Colter's Journey by William W. Johnstone

Author:William W. Johnstone [Johnstone, William W.; Johnstone, J.A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington
Published: 2017-05-04T04:00:00+00:00

His ma made what passed for a cake at Scotts Bluff. Everyone from the train, even Just Jenkins, gathered around to sing a sweet English ballad to Margaret and wish her a long life. Someone had said that before they knew it, Margaret would be married and giving her ma and pa plenty of grandbabies. She blushed. So did Ma. Tim thought it sounded disgusting.

* * *

He needed to block out that memory. “Nancy’s seventeen.”

That seemed to make the mountain man’s one eye darken.

“Patricia’s my age. Fifteen.” He straightened. “I’m sixteen. Almost.”

The one-eyed man nodded.

Tim thought, shook his head. “I don’t know how old Mrs. Scott is.”

The man laughed. “Well, I should hope not. Women don’t give them facts away so freely.”

Almost as quickly as the rain had started, the storm stopped. It was as if someone had quit working the pump’s handle. Tim looked out at the darkness. It had turned into night. Although the rain had stopped, the world out there got darker and darker.

“Time for sleep, boy. Close your eyes. I’ll wake you up now and then, just to make sure your head ain’t broke too badly.”

Tim stared.

“It’s just something I learned. You took a couple nasty blows. Folks been known to fall to sleep and never wake up.”

Tim felt a sudden wave of fear.

“I don’t think you’re going to die, boy. You showed me enough grit. You killed Baillarger, which ain’t no easy task. Jim Bridger been trying to put him under for four years. You survived Jackatars’s raid. You buried your folks and that other gent. And instead of following the ruts and saving your own hide, you had the gumption to go off—afoot, in this country, mind you—against them god-awful vermin who took the womenfolk. I’ll wake you up just to make sure.”

Tim nodded. His eyes closed, but opened immediately. “I forgot your name, sir.”

The one-eyed monster laughed. “It ain’t Sir, boy. Get that through that addled mind of yours right quick.”

Tim tried to smile, but just couldn’t manage one.

“Reno. Jed Reno.”

Tim nodded and closed his eyes. He wondered if he would ever wake up once he fell asleep. Or if he would just wake up dead. With his eyes closed, he heard himself say, “Mr. Reno . . . I’m sorry.”

Silence. Then a fart.

And then, “Apology accepted, boy. But it there ain’t no Mister to it. Call me Reno. Or Jed. Or Plenty Medicine.”

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