As Lou settled out for the night, he was very quiet.
Saul noticed. "Something bothering you Lou?"
"Yeah a lot of things." Lou tried to laugh but it didn't quite sound right.
"Funny, but Gil was just saying the other day how boring it was in Hard Knocks. Well, it isn't boring any more…"
Saul and David both shook their heads. "No…it isn't."
"I'm getting mighty tired of this kind of life boys. There's no future in it."
"What made you become a law man Lou?" David asked.
"Your father for one. He said there were certain things you looked at in men to carry the badge. Honesty, fast gun, guts, and patience. I had all of them but the last. Like most young fella's I was anxious to carve a name for myself. He made me his deputy for three years before he was killed and then the town elected me Sheriff. I liked the job, especially in a small quiet town like Hard Knocks. But I've had a few years of it, and I'm tired. Hard Knocks isn't quiet anymore. And I'm ready to settle down, marry and make a home."
David looked sad. "Yeah…a home…"
Saul glanced at Lou, "David was going to ask Sally to marry him…"
Lou glanced at David. "Oh, I'm sorry son."
David just nodded and looked off.
Lou stared at him a long time then looked around the camp. Someone opened a can of beans and added some fatback. Another man added some cornbread, and before long, they were all eating.
"We'll be getting close tomorrow, so we got to figure out how we're going to do this." Lou suggested.
Saul nodded.
The boys gathered around and after a lot of discussions, they figured out how they would handle the situation. They would make a wide swing circle around the cabin and wait in hiding for Joe and his gang to show up. No campfires, no coffee, just water and jerky until it was over.
"You think they are there yet? What makes you think they'd even go there? Not many know where it is?"
"That's the very reason I think they would go there. Not many know. But Jed's worked up here in these hills before. He knows where the line shack is. I figure he'll lead them to it. For a brief hide out. The one thing Joe don't know is that Callie and Gil are there now."
Lou was quiet again then he suddenly shook his head and looked alert.
"No…I figure they went to town to see if they could find Callie or Sam first. Then they might swing this way, or not. However, the one thing we are forgetting is how well Joe knows Callie. He knows she's no thief. He wouldn't be worried about her running off with the money. And he might even figure out that she returned it." Lou paused a minute and looked at both brothers. "He might try to take the money all over again, in that case. I hadn't even thought of that. And…they might not come this way. If they don't show up soon, we'll have to figure something else out. If they don't show…I may have to go back to see if they robbed Mr. Phelps again. I can't believe they would try, but then, I wouldn't put it past them. Especially if they consider that Callie would have turned the money in."
"Is there any way they would know the money was returned?" Saul asked.
"I doubt it. But it is possible." Lou didn't rule anything out. "Things happen, strange things sometimes that change the course in situations like this. Gotta be ready for it. I didn't see that coming, but that's another reason I want to retire, I'm getting too feeble minded."
"Better get some rest then…"
"Yep, it's time to turn in for the night." Lou said getting his bedroll ready.
"We could have a couple of long days ahead." He warned them all.
Saul and David put their bedrolls close by. Saul glanced over at David. "You alright?"
"Yeah…as alright as I'm gonna get for a while." David answered. Closing his eyes, the expression told Saul he was seeing Sally in his head. And he wished he could do something for his brother.
"I wish I could change things for you." Saul assured him.
"I know. Night Saul, Lou…"
"Night son." Lou called and before he went to sleep, he thought of Jo home safe and waiting for him.
Chapter Eighteen
"Alright boys, it looks as though Gil and Callie are in there. We can't alert them that we are here, because it might alert Joe and his men. So we need to break up into two's and surround the entire area, so no matter what angle they come at, we can see them and get them." Lou was instructing. "Saul you and David take the West side, Taylor you and your son take the east, George you and Scott watch the north side, me and Guthrie will watch the south. Stay low and out of sight. But one of you keep your eyes open at all times. No shooting until they start rushing the cabin, then move in and open fire. If nothing happens within two-three days, we'll go back to town, with Gil and Callie. Understood. I'll give a signal if I decide that's what we need to do."
