by Tell Cotten
“Looks like a lakebed on the other side of those trees,” Lee pointed. “If they’ve made camp, that would be the place.”
“Let’s go find out,” Brian suggested.
Lee nodded, and they kicked up their horses.
They crossed the meadow and pulled up when they reached the trees.
“I reckon we should leave the horses here,” Lee said as they dismounted.
They tied their horses to the trees, and then they crept forward from tree to tree.
They went about a hundred yards, and then the ground sloped downwards into a huge, dry lakebed. And there, way on the other end, was a campfire with three men sitting around it.
Lee squatted on his heels, and Brian and Jessica joined him.
“Well, there they are,” Lee said softly.
Brian squinted as he studied them.
“I see four horses, but there’s only three men.”
Lee nodded, and it was silent as they thought on that.
“Stew must have killed Cliff,” Lee reasoned.
“Yes, probably so,” Brian agreed.
“We didn’t find a body though,” Jessica spoke up.
“There’s plenty of places to hide a body in these mountains,” Lee replied.
Jessica nodded, and it fell silent as they studied the campfire.
“I’ve been thinking a lot about Rondo lately,” Lee suddenly said. “I wonder how he’s been getting along?”
Brian glanced at Lee and frowned.
“What’s Rondo got to do with this?”
Lee didn’t reply. Instead, he pulled out his Colt and handled it. He spun the cylinder a couple of times and looked down the barrel.
“You know how I like to think about things,” Lee finally said.
Brian nodded.
“I saw Rondo take on three men once,” Lee continued.
“That’s when Cliff got shot in the shoulder,” Brian recalled.
“It was impressive to watch.”
“I’m sure it was.”
“Ever since then, I’ve been wondering if I could do the same thing,” Lee said, and added, “Think I’ll walk down there and find out.”
“Now hold on,” Brian objected. “You ain’t going down there without me.”
“No, you’ve got to stay here,” Lee replied. “Somebody’s got to look after Jessica if something happens to me.”
Brian frowned, and then he reluctantly agreed.
“Think you’re good enough?”
“We’ll know soon,” Lee replied, and his eyes twinkled as he looked at Jessica. “Ma’am, it’s been a real pleasure working for you.”
Jessica didn’t trust her voice to be quiet, so she just nodded back.
Lee smiled, and he holstered his Colt and glanced at Brian.
“Be seeing you,” he said.
“Sure.”
Lee nodded, and then he stood and walked out into the lakebed.
Chapter eighty-one
Yancy and Tussle rode up to the cabin early afternoon. They looked around some, and then they followed the tracks south.
Yancy could tell that Tussle was in considerable pain, but he didn’t complain. Instead, he kept quiet as he trotted along beside Yancy.
“Sure were a lot of tracks around the cabin,” Tussle commented.
“Sure was,” Yancy agreed.
“What do you think happened?”
“I’m not a good enough tracker to even speculate,” Yancy replied. “Right now, the only thing I care about is finding Jessica.”
“Me too,” Tussle declared, and it fell silent.
They rode for a couple of hours, and then they climbed a steep, small hill.
Yancy pulled up and looked the country over. There was a small meadow in front of them with a line of trees after that.
Suddenly, Yancy spotted two horses. They were tied next to the line of trees.
“Look,” Yancy pointed.
“Only two?” Tussle asked, confused.
Yancy frowned thoughtfully as he dismounted.
“I’ll go take a look,” he said as he checked his Colt. “Stay here and cover me.”
Tussle nodded, and Yancy pulled out his Henry rifle and gave it to Tussle.
“If you have to shoot,” Yancy said wryly, “make sure and keep your feet out of the way.”
Tussle scowled, but didn’t reply.
Yancy smiled and started across the meadow.
Chapter eighty-two
Lee walked slowly across the lakebed. His face was aimed at the campfire, but his eyes were looking all around.
He recognized Stew, Ned, and Tyler. They were sitting around the campfire, drinking coffee.
