Rustlers

by Orrin Russell

  ‘I don’t get many customers anymore, but either way you need to stay out of sight. For your own sake as well as mine.’

  ‘You know who I am.’

  ‘The whole town does. Witney’s men made it pretty clear they wanted you turned in when you showed up.’

  ‘This isn’t turning me in.’

  ‘You’re not going to do me any good dead.’

  ‘What good do you think I’m going to do you alive?’

  She looked at him directly, her eyes as steely as they had been when she first saw him below. One hand held the doorknob, the other rested on her hip. She was beautiful. Her skin was smooth and plentiful, and the smell of woman drifted up to him.

  ‘Ned Witney has been running this town for too long. He’s run over everyone in his way. But they haven’t been much. Weak men and weak women. I could be wrong about you. You might crumple up just like all the rest. But I don’t think I am.’

  She closed the door and left him in the room. He slept for a while, and spent some time staring out the window overlooking the back end of town. At one point a customer entered below. Balum heard his boots walk behind the curtain. It was not long until he left. The short string of insults on his way out showed the degree of satisfaction he had received.

  At suppertime the woman ascended the staircase and brought him a plate of beans and cheese.

  ‘Thank you,’ he said. ‘What should I call you by the way?’

  ‘Call me Angelique.’

  ‘Ok Angelique,’ he said, between mouthfuls of beans. ‘So’s you know where I stand. Me and my partners rounded up a thousand head of Texas Longhorns south of the border. We busted our hides to get them here. Couple days ago this Witney fellow’s men try to force a buyout on us. They didn’t like our answer so they stampeded the herd. Killed one of our men. I imagine those cattle are sold off at this point. My partners are in jail, I know that much. Anyhow, there’s some reckoning needs to be done.’

  ‘Yes there is.’

  ‘So tell me what I need to know.’

  ‘Your partners are in jail alright. Lucky for them the US Marshal was passing through when they got hauled in. Witney will stall for a bit until he leaves, then he’ll hang them. And your cattle were sold and loaded onto the railcars the same day they brought them in. Gossip travels fast around here.’

  ‘Who the hell is this Witney anyway?’

  ‘He’s a pig, that’s who he is. He drifted in a year ago when the price of cattle started to rise. He saw there was no law around, so he began to take what he wanted. No one stood up to him.’

  ‘Why not?’

  ‘He’s got a bunch of hired guns with him. He put pressure on the bankers and became partner at the Central Bank. Not that it made much difference. They’re all crooks anyway. After that, anyone who opposed him got cut off financially.’

  Balum sunk his teeth into the block of cheese and looked at Angelique. ‘So what’s your stake in all of this?’

  ‘He opened up a saloon in town a couple months ago. Ned’s Palace they call it. He wanted some working girls, so he took mine.’

  ‘What about those two blondes you’ve got downstairs?’

  ‘Helene and Else? Those two couldn’t give a man a decent lay if their lives depended on it. They came in off the train two weeks ago fresh off a boat from Denmark, and I hired them because somebody is better than nobody. Although I’m starting to doubt that.’

  ‘So that’s it? A business grudge?’

  She gave him that look again, those cold, steely eyes piercing through him. It nearly sent shivers down his back.

  ‘No Balum, that is not it. I take responsibility for those girls. This little place right here used to be bright and busy. You can think what you want about a working girl, but everyone’s got to get through life one way or another, and the West can snuff you out faster than a prayer candle. I gave those girls a home. We were happy here. What’s happened to them now…’

  Balum set the plate down. ‘I hear you,’ he said. ‘What’s the US Marshal’s name?’

  ‘Pete Cafferty.’

  ‘He still in town?’

  ‘At the Rosemonte Hotel.’

  The Rosemonte Hotel had a dining area complete with tablecovers and cloth napkins. It also provided a clear view of who dined there to the passing public. When the bellhop informed Cafferty of the visitor calling on him, the Marshal did not suggest conversing in the dining room, but instead informed the bellhop to allow Balum to proceed to his room.

