by W. R. Benton
Sam nodded, but Dutch said, “You won't have any more trouble out of us. We're waiting on the finger food. Once we eat and hav e a few more drinks, we'll be gone, sir.”
The deputy nodded, stood, turned and walked from the saloon.
“Damn it Sam, next time don't turn smart-ass when talking to the law. I've warned you about this before.” Dutch said and then shook his head. A minute later, he yelled out, “Bartender, where's that damned bottle of whiskey I asked for?”
“I'll fetch it for you as soon as they get this body out of my place. Dead people are hard on my business.” the ba rtender replied as two men were packing the dead man away.
“Ya fellers movin' the body, get a wiggle on.” Sam said, and then laughed.
Dutch shook his head and grinned. It was hard not to like Sam, but he sure tested people's patience at times with his dry sense of humor. He'd had more than one fight over a smart comment he'd made in the past. Usually Dutch let him go, but being sarcastic or funny with a law officer was just plain stupid. More than once he'd thought of getting rid of Sam, but he was so damn cool under fire and when it came to shooting, he was hard to beat. As the copper said, both bullet holes in the dead man could be covered with a double eagle. Not many people can shoot like that, especially when the other side is slinging lead too, but Sam could.
“What's your plans for the night?” Bill asked Sam.
“Get me a room, a woman and a bottle, and ya?”
“Just a bottle. Picking up a strange woman is a good way to get the French Pox.”
“Hell, I done got that, so I ain't got nothin' to worry about then.”
All three of them laughed and then Bill asked, “Do you really have the pox?”
“Yep, I really do, and caught it during the war. Times were rough and I met this ole gal just outside of Jackson, Mississippi. I had a deer and s he had what I wanted, so we traded. Lookin' ba ck, I ain't so sure I got the best of the deal, but she turned me every which way but loose. Women down South at the time would do anything for a bit of food. I made sure as many of 'em was fed as I could and had me a merry ole time. Many a time I'd trade my supper rations for a little tail.”
“Jesus, Samuel, you'll go crazy and blind before too long.” Dutch said, as he smiled at the bartender, who set a qu art of whiskey down and took a dollar fifty.
“I talked to a saw bones about it,” Sam said as the bartender walked away, “and he told me I'd not have much to worry about for longer than twenty years.”
“Hell, it's been five years to the date this year.” Bill said and then blinked rapidly.
“I ain't no different now than I was then.”
Dutch said, “Did he know which French Pox you had? There are many, from what I understand, but only syphilis will kill a man.”
“I ain't got that one. It had another name, only I don't remember what it was.”
“Your memory ain't goin', is it?” Bill asked, his eyes large with concern.
Dutch laughed and poured the drinks. He thought for a moment and then said, “If you have a different pox it may hurt your eyes, but from the shots I just saw, your eyes are in great shape.”
“I don't feel no different than I did twenty years ago, except smarter.”
“Lawdy,” Bill said, “you mean you were once dumber?”
Dutch laughed and then said, “He meant he's learned a great deal, don't ya Sam?”
“Oh, yeah. As a young man, hell, I didn't know nothin' about nothin'. Now, I'm a well traveled man of the world, almost.”
“You ain't never been out of the sta tes, have ya?” Bill asked and then knocked back his drink.
“I have, too. I once had a posse on my tail, so I spent almost two hours across the border in old Mexico. I didn't understand a damn thing them damned bean eaters said. But, ya know, they got some hot ladies down there.”
Dutch laughed again and said, “Now where in Mexico did you find a re al lady ?”
“She was workin' in one of them canteener places. They're like a saloon, don't ya know?”
“Huh, I never gave much thought to what a Mexican calls a saloon.” Bill said, and he was honestly hooked with the tale.
Dutch stood, stretched and said, “You boys can have the bottle. I plan on turning in early and being on the trail by daylight. Now, I don't care what y'all do, but be ready to ride when I do or I'll leave your ass.”
