"Let's ride like you, Wind."
Leaving Eagles Aerie, the rocky tower in a vast desert of West Texas, Sadie Lynn Outlaw with gun belt back on her hips made her way out of the darkness. Her lovely Comanche Girl Friday by the name of Chasing Wind perked up. It was her job to entertain former shaman to the Water's Edge nation, Wild Turkey's children. She had no choice but to quickly hug them and say goodbye. At least their father was available up high in the roost to verbally retrieve his future young warriors. Racing after the rip-roaring redhead, Windy as Sadie often called her, spoke up in her native language.
"What is it you have learned?"
"Not to let an old fart lead the way through tight passages. Shaman Him!" Shame on him, that is, in crazy cowgal humor. "It's hard to explain Windy Lou, I'll tell you all about it later. For now, let's hook up with the loot lookers and set up camp before it gets dark." Four hours of daylight at best.
Scanning about for her horse Tarnation, the shared soul inhabitant of her Uncle Brandon she heard his whinny but did not immediately see him. Stopping and removing her cowboy hat Sadie wiped her brow of sweat and visually gave search. "Where the heck are you, Glue Factory?"
Windy catching up to her laughed and pointed upward. High up on a rocky outcrop stood the black stallion nodding his head at finally being spotted. "How in the... well, Tarnation did you get up there?" Tracing hoof prints on the desert floor she realized that was exactly where she had the horse rear up on its hind legs to stare up at Wild Turkey earlier. "Did you actually climb up there?" Her voice converted to thoughts, "Brandon was always a darn good rock climber, he used to climb sheer cliffs by hand, but come on how did he hoof it up there with no traction? Better yet, can he get down? I do not have time for this."
Pacing about in thought she heard the cries of her Three Amigos, the eagle brothers, Larry, Moe, and Squirrely and tracked them against the sun. Oddly enough Sadie adopted their vision and understood. "Get your charcoal ass down here." Almost as if laughing at her the stallion nodded rapidly, stomped his feet and turned left. Along that wall of rocks was a narrow trail which the beast carefully trod, disappearing behind the higher angles. Stones dislodged in his departure forced the ladies to back away to avoid a minor landslide under his bulk. Three minutes later Tarnation was trotting up to them.
"You are somethin' I'll give ya that. Innovative for sure!" Greeting her uncle from another horseplay she climbed up into her saddle and extended a hand to Chasing Wind. Before Wind could take Sadie up on her offer Tarnation bent his knees and laid down, taking Sadie along with him. "What has gotten into you today? Wrong desert and you're no camel." Although now that she thought about it Uncle Brandon did used to smoke Camel cigarettes until he quit. Was the horse recalling certain memories and reacting to them the only way he knew how? First rock climbing traits, now the camel... naaa! Once behind Sadie's sweet ass the horse rose up with no effort under their combined weight. Tough horse!
"You have trained the Devil well." Chasing Wind sighed over Sadie's shoulder, more a whisper in her ear.
"Don't let him hear you or he'll throw us both off." Too close, whispers led to a swift kiss and a seductive giggle. Turning her attention forward Sadie encouraged Uncle Brandon to head for the hills, namely the mountainous terrain where Sadie had sent her companions. "Giddy Yup!" The horse actually listened for once.
********
Five hours prior!
"Who names a town Dogooder? It just lures in the outlaws."
"It could be Dog Gooder! Just combined!"
The stagecoach departing Dallas, Texas was at the three-quarter mark of the Dillsby sister's journey to hopefully save their brothers in Sugar Plum. Travelling alone up until this point older sister Madigan, the roughneck daughter and her sneaky ladylike sibling Malarky had the opportunity to plan. The strategy seemed simple anyway. "You are just plain dumb. Dog Gooder, I swear!"
"You never know."
"The stagecoach driver just yelled out DOgooder, mile up ahead."
"Oh! Silly me! How much further to this Sugar Plum?" Malarky straightened her petticoat out. "I really need to pee."
"You just had the driver pull over like thirty minutes ago."
"I know! He made sure I was safe from critters while I tinkled." So, that was where the term originated! Ah!
