by J. T. Edson
The Kid’s reaction came Comanche fast, came with the knife skill of the greatest cold steel experts of them all. The bowie knife caught and deflected the narrow Arkansas toothpick, sending it to one side. The toothpick was a knife which could only be used for stabbing, a murderer’s weapon. The bowie knife drove out, Wharton saw it flickering towards him, desperately tried to parry the slash then felt it bite in just over his waistbelt. A numbing pain welled through him and he pitched to the floor.
Stepping back, the Kid looked down at the writhing body, wiped his knife blade on his hand, then sheathed it.
‘Sorry to muss up your floor,’ he said mildly to Madge, who was looking pale and ready to fetch up over the floor. ‘Get your swampers to tote these three out and don’t let any of your ladies touch Wharton. He won’t look pretty.’
Madge returned the Kid’s Dragoon to him. She gently kicked her unconscious victim in the ribs. ‘Not this one. We girls aim to have a talk with him when he’s able. We’ll teach him not to come here abusing poor, defenceless ladies.’ The Kid grinned back at the woman, holstered his gun, set his hat right and drawled, ‘Kick for me, ma’am.’ Then he walked from the saloon with no more concern than if he’d just taken a meal.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
BETH MORROW MEETS HER MOTHER
BETH screamed as Jack Hatch started to draw his gun. From the corner of her eye she saw three men come around the corner, saw the flickering blur of movement as their hands went down and heard the yell of ‘Waco!’ Then shots were roaring from the guns the three men drew.
Jack Hatch’s gun was almost clear of leather when he was thrown backwards by the smashing impact of five heavy bullets. He was dead before he hit the ground and it was later found that any one of the five bullets would have killed him.
Waco shook his head, glanced briefly at the girl, then gave a yell.
‘Dusty, you old lobo!’ he whooped and leapt forward with his hand held out.
Beth let out a gasp of joy, Texas’ memory has returned. He knew who he was and she knew who he was also. The name of Waco, the Arizona Ranger, had reached Two Forks County. He was a man any girl could be proud of. If was not until Waco was shaking hands with the three men who saved him that she remembered the Navy Colt by her side.
The girl appeared to be in a daze, she barely noticed the people who were crowding through the alley towards the corral. Texas had his memory back, he was a man to be proud of, the way was clear for them to think about— Fear, cold fear gripped her. Would he now remember her?
She saw him turn, saw his smile and the way he looked at her, then heard him say, ‘Boss-lady, I want you to meet—’
The rest of the words ended as she raced forward to throw her arms around his neck and kiss him.
‘Now how do you reckon he does it, Dusty?’ a drawling voice asked.
‘Why, I tell you, Mark. It’s a sure enough mystery. Anyways you’re the expert on women and love.’
Waco gently moved the girl back to arms length, watching the laughter and tears on her face. He saw his three friends standing by with tolerant smiles.
‘Boss-lady,’ he said. ‘I’d like you to meet my good friends, Dusty Fog, Mark Counter and Doc Leroy.’
She took each hand in turn, eyes going to the great spread of Mark’s shoulders and thinking he was nearly as handsome as her Texas. She could hardly believe this small, insignificant-looking man was the Rio Hondo gun-wizard, Dusty Fog; until she remembered how fast his guns had come out. Doc Leroy looked a pleasant young man and worthy of having Texas’ friendship.
‘Who was he, boy?’ asked Dusty.
Waco gently moved the girl to one side and joined the others by the side of the body. Beth stood alone; Johnny had moved forward to get a chance to say he’d talked with the Rio Hondo gun-wizard, Dusty Fog.
Ella and Lynn came through the crowd. Beth saw the other girl and licked her lips worriedly. Her conscience had been pricking her ever since the fight and she wished to apologise. She stepped forward to confront the other girl.
‘I was hoping to see you,’ she said.
The words were badly chosen. Lynn looked at the other girl, looked down at the holstered gun and read the wrong meaning to the words. Her hand lifted over the butt of her Colt Lightning and she said, ‘All right, girlie, start any time.’
Beth felt anger surge up. She’d offered the olive branch and got slapped in the teeth with it. She aimed to show this saloon girl that she was not the only one who could use a gun. Her hand lifted, hot anger filling her.