“Where we goin' now? Hell we're in Omaha now.” Bill asked.
“Looking for work. I want,” he stopped talking and looked around, making sure they were alone, “to see about some spots to hold up a train. See where the stages run and their schedule. I also want to get the feel of the land. So, if we rob a bank here, I want to know where is the best place to hide fresh horses, food, and medical supplies.”
“Hell, I never gave that no thought.” Sam said, and then took a sip of his drink.
“That's why I'm the leader, and it's something that needs doing.”
“Are we goin' to make some big money here?” Bill asked.
“Oh, yeah, but I have to find out where the big money is first. Then, once we get our hands on the money, we need a place we can hole up a while and wait for the pressure to go down.”
“Makes sense to me.” Sam said with a dumb look on his face. He was about half drunk and turning sleepy. “I'm tired and think I'll pass on the woman tonight. I need to eat and get to bed.”
Right then a man walked in with three trays loaded down with fried fish, pickled pig’s feet, deer meat, buffalo meat, cheeses, and all kinds of breads. He placed it on the counter and the bartender said, “If you have a drink, food is free for paying customers.”
Dutch laughed when both men jumped up and moved into line. He knew they'd all three eat, get sleepy and then go to bed early. It was just now six and the evening was still young.
The two returned to the table a few minutes later and Sam said, “If ya eat all six of them boiled eggs, I ain't sleepin' in the same room with ya.”
“Why's that?” Bill asked.
“Gas. You'll stink the place up after drinkin' beer and whiskey, then eatin' them eggs.”
Dutch saw their plates were loaded down with finger food, including some nice lean cuts of ham and beef. He stood and moved to the counter. Filling his metal plate, he returned to the table, sat and then said, “I'm gonna eat and then return to the room.”
Sam said, “I might as well go back to the room, too. If we're goin' o ut to find work in the mornin', I need to go along.”
“I thought you was getting a woman for the night?” Dutch asked, looking over the rim of his shot glass.
“I changed my mind, like I said earlier.”
Dutch just grinned.
Two weeks later, Dutch sat at the kitchen table in the shack he'd rented for five dollars a month. He was sipping coffee spiked with whiskey. He was a bit nervous because they were to hit the Omaha State Bank at 9 am, if things went well. According to information he'd bought, the railroad made a $70,000.00 deposit yesterday about noon and he wanted it. When he'd checked bank security late yesterday afternoon after the money was deposited, he saw no increase in the number of guards or any special action taken to protect the cash. If things worked correctly, in less than four hours he'd be $30,000 richer and each of the others would hold $20,000. In the day, when a man could find work, he usually made fifty cents a day. That was 164 years of hard, back breaking work Dutch would avoid.
He went over the details of the robbery again with Sam and Bill, using a piece of brown paper with the diagram of the interior of the bank roughly sketched on it. Each knew what to do and Dutch had complete faith in the abilities of the two men riding with him. He knew he had to keep a short leash on Sam during the robbery, because if one of the guards or customers resisted, even a little, he'd turn to killin'. Killin' he didn't mind, if fighting an armed guard, but murder of customers d uring a robbery would bring a hanging. Now, Dutch knew about the rape and murder of Lew Stuart's family, only he wasn't i
nvolved, so he felt he was safe enough. After all, he was just there and he'd hurt no one. Some others had killed them, not him. He figured if he was caught, the law would tack a few more years to his sentence. Time he could do, but hanging was a different matter.
“Now remember, no one gets hurt and I mean no one. They catch us now we'll go back to prison, but if we turn to killin' we'l l stretch some hemp, understood?”
“I hear ya.” Samuel said.
“What if a guard makes a fight of it?” Bill asked,
“Kill 'em. Look, we're going to take this bank, guards or no guards, but I want no customers hurt, especially women or kids.”
Bill looked shocked and said, “Damn son, I may be a crook, but I ain't never in my life hurt no kid or woman.”