Lee smiled when he saw the coffee pot.
Stew spotted him. He mumbled something, and all three stood and faced him.
“What are you doing here?” Stew asked suspiciously as he walked up.
Lee didn’t answer. Instead, he nodded at the coffee pot.
“Mind if I get me a cup of coffee?”
“Help yourself,” Stew said as he watched him closely. “Ned, get him a cup.”
Ned walked over to his saddlebags and dug out another cup. He tossed the cup to Lee, and he caught it and squatted by the fire. He filled his cup and took a swig.
“Good coffee,” Lee said as he stood.
He held his cup in one hand while his gun hand hovered naturally over his gun handle.
He looked around camp. He saw some saddlebags, but he didn’t see Jessica’s carpetbag.
“Looking for something?” Stew asked.
“Matter of fact, I am.”
Stew narrowed his eyes while Ned and Tyler looked confused.
“You won’t find what you’re looking for here.”
“I think you’re wrong about that,” Lee smiled, and he gestured at Ned and Tyler. “How ‘bout them? Do they know about it?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Stew replied gruffly.
Lee thought on that and smiled.
“I see.”
“I don’t know what you’re after,” Stew said boldly. “But you’re wearing out your welcome mighty fast.”
“I wouldn’t want that.”
Lee took a swig of coffee and glanced at Stew.
“Curiosity. That’s why I’m here.”
“How’s that?” Stew narrowed his eyes.
“I want to know if I can take all three of you,” Lee announced. “You know; all at once.”
Ned and Tyler glanced at each other while Stew studied Lee with a frown.
“You’re crazy.”
“Let’s find out.”
Stew didn’t reply. Instead, all three faced up to him, and then they just stood there, ready to draw. Both Ned and Tyler wore Colts while Stew held his rifle.
Lee smiled as he watched them. It was silent, and every second seemed like an hour.
Suddenly, Lee jerked his cup sideways, and he purposely spilled hot coffee all over his hand.
For a split second, all eyes went to Lee’s hand. In that same instant Lee dropped the cup, and with lightning speed he palmed his Colt.
He fired first at Stew. There was a loud thud, and Stew went flying backwards.
Lee dove to the ground and rolled as bullets flew over his head. He came up on one knee and fired twice at Tyler. There was a loud thump as the bullets hit Tyler in the chest, and he went flying backwards.
A bullet flew by Lee’s head as he turned to Ned. His Colt fired again, and the bullet hit Ned in the throat and flipped him over backwards. He landed hard and kicked out.
Lee turned back to Stew. He was getting up, and he had just drawn his Colt.
“Drop it!” Lee shouted tersely as he covered him.
Stew hesitated, but then he reluctantly let the gun drop.
Lee kept his Colt trained on Stew while he took a quick look at Ned and Tyler. They were both dead.
“How come you ain’t dead?” Lee demanded to know.
“You hit my rifle,�
�� Stew glared at him.
Lee glanced down. The bullet had hit Stew’s rifle right below the chamber and had split it into pieces.
“How about that,” Lee said wryly, and he looked at Stew. “They’re dead now, so you don’t have to pretend. Where’s the carpetbag?”
“What carpetbag?”
“Jessica’s carpetbag.”
“I have no idea.”
“All right,” Lee replied. “I’ll find it myself.”
Stew didn’t reply. Instead, he just snorted.
Lee kept his Colt aimed at Stew while he moved over to the saddlebags. He looked through them, and then he looked all around.
Stew chuckled, and Lee frowned.
“It ain’t here.”
“I told you I don’t have it.”
“If you don’t have it, then who does?”
Stew shrugged, and Lee frowned thoughtfully.
“What happened to Cliff?”
“I killed him.”
“Why?”
“I didn’t like him.”
“Where did you kill him?”
“Back at the cabin. He was coming out of the woods with a shovel.”
“What was he doing with a shovel?”
“I didn’t ask.”
