The Last Good Day, стр. 13

“You know damn well I can’t with one hand.”

“The buzzards will take care of ‘em,” B.W. said. “Didn’t deserve to be buried anyways.”

“Everyone deserves a proper burial,” Rance said.

“You gonna preach to me now?” B.W. asked.

“No. They needed to pay for what they did, the glove proved that. Just don’t want to be like them.”

“Don’t compare myself with other people, good or bad,” B.W. said.

“Maybe you should,” Rance said.

They heard a horse nicker and looked toward the sound. There stood the roan, the reins dragging the ground. He threw his head up and trotted over to Tommy.

“Well I’ll be damned,” Rance said. “He did wander off.”

“I’d rather ride him,” Tommy said.

“Take him then,” B.W. said, “and cut the other one loose.”

Tommy saddled the roan, pulled the bridle off the other horse and he took off.

“We goin’ back for the other saddle?” Tommy said.

“No,” B.W. said. “Let it be. How far to Milberg, major?”

“Bout another two or three hours,” Rance said. “Used to be a place called Jack’s Eatery and Boarding House in Milberg. If it’s still there we can get a good steak and a real bed.”

“Been a while since I slept in a bed,” B.W. said. “Last time was a disaster. Those two scandals Shanghai’d me.”

“Now whose fault was that?” Rance said.

“What happened?” Tommy asked.

“It’s a long story, tell you some other time,” B.W. said.

“He don’t want you to know,” Rance said and grinned.

“If it’s that big of a deal forget it,” Tommy said, spurred his horse into a gallop and rode ahead.

“You know he’s goin’ to ask you again,” Rance said.

“Yeah, thanks to you,” B.W. said.

“What you get for bein’ in a place you shouldn’t be.”

“Won’t let me forget it, will you?”

“Nope,” Rance said and took off after Tommy.

“Horse, we should have went our separate ways,” B.W. said and patted him on the neck.

8

As they rode into Milberg, the disappearing sun painted the edge of the western sky a bright orange. Mostly uniformed Union soldiers were going in and out of saloons along the street. Signs were posted on some of the business doors stating they were closed by military authority under martial law for unlawful practice.

They rode past the saloons and saw Jack’s Eatery and Boarding House was open.

“There’s a livery next door for the horses,” Rance said. “Get you a steak and a bed. I’ll be back in a while.”

“Be waitin’ on you,” B.W. said.

Rance nodded and rode away.

“Where’s he goin?’” Tommy asked.

“To visit his wife and daughter’s graves.”

By the time Rance got to the graveyard the sun was on its way to another day.

He rode up to the graves, dismounted and looked at the inscriptions on the tombstones in the twilight:

Paige Kendra Allison

May 5 1833 - July 12 1861

Melody Ann Allison

October 11 1854 - July 12 1861.

“Finally made it home, Paige.” He touched the tombstones and tears came to his eyes. “Missed you so. Don’t really know what to do with myself without you. We lost the war and somebody killed Lincoln, to make it worse. I lost a hand and part of my left arm. The war freed the slaves but it’s goin’ to take a long time for the south to accept the change. I met up with an Indian-black mix and a boy that’s kind of become my family now. We never made any promises to each other but I know I can count on ‘em. Want to take care of some unfinished business for the boy in Texas. He’s the rightful heir to a railroad company, but his papa disowned him and his mama was murdered. He’s a good kid - had some bad breaks, deserves better - a little older than Melody. Feels like the right thing to do. The stars are out, and there’s a full moon and a nice breeze. I remember how much you like to sit on the porch, sip your tea and admire a night like this.” He dropped his head and stood motionless for a minute or two then wiped his eyes on his sleeve and looked back at the tombstones. “Guess that’s all I got for now. I will always love you both. You’ll never leave my memory.”

He leaned over, kissed the tombstones, rubbed his only hand across the top of the tombstones, pulled himself up on Buck and headed back to town. He turned in the saddle for one last look and rode on.

Back in town, Rance bedded Buck down, picked up his saddle bags, sat them on his shoulder, retrieved the Henry and walked in the eatery. There were five rough wood tables and chairs with red and white checkered curtains on the windows, double swinging doors to the kitchen and a little bar. He sat down at a table by a window and gazed out at the stars, thinking of his wife and daughter.

A pretty red-headed woman with big blue eyes, wearing an apron over a green dress, appeared through the kitchen doors and walked up to the back of his chair. When she saw who it was she sat down hard on a nearby chair gasping for air. ”Rance?” she said. ”I thought you was dead.”

“Hello, Julie. I almost was.” He stood up and removed his hat. She threw her arms around him and he hugged her with his good arm. “Sorry to startle you. You all right?”

She kissed him on the cheek. He returned the favor and they stepped back from each other.

“Is it really you?” she asked.

“What’s left of me, at least,” he said. “You workin’ here?”

“Own the place now. Jack was killed at Gettysburg. His wife sold out to me and headed for California.”

“Heard from your pa?” he asked.

“Lost my dad at Petersburg and my brother at Manses,” she said. “My mama died last spring from a broken heart. Wiped my whole family out.”

“Same for me. It’s been a terrible time. Ever find you a