“I cain't say that,” Sam said and then continued, “I've raped more than my share, but other than that, I've never hurt or killed one, unless there was a need. What harm is a quick poke? I thin k most of them women like it anyway, but they act like they don't.”
“It's against the law, dumb-ass.” Bill said, and then shook his head.
“No rapes at the bank, understood?” Dutch asked.
“I'll remember. We're to get t he money and ride.”
“That's right. Now, grab your hats and let's go to the saloon and get some breakfast. We'll hang around there to be seen, because most folks don't pay attention to time. If need be, we can claim we were in the saloon at the time of the robbery. Hell, the bartender ain't likely to remember when we were there, just that we were there.”
Putting their hats on, all three left the house and walked to the saloon.
At the saloon they had their normal breakfast special, but no whiskey this time. Dutch had cut them off at noon the day before, telling them he wanted all of them stone sober for the bank job. A cute little redhead was making eyes at Dutch so he waited until she had no customers and then called her to the table.
“We need another pot of coffee, when you have the time, but before you go, how about going out with me this evening? I'll wine and dine you, if you'd like, and we can talk. What do you say?” He really wasn't interested in her, but wanted her to remember him.
“Sure, sugar, but talkin' ain't what I have in mind.” He noticed she was short, a little over five feet, nice figure with large breasts, auburn hair, and thick pouting lips. She was about twenty-five and constantly smiling.
“We can do that too, baby, if that's what you really want.”
“Oh, wine and dine me first, because a woman wants to feel special.”
Dutch chuckled and said, “Okay, I can meet you here at seven, if you'd like.”
“You have a deal. Only, I don't want to eat here. I eat in this dump six days a week.”
“When I meet you, you take me to where you want to eat.”
“Good, I'll be right back with your coffee. If John sees me talkin' and not workin', he'll be all over my ass.”
“Sure, but what's your name?”
“I'm called Delight.”
Dutch laugh, sobered and then asked, “Really?”
“Really, and you?”
“Dutch, and it' s because I have a German background. My family came from Germany, oh, about fifty years ago, and we all still speak the language.”
“John is eyeing me. So, I'll get your coffee and be right back.”
At five minutes to nine, Dutch paid the bill, left a dollar tip, and waved at Delight as they left the saloon.
The morning was brisk with a light wind from the west. All three men wore tan dusters, mainly to hide the sawed off shotguns and pistols they carried, but also in the event the weather turned rough when they were on the dodge. There was one armed guard standing outside at the front door when they tied their horses to the hitching post. They ignored each other and not a word was spoken. Dutch entered the bank alone and the other two entered a few minutes after him. He quickly noticed only one more guard inside and he was trying to get his pipe lighted. Dutch pulled a Lucifer from his coat pocket, struck in with his thumb nail, and then passed the flaming match to the guard.
“Oh, thank you kindly, sir.” the guard said as he began puffing his pipe.
Dutch waited patiently for his turn in line and he noticed the line wasn't getting any shorter as time passed. Obviously these were early morning folks who had businesses or were preparing for a busy day. By the time he reached the teller, the only people behind him were his men.
The teller was behind a glass partition, with a half a circle cut at the bottom, where money and papers were exchanged. He was a thin man, mid-twenties, closely cropped brown hair, green eyes and thin mustache.
His teeth were even and white, which Dutch noticed when the man asked, “May I help you?”
“Yes, sir, I'm sure you can. This is a robbery .” he replied in an even voice.
Before the guard could move, Sam had a big 10 gauge sawed off shotgun pointed in the man's face. Smiling he said, “Pull your pistol with your thumb and pinkie. Then drop it on the floo r.”
Bill opened the door and seeing the other guard, said, “We've a sick man in here and need your help.”
When the guard stepped in, Bill whacked him hard on the head and knocked him out cold. He then manacled both guards together, after scooping up their weapons, and pushed them against the far wall. He turned the open sign to closed, pulled down a shade, and then locked the bank door.
