The Whispering Bandit

by Franklin D. Lincoln

“Why didn’t you just go on into town?” Bart Allen asked.

  The man calling himself Dave Bishop, Angie and Caleb Gant were all sitting in the parlor of the Ladder A ranch house with Bart Allen. It wasn’t a large parlor as one might expect given the size of the property and the wealth controlled by the owner. The furniture was elegant though and obviously recently purchased new. Probably to suit the tastes of Allen’s new wife, Virginia, who had made herself scarce not long after the arrival of the visitors. Time and again, Caleb caught a brief glimpse of her appearing briefly in the archway leading to the dining room and quickly disappearing again. Her interest in Caleb Gant was still apparent and Caleb wondered why. Try as he might, he couldn’t place her or remember ever seeing her before coming to Gila Bend.

  After a telling of their experience on the stage and of The Whispering Bandit’s treatment of them, Bishop explained, as instructed by Gant, that he and Caleb were old friends and he was offering him a job on his ranch. Allen had looked over Gant with a shrewd eye and already knowing of the man’s capabilities, he was quite in agreement, for once Bishop and he joined their two spreads together, Gant would be of value as much to him as to Dave Bishop.

  “In light of everything that’s happened,” Dave explained to Allen. “I thought it best to bring Angie home. To her home with you, I mean. Just to keep her safe. Who knows what that bandit wants of us and I certainly don’t want anything to happen to my wife.” He emphasized the word ‘wife’ and glanced at her. They were sitting side by side on the couch and holding hands. He squeezed her’s affectionately. She smiled sweetly.

  “Caleb and I will ride into town and tell the sheriff what happened. We need to step up the hunt for the bandit before any more harm can come to us.” He glanced toward Caleb looking for his approval of how he had handled the meeting. It was subtle, but it was there and he could see Caleb was ready to go. Caleb was already starting to stand.

  Bishop released Angie’s hand and stood also.

  Virginia had just popped into sight under the archway once again and was starting to dart off. “Virginia,” Allen called to her. “Dave’s going into town now. Want to say goodbye?”

  “Why...why...yes of course,” she said. She froze in place, tried not to look at Caleb and said, “Do be careful, David. We’ll expect you back for supper.”

  Caleb was still wondering about the new Missus Bart Allen. He decided to try something. Maybe that would get the woman to tip her hand and give away just what her interest in him was. He looked directly at her as if he were trying to remember something. “Ma’am,” he drawled softly. “Have we ever met before?”

  The woman flustered, clasping both hands together and wringing them nervously. Try as hard as she could, she could not hide the nervousness. “Why, no. I don’t think so,” she said a little too quickly.

  Caleb used the only thing he knew about her. Helen Brent had told him. “Have you ever been to Montana?” He said probing.

  “Of course she has,” Bart Allen put in. “That’s where we met.”

  “Maybe, that’s where we might have met,” Caleb suggested.

  “I don’t.., don’t see how that could have been. I would have remembered a handsome man like you, I should think.” She was quickly composing herself, getting her face under control.

  “And I surely would have remembered a beautiful woman such as yourself,” Caleb said gallantly, but with just a hint of knowing in his eyes. He watched the flicker in her eyes. There was a glint of coldness hiding behind the seemingly smiling facade.

  From the kitchen window, Virginia Allen stood, holding the curtains aside and watching Caleb Gant and Dave Bishop ride out of the ranch yard, heading for the trail toward town. They were almost out of sight, when she let the curtains fall back in place as she whirled around and dashed out the back door. She ran quickly to the barn hoping her husband was still in the front room and not able to see her. Muley Jones was forking straw just inside the barn. The big double doors were wide open.

  “Have you seen Hal?” She shouted as she ran inside the barn.

  Muley stood erect and leaned on the handle of the pitchfork. Glad for a respite from work. “Yeah. He was out in the back corral, just a few minutes ago.”

  She didn’t bother to say anything. She ran through the barn and out a back door that led into the corral. Hal Beecham was off to the right near the outer corral wall. The big black stallion was tied to a rail and Beecham was brushing him with a curry brush.

  “You fool!” She denounced him as she came up close. “You bungled the job again, didn’t you?”

  “What the hell are you talking about?” He turned to face her, still holding the comb in his hand.

  “That Gant man! I thought you said you had taken care of him?”

  “I did. Dirk and I both saw him go over the cliff into the river. He never came back up.”

  “Well, he did. He was just here with Dave Bishop.”

  “That’s impossible!”

  “No it isn’t. He was just here and now he and Bishop are on their way to town to see the sheriff. Seems they had a run in with that Whispering Bandit fellow, earlier today.”

