Wife Hunt · Part 2 (2/2)
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Blake left the camp. He didn't forget to take Jane's rifle with him. When he returned he hobbled his horse and removed the saddle and bridle so it could graze.
Jane was lying face-up on her bedroll, with her cuffed hands above her head. When she heard Blake return she sat up. She asked, “Please sir, can I have some water?”
She knew Blake had been joking about being called 'sir', but she did it anyway. If she pretended to be subservient, Blake would be more likely to think she was going to obey his rules, and that might cause him to make a mistake that would let her escape.
“Oh, sure. Sorry I didn't think of that before I left.” He got his canteen off his saddle (which he had carefully placed well out of Jane's reach) and filled it from the stream.
Jane drank deeply. She really was very thirsty. When she finished she returned the canteen. “Thank you, sir.” Blake didn't seem to react to her calling him sir, but he didn't tell her to stop saying it.
Blake said, “I'm ready to eat, but I'm almost out of grub. What've you got?”
“I have some potatoes, beans, and dried squash. I also saved some of the venison. I was going to make a stew for all of today's meals.”
“Sounds good to me. Where's the grub? I'll start cutting it up.”
“I can do that, sir, if you free my left hand. I'll still be chained to the tree.”
“Nope, I don't like the idea of you having a free hand and a knife, 'cause you're a dangerous woman. I'll do the cutting and cooking. You can watch me and tell me if I'm doing it wrong.”
But Blake didn't do it wrong. He had spent years on wilderness trails and he knew how to cook. Both he and Jane enjoyed the meal. Blake uncuffed Jane's left hand while she was eating. He also sat out of her reach. He didn't want her to grab his pistol.
After the meal Jane was aware of a growing need. “Please sir, I need to answer a call of nature.”
“Huh? Oh, you mean you got to piss. OK, we'll go into the woods. Stand up.”
Jane stood and Blake uncuffed her right wrist, removed the ring that fastened her to the chain, and cuffed her hands behind her back. Jane started to protest, but then she decided to keep silent. Complaining wasn't likely to do any good, and it wouldn't be how an obedient, subservient woman would behave.
They walked a ways in the woods until they found a waist-high bush that Blake felt was suitable. “OK, you can squat behind that. I'll take down your skirt.”
This was one humiliation too many. Jane started to cry. “Please sir, let me do this myself.”
Blake considered the request, and decided there wasn't much risk of Jane escaping. “OK, but remember what I said about trying to escape.” He uncuffed Jane's right wrist and she hurried behind the bush, lowered her skirt and pantaloons, and squatted and emptied her bladder. Her back was toward Blake so she didn't care if he was watching her or not.
Business finished, they returned to the camp and Blake chained Jane to the tree as before. He saddled his horse and said, “I'm gonna do some scouting, I'll be back before dark.”
Jane panicked when she realized that if Blake didn't come back she would die a miserable death. “Please sir,” she begged. “Don't leave me here like this. Take me with you.”
“Nope, I can't scout properly and watch you at the same time. I know why you're scared, but we all have to take our chances out here.” And with that he rode away.
Rage and fear fought for control of Jane's mind, and rage was the winner. “That rotten SOB,” she muttered. “To him I'm just a money pot, not a human being. He can rot in Hell.” Then she whispered, “And after he delivers me to Frank I'll be the one living in Hell.”
Fear, anger, and dread combined were too much for Jane. She collapsed on her bedroll and wept. “How did this all happen so quickly?” she thought. “A few weeks ago I was in charge of my own life, and I was happy. Now I'm chained up like an animal, totally under the control of a brutal man.”
Blake did return just before dark. Jane was so glad to see him that she forgot to utter the curses she had rehearsed. She watched silently as Blake prepared a meal. He brought the food over to her bedroll and freed her left hand so she could feed herself.
Jane said, “Today was hot and dry, so the jerky should be ready. If we leave it out it'll attract coyotes and bears.”
“Right. I'll put it in the bear bag.”
“What are your plans, sir?” Jane asked.
“We'll start back early tomorrow. I reckon it'll take four days plus a bit more to get to Buzzard City. I want to start before dawn, so we'd best turn in now. Do you need to go into the woods?
