Xenia’s Renegade (4 page)

A bullet whizzed above Ty’s head and planted itself in the wall on the other side of the room. He fired several times, but the riders were keeping enough distance and moving fast enough that it was hard to get a bead on his target.

“Looks like they’re going to circle the building, Ty. I’ll head into the kitchen and protect the back.” Ray reached for an extra gun and Xenia placed one in his hand.

“Yell if you need a reload and I’ll bring it to you.”

“Thanks, Miss Poindexter.” He kept low and worked his way to the kitchen.

Xenia had counted the shots and she knew Ty was about ready to change guns. She picked up a loaded rifle and held it toward him.

“Good girl.”

She gave him a quick smile, grabbed the empty gun and began loading it.

The baby began to cry, and he could hear Mea Ann shushing it and talking to it in a gentle voice. Then, she began singing a soft lullaby. He couldn’t help wondering what she really thought of the child now that she knew it was an Indian baby. Would she refuse to look after it? He didn’t know of many, if any, white women who would bother with a half-breed child.

A rider came close to the porch and leaned forward to shoot into the building. Ty fired, and the man tumbled from his saddle. He was glad Xenia couldn’t see what was happening in the yard. He was sure the blood would upset her. She might pretend to be brave, but she was a woman. A city woman, at that. He was sure she’d never witnessed a gun battle before. He was also sure when this was over, and if they managed to come out of it alive, she and her sister would hot-foot it back to Virginia as quickly as they could book passage on a train, a stage, or any other way they could think of.

He felt a sting on his shoulder as a bullet whizzed by. Knowing it had only nicked his skin, he pulled his thoughts away from anything except the attack. He had to stay focused to keep himself alive and to make sure everyone in the building stayed alive, too. 

****

After another several minutes of exchanging fire, Ray came in the room and said, “Looks like they’re pulling back.”

“I’m glad they’re giving up,” Lou said.

“They’re not giving up, Bullins. They’re regrouping, but while they’re doing that, we need to do the same.” Ty looked down at Xenia. “Why don’t you go check on your sister? I’ll yell when we need you.”

Xenia was happy to stand. She hadn’t told anyone, but her leg had begun to cramp and she needed to walk on it. She had no more than made one turn when she gasped. “There’s blood on your shirt.”

“It’s just a scratch.”

“Let me see.” Xenia moved in front of him.

“It’s nothing.”

“Don’t say that. Take off your shirt and let me see.”

“When did you get hit, Ty?” Ray asked.

“I’m not sure, but as I said, it’s nothing. Could have been done by a piece of flying glass when the window broke.”

Xenia put her hands on her hips and stared at him. “Are you going to take your shirt off and let me see or am I going to have to take it off you?”

He chuckled and lifted the shirt over his head. “As if a sprig of a girl like you could manage to do that.”

“Quit arguing.” Xenia moved closer to him and peered at the bloody mark on his shoulder. “It doesn’t look too deep.”

“I told you.”

“Well, it may not be serious, but it has to be cleaned and bandaged or it could give you trouble.”

“Honey, I’ve hurt my shoulders worse than this on low-hanging tree limbs. I assure you, it’ll be fine.”

“I told you to stop arguing with me.” She moved to the back of the overturned cabinet.

Mea Ann was sitting on the mattress holding the baby close to her breast. “Is Mr. Eldridge going to be alright?”

“He’ll be fine. How about you and the baby?”

“We’re alright. He does seem to get fussy when all the shooting is going on, but I’ve managed to quiet him. I have an extra bottle we made in case he gets hungry.”

“Good. Now, please start tearing one of those sheets into strips so I can use it to bandage for Mr. Eldridge’s shoulder. I’m going in the kitchen to get a pan of water to wash his wound.”

When Xenia returned, she saw Ty had donned his shirt. She frowned at him. “Get that shirt right back off. I’m going to clean and bandage your shoulder.”

“My shoulder is fine. You’re not going to do any such thing.”

Xenia set the pan of water down, put her hands on her hips and glared at him. “Oh, yes, I am. My sister and I need somebody to help us out of this situation and you’re elected.”

He raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“As you can plainly see, Mr. Bullins isn’t going to take care of anyone except himself and his stupid gambling equipment. Ray is going to be busy getting the stagecoach back on the road so we can get to Deer Meadow. That leaves you. If you bleed to death, Mea Ann, the baby, and I will be left to survive on our own in this alien world, and I’m not sure we can do that.”

“She makes sense, Eldridge. Might as well let her fix up your shoulder. She might refuse to reload our rifles if you don’t, and she’s been doing a damn good job at that.” Ray laughed and went back to look out the window.

Ty shook his head and cursed under his breath, but he did remove his shirt. He sat down on the edge of the bench. “Let’s get this over with.”

Xenia didn’t realize the effect it would have on her until she actually touched the smooth, tan skin of Ty’s naked shoulder. She tried to control her rapid breathing, because she didn’t want him to know his nearness did anything to her. She didn’t know herself why it affected her.

By the time she cleaned the wound, tied a small bandage on it, and he’d replaced his shirt she hurried out of the room to dump the bloody water. And to calm down her beating heart.

“Hurry, Miss Xenia. They’re coming back.” Ray called.

Xenia sat the pan on the sideboard and hurried back to her spot beside Ty’s knees. He glanced down at her. “Thanks.”

She wouldn’t look at him, but she muttered, “You’re welcome, Mr. Eldridge. Now, don’t go and get shot again.”

He didn’t say anything, but she heard him chuckle.

The bandits didn’t show any signs of slowing down their barrage on the way station. Bullets pounded the outside walls and a few managed to come through the windows, hitting the wall on the other side of the room. The baby whimpered every time.

“Are you and the baby alright, Miss Poindexter?” Ty called.

“I’m fine, but the noise is a little upsetting to him. I’m trying to calm him down.”

“I hope you’ll do it. He gets on my nerves,” Lou complained. “Would’ve been better if he’d been killed with his pa and ma.”

“That’s a mean thing to say,” Xenia snapped at him. “He’s an innocent child! How could you wish him dead?”

“I told you, he’s nothing but a half-breed, and there are too many of them in our country already. Besides, they don’t have feelings like normal white folks do.”

Xenia grew angry. “So, you don’t think they can feel pain, bleed, and die just like anyone else?”

“Of course they can’t.”

“Why, you…you…”

“Don’t let him upset you, Xenia. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about.” Ty handed her an empty gun and she gave him a fully loaded one. “The world is full of people like him who don’t know what the hell they’re talking about.”

“If I’m so wrong, why did that bastard’s mama run off and leave him here to die at the first sign of trouble. Indian women don’t give a damn about their babies. They’d rather save their own skins, and she’s proof of that.”

Ray butted in. “Shut your damn mouth, Bullins. The baby’s mama didn’t run off. Ty and I found her in the kitchen with a bullet hole in her head.”

“Oh, no.” Mea Ann let out a sob. “Stop talking about such things. This child is precious—and now, to know he lost his mother in that way breaks my heart.”

A bullet came through the window Lou was guarding and knocked his hat to the floor. He let out an oath and sat down on the floor. “I’ve had enough of this. Somebody needs to stop it.”

“What the hell do you think we’re doing, Bullins? Now, get back in that window if you don’t want one of the outlaws to come through it and blow your brains out.”

He got back to his feet, but muttered, “I hope the outlaws
do
come in here and kill all of you.”

“Reckon they’d let him live if they make it in, Ty?”

“Nah, Ray. He’d be the first to go.”

Again, bullets peppered the walls, inside and out. Xenia took the empty gun Ty handed her and picked up the shells to reload. Snapping the barrel in place and letting the gun lay across her lap ready to give Ty, she glanced up and screamed when a burly man burst through the kitchen door that led into the room.

“Drop your weapons!” He yelled and trained a gun on Ty.

Ty whirled around. “How the hell—”

Ray cursed. “Damn, I should’ve been guarding the kitchen.”

The outlaw sneered. “That’s why we kept you busy concentrating on the front. Gave me the opportunity to come in here and kill all of you. Now, drop those guns.”

When Ray hesitated, the bandit shot and Ray fell to the floor.

“I’ve already dropped mine,” Lou screamed.

“Good for you, tenderfoot. Maybe I’ll let you live.”

Lou smiled, as the man fired. “Nah. I lied to you.” Lou fell backward into the wall.

Xenia screamed.