The men nodded and began moving in the general directions they were given. They swung a wide loop, giving plenty of room of entry for Joe's gang when they showed up.
David glanced at Saul. "Pretty bad we can't let them know we are here."
"Yeah, but they'll figure it out when the time comes." Saul assured him.
~*~
The woods were quiet this morning, just a hint of crisp fall air filtered through the piney woods.
Wood smoke filtered the air, letting all know that Gil and Callie were alive and well.
Demus came out of the cabin to get water for coffee that morning. He looked around and heard the quiet. Without making a sound, he got the water and went inside again.
"It's mighty quiet out there this morning." Demus told Callie as she prepared making the morning breakfast.
Callie glanced out the window, but she was too busy to notice any movements in the woods. Putting breakfast on the table, she woke Gil.
Gil rose up to look into her somber face. "Smells great in here."
"Breakfast." She smiled shyly.
His knuckles reached to brush along her cheek, "Thanks…"
He got up, washed his face and hands and greeted Demus.
"How long you figure it's gonna be before they show up?" Demus asked.
"Not long now, if they show up at all. Lou may have them in custody now." Gil sounded chipper this morning in the best of spirits.
Callie shot him a doubtful look. But she said nothing.
"This place is pretty remote. Not many even know it's here. They may have been captured or decided to just get out of town."
Gil glanced out the window. He saw some shadows moving along the line of the cabin and took mental note of it. It was possible that Lou and his posse were out there now. Hiding, waiting. That made a lot of sense to him, the last time they were involved in a chase like this, Lou pulled the same thing. It worked out well, and they rounded up the rustlers fast enough.
Gil felt a little easier now, if Lou and his men were out there, then this could all be over as soon as Joe showed his hand. If he showed his hand.
It also meant that Joe hadn't been captured yet too.
If that was true, the fighting would begin the minute Joe and his gang got close enough. He was worried about Callie.
As they sat down to eat, he glanced at her. "When the fighting starts, all I want you to do is reload our guns, Callie and stay low. Understand? No walking in front of windows. Just stay down, and reload our guns for us."
"Fighting, you think it will happen today?" Her voice sounded anxious and her eyes registered the slight fear that mingled.
"I don't know. But I got a gut feeling, yes." Gil nodded.
"Alright." She answered simply.
"Demus, you better with a rifle or a six gun?" Gil asked.
"I prefer a rifle, shoots more steady than a six gun and farther away too." Demus smiled.
"Alright. Best we not be going out there today any more than we have to. I got a feeling Lou's out there with some men. And too much movement could cause an accident, so the two of you stay low and out of sight today." Gil instructed.
Demus shot Callie a look of surpris
e. "Think I best eat a little more breakfast then. I fight better on a full stomach."
Callie smiled at him. "There's plenty, help yourself, Demus."
"Thank you ma'am." Demus smiled and dipped into the bacon once more.
"You two got any kids?" he asked as he glanced from one to the other?
"Oh well, we aren't…."
"No…not yet." Gil answered over her.
"Well, I got me a passel of kids, and a wife I'm anxious to get home to. I'm sure she's fraught with fear for me by now." Demus said shaking his head. "At least I can go back with a cleared name though. That's something."
"That's right Demus, it is something." Gil didn't look Callie in the eye right now. He couldn't.
~*~
"Did you see that black fella come out of the cabin?" Guthrie shot Lou a questionable glance.
"Yeah, I did. Wonder where he came from?" Lou spit his tobacco and pushed his hat back as he sat down on the ground.
"You think Gil and Callie are in there?" Guthrie asked.
"I don't know. This is where they said they would be. We can't tell unless one of them sticks their heads out. Doesn't matter anyway. If Joe is comin' up here, then we'll get him and be on our way. No matter who that is…"
"They don't know we are out here though." Guthrie fussed.