Jane nodded, so they repeated the procedure. When they got back to camp Blake chained Jane's right wrist to the tree, but left her other hand free.
Blake said, “You've been behaving yourself, so I'll give you some slack tonight.”
“Thank you, sir. Good night.”
Around midnight Jane had a bad dream. She was back at the ranch, and Frank was tying her up. She pulled on her chained wrist and it all seemed real. She screamed and woke up, terrified.
Blake was at her side in moments. “What's wrong? Did you see or hear something?”
“No, it was a bad dream. I was back with Frank. I wish I could forget!”
“What did he do to you? Tell me about it. If you face up to it, maybe you can put it behind you.”
Jane thought about Blake's proposal. She had never told anyone about what Frank did to her. Maybe talking it out would help.
“All right, I'll tell you about my so-called marriage. Frank didn't want a wife, he wanted a woman he could tie up. He had to tie me to the bed before he could get stiff enough to poke me, and even then he couldn't always do it. But that didn't really matter to him. He got enough pleasure out of watching me struggling in his ropes.
“Every evening was 'play time'. He'd tie me and watch me try to escape for three or four hours. Then he'd untie me and we'd go to bed. This was hard enough, but if I'd displeased him I would be punished. He'd strip me and tie me outside, to the corral fence. He would usually leave me there all night and most of the next day. No food, no water, and I had to piss on myself.”
Blake exclaimed, “That's brutal. And he stripped you naked and left you where all of the hands could see you?”
“No, I had an old woolen poncho, and I wore it outside. It was still humiliating to be exhibited like that, even if I wasn't naked. One of the reasons he paid the ranch hands so well was to keep them from talking about all this.
“I longed to escape, but whenever I was out of the house a couple of Frank's most loyal men were watching me. Then I got a break. One morning something happened out on the edge of the ranch and everybody had to be there to deal with it. Frank hogtied me before he left, but he was rushed and left a knot where I could reach it. I managed to free myself and I rode to town. For all the good it did me.
“Frank and his men were right behind me and before I could get on the train he talked the sheriff into letting him have me.”
Blake said, “Well that's what Pete had to do. You were Frank's wife. Pete didn't see any bruises, so he didn't know how bad you were hurt.”
“All you men are the same!” Jane said bitterly. “Slavery's over, but women are still chattel.”
Blake couldn't dispute that. “What happened when he got you back to the ranch?”
“Frank was furious. He stripped me and tied me to the corral, and he made it hurt. I was on my knees, and my wrists and elbows were tied behind me and pulled way up. More rope all around my body kept me from moving at all.
“After a while the pressure on my knees from the dirt and gravel was agonizing. My hands were numb, but my arms and shoulders hurt terribly. Frank left me like that all day. It was after sunset before he came outside to gloat over my tortured body. I was barely conscious by then.
“I couldn't feel my hands, and they were purple. Frank was alarmed, not because he cared about me, but because he was afraid he'd broken his rope-toy. He untied me and took me into the house. I couldn't move, and I was like that for several days.
“I eventually recovered enough that Frank felt he could resume my punishment. He tied me up outside, but this time he was careful not to tie my wrists tightly.
“That was his mistake, the mistake I'd been waiting for. I got myself free about midnight and snuck into the barn. I had hidden my camping outfit and some clothes there, and I loaded everything onto my horse and fled.
“I planned to stay in the mountains for as long as I could. I had hoped that eventually Frank would stop looking for me, but I didn't know I was a wanted criminal and bounty hunters were searching for me.” She glared at Blake, but he couldn't see her face in the dark.
“You had some bad luck, Jane. I decided to capture you for the reward, and getting caught would have happened to anybody I was after.” Blake knew this wasn't quite true, but he said it anyway. Maybe it would make Jane feel better if she thought she was doomed by a fate she couldn't dodge.
“I hope talking made you feel better. Now get some sleep, we've got a long day tomorrow.”
The next morning Blake was up before dawn. He loaded most of the gear on the horses and then woke up Jane. “Get up, I've cooked some food and we'll be on our way once we've eaten. He rolled up her bedroll. “You can piss right here. We won't use this camp again.”
