Boldly Chapter Seventeen

 Chapter Seventeen

Rumors

The news nearly turned the town upside down. Although such stories were a-plenty in other areas… nothing like this had ever happened in Keystone. It was nothing short of earth-shattering. And Lorna, when she heard it, was completely unprepared for what was coming next.

The sheriff had been shot. Shot dead through the heart and then the office ransacked. It had happened late at night. No one had seen it happen… but a few had been awakened by the gunshot. One man had seen a dark figure running off into the shadows. That was all. The deputy had done a careful investigation of the office and found several hundred dollars missing.

What came next… no one ever knew how it happened. Who can trace the spread of a rumor? It spreads like wildfire and is even harder to quench. In half a day, the rumor had circulated through town and somehow, along the way, been turned into fact. Or at least, Deputy Adams stated it was fact. It was announced in the center of town and the deputy requested a posse. Passing through on her way back from school, Lorna saw the crowd, and stopped to listen.

"A thorough investigation has been made," Deputy Adams was saying. "An' it has been discovered that a murderer is already here in Keystone. One o' the infamous Slade gang. He was involved in th' Carter Bank Robbery a few years back an' fer some reason was never brought t' justice fer it. The sheriff was a good man. But he let some things slide. Under my watch, there will be no more slips of justice. I propose we send a posse out to arrest this man. The man is… Jason McCulloch."

Lorna didn't even stop to think... she just turned and ran. If she hurried, she knew she could reach Jason's ranch before the posse did. In just a few minutes more, she had led Leannan from the stable and was galloping bareback, cutting across the plain as fast as the wind.

Jason was in the paddock when she rode in and, in spite of her fright, she felt relieved. Relieved that she didn't have to wander the range looking for him. He was breaking a new horse… a rather tawny, wild-looking mustang… running it in circles on a line. But he stopped when Lorna reined her pony in and dismounted, calling his name frantically. A look of alarm crossed his face and he left the mustang standing in the paddock as he ran to meet her.

"Somethin' wrong, Lorna?"

"Aye! Och, Jason… ye…" she paused, trying in vain to catch her breath. "Ye heard about th' sheriff bein… murdered?"

"Yes," Jason frowned. "Did they find out what happened?"

"Nae. But Jason… Jason, they're sayin' that ye did it!"

"They're what?!"

"I… dinna ken… how it… happened. But there's a posse comin' out here… right now! Och, Jason, ye've got t' go! Leave Dakota at once!"

"I can't."

Lorna's face turned white.

"Jason… ye… ye have t' go! Ye canna stay here. They'll find ye an'… an' they won't understand. I know ye're innocent but… they'll never believe ye. It's dangerous, Jason, dinna ye see? Dangerous!"

"Lorna… Lorna…" Jason put his hands on her shoulders and looked down at her. He was half-smiling… almost laughing.

"What?"

"Dinna fash."

Lorna just stared at him for a moment. Then she smiled, rather weakly.

"So ye are more Scottish than ye thought."

"Aye." Jason grinned. "Remember, Lorna… that second time we met? Remember ya asked me… "Where's yer courage? Th' courage t' do what ye ken ye need t' do?" Well, this is one o' those times. I know what I need t' do, an' God give me courage. If I run now, Lorna, they'll believe that I'm guilty. I need t' stay an' face them… to prove my innocence."

"Och, Jason…" Lorna suddenly threw her arms around him and buried her face in his shoulder. He held her close… not even moving when he heard the hoofbeats in the distance. But Lorna raised her face to his. Her lips moved as if she wanted to speak… but no sound came out.

"Listen, Lorna. I'll have t' go… I want ya t' stay here an' wait fer Hank. When he gets back, tell him what happened."

The riders had reined their horses in and jumped to the ground, all in one swift motion. In another moment they had surrounded the pair and were pulling Lorna from Jason's arms. And she fought them… hard. Struggling to pull herself away.

"Lorna… Lorna, please…" Jason was calling to her. "Just… just wait. And remember… dinna fash!"

She didn't answer. She found that she couldn't. She could only watch in helpless anger as the men twisted Jason's arms behind his back, binding his hands roughly. Shoving him onto the spare horse they brought. She hated them… hated them all, bitterly. How dare they accuse an innocent man!

"What about the gal?" one of the men was asking. The deputy turned and looked at Lorna… she could feel his eyes piercing through her and she shivered.

"The schoolteacher?"

"Yup. Is she involved in this?"

"If you lay a hand on her, I'll…" Jason lashed out at the man who had spoken.

"You'll what?" the man returned tauntingly.

"Nah. Leave her alone." the deputy snarled. "Likely she didn't know he was a murderer… one o' Slade's men, eh? Let's get back t' town."

And they galloped off, leaving Lorna alone in a cloud of dust.