Jodi Thomas - The Lone Texan

Daniel shook his head. "I thought that woman was going to beat me to death. In fact, I blame her for being half afraid of every woman I meet. You never know when one that looks like a virgin will turn into a fire-breathing whore. She left so many knots on my head, I couldn't wear a hat for months”

Drum laughed.

"How about you, Roak? Did you ever save a girl?"

"Nope," Drum lied. He had stepped in once and gotten a girl out. She couldn't have been more than sixteen. She'd run off with an outlaw, thinking she'd reform him. He put her up for auction for drinking money after they'd been together for about a month. Drum had stepped in, gotten her away, and took her back to within a few miles of her home.

He'd patted himself on the back for the fine job he'd done until he heard later that her father beat her so badly for running away that she'd be crippled up for the rest of her life. Folks said he treated her worse than a slave around the place, knowing that no man would ever take her off again.

Drum downed his whiskey, washing away the memory. Why did life always have to be so hard? Even telling right from wrong was hard to keep straight. The only marker he had was Teagen McMurray. Sometimes, when he couldn't tell which way to go, he'd think about what the head of the McMurrays would do. Teagen, Sage's oldest brother, was one man who saw the world in black and white. For Drum, the world was gray. He knew killing was wrong, but like Captain Harmon said, there were a few who needed to be hurried to meet their maker.

Tonight, however, he knew what was right. He had to find Sage, and if he had to tear every board of this town apart, he would. He couldn't stand the thought of her in a place like this. He knew towns like this. A good day was when the smell of a rotting body didn't pollute the air.

As it turned out, Drum didn't have to search all that far for Sage, because she stepped into the bar just as he ordered another drink.

She was angry and kicking at the guard who tried to pull her forward with the ropes that bound her. Her clothes were worn and dirty, her hair wild, her mouth gagged, but she was still all fight and fire.

Drum lowered his black hat, guessing that even if she had the time to glance in his direction, she wouldn't recognize him. The last thing he wanted in a saloon with fifty outlaws watching was for her to shout out his name. His gut tightened at the sight of her, and rage boiled through his blood.

Daniel Torry's glass hit the bar, but he recovered quickly and turned his back to the procession leading Sage to the center of the room. He let out a string of swear words in a low breath and then said simply, "They're going to auction off the doctor. Hellfire. She's the virgin for tonight.”

Drummond never took his eyes off her. "And she doesn't look too happy about it”

Men all around were hooting and calling out what they planned to do with the little lady when they won the bid. The big guard lifted her up on a table in the center of the room and looped the rope around her neck to a rafter. If she struggled now, she'd choke herself.

One of the bartenders stood on a chair and shoved her hair out of her face.

Drummond saw the bruises on her forehead and cheek and almost lost control. If he drew his gun, six men would be dead before anyone could return fire. The only thing that stopped him was that he might not kill the one who had hurt her.

"These are the rules, men!" the bartender yelled. "Anyone can bid, but the man who wins gets the little lady for the night. There's a room upstairs that's included in the price. He can keep her there all night or sell her if he wants to get some of his money back. If he opens the door wide, the line forms on the right of the stairs for seconds. If he doesn't offer the invitation, no one goes in that room, no matter what we hear. Come morning, assuming she's still alive, she becomes an employee of the saloon. Is that clear to everyone?"

Several shouted for him to get on with the auction. Drummond leaned close to Daniel. "I'll get her. You have horses ready and waiting.”

Daniel nodded so slightly no one near would have noticed.

The bidding started. Several men leaned across, trying to touch her, but the guard wasn't allowing any free samples. In an odd way, he seemed to be protecting her.

When the bidding slowed at fifty dollars, the bartender ordered the guard to release a foot of the rope. The bartender pulled her to him and ripped the front of her blouse open almost to the waist. Now her cleavage clearly revealed a young woman. Cheers rounded the room, and the bidding continued.

When it slowed again at near a hundred, the guard reached for her again, but Drunimond's sudden bid stopped hint

"What was that bid from the back?" the bartender shouted.

"Two hundred dollars, and I unwrap her myself.” Drummond kept his voice sharp, angry.

The bartender smiled. "Two hundred going once, twice, sold to the man in black. The little lady's all yours, and you get to unwrap her yourself.”

SAGE CLOSED HER EYES AND TRIED TO BREATHE. SHE'D just had the worst day of her life, and now she'd have to fight off some crude man who thought he could buy her for two hundred dollars.

His footsteps sounded like the hammer of death nails on a coffin as he neared. She didn't want to look at him. She didn't want to remember the face of the outlaw she'd use her one bullet on as soon as they were alone.

She'd gone without food or water all day, and she couldn't remember eating for two days before that. When the guard, Luther, came after her, he didn't look happy about having to bind her hands, but he did. They walked to the count's house, and he left her standing in the dining room for an hour while the count finished his bath. She could see and smell the food on the table, but with her hands behind her, she couldn't even pinch a taste. There were two place settings as though Hanover planned to ask her to join him.

When he walked into the room. Sage almost didn't recognize the man she'd first seen. He'd been withered in pain and fever when she arrived. Now, though he still leaned on a cane, she saw a confidence and air of superiority in his manner. He wore a loose shirt, trousers, and riding boots as if he'd just been out.