Blake packed the bedroll and the tarp and returned to Jane. He unchained her from the tree and they ate. Then it was time to hit the trail.
“I have a difficult choice, Jane. If you were one of the desperadoes I usually handle I'd cuff your hands behind your back. But you've been good, so that would be a harsh way to treat you. How should I secure you?
“You could leave the cuffs off. I won't try to escape.”
“I don't think I can trust you that much.” He cuffed her hands in front. The chain was still attached to the right cuff. “This isn't really secure, but it'll have to do.”
He helped her mount, then wrapped the chain several times around the saddle horn and gave her the free end.
“This is a test, Jane. If you keep the chain in place I'll know you're sincere about not trying to escape.”
Jane nodded, but she thought, “The only thing I'm sincere about is not going back to Frank. If I get a good chance to escape I'll take it.”
They moved out, with Blake in the lead and holding the reins of Jane's horse. Two hours before sunset they stopped and camped. Blake wanted to go farther, but he knew the horses needed time to rest and graze.
This routine continued for several more days. As they traveled they talked, mostly Jane trying to convince Blake to let her go. Blake never agreed to do this because he really wanted the money, but he proposed other alternatives that might help Jane.
Around noon on the fifth day they stopped in a thick grove of young trees and dismounted.
Jane asked, “Why are we stopping here?”
“We're not far from Buzzard City. I'm going to scout ahead.” He took the wanted poster out of his pocket. “I want you to write a note to Frank on the back of the poster. Use this bullet as a pencil. Write 'Blake has me' and sign it. Use your best penmanship. The saddle will work as a desk.”
Jane did as he ordered. “What's this note for?”
“It’s proof that I really have you.” He chained her to a tree and gave her a canteen. “I'll be back in a couple of hours.”
Blake rode into Buzzard City. He entered the jail and found the marshal asleep in a chair. Blake shook him awake. “Hey marshal! I need to see Frank Jones. Where is he?”
“I dunno. At his ranch, maybe.”
“Take me there.”
It was about three miles to the ranch gate and another eighth of a mile to the ranch house. Blake rode into the yard. A cowboy standing on the porch said, “Why are you here, mister? The boss don't like visitors. Git!”
“Find Frank Jones. Tell him I have his wife.”
The cowboy knocked on the door, whispered something to the person who answered it, and resumed glaring at Blake. A few minutes later Frank stepped onto the porch.
Blake asked, “You Frank Jones? I'm Blake. I got your wife. Let's talk.”
Frank said, “Yeah, let's. Come inside.”
Blake dismounted and gave the reins to the marshal. He entered the house and Frank led him into the ranch office.
Frank asked, “You got any proof you've got Jane?”
Blake gave him the wanted poster. “Look on the back. You recognize her handwriting?”
Frank studied the message. “Yeah, that's her writing. Where is she?”
“Not too far from the jail. Show me the money.”
Frank opened a safe and removed a wooden box. “Take a look. Fifty twenty dollar gold pieces. $1000, cash.”
“Looks good. Take it to the jail. I'll meet you there in a couple of hours.”
Blake rode back to where he had left Jane, watching carefully to be sure he wasn't followed.
Jane asked, “Did you see Frank?”
“Yep. He's got the money. The deal's going down.” He unchained Jane from the tree. He cuffed her hands in front with the chain attached to her cuffed right wrist. He tied the end of his lariat to the big ring at the end of the chain and mounted his horse.
Jane cried, “Wait! Are we leaving my horse here?”
“Yep. That horse is too good to give to Frank.” He kicked his horse and jerked the lariat. Jane stumbled forward as the chain tightened. “Don't worry, Jane. You can keep up. I won't trot too much.” Blake was joking, but Jane didn't think it was funny.
About a half mile from the jail Blake found a good place to conceal Jane and chained her to a tree. “Not long now, Jane. You sure about this?”
Jane nodded.
Blake rode to the jail. Frank and three of his men were waiting inside.
Frank said, “Took you long enough. Where's Jane?”