“Well, well,” the man said. “Look what we have here. Now that’s something I shore ain’t gonna kill. Leastways, not ’till we have a little fun. She’s a lot better looking than the squaw we had earlier.”

Ty started forward, but the man raised his gun toward Ty’s head. “Don’t try it, cowboy. I have this special bullet for you.”

Without thinking of what she was doing, Xenia turned the barrel of the gun toward the outlaw and pulled the trigger.

He staggered backward and fired his pistol, but the bullet went into the ceiling.

Xenia fainted.

****

Ty sprang into action. He raced to the man, kicked the gun out of his hand and jerked the screaming man up on his feet.

“Damn it, man. I can’t stand. She shot me in the…”

Ty glanced at the front of the man’s bloody pants. He almost laughed out loud. “I see where she shot you. Guess she didn’t want to have anything to do with that.”

“I’ll—”

“You’ll do nothing except call off your men. What there is left of them, that is.” Ty thrust the man’s face through the broken window. “Now, call them off or let them shoot you in the head. Doesn’t matter to me, either way.”

“Men!” he screamed.

The outlaws pulled up their horses and stared at their boss.

“Hang back for a bit,” one of them shouted.

“And don’t try to come in the back door again. It’s guarded,” Ty yelled.

“What can I do to help, Eldridge?”

Ty was surprised. “I thought he got you, Ray.”

“He’s not a very good shot. It’s just a scratch on my right side. I pretended to be dead so he wouldn’t shoot me again.”

“Glad to hear it. If you will, hold this sonofabitch here so I can see about Xenia.”

“What’s going on?” Mea Ann called.

“We’re getting it under control. You stay down. I’m bringing Xenia to you.” He swooped Xenia up in his arms and hurried behind the cabinet.

“Oh, no. Is she hurt?”

“No. She fainted.” He put her gently down on the mattress.

Xenia began to stir. Rubbing her eyes she asked, “What happened?”

“I’ll explain later. You stay here with your sister, and I’ll be back soon.”

“Did I shoot somebody?”

“Yes, but you didn’t kill him. Actually, you saved my life.”

“I’m glad of that,” she muttered, then tears filled her eyes. “I didn’t mean to hurt anyone.”

Ty knelt beside her and put his arm around her shoulder. “If you hadn’t wounded the man, we’d all be dead, Xenia. Thank you for saving us.”

She leaned against him and nodded. “Then, I must have done the right thing. I guess I’m glad.”

“So am I, but I think you need to stay here with your sister for a while.”

“But I have to load the guns.”

“You can load them later. The shooting has slowed down.”

Her eyes got big. “Yes, it has. Maybe I’ll rest just a little.”

“You do that.” He removed his arm. “Look after her, Mea Ann.”

“I will.”

Ty hurried to Lou’s side. He gave him a quick look and saw he was breathing well. He then turned toward the window.

“She okay?” Ray asked.

“Yeah. She fainted, but she’ll be fine in a little while.”

Ray nodded. “Good. Now, I’ve gottat stop this bleeding. I don’t think it’s a bad wound, but it’s bleeding a lot.”

“Need me to look at it?”

“Nah, I’ll manage.”

“When you finish, check Bullins if you feel like it. I gave him a quick look and think he’s alright, but you make sure.”

“Will do.”

Ty turned back to the outlaw. “Think your men will listen to you?”

“They better.” His voice was weak.

Ty knew he would probably bleed to death soon. “Doesn’t look like they’re too concerned. They’ve gathered in a circle. Probably trying to decide if you’re worth trying to save.”

The outlaw didn’t answer. He’d passed out.

Xenia came around the cabinet. “What’s going on? I heard you talking about Ray. Is he hurt?”

“I’m going to be fine, Miss Xenia. It’s just a scratch.”

She moved toward him. “Scratches need to be taken care of, too.”

“I know that’s what you told Ty, but I’ll be fine.”

“Oh, Ray, don’t try to be as brave and stubborn as Ty was. You’re hurt. Let me help.”

He grinned. “I’d never refuse help from a beautiful Poindexter sister, but maybe you should check on Bullins.”

“I will after I take care of you.”

“I’ll check him again.” Ty propped the outlaw in the window and moved to the salesman. “He’s going to be fine. He hit his head on the corner of the doorframe and knocked himself out when he fell. His wound is only a scratch on the head.”