Dutch moved behind the serving counter and saw the vault was open. He had Sam cover the employees as he and Bill took the paper money. Six bank bags were stuffed full of greenbacks and then Bill took three bags of gold coin.
Just as they were preparing to leave the bank, a pistol shot was heard and Bill fell to the floor, screaming. Dutch saw an older man holding an old 1861 Navy Colt, so he raised his pistol and fired, striking the man in the head, right in the middle of the face. Blood, bone and gore flew out behind him, splattering the wall.
Sam started shooting like a crazy man and before Dutch could get the man under control, three employees, besides the older man, now lay dead on the floor. He noticed the empty shotgun shells flying through the air as Sam opened the breech to reload.
“How bad you hit?” Dutch asked Bill.
“Flesh wound to my right thigh. Help me on a horse and I'll ride.”
As they filed from the bank, Sam fired his shotgun twice more and the guards both died. The door was left open, they mounted, and then kicked their horses into a gallop. They fled Omaha moving west at a canter.
Ten miles later, with no sign of a posse, they changed directions and moved toward the hideout where Dutch had fresh horses, food, whiskey, and medical supplies. It was an old shack near the Missouri River, where it looked like someone had once ran a ferry across the water. The weather remained clear and cool, but not cold. Once at the cabin, they'd decide if they needed to run or stay in place. Right now, Dutch was inclined to stay, since there was no sign of a posse.
After arriving there, the horses were turned loose so they'd return to Omaha and the livery stables where they'd used fictitious names to rent the animals. They now had their personal animals and they were well rested. They no sooner entered the cabin than Dutch threw a wild right and knocked Samuel on his ass.
“I told you no one gets hurt, you dumb sonofabitch! There was no call for the guards to die. Damn you, Sam!” Dutch was livid.
“I hate coppers.”
“They ain't cops, you damned fool. I know we have at least three dead and the only one that had to die was the old man who shot Bill. Damn it all! Now since murder is part of this act they'll try like hell to find us.”
Not much of a thinker, Sam asked, “So, what now?”
“We're going to have split up at this point. They'll be looking for three men, not one or two. I'll stay with Bill and care for him. Give me a few minutes to simmer down and I'll divide the money. Damn, son, but you piss me off at times.”
“Where do I go and what do I do now?”
“Head to Kan
sas City and we'll meet you there in a few weeks. Get a room at a cheap hotel, using the name of Jesse Stevens. Can you remember that?”
“Sure. How much money do you think we got?
“A lot, but I need to count it first. I want you to move out by the trees and guard us as I divide the cash.”
“Why me?”
Shaking his head, he replied, “Because I have to doctor Bill too, since he was shot.”
“Oh, yeah, I forgot.”
“I'll call ya back in once I get the money taken care of.”
No sooner had Sam left than Bill said, “He murdered those guards i n cold-blood, sure as hell. With them manacled like they were, the law is goin' to come lookin' for this money and the killers.”
“I think we have over a hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Now by rights, fifty thousand should go to Sam, only it ain't. I'm going to give him twenty thousand and send him on his way to Kansas City.”
“After killin' those guards the sumbitch shouldn't get a penny. I'll never do another job with him again.”
Dutch chuckled and then said, “He'll rot in Kansas City, because I'll never show and neither will you.”
“Be sure to give him a bag of coin, because he saw me pull all three of them.”
“I will, now let me count this.” He then emptied the bags onto the old wooden table in front of him.
“Damn, that's a lot of cash.”
“Yep, but I'd suggest we hold off spending it for a long time.”
“Ya reckon they have the serial numbers of the greenbacks?”
“No, but if we suddenly come to spending this, it'll draw attention to us in no time.”
A few hours later, Dutch called Sam in, handed him three bags of cash, of which one was coin, and said, “That's twenty thousand dollars there, but I'd not suggest you start spending it yet. Wait until you get to Kansas City.”
“When do I need to leave?” Sam asked from around a big smile.
“Hell, right now is as good a time as any.”
“How's Bill?”