Lou shrugged with disgust. He wanted Guthrie with him because he knew he was the most annoying man in the posse and he could keep an eye on him, but even he was having trouble getting along with the man. Guthrie was one of those cowboys who imagined more trouble than anyone could have. However, he was good with a gun and he volunteered for the job so Lou brought him along. Now, he was having second thoughts.
"Just remember like I told you, no shooting until they start for the cabin, Guthrie. Understand?"
"I heard you." Guthrie sighed with disgust. "How long we gonna hang out here?"
"As long as it takes to see if they are comin' or not." Lou said.
"What makes you think they'll come here?"
"Like I said, Jed has worked up here before. He knows this place. It's out of the way, not many do know about it. It's a perfect hideout. Unless they cut their losses and just run." Lou explained.
"What if they are back in town and murderin' others while we are on a wild goose chase?" Guthrie mouthed.
Lou wondered if they had come to town after he left. If they did, Guthrie could be right for once in his life. He wanted to handle this well, as it would be his last battle as a lawman. He wanted to retire with Jo on his arm and forget about posse's and bad men.
As he sat there worrying over what he was doing, Mr. Dugan came to mind and the fact that Joe didn't know he had killed his own father. It was ironic and sick all in the same breath.
At times like these, reflection could get you killed. He needed to stay alert. What he'd give for a cup of coffee, he shook his head.
"How many kids you got Guthrie?" Lou asked trying to take his mind off the past and keep himself awake at the same time.
"Four boys, three girls." Guthrie rattled off their names and dispositions to boot.
"I didn't realize you had such a large family. What made you volunteer for this…then?" Lou asked surprised that a man with a big family would do such a thing.
Guthrie leaned against a tree trunk and settled back looking at Lou with a sincere glance. He put his knees up and put his hat on his knees. "Mr. Dugan gave me a job, about twenty five years ago. It was my first cattle work; I was just a green horn kid." Guthrie shook his head as though thinking about those times. "But he trusted me and paid me fair wages to boot. He was a good man in a lot of ways. Even if he was rich." Guthrie spouted.
"I didn't know that. I guess there is a lot I don't know about you or Mr. Dugan."
Guthrie smiled and looked about the quiet woods. "I worked for him for five years and I saved my money so I could start my own spread and get married. But it was Dugan that helped make a man out of me. He took interest in me, because I was one of the few that saved my money. He liked that. My Pa, he was worthless, and my name didn't stand for much back then, but all Dugan saw was a raw kid, wanting to get a chance in life. And he gave me that chance. I'd have done almost anything for the man." Guthrie said and eyed Lou.
Lou considered his words thoughtfully. "I guess you would at that. I didn't know Mr. Dugan that well, he wasn't fond of the law, as I'm sure you know."
"It's true he belonged to the same bunch of men that herded up their cattle to take them north every year. He made his own laws. People respected him. And they had reason to." Guthrie nodded.
"Ever have any dealings with the Boggs bunch?" Lou asked.
"Nope, my Pa did. He drank with old man Boggs a lot. Now there was an unsavory sort if there ever was one. Meanest man I ever knew."
Lou reflected on that a moment. "Meaner than Joe?"
"Oh yeah! I guess the reason I say that is I was sittin' in the saloon with my Pa, it was the middle of the day, and kind of quiet. Old Red, the bartender's dog got to howling out of pure boredom I guess, and Mr. Boggs was irritated. He just took his gun and shot that dog dead right there in the saloon. No one said a word. But Mac, the bartender I heard tell later cried for a month. He loved that old dog. Then…I heard tell he killed a couple of men down in Tascosa a long time back, held up a bank there, himself. If he hadn't had one of the fastest horses in the country, he wouldn't have gotten away from the law, because one of the men he shot was a Sheriff, but that sorrel of his was fast." Guthrie shook his head. "He was one sorry fella."
"I didn't know you got around so much Guthrie." Lou smiled. "Too bad I didn't know about that before. Maybe I could have thrown him in jail myself."
