Challenge by Montgomery Mahaffey Read Free Book Online

lying belly to the ground, a gun shaking in
his hand. He couldn’t stop staring at his face, thinking it strange
that any Lawman should resemble an aging cherub. He even forgot the
other one until he stepped into his line of vision. The taller
Lawman peered at him with watery green eyes, relaxing once he
realized the Wanderer couldn’t move.
    “I assume this is your camp,” he said, after
his partner stood up and joined him.
    The Wanderer nodded.
    “ Where do you come from?”
the shorter one asked.
    “I’m from here,” he replied, pointing to his
tent. “I have my papers in there.”
    He retrieved his documents and the Lawmen
flipped through the pages, perusing the stamps of all the countries
he’d been in the past five years. The taller Lawman even whistled
when he turned back to the first page and read the name of his
family and village.
    “You’ve certainly traveled far from home,”
he said. “How long have you been back?”
    “About three months.”
    The Wanderer cursed his absence of mind when
both Lawmen looked up.
    “ What are you doing in
these woods?” the shorter one asked.
    “ Am I breaking the
law?”
    “ No. But why are you
living like this now that you’re home? Don’t you have
people?”
    The Wanderer flinched as if he’d been
slapped. His throat closed up and he crossed his arms, leaving the
Lawmen waiting for an answer. When none came, they frowned.
    “You were asked a question,” the taller
persisted. “What are you doing in these woods?”
    The Wanderer knew he was foolish to remain
silent. They might arrest him if he didn’t cooperate, but he
couldn’t respond. He glanced at the shorter Lawman. He seemed more
bewildered than offended, his round eyes flicking to the page his
partner held open. Then his brow furrowed and he bent his head,
looking closely before staring into the Wanderer’s face. He thought
it must be his imagination when he saw recognition in the Lawman’s
eyes.
    “I don’t believe it!” he cried. “I haven’t
seen you since you were a bitty boy!”
    Official formality disappeared from his
manner and the Lawman broke open with a smile. His eyes sparkled
when he laughed, clapping the Wanderer on the shoulder.
    “I don’t expect you to remember me,” he
continued. “But we come from the same village. You look a lot like
the old Bard. Do you also tell stories like your grandfather?”
    The Wanderer froze for an instant, uncertain
he heard correctly. Then he expelled a bellow of air, his limbs
shaking from relief.
    “ I don’t know if I’d make
that claim,” he said. “But I do the best I can.”
    The Lawman from his village chuckled. He
opened his mouth as if to speak again, but his partner
interrupted.
    “ As happy a chance as this
is, you still haven’t told us why you’re living in these
woods.”
    “He has a point,” the shorter one said. “I
know you have people waiting for you.”
    The Wanderer looked away from the Lawmen,
swallowing a hard lump down his throat.
    “I’m sure you’re right,” he said. “Except
for one.”
    The shorter Lawman’s face cleared and he
nodded slowly, his eyes filling with sympathy.
    “It was a sad day for us all when the Bard
passed on,” he said. “I can only imagine what a terrible loss that
must be for you.”
    The Wanderer nodded, but said nothing else.
His former neighbor pulled his partner aside and they conferred in
voices too low to be heard, and the Wanderer was relieved when the
taller nodded and headed for the horses. As his partner mounted,
the Lawman from his village approached with his hand outstretched.
His hold was firm when he grasped the Wanderer’s hand with his
own.
    “ It’s good to meet you
again,” he said. “You’ve grown up into a fine young
man.”
    “ Thank you.”
    “ So do your grandfather
proud,” he continued. “Stop living like a wretch and go home. Some
folks worry about you. They need to know that you’re all
right.”
    “ I…uhhh…” the