and the people on the porch became aware of Felicia.

“John…” the woman said, putting her hand on the man’s arm. Decker assumed that they were husband and wife, and that the girl was their daughter.

“My name is Decker,” he said, “and this is Felicia.”

“Is she your daughter?” the woman asked.

“No, ma’am, we’re just traveling together.”

“For what purpose?” the man asked.

“I’m looking for someone,” Decker said. “A red-haired man who may have passed this way within the past two weeks.”

“And the girl?”

Decker looked at Felicia, who remained silent.

“She’s a newspaper reporter, looking for a story.”

“Is that right?” the man said. He looked at Felicia and said, “You seem so young.”

“I’m fourteen, and Mr. Decker is making fun of me. My grandfather has a newspaper, and I want to be a reporter. I followed Mr. Decker from Wyoming because I think he’ll make a good story.”

“Followed him?”

“She trailed me and eventually caught up with me. She’s very determined.”

“So it would seem,” the man said. The woman leaned over and said something into his ear, and the man nodded. “My wife would like to ask that you step down and have lunch with us. We would be most pleased if you would accept.”

Felicia looked at Decker, who nodded.

“We’re grateful, ma’am,” he said to the woman.

“Would you like to put your horses in the barn?”

“Thank you.”

“Why doesn’t the young lady come inside with us,” the woman suggested, “while you and my husband take care of the horses.”

“All right,” Decker said, and Felicia stepped down.

“This way,” the man said, taking the reins of Felicia’s horse and leading the way to the barn.

Inside the barn, as they unsaddled the horses, the man said, “My name is John Hudson.”

“I’m grateful to your wife for the offer. I’ve been trying to get Felicia to return home. Your daughter is not much older than she is. Maybe she can help me persuade—”

“Sara is not my daughter,” John Hudson said. “She is my wife.”

“I’m sorry,” Decker said, “I thought the other woman—”

“Esther is also my wife.”

Decker pulled the saddle from John Henry’s back and shifted it to a post, where he balanced it.

“We are Mormons,” Hudson said.

Hudson turned to face Decker.

“You do not disapprove?”

“It’s not my place to disapprove, Mr. Hudson.”

“Please, call me John. Let us go and have lunch.”

“Sounds good.”

They watered and fed the horses and then Decker followed Hudson to the house, trying not to judge or disapprove. The way these people wanted to live their lives was up to them.

At least the man had good taste in wives.

Decker followed Hudson into his house, where he was assailed by delicious odors. Apparently one or both of his wives could cook as well.

Felicia hurried to Decker’s side and hissed, “They’re Mormons.”

Decker shushed her.

They all sat down to lunch. Felicia sat next to Sara. The women did most of the talking until John Hudson finally spoke, at which time his wives dutifully fell silent.

“This man you are after, is it Brian Foxx?”

“It is.”

“Are you a lawman?”

“No, I’m a bounty hunter.”

“I see. You are after the man for the price on his head.”

“That’s part of it,” Felicia said.

Hudson looked at Felicia as if she had committed some great transgression.

“Please,” Sara said to her, “we must remain silent while themen talk.”

“Like hell—”

“Felicia!” Decker said.

She flashed him a defiant look, but stayed quiet.

“What does she mean?”

“Nothing. I’m after Foxx to bring him in for crimes he’s committed. That’s all you need to know.”

“I see,” Hudson said. Decker felt that he had probably insulted the man and would get no help at all now.

“Of course, you are correct,” Hudson said. “It is then left Tome to decide whether I want to help you or not. I disapprove of your profession, but I realize that Brian Foxx must be brought to justice.”

“Well, I haven’t met many people from Utah who agree with that.”

“That is because he has not practiced his profession in this region, but the time will come when he will. He must be stopped before then.”

“He did pass this way, then?” Decker continued.

“Yes.”

“Did you give him a horse?”

“In exchange for his. We also gave him some food. He did not offer to pay, but we would not have taken it even if he had.”

The man’s tone clearly stated that Foxx should have offered and given them the opportunity to refuse.

“Did you see which way he went when he left?”

“He was traveling south when he came here, and continued in that direction.”

“What’s in that direction?”

Hudson shrugged. “Wide open spaces, mountains—”

“Where would Foxx hide out, John?”

“Are you asking me to think like a thief?”

“I’m asking you to try. I’m assuming you know this area.”

“Very well. I chose to build my home here because it was isolated.”

“Then pick a place.”

Hudson thought a moment.

“There’s a rock formation not far from here. I seem to remember a couple of towns at its base, one on the east side, one on the west. They’d be perfect…hideouts.”

“And they’re south of here?”

“Yes.”

“We’ll head that way, then,” Decker said, standing up.

“Are you leaving now?” Esther asked.

“I want to cover more ground before it gets dark. We’ve really appreciated your hospitality.”

“We’ve enjoyed the company,” Sara said. She obviously meant Felicia. She was three years older than the other girl, but they seemed to have gotten on well, and Felicia was the closest person in the room to Sara’s age.

As Felicia stood up, Sara put her hand on her arm.

“Why don’t you stay with us?”

Esther looked at Decker and said, “The child would be welcome.”

“I’m not a child!”

Esther smiled and said to Decker, “She would be welcome anyway.”

Esther and Sara looked at their husband for his approval, and he nodded.

“That leaves it up to you,” Esther said to Decker.

“Not me,” he said. “It’s up to Felicia.”

“And I’m not staying,” she said, moving to Decker’s side. “I mean, I appreciate the offer, but I have to go with Decker.”

“As you wish,” John Hudson said.

“Let me pack you some food,” Esther said, and Sara helped her fill a sack.

Hudson went to the barn with Decker and helped him saddle the horses. When they returned to the porch, each of Hudson’s wives hugged Felicia and wished her well.

Decker and Felicia mounted up, waved, and rode south.

When they were out of sight of the ranch, Felicia said, “They were nice people.”

“Yes.”

“I can’t understand their ways, though. I asked Sara how she could marry a man so much…older than she is.”

“And?”

“She said she considered it an honor that he wanted her.” Shaking her head, Felicia said, “I don’t ever think I could be a Mormon. Imagine, not being able to talk while your husband is talking.”

“Yes,” Decker said, “having to be that obedient would be a strain, wouldn’t it?”