The Outlaw's Widow ( The Run Away)

in the works not edited

She heard them all whispering, about who she was

stepping out of the stagecoach she adjusted her best dress

some ladies leaned in whispering in jest.

She walked into the hotel and signed in, set her bags down

the bellhop looked around and asking her, "Will you be alone?"

yes, she said, adjusting her dusty hat.

 

As she walked to her room she noticed all the men stand.

Fear on their faces as they looked around.

One hand on their holster they all tipped their hats.

She smiled, and nodded back she was the outlaw's wife

this they all knew from the local news papers

turning and walking up the stairs to her room she went

once settled in standing before the looking glass

she let her scarlet hair down, washed up,

and changed her dress.

 

Taking her time she walked back down the stairs to eat.

All the hotel quest whispering about the redhead dressed all in black.

The men all gasped at her beauty, and elegance married to a man such as he.

She was an outlaw's run away, his wife, on public display.

A wife to a man with hate and greed as his best friends.

No one dared talk to her, trying not to stare at her face.

 

Not a woman who could be easily hidden away.

Everyone there knew he would be coming for her,

with the devils army. To take her back to his hellish cage.

She ordered her food no alcohol did she drink.

All alone in hiding, there in that old hotel the days passed by quickly.

She remained herself and was always dressed so classically all in black.

everyone there knew who she was  from his reputation and wanted posters. She was listed as his wife. She a woman so classy, married to a wanted man.

She stayed to herself, some say she locked herself away as a great plan to lure him there.

 

Walking down the street on her way to the general store she saw a wanted poster with her husband's face, it read; wanted dead, or alive. She took it down and cried with it in her hands.

Returning to her room that night with linen, and lace and a wanted poster of his face she looked at him, and took a small drink, silent thoughts about this place she now hid. she put her best black dress to dine alone yet again. She

the woman with a pretty face.

 

Another trip down the stairs, it seemed to become her greatest performance.

She laid her purse on the table next to her hand all the men were getting braver, than they had in the past. It's hard to hide as a woman with scarlet hair, wearing nothing but black. That night was the day to seal her life's destiny she ate her meal with an eerie look on her face.

Then the storm came rolling in with dust flying from the plains

that outlaw man came riding in with all of his gang

the streets cleared everyone running home to hide,

form the evil  outlaw man

 

He came into the hotel where she was staying

with blood shot eyes, the men women and children quickly ran from all sides

there she sat dressed all in black, with her red hair, and her best black hat

 

He started to yell, laugh, and scream about her hiding from him

over to her table he walked with a rope, and whip in his hands.

he told her what to expect, after all she was an outlaw's wife,

and all of his plans. Her face never changed not a shutter she made to that man. "Well what do you have to say for yourself woman, all dressed in black?" he screamed. Not a whisper she made as she reached in her purse for her pearl handled pistol, right there in plain sight.

 

All the people looked around, and stepped out from hiding to see if he was dead. She had enough, yes she did, and shot him in the head,

Smoke was swirling mixing with the air. She rose to her feet, walking over to him pulling out his wanted poster with a smile.

The sheriff looked up at her and said, I am sorry your husband is dead.

She unfolded that poster, and threw down on top of where he laid, along with her hat picking up his. "Here he belongs to you now, can I have my reward, I brought him in dead." she said.

 

"As for the hat bury it with him, I am no longer in mourning.

Oh and give me his money and pony, no need for me to be the outlaw's run away woman always wearing nothing but black in mourning." All the men stood and tipped their hat to her, as she walked outside mounting his horse

Sheriff I am going to ride outside town, send my money to buy the old Smith place. She let her long red hair down, shook her head, put on her outlaw man's hat. Turned and ran as fast as she could to her new place,

laughing for the first time in her marriage.