  The suite was furnished with a table and two chairs. Cafferty shut and locked the room door behind Balum, and the two men sat at the table.

  ‘I know what you’re here for Balum.’

  ‘You know who I am and you know what I’m here for. They should make you a Pinkerton on top of Marshal.’

  ‘A Marshal’s duties often times turn into that of a detective’s.’

  Balum nodded. ‘I imagine they do.’

  ‘It’s those duties that brought me to Cheyenne, and it’s those same duties that are going to take me out of here. Now I can take a guess at what’s happened here. Witney stole your herd and now he’s gonna wipe out the evidence by turning the tables on you and having you and your gang hung.’

  ‘That sums it up.’

  ‘It’s not the first time. Everyone knows he’s a crook. But these are the Dakota Territories. We need ten times as many Marshals as there are now to keep any sort of law around here. I know, you’d like me to stick around and see to a trial. Well what use would it be? He’ll have a dozen men swearing on the bible that you’re all cattle rustlers. No one in town will back you; he’s got them so beat down they’re afraid to make a peep.’

  ‘They killed one of our men when they stampeded our cattle. Twenty-two years old.’

  Cafferty ran his fingers over the wood of the tabletop. He stood up and walked to a shelf on the side of the room and took down two glasses and a bottle.

  ‘Port?’

  ‘I won’t say no.’

  Cafferty filled the glasses and returned to the table. ‘Don’t think it doesn’t bother me. I’m a lawman, and I respect the law. It’s how conflicts should be resolved. The problem is, there’s not enough law to go around. And men like Witney are destroying this country while the rest of us are trying to build it up.’

  ‘He’s going to hang my partners, then he’ll come for me.’

  ‘I know.’

  ‘I don’t aim to let that happen.’

  The Marshal took a sip of port and eyed Balum. ‘I can’t stay here Balum.’

  ‘You don’t have to.’

  ‘Then what do you want me to do?’

  ‘Appoint me Deputy Marshal. Right now. Give me a badge and make it legal.’

  ‘And then what?’

  Balum stood up and refilled his glass from the bottle on the shelf. ‘There’s a reckoning due either way Marshal.’

  ‘It’s your own death sentence.’

  ‘That might be true.’

  Cafferty shook his head. ‘I don’t know Balum. Your name’s been floating around. You’re not on the wrong side of the law, but you’ve stepped close to that line. Nobody’s sad about Lance Cain. Or Turnbull. Still, if I appoint you Deputy Marshal, there’s going to be a lot of questions coming my way.’

  ‘Time’s running out Marshal.’

  Cafferty sat back in his chair and looked at his interlocutor. ‘Balum. Now that’s an uncommon name. Years back I heard a story about a man with that name. It involved a Mexican jail and a whole lot of dead men.’

  Balum said nothing. He drank his port.

  ‘But no, that was too long ago.’ The Marshal stood again and picked up his bags from the floor by his bed. He took out a ream of paper and a six-pointed star. ‘It doesn’t put you above the law Balum. And this is temporary. I can’t say when I’ll return, but when I do you’ll either be dead or there’ll be a whole lot more tombstones in the graveyard.’

  25

  Darkness had already fallen when Ba
lum arrived at the Rosemonte, and the hour at which he exited was well into the night. He folded the written affidavit granting him temporary service as a Deputy Marshal and tucked it inside his shirt pocket as he crossed the street. When he reached Angelique’s place he paused outside and pinned the badge on his shirtfront.

  The night door had been closed. He rapped his knuckles on it and waited.

  It opened a crack. The soft glow of candlelight shimmered outwards and the door swung open. Balum stepped inside. He took his hat off and placed it on the bar countertop. Angelique set the candle down.

  ‘What did he--Oh!’ she gasped, and reached her fingers up to touch the badge on his chest. ‘Is this…?’

  ‘It is.’

  ‘Since when?’

  ‘About ten minutes ago. US Deputy Marshal.’

  ‘Oh my,’ she laughed softly and put a hand to her chest. ‘I knew I did right taking you in.’

