“Potter,” Falcon said.
Graham Potter had been the civilian telegrapher back at Ft. Junction. It was Potter’s telegram that set up operation in which Falcon’s old friend, Sergeant Major O’Leary, and four others had been killed.
“I’m the law here, MacCallister. If there’s any arrestin’ to be done, I’ll be doin’ it. Boys, if you want to know the truth, this here is Falcon MacCallister,” Potter said. “He was the commanding officer of the Colorado Home Guard, only he stole rifles and Gatling guns from his own regiment and sold them to the Indians. If there is arrestin’ to be done, I’ll be doin’ it,” he added.
“Not today, not ever,” Falcon said. “You are the one who set it up so Harris could take the guns, so as far as I’m concerned, you are as guilty as Harris, Garon, and Bryans are. I intend to put you into your own jail until we can get the sheriff here.”
“There’s two of us, there’s only one of you,” Potter said
“That’s all right. I’ve got enough bullets for both of you,” Falcon’s pistol was still in its holster.
“You’re crazy if you think you can come into my town and start making wild claims like that.”
“I would appreciate it, Potter, if you and Harris would both just take your guns out real slow.”
Falcon was studying the expressions on the two men’s faces. At the first confrontation, both Potter and Harris were tense, even frightened. But then a strange thing happened. Simultaneously, the tenseness left both their faces, and on Potter’s face, the beginning of a small grin appeared.
“Well now, I don’t plan to do that, MacCallister,” Potter said.
Falcon cut a quick glance toward the bar and when he did, he saw in the mirror why Potter was grinning. Standing at the railing of the upstairs landing were Bryans and Garon. Both were pointing their pistols at Falcon.
Suddenly, Falcon launched himself to his left, pulling his pistol and diving to the floor as he did so. Turning onto his back, he slid for a few feet across the floor, even as the two fired at him. One of the bullets hit a glass on the table where Harris had been sitting, sending out shards of glass and a shower of whiskey. The other bullet dug into the floor where Falcon had been standing but a second earlier.
Falcon fired back two quick shots. He hit Bryans between the eyes, and the man fell back. Garon caught a bullet in his stomach and he fell forward, crashing through the railing, then doing a half flip as he fell on his back onto the piano below. The piano gave off a loud, discordant sound.
At that moment, Falcon felt the sting of a bullet nicking his left arm and, rolling back over, he shot Harris, who had just shot him. In the meantime, Potter ran around behind the bar and shot the bartender. Then, he grabbed the double-barrel shotgun behind the bar.
“You go to hell, MacCallister!” he shouted as he aimed the gun at Falcon.
Before he could pull the trigger, though, there was another shotgun blast from the far end of the bar and Potter spun around with blood and brain matter spewing from his head and splashing onto the mirror. Looking toward the second shotgun, Falcon saw the bartender, bleeding from the shoulder, holding a smoking double-barrel shotgun exactly like the one Potter had grabbed.
“You go to hell, you bastard! You didn’t think I kept just one gun back here, did you?” the bartender muttered angrily.
June 25, 1927
MacCallister, Colorado
Falcon had walked back out to the front of his house with Zane Grey and Libbie Custer. He was standing alongside Zane Grey’s Packard automobile.
“My friend,” Zane Grey said. “That was quite a story. I do wish you would let me write it.”
“I’d rather you not,” Falcon said.
Zane Grey smiled. “Don’t worry, I gave you my word that I wouldn’t, and I won’t.” He chuckled. “Besides, even at your age now, I don’t think I would want to cross you.”
Falcon smiled as well. “At my age, I just depend upon the integrity of men who give me their word.”
“Among men of good faith, that is all that is needed,” Zane Grey said. “Well, Libbie, you were a little concerned about your schedule. It looks like we will have plenty of time to get you to the train.”
“Yes,” Libbie said. “And I’m so glad I came.” Libbie smiled at Falcon, then embraced him. “You know, Falcon, after my Autie, there never was another man for me. But if there had been.” She let the sentence hang. “Good-bye, my dear, old friend.”
“Good-bye, Libbie,” Falcon said.
Falcon walked back up onto the porch and stood there as the Packard drove away.
“Big Grandpa, what did Mrs. Custer mean when she said there had never been another man for her, but if there had been?” Rosie asked.
“She didn’t mean anything by it, darlin’,” Falcon said, putting his arm around his great-granddaughter’s shoulder.
Rosie laughed. “You know what I think? I think she was flirting with you.”
“Do you now?” Falcon asked, laughing as the two of them started back into the house.
