Wild Roses Read Free

by two more of the youths everyone referred to as Louise’s boys. What made her tense was the pair of legs she could see directly behind them. Instinct told her that that man was the one who had cocked the rifle. What she could see clearly was that everyone except the man she was draped over was holding a gun and the tension between the men was so thick she could feel it pressing in on her. Although she was terrified about being put in the reach of her Philadelphia kin, she did not want anyone to die trying to save her.
    â€œGive it up, Joshua,” she said. “This isn’t worth dying over.”
    â€œNo? Didn’t you say those folks back east are eager to see you dead?” Joshua asked, never taking his gaze from the unarmed Harrigan.
    â€œThey are, but I’m not in their hands yet.”
    â€œThis bastard means to put you there.”
    â€œThere are a lot of miles between here and there. You can’t win this standoff. And that pig, Smith, has put Auntie in his jail. She could use some help and I could certainly use her free and fighting for me.”
    For one long minute the tense confrontation held, then Joshua and his friends put their guns away. Ella breathed a sigh of relief and felt it faintly echoed in Mahoney. She intended to fight hard and long every step of the way to Philadelphia, but she did not want the trail to be littered with the bodies of her friends.
    â€œDon’t you worry none, Ella,” Joshua said as he and his friends began cautiously to move away. “We’ll get Louise out of trouble and then we’ll get you free of this. That flock of carrion back east won’t be picking on your bones.”
    â€œHow colorfully put,” Ella murmured as she watched her three erstwhile rescuers walk away.
    â€œPhew,” Clement said as he reholstered his gun with a shaky hand. “I thought Joshua was going to shoot you dead, Mr. Mahoney.”
    â€œOh, not with you here to protect me, Clement,” drawled Harrigan as he nodded his thanks to George and started toward the train.
    â€œSir, I couldn’t shoot a man. Hell, I can’t hit anything I shoot at. Joshua knows that, too.”
    Harrigan glanced at a morose Clement and suddenly realized that none of the young men had aimed their guns at Clement. In fact, they had mostly ignored the timid youth. Since the deputy had made it clear that he was glad to see the Carson woman leave, and that he expected trouble from “Louise’s boys,” Harrigan could not understand why he had been given such an inept guard. Smith was either incompetent, or unaware of Clement’s failings. One look at Clement’s morose face was enough to make Harrigan decide not to file any complaint against the young man.
    â€œI think it would be best if we got out of here as speedily as possible,” said George, pausing at the door of the train to let Harrigan board first. “This job isn’t looking as easy as you thought it would be.”
    After murmuring his thanks to Clement, who left them with a graceless haste, Harrigan nodded, briefly grimacing at his assistant. “Once we’re on our way, the situation will grow calmer, George.”
    â€œI am beginning to think you have about as much wit as the deputy,” said Ella, cringing a little as they strode through the passenger car, for she recognized several of the people there. “My aunt will be hot on our trail as soon as that idiot Smith releases her.”
    â€œHer aunt?” murmured George as he helped Harrigan settle Ella on a seat.
    Harrigan briefly told George about the confrontation at the jail. “We will be on a train rolling steadily toward Philadelphia. I don’t see her as much of a threat.”
    Ella was just about to reply when Harrigan clicked shut a pair of wrist shackles, chaining her right arm to the arm of the seat. For a brief moment she was stunned, then mortified, certain that every other person in