Jodi Thomas - Texas Rain

A few minutes later she realized she had a horse, and a saddle, and no one watching which way she went. She wasn't about to go north, but she could go south and be halfway to Austin before anyone noticed. The freighter had shown her the road when they'd traveled to the trading post.

Once she was in the capital, she could sell the saddle, if necessary. After all, McMurray had almost given it to her. Then she'd have enough money to start a life.

Rainey used one of the words she'd heard a sailor say and made the bay turn west. If she vanished, she'd have two McMurrays on her trail. One was frightening enough.

Mrs. Haller's words drifted through her mind. "Change your name, your look, even the color of your hair, and stay away from the law."

She'd take the horse to their ranch and think up another plan. Her dressing like a boy wouldn't fool anyone for long and Travis was the law. So far she was doing a lousy job of following the rules for staying alive and on the run.

Things had to work out her way some time. They could turn no worse.

Travis rode a mile ahead of the farmers' wagons and watched morning spread across the rolling green hills of Texas. A love for this wild land ran in his blood. He never tired of seeing it even on days like today, when he'd rather be home watching the sun rise over Whispering Mountain.

He'd scouted for settlers several times over his ten years with the Rangers. Most of the assignment was boring routine he could have done in his sleep. But his nerves stayed on edge. One percent of the time something went wrong, and, when it did, there was usually little time to think about what to do. So, in the calmness of daily routine, he prepared for trouble and watched.

His hand slid over his Colt, wishing the wagons would move faster. They were halfway between Anderson Trading Post and Patterson's Crossing. If trouble planned to greet them, it would come today when they were too far from civilization to ride for cover in either direction. That's why he'd had the wagons moving at first light and would push them hard all day. He wanted to be out of this no-man's land as quickly as possible.

As he watched the sun rise, his mind drifted back to two nights ago when the strange woman had kissed him. He probably didn't know her real name, but it would be a long time before he forgot the way her lips felt against his. He frowned, remembering how their bodies molded together. For a second, before she pulled away, she'd felt like she was melting into him. He couldn't help but wonder what that feeling might have been like if they'd had no clothes between them.

Travis decided he must be brainless for dwelling on such a thing. He tried to concentrate on watching for any sign of danger. The woman was probably halfway to Austin by now without giving him a thought. For all he knew, she might kiss a different man each night and he was just one of an endless line.

He'd learned a long time ago that most folks admired him for his skills as a Ranger, but because of his mixed blood, they'd rather not have him too close to their sisters. The first girl he ever looked at had been a blacksmith's daughter. She'd smiled at him one afternoon while he waited on the porch of Anderson's place for his brother to collect Martha's monthly supplies.

The girl had the bluest eyes he'd ever seen and ribbons in her wheat-colored hair. She walked right up to him and told him her name was Madeline Ward in a voice that sounded like music. He remembered how awkward he'd felt trying to talk to her, like she was a whole other kind of creature he'd never encountered.

When her father came out, he'd looked like he wanted to murder Travis and might have tried if Teagen hadn't followed Harley Ward from the trading post. The muscle-bound Ward yelled for Teagen to keep the half-breed away from his daughter or there would be hell to pay. The next thing Travis knew, he was pulling his older brother away from a fight with a man twice his width. The McMurray boys were tall, but lean and not out of their teens. The blacksmith probably could have taken them both in a fistfight.

Travis heard later that the father beat Madeline so badly that she couldn't attend church for a month. He wished he'd stayed and let the blacksmith pound on him for a while. Maybe he would have released all the anger before he turned to his daughter.

Partly out of duty and partly out of dread of running into Madeline again, Travis decided a week later to join the Rangers. By the time he'd turned twenty, he'd honed his skills to the point that no man would call him a half-breed to his face.

Travis turned his horse back to the wagons and swore to himself for wasting time worrying about something that should have been forgotten long ago. In truth, the blacksmith might have done him a favor. He loved being a Ranger. It was the only kind of life for someone like him… a man who belonged nowhere. His brothers and sister would fit into the community, but Travis knew there would always be those who saw him more Indian and less McMurray.

As always, when he thought of Madeline Ward, he silently wished her well, hoping she'd escaped her father's wrath and was living happily somewhere safe. He'd asked about her once, but no one knew where she'd moved.

A thin line of smoke rose to the north, pulling Travis back to full alert. Most wouldn't have noticed the puff that climbed toward passing clouds, but he recognized the sign. Someone a mile away had just put out a small campfire.

A lone buzzard circled in the same area. The bird was probably waiting for the remains of whatever animal had been killed for breakfast, telling Travis that whoever camped to the north was living off the land and not packing hardtack and beans.

Travis turned his horse and headed back to the wagons. The signs could mean nothing, another traveler ahead of them, a brave soul homesteading alone, or they could be warning of an ambush. If so, the outlaws were sloppy, but then, they hadn't expected a Ranger to be riding along with the Germans.

He kicked his horse into full gallop, glancing back only once to notice the smoke had vanished.

"Circle the wagons!" Travis shouted to William Ackland, the leader of the small band of farmers, when he got close to the wagons.

Ackland started to question but reconsidered. He waved with his hand and the wagons began to pull together. The German was smart, he'd learn fast-if he stayed alive long enough.

