Lessons

Golden Bonnet

Your character is out riding one morning, looking for a cow that got out of the barnyard the night before. He or she comes across a sunbonnet full of gold dollars hanging by its ties on bush beside a creek. After thinking about it for a moment, your character is reaching for the sunbonnet when he or she hears a CLICK behind them.

Jim saw a glint in the tree by the creek. That dang calf he'd been hunting for hours was nowhere to be seen, so he rode slowly to the water's edge to see what was shining so brightly. A lady's sunbonnet was hanging from a low-hanging branch filled with golden coins. Amazed, he reached toward it.

CLICK! The sound of a gun being cocked behind him stopped him dead. He raised his hands slowly.

A female voice said, "I don't know who you think you are, mister, but that there is MY gold an' you'd best move away."

He turned carefully toward the voice as he said, "I didn't touch it ma'am. Don't shoot."

"What are you doing out here anyway? This is no-man's-land, and that's why I came out here. Nobody ever comes down this way, I've been here two months. Did you get wind of me from up in town, or something?" she said, but didn't lower the gun.

"No, ma'am, I haven't heard of anything from town, I haven't been there in six months or so, myself. I've been keeping my cattle out of mischief is all I've been doing. That's why I'm out here. Lula Bell wandered off and I was looking for her. She's just a calf and I thought she might've wandered out here by the creek and maybe not been eaten by wolves yet. Please don't shoot, Ma'am." he said hurriedly.

"Hmph. Well, if you'd been to town, You'd'a heard I stole them coins, but that ain't the case, mister."

"Never said you did, Ma'am."

"Look, don't go gettin' ideas about takin' my gold or turnin' me in, like I said, the gold's mine. I earned most of it, and won the rest."

"Ma'am, are you going to shoot me? If you're trying to decide, maybe I could put my hands down while you think about it. My arms are getting a little tired."

She glared at Jim, but lowered her gun, and said, "Go on then, I ain't a'gonna shoot you yet, anyway."

"Thanks much, Ma'am." he lowered his hands slowly, and stood watching her. She seemed to be young, and even pretty under the hat that shadowed her features. He thought she looked scared. "Um, if you don't mind me asking, as we may be here a bit, what is going on here?"

"It ain't your business."

"Maybe I could help."

"Why would you want to do that?"

"Let's just say I like to help people that deserve it."

"What makes you think I don't deserve it? I told you I earned it!" She raised her gun a little.

"Sorry, I just meant that if you told me what happened, maybe I could help you solve your problem."

"I don't have a problem!"

"Ma'am, you're out here in the middle of nowhere by yourself pointing guns at strangers, and don't seem to be going anywhere soon. You did say you'd been here two months?"

"I have a plan."

"Oh?"

"It just ain't quite fleshed out yet... Don't look at me like that!"

"Really, I think I can help you if you just trust me."

"Trust you? I don't trust no man. That's what got me in this situation in the first place."

"Ma'am, all I'm asking is for you to tell me what happened, that's all. If I don't think I can help you, I'l go on my way and you'll never see me again. Take a chance. What have you got to lose?"

He could see her face clouding up. Obviously, she was just a scared kid, probably no more than nineteen or so. She wasn't a hardened criminal, or she'd have known to tell him to get rid of his gun. He laughed to himself. and wondered whether it was a good idea to be getting himself involved with this girl. He hadn't found his lost calf, but he'd sure found something.

Jim asked, "Do you at least have a name?"

"Lily." she said, and then tears started down her cheeks.

"That's a fine name, Lily. I'm Jim. So now we know who we are, will you tell me?"

"It was Blake. He caused everything. I hate him." she said. then sat on the ground with her face in her hands.



IdaLin