“Sure now, General, ’n that is an excellent suggestion,” McGregor said. “Why, if all in the Bootheel were so organized, that brigand Schofield would nae be able to repeat his devilment even if he did raise another army. Nae, nor would anyone else who might try and follow in his footsteps. But ’twould be better if you were to be the colonel.”
“Why should the general take a demotion?” Duff asked. “Ye could have Morley as the regimental colonel, and ask Governor Ross to appoint General Culpepper to the rank of general in the militia. That way he could continue giving advice and help.”
“Would ye be for accepting such an appointment, General?” McGregor asked.
“Yes, I would be honored to once again serve my country and my state—or in this situation, the territory in which I reside—in some official capacity.”
“Then it shall be done,” McGregor said. “We will form the Bootheel Regiment of the New Mexico Territorial Militia.”
“And, Mayor, could I also make a suggestion as to a name for the regiment?” General Culpepper asked.
“Aye, would ye be for calling it the Culpepper Regiment? Such a suggestion would be welcome,” McGregor replied.
“No, sir. What I would propose is that we call it the Bootheel Black Watch Regiment in honor of, and with respect for, the service you gentlemen rendered to that noble organization.”
“Captain MacCallister, what say ye to this?” McGregor said.
“Leftenant Colonel, I can think of no higher accolade,” Duff replied.
“Then why is ever’one jabberin’ about it?” Elmer picked up his glass. “Ain’t this somethin’ we ought to be drinkin’ to?”
“Aye, Elmer, ’tis a good suggestion,” Duff said as he lifted his own glass. “To the Bootheel Black Watch Regiment.”
“And to that noble band of warriors from which we have taken the name,” General Culpepper added as the glasses were clinked together.
Chapter Thirty-three
The next morning the Antelope Wells Christian Tabernacle Church was filled with citizens of the town, all of whom were guests for the marriage of Chris Morley and Ethel Marie Joyce. The Reverend Ken Cooley would be officiating at the service. Morley had chosen Anton Drexler as his best man; Ethel Marie had chosen Lucy Culpepper as her maid of honor. The organist began playing the wedding march and everyone looked back toward the front door of the church to see the bride coming up the aisle, holding on to Duff’s arm.
When Duff and Ethel Marie reached the front of the church, Cooley began the service.
“Dearly beloved, we are gathered together in the sight of God to witness and bless the joining together of Chris Morley and Ethel Marie Joyce in marriage. Chris and Ethel Marie come to give themselves to one another in this holy covenant.
“I ask you now, in the presence of God and these people, to declare your intention to enter into union with one another. Ethel Marie, will you have Chris to be your husband, to live together in holy marriage? Will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in heath, and forsaking all others, be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?”
Ethel Marie looked directly at Chris with a broad smile. “I will.”
“Chris, will you have Ethel Marie to be your wife, to live together in holy marriage? Will you love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?”
“I will,” Chris said, returning Ethel Marie’s smile.
“Who offers their blessing to this marriage?” Cooley asked.
“On behalf of her mother and father, I do,” Duff said.
* * *
Sitting in the back row of the church, General Culpepper was observing the wedding ceremony and beaming at what a beautiful maid of honor his daughter Lucy was. He felt a twinge of regret that she had felt it necessary to give up so much of her life to look after him. Since she was close to thirty years old, he was beginning to fear that she would never marry . . . although he realized there was a possibility she could marry Charles McGregor. He knew that they had feelings for each other, and he decided that he was going to encourage those feelings.
Those thoughts were passing through his mind as the words of the marriage ceremony droned on.
“Psst, General!” The words were spoken in a loud whisper.
Curious, as well as a little irritated, General Culpepper turned toward the door to see who might be calling out to him.
“General!”
It was Sheriff Campbell. For a moment General Culpepper considered waving him away, but the sheriff had a serious expression on his face as if there was a problem.
Was Schofield coming back? That certainly didn’t seem probable. Still, the sheriff’s summons did seen insistent.