Travis swung from his horse and helped unhitch the horses and oxen so the wagons could be used to build a corral around the stock. He explained to Ackland as they worked, "We've got company up ahead. It may be nothing, but I'd like to check."

"Other travelers?" the German asked hopefully.

"Maybe," Travis answered. "But no one's passed by the post in several days heading north, or Anderson would have made sure you folks traveled with them." He thought of adding that anyone coming from the north would know better than to be so sloppy with their fire in open country. "If it's Indians, they may want to trade."

The little German looked frightened. "We've heard stories."

Travis closed his eyes and guessed what they'd heard. Stories of killings and captures. He'd heard them, too. Hell, he'd even seen some of them. Horrors committed by different tribes against each other and the invading settlers, horrors repaid in kind. He forced his face to remain stone. He wanted to yell at the man, asking hadn't he known that this was a wild country when he signed on for the journey? But, instead, he said calmly, "All we can do is prepare, Mr. Ackland. By circling we'll protect our stock. If it's traders, we'll meet them outside the circle of the wagons. If it's a war party, we'll have cover. I'll ride out and report back."

William Ackland nodded and straightened. "We will be ready. Every man has a rifle."

Travis wished every man had three, but he only added, "If I come back riding hell-bent for leather, have the guns ready to fire. If it's a raiding party, as soon as they know we're aware of them, they'll attack."

Grabbing his horse, Travis glanced around the circle. Women and children, he thought. Too many women and children. If raiders were coming, the men would be dead before they could reload, and the women and children would think they were in hell. He had to make sure that didn't happen.

He glanced back at Ackland. "Tell everyone to stay put until I return. Even if you hear gunfire, don't go outside the circle."

The German nodded.

Travis jumped over a wagon tongue and rode north. He didn't need to check his weapons, he knew they were ready. His life had depended on it many times.

Just out of sight of the wagons, he turned west. If whoever put out the fire was heading toward the settlers, he didn't plan to be in their path before he got a chance to size them up. He climbed on higher ground and eased his horse silently through tall grass.

The morning was still cool, calm, but he smelled their camp before he saw it. He slipped from his horse and moved closer, invisible in the grass.

Travis swore as he recognized their kind. A raiding party made up of outlaws-men too mean to live in any civilized world. He also saw two Indians, probably acting as scouts, and a child, tied to a rope like a dog. The kid was on the far side of the camp, and Travis couldn't tell if the child was a boy or girl, only that the youth was so thin he, or she, seemed almost birdlike. The child's movements were slow and stiff as if bones had been broken once and hadn't healed right. Shivering into his coat, Travis noticed the child was almost nude.

Travis had heard reports of a bad gang raiding near the mouth of the Colorado River. It was said they'd steal anything they could use in trade and kill anyone who got in their way. They must have drifted north.

The men moving about the campsite didn't seem in any hurry. They were saddling up, but leaving their gear behind. Preparing to ride hard and fast. Most had double weapons strapped both to their bodies and their mounts. None looked nervous or excited. They apparently saw the Germans as easy pickings. They planned to kill the men and take everything, wagons and all. The women and children would probably be tied up in one of the wagons and sold somewhere in Mexico within a few weeks. Or traded to tribes farther north, where the captives would later be bartered for supplies at one of the forts. By the time the women and children were traded off, they'd be near dead from starvation.

Travis knew he was looking at the rock bottom of humanity. Men who would do anything for money. Men who put no value on life.

They began to saddle up and he should have moved away, but one of the Indians caught his attention. Apache. He didn't usually see them this far south. Though his mind knew evil could have any skin color, his heart didn't like the idea that someone from his mother's tribe could be one of the raiders.

Travis focused. The Apache wasn't young, maybe forty. He favored his left side as he walked and a deep scar crossed his forehead. Travis couldn't help but wonder what had happened in his life that had made him leave his people and band with the outlaws.

He watched closer. The Apache's face was hard, his brown eyes cold, dead inside.

His eyes!

Travis felt the realization like a physical slap. If he were staring at the Apache's eyes, the Apache had spotted him.

Travis didn't bother to crawl away. He stood and ran.

A shot rang out as he reached his horse, another followed. A fiery bullet sliced into his leg like a knife made of lava.

He kicked the horse into full speed and shot out of range. Within seconds he heard the thunder of horses behind him. It crossed his mind to lead the outlaws away from the wagons, but he knew they'd just double back and attack. If they got there before he could, he wouldn't be able to help the Germans fight. There was a good chance some of the men weren't fully armed, for he'd noticed several cleaning guns a moment before he ran. The Germans would have a better chance if he forced the battle now.

Travis hit the circle of wagons at full speed. His horse thundered inside as the Germans pulled the opening closed. They'd spent the hour he'd been gone building a blockade with trunks and boxes. Before he could rein in his horse, the children disappeared into wagons and the men raised their weapons. There was no problem with language; they all seemed to understand the danger.

Pulling his rifle, Travis slid from his horse, surprised when his left leg wouldn't hold his weight. Hopping, he made it to the barrels of water stacked almost shoulder high. A cloud of dust rode directly toward him.