Ralph Compton Death Along the Cimarron Read Online Free PDF Page B

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Chapter 3
    By the time Danielle and Stick had finished eating, the sun had moved over to the western sky, beginning its fiery descent toward the flat horizon. Owing to his powerful hunger, Stick had spoken very little throughout the meal. Now he finished his cup of coffee and stifled a belch. “Ma’am,” he said, “I can’t remember the last sit-down meal I et ... but I swear it seems like forever.”
    Danielle looked down at the small portion of leftover biscuits, beans, and beef. “You’re welcome to finish them up, Stick,” she offered.
    â€œMuch obliged, but thank you, ma’am,” Stick replied. “I’m full enough to falter as it is.”
    â€œYet you didn’t eat that much,” Danielle commented.
    â€œI always thought it an odd thing,” said Stick, “that the more hungry a man goes over a period of time, the less he can eat when he sits down to big meal.”
    Danielle nodded her understanding. “I’ve got a mason jar of apricots if you’d like a helping.”
    â€œNo, please,” said Stick, raising a hand. “Don’t tempt me. I got some wood to split ’twixt now and sundown.”
    â€œNot here you don’t,” said Danielle, reaching out, picking up the coffeepot, and refilling Stick’s tin cup. “I’ve got plenty of firewood for the cookstove, enough to last the next month.”
    Stick looked at her firmly. “Then I’ve got fence to mend or stalls to clean or something, ma‘am. Where I come from no man eats ’less he earns his keep some way or another. I can’t stay around someplace without plenty to do. It wouldn’t be right.”
    Danielle smiled. “Ordinarily I’d agree with you, but by siding with me in town, let’s consider this meal as earned in advance.”
    â€œJust this once.” Stick smiled brokenly and raised a finger for emphasis. “And just because you’re twisting my arm. I’ll not allow myself to be kept and pampered in my old age.”
    â€œI wouldn’t dream of it,” said Danielle. “Believe me, I’ll find plenty for you to do.” She stood up and collected the empty tin plates and set them aside as she continued to speak. “Now, I know you’re too polite to ask me again where I come from, so I’ll go ahead and tell you.”
    â€œMuch obliged, ma’am. I hoped you would,” said Stick.
    Danielle stepped back from the table into the middle of the small room with both hands on her hips. “Do you recall a couple years back, you were riding with Tuck Carlyle and some others, pushing a small herd of cattle across Indian Territory?”
    â€œWell, yeah, was as best I recollect,” said Stick. “Fact is, I’ve left lots of hoofprints back and forth across the Territory.”
    â€œBut on this drive, a friend of Tuck’s showed up and took the evening meal with you. Remember that?”
    â€œWhy, sure I do,” said Stick. “That was Danny Duggin who showed up. Danny was as fine a young man as I ever met.... Had a little trouble with the law if I remember correct, not that I fault him for that It happens to the best of us when we’re young and full of vinegar.” Stick stopped and contemplated for a second. “There was a real troublemaker with Danny though, a fella called Dunc.”
    â€œYep, that was Duncan Grago,” said Danielle.
    â€œYes, so it was,” said Stick, eyeing her with curiosity. “Dunc picked a gunfight with one of our drovers and shot him dead.” Stick took another second as if to go over the picture of the gunfight in his mind. Then he asked, “But what’s all that to do with where you know me from?”
    â€œI’m getting to it.” Danielle nodded. “First, answer this one question for me. Tuck Carlyle had fallen in love with a young woman named Ilene Brennet.” Danielle stepped