“Please come with me,” Campbell asked.
Quietly and as unobtrusively as possible, General Culpepper left the church. Not until he was outside with the door closed behind him did he ask about what problem was serious enough for him to be called away from the wedding that was in progress.
“What is it, Sheriff? What is wrong?”
“’Tis needing ye I am for a wee bit of a problem,” Campbell said without being any more specific.
* * *
“Well now, I seen somethin’ this mornin’ that I didn’t never think I’d be a-seein’,” Elmer said.
The words were spoken at the wedding reception which was being held at the ballroom of the Dunn Hotel.
“What was that, Elmer?” Meagan asked.
“I seen Duff comin’ up the aisle in a church, escortin’ a woman whilst there was a weddin’ goin’ on.”
Meagan nodded. “Yes, I can see how that might be a bit surprising to some people.”
“Onliest thing is, it was the wrong weddin’ ’n the wrong woman. Shoulda been you that he was a-bringin’ up the aisle.”
“Oh, my.” Meagan laughed. “You don’t see yourself as Cupid, do you?”
“Well, if you mean do I see myself as that little naked feller with wings ’n a bow ’n arrow, no ma’am, I don’t see myself that way a’tall. I was just kinda pointin’ out what things should actual be, is all.”
“I think it would be best to just let things work out on their own, don’t you, Elmer?” Meagan asked, rather pointedly.
“Yes, ma’am. I reckon I’ll go get me a piece o’ that cake now.”
On his way to the refreshment table, Elmer saw Wang standing off by himself. Believing that his friend might be feeling a bit left out, he disdained the slice of cake and walked over to talk to him. “You had any of the cake yet, Wang? I know you can’t eat it with chopsticks, but it’s pretty good anyway,” he said, trying to make a joke.
“I do not wish cake.” Wang seemed to be carefully looking around the room, and though most of the time the Chinaman’s facial expression was inscrutable, Elmer knew him well enough to perceive that his friend was concerned about something,
“You seem worried. What are you worried about?”
“I do not see General Culpepper nor his daughter,” Wang said. “They should be here.”
“You’re right,” Elmer said, as he also began to peruse the room. “You’d think they would both be here, wouldn’t you? I mean, especially seein’ as she was in the weddin’ ’n all.”
“I feel something bad has happened,” Wang said.
“Well, I ain’t goin’ to say never mind. I’ve knowed you too long now, ’n it seems like anytime you ever get one o’ them feelin’s like that, why you’re most always right. Tell you what, I’ll go palaver some with Duff ’n McGregor. Could be they might know somethin’ about it.”
Elmer had taken no more than a few steps when he heard a loud, almost hysterical shout. Looking toward the sound, he saw that Lucy Culpepper had just stepped into the ballroom.
“My father is gone!” she shouted. There was a look of complete terror on her face. “I’ve looked everywhere, and I can’t find him!”
Meaga
n and Ethel Marie rushed to offer the distraught young woman what comfort they could.
“Where’s the sheriff?” someone asked. “The sheriff needs to look into this.”
* * *
“General, if ye dinnae quit stallin’, I’m goin’ to be for shooting ye dead ’n that’s a fact,” Campbell said.
He and General Culpepper were both mounted and riding alongside the San Simon ridgeline, about three miles northwest of the town of Antelope Wells.
“You won’t shoot me, Mr. Campbell,” Culpepper said. “If you wanted me dead, you would have shot me long before now. No, sir, you need me alive for some reason, though I confess that I have no idea why you would need that.”
“’Tis right ye be, General, I do need ye alive. But I have nae need to keep ye from bein’ shot up a little. ’N if ye don’t start movin’ a wee faster, I’ll start carvin’ up on ye a bit.”
“I never would have believed that you would be the traitor among us.”
“I prefer to look at myself as more of an opportunist than a traitor.”
