Driven in Love

Chapter Twenty-Five: Shovels

Chapter Twenty-Five

Shovels

When she reached around the river bend, Abby saw Jackson and Cole headed for her.

"Ya made it!" Jackson cried.

Cole ran up to her, scooped her off the saddle, and put her on the ground. Then he shook her hand vigorously. Jackson grinned, knowing that the boss has special feelings for the young man.

Cole's green eyes twinkled with happiness, and his expression was full of joy. He took a step back from Abby, and he forced his eyes to remain friendly and not too expressive.

"Kid, ya made it!" Cole said. "How ya feelin'?"

"Ya, I made it, thanks to ya! An boy am I glad ta see yuns! I'ma okay."

Jackson gave Abby a hearty shake as well. "Now I'ma owe'in ya big time," he said.

"No bigger than I owe boss man," she said, indicating Cole with her thumb.

"Gale, ya wouldn'ta been in that position if'n it hadn't been fer me." Jackson's face reddened and he looked sheepish.

"Who kin say?" Abby said, "I'ma just glad we're all here. Say, have yens seen Jim? I'ma worried about him. Ray said ain't no one seen 'em."

"Yuv' already seen an talked with Ray?" Jackson asked.

Cole immediately said, "We'd better load back up and go an look fer him."

"Ya, we better... if'n I have the strength ta get back up on that horse!"

"Ya need me ta put ya back up there?" Cole asked with a gleam in his eye.

"No, sir. Thank ya anyway!" Abby scrambled back up on her horse.

Jackson chuckled then mounted a riderless horse, and Cole swung a leg over Jet. The horses weren't fresh, but neither were the cattle. Aside from looking for Jim, the longhorn would need to be gathered before any of them could truly rest.

The group headed down stream. In random order, they encountered cowboys and long horn. It would be a long day assembling everyone and taking a toll on their losses.

About a half mile into their travel, Abby saw the first bovine carcass. It was partway washed on shore and still partway in a slow current. It made her sick.

The further down the river they went, the more bodies they saw. As far as Abby could tell, they'd lost around twelve to fifteen head of cattle. Still, there was no sign of any missing men.

When no more cattle were observed, Cole started to turn his mount back.

"Hang on, boss," Jackson said. "Looky over there." He pointed to a slight bend in the shore line where the foliage was denser. A bush had a pair of boots sticking out of it.

The men dug their heels into the sides of their horses. Tired or not, they made short work of the distance. They'd finally found Jim. The lanky hand was hunched over a body, working hard to pump water out of the man.

Cole waived him aside and took over. Jim collapsed back in an exhausted pile. He was very distraught.

"I – I tried ta save 'em," he rasped. "I did ma best."

Abby saw tears of stress, fatigue, regret, and grief leak out of the tall man's eyes.

Cole and Jackson took turns working on the big man. They pumped on his chest and even pushed air into his lungs, but it was to no avail. The man would never take another breath.