  Balum looked down at her in the soft candlelight. Her hair was loosely pinned on top of her head, much of it falling in thick swirls to her shoulders. She had wrapped a thin black shawl around her and had it drawn tightly in front of her body. Balum wondered if she wore anything at all underneath, for the tops of her breasts were bare, her cleavage soft and smooth in front of him.

  She was all woman. Her body was a compilation of curves. Her lips were full and parted, and her eyes showed no fear in meeting his. He felt his pulse quicken, and an urge to reach out and pull her into him. He wanted his lips on hers, and to feel the softness of her body pressed against him.

  He knew the way he looked at her did nothing to dissimulate his intentions. He thought he noticed the corners of her mouth turn up just slightly before she picked up the candle and turned to the staircase.

  ‘Get some rest Balum,’ she said. ‘You’ll have plenty to do tomorrow.’

  The morning sunlight filled his room. It came in through the curtained window and bounced its reflection off the walls and ceiling and onto Baum. He rolled onto his back and opened his eyes. What he wouldn’t give to have a woman with him to wake up to.

  He got out of bed and looked out the window. He had slept past sunrise. In fact, looking at the shadows cast from the sun he realized he had slept in closer to noontime. That was rare for him. The two days prior combined with the glasses of port from last night had given him reason to sleep. He felt fresh again. The swelling had subsided a fair bit and his hat fit regular like again.

  He opened his door and took a peek across the balcony ledge to the room below. It was empty of customers. He could see the top of Angelique’s head and the two Danish blondes seated next to her.

  He descended the staircase. As he neared them he could make out bits of the conversation. Angelique was giving the two girls a lecture, and she was none too happy.

  ‘That’s the third one just this week. And there were only four to begin with. My reputation is going to the dogs. If you two can’t figure out how to take care of a man without him demanding his money back before he leaves there’s just no way I can let you stay on.’

  When she saw Balum on the staircase she gave him a smile. ‘Good morning Deputy.’

  ‘Ladies.’

  ‘Helene, Else, get a plate of breakfast for our guest.’

  The two blondes rose and disappeared behind the hanging curtain. As Balum reached the bottom of the staircase the smell of perfumed women reached his nose. The scent alone seemed to make his chest swell and raise his blood pressure. If he spent too much time around Angelique and the two girls he just might forget about why he was in Cheyenne in the first place.

  ‘Those two girls giving you problems?’ he asked.

  ‘I don’t know what they’re doing. The world’s oldest profession and it’s like a foreign language to them,’ Angelique shook her head. ‘Sit down. Tell me what you’re thinking.’

  ‘ Cafferty’s leaving today ,’ he said, pulling out a chair. ‘That means my partners need out of jail soon. It worries me though. This town is going to turn into a war zone soon and I don’t want them in it, no matter how much they ask for a part of the fight.’

  ‘You’re going to need them, Balum. Witney has nearly twenty men riding for him. Not one of them was hired to herd cattle.’

  ‘That’s the problem. They’re all gunslingers. My partners are not.’

  ‘Maybe you can give them something else to do.’

  ‘Like what?’

  ‘What about your money? It’s in the Cheyenne Central Bank right now, but once you start shaking things up they’ll move it.’

  ‘So what do I do?’

  ‘You need to get it to Denver. There’s a Wells Fargo there, along with a few other respectable banks. Get it into one of their safes where no one can touch it. That’s something your men can do.’

  Balum smiled and leaned back in the chair. One of the Danes came out from the curtain with a plate of eggs and beans and set it in front of Balum. He looked at Angelique. ‘I’m as glad I ran into you as you are of me.’

  ‘You’re a charmer, Balum. Now finish your breakfast. I’m opening up soon and neither of us wants anyone in town knowing you’re staying here. Also, when you leave go through the back. Here’s a key,’ she reached into her handbag. ‘Use it to come back through the same door. If you come in during the day and there are clients about, stay in the back in the kitchen until they’re gone. Now be safe.’ She stood and squeezed his shoulder, and left him with a mouthful of beans and an untempered urge to mount her.