He didn't offer her a chair as he sat down and began eating.

After a few bites, he said, "I want you to answer very carefully this time. I would like you here with me, but I'll only ask once more. If you say no, there will be no going back after tonight. You will have your punishment without further discussion.” He smiled as if he thought she'd been teasing him earlier. "Now, would you like to stay here with me and have a meal before we retire?"

"I want to go home," she answered. "I came here against my will, and I'll not stay. You will let me go right now, or I swear you will be the one who regrets this day."

She'd thought about what she would say, and her voice never shook.

He took a sip of wine. "I admire your courage, dear. So much so, I've chosen to kill you.” He grinned. "But I will promise you that before this night ends, you will regret your decision. Whether you're in my house or somewhere else in our little town, you will stay. No one leaves this place without my permission.” He smiled. "I imagine your answer will be quite different when you recover from your evening out."

He tapped his cane, and Luther walked in with the noose she'd grown to hate. He slipped it around her neck and tugged it tight.

The count went back to his meal, waving them away. "Take her to the auction. I never want to see or hear what happens tonight. If she's alive tomorrow, take her to her cell and leave her there without food or water until I decide if I want to see her again.”

"She saved your life," Myron said from the doorway to the kitchen.

The count blustered. "Yes, and if you value yours, you'll stay out of this. Women must often be taught lessons.”

The guard tugged on the rope, and Sage followed him out, glad to be away from the horrible man. She thought she heard a hard slap and a body hitting the floor. Myron was being punished. The little butler would never be brave enough to fight for his life.

On the walk out into the night, she didn't ask any questions until they passed the boardinghouse where her cell was. Then she demanded to know what was going on.

The guard tried tugging the rope tighter to shut her up, but she still fought.

Finally, he grabbed her from behind and held her against him, so her kicks couldn't hurt. "Stop, miss. There ain't nothing you can do to change anything. I don't want to hurt you, but I will, if I have to”

"Let me go?" she demanded. "Just let me go”

"If I did, he'd kill my family. I saw him do it a few years back just because one of the men lied to him. I got a wife and a boy in camp. I ain't doing nothing but following orders. He wants you to go up for auction tonight. I'm just taking you to the saloon.”

"You saw what I did for him” She tried again. Luther had watched the surgery and all the hours of care that had followed.

"I did, but you were thinking he was human just because he bleeds. I'm not so sure he is.”

"You could let me escape. Untie my hands. I'd run, and you could tell him I died.”

He shook his head. "No."

She began to fight again. "You're no better than him."

The guard didn't answer. He just gagged her, then half carried, half dragged her into the saloon. By the time he tied her to the rafter, Sage was battling fainting from lack of air. She forced herself to stand still and breathe as deeply as the noose would allow. The world was foggy as if thick, black spiderwebs were everywhere. Men around her were shouting, but she couldn't get her mind around what they were saying. She concentrated on not passing out, but with no food or water and now no air, she was losing the battle.

Then all she heard were footsteps, and the rope went slack. She crumpled and was caught before she hit the table. A man in black picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder.

Her head jerked as the guard pulled the noose from around her neck. Then the stranger moved away from the crowd with people shouting and cheering.

Halfway up the stairs, she opened her eyes and looked down at the saloon. Everyone glared at her. They had the look of hungry dogs staring at a dying calf.

She wiggled, trying to get free.

The man in black popped her hard on the bottom, and all the crowd cheered. She stayed still from then on, not wanting to be part of their fun.

Then they were upstairs in a room, and all the noise seemed far away. The man set her on her feet and stepped away.

The room was dark except for pale moonlight melting through thin curtains and a low-burning lamp. It had the smell of a cheap hotel, dust and neglect blended with the faint smell of a chamber pot that hadn't been cleaned. Though her hair was hanging in her eyes, she could make out a bed, a washstand, and a wardrobe with one door missing. The room had two windows. One would be her escape route.

The man pulled his knife from his boot and stepped toward her.

Sage turned to run, but he grabbed her tied arms and began slitting the ropes. First her hands, then the gag. It took her a moment to realize she wasn't bound.

She took deep breaths, knowing what she had to do. Her heart felt like it had moved to her ears and was pounding wildly. For the past four years she'd sworn to help people live, and now she was going to have to kill someone.

He was saying something about how they were married now, outlaw style, but she wasn't listening as she tugged her gun from its hiding place and slipped it into her hand. The metal was cold, and her grip shook a little as she fought off fainting.

He turned his back and locked the door. Sage whirled and fired.

The man crumpled to the floor.

In a few heartbeats, she waited to see if someone would storm the door, but no one did. Still holding her gun as if it would help her, she moved to the man's side, praying he was dead. She didn't want him to be in pain. If he still lived, he might call for help.

Bile rose in her throat as she realized what she might have to do. She might have to kill him again. Her only chance of getting away would depend on her ensuring that he couldn't come after her or yell out.

Her heart was pounding so hard she feared it might break a rib. She'd done what she had to do. There was no going back. As her Apache grandfather would say, her course was set; she had to go with the current.

Lifting his gun from its holster, she prepared to fire again as she rolled him on his back.