Ella lunged forward, her face suddenly old and strained. She caught the girls by the arm and pushed them against the livery-barn wall.
‘Beth, Lynn!’ she gasped. ‘Stop it, both of you. Stop it before you do something you’ll regret for the rest of your lives.’
‘Let me go!’ Beth answered.
‘No!’ Ella’s voice was hoarse. ‘Lynn, this girl’s your twin sister.’
The girls stopped struggling, their faces losing all colour. Lynn stood without a move, but Beth’ staggered against the wall, her legs weak as she stared at Ella’s face.
‘Sisters!’ Lynn gasped. ‘You mean she—I—we—!’
‘It’s true! So help me, it’s the truth,’ Ella replied, and the girls could hardly doubt her. ‘I wouldn’t go with your father when he went to ranch in Wyoming, Lynn. So he took you with him. I let my sister and her husband take you, Beth. I worked in saloons and couldn’t have kept you. I kept you supported and when you were too old to remember anything about me I bought the Twin Bridge Saloon here, to be near you and keep an eye on you.’
Beth started, tears shining in her eyes. So many things were coming clear to her now. ‘But why didn’t you tell me?’ she gasped, looking first at Ella, then at Lynn, noticing the likeness between the three of them for the first time. ‘All this time you’ve been in Two Forks and never told me. That’s why Seth always came to see you when he was in town, to tell you how I was. That’s why I’d see you looking at me when I was in town or at dances. I never knew. Why didn’t you tell me?’
‘I own a saloon,’ replied Ella, not daring to look at the girl.
Lynn stood by her mother, hand on her arm. She was willing to accept her new sister, give Beth love, affection, but only if the question was answered right.
Beth’s face was alight with emotion. Pride in this woman who’d done so much for her and was willing to live away from her rather than chance spoiling her life. She tried to speak, then the words came pouring out.
‘The best, straightest, squarest saloon in the West. You thought I’d be ashamed of you because of how you make your living. Why should I be. You run a decent place and I’ve always been taught that the decent saloons are all right. I’m not ashamed at all, mother. I—’ She paused to try and show her new-found mother how proud she was. Her eyes went to Waco and the other Texans who were, with the rest of the crowd, standing listening to this new and dramatic develop-’ ment. She could think of no better way of showing her mother the trust she felt than by introducing the man she meant to marry. ‘Texas,’ she said, ‘I want you to meet my mother and sister.’
Talk welled up through the crowd, excited talk which was brought to an end by Dusty Fog moving towards the crowd. ‘These folks want to talk thing out,’ he said pointedly. ‘Back off on to the street and let them get on with it.’
There was no question of a request now. Dusty Fog was giving orders and not one of the crowd, not even Von Schnabel, thought of arguing.
Ella stood looking at the two girls with tears in her eyes. She saw the significance of the girl’s action, introducing this man who obviously meant so much to her. Beth was not ashamed of her, was willing to accept her and had called her mother. Lynn took a lot of getting down. She grinned at Beth and hugged her. ‘I kept thinking when I was licking you down at the saloon, that you was tough for a milk-faced town gal.’
‘Licking me?’ Beth replied, hugging Lynn back. ‘Is that what you call the hiding I gave
you?’
‘What’re you doing with Drifter here?’ Lynn went on, suddenly realising that a dead man stood before her.
‘Drifter?’ Beth gasped, staring first at Lynn, then at Waco. ‘But he isn’t Drifter Smith.’
‘He surely is, sister-mine,’ Lynn laughed.
‘He’s our sheriff,’ Ella explained. ‘I don’t know how you came together, but he’s our sheriff.’
‘It’s a long story, boss-lady,’ Waco smiled, slipping an arm around her shoulders. ‘I’ll tell it you as—’
At that moment Von Schnabel returned, followed by a good portion of the crowd, including the Mormon who was supposed to have seen the butchering. The German strode forward to halt before Waco.
‘So, you have returned, sheriff,’ he said. ‘Good! You will now arrest Miss Morrow for butchering Mormon cattle.’
‘Why, you—!’ Waco began, moving forward while Johnny folded his fist.
Mark Counter’s hands shot out, gripping the two younger men by their belts and holding them without any apparent effort. ‘Simmer down there,’ he said.
