Maggie Cartwright: Book 2 Man In The Window

Joe and the Stolen Filly

It's been a week since the man first appeared in my window. It has happened every night since. And it has always been whenever I'm alone.

I lay awake in bed, it was probably midnight or so. The man still has yet to show up tonight, and I was scared. I couldn't sleep, no matter what I tried. Joe slept silently beside me, his pistol laying on the nightstand beside him. I closed my eyes, trying to go to sleep. I just couldn't. I opened my eyes, looking out at the moon. Something was wrong, but I refused to get out from underneath my covers. Then, out of no where, there he was. In the same position, faceless and terrifying. This was my chance.

"Joe, Joe wake up." I whispered, kicking him with my foot.

"What?" He rolled over, looking at me, half asleep.

"He's here." I motioned. Joe's eyes widen. He quickly sat up in bed, grabbing his pistol, pointing it at the figure. Before he had it cocked, the man was gone. Joe opened his mouth, then closed it, blinking in disbelief.

"I told you it wasn't my imagination." I said, looking at the frightened boy.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything doubting you, for ever not believing you." Joe quickly said. He stood up to go look out the window.

"Didn't you put Shasta in the paddock for the night?" Joe asked.

"Yes, why." I asked, getting out of the bed. Joe turned to look at me with frightened eyes.

"She's gone."

~

I ran out of the house minutes later, fully dressed as I strapped my gun belt on. The paddock was empty. I heaved open the barn door and took a match from my pocket, lighting the nearest lantern. She wasn't in the barn either.

"Is she there?" Joe asked as he ran into the barn, pulling on his hat.

"No. But I'm gonna find her." I said, going into Tulsa's stall.

"Now just hold on! Let's be calm and reasonable." Joe said, walking over to the stall.

"Hey, what's going on out there?" We heard pa yell.

"Pa, Shasta's gone!" I said, running out of the barn.

"Pa, we need to talk." Joe spoke. Pa sighed, shutting his window. We went back into the house as pa came down in his red robe.

"What's the meaning of this? Why are you both dressed? Are you trying to sneak out?" Pa asked, not very impressed.

"Shasta's gone. And, um, I have something to say." Joe said, feeling unsure of himself.

"Go on." Pa yawned.

"I saw the man in the window." Joe mumbled.

"You what?" Pa gasped, instantly snapping out of his sleepy state.

"He loomed at the window, holding a knife above his head. By the time I had my gun ready to fire, he was gone." Joe spoke.

"You have seen him? You're sure?" Pa asked.

"Yes. And now Shasta is missing! Something is going on, and I don't feel that safe anymore." Joe admitted.

"Well, can't this wait till morning? Please?" Pa sighed with another yawn.

"Can't I at least ride around in a mile radius? And then I'll go to sleep. Please?" I begged.

"As long as Joe goes with you." Pa said, standing up to go back to bed.

"Now, good night." Pa said, walking back up the stairs.

"Night." I said as I headed towards the door. Joe followed, looking around as soon as we got outside.

"You don't feel safe. You feel like at any moment you'll look down and have a knife sticking out of you." I spoke as I headed towards the barn.

"Yea." Joe mumbled.

"It should be bright enough without a lantern. Should we still take one of the torches with us?" I asked.

"Yea." Joe nodded. I quickly tacked Tulsa up and led her out of the barn. Joe mounted Cochise and held Tulsa as I went back into the barn and came out with a lit torch. I handed it to Joe as I mounted, then took it back. Me and Joe both had our ropes on our saddle, so we cantered out of the lane.

We covered the whole ponderosa within a mile, and the only thing we could find was a bunch of confusing horse tracks.

"This isn't doing us anything. We've been out here for two hours. Lets go back." Joe yawned. I didn't want to, but I knew we should. The torch had went out minutes ago and was only small coals. I threw it in a big puddle and we trotted back to the ranch. We went into the barn and untacked. I laid down in the hay on the floor, looking up at the ceiling. Joe flopped down on another pile of hay. We didn't say anything, just the sounds of horses munching on hay, the swish of their tails and the often nicker was more then enough to put anyone to sleep.

~

I woke up, feeling someone kicking my legs.

"Wake up." Joe said before walking out of the barn. I slowly sat up and yawned. Tulsa wasn't in her stall and her tack was missing. I followed Joe out of the barn. Cochise and Tulsa were both tacked and tied to the hitching post.

"Hop-Sing has breakfast ready." Joe said, walking towards the house. I followed him inside and seated myself at the table.

"Why are you both covered in hay?" Pa said, looking from me to Joe.

"They were sleeping out in a hay piles." Adam said, dishing a couple of flap jacks onto his plate.

"How late were you out looking for Shasta?" Pa asked as Adam passed the plate to him.

"No idea. I think we were riding for about two hours." I shrugged as I play came around to me. I pulled a few onto my plate, then passed them to Joe.

"There has definitely been some interesting events happening around here." Pa said, looking at all 4 of us.

"Like what, Pa?" Hoss asked.

"You want to tell them, Joe?" Pa asked. Everyone looked at Joe.

"Everything Maggie has said about the man in the window, it's true. Every word Maggie said was true. He just stands over her window, faceless, just staring at you. It's terrifying. Then Shasta disappeared, or we found out she did seconds later after the man disappeared." Joe as he cut a piece of the flap jack.

"Well then." Hoss said, clearing his throat, trying to break the silence.

"I'm going to be out riding all day, looking for her." I said as I shoved a flap jack into my mouth and quickly eating it.

"And no, I don't want anyone coming with me. She is my horse, my problem." I added. I wasn't going out just to look for Shasta, I was going out to put an end to this.

"If that is what you wish. As long as you take you're gun and rifle." Pa nodded.

"Thank you. Excuse me, I've had my fill." I said after a took a couple gulps of my water. I went over to the gun cabinet and pulled my rifle out, making sure it was loaded. I put my hat back on, then walked outside. I made sure I had my rope on my saddle. I slid my rifle into the rifle holster on the ride of my saddle. I took my saddle bags out of the barn and went into the kitchen. I put the leftover flap jacks, bread and some apples into the saddle bags and filled my canteen. I walked back out and tied the saddle bags onto the back of my saddle. Joe stood by Cochise and watched me.

"Don't think about following me, Joe." I said as I mounted.

"Good luck. I hope you find them." Joe said, patting my leg.

"Don't tell pa." I mumbled and I turned Tulsa around and kicked her sides.