  “Well then I guess I’d better try again. He’s gotten away three times now. His luck is going to run out. I’ll make doubly sure next time.”

  “You’re going to do it now,” Virginia demanded. “He’s recognized me for sure, now. I can’t let him tell what he knows. Go after him now and don’t let him get to town. He’ll be off guard with Dave vouching for you. He won’t know you’ve come after him.”

  “What do you want me to do then? Just shoot him in front of Bishop?”

  “Sure. Why not?”

  “But Dave might not like that.”

  “So what? Shoot him too. We’ll say they were ambushed by that Whispering Bandit fellow. Dave’s already married to Angie. His place goes to her then. After we combine the two spreads, we get rid of Angie and Bart and it all will belong to us.” She emphasized the word ‘us’.

  Beecham grinned. He had to hand it to Virginia, she was a cold calculating bitch, but she was smart and she was his bitch.

  “Now get after them before they get too far. away!”

  They were about a half mile away from the ranch house when Caleb Gant called a halt and reined his horse up in the middle of the trail. “Hold up here!” Caleb ordered as the horse slid to a stop in the loose dirt. The man known as Dave Bishop pulled up too.

  “Now that we’re alone without your so called new bride, we’ve got some talking to do,” Caleb said.

  “What do you mean, so called wife?”

  “Are you sure it’s legal?”

  “Of course it’s legal. We were married in a church by a minister.”

  “But you’re not Dave Bishop,” Gant said flatly.

  “That shouldn’t make any difference. Besides, you can’t prove I’m not Bishop.”

  “But, I do know you’re not. I know Bishop or should I say I knew him. What did you do with him? You kill him? Took his money and his name?”

  “No, I didn’t kill anybody. I never knew any Dave Bishop. I didn’t even know there was one.”

  “Then who are you? And why are you using his name?”

  “My name is Ted Thackery. I’m an actor. I was hired to be Dave Bishop.”

  “Who hired you?”

  “I’m not permitted to say.”

  “You might not be permitted to live.” Caleb slid his sixshooter out of the holster, pushed it forward, aiming it point blank at Thackery

  “Now...now, wait a minute,” Thackery stammered, his eyes wide with fear, his right hand pushed out in front of him as if his palm could shield him from a bullet. “You can’t just shoot me. I’m just doing a job. I didn’t sign on to die.”

  “Then you best tell me just what is going on here and just who the hell are you working for?”

  Thackery’s Adam’s apple bobbed in throat. Gant pulled the hammer of his weapon back. It clicked menacingly.

  “Oka
y! Okay!” Thackery blurted. “I’ll tell you. It was Michael Avery.”

  “Avery?” Gant queried. “He’s supposed to be working for you.”

  “Yes. Yes. He wanted it to look like that.”

  “Why?”

  “I don’t know. I met him in Denver. He had money he wanted to invest but he didn’t want anyone to know about it. I would appear to buy the saloon, the hotel, and other properties, but in reality Avery owns them all.”

  “Why would you do that? Didn’t you think that was kind of strange?”

  “Yeah, But, he was paying a lot of money with the promise of more to come if I pulled things off right.”

  “What about the Harding ranch? You won it. Doesn’t that belong to you?”

  “Not really. We made a deal. If everything turned out right we’d join forces with Bart Allen, force Jeanne Harding off the rest of her land. Then we’d take over Allen’s spread. Once we had it all, we were going to split everything fifty-fifty.”

  “I suppose marrying Bart Allen’s daughter was how you’d join forces with him? That’s why you dumped Jeanne Harding.”

  “Yes. I felt bad for Jeanne though. I really did care about her, you know.”

  “What about Helen Brent? Did you really care for her too?”

  Thackery thought for a moment. “I guess I just do care about all the ladies I meet,” he said. “I guess it just goes along with being an actor. I’ve never had any difficulty getting any woman to look my way.

  “Helen was just a passing fancy. But, I suppose she may have taken it a bit more serious than that. She had always been good friends with Jeanne and Angie, so I guess she took it all in stride and made no issue out of it.”

  “So now that you are Bart Allen’s son in law, you can combine your spread and his and then force the Harding girl out.”

  “That’s the plan.”

  “That leaves but one question,” Gant stated. “How were you going to cut Allen out of the deal.”

  “I’m not really sure,” Thackery said. “Avery never told me that part of the plan. He just said nobody lives forever.”

  “And you didn’t take that to mean that you were going to kill him?”

  Thackery was indignant. “I wouldn’t kill anyone.”

