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“Thank you, Sam…” Riley sighed. “I knew you cared about me.”
“Think nothin’ of it Riley, I’d do it for anyone.”
“I think you would Sam, I think you would.”
Chapter Eight
Just the other side of Waco, Sam spotted a wagon moving east. It seemed peculiar to see a wagon headed east instead of north or west. The closer they got to the wagon the more curious Sam grew. Most wagons were headed west, and coming from the east. Nodog ran ahead and sniffed, barking and running about the wagon. He growled once then dashed back toward Sam and Riley.
As they come up to the wagon, Sam saw a Negro woman driving the team of horses and three kids peeking out behind her. Surprised to find a woman of color, Sam studied her long and hard then a slow smile lit his face. The way she slanted her eyes at him, and moved her well built body toward him, made him smile. The swell of her breasts beneath the plain dress she wore brought his gaze front and center, as she licked her lips and flashed her dark eyes at him. He looked about; there was no one else about.
“Mornin’,” Sam called as he strode straight up to her, and let Riley lead the horse in.
“Mornin’,” the woman said, eyeing him cautiously and then Riley and Nodog.
“Where ya headed, ma’am?” Sam asked as he stopped in front of her wagon.
“Other side of Dallas,” the woman replied, still eyeing him with open curiosity. “And you?”
“Dallas.” Sam nodded.
“Well now, that’s interestin’,” the woman suddenly smiled, showing a set of white teeth and sparkling black eyes. Her curly black lashes batted straight at Sam. Nodog went to the rear of the wagon and sniffed about.
“The name’s Sam Tanner, and this here is Riley,” Sam explained.
The woman nodded to Sam with a warm smile and then to Riley.
“Nice to meet ya, Sam,” she said as her smile faded when it landed on Riley. “What you doin’ with a white boy?”
Sam’s smile faded slowly. Nodog came back around, growling a bit. Sam glanced at him. “Easy, boy.”
Riley spit on the ground.
Sam turned to look at Riley. “Riley’s father was hung, I run into him on the trail. He was alone, so we teamed up. Are those your children?”
“That’s right, Dorothy is my youngest, then Tate, he’s the one just turnin’ into a man, and Mabel, she’s my oldest and my biggest help along the way.”
“Don’t see no man around, how come?”
“He’s dead…” the woman replied.
“Sorry.”
Sam studie
d the children who looked wide-eyed at Riley. “So why you headed east if I may ask?”
The woman twisted reins and spread her knees to lean on them, her dress spreading wide to accommodate. “We lived out west Texas way, got attacked by Indians too many times, our well dried up, my man got kilt so we are movin’ to my sister’s place over the other side of Dallas way.”
“Last I seen, there wasn’t much out that way for miles,” Sam said.
“That’s what my sister said in her letter.” The woman smiled at Sam again. “But she’s got a place of her own out there, and needs help to work it, so me and my kids are headed there. Better than being alone.”
“What’s your name?” Sam asked when she didn’t introduce herself.
“Mavis, Mavis Potts.” She frowned at Riley once more, and then glanced down at the dog. If her expression was a clue, she had little use for Riley or Nodog, Sam surmised.
“He’s part wolf, ain’t he?” Mavis curled her lip slightly in distaste.