Lee frowned thoughtfully, and Stew’s face remained blank.
Chapter eighty-three
Brian and Jessica watched intently as Lee walked towards the lakebed.
Lee had just reached the campfire when suddenly, from behind, they heard a hard, stern voice.
“Turn around slow, and don’t do anything stupid.”
“Not again,” Brian muttered.
He glanced at Jessica, and they both turned around slowly.
In front of them stood a smaller man than most. He was quite handsome, and he was lean and in good shape. His sharp, quick eyes studied them coolly, and he wore his six-shooter low and tied down.
“Yancy Landon,” Brian said softly.
“You’d be Brian Clark.”
“I am.”
Yancy glanced at Jessica, and their eyes locked.
“Are you Jessica?”
“Yes,” she replied.
“Good,” Yancy said, and he nodded behind him. “Your uncle is back there. He’ll be mighty glad to see you.”
“I’ll be glad to see him too.”
Yancy nodded and looked at Brian.
“You’re under arrest,” he said sternly. “Unbuckle your gun belt, or draw.”
“No!” Jessica exclaimed. “Brian’s been looking out for me. It’s Stew that you want. He’s the bad one.”
Yancy was surprised by Jessica’s outburst, and he frowned as he thought on that.
“Where is Stew?”
“He’s down there,” Jessica pointed at the lakebed. “Lee Mattingly just went down there to get him.”
A look of confusion crossed Yancy’s face. He stared at Jessica and then looked back at Brian.
“I’m grateful to you for helping Jessica,” he said. “But, you still took part in killing two innocent men.”
“I regret how that happened,” Brian replied truthfully. “But I didn’t kill them. Stew did.”
“But you were there,” Yancy declared. “Now, unbuckle your gun belt like I said, or draw.”
Brian glanced at Jessica, and she looked at him with a pleading look in her eyes.
“Drop the gun belt, Brian,” she urged. “I don’t want to see you die. Not like this.”
Brian frowned. He sighed and reached for the buckle on his gun belt.
Chapter eighty-four
Cooper had just decided to go after Josie when she showed back up.
Josie was excited, and it took Cooper a while to figure out what she was trying to say. But Josie finally got the story out, and afterwards Cooper sent for the Mexicans.
“I’ve got bad news,” Cooper told Pedro. “Josie was on the wall when she spotted some Injuns studying the stockade. She was curious, so she sneaked out and took a look. About a half mile away, Josie found about sixty Apache Injuns camped. They’re all painted for war, and she also spotted a young war chief named No Worries. It looks like they’re going to attack the trading post.”
The Mexican’s faces turned grim as they thought on that.
“We go!” Josie spoke up. “We go now!”
“No, we stay here,” Pedro disagreed. “We’ve been attacked before, senor. These walls are strong. We will not fall.”
“How many men do you have?” Cooper asked.
“Seventeen.”
Cooper frowned, and Josie’s eyes grew wide.
“We go now!” Josie demanded. “I find a way out. I show you!”
Cooper studied Josie, and then he glanced at Pedro.
“How ’bout it? Josie says she can lead us out.”
“No,” Pedro said stubbornly. “This is our home. We will stay and fight. But you do as you wish, senor.”
Cooper frowned thoughtfully, and Josie frowned and stomped her foot.
“We go!” She said again.
It was silent, and Pedro asked, “What do you wish to do, senor?”
Cooper studied Josie with a thoughtful frown.
“Saddle the horses,” Cooper finally said.
Chapter eighty-five
Lee stood there with a pondering look as he covered Stew with his Colt.
“If I find out that you lied to me, I’ll kill you,” Lee said calmly.
Stew snorted in response.
Lee was about to say something when he heard some movement from behind. He kept his Colt aimed at Stew as he turned and looked.
He spotted several riders coming across the lakebed, and he narrowed his eyes as he studied them.
Tussle and Jessica rode together. Brian Clark was on his horse, but his hands were tied to the saddle horn. Yancy was the other rider, and he led Brian’s horse.