‘Why, surely so,’ agreed Dusty. ‘You’d best take the lady in, boy. There’s proof to what this gent says.’
Waco was quivering with rage. He stared at Dusty, hands clenching and unclenching in anger.
‘This man brought certain proof, sheriff,’ Von Schnabel Went on. ‘He followed the BM men and saw them hiding the steer hides in their woodpile. So you must arrest Miss Morrow pending a full investigation.’
Lynn flung herself forward, between Dusty and the German, her eyes blazing in fury as she reached for her gun. ‘Why, you lousy—!’ she began.
Her hand slapped down on to an empty holster. She turned fast and found Dusty held her gun. There was a look in his eyes which ended her angry outburst.
‘Look, ma’am, this’s for the law to handle. You just stand back there afore I slap you in a cell for disturbing the peace.’ Before the fuming girl could speak she felt a hand catch her arm. Doc Leroy hauled her back, his face grim.
‘You try it again and Dusty won’t have to. I’ll do it myself and tan your hide with a razor strop.’
Ella expected an explosion, but Lynn looked contrite and behaved herself. A smile flickered across her face. It looked like her family, already double its size since the morning, might be growing even larger very soon.
‘It’s like this, Waco,’ Dusty went on. ‘This Mormon gentleman came here to make a report about the BM butchering his stock. Got him real good proof of it, looks like. So, being a good, tax-paying citizen he expects the law to do something for him, and these public spirited folks are here to see it does.’
Waco opened his mouth, then closed it again. He’d complete trust in his friend Dusty Fog but could not see what Dusty was getting at.
‘What do you want me to do?’ Waco’s voice was brittle and harsh.
‘Ain’t but one thing we can do. Hold this lady until we’ve been out to her place and looked into the butchering business.’ Bix Smith was scowling at Dusty. Johnny and Simon looked disgusted and were both contemplating seeing if he was as fast with a gun as they’d heard he was. Lynn was almost purple with rage, while Ella and Beth stood side by side and looked as if they couldn’t believe their ears.
‘Where’s the County judge at, ma’am?’ Mark asked Ella.
‘Out at his ranch. He won’t be in today.’
‘Then send for him. Make sure he realises how important it is to hold this hearing,’ Dusty suggested, never taking his eyes from Ella’s face. ‘We’ll have to hold Miss Morrow.’
‘No you won’t,’ yelled Lynn. ‘My sister’s not going to jail.’
‘Ain’t none of us’d feel the need for that, gal,’ replied Dusty, turning to Von Schnabel. ‘Now is there, mister?’
The German saw that he was driven into a corner. He could hardly suggest that a girl like Beth be held in the jail, that would turn a whole lot of his support away from him.
‘No. It would hardly be right.’
‘We’ll release her in her mother’s care,’ said Dusty. ‘I reckon you’ll guarantee her arrival for the hearing, Mrs. Baker, ma’am?’
Ella nodded. She was almost too dazed to speak. ‘I will.’
‘Miss Lynn, I’ll deputise you to take care of your sister. Doc, you go with the ladies and wait for us at the jail. You’d best have your gun back, seeing as you’re a deputy.’
Lynn snatched the gun from Dusty’s hand, giving him a look which clearly said she hoped it burned his fingers off. Then she opened her mouth to make some blistering remark but Doc pushed her gently and told her to move off.
The two girls walked through the crowd, followed by Doc, and slowly the people separated to go about their business. In some cases the business would consist of straightening out crooked gambling gear ready for the forthcoming check-up. ‘All right, boy,’ Dusty said to Waco after, the crowd had gone leaving only friends near to hand. ‘Call me down before you swell up and bust.’
Waco let his breath out in a long rush. ‘Dusty, had it been any other man but you I’d have killed him. That gal’s innocent. I know all about the hides.’
‘Why sure, boy,’ agreed Dusty. ‘But that don’t mean you’ve got to start in to flapping your big ole mouth off about it afore the public-spirited gentleman, now does it?’
Mark laughed. ‘You allus did talk too much, boy. Now you just tell us all about it, while we walk down to the jail.’ Waco took Ella’s arm, gave it a gentle squeeze and started to walk her towards the jail. He told the others all that happened to him, seeing more of the picture now he could remember who he was and what occurred.