  “But maybe Avery would. That would be the same thing, if you went along with it.”

  “What do you care? What’s your interest in this, anyways?”

  “The real Dave Bishop owed me money. Fifty thousand-dollars worth. I want it back real bad. He also owed money to those two men you saw today. Another hundred thousand. They want it real bad, too. More than I do. They even want my share. So, you see, friend, you’re in deep trouble here and if you and I can’t work something out, you’re going to be in deep dead.” Caleb grinned, but his face was edged with malice.

  “What do you want out of me?” Thackery was trembling now; his eyes still fixed on Gant’s weapon.

  “I just want my share of the money. Get me fifty thousand dollars and I’ll be on my way. I don’t care what you do about those other guys.”

  “I don’t have that kind of money,” Thackery protested.

  “Then get it. How ever ,you have to scratch it up, get it.”

  “I suppose I could come up with part of it,” Thackery said dejectedly. “Probably only half that amount, but it’s in the bank.”

  “What about Avery? Can’t you get it from him?”

  “I suppose he would have that much on hand too, but I don’t think he’ll let me have it.”

  “Maybe I can persuade him,” Caleb said grimly.

  It hadn’t taken Hal Beecham and Muley Jones long to catch up with Caleb Gant and Ted Thackery. The duo was still sitting on their mounts in the trail ahead as they approached.

  “What the hell,” Gant complained as he saw the two riders approaching. “Those two are still dogging me.”

  He reached for his Winchester and had it half out of its boot when Thackery said, “What are you talking about? That’s Hal Beecham and Muley Jones. They’re friends of mine. You won’t need that weapon.”

  “I’m afraid I do, “Caleb muttered as he pulled the rifle all the way out and held it in his hands aiming down trail at the approaching horses. “I suspected it was Beecham all along.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Thackery protested. “But, I’m sure you have nothing to fear. I’ll vouch for that.”

  “That’s supposed to make me feel better?” Caleb retorted.

  Beecham and Jones slid their horses to a halt in the trail, just feet from Gant and Thackery. Beecham was still hauling back on the reins with both hands. He didn’t appear menacing, but his expression showed the worry about Gant’s rifle pointed directly at his chest. “What’s with the rifle, Caleb?” He tried to sound friendly and innocent.

  “He thinks you’ve been trailing him the last few days,” Thackery put in.

  “Trailing him? What for?” His eyes went from Thackery back to Gant with the rifle.

  “That’s what I want to know.” Gant said sternly.

  “I don’t know what your problem is, Caleb.” Gant noticed how Beecham kept using his first name as if they were friends. “And, I don’t know what you’re talking about. If somebody has been bothering you, I swear it wasn’t me.”

  “I’m sure he’s telling you the truth, Mister Gant,” Thackery said. “You can put your weapon away.”

  Caleb eyed the actor and then back to Beecham. There was only one way he could be sure, he thought. It would be dangerous but he decided to take the chance. “Okay,” he said sliding the Winchester back into the saddle boot. He remained ready though, expecting Beecham to make a move. If he did…….?

  “Then what are you doing here?” Gant demanded.

  Beecham looked toward the man who had been posing as Dave Bishop. “Angie wanted you to get something for her in town. I’ve got a sample of the cloth and a note for you in my saddlebags.” He twisted in the saddle, reaching into the right hand pouch of his gear.

  Caleb remained alert, but with Beecham’s hand away from his gun, he didn’t feel as threatened. Maybe Beecham was on the level after all. Maybe it had been the Lowery boys after all, that had been on his trail.

  But that one moment of lapse of doubt, was all it took for Beecham to whirl back around with a pistol from inside the saddlebag, in his hand. Caleb instinctively went for his gun, but he froze with his hand still on the pistol grip when Beecham ordered, “Don’t try it Gant!”

  Caleb eyed the gaping muzzle of Beecham’s gun. “I guess I found out what I wanted to know, didn’t I?”

  “I’m surprised at you Gant. I didn’t think you were this dumb.”

  “You should have asked,” Caleb smirked wryly. “I could have told you.”

  “Hal!” Ted Thackery put in. “What are you doing?”

  “Just taking care of business,” Beecham said.

  Then to Gant, he said, “You should have taken the hint and got out of town right in the beginning.”

  “So it was you, all along that’s been after me.” Caleb glanced toward Muley Jones. “I suppose this galoot replaced Pete Stover after he was shot. But somehow there must have been a third one. I was following you on Sunday and there were still two men after me.”

  “That’s right. It was Dirk Bennett. With Muley.”

