Blackwell Bounty

Chapter Two

The sun had begun to set when the sheriff strolled into the hotel restaurant - managed by Millie Baker herself - with a Harris sister on each arm. Wyatt seemed as proud as a man could be to escort his two daughters to supper. Because nearly everyone in Blackwell - except for passers-by and newcomers of course - knew Sheriff Wyatt Harris, the trio was greeted by several people whom were also enjoying dinner at the restaurant. It seemed fairly busy on this particular evening with most tables seating at least one or more patrons.

Wyatt led his two daughters to a table and pulled out both of their seats like the gentleman he was known to be. After pushing their chairs up to the table gently, Wyatt seated himself across from Edith with Caroline at his right.

Millie, having seen the three of them come in, hurried over to the table with a broad smile upon her face. She was always at the restaurant around dinner time, since that was the busiest moment of the day. Millie was a woman of healthy curves, with nowhere near the gut worn by her husband but lacking the slim figure of a physic such as Caroline's willowy body. Nearing her mid-forties, Millie Baker had her own fair share of wrinkles. Her hair had once been a vibrant, beautiful red that trailed down her back to her hips but it was now streaks of grey and white mingled with the red tresses. With eyes the color of the clear sky on a summer's day and a bright smile to match, Millie was still a fair sight even though she wasn't as young as she used to be.

"Looks like you're in some lovely company tonight, Sheriff," Mille said, resting a hand on one of her hips rounded by carrying four children added with over fourty years of life.

Wyatt laughed and nodded as he glanced at his two daughters. "Yes ma'am, I do believe these are the two best lookin' people I've ever laid eyes on. Course I, being the handsome man I am, might rival them just a bit." He stroked a hand over his beard, grinning mischievously at his own humor.

Millie swatted his arm with a dishtowel she'd had draped over her shoulder. "You'd like to think that wouldn't you, you ol' devil!" She said, laughing.

Caroline, Edith, the sheriff and any who were close enough to be paying attention to the conversation all laughed in amusement. Millie was everyone's friend but she and the sheriff particularly liked to poke fun at each other. They were much like siblings, though there weren't many people that weren't fond of the patient and friendly Wyatt Harris - except for lawbreakers, of course.

Once he seemed to have recovered from his laughing fit, Wyatt asked, "Have you got any of that famous fried chicken ready for me, Millie?"

Millie smiled as she nodded her head knowingly. Every time the sheriff ate at the restaurant, he asked for Millie's fried chicken. "I'll see what I can do about getting some chicken in that belly, Sheriff."

Each Harris sister ordered what they seemed to have a taste for and Millie whisked away to the kitchen in the back to prepare their food. Chatter filled the atmosphere of the restaurant around the three Harris'. The town was by far rich in any way, but Blackwell had it's poor and poorer. The more well-to-do citizens were quite used to dining in the restaurant. The sheriff was far from rich, but he was comfortable financially. Even if he wasn't, even if dining out like this were impossible for Wyatt or his family, one or more people in town would be glad to help him. The man was humble and placid, always there to lend a hand even when both hands of his own were full with his own problems. He was respected and for a lawman, that was a very important trait.

However, everyone knew about the problems within the Harris home. Though it was not openly discussed in public of course, there were whispered questions of why Emmy Lou Harris had not yet returned to her husband and their second daughter. Most called her dishonorable names since she was not in sight to refute the snide comments. But never had Wyatt breathed a slanderous or vile word about his wife of almost twenty five years. Never did he seem angry or hurt by her absence. Never did he accuse her of finding another man to satisfy her. Hardly did he ever even breathe a word at all of Emmy Lou, even to his two daughters.