Mountain Woman Snake River Blizzard by Johnny Fowler Read Free Book Online Page A

eyes darted around the dark room, but saw nothing.  Cautiously, she went inside and left the door open for light.
    She was in a covered porch that was more of a junk room than porch .  A door to the house was on the other side and she made her way to it and listened again.  No sounds came from the main part of the house.  She opened the door and stepped in quickly.  A kitchen table with piles of dirty dishes greeted her.
    The room was empty, so she went on through an opening into a parlor with a huge fireplace and chairs.  She knel t, felt the ashes , and they were cold.
    There was another door.  S he went to it , peeked inside , and saw the bedroom. It was empty , as well.  A lamp was on a table and she needed light to see.  She lit it and held it up.  T he bedroom was void of clothing.  I t appeared Bob had fled and took his clothes.  She made a q uick search, but found nothing.
    She carried the lamp and went back through the house.  It was obvious somebody had taken everything but the furniture.  Bob had fled and was in a wagon.  He couldn’t carry everything on a horse.  That information could be useful.
    She blew the lamp out, put it on the kitchen table, and went out the way she came in.  Red Bird was waiting, watching her.
    Since Bob had apparently t aken a wagon, she went back to the barn and look ed for tracks.  There was none.  S he’d have to find out where the wagon had come from.
    She led Red Bird, went to the front of the house, and examined the dirt .  There they were, wagon tracks.  Somebody had driven a wagon close to the front door.
    Alejandro V aldez, the other night watchman, came to mind.  Al had supplied the wagon and they ’d left together, she speculated.
    She mounted Red Bird an d rode on to where Lucille lived .  Red Bird stopped at the yard fence and Kate shouted, “Lucille, it’s me, Kate.”
    The door opened and Lucille came out on the porch with a smile on her face .  “Hello, and welcome,” she said.
    Kate followed her inside and noticed the heavy door the boys had put on the cabin.   A pole was standing beside the door and she saw two metal fasteners on either side of the door.  From their shape, the pole could be placed in them to prevent anybody from pushing the door open.  There was a hole in the door so she could see outside.  It was covered with a piece of leather that could be moved to the side to look out.
    She nodded with a gesture.  “Nice job . I know you feel more secure how.”
    “Yes. I wish I had told the boys earlier, but I was afraid they would do something and get themselves hurt or killed.  Bob always carried a pistol on his hip.”
    “Lucil l e,” Kate said.  “I need to get on home.  Your boys and Man are building a storage shed for us and I need to put food on the table for the working men.  But, I wanted to drop by and check on you.”
    “Thank you,” Lucille said, “for everything you’ve done for us.”
    “Just doing my job and being neighborly,” Kate said.  “Have you heard or seen anything of Engledow the past couple of days?”
    “No, I haven’t, but then the boys were home. He never came by when they are here.”
    Kate went to the door and stopped.  “When I was in town, a man named Cliff Landers stopped me and asked about you.”
    That got Lucille’s attention and her interest reflected in her expression.  “What did you tell him?” she asked.
    “That you were fine.  He asked if I thought it would be okay for him to come by to see you . ”
    “Oh , my,” Lucille exclaimed.  “What did you tell him?”
    “I said I didn’t know, but the only way was to drop b y.  He said he would about six this afternoon. After he closes his store. ”
    Lucille’s face lit up.
    “ Cliff said you and his wife were friends and she died about the same time as your husband.  He said you two were friends.”
    Lucille nodded. “We were.  What do you think Cliff wants?  I mean, he’s not like Bob, but well, he’s a