Notch 4
a short story by CE Wills
copyright 2011 by CE Wills
published on Smashwords, Inc. 2011 by CE Wills
This ebook is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual people or events is purely coincidental.
This ebook contains adult language and situations. It is for adults only. All characters are 18 years of age or older.
Thanks for reading this ebook. It is licensed for your private use and may not be resold. If you enjoy it, please return to Smashwords and try other books by this author.
This is the 4th volume in the Notch series, which features the story of gunman Cedric Gant. You can certainly enjoy it as a 'stand-alone' story, but it would doubtless enhance your enjoyment of it if you read the books in order.
: The Last Notch
: Notch 2
:Notch 3
: Notch 4
Chapter 1
I had a lot of sleepless nights after my wife, Melon, died. Those of you who have followed my story know that Melon died as she gave birth to my son, Mel. I named Mel after his mother. I figured she would have liked that.
About those sleepless nights... Melon was all of forty years old when I met her and I was a 23 year-old gunman. To tell the truth, I felt that I had murdered her by planting my seed inside her. She was too old to have a baby. Heck, I had never even thought about Melon having a baby. I was innocent in the ways of men and women when I met her, but by golly, that didn't last long after I rode up to the Circle B ranch one rainy night.
Don't get me wrong. I pretty much knew that women could have a baby if they partook of man cream. Virgin though I was, I was pretty sure that you didn't find babies under cabbage leaves, like my Pa had told me.
At any rate, I'd wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat, dreaming of Melon dying as she gave birth to the boy. Sometimes, in the dream, she'd cry out to me as she died.
"Dear God, Ced! You've killed me!"
I'd go about my work at the ranch or out on the range with the great herd of cattle, but I know that I looked haggard and worn.
Melon's daughter, who was the same age as I, commented on my condition one day at breakfast. Her room was next to mine and she took care of baby Mel like he was her own son, rather than her little brother.
"Ced, I heard you cry out last night."
I nodded without looking up. "Had a bad dream is all," I said.
Abigail shook her head sadly. "Did you dream about Mother again?"
"Yes," I said softly. Before I knew it, I had told her about the dream. She was disturbed.
"Cedric Gant! That's foolishness! You are not responsible for mama's death whatsoever. She felt that you were one of the best things that ever happened to her. Didn't you save her life? And mine too?" Her eyes were blue pools of concern and anger... and maybe something else. She put her hand on mine as it lay on the table. "I think Mother was very lucky to have found you."
I looked at her and she was tearing up. She blushed and picked up little Mel from the seat I'd made for him. She kissed his chubby face, which seemed to delight him. He grabbed her hair and pulled her face to his. Almost put a lump in my throat.
Abby's talk helped me somewhat but I still had bad dreams. I didn't eat right, either and I began to drink pretty regular.
I started to be a little short with my men. Our herd had grown quickly to a substantial 12,000 head of beef and we had 16 cowboys. During round-up, branding and drives to market we hired additional men. All those firebrands would test the patience of that fellow Job, from the Bible days. They were never easy to manage. My foreman, Outhouse Jones, carried a lot of the load but I didn't enjoy my job as much after Melon died.
Then one day I rode up to the ranch and found Abby standing on the porch talking to a mounted rider. It was one of my hands, a fellow named Cedar Smith. They both appeared ill-at-ease when I rode up and dismounted.
Cedar was in his late twenties, a red-haired, freckled man with a bit of a smart-aleck nature.
"Howdy, boss," he said laconically.
"Howdy, Smith. I thought you were supposed to be busting the brush for strays."
Cedar smiled and began to roll a smoke.
"Yeah. Well, I thought Miss Abigail might be lonely. Thought I'd ride over heah."
His attitude caused my wrath to bubble, just that quick. I flipped a twenty dollar gold piece at him which caused him to drop the makings of the cigarette. He caught the coin and looked angrily at me.
"What's this for?"
"That squares us, Cedar. Clear off this range."
"Hah! You think I give a damn about this job?"
I shook my head slowly, ever watchful of his gun hand.
"No. It's clear that you don't care about your job. So, I'll say it again. Go." I was getting that icy, cold feeling now. The rage was gone and my vision, my senses were enhanced.
Cedar snorted and put the coin in his shirt pocket.
"This filly of yours led me on, Gant."
Abigail gasped. "Ced, that's a damn lie! I never encouraged him, nor wanted him around me."
Without turning I said, "Go inside Abby." I was relieved with the sound of her retreating footsteps. I kept myself squared up with the bold front of Cedar Smith. He appeared to be making up his mind about drawing on me.
"Don't do it, Smith," I said quietly.
"What?" He said innocently.
"Don't try to draw on me. There's not a man on earth who can sit on a horse and beat me to a gun when I'm standing on my feet."
He threw his head back and laughed. Then his eyes narrowed as he looked at me. He seemed to vibrate throughout his frame. Then his hand flashed to his right side for his gun. In a flash I threw my gun and shot him. The big .44 slug took him in the shirt pocket which held the gold coin I had just given him. Cedar Smith slid to the dirt beside his pitching horse. Like many a better man, he had died over a pretty woman.
Chapter 2
After that I stayed fairly close to the ranch unless Outhouse Jones was around to watch after Abby and the baby. Killing Cedar Smith had discouraged a lot of local suitors from pursuing Abby. She was a beautiful lass and it was unnatural for her to be unmarried and in her early twenties. I spoke to her about it. She shrugged the subject aside.
"My life is full. I have baby Mel to raise and you to cook for. If I married, I'd have to leave the baby. I couldn't do that."
The months rolled on. Mel's second birthday came and he was toddling around. One day I was repairing my saddle. Abby was sitting under an apple tree just a stone's throw away from where I was working. I had my saddle thrown over the corral fence. She had spread a quilt and Mel was crawling all about, playing with some wooden horses I'd carved for him. Abby sat next to him, the warm breeze blowing a strand of her hair up under her nose. She appeared not to notice. She was idly playing with a keepsake of her's.
It was the Double Eagle gold piece that I'd given Cedar Smith. To my surprise, Abigail had wanted it for a 'keepsake'. The coin had a sizeable hole through it. I often saw Abby turning it idly in the fingers of her right hand and gazing off into the distance. Many was the time when I wanted to offer her a 'penny for her thoughts'. Somehow, I couldn't seem to do it.
It bothered me that she would sacrifice herself for me and my son. She should have a nice, young boy to court her, I thought as I returned to work on the saddle. I spoke aloud to myself.