Adam Steele 45 The Outcasts by George G. Gilman

Author:George G. Gilman [Gilman, George G.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

8

Whatever else was not quite right about the Mexican family and the way Steele had come to be landed with them at Trail’s End, it was not the injuries suffered by the slightly-built, lean-featured, eager-to-please Esteban Garcia.

The Virginian had already seen the gap from the missing tooth, the bruises and cuts on his face. And saw that the man was hurt worse than this after he rolled the rig to a halt on the yard formed by the house, the corral, the barn and the two crop fields at Trail;s End. Realised by the way the Mexican got gingerly down from the wagon, was unable to contain a low groan, clutched at his side and made a point of staring fixedly out into the night so his expression could not be seen, it was likely he could also have a cracked, maybe a broken rib. In which event, Steele knew, the ride aboard the jolting wagon must have been far more painful for Garcia than he had shown.

Inside the shack which still had just the one habitable room, Garcia lowered himself gratefully on to a hard seated, straight backed chair at the pine table in the kitchen area. Made only a token protest as Steele helped him to take off his shirt and undershirt while Conchita and Maria busied themselves with lighting the lamps and the kindling in the stove. When his clothing was removed it was seen the man had areas of purple and yellow bruising across his chest and lower back, two blackened patches on the left side of his belly and some congealed blood on the right side where a fist or boot had landed hard enough to split the skin.

So, whatever else, Esteban Garcia had certainly taken one hell of a beating out there on the dark trail south of Broadwater before they burned his wagon and killed his animals.

Once they had seen just how badly their father was hurt, both little girls now seemed immediately to be far older than their tender years. Began to treat him like he was the youngest member of their family: adopted matriarchal attitudes toward their father and Adam Steele that had both men do their bidding without question.

At first Garcia needed constantly to translate much that was said, the small girls too worried about their father--"s injuries to think about expressing themselves in a foreign language. And he apologised often for the way Conchita and Maria made so many imperious demands upon their host.

But Steele soon came to welcome the way things were turning out. For he was able to leave the injured man in the young but obviously capable hands of the girls. Confident they would do no harm to their father or to his home. So he could go outside, attend to the wagon and team: managed with some difficulty but without help to unload his purchases. Stowed the furniture and other items in a stall at the stable end of the barn, covered with a burlap sheet.

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