JACK FELL DOWN
by Sidney McCabe
© 2000
CHAPTER 8
The Apple Ridge station was unchanged from the last time Jack had
seen it. The day she had departed, Hank and Ollie were to have begun white-washing
the fence, but now, four and a half weeks later, it stood there as brown
and ugly as ever. The bench on the porch was still cracked in half from
when Den had decided to take a flying leap from the railing to its weathered
seat more than six months ago. Jack rode slowly, reluctantly to
the stables. She removed everything from Molasses, slung her mochila over
her shoulders and headed inside the bunkhouse.
Hank and Ollie were playing cards at the kitchen table and Davie was asleep on his bunk. She didn't see Den or Rich immediately; either they were out on runs or in town visiting their favorite saloon girls. Despite the fact that the firm frowned upon drinking, and its consumption was vehemently forbidden in the Express oath, Bart, the Apple Ridge stationmaster, shed a kindly eye on the boys' carousing and indulged their frequent visits to the saloon.
"Well, look who's here." It was either Hank or Ollie that had sad it, but Jack wasn't sure which. They weren't related, but they looked alike and sounded alike and were always together. They were the Buck and Ike of the their station, only far less gentle and likable, Jack reflected.
"Where's Bart?"
"Out back." Ollie jerked his thumb in the direction of the corral. "Breakin' the new horses we got last week."
"You all better?" David had woken from his nap and was peering down at Jack from his top bunk.
Jack nodded. "Mending nicely, Davie, thanks."
"Well, don't get too comfortable. You're scheduled for a run first thing in the monring. You knew Bart wasn't gonna waste no time."
Jack laughed. She had a friendly, if arm's-length friendship with David. "Thanks for the warning."
"Good to have you back," Hank acknowledged briefly. "Been pretty busy around here."
The moment she walked outside, Bart spied Jack and jumped down from the beautiful black mare he was riding, joining her where she stood watching.
"Welcome back." He didn't sound as if he meant it, exactly. "I suppose one of the boys told you you're on a run tomorrow." When Jack nodded, he went on, "You're gonna have to work hard to make it up to these boys. They've been carryin' an extra load since you went away to *recuperate* in Rock Creek." He said 'recuperate' in a tone that implied recuperating was the same thing as vacationing.
"Yes, sir." Jack knew it was best to be brief with Bart. No excuses, no explations, and certainly no defenses, just yes sir and no sir as they applied.
"I suppose restin' up at Rock Creek's got ya soft. Teaspoon Hunter is a doddering, indulgent ol' fool with them boys."
Jack thought back to the many times Bart had overlooked a drunken
rider who was not able to make his run when he was scheduled to, to the
countless times he had watched riders in fistfights and laughed, making
no move to intervene during the fight or reprimand afterward; and she
compared him with Teaspoon, who doled punishments out like candy when
it was appropriate, and ruled the Rock Creek riders with a benevolent
iron fist. No one in the Apple Ridge outfit had the least bit of respect
for Bart, and each took every opportunity to cross him in some way, whereas
Jack would have been willing
to bet the Rock Creek riders would sooner have died than betray Teaspoon
in any form. But she still said nothing.
Bart eyed her, waiting. When she remained silent he shook his head and waved his hand to dismiss her. "Go on and get some sleep, then. Be ready first thing in the mornin'."
Jack slipped back into life at Apple Ridge much easier than she had anticipated. She went on runs, she did her chores, she squabbled with the boys and more than once she locked horns with Bart. She missed her friends at Rock Creek every day. At night she found herself dreaming of Jimmy, and during the day she remembered his smile, his low voice, the solace of his company. Such thoughts made her nervous and uncomfortable around the boys, as if they might be reading her mind somehow.
Her first letter from Lou came within a fortnight. A young boy named Jesse had come to the station, and Lou wrote all about him, about his restlessness and his immaturity, how he grated the boys' nerves and had a bit of a crush on Rachel. Jack wrote promptly back, telling Lou about Den getting barred from the local saloon and Hank and Ollie having a falling out that resulted in their not speaking to one another for neraly three days.