  26

  The jail stood on the main intersection, across the street from the Central Bank, just as he had been told. He circled around the back streets and walked through an alley a few doors down.

  He turned sharply when he emerged on the boardwalk of the main street. He wore the badge on his shirtfront and kept his eyes in front of him. If anyone were to notice him they would have little opportunity to react, for he took quick strides and covered the distance to the jail door in a matter of seconds.

  He did not pause at the door. With his left hand he pushed it open as his right drew his revolver out of its holster. He stepped in.

  Standing immediately to the right of the door was a man Balum half-recognized as one of Witney’s from the day before. He brought the gun up across his body, turned his hand palm down and drove the butt of the gun into the man’s teeth. The blow knocked the man’s head against the wall and he fell to his knees with his hands cupping his mouth.

  Balum swung the gun back in front of him and pointed it at the other man in the room sitting behind a warped wooden desktop.

  ‘Stand up,’ said Balum. ‘Are you Teddy Boiler? Sheriff?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Take off your badge. Your gun belt as well. You’ve been relieved of your duties.’

  ‘Says who?’

  ‘US Deputy Marshal.’

  The man on the floor had not stopped moaning. He was spitting blood and held some of his teeth in his hands. ‘You knocked my teeth out you bastard.’

  Balum swung his boot up and heard it crunch into the man’s face. A spray of blood splattered across the wall as the man’s head flew back.

  ‘You can take your gun belt off too or I’ll keep knocking them out.’

  Teddy Boiler had laid his gun belt over the desk. ‘You’re really a Deputy Marshal?’ he asked.

  ‘It doesn’t matter too much because I’ll shoot you if you do anything stupid either way. But yes, I am. Where are the keys to the cells?’

  Teddy pointed to the door on the side of the room. A ring of keys hung from its frame.

  Balum nudged the man on the floor with his foot. ‘Get up. Move over there with your friend.’

  ‘What do you think you’re doing anyway?’ said Teddy.

  ‘Grab up that key ring and open the door. You too, toothless. Move it.’

  On the other side of the door were two cells facing each other with a narrow passageway in between. Charles, Joe and Will stood against the bars in their cell. They had heard the commo
tion outside and cried out with shouts of celebration when they saw Balum enter.

  ‘Open that cell up,’ said Balum.

  ‘Look Mister, you can’t just come in here like this and make--’

  Balum smashed the butt of the revolver into Teddy’s face. He had meant to hit him in the mouth, but his aim was high and the gun butt broke the Sheriff’s nose. The cartilage flattened and sent out a stream of blood that ran over his lips and down his chin. He staggered backwards and dropped the keyring, bringing his hands up to his battered face.

  ‘You broke my nose!’ he yelled, the blood streaming into his mouth when he spoke.

  ‘Be happy you still have all your teeth. Pick up that key ring and unlock the cell or you’ll look like your friend here pretty soon.’

  Teddy opened the cell and the three men came out. Balum ripped the ring out of the Sheriff’s hand.

  ‘Get in,’ he motioned to the two men.

  Teddy looked for a moment like he was about to protest, but changed his mind. The two men filed in and Balum slammed and locked the cell behind them.

  Balum and his newly-released partners left the narrow passageway through the door. As Balum stepped through he heard behind him the voice of the Sheriff, plugged up from the broken nose.

  ‘Hey, how long are you gonna leave us in here?’

  Balum closed the door.

  On the other side Charles and Joe were grinning widely. They slapped Balum on the back and shook him by the shoulders.

  ‘You son of a bitch I knew you were still out there somewhere,’ said Charles. ‘I was just saying to Joe, why he’s got too much sawdust in his britches to be snuffed out by that gang of nincompoops. What happened anyway? What took so long? And what the hell is this badge hanging from your shirt here? You’ve got some explaining to do.’

  Balum took off his hat and showed them the furrow left by the bullet. He told them what had happened since the stampede, the walk to Cheyenne, and the appointment as US Deputy Marshal by Cafferty. He also informed them about the sale of their herd. They listened incredulously, hanging on his words. Especially William.