None of the others spoke as he finished, then Mark looked, down at Waco’s sides and smiled. ‘You’re a fine sheriff, boy. Going out without your badge or your guns. Didn’t you learn anything from us?’
‘Nothing useful,’ replied Waco, then looked at Ella. ‘You’re looking a mite peeked, Mrs. Baker, ma’am.’
Ella shook her head as if to clear it. Her face was radiant and happy as she looked at him.
‘What a day. I nearly see my two daughters shoot it out with each other. Find that Beth’s proud of me and that I’m likely to be having a son-in-law or two real soon. Then see one of my daughters jailed for butchering cattle. And I still like the world.’
‘Would you mind having a son-in-law, ma’am?’ asked Waco. ‘No. I think you’d make Beth a good husband.’
‘One thing, ma’am, afore you start planning the wedding,’ Dusty put in. ‘How well do you know the Judge?’
‘Which means would he do me a favour, I suppose.’
‘Yes’m. That’s just what it means.’
‘I think he might.’
‘I want him to be too busy to hold the hearing until the end of the week, ma’am,’ Dusty said. ‘By then we should have the right men; happen Waco called it right they’re at Von Schnabel’s ranch.’
‘I think he’d arrange it,’ Ella replied. ‘Will Beth be all right?’
‘The only way she could get hurt is after I’m dead,’ Waco answered. ‘What you fixing to do, Dusty?’
‘Fetch those skin-hunters in.’
They reached the jail and entered. The Ysabel Kid came to his feet, his hand held out to Waco. ‘Waal, I’ll be damned,’ he said. ‘And I just had words with poor ole Bengeeman Wharton over killing you.’
Waco gripped his friend’s hand in a crushing grip. ‘I hope you warn’t too rough on him.’
‘Was he a nicer man I’d go to boothill ‘n’ apologise.’
‘What happened down there, Lon?’ asked Dusty.
‘Him and two more were fixing to get the gal we took from the Guesthouse. I had to shoot one, the other was knocked down by a well-throwed bottle. Then me’n old Bengeeman took to discussing which was the best, an Arkansas toothpick or a real genuine James Black bowie: said James Black bowie taking the day. When I left, some of the ladies was taking the last of them hombres out and cooling his brow with soft hand
s and gentle words.’
Ella could almost feel sorry for the man and doubted if his own mother would recognise him when the three big bartenders got through with him.
Lynn stood protectively by the other girl. ‘If you think my sister’s going in a cell to please you—!’ she began.
‘Hush your mouth, woman,’ Doc put in.
‘I’ll hush your fool head for you!’ Lynn yelled back at him.
Waco went to Beth and gently laid a hand on her shoulder. ‘Don’t you worry, boss-lady. Dusty acted for the best—’
‘Best is it?’ Lynn screeched. ‘That short-growed towhead should be—’
‘Lord save me from angry women,’ groaned Dusty. ‘They’re wuss’n a steer fresh pulled from a mudhole. If we hadn’t arrested Miss Morrow, that fine upstanding public-spirited citizen’d started yelling about the law playing favourites.’
‘Sure and Dusty fixed it so that same citizen couldn’t have Miss Morrow all locked up in a cell,’ went on Mark. ‘Which same’s something.’
‘So’s toothache,’ yelled Lynn. ‘And I don’t like that either.’
‘Ole Doc there pulls a mean tooth,’ Mark told her.
‘There can’t be one law for one and one for another, ma’am,’ Dusty put in, before the spluttering Lynn could say another word. ‘Not the way I’ve always been taught to play it.’
‘Say, Bix,’ Waco suddenly said. ‘What happened to them five stage hold-ups I brought in?’
‘They escaped,’ Bix replied. ‘Snuck out the night you took your ride.’
‘Don’t you worry none over it,’ Waco drawled. ‘I’d bet I know where to get hold of them again.’
Dusty looked at the two girls, his eyes dropping to Beth’s side. ‘Fine pair of deputies your pair turned out to be,’ he told Lynn and Doc. ‘Your prisoner’s still toting her gun.’
Lynn laughed. Now her new-found sister was in no danger of being shoved into a cell she was willing to be friends.