A Bountiful Christmas
Part of the Countdown to Christmas collection
Vin hadn't planned to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day bounty hunting, but the sheriff had promised a few extra dollars if he'd bring in Amos Gearing.
As criminals went, Gearing was minor. He'd been arrested for horse thievin'. Now he'd escaped from jail and stolen another horse.
But Gearing was a challenge. Wherever he was headed, it was a long ways.
Vin had been a long time following him, and cursing himself silently for taking on this job. When he brought Gearing back--there was no "if" about it--he was gonna demand more money.
Now Gearing was trying to lose him up in the hills. Good for hidin' a man in. And good for losin' a tracker if he didn't keep his wits about him.
Vin maneuvered carefully through the trees, rocks, and brush. Abruptly, he came upon a ranch in a clearing. Or what had been a ranch. It looked abandoned now. The corral fence was all but gone and the barn was falling apart. The house seemed pretty sturdy, but it had a worn-out look to it.
Vin dismounted and crept closer so he could see in the window. By the sheriff's description, it was Gearing. There was also a thin, pale woman. And a little girl. They were hugging Gearing and crying.
Vin paused. Damn. He couldn't arrest Gearing now. Not in front of the man's family and on Christmas. Gearing was a horse thief and an escapee, and the law was clear about that, so he'd have to be returned to jail eventually. But Gearing obviously wasn't goin' anywhere for awhile.
He crept off into the brush.
A couple of hours later he returned with the carcass of a mule deer. He quietly deposited it on the porch. He turned to go when the door opened. It was Mrs. Gearing.
He straightened and touched the brim of his hat. "Ma'am."
She looked at the carcass, then at Vin. "Please. Come in."
Before Vin could decline, Gearing appeared beside her.
"This man brought us this," said Mrs. Gearing, a hint of puzzlement in her voice.
Vin shrugged. "It was more'n I could eat, so..." He left the sentence unfinished.
"Then you must eat it with us," said Gearing.
Vin reluctantly found himself drawn inside. The four room house included a kitchen and two bedrooms. They had obviously tried hard to make it a comfortable home. A small tree stood in one corner. A threadbare stocking was by the fireplace.
Mrs. Gearing cooked up the deer meat and managed to stretch the food to accommodate the extra guest. The family was warm and friendly to him. It almost made Vin forget what brought him here. Gearing had stolen two horses and escaped from jail, he reminded himself grimly.
Vin studied Gearing. "You a rancher or somethin'?" He was trying to figure out what kind of horse thief Gearing was. He didn't seem like any horse thief Vin had ever known of.
"I failed as a rancher," said Gearing. "So I started travellin', lookin' for work. Figured to send for my family. But the money ran out--what wasn't stolen or swindled from me."
Mrs. Gearing left the room to put their daughter to bed.
Gearing lowered his voice, looking embarrassed. "I stole a horse. To be with my family...Couldn't see no other way of gettin' here in time for Christmas. I expect someone'll come lookin' for me soon."
Vin shifted uncomfortably, then rose to go. He knew he wouldn't be back. "Well, it's gettin' dark. I'd best be goin'. Merry Christmas to y'all."
Gearing stood in the doorway. "It's a pretty remote area. You didn't say what you were doin' up here. Just hunting?"
Vin shrugged. "Mostly. And gettin' my priorities straight, I reckon."
The End