“Wanted to let you know that Perry Hammond turned himself in this morning and will testify against Matt in exchange for the reward.”
Garrett was glad to hear it.
“So what about Matt?” Spring asked.
“He’s pulled up stakes. No idea where he is. Landlady says she hasn’t seen him in days. Could be he’s with Jarvis and his people. Haven’t heard anything on them so far either but the Cheyenne marshal has sent warrants as far west as San Francisco. Got my fingers crossed they’ll be apprehended soon. In the meantime, I’ll keep searching for Matt around here. I also alerted the railroad. The conductors are keeping an eye out in case he tries to buy a ticket.”
More positive news, Garrett thought. “So do you think the judge will need my testimony?”
“I spoke with the marshal and he couldn’t give me a yes or no. He said the statement you gave me on the shooting may suffice.”
Garrett supposed he could live with that as long as Matt was convicted, which was in no way guaranteed considering the uneven justice the nation’s courts tended to dispense in cases involving members of the race. The 1857 Supreme Court decision of Dred Scott vs Sanford continued to influence judiciary thinking, and he doubted its ramifications would be banished in his lifetime, if ever.
As the sheriff and Spring discussed where Matt might be, Garrett looked toward the road. Seeing Odell driving up on his wagon made his heart stop. Riding with the old trapper were his parents and sister!
Spring must have sensed the change in him. “What’s the matter?”
“My folks!” he exclaimed and hurried to greet them as fast as his injured back allowed.
Spring smiled and stayed where she was, not wanting to butt in on their reunion. Pleased by the surprise and knowing how much seeing them meant to him, she watched for a moment as he embraced his family. Then she gave Whit her thanks for the news on Perry and headed back to the corral. She had a queen to tame.
Randolph and Audrey Nelson were standing by the fence, observing the pacing mare when Spring arrived. Randolph was tall and broad; his wife was short and thin-boned. Cass had inherited his stature and her mother’s pretty face and brown eyes, eyes that were focused on the mare.
Nelson greeted Spring with a smile. “Cass said you wanted our permission for her to work with the mare.”
“I do. I didn’t want to involve her without speaking to you first.” She looked to Audrey, one of the few women who’d never crossed the street when encountering Spring in town during her wild days.
“Makes sense to me,” Audrey said. “Cass is pretty fearless when it comes to things. In many ways she reminds me of you, Spring.”
Surprised by the compliment, Spring was rendered speechless. Cass, standing next to her mother, beamed shyly, as if pleased by the comparison.
“Thank you.” Spring finally replied genuinely. Uneasy with the praise, she turned to Cass. “How’s your queen doing?”
“Okay, I guess. Putting Lady in with her seems to be helping. She’s been standing beside her and Queen hasn’t been rearing or charging. Her ears are starting to perk up when I call her name and she looks over at me. I think she may be tired though. I asked Mr. Prescott if we could give her some water. He said to ask you when you returned.”
Spring eyed the mare. She was moving slower and having spent the day charging and rearing, water was needed. “Let’s get a bucket and see what happens.”
After filling a bucket with water from the nearby pump, Spring climbed into the enclosure. Cass handed the bucket to her, and Spring set it on the ground by the fence. Lady immediately came over and Spring spent a few minutes quietly telling her what a good girl she’d been for watching over the mare and gave her a big hug. “Come, let’s get you a drink.”
Spring had been watching the mare the entire time, who in turn had been watching Spring and Lady.
“Cass, climb in and sit behind the bucket for me, please.”
With everyone watching, Cass complied and took a seat.
“Put it as close to you as you can get it.”
Once Lady drank her fill and moved off, Spring said to the observers, “I need everyone to be quiet now.”
No one made a sound.
“Call your mare, Cass. Let her know you understand how thirsty she is, that you care about her, and whatever else you can think