“Why, Sheriff Campbell? Why did you betray all of us? And your friend Mayor McGregor. How could you betray him?”
“He was the easiest of all to betray,” Campbell said. “‘Come with me to America,’ he said. ‘In America everyone is equal.’ So we came to America and here, as before, I am his lackey. He is still the leftenant colonel, and I am still the sergeant. Well, it will nae be that way anymore. When Schofield and I start our own country, I will be the landowner. I will be the upper class.”
“Sheriff, I know Schofield. I have known him for a long time. He was a general and a confidant of the president of the United States. If you think he is going to share any of his power or position with a sergeant, you are going to be greatly disappointed.”
“Och, but what power does he have now?” Campbell asked. “I will answer the question for ye. He has nae power now, and he will have nae power until I give it to him. And I will only do so if he agrees to share that power.”
“And I am to be the way you give him that power?”
“Aye. We shall use ye for ransom. If McGregor wants to see ye alive again, he will turn over the city to us. We shall have control of Antelope Wells and every other wee village within the confines of the Bootheel with nae need of firing another shot.”
“Sheriff, do you really think the citizens of Antelope Wells will allow McGregor to enter into such a bargain? They will not trade their freedom for my life. Nor would I expect McGregor to do so.”
“Have ye been blind all this time, General? Do ye nae know how McGregor feels about your daughter?”
“I have long suspected that they had feelings for one another.”
“Aye, but did ye nae know that I had those same feelings for the lass?”
“You?”
“Aye, me. But McGregor poisoned the girl toward me, reminding her that I came from, and always would be from, a lower class. He said to me that to keep peace between us, I was nae to have anything to do with Lucy. Well, this will show him.”
“Are you insane, Campbell? Do you really believe you can win my daughter’s love by taking her father prisoner?”
Campbell’s laughter was low, and had about it, a touch of insanity.
“I have nae need for your daughter’s love, General. I need only her obedience.”
It took another two hours before they saw the cabin at the base of the mountain. Horses could be seen in the adjacent stable.
“We’ll stop here,” Campbell said.
“Wait a minute. I know this place,” General Culpepper said. “This is Abe Goddard’s place, isn’t it?”
“Aye, ’twas his place before his wife died ’n he went back to Denver. He gave it to me to put up for a sheriff’s auction. ’Tis a shame it only sold for fifty dollars. I kept ten dollars for the sheriff’s fee.”
“Fifty dollars? Why this place is worth ten times that amount of money,” General Culpepper said.
“Aye, ’tis worth that. And if the auction had nae been held at midnight, perhaps someone other than I would have come,” Campbell said with a little laugh. “Here, ride in front of me and hold this white flag up over your head.” He took a white cloth from his saddlebag and handed it to Culpepper.
“And why would I want to be holding up a white flag?”
“So Schofield won’t shoot you.” Campbell chuckled. “And ye are for riding in front, so that Schofield will nae shoot me.”
“Why would he shoot you? Aren’t the two of you allies?”
“We’ve never met, and he doesn’t know who I am,” Campbell replied.
* * *
“Prime Director, there are two riders coming toward us,” Fillion said from the window of the cabin. “Damn! I recognize one of them! It’s the sheriff from Antelope Wells!”
“The sheriff? Are you sure?” Schofield asked.
“Yes, sir, I’m damn sure. How the hell did he find us so quick?”
Patterson picked up his rifle. “They’re in easy range. Do you want me to shoot them?”
“They are carrying a white flag,” Schofield replied.
“Yes, sir, but it might be because they are wanting to ask us to surrender,” Fillion suggested. “I mean, why else would the sheriff be here?”
“Fillion, you step out front with me. Peterson, you stay inside and keep your long gun on them. If they have come to parley for our surrender, I will hold my arm out, and that will be your signal to kill them both.”
“Yes, sir,” Peterson replied.
Schofield and Fillion stepped out front, and Schofield waved the two men on in. He waited until they were close enough to talk to and within easy range of Peterson’s rifle.
