The Blue Roan

Christine could see the pure pleasure in the face of Winters' lawyer as he asked his next question. "Did you happen to see Blue Rhone while you were there? He just swore under oath that he spent the night in the very same building."

"No, Sir, I didn't. The building is only about twelve by fifteen. I would've noticed if someone else had been in there with me."

Several loud gasps were heard at the bombshell dropped by Zeb Smith. Will had no questions, so Zeb was dismissed and Blue was called back to the stand. Turnbull, Winters' lawyer, was grinning as he asked Blue, "Do you want to call Zeb Smith a liar and stick with your story, or do you want to tell us the truth?"

"Zeb's a good man. He's no liar," stated Blue simply. "I wasn't in the line shack that night, but I didn't shoot Luke Winters."

"Why don't you tell us where you were when Luke was shot?" prodded the lawyer. "Why is that so difficult if you weren't the person to shoot him?"

"I was caught out on the range in the rain. I can't prove it, but I wasn't anywhere near Bonnet," replied Blue calmly.

"I strongly urge the court to formally charge Blue Rhone with attempted murder!" demanded the shyster, knowing it could favorably influence the decision regarding the ownership of the disputed land.

"Do you have anything to add to this, Blue?" asked an obviously concerned Judge Lane. Blue simply shook his head in response.

"If there's nothing more, then I'm afraid that I'll have you formally charged with attempted murder. I can't understand why you'd lie about being in that line camp. Hand your gun over to the sheriff," ordered Judge Lane.

Christine was horrified. Blue was going to be jailed for attempted murder! How could anyone believe that he'd ever shoot someone in the back? She realized that she was selfishly trying to protect whatever honor she may still possess at the risk of Blue's future. What honor would there be in allowing Blue to serve a prison sentence to protect her? She knew what she needed to do.

"Your honor!" called Christine as she suddenly stood and stepped forward. "I have information pertinent to this hearing. May I be sworn in?"

"Sis, do you really want to do this?" hissed Will, as he intercepted his sister on her way to the witness chair.

Christine shook her elbow loose from her brother's grip and took her place on the witness stand, which was simply a chair next to Judge Lane's. Once she was sworn in, Judge Lane addressed the room.

"Miss Hamilton has asked to speak on the matter of the back shooting of Luke Winters. The court will allow her to make her statement and then questions may be asked by the lawyers representing each party. Miss Hamilton, everyone is waiting to hear what you have to tell us."

"Blue wasn't alone that night. I was with him all night," was all Christine managed before the spectators began talking rapidly. Christine saw the shock on her sister's face and the concern on her father's. Not surprisingly, June was smiling broadly at Christine's revelation.

Christine refused to look away as all eyes in the court were on her. What did surprise Christine was the grin on Rachel Rhone's face. Perhaps she was relieved that her son had an alibi?

Mrs. Edders, the owner of the mercantile, was also smiling and nodding approvingly. As she looked around the room, Christine saw nothing but smiling faces and small nods of approval!

As the din in the room abated, Christine resumed her story. "I was riding along Jennings Creek because I was curious about how the spring flood had altered the course of the streambed. I had decided to ride toward the mountains until I found where the course of the stream had shifted. I was alone. It became quite dark and then it began to rain. I was soaking wet when I saw a small shack situated not far from the west bank of the creek.

"The obvious problem was finding a place to safely cross Jennings Creek. I dismounted to look at an area I thought might allow my horse to safely cross. I slipped and plunged into Jennings Creek. I don't know if any of you have ever been in that water, but it was freezing cold. I tried to scramble up the bank but slid back in. I actually began to think I'd never get out of the stream before I froze or drowned," recalled Christine as everyone in the room listened intently to her story.

"Suddenly Blue was next to me in the water! I didn't know that he was any place close, but there he was. He physically lifted me up and placed me on the bank of Jennings Creek. I looked back down to help him and saw where the effort to lift me from the rushing water had caused him to slip. A piece of a tree limb cracked into his forehead pretty hard and he drifted downstream a short ways before he grabbed a small bush hanging over the edge.

"I managed to reach his collar and pulled as hard as I could while he scrambled up the bank. By the time he flopped down on the bank, he was barely conscious and rather incoherent. I managed to drag him inside the shack and cover him with blankets. He was much better the next morning and we rode home."