Jack was very much looking forward to a correspondence with Lou, and
she eagerly asked after all the boys, saving Jimmy for last, not sure
if that was the most or least subtle route to take. A few days after she
sent out her letter to Lou, Jack helped Bart carry in the weekly supply
of feed for the horses and as she stooped to haul up
the second big sack, she felt a terrible pull in her back and she dropped
the bag, hunching over the wagon. It was a familiar pain, one she had
nursed during her recovery at Rock Creek. the most she could do was hobble
back to the bunkhouse, and Bart was, needless to say, none too pleased.
Jack protested loudly, but Doc Cranston was finally summoned, and if he found her request to be examined alone the least bit strange, he didn't say so. "These English folks are a might peculiar," he murmured to Bart as Bart made his grumbling way out the door. "Best not to upset the boy if he's feelin' modest."
When Bart had gone Jack turned to Doc with pleading eyes. She had decided not to give anything away unless she absolutely had to. "Doc, please. I'm fine. I don't need an examination."
"Son, I'm just goin' to take a look at your back and maybe prescribe some liniment. It'll take me five minutes."
"Doc, I feel fine. I really don't need to be examined."
Now Doc fixed Jack with a skeptical eye. "What's this all about, son? I walk in here to find you barely able to move and you're tellin' me you're fine?"
Jack nodded.
"I've come across some fraidy-cats in my profession, but you
about beat all. it ain't like I'm goin' to give you a shot or bleed you
or somethin', kid. Be reasonable about this. And if you won't listen to
reason, listen to this: I'm workin' for the Pony Express here. Not Bart
Phillips and certainly not you. Russell, Majors, and Waddell. You heard
of 'em? Well, they're the ones payin' this bill, and as far as I'm concerned
I'm takin' care of their investment. And as the *investment*, you
ain't got no say in it. Now shuck
off that shirt, boy, and let me take a look at ya. You ain't the only
patient I got to see today."
"That's just *it*, Doc..." Jack was desperate now. "I'm not...oh, God, Doc, listen to me: you can't tell *anyone*. You can't, all right, Doc?" "What are you talkin' about? Who are you to tell me what I can and can't say? I can't promise nothin' till I know what I'm promisin'. I'm losin' patience with you, son."
With tear-filled eyes Jack raised her shirt over her head. Doc's
eyes fell immediately on her chest tightly bound in strips of white cotton
cloth. He seemed surprised, but not especially shocked. "Well, my
word..." he breathed in amazement. "I never woulda guessed."
He grinned. "You poor kid, no wonder you was ready to keel over."
He shook his head. "I can't say I approve, my dear; I got three daughters
of my own,
and if I knew one of 'em was makin' her livin' the way you are I believe
I'd have me an apoplectic fit." Sighing, he said, "Still, I
guess we all got to make our own livin' any way we can. It ain't for me
to judge you or your reasons for bein' here. God knows there are worse
professions I could find you in. Rest easy, child, your secret's safe
with me."
"She'll find that I can't make the same promise." Bart spoke from where he stood framed by the doorway, the afternoon sun directly behind him. The light was in her eyes, obscuring his features, but Jack didn't need to see his face to know his expression was one of utter fury.
Chapter 1 ¤ Chapter 2 ¤ Chapter 3 ¤ Chapter 4 ¤ Chapter 5 ¤ Chapter 6 ¤ Chapter 7 ¤ Chapter 8 ¤ Chapter 9 ¤ Chapter 10 ¤ Chapter 11 ¤ Chapter 12 ¤ Chapter 13 ¤ Chapter 14 ¤ Chapter 15 ¤ Chapter 16 ¤ Chapter 17 ¤ Chapter 18 ¤ Chapter 19 ¤ Chapter 20 ¤ Chapter 21 ¤ Epilogue ¤