Book 2, Chapter 4

The woman in green broke down in sobs. The one dressed in yellow comforted her, but also started crying. Blue was resolute. As he looked at them, he realized these women were at least sisters, and probably triplets. He guessed they were in their twenty's but couldn't be sure. All had very nice figures, as much as their dresses showed, that is. They were very pretty in the face and their bonnets covered full heads of auburn hair. Bob had a chance to look up to the high seat of the Conestoga. There was a man slumped over on the seat.

"Your man there is hurt. Maybe I can help," he stated.

"Only the Lord God can help him, now," Yellow dress bit back, her voice scalding with hate. "Those bastards shot him on no account, right after the tree fell, and we had to stop the team."

"At least let me and my boys get him down. He may not be dead, yet. I still may be able to help."

With that pronouncement he waved the boys to come forward. He gave the hand signal for 'hurry', and the boys jumped back on their horses, took the reins of their Dad's mount, and spurred the horses forward.

"We've got an injured man up there, and we need to get him down," he shouted as the boys stopped short next to him. Rob literally jumped from the saddle, tossing his reins to Andy. He sprinted to the wagon and was up on the seat before anyone could react.

"He's alive," he shouted, "but just barely! We'll need something to ease him down with. Hey, Miss, do you have a blanket or sheet that I can use?"

Blue's eyes were wide with shock and hope.

"Just inside the wagon, on your left. There is a pile of our bedding there."

Rob reached inside and pulled out a sheet. He quickly folded it up and slid it around the man. He tied the end and had a makeshift rope. He lifted the man as carefully as he could and gently lowered the man to the waiting arms of his father. He then vaulted from the seat to land next to Bob. They carried him to the shade of the woods on the right side of the road, away from the dead or dying robbers. Bob's immediate concern was for the man, but he told Andrew to stand guard and watch the wood on the other side. He could hear moaning coming from over there.

Bob examined the man, who appeared to be about forty. The man had taken two bullets. The one high on his right chest was not too bad; but the other, centered on his lower abdomen, was mortal.

Bob knew that this man would be dead in a few hours. There was nothing he could do except make the man comfortable. That's what he did, with the help of the girl in blue. The other two girls were of little help, as they were holding each other and crying.

He set Andrew to gathering downed wood for a fire, and he sent Rob back to get the rest of the family. He told the steadfast woman in blue he was going to go across the road to check on the highwaymen.

"I'll keep watch for you. My sisters can tend to Pa. Jest you wait a minute while I set them to it," she told him.

The woman went over to her sisters. She made it clear to them that they were to tend their father, and that she was going across the road with their hero and check on the bandits. She rejoined Bob shortly, the shotgun still in her grip. She was holding it a bit better than before and he figured he wouldn't get shot, accidentally.

They passed the dead man that had taken the close range shotgun blast. He was a mess. Bob reminded her to stay close to the trees, and to use them as a shield.

Of the first group of four men they came to, three of them were dead and the fourth was all but dead. He was incoherent and delusional. Bob told her to turn her head away, and gave the man mercy with his Bowie.

When he looked up she was standing there looking with a gleam in her eye and a smile on her face. She spat on him as they moved on. The next two men they came across were dead. Next was the man that Bob had shot at but had moved. He was still alive.

"You want to explain yourself?" Bob asked.

"What's it to you, anyway? Why didn't you mind your own business?" he scowled back. Just then he received a quick kick in the side by Bob's companion.

He hollered bloody murder for a bit. Bob could tell he'd live if he got treatment, but Bob wasn't about to give him any.

"Talk or not, it's no skin off my back," he started. "We'll just leave you here, and you'll die. Now maybe if you cooperate, maybe I could help you."

The man just snarled. She drew back to kick him again, but Bob stopped her. He told her there was no need. The scudder was going to die, anyway, and she didn't need to expend any more energy on a pile of shit. She nodded in agreement and they turned to leave. They'd gone about five yards when the bandit started hollering, again.

