Ralph Compton Texas Hills by Ralph Compton

Author:Ralph Compton
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2015-09-16T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 36

The sun was setting when they got back. Owen had covered the body back over with the rocks, leaving it as they found it. A feeling of unease came over him as he worked, a feeling that grew stronger on the ride down.

The campfire was crackling and the cooking pot was on. Everyone else was relaxing after a hard day’s work. After their meal, they would take turns riding herd. The longhorns were settling in for the night, and largely quiet.

Lorette was stirring the stew. She raised the dripping wooden spoon, took a taste, and announced, “Supper will be ready in a couple of minutes.”

Raising his arms, Owen said loudly, “Everyone, I need your attention, please.” He related the finding of the grave, and the body wrapped in the Weavers’ blanket, and ended with, “We need to talk about what to do.”

“You’re worried over nothing,” Harland said.

“Hush, boy,” Gareth growled.

Owen continued. “It raises all kinds of questions. How did it get there? Who killed him? Why bury him so close to us? I’m no real judge, but I’d say the body hasn’t been in the ground all that long. A few weeks to a month would be my guess.”

“Harland is right,” Jasper Weaver said. “It has nothing to do with us.”

“Didn’t you hear the part about the blanket?” Owen said. “Whoever reburied the body snuck down into our camp and helped themselves to one of yours. They took it from right under our very noses.”

“Had to be other Comanches,” Wylie said. “They’re as sneaky as anything.”

“So let them keep it,” Jasper said. “I don’t mind.”

“You’re missing the point,” Owen said.

“They didn’t attack any of us,” Reuben said. “That shows they’re friendly.”

“Comanches?” Thaxter said, and laughed.

“All it shows,” Owen said, “is that they needed something to wrap the body in, and our blankets were handy. They might not have attacked because there were only a few of them. By now they could have gone to their village for more warriors.”

“Might and could have,” Harland said. “You don’t know for sure.”

“Why should they come after us?” Jasper said. “We didn’t kill that one you found.”

“They don’t know that.”

“You think they might attack us, Pa?” Luke asked.

“I think it’s a very real danger, son,” Owen said.

“They haven’t bothered us this whole time,” Jasper persisted. “Why would they start now?”

“Get your head out of your flask, Weaver,” Gareth said. “Burnett is right. This could be serious.”

“Don’t talk to my pa that way,” Reuben said.

“Or what, boy?” Thaxter said. “You’ll go for your six-gun?”

Some of the others laughed.

“Enough,” Owen stepped in. “Save your bickering. From here on out, we have to be on our guard more than ever. It was luck we found that body. More than luck, I’d say. It was the hand of Providence, warning us.”

“Oh, please,” Wylie said.

“What’s Providence, Pa?” Iden said to Gareth.

“The Almighty.”

“I thought that was God,” Iden said. “Or is Providence His last name?”

“Shut up, little brother,” Lorette said.

“Let’s stay focused on the Comanches,” Owen said. “They might take it into their heads to stampede our cattle, undoing all the work we’ve done.

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