“Get in front of me, out in the open, and sit down,” Lee told Stew.
Stew did as he was told, and then Lee reloaded his Colt. He held it ready as they rode up.
Yancy glanced at Stew, and then he looked at the lifeless bodies of Ned and Tyler.
“I saw the gunfight,” Yancy commented. “You were good. Real good.”
“I was, wasn’t I?” Lee grinned.
Yancy and Lee studied each other, and then Jessica just couldn’t help herself.
“Where’s my carpetbag?” She demanded to know.
Stew’s face remained blank while a look of confusion crossed Yancy and Tussle’s face.
“It’s not here,” Lee told Jessica.
“What carpetbag?” Yancy demanded to know.
Lee sighed, and then he explained.
“I forgot all about the plantation money,” Tussle said afterwards, and he glanced at Jessica. “And you’ve had that money with you this whole time?”
Jessica nodded, and Tussle shook his head in wonder.
Yancy, meanwhile, studied Lee with a stern look.
“I knew you were holding something back,” he scolded. “You lied to me.”
“Well shucks, Yancy,” Lee replied. “After all we’ve been through these past few days, I figured one little lie wouldn’t hurt anybody.”
“So where’s my carpetbag?” Jessica spoke up.
“Cliff walked out from the cabin and hid it, and then Stew killed him,” Lee explained.
“Hid it where?”
“Somewhere around the cabin. I’m sure it won’t be hard to find.”
Jessica looked anxious, but she didn’t say anything more. Meanwhile, Lee glanced thoughtfully at Brian and then looked at Yancy.
“What’s going to happen to Brian?” He asked.
“He’ll be taken back to Midway to stand trial.”
“And then he’ll be hung?” Lee scowled.
“Depends.”
“On what?”
“On what Judge Parker decides.”
Lee snorted, and it fell silent as he thought on that.
“Stew is the one
you really want,” Lee said. “He’s the one that killed Steve and Sam.”
“Yes, I’ve already been informed of that.”
“But I caught Stew, so he’s my prisoner,” Lee suddenly announced.
Yancy was startled, and he narrowed his eyes.
“What are you getting at?”
“I’ll make you a trade,” Lee offered. “Stew for Brian.”
Yancy frowned thoughtfully, and a look of hope crossed Brian’s face.
Jessica looked hopeful too, and she looked at Yancy with pleading eyes.
“Please, Yancy,” she said softly. “Brian really did look after me. And, he was against the killings.”
Yancy looked at Jessica, and she smiled encouragingly. Several seconds passed, and then Yancy sighed.
“All right,” he agreed. “I’ll make the trade.”
A relieved look crossed Brian’s face, and Jessica and Lee grinned.
Yancy dismounted. He walked over to Brian and untied him, and then he went to Stew and tied his hands and feet. By the time he was through, Stew could hardly move.
“It’ll be dark soon, so we might as well camp here tonight,” Yancy suggested, and then he looked at Lee. “You shot them, so why don’t you bury those men while I cook supper.”
Lee agreed, and everyone got busy.
Soon the men were buried and supper was ready. Everyone fixed their plates, and they sat round the campfire and ate.
Jessica and Yancy occasionally glanced at each other, and Jessica finally smiled.
“So, you’re the great Yancy Landon that I’ve heard so much about these past few days.”
“I reckon so, ma’am.”
“It sure took you a long time to catch us!” Jessica scolded playfully.
“Well, ma’am, I might be slow, but at least I’m persistent.”
Jessica’s eye’s twinkled.
“I’ll remember that,” she said.
Chapter eighty-six
Cooper bought enough provisions to last a few weeks, and they packed Jug-head down with the supplies. They waited until dusk, and then they left the trading post.
Cooper was in considerable pain. Each breath hurt something awful, and he had trouble getting mounted on his horse.
Josie led Jug-head as they rode out. They passed through the gate, and then they circled the trading post and rode in amongst the trees.