“Not far. Let me see the money.”
Frank produced a canvas sack and dumped the coins onto a table. Blake visually counted them, they seemed to be all there. “Close enough,” he said.
Frank put the coins back in the sack. “Quit stalling. Where's Jane?”
“I'll take you to her. The reward poster said to bring her to the jail, but where she is now is close enough.
“Now I know we're both gentlemen and our word is our bond, but this much money can sometimes get in the way of that.
“I got no reason to not give you Jane. I don't want her and I couldn't keep her even if I did. Once you got Jane and I got the reward there's no reason for me to shoot you, but you got a thousand reasons to shoot me.
“So here's what we're going to do. I'll take you to Jane, but you come alone and you don't bring a gun. You won't be cheated, and I won't be dead. Is it a deal?”
Frank scowled. He didn't like the deal, but he couldn't think of any reason to object. “OK, we'll do it your way. Let's get started.”
“You tell your boys to wait here. If we're followed, the deal is off.”
“Fair enough. Stay here, men.” He took off his gunbelt and gave it to one of his men.
The two men mounted and rode down the road. Once they were away from the town Blake said, “We'll go off the road soon. I'll lead, so I want to hold the money. Be a shame if you accidentally dropped it.”
Frank scowled again. That thought had crossed his mind. He handed the moneybag to Blake, who put it in a saddlebag.
A short time later Blake stopped and dismounted. “Almost there. Get off your horse and stay put.”
Blake walked away, leading his horse. He went into the bushes that concealed Jane and unchained her from the tree. He reattached the chain to the handcuff and led her out of the bushes, holding the end of the chain. Both her wrists were cuffed in front.
“Here she is, unharmed as promised.”
“Where's her horse?”
“It broke a leg two days ago. Jane's been walking at the end of a rope since then. Didn't hurt her any. You can keep the handcuffs and the chain. I'm going into another line of work and I won't need 'em.” He gave the key to Jane. “Give the key to your husband, Jane. It was nice knowing you.”
Blake mounted and rode off. He was out of sight before Frank and Jane met.
“Give me the key,” Frank demanded.
Jane did so. She looked at the ground, not at Frank. She was terrified, but trying hard not to show it.
Frank tied his lariat to the large chain ring and mounted his horse. He kicked it into motion and Jane had to run to keep up.
By the time they reached the ranch house Jane was exhausted and dirty. Frank had set a fast pace. Jane had fallen several times and Frank had dragged her before he let her get back up.
Once at the house Frank took Jane to their bedroom. He put the key in the lock of a handcuff and fumbled with it. Finally he asked, “How does this key work?”
“You screw it all the way into the lock.”
Frank finally got the cuffs off Jane. “Strip. And stay in this room.” He left, taking the cuffs and chain with him.
Soon he was back. He inspected Jane's naked body. It was unmarred. “Did that bastard poke you?” he asked.
“No, he didn't. He said he didn't poke unwilling women.”
“He didn't miss much. You're a cold bitch. Put on the poncho, we're going outside.”
The large ring at the end of the chain had been stapled to one of the logs that made up the corral fence rails. Frank cuffed Jane's hands behind her back. The small chain ring was around the bow of the right cuff, so Jane was chained to the fence.
“These cuffs won't hurt your hands, so you can wear them for a long time. And you will. This is your new home. You'll be living at the end of this chain until winter. Maybe longer.”
Jane was crying, “No, please don't. Please let me go. I'm not a slave, I'm your wife.”
“Same thing,” Frank sneered. He called to the ranch foreman who was watching all of this. “Post a guard out here after it gets dark. That bastard Blake might try to get her. I don't trust him.”
“OK, boss.”
As soon as it was dark the guard arrived. He glanced at Jane, who was lying on her side. Then he sat on the top rail of the fence across the corral from Jane and turned to watch the large field between the corral and the ranch gate.
Jane waited until the guard had settled down and then struggled until she had moved her hands from the back to the front. The guard hadn't been looking her way and didn't notice. Jane reached into her vulva and found a string. She pulled it and the second key it was attached to came out of her vagina.