Winters' lawyer was quick to pounce once he determined that Christine had finished her story. "That's quite a story. I don't know which part is harder to believe. You're telling us that Mr. Rhone had you for an alibi all along and never mentioned your name? You expect us to believe that you two almost drowned in that icy creek and then decided to just spend the night together?

"Tell us, Miss Hamilton, did you sleep with Mr. Rhone? Are the two of you lovers? Did you dream this story up in case his other lie fell through?"

"Mr. Trumbull, you're treading on thin ice!" interrupted Will. "This lady is my sister and will be treated with respect!

"She claims she spent the night in a line camp with a cowboy! Ladies don't do that," declared Turnbull. "You can't have it both ways. Either she is a lady and was home in bed that night, or she's a harlot, sleeping with who knows how many men! Which is it?"

"Sheriff, restrain Mr. Rhone!" instructed Judge Lane. "Order in my courtroom is my responsibility, Mr. Rhone."

Blue had leaped to his feet and was well on his way to a cowering Turnbull when he was intercepted by the sheriff. Blue glared at Turnbull before returning to his seat.

"Mr. Turnbull, you're new to these parts," continued Judge Lane. "Miss Hamilton is a very well-liked and admired young woman in this town. If you choose to denigrate her further, any one of a number of men in attendance will gladly administer a badly needed lesson in manners. Find a more respectful way to question Miss Hamilton, or I will not be responsible for your well-being."

"Your honor, this shyster's opinion doesn't concern me," assured Christine. "I'll answer his questions. Blue and I are not lovers. We did sleep together that night, but that was because we were both freezing to death. I can assure you that I've never had sex with Blue, or any other man.

"I had to peel his wet clothes off him while he was delirious. For the sake of complete disclosure, I removed my wet clothing and slid under the covers with Blue, each of us creating warmth for the other. We remained that way all night. In the morning we dried our clothes and returned to our respective residences."

Unsure how to respond to Judge Lane's admonishment and the obvious ire of those watching the hearing, Turnbull opted to remain silent. Will waited to be certain that Turnbull had no more questions before he approached his sister.

"You're telling this court that Blue Rhone jumped into that freezing water to save your life. In turn, you practically dragged him from the icy waters and then into the line shack," recounted Will carefully. "You removed his clothes, as well as your own, and then the two of you slept together?"

"Will, you make it sound worse than it was! We actually slept, not what people usually think when they hear that a couple slept together. Blue was a perfect gentleman," insisted Christine.

"Christine, are you in love with Blue?" asked Will gently.

"Will! Please don't ask me that. Leave me what little pride I have left," pleaded Christine as tears began trickling down her cheeks.

"You have to trust me. I'll ask again and I remind you that you're under oath. Are you in love with Blue Rhone?" prodded Will gently.

Christine stared at the floor in front of her chair as she slowly nodded her head before quietly saying, "Yes, I am."

"Mr. Rhone? You're still under oath," stated Will as he turned his attention to Blue. "You managed to romance my sister, spend a night in bed with her naked, and cause her to fall in love with you. Where's this western chivalry we hear so much about? You use a young woman and then toss her aside when you've gotten what you want. A real man would never treat a young woman so poorly!

"Tell everyone exactly how you feel about my sister! Do you have any intention of making this right, or are you even lower than a back shooter?" demanded Will hotly as he faced Blue.

"I never hurt her, I never would," insisted Blue as he looked at the downcast Christine before turning his attention to his friends and neighbors as they watched and listened intently. "I'm in love with her! I'd marry her right now if she'd have me!"

"Christine! Mr. Rhone just proposed marriage," explained Will. "Do you want to marry this man, or perhaps you'd like to take this opportunity to tell him off. Let him feel the pain of a broken heart. Then you can return to Virginia and resume your old life."

Christine slowly raised her eyes and sought Blue's. She used the back of her hand to wipe the tears from her face and managed a weak smile.

"Do you really love me?"

"More than I ever thought possible," replied Blue softly.

"Do you really want to marry me?" was Christine's next question.

"It would be the highlight of my life," stated Blue as he stood and moved across the room to where Christine sat. Before he reached her, she was on her feet and in his arms, pulling his lips down to hers. Applause broke out in the room as people gathered around the young couple.