Bob turned and said, "You got something worthwhile to say, or are you just hollerin' to hear yourself holler?"

The man was visibly weaker and more subdued.

"I got something, if you'll help me. It's worth a lot, too. Will you help me?

"That all depends on what you have to offer," he replied. "If you're just jawing, then I got nothing more to say to you and you can go to hell for all I care."

"Got a wagon in the woods, around the next bend," the bandit replied. "There's guns, and a strongbox full of gold," he paused.

"What else?" Bob demanded.

"There's a girl, a virgin. We didn't use her cause Mr. Jack said he'd pay better for virgins."

Bob took the next few minutes listening to the man ramble on about the wagon and what and who Mr. William Jack was. When he'd heard enough, he stood up and started moving away.

"Wait, you said you'd help me iff'n I told you. Well I did, now what about that help?" he said, weakly.

"Oh, yes, that. If that's what you want, I'll help you ... to Hell," he said as he drew his Colt and put one in the man's head.

The woman just stood there looking. Then she dropped the shotgun, grabbed on to Bob, and started crying.

She'd held in her grief until the last bushwhacker was dead. Huge sobs and tears of anguish poured out. It took several minutes for her to compose herself.

Bob escorted her back to the wagon where they found his family had joined the others. Dana was comforting the other two women, and Rob was working on plugging the bullet holes in the water barrel. Andrew was tending to getting wood and Stephanie, Rebecca and Jackie were busy preparing a little food for a late lunch.

Bob took a burlap sack and he and Rob went back across the road. They stripped the valuables from the dead men. The handguns were in pretty good shape. There were several .45 Colt SAA's and some .44-40 Paterson conversions, plus a Smith and a Walker Colt. There were also four Henry rifles and two almost new Winchesters. They picked up the best of the hats and boots, and left the bodies to rot.

Rob made a quick check and discovered the nine horses of the dead men. Three were swaybacks, and were mostly used up. Only one of the horses looked young and sturdy. He was jet black, and appeared to be a Quarter horse. Bob decided that that one would become his. They gathered the string of horses, removed the hobbles, and untied the picket line. Then they brought them out of the woods. The family stared, with questions on their faces.

"Nine," Bob tersely replied to their unasked question.

He shook his head to indicate the rest of the answer. He pulled down the back gate to the wagon, and dumped the contents of the sack onto it. He sorted out the weapons. The well kept or new went in one pile, and the less than choice in a second pile. The second pile was much larger than the first. He put the keepers in a pannier on one of the mules, and put the other pile back in the sack.

He had the boys check out the hats, and two of them fit Andrew and Rob. Rob took the one with the flat crown and brim that was similar to his dad's hat. Andrew liked the high crown hat with the big brim. It gave him shade from the sun.

Bob left it to his female family members to get to know the three sisters: the Staffen triplets. April, May and June were their names. Their parents weren't very imaginative. While they fussed over Mr. Staffen, Dana took Bob aside.

"It looks real bad for him. I don't think he'll last much longer. I did what I could. Both shots were through and through, so I patched up as best I could. It's the internal bleeding that's the problem. We can't help that, and I don't think a Doctor in this time period could, either. I have told the girls to make him as comfortable as they can, and not to say anything to his daughters."

"I though as much when Rob lowered him from the seat," Bob responded. "We'll make him comfortable for his last hours on earth, and we'll comfort his daughters as best we can. The last bandit told me about a wagon up the road, with loot and a young girl. Rob and I need to go find out about it."

Dana said, "OK, but be careful. Be ready as they might have a guard posted there."

"I'd already thought about that. I will go in the camp in stealth mode, with weapons at the ready," he told her smiling. "I can't let anything happen to me, 'cause what would you do without me?"

"Now let me think," she said with a gleam in her eyes.

Bob grabbed her, pulled her close and solidly kissed her. He ground his pelvis into her as he kissed. She kissed back. His hand came up to her breast and he kneaded it softly as her nipple distended with the stimulation.