Falcon began whistling “Garryowen.”
AUTHOR’S NOTE
Listed below are the known names of the officers, surgeons, civilians, and soldiers who died with Lieutenant Colonel (Brevet Major General) George Armstrong Custer at the Battle of the Little Bighorn.
Those who died with Reno are not listed here.
Bvt. Maj. Gen’l. G. A. Custer
CAPTAINS
M. W. Keogh • G. W. Yates • T. W. Custer
LIEUTENANTS
W. W. Cooke • A. E. Smith • Donald McIntosh • James Calhoun • J. E. Porter • B. H. Hodgson • J. C. Sturgis • W. Van W. Reily • J. J. Crittenden • H. M. Harrington
ASSISTANT SURGEONS
G. E. Lord • J. M. De Wolf
CIVILIANS
Mark Kellogg • Boston Custer • Autie Reed
SOLDIERS
W. H. Sharrow • Geo Eiseman • James Dalious • Gustave Engle • J. E. Armstrong • James Nathersall • Rich’d Rollins • Alpheus Stuart • Jnd Sullivan • Ignatz Stungwitz • T. P. Sweetser • Ludwig St. John • Rich’d Dorn • Garrett Van Allen • Jere Finley • D. T. Warner • August Finckle • Henry Wyman • T. J. Bucknell • Chas Vincent • Wm Kramer • Pat’k Colden • Geo Howwell • Edw’d Housen • Jnd Brightfield • Fred’k Hohmeyer • Christopher Criddle •Rich’d Farrell • Henry Voss • Nathan Short • Wm Moodie • John Thadus • G. B. Mask • W. B. Right • Edwin Bobo • J. S. Ogden • H. E. French • W. B. James • Jnd Foley • Thos Hagan • Dan’l Ryan • H. S. Mason • Jnd King • G. G. Brown • F. E. Allan • A. H. Meyer • Jnd Lewis • Thos McElroy • August Meyer • C. A. Moonie • Fred’k Meier • W. H. Baker • Edgar Phillips • Rob’t Barth • Jnd Rauter • Owen Boyle •Edw’d Rix • James Brogan • J. H. Russell • Edw’d Conner • S. S. Shade • Jnd Darris • Jere Shea • Wm Davis • Syker Henderson • James Garney • Jnd Henderson • Anton Dohman • Andy Knect • Timothy Donnally • H. T. Liddiard • Wm Gardiner • Pat’k O’Connor • C. W. Hammon • Henry Shele • Gustav Klein • Wm Smallwood • Herman Xnauth • James Smith 1st • James Smith 2nd • W. L. Liemann • Christian Madson • Benj Stafford • Joseph Monroe • Cornelius Vansant • Sebastian Omling • Mich’l Kenney • Pat’k Rudden • Fred’k Nursey • Rich’d Saunders • J. N. Wilkinson • F. W. Siglous • Chas Coleman • Geo Warren • Benj Brandon • Edw’d Botzer • Benj Brandon • Edw’d Botzer • J. R. Manning • Martin Considine • Thos Atcheson • James Martin • Lucien Burnham • Otto Hagemann
PINNACLE BOOKS are published by
Kensington Publishing Corp.
119 West 40th Street
New York, NY 10018
Copyright © 2009 William W. Johnstone
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.
PUBLISHER’S NOTE
Following the death of
William Johnstone, the Johnstone family is working with a carefully selected writer to organize and complete Mr. Johnstone’s outlines and many unfinished manuscripts to create additional novels in all of his series like The Last Gunfighter, Mountain Man, and Eagles, among others. This novel was inspired by Mr. Johnstone’s superb storytelling.
PINNACLE BOOKS and the Pinnacle logo are Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM Off.
ISBN: 0-7860-2249-3
*Actual letter from Libbie to Custer, May 1876. The Custer Story, edited by Marguerite Merrington, 1950.
*Ibid.
*Actual article by Mark Kellogg, the last one he filed.
*Called hardtack during the Civil War, but hard bread by the Army of the West.
*Actually, Martin did not leave until after the Reno and Custer columns had already separated.
*DeRudio and O’Neil were not actually reunited with Reno until the second night.
*Actual dispatch from General Terry.
*Actual letter, as recorded in The Custer Story, edited by Marguerite Merington.
*Ibid.
FB2 document info
Document ID: 91eda6e1-6536-4473-9658-6d313076db25
Document version: 1
Document creation date: 25.4.2012
Created using: calibre 0.8.48 software
Document authors :
William W. Johnstone
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Bloodshed of Eagles Page 25