"Way to go, Sis! That was the most romantic court drama I've ever seen! Are you going to introduce me to your cowboy?" asked Becky as she pulled her sister from Blue and fiercely hugged her.

"There'll be time for that later. Judge Lane, I request that you perform the marriage ceremony right now. I fear that Mr. Rhone may be a flight risk and it's imperative that this union be legally binding immediately," insisted Will loudly.

"I believe you're correct, Mr. Hamilton! Blue and Christine, please stand here in front of me. We need to get this done," directed Judge Lane.

"I'm not complaining, but isn't this unusually fast?" questioned an obviously bewildered Blue.

"You're in my court room and you'll obey the orders of the court! You could be spending tonight in jail, rather than in the arms of this beautiful woman," retorted Judge Lane. "Is this a difficult choice for you?"

"No sir! I don't even have a ring. I didn't plan on this happening, at least not today. I was hoping it would at some time in the future."

"Here, use my rings," offered Rachel as she pulled her rings from her finger. "They were your grandmother's and they should fit Christine. I'm expecting to get some new ones soon, if a certain judge is as honorable as my son."

It was a short ceremony. Becky stood next to her sister, while Christine insisted that her father walk her down the row of seats and then give her away. Will was pressed into service as best man. Five minutes later, they were a married couple.

Once the ceremony was over, Judge Lane pounded his gavel and demanded that everyone resume their seats. "We still have unfinished business here. The first order is the shooting of Luke Winters. Mr. Hamilton, I believe you have another witness?"

"Yes, Your Honor. I call Red Jones to the stand." A buzz went through the crowd as an unkempt, middle aged man walked up to the witness chair and was sworn in.

"Would you please tell us about the events of the evening that Luke Winters was shot," was all Will said.

"Not much to tell. Luke and a couple of the boys had too much to drink. They started making bets on their marksmanship with pistols. Somewhere along the line, Luke staggered and wound up in front of Slim Reynolds as he was taking a shot. He got dinged a little in the back, but he cried like it was the end of the world. Next thing we know, he's riding into town, crying like a little baby.

"The next day he told all of us hands not to say anything about how he got shot. He intended to use the accident to help his chances of getting that good grazing land from the Rhones. I never promised nothing, and I'll look for another job before I'll tell a low-down lie for some whining kid."

Judge Lane had to pound his gavel to restore order. "Thanks for the testimony, Mr. Jones. Luke Winters, I'd put your ass in jail for lying to the court, but then I'd have to do the same to our new groom. I suspect you're about to receive better punishment anyway."

"Just a minute!" exclaimed Christine as she turned her full attention to her brother. "You knew you had proof that Blue was innocent, but you let me make a fool of myself in front of everyone? I never had to tell about that night we spent in the line shack?"

"I asked if you really wanted to do it," reminded Will with an evil grin. "You insisted, so I simply let you do what you were going to do anyway. When I have ever been able to change your mind?"

"Excuse me, Mrs. Rhone but we need to move to the next matter," declared Judge Lane. "Mr. Turnbull, your clients are insisting that this court acknowledge that the Bar M has the right to graze cattle up to the western edge of Jennings Creek. I find your argument very compelling and this court has decided to grant that request. The title clearly calls for Bar M's ownership of land to the high water mark of Jennings Creek."

"Thank you, Your Honor!" replied a grinning Turnbull. "My clients will begin moving cattle immediately!"

"Not so fast," interjected Will Hamilton. "Mrs. Rhone has something to say about that."

"I have plenty to say about it, but none of it's suitable for public consumption," retorted an obviously upset Rachel Rhone.

"I was referring to the other Mrs. Rhone," chuckled Will as he nodded at Christine.

"Oh! I'm sorry, Christine. This is going to take some getting used to!" replied Rachel.

"The cattle will be moved to the disputed range," stated Christine firmly. "However, all calves born of those cattle will carry the Lazy R brand. As part owner of the Bar M, I am dismissing both Luke and Les Winters, effective immediately. Will has hired some very competent men to ensure that you remove only your personal property before dark. After that, you'll be arrested if you ever set foot on Bar M land.

"You own part of the Bar M?" asked a stunned Blue. "Who're the other owners?"

"That would be you, Darling," responded Christine as she gently kissed her husband's lips.

"Now that we have an owner with copper-colored hair," called Blue's oldest hand from the back of the room. "We need to find a strawberry roan!"