The Dawn of Fury (78 page)

“They come in sets, of course,” the store manager said. “The engagement ring she can wear immediately.”

“That's what we want,” Nathan said. “A set.”

Mary looked at the tray of rings and seemed struck dumb by such elegance. She turned to Nathan and he laughed.

“Choose the one you want,” he said.

“I have less expensive sets,” the jeweler said discreetly.

“No,” Nathan said, “we'll go with one of these.”

Mary chose a set, and the rings fit perfectly. She nodded at Nathan.

“An excellent choice,” the jeweler said. “Shall I wrap it?”

“No,” said Nathan. “She's going to wear the engagement ring now.”

“That will be four hundred dollars,” the jeweler said.

Mary's eyes went wide, but before she could protest, Nathan was paying for the rings. He slipped the engagement ring on her finger and they left the store.

On February eighth, a courier brought Nathan a message from Joel Netherton, and it was brief.
Proposal accepted,
it read, and Netherton had signed it.

“Kansas—Pacific's agreed to try something else I suggested,” he told Mary, “and I'd like to have the marrying done first.”

“I don't want to rush into it,” she said. “Why don't we wait?”

“Because I have some money in a bank in Denver,” he said, “and I want you to have a legal right to it.”

“In case you don't come back alive,” she said.

“Yes, but I didn't intend to say it like that. I have every intention of coming back alive, but I may be away for a while.”

“So you want to marry before you go. Where are you going?”

He explained his plan to take his men to Fort Dodge, to cut off El Gato's renegades before they reached the safety of Indian Territory.

“Then we'll marry before you go,” she said, “because I'm going with you.”

“But I'd rather you were here,” said Nathan. “Dr. Pendleton's near, and you'd have Eppie to look after you.”

“I might have agreed to that,” she said, “before today, but today I knew you wanted me, and as long as there's life in me, I'll never leave you.”

It was a touching moment, and she seemed more beautiful than she'd ever been in the few short months he had known her. He sat down beside her and took her hands in his.

“All right,” he said. “I'll see Netherton in the morning, and we'll go find a preacher tomorrow evening.”

“I have approval to try your plan for sixty days,” said Netherton, “and I have been instructed by our board of directors to send you to a studio here that specializes in tintypes. From that, an etching will be made for use in the newspaper. The Kansas—Pacific's had so much bad publicity as a result of the robberies and killings, they're planning to release a story that covers some of your activities on behalf of the railroad.”

“I can't see that bein' of much help,” said Nathan. “They'd better wait until I've had some success.”

He went to the studio and posed for the tintype, thinking no more about it, not knowing until it was too late what a profound effect a newspaper story would have on his life.

Nathan and Mary said their vows in the small church that Eppie attended. Eppie was there, as was Joel Netherton and some of the men who would be going with Nathan to Fort Dodge. Afterward, Nathan spoke to Netherton.

“The men are leaving in the morning,” Nathan said, “taking my horse with them. Mary and me will take the train to Hays. From there to Fort Dodge, I'll rent a buckboard or we'll take the military mud wagon from Fort Hays.”

“Do you think it's wise, taking her with you?” “She insists,” said Nathan. “I'm officially recognized at Fort Dodge, and she's been there with me before. I reckon you've made arrangements with Fort Dodge to have my men fed and quartered?”

“Yes,” Netherton replied. “Lieutenant-Colonel Hatton has cooperated fully. Any telegrams to you or from you have priority.”

On February twelfth, Nathan and Mary took the train to Hays. Cotton Blossom had made up his mind that his first train ride was going to be his last, and Nathan had to lift him bodily into the coach. Finally, resigned to his fate, he cowered on a seat, digging his claws into the fabric every time the train lurched. On February fourteenth, Nathan and Mary were taken by army ambulance to Fort Dodge. Cotton Blossom loped happily along behind.

On February twenty-fifth, the Sunday edition of the Kansas City newspaper featured a story on the Kansas—Pacific and its never-ending struggle with robbers and Indians. The etching accompanied the story. The story attracted widespread interest, especially in Wichita, where Breed bought one at the mercantile. When he returned to Indian Territory, he wasted no time in presenting the newspaper to El Gato.

“Bastardo,” El Gato snarled. “He take my woman!”

“Married up with her, too,” Breed said, laughing. “Says so, there in that newspaper.”

“I will kill him,” El Gato hissed. “I will kill them both. Por Dios, nobody makes the fool of El Gato!”

El Gato had a habit of sending a rider to Wichita, to Abilene, or even Kansas City, with instructions to keep his eyes and ears open. Once a week, usually on Saturday, one of the gang would hang around the saloons and the mercantile at the tent city, beyond Fort Dodge. Occasionally, El Gato even sent a man to Fort Dodge, to look, to listen. Thus it was Vanado who saw Nathan Stone and Mary, the girl who had once belonged to El Gato. Careful not to be seen, Vanado had ridden away, back to Indian Territory. The news he brought kept El Gato awake far into the night, pondering the reason for Nathan Stone being at Fort Dodge. He would kill this dog, but not until he had suffered, had been cut to the heart. He would take from him the treacherous bitch who had run away from him.

On March first, the robbers blew up the Kansas—Pacific track, stopping a westbound train that carried nothing of value. They pistol-whipped the engineer and fireman and then rode away emptyhanded. The trainmen dutifully wired Kansas City and the message was relayed to Nathan Stone at Fort Dodge. From a distance, Vanado watched the fort through El Gato's spyglass. He grunted in satisfaction as Nathan Stone and eleven other riders emerged from the fort. These men were at Fort Dodge for a purpose, and El Gato's suspicions had been confirmed. Vanado returned the spyglass to his saddlebag and rode toward the fort. El Gato wished to know where the treacherous woman was quartered ...

“Damn it,” Nick Klady grumbled, after Nathan and his companions had ridden for miles along the northern edge of Indian Territory, “it's like the varmints
want
us gallopin' around out here, gettin' nowhere. They're playin' cat-and-mouse with us.”

“They're dead serious,” Nathan said. “They didn't blow up the track, stop that train, and ride away emptyhanded for nothing. I've had a run-in with El Gato and his bunch before, and most of them would recognize me, given the chance. I reckon I've been seen at the fort. El Gato just stirred up some smoke, and now that we've come looking for the fire, he knows why we're here. We just lost our edge, whatever we had.”