"You just wanted him to see your backside."
"You hush! We never got to leave home so I'm making up for lost time."
"Concentrate Malarky! Save the flirting for Sugar Plum so we can use that to our advantage. We need to make some money without robbing any bank like our brothers. It would kill Momma if we went down that road."
"You leave that to me." She winked then carefully showed her sister her healthy cleavage as if seducing her.
"What are you doing?"
"Showing off my lady parts like I did to Jarvis up there holding the reins." At a closer inspection Malarky revealed a worn-out leather wallet. That was enough to get Madigan's eyes flared up at the ingenuity of her middle sis.
"Where did you get that?" Madigan reached over and plucked the wallet out of its hiding spot. In reaction to her sister's own bit of thievery Malarky feigned modesty with an expression of being appalled. An "I declare!" moment! Opening the wallet Mad found a healthy sum of greenback bills. Tossing the empty wallet back to Malarky, Madigan began to count the currency. "There's enough here to get us a room and feed us for a week or two."
"You are welcome."
"How has he not missed his...?" Before she could even finish her sentence Malarky tossed the wallet out the window and left it to the desert. "Right! No evidence! He must have lost it in Dallas or when he got off the coach to watch you."
"And I'm the dumb sister?" Madigan pocketed the money in her britches for safe keeping. "I might need some of that back."
"Why?"
"To double our money. Hopefully our overnight stay in Dogooder can be eventful. Poker perhaps?"
"Do not risk our money Malarky. We need to be careful. There is no telling what we might need to buy in order to break out the boys."
"Ye of little faith! With my boobies, brains, and whatever else starts with the letter B, I can promise we won't go poor for long."
"Daddy should have never taught you how to play cards. Better yet, how to cheat."
"Daddy said I was a natural. I have an eye for detail."
"You have an eye for men. Tug your dress up I can almost see your wagon wheels."
"We're here!" Malarky stood up but held onto the wall to peer out the door window. In passing by the good gentlemen of Dogooder, those who were walking the wood, every single one stopped dead in their tracks. Not at the coach arriving but her toppling breasts sticking out over the windowsill. Each and every one of those men crossed their fingers that she was a new dove in town. Sorry, fellas! Malarky Dillsby was not into playing with DOGooderS. Just ask her pup Scurry back in Dallas. Avoided him like the plague!
"Get back in here before you lose those and get into trouble for indecency." Not likely, the Sheriff of Dogooder was already drooling as he and a very distinguished man in black walked along with him from the jail. Just in time Dillsby's! The sheriff and his deputies were escorting a man in chains. A gathering up ahead on the street made the stage slow up to avoid running anyone over. Coming to a halt a few small blocks from the delivery station the hired gun, a grungy looking fellow by the name of Maurice Pertwee, dropped down and went to the coach door looking up at Malarky's burdens.
"Sorry ma'am! This is as far as we can go right now. If you need to stretch your legs a tad, you're welcome to. Looks like we might be delayed a spell."
"Why for?" Madigan yanked her sister inside and replaced her in the window. Still beautiful but modest Maddy enquired while eying the Sheriff up on the boardwalk. Noting her curiosity the sheriff excused himself from his deputies and the man in black and jumped from the walkway into the sand street.
"I can answer that. You all showed up on hanging day. Sorry for the inconvenience. Sheriff Milo Harshtag at your service." Hearing the word hanging Madigan went pale. Was this how it would be come time her brothers met their maker? She was not going to let them leave this earth that easily. "Yer welcome to watch if you want?"
Stunned by the morbid offer Madigan shot a glance up at the prisoner. "What did he do?"
"Horse thief! Mine at that!"
"He stole your horse?"
"Yup! I have to make an example of him, or every young fella will think he can get away with it."
"He's just a boy."
"Who if left to get away with it would be a future career outlaw. The law is the law ma'am."
Malarky tugged at her sister's shirt and pulled her back. "I'd love to watch with you Sheriff. If'n you don't mind my holding your arm when he falls."
"What are you doin'?" Maddy whispered!
