Arizona Territory Read Online Free PDF Page B

and about noon the stage arrived. The three stood on the stage office porch and waited for his passenger to arrive. A nice-looking Hispanic girl came down the step first, but he relaxed when his smiling lady stuck her head out the window and waved at him. She wasn’t wearing her silver earrings, but if she had they might have cost her those dainty earlobes, in case bandits had attacked and ripped them away.
    She came through the crowd to him, and he hugged and kissed her. Whew, it was heart-warming good to have her in his arms.
    â€œAnita, show Jesus what are our bags. Hello, Cole. You two do good work. He is not skinned up any at all.”
    She had Chet laughing.
    Next, she fake-punched him. “You look good enough to eat, hombre .”
    â€œNothing like you do to me. How long can you stay?”
    â€œUntil you throw me out, like old bathwater. Is that long enough?”
    â€œYes but . . .” He stopped. “The hacienda ?”
    â€œI have it being handled by my brother-in-law. He is very serious.”
    â€œThat is sobering.”
    â€œI can go back.” She held her arm out toward Mexico.
    â€œLike hell.”
    She stood on the boardwalk, laughing. “Did I shock you?”
    â€œSome. Time to get my sticks in a row. Do you and Anita need a room tonight? The next stage doesn’t leave until early in the morning.”
    â€œShe does. I don’t.” She looked over for his reaction.
    One thing about Liz. She didn’t mince words. “A room she will have.”
    â€œAm I being too pushy?” she asked him in a soft voice.
    â€œNo, you’re not.” He squeezed her hand. “The stage leaves at four in the morning for Tucson. It’ll take two days to get to Preskitt. Cole is coming with us. He has a wife he’d like to see. Jesus will take our horses back to Tubac, then follow us home the next day on the stage line.”
    â€œAnita, I am so glad to meet you.” He took the girl’s hands in his. “We will have plenty of blankets. There may be snow up there. But the house is snug and warm.”
    â€œ Gracias, señor , I have never seen snow. But I am excited.”
    He got Anita a room and their luggage was sent up. “We’ll meet down here at five this afternoon and go to supper.”
    â€œI will knock on your door when we go down,” Liz said to Anita.
    She thanked her and went into her room.
    Chet let Liz into his, then followed her inside and rested his back against the door.
    She took off her cape. “Are you mad? I couldn’t tell you my details in a wire.”
    â€œMad. No. Shocked. Happy. I never figured how I could get it all done.”
    She buried herself in his arms and they whirled around. “Squeeze me hard. I have been trembling the last hundred kilometers and asking myself, ‘Does he really want me?’”
    â€œOh, Liz, I’ve wanted you since you entered the race.”
    â€œRace?”
    â€œYou said you wanted to be a candidate.”
    She busted out laughing. “What else did I promise you?”
    â€œOh, I have a long list. Sit down. I want a few things settled. Can we be married in your church?”
    â€œI am not certain. Why would you want to be married in my church?”
    He put his finger on her lips. “I’ve thought hard about this. We’ll talk to a priest. Your religion is precious to you. You could be denied communion.”
    â€œNo, Chet Byrnes. You are the most important thing in my life.” She shrugged. “I would simply be your common-law wife.”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œWe’ll see what we can do about that.” He held her tight and kissed her. “We don’t need to argue about it. I see a great road ahead for the two of us.”
    â€œI am so happy.” She mopped at her tears with his handkerchief.
    â€œYou don’t have to worry, we’ll make it work.”
    They went to supper and enjoyed