The truth of the matter was there was no proof that Helena Peabody was responsible. She was wealthy in her own right being the daughter of the heiress Peggy Peabody who was also currently out West looking to increase the family’s land holdings, publishing and mining interests. In all honesty Helena was not the type of outlaw Bette wished to spend her precious time pursuing. The lithe Sheriff preferred to capture bank robbers, killers, and big-time cattle thieves, Helena was small potatoes but the landed moneymen didn’t like what The Frontier Nightingale was doing one bit and put constant pressure on Bette to capture her.

The fact that the “Nightingale” had eluded being caught and roamed around the frontier a free woman rankled those men and the fact Helena boasted to anyone who would listen that the “great” Sheriff Porter didn’t deserve the accolades she received because she couldn’t catch a truly clever bandit red handed rankled Bette Porter. Little did Helena know that Bette could have caught her if she wished and all the ribbing at the Sheriff’s expense and praise (by many) of the Frontier Nightingale who was capable making cattle vanish in the night was trying the good Sheriff’s patience. While Bette believed in hard work and saving instead of drinking away the pennies she did not like to see children go hungry.

When Bette was done with the law and order lecture she took questions from the students of all ages who were eager to hear the tale of how she tracked down Cody Banks single handedly. There was nothing like hearing the Sheriff tell this tale in person and while the older students had heard the story before there was not a restless soul in the room, every eye was glued to the Sheriff including Miss Kennard’s. But unlike the children Miss Kennard’s mind had wondered and while she may have looked like she was enraptured by this oft-told tale, in truth she was envisioning being ravished on the desk where the Sheriff had placed her shapely behind. The schoolteacher pictured pulling off the shiny black boots, tossing aside the hat and running her fingers through the thick curly locks, unbuttoning the shirt so she could feel freshly washed skin next to hers and damn it why did Bette have to wear those chaps today!! The lovely Tina Kennard was known to be sweet and caring, her gentle heart showed kindness to all, but she was no dummy, she knew that the legendary long arm of the law was not playing fair.

Bette had just come to the end of her tale and the spell binding brief silence was broken by Timmy yelling, “Tell us how you caught the Foxworthy gang.” This unwelcome outburst brought Tina out of here reverie and she stood up from her chair behind the desk and walked to the front of the class.

“I think Sheriff Porter has answered enough questions for one day, especially considerin’ she’s usually the one doin’ the asking. Let’s pay our respects to the Sheriff.”

In unison “Thank you Sheriff Porter,” came the reply.

“I want you all to start writing what you learned from the Sheriff today. You’re going to take turns reading them to the class so get busy.”

Tina accompanied Bette out of the schoolhouse and over to her horse. Night Wind brayed his hellos to the two women and Tina patted the horse in return.

“Bette, I want to thank you for coming today it means so much to the children(Tina looked down at her feet) it means a lot to me, I wasn’t sure you would come this year”

Bette lifted Tina’s chin and brought her eyes up to hers, “Tina, don’t you know that I would never disappoint the children?”

“Not willingly, no, you wouldn’t, but coming to the schoolhouse and seeing me here may bring back memories that I would imagine might be painful.”

Bette sighed, “Tina how could the memory of meeting you ever be painful?”

Bette untied her horse and took the reigns in her hands, she put her shining black boot into the stirrup and launched herself gracefully into the saddle, she turned Night’s head to the east, clicked her spurs into the muscled flanks and galloped off leaving a dusty trail. Tina watched the figure she knew so intimately recede from view and not for the first time wondered if she had made a wise decision. Tina turned her back on the small cloud of dust and returned to her classroom. When she took her customary place in front of her desk she could have sworn she detected the departed Sheriff’s unique scent.

tbc.