"You'd have had your hands full there, I can tell you."
"How come you know so many people, Guthrie?"
"Aw…my Pa drug me to the saloons when I was just an upstart. I met a lot of people I didn't care to." Guthrie sighed as though he wanted to forget those days. "I didn't want to go…but he said it would give me an education in life. I guess in some ways he was right about that."
"Well," Lou concluded. "I guess Mr. Dugan did do you a favor then."
"I owed him, I’m paying him back now…by being here." Guthrie nodded. "A man ought to pay his debts, don't you think?"
"Yeah, I guess you are right about that too. But I think this should square things, don't you?" Lou asked.
"I reckon it will. So you gonna Sheriff the rest of your life?" Guthrie asked.
"No…not planning on it. Thought maybe I'd settle down pretty quick." Lou shot him a sly smile.
"'Bout time you made an honest woman of Jo…" Guthrie grunted.
"How'd you know about her?" Lou shot him a startled glance.
"My woman, Laurie Beth, she knows Jo pretty well." Guthrie pushed his hat down in his face as though to say he was going to sleep.
"Don't sleep too soundly…" Lou warned.
"Not a chance of that…" Guthrie grunted.
Chapter Nineteen
It was nearly dark when the sound of horses making a slow trail to the cabin filtered through the trees. At first no one was alerted to the sounds, it was dark now and hard to see.
"This it Jed?" Joe hollered.
"Yeah, we're almost there." Jed stopped to look around him, as though getting his bearings.
However, as they neared the place, the lights shone from the cabin and the smoke coming from the chimney alerted them that they were not alone.
"Someone's in there." Joe whispered to the others.
"What are we gonna do?" Billy blurted out in a panic.
"See who it is…" Joe smiled and pulled his gun.
Every man pulled his gun for the ready. "Jed you go around back, Billy to the east, Harley to the west. I'll go in the front."
A twig snapped and every gun was pointing at a rat.
Joe took a breath and cursed beneath his breath. "I hate rats. Let's go…"
The lights went out in the cabin suddenly and Joe eyed his men. "Ea
sy…either they are just bedding down, or they know we are here. Don't matter…the end is still the same. Come on boys."
As they spread out, they began closing in on the cabin.
Lou sprang out of nowhere, moved the bush in front of him and aimed for Joe. He figured getting Joe was the most important thing. He yelled out. "Hold it, you're under arrest."
Joe turned to look at Lou and with a grin, he fired, was faster and clipped Lou in the shoulder.
Lou fell backwards and moaned. Guthrie aimed his sights at Joe this time, and Joe hit the dirt. He got in a couple of shots at Guthrie. It was hard to tell if he hit him or not.
Then the bullets started popping all over the place. A light came on in the cabin and gunfire hailed from there too.
Callie sat down in the middle of the floor and helped load the guns for the men. Demus found himself a place in the back to check for anyone coming from that direction. He saw movement and began shooting. But suddenly the door flew open. Just as he was reloading his gun, Jed burst through the back door and blasted Demus in the gut.
Demus fell toward Jed and to the floor. Blood went everywhere.
Callie had a pistol in her hand at the time and she aimed it square at Jed. She closed her eyes and pulled the trigger.
She was still pointing the gun, when Gil took it from her hands and pulled her close to him. He kissed her on the forehead and pulled away.
"My God, are you alright?" He saw Jed fall with a thud.
She nodded woodenly.
"Stay close honey." He told her.
Jed fell on top of Demus. Demus grumbled, tried to push Jed away but his strength gave out on him.
Callie scooted toward him to see if he was still alive. Demus eyes opened for a second. "Clear my name…" was all he said just as he died.
Tears ran down Callie's cheeks, as she laid his head down and scooted back toward Gil. She got very close. He took her into his arms and closed his eyes for a few seconds. "We'll take care of him…I promise. Are you okay?"
She pulled away and nodded.
Brides of the West-Part One Page 76