"Just hurry, and be careful," she said as they broke their kiss.

She swatted him on his butt as he turned to leave. He waved, but didn't even look back. He called Rob over and they mounted up. They took two of the bandit's horses. They hoped that the use of the bandit's hats and horses would allow them enough disguise to get them close. They rode off at a trot. They spotted the guard before he spotted them. He was leaning up against a tree. He waved at the two and turned back towards where the wagon was. The ruse had worked.

Bob advised Rob to get off his horse and keep the horse between himself and the camp. Bob did the same thing and they managed to get within about ten feet before the bandit realized they weren't his friends. He started to draw his weapon when he heard Bob draw back the hammer of his Colt. He was committed, though, and he continued his draw. Too bad for him. Bob fired, placing a bullet square in the center of the man's chest. He flew backwards, dead before he landed.

At the sound of the shot, a female voice started screaming. It was coming from the other side of the wagon and Rob rushed around the wagon. He saw the tall figure start to turn towards him with a rifle. He drew his Paterson and fanned off three shots. As he was so close, all three shots hit the bandit. Slowly, the man dropped to his knees and then keeled over, dead.

Then Rob saw her, the source of the scream. She was about his age, with light strawberry blond hair, and the most captivating green eyes. Her shift was torn in front, and she exhibited a bodacious amount of cleavage. Her dress was crumpled up and lying under the wagon. She couldn't move from where she was sitting, because her wrists were tied to the wagon wheel.

Rob cautiously moved over to her, retrieved her dress, and covered her exposure. He talked soothingly to her as he pulled out his knife. Moving slowly so he wouldn't frighten her more, he reached over and sliced the rope holding her left arm. She pulled it down and clung to her dress, using it as a shield. He sliced the other rope that held her right wrist, and quickly moved away.

"There. You are free. I'm going around to the other side of the wagon so you can get dressed. When you are ready, my Pa and I will take you to where my mother and sisters are. You don't have to be afraid. We've killed all the other robbers."

Rob moved back around to the other side of the wagon, and Bob was there.

He said, "I heard. Help me search the two dead men, then we'll drag them into the forest."

The search turned up an excellent double set of Colt's, a very good single set with a Walker Colt, two .44-40 Henry rifles, one 10 gauge Greener shotgun, a sturdy wagon with six Missouri mules, and two more horses. These horses were better than the others, and Bob decided they would be kept also.

After dragging the two men deeper into the woods, he then checked inside the wagon. There were assorted cases of clothing, a big barrel of flour, a smaller barrel with salt pork, and six cases of bullets. Four cases were .45 Long Colt and two cases were .44-40. Near the front of the wagon was a strong box. It had a lock on it, and it was actually built into the wagon. Bob went out and searched the first man again. His vest had an inside pocket. There he found what looked like an original Colt derringer. It would shoot .45 Long Colt and .410 gauge shotgun shells also. It was loaded. The vest didn't look too bad and Bob decided to take it also. Beside the derringer in that pocket he found a brass key.

He went back to the strongbox, and used the key. It fit, and there was a sharp click when he turned the key. He opened the lid and couldn't believe what he saw. Inside the rectangular box (it was 15"H x 20"W x 32"L) were stack upon stack of coins. There were silver dollars, English sovereigns, and the famous Double Eagle $20 gold pieces. He didn't take time to count it. He just closed and locked the chest, and piled stuff on top of it.

"Is this your wagon?" Bob asked the girl.

"No. They burned my wagon, and I don't know what they did with my new husband. It was a ways back, and that was three days ago. I don't hold out any hope of him being alive. We'd just been married. We were headed south to make our home. A tree fell across the road as we approached the bend in the road. When David got down, they rushed him. David had no gun, and couldn't defend himself. I tried but another man climbed up the other side of the wagon and grabbed the shotgun before I could shoot. They went through our stuff and then burned the wagon. They tied me up and threw me on a horse. They let the other horses go free. I never saw David again. And we never got to consummate the marriage, either."

