AN ENDANGERED FRIENDSHIP

 

 

            Oliver Hutto stepped cautiously out of the bushes into the moonlight at Silver Glen. He caught sight of the other lone figure stepping into the clearing from the opposite direction.

            "Hey," he greeted the other quietly.

            "Hey, Oliver," responded Buck Forrester.

            "You sure you're alone?" the blond asked nervously.

            "You ain't figgered I'd betray you?"

            "No. Jest...somebody mighta follered you."

            "No. I'm alone."

            They moved closer to each other.

            "Glad you still kept our meetin'," Buck said.

            "I...a'most didn't," Oliver stammered.

            Buck smiled to take the sting out of his next words. "Well, it's your own dang fault, you know. You started that fight. I coulda clobbered you for losin' your temper and hittin' Lem."

            "You did!" Oliver said ruefully, with a sideways look.

            "So I did," Buck chuckled. Then he asked softly, "Was you scairt?"

            Oliver eyed him. "What do you think?"

            "Do it still hurt?"

            Oliver looked exasperated, "I repeat, what do you think?"

            "I think it do," Buck whispered.

            Oliver nodded slowly, not meeting his eyes.

            Buck tried to lighten the mood. "All them colors cain't feel good."

            "Well, you don't know what this has done to me! I have sich nightmares! 'Bout you-all beatin' me! I'm feered to go anywheres! Even here! To meet you!"

            Buck looked perplexed. "I repeat, you did start the fight, Oliver."

            "With Lem! But why did you and Mill-wheel hafta git into it??"

            "Family loyalty. We stick together."

            "Okay, in general, I git it. But you and me, we're friends!"

            "I know." Buck sighed. "But how would it look: Mill-wheel joinin' Lem, and me refusin' to? How would I 'splain that?"

            Oliver still appeared resentful. "I mighta hoped you woulda protected me."

            "Agin my brothers? In front o' the whole town? You cain't really b'lieve I coulda considered that."

            "I reckon not."

            "'Sides, " Buck added pointedly, "we've long agreed we cain't let my brothers find out we're friends. So how was I to stay out o' the fight, without my brothers figgerin' it out, or leastways, gittin' suspicious?"

            Oliver clearly saw the point, looked reluctant to admit that Buck had really had no choice if they were to protect their secret, and ended up with quite a rueful expression. Softly, he asked, "Are you sorry you stayed friends with me all these years?"

            "No," Buck responded gently. "When you was jest a leetle feller, I really liked you right off, and I liked when my brothers and me played with you, and I could tell you liked it, too, 'specially when we swung you and throwed you and ketched you. I knowed wa'n't your fault your ma takened you away from us; I could see you was as disappointed as we was. I was sure you wa'n't thinkin' you was better'n us, like our ma said. My brothers b'lieved our ma, but I knowed diff'rent, 'cause I seed how sad you looked when your ma takened you out o' the doin's."

            "That's why you've allus been nice to me since."

            "Course."

            "But iffen only we ain't had that fight. Made ever'thin' worse, harder."

            "Well," Buck drawled. "You coulda held onto your temper and not hit Lem."

            "I reckon, but he's got a turrible temper, too. And I was so shocked at them horrible things he said. I wa'n't expectin' that, and didn't have time to think."

            "You didn't take time to think," Buck softened his correction with a kind smile. "But yes, I know Lem's got a fearsome temper, and yes, he goaded you o' purpose."

            Oliver sighed. "But, I admit I shoulda figgered somethin' bad was gonna happen; Jody warned me."

            Buck blinked. "Jody warned you o' what?"

            "That Lem liked the same gal I did."

            Buck made a face. "How in hell'd Jody know what gal Lem liked???"

            Oliver shrugged elaborately. "I dunno. Reckon Lem musta told him."

            "Now why would Lem tell a young un...?"

            "You'd hafta ask Lem. Or Jody."

            Buck shook his head. "I cain't ask 'em. Not without lettin' on I been talkin' to you."

            "True. This is sich a mess!" Then, he grew more solemn. "Buck?"

            "Well?"

            "How'm I gonna git outta this?"

            "I don't know iffen you kin."

            "I gotta! I'm skeert! Help me!"

            Buck looked skeptical.

            "I don't want you-all to beat me no more," he said solemnly.

            "And I don't wanta beat you no more. But th'only way out I kin see, is you keep outen our way. I mean, 'cept when I'm alone like this."

            "For the rest o' my life??? How's that gonna work??"

            "Not too good, I reckon," Buck admitted.

            "Unless.... I wish I could talk to your ma. 'Splain what you and me a'ready know, 'bout when I was leetle and was so sad Ma takened me away from you-all. And how Ma didn't mean no harm, neither, and that she was jest worried 'bout me."

            "What good would that do?"

            "She could he'p us. And your brothers'd listen to her, I figger."

            "They would," Buck admitted. "But jest how would that stop your quarrel with Lem over Twink?"

            "Oh." Oliver fidgeted for a moment, and then sighed heavily. Then his blue eyes rose to meet Buck's black ones. "I'll give up my claim on her. I'll leave her be."

            Buck blinked and stared at him. "Now that jest might do it."