  Muley smiled and nodded as if taking his bows.

  “Dirk wound up with a bullet in his back. How’d that happen?”

  “When we saw you go over that cliff and we thought you were dead, Dirk got a bit nervous. He had already spread all over town that he was going to kill you. I decided that I didn’t want to take a chance on his talking and we really didn’t need him anymore anyways. Besides, he was an annoying whimpering brat. Never did like him.”

  “So, you just shot him? Just like that?”

  “Just like that.” Beecham chuckled.

  “How was it Bennett was with you? I thought he was working for the Harding girl?” Caleb add
ed questioningly.“

  “He was also working for Bishop and Bart Allen. We had him planted on the Bar H to keep tabs on Jeanne Harding. It put him close to the cattle and above suspicion. He was helping with the rustling.”

  “Not that I don’t already know,” Gant said, “But how about telling me what this is all about? Virginia, maybe?”

  “Not at first. That first night that Pete and I hit you at the stable was for someone else.”

  “Avery, you mean?” Gant put in.

  “Yeah, Avery,” Beecham growled. He glance toward Thackery. “You blabbed it all didn’t you?”

  “I..I didn’t want to, Hal. Honest. He’d have killed me, if I hadn’t.”.

  “Maybe I ought to kill you because you did.”

  Thackery cringed. He was more scared than ever now.

  “I don’t think he will,” Caleb said reassuringly to the actor. Avery still needs Dave Bishop alive.”

  Then to Beecham, Caleb said, “You still haven’t told me what Avery had against me.”

  “He wanted you out of town before ‘Bishop’,” He indicated Thackery. “... returned from his honeymoon. We weren’t supposed to kill you. Just chase you out of town.”

  “But afterward, it was for Virginia, wasn’t it?”

  “Yes. She was afraid you’d recognize her and you did. She didn’t want you telling Bart Allen about her.”

  Caleb really hadn’t recognized her, but he wasn’t about to admit it. He was going to let it all play out. “You’re talking about Montana. And you?”

  “Of course. She was working in that saloon when I met her. You and I had just worked that job for the Diamond G”.

  “I remember you robbing a bank then too. I suppose she was in that with you”.

  “Your memory is way too good. Too bad for you. I’m going to have to erase that memory right now. For good.” he pushed the pistol forward, just inches from Gant’s chest.

  “For God’s sakes, Hal!” Thackery shouted. “What are you doing?”

  “As I said, boy. I’m taking care of business.”

  “You can’t just shoot him down. And right in front of me. I can’t let you do that.”

  “Nothing you can do about it kid. I’ve got my orders and that includes you too.”

  Thackery’s body stiffened and he began to tremble. His eyes bulged wide with fear and his face turned pale. “Wha...what do you mean?’

  “You gotta die too kid.”

  “But...but what about Angie and Mister Allen.”

  “Now you’re getting the picture, boy. They don’t need you. Now that you’re married to Angie. As your wife, she inherits everything you own if you die.”

  “But….but…..”

  “Don’t you get it?” Caleb chimed in. “Once Angie gets your holdings, her life and Bart Allen’s won’t be worth a plugged nickel. Virginia will wind up with everything.”

  “Virginia and I,” Beecham corrected.

  “I wouldn’t count on the ‘I’ part,” Caleb grinned.

  Beecham’s face went slack. Caleb could tell he had hit a nerve. Brought up something that had not occurred to him. He knew Gant was right. Virginia would cut him out first chance she got, too. Anger burned inside him. His finger tightened on the trigger, knuckles turning white. His horse, beneath him, stamped as the weapon exploded in his hand and as Ted Thackery pushed his own mount into the side of Beecham’s horse, pushing the animal’s rump aside.

  Gant instinctively ducked low, spurring his own mount back as the bullet whizzed past his head, splitting the air where it had been just a lightning fast moment ago.

  In his surprise, Beecham spun his mount around toward Thackery. His weapon boomed again. Flame spit from the muzzle. Thackery fell back in the saddle, a crimson blotch appeared high in the chest.. The horse reared and his rider fell from the saddle to land in the dusty trail.

  Beecham swung his pistol back toward Gant, but he was too late. Caleb had already pulled his gun. It was aimed right at Beecham. The last thing Hal Beecham saw, was flame spitting from the pistol and he barely heard the thundering report before all senses ceased and he fell to the ground and rolled onto his back; face up with empty blank eyes staring up at the waning afternoon sky.

  Muley Jones had turned his mount and was riding back down the trail toward the Ladder A as fast as horse could gallop.

  ****

  Chapter Eighteen.