By this time she was crying. Rob had gotten a clean towel from the wagon and handed it to her. When she calmed down, she continued her story.

"They brought me to this wagon, and threw me inside. We traveled for two days. They took my dress, tore my shift and threatened to take advantage of me, but their leader wouldn't let them. He's not here. He wore two pearl handled silver colored guns. His holster had silver trim on it."

"I saw that rig, Dad. We got those off of one of those we killed at the other wagon. I kinda want them if you don't," Rob said.

"You can come with us if you like. We can take care of you, and maybe take you to your parent's home, Miss..."

"Hinckley, Vanessa Hinckley. I don't have any parents. They were killed six months ago by the Sioux. I was hiding in our cabin under the floor when they finally broke into the house. Mamma was killed by a bullet before the fight was over, but they tortured Daddy for quite a long time before he died. He was very brave. I took our gold and moved into town. I was close to out of money when David came into my life. I let him court me awhile and finally married him. We headed out right after the wedding, and you know the rest."

"Well, Miss Hinckley, you can come with my wife and sons and daughters if you wish. There are also three young women we rescued back up the road. I'm offering them my protection, too. Would you mind?"

"No, not at all. In fact, I think it's a good idea. You two seem to be able to take care of yourselves quite nicely," she replied. She turned to Rob and continued "So, tell me, what is your wife like?"

Rob was taken aback and he stuttered, "I ... I ... I'm not married, Miss."

His face flushed as he took a step back.

"Ooh! That's interesting," she said. "Perhaps you would look after me. I would feel real safe with you protecting me. You are so strong, and you're fast with your gun, too."

She simply gushed sweetness towards Rob. She didn't give Bob another glance as she sweet-talked his son. Flattered, he was eating up the complements and praises she was heaping on him. He stood a little straighter as she complimented him on his prowess with his gun and he was smitten by her loveliness.

"Come on, Romeo. Let's get this wagon hitched up, and get back to the rest of the family," Bob chided his son as he excused himself to help get the wagon ready.

It was getting late, and the sky was beginning to streak with color when Bob and Rob pulled the wagon into camp.

"Where have you been? We've been worried sick since you didn't return..."

That was as far as she got when she noticed the strawberry blond on Rob's arm.

"Mom, this is Mrs. Vanessa Hinckley. She's a widow. Vanessa, this is my mother, Dana Malone. Over there is my brother Andrew, and my sisters Stephanie, Rebecca and Jackie from left to right. The ladies over there are April, May and June Staffen. They are triplets, and I can't tell one from the other. We just rescued them around noon, today. You'll have to make yourself acquainted with them and maybe you can tell me which one is which."

That made her laugh. Her laugh was lyrical and catching. Soon the triplets joined her in laughter. The rest of the family rounded out the group. The mood lightened markedly with the sounds of laughter spreading through the glade.

A low moan broke the mood. Larry had taken another turn for the worse. His daughters were at his side in an instant. Dana knelt at his head and bent over, placing her cheek up against his nose and mouth. She felt his last feeble breath as he expired. He hadn't regained consciousness.

The girls started to cry again. Each one grabbed on to the nearest Malone. Since Rob and Andrew were back away from the body, now a corpse, they were exempt from the consolation duty. April and May both grabbed at Bob, but May switched over to Stephanie. Dana got to hold June, and Jackie came up behind and put her small arms around both women.

Rebecca latched on to April and her dad and hugged them both tight. That action had the effect of forcing the two together. Her enticing form caused Bob to rise and he knew she felt him because she began to move back and forth against him as he held her. Rebecca felt the motion and felt April rubbing against her as well.

Dana was crooning and stroking June's hair and whispering words of consolation for her to be brave. Both women were about the same size, and their chests mashed against each other. Dana moved slightly and each of them let one boob rest in the others cleavage. Jackie's hands stroked June's side.

