A Horsewoman for Harlan by Barbara Goss (the top 100 crime novels of all time TXT) 📕

Harlan, Clay, the sheriff, and his posse trampled through the old farmhouse but found no one and no clues.

“T.J. did mention his crew took cattle on a drive to Topeka, but he didn’t go.” Harlan added, “If there’s money from the cattle drive, then T.J. will be heading that way to get his cut.”

“All right.  I’ll send half my posse to Topeka,” Sheriff Conn said.

“Wait!” Clay said. “I hear someone riding up the path to the house.”

The sheriff ordered, “Everyone to the kitchen where we can’t be seen.  Good thing we left our horses in the back.  Hopefully, whoever it is won’t see them.”

The men crouched behind a pantry door and peeked around it to see who might enter the house.

“It’s a lone rider,” Sheriff Conn said.  “He’s tying his horse.”

It was only minutes before they heard pounding on the door.

“Is that T.J.?” the sheriff asked Harlan.

“No. I don’t know this man.”

One of the men in the posse chanced a look and said, “That’s Swanson.”

“Who?” Sheriff Conn asked.

“He used to work at the livery.  He’s a no-good drifter who’ll do anything for money.”

“Is that right?  Hmm...” the sheriff murmured. “Harlan, go out there and see what he wants.  Pretend you’re one of T.J.’s men.”

Harlan holstered his gun and went to the front door.  “Who are you, and what’s your business here?”

Swanson said, “I’m looking for T.J.  He owes me money.”

“For what?” Harlan asked.

“For this.” Swanson held up Millie’s braid.

Harlan felt faint, but he knew he had to keep his composure.  He leaned on the doorjamb to keep from falling, but he couldn’t mask his pale face.  It took him minutes to respond.

“Well?” Swanson yelled.  “Where is he?”

“What did you do with the little girl?”

“She’s tied up in my house.  If I don’t get my money, I’m letting her go free.  She’s kicked and bit me enough for one day. She’s a wild cat.”

Harlan felt his blood circulate again.  Millie was all right, but he needed to think fast. He opened the door wide and invited the man inside.  “T.J.’s not here, but he left your money. It’s in the kitchen on the table.  Help yourself to it—you earned it.”

Swanson walked swiftly into the kitchen where the sheriff grabbed him and tied his hands behind him. The irate man cussed up a storm.

On the sheriff’s way out with Swanson, he called,  “Half my men are going to Topeka. The rest will stay here.  Harlan, you and Clay can go get your little girl. Swanson said his house is behind the boarding house.”

Harlan and Clay rode like the wind to get to Swanson’s place to rescue Millie.  When they got there and found the house empty, they felt defeated.

“What now?” Clay asked.  “I can see she was here—the ropes are still tied to the bedposts.”

Harlan took a close look around as if he might find a clue, but there was nothing.  He sighed. “Let’s go home, Clay.  We haven’t slept in days. Maybe Millie somehow broke loose and is on her way home.”

“I’ll be praying for her safety all the way home,” Clay said.

“That’s a good idea,” Harlan replied. “It’s getting dark.  I hate to think of her wandering around in the dark, but she knows her way home.”

Harlan and Clay burst into the house and stopped short just inside the kitchen when they saw Millie drinking milk and eating cookies with Martha and Elise.

“She’s safe,” Harlan exclaimed.

“Thank God,” Clay said. “Tell us what happened.”

Elise calmly told them how she found Millie and freed her.  Still angry with Elise for having brought that man to their home, Harlan simply nodded, thinking how fitting it was that she had been the one to rescue Millie—Elise had caused the problem, and she should have been the one to solve it.

“They still haven’t caught T.J. and his friends, but Sheriff Conn has Swanson locked up.  I nearly fainted when he held up Millie’s braid.”

“Martha and I have an idea for a new hairdo for Millie.  I think she’ll love it,” Elise said.

Harlan noticed that Elise didn't look him in the face when she spoke. If she felt guilty over this, she should.  He wondered how he’d overcome his anger enough to work with her again.

Harlan put his arms around Millie.  “I was so scared.  Thank God, you’re safe.”

Millie looked up at him.  “I was scared, too, Papa.  I thought I’d never see my family again.  I kicked and bit that man, but he was stronger than I was.  When I was tied to the bed, I wanted to sleep, but I heard mice or rats running around.  I prayed so hard, and suddenly, Elise was there to save me.  I love her.

“Let’s go up to bed, Elise.  I’m tired, and I can’t wait to sleep in my own bed again.”

Elise held her arms out to Millie. “Would you like for me to sleep with you in your bed tonight?”

“Oh, yes!  I’d feel safer in your arms.”

“Say your goodnights, then,” Elise said, “and we’ll go up.”

“I put fresh washing water and towels in your room,” Martha said.

Harlan kissed Millie.  “I love you,” he told her. He watched as she skipped alongside Elise until they disappeared up the stairs.

Martha sighed. “Thank God for Elise.  That little girl sure loves her.”

Chapter Fourteen

T.J. and Troy met their cattleman just a few miles south of Topeka.  They split the money, and the cattleman rode away. T.J. told Troy, “Bring out those hidden horses.   I can’t wait to see what we can sell them for.”

Troy brought the hidden horses out from behind some large bushes about a half mile away.  When he joined T.J. , he said, “How do we go about selling quality stock like this?”

T. J. grinned