“That’s far enough, Sheriff,” Schofield called.
“Do ye know who I am?” Campbell asked.
“Yes, I know. You are the sheriff of Antelope Wells. What do you want?”
“Aye, ’tis the sheriff I am. But ye also know me as Angus Pugh.”
“Angus Pugh?”
“Aye.”
“I don’t believe you. You’re the sheriff. How do I know you haven’t arrested Angus Pugh and you are using that name to get to me?”
“Would ye be for challenging me, Prime Director?” Campbell asked.
“You’re damn right I’m challenging you.”
“Nae. I mean for ye to challenge me with the password.”
“Oh. All right. Hill,” Schofield said.
Campbell smiled. “Climber.”
Schofield was silent for a moment, then he nodded. “All right. I’ll take you for who you say you are. Who is—” He paused in midsentence. “I know you! You are Lucien Culpepper!”
“We meet again, Ebenezer,” General Culpepper replied.
“What the hell is Culpepper doing here?”
“This man, Prime Director, is the key to our taking control of Antelope Wells,” Campbell replied.
“Oh? And how is that?”
“Ye’ve nae idea how General Culpepper is loved by the people of the town. They will make any bargain to get him back safely.”
Chapter Thirty-four
“Where is the sergeant major?” Duff asked, meaning the sheriff.
He, Elmer, and Wang were meeting with Mayor McGregor to decide what to do about finding General Culpepper.
“’Tis a mystery to me. ’Tis not like Campbell to be gone at a crisis time like this,” McGregor said.
“Why don’t we just get started lookin’ for the general without worryin’ none ’bout where the sheriff is?” Elmer asked.
“Aye, that is what we should do,” Duff replied.
“Duff, now ’tis concerned I am about the sheriff as well. While ye and your friends look for the general, I’ll try and find the sheriff.”
“May I suggest that we meet in your office in one hour?” Duff proposed. “Unless we find the general sooner.”
“Aye, ’tis a good idea,” McGregor agreed.
They searched the entire to
wn. Because General Culpepper was of advanced years, Duff feared the worst and was prepared to find the general collapsed somewhere, perhaps of failure of the heart or some other malady. But a thorough search turned up nothing.
“This ain’t makin’ no sense at all,” Elmer complained. “We’ve got half the town lookin’ for ’im, ’n seems to me if the general was still here, someone woulda found ’im by now.”
“Aye, that is a reasonable assumption,” Duff said.
“Don’t you think we should be a-goin’ to the mayor’s office?” Elmer asked. “We said we was supposed to meet there in an hour.”
“’Tis not quite an hour yet,” Duff replied. “I want to go back to the hotel and check in with Meagan and Lucy.”
By the time they returned to the Dunn Hotel the reception ballroom was nearly empty. Only the women of the town and a few of the older men remained.
Seeing Duff and the others come in, Morley hurried to them. “Did you find him?” asked anxiously.
“Nae,” Duff replied, shaking his head. “’Tis a shame this has happened to break up the celebration.”
Morley gave a dismissive wave of his hand. “No, now there ain’t no need to be worryin’ none about that. Me ’n Ethel Marie’s goin’ to be married for a long time, ’n this party’s nice ’cause it was give by our friends, but the most important thing is findin’ the general.”
“And the sheriff,” Elmer added.
“The sheriff is missing too?” Morley asked, surprised by the announcement.
“Aye.”
“Maybe he’s out lookin’ for the general.”
“Yeah, that’s what we been thinkin’ too, only we ain’t run into ’im whilst we been a-lookin’,” Elmer said.
“Colonel Morley, are Meagan and Lucy in there?” Duff asked, indicating the ballroom.
“No, sir, I seen ’em both go upstairs some while ago.”
“Elmer, you and Wang stay down here in case we get some news. I’m going to go upstairs and talk with Miss Culpepper. I sure wish I could take her some good news.”
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