She accidentally slid her hands a little too far forward and they brushed up against June's breasts. She felt June shiver when she did that. Shortly the women calmed down enough to allow the family to move away from the body.

Rob and Vanessa got in the wagon and brought out a large white sheet and a blanket. Rob rummaged around a bit in the Conestoga and came up with a couple of farm implements, a shovel and a pickaxe. He jumped down from the back of the wagon and he went over to a secluded area of the glen and began digging.

Vanessa went with him and they talked as he dug. He found the ground wasn't hard, and he really didn't need the pick. He did use it to cut through the grass, but didn't need it for digging.

He didn't need any help, either, and soon had the hole almost four feet deep. He used his outstretched arms to measure the length of the hole. His arms were 6'3" from fingertip to fingertip. He cut himself a step in the end of the grave, to allow him to get out. It was almost dark as he re-entered the camp and told his dad it was ready.

Dana had prepared the body. Larry Staffen looked like he was just asleep when she wrapped him in the sheet. She let the girls say goodbye before she covered his head.

Once the body was all tucked in, Dana then wrapped the quilt that May had gotten out of the Conestoga. It was her mother's favorite one. Dana helped her as she lovingly wrapped her father in the quilt. When they were done, Bob, Rob, Andrew, Stephanie, Rebecca and Vanessa acted as pallbearers by carrying the body to the grave. Jackie brought three ropes that they would use to lower the body into the grave.

They held a memorial service that was actually quite nice. They then lowered the body into the grave. With the service over, the Malone family escorted the Staffen sisters back to the camp site while Rob filled in the grave. Vanessa remained close to Rob.

Andrew stood first watch that night. The Malone family slept in or under the wagon, and the triplets slept in the Conestoga. They invited Vanessa to join them but she said she'd set up a pallet under the big wagon. She was planning on sneaking into Rob's tent as soon as she could.

Bob and Dana elected to sleep under the other wagon so the sisters slept inside. Bob pulled Dana close. She felt his rigid rod poke her and she started to get wet. They struggled to get into a suitable position and when that was accomplished, he slid his member deep into her velvet sheath.

They tried to do it quietly, but occasionally Dana would vocalize her pleasure. During these times, Bob covered her mouth with his, teasing her with his tongue. One thing he didn't do was stop his thrusting. They continued on pleasuring each other.

Meanwhile, in the wagon above, the Malone sisters listened to the sounds of lovemaking below. They began by touching themselves. As their passions progressed they advanced to touching each other, in a mutual masturbation dance. They were softly moaning at the ministration they were experiencing. They too had trouble stifling the sounds.

In the back of their minds, detached recognition of the lovemaking above registered on Bob and Dana, and drove them on. By this time Dana had had three orgasms, and Bob had spurted out his first and was working on his second. The stimulation of the situation allowed him to remain hard and he continued to pound into her sopping cunt. Their combined juices spilled out of her opening, and spread out over her genitals with each of his powerful strokes.

The Staffen sisters were in the Conestoga, listening to the sounds of sex. They whispered together conspiratorially.

"Listen to them. That big hunk is making love to his wife," April observed.

May replied, "I hope they let us stay with them. They are so nice. That Rebecca hugs so nice, and she smelled good, too.

"Yes," June added. "That Mrs. Malone and the little one, Jacqueline, were very nice to me, too. I felt the little one touch my breast, on the side and I tingled. I can hear the sound of girls now, too. Just like when we pleasure ourselves. They must be doing it right now."

"They are in the wagon above where Mr. and Mrs. Malone are bedded down. They must be listening to the lovemaking like we are. They are probably aroused as much as I am. See how my nipples are standing out? My kitty is all wet. I need you, sisters," April said.

The sisters enveloped each other in a three-way embrace. Hands touched bodies. Titties and kitties were petted, licked, sucked and teased. Each one was kissed by each sister as they shared their love with each other. They managed to keep their noises down so that even Vanessa was unaware that the Staffen sisters were enjoying each other.