Ray chuckled. “Looks like our intruder was a poor shot.”

A bullet came through the window, and the outlaw fell backward. Ty raced to the window and fired. “Don’t look like they have any respect for their boss.”

“Is he dead?” Ray asked.

“Looks like it.” Ty shoved him out of his way and took his window position. “When you finish with Bullins, I can use you to reload again, Xenia.”

“I’m almost through. I’ll be there in a minute.”

The gunfight didn’t last much longer. Of the three remaining raiders, one died from a bullet Ray put in his chest. One rode off holding his arm from a gunshot Ty sent there, and the last one took one look at his wounded cohort, turned his horse, and rode off behind him. It wasn’t long until Ty declared the battle over. 

****

Later, Lou sat on one of the benches as Xenia bandaged his head. “What happened here?” he asked.

“You fell and hit your head,” she explained.

“Where are the other men?”

“Burying the station manager and his wife.”

“What about those outlaws?”

“I think they said they were going to wrap their bodies in tarps and take them to town. According to Ray, some of them are probably wanted.”

His eyes lit up. “Did he think there’d be a reward on their heads?”

Xenia glared at him. “He didn’t say.”

Lou glanced at Mea Ann, who was sitting on the other bench cuddling the sleeping baby. An empty bottle was sitting on the table. “I see you’re still taking care of the half-breed.”

Mea Ann glared back at him. “Stop calling him that. He’s a precious little baby who has lost his parents. You don’t have to be disrespectful to them by calling their baby a derogatory name.”

“Don’t worry about it. If your conscience won’t let you leave it here to die, you can get rid of it when we get to town.”

“I’m not going to get rid of it.”

“Don’t be stupid. A white woman like you can’t keep a breed. I’m sure some worthless redskin will take it to his village to be with its kind. If not, there’s always an orphanage you can send it to. Those religious idiots will take any child. Even a breed.”

“Shut up, Bullins. Nobody cares what you think should be done with the baby.” Xenia jerked the bandage tight around his head. She didn’t like the fact this rude man was talking to her sister in such a way. “I wonder what kind of parents you had since you turned out to be such a terrible man.”

“Listen, Missy. You need to be a little more careful what you say about my folks as well as the way you’re working on my head. You were easier with Eldridge’s shoulder, and anyone with any eyesight at all can tell he’s got some Indian blood in him.”

“Oh, I didn’t notice anything Indian. His blood looked just as red as yours, to me. Now, sit still—or I’m going to have it so tight around your head that you pass out again, and when you wake up, you’ll never get over the headache.”

“You better not.”

“Listen, you bigoted man, nobody here cares what you think about Indians—and I’d appreciate it if you’d keep your opinion to yourself.”

“That’s telling him, Miss Xenia.” Ray strolled into the room and sat on the bench beside Mea Ann. “How’s the little one doing?”

“He’s asleep right now, but we’re out of milk and I’m afraid he’s going to wake up hungry.”

“Maybe Eldridge will find the milk cow while he’s out.”

Xenia finished Lou’s bandage then walked away. “What is Ty doing, Ray?”

“He told me to come on in here and rest up my side so I can drive the stage. He’s trying to catch as many of the outlaw’s horses as he can. We’re going to tie the bodies on them and take them to the undertaker in town.”

“Do you think there’ll be a reward for us catching them?” Lou asked.

“Ty and I discussed that. There probably will be, and we decided that if there was anything on the heads of the ones we killed, we’d give it to the baby. He deserves it, since they took his parents.”

“I’ll be damned if my share will go to some half-breed brat.”

“I don’t see how you can claim anything, Bullins. There were eight of them. Two rode away. I shot two, Ty shot three and the gang killed one themselves. Of course we decided since Miss Xenia put the first bullet in him, she gets the reward on him, if there is one.”

“But I helped hold them off.”

“Quit whining, Bullins. You’re alive, ain’t you?”

“Ty said I didn’t kill the man and I’m not taking any money for his death. You can give it to the baby, too.”

“You people are crazy. We could share…”

Ty came into the room. “I caught four horses.”

Mea Ann looked at him. “Did you happen to see the milk cow?”

“Yes, it’s wandering around in the garden area.”

“Do you think you can catch it so we can get some milk for the baby?”