It was difficult, but she was able to screw the key into the lock and release her left hand. Releasing her right hand was easy, and she was finally free of the chain.
Jane waited until after the guard had glanced in her direction and then back to watching the field before she slipped out of the poncho and arranged it so it appeared that she was still there. Then she crawled away from the corral until she reached some bushes that provided enough cover to let her walk crouched over.
There was enough moonlight to allow Jane to see where she was going, but she couldn't avoid stepping on sharp stones and branches. Her feet were bleeding by the time she reached her destination, which was a large dead tree near the ranch boundary fence. She was about a quarter mile away from the ranch gate.
Blake was waiting for her and he helped her climb through the barbed-wire fence. He had brought clothes and her horse, and as soon as she was dressed they rode to San Juan.
“What do we do now?” Jane asked. “I've escaped from the ranch, but Frank won't give up looking until he finds me, and that wanted poster is still up everywhere.”
“Don't worry, I've got a plan. I'll explain when we get to the sheriff's house. I told Pete everything, and he'll help us. I also bought some useful items.”
Soon they were at the sheriff's house, and Pete and Marie were waiting for them. Marie hugged Jane. “You poor girl,” she said. “What Frank did to you was horrible. I always knew he was an evil man.”
“I'm so glad to see you,” Jane replied. “But I can't stay here. I have to get as far away from Frank as I can before he knows I'm gone.”
'I've got a plan for that,” Blake said. “We'll take the train to Denver. The Midnight Flyer stops here about an hour from now, and it arrives in Denver tomorrow morning.”
“How can I possibly take the train?” Jane exclaimed. “One of the men Frank has paid to watch for me will be sure to see me and he'll telegraph Frank. Frank can wire ahead to the next stop, and lawmen will be waiting for me. That warrant for my arrest may be bogus, but it'll look real enough. They'll take me off the train and put me in jail. Then I'll be Frank's prisoner once more, and he'll make sure I can't escape again.”
“You'll be disguised so nobody will recognize you. Marie, help Jane into the dress and the other items I bought.”
Marie and Jane went into the bedroom. When they returned Jane was wearing a long black dress, black gloves, and a black bonnet with a thick veil. A lock of Marie's black hair had been sewn into the front of the bonnet so it lay across Jane's forehead.
Pete exclaimed, “Wow! You sure look like a young widow, not a fugitive with a price on her head! Nobody will recognize you.”
Blake said, “You say you have kin in Denver. Will they be able to protect you if Frank tracks you down?”
“Yes, my uncle is rich. He's also a friend of the Governor. His lawyer will certainly know how to quash that warrant. He may even be able to get my marriage annulled.”
“Then we're ready to go. Here's your ticket and your valise. I'll go first and scout around the station for Frank or any of his men. You stay by the livery stable until I wave to you. If I don't wave something's gone wrong and we'll go back to Pete's and think of something else.
“If I signal it's safe then get on the train. Sit near the front of the car, and I'll sit near the back. Don't look at me. If anyone bothers you and won't go away I'll take care of 'em. I'll pretend to be a stranger, outraged because someone is bothering a grieving widow.”
There weren't any watchers at the station. The train arrived on time and Jane and Blake boarded it without any problems. When the conductor collected Jane's ticket he didn't give her a second glance.
The next morning they arrived in Denver and got a cab. On the way to Jane's uncle's house Blake asked, “Why didn't your rich uncle help you before, when you were a girl?”
“He wasn't rich then. He was a prospector, living in South Dakota. He was poor until he sold his mining claims a few years ago. Once he had some money he invited me to live with him, but by then I was running the hotel and I didn't want to be dependent on any man, not even a relative.”
“Why didn't he help after you were married?”
“I never tried to tell him I was in trouble. I knew Frank would intercept any letters I wrote, and then he would punish me.”
The cab came to a stop in front of her uncle's mansion. Blake said, “I'll be staying at the Brown Hotel. Contact me if you need anything.”
Jane put her arms around Blake's neck and kissed him. “You saved my life, even if I didn't know it at the time. And now I'm willing.”
Wife Hunt · Part 2 (2/2)
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