by J. T. Edson
‘Go to it,’ Damon authorized.
‘Howdy, Ted, Lonny, One-Card,’ Doc greeted, walking from the house. At his first word, the quintet came to a halt. Unlike Lindrick on his arrival, they had not stopped clear of the light from the door. All of them made as if to raise their rifles. ‘Hey, easy there!’
‘It’s you-all, Doc,’ greeted Ted Wensbury, the taller and elder of the brothers relaxing slightly. ‘It’s all right, Talbot, Lington, we know him.’
‘Looks like you’ve got some callers, Doc,’ Lonny went on, jerking his head in the direction of the tethered horses and starting to resume his advance. ‘We’ll just—’
‘Keep quiet and stay back,’ Doc finished for the youngster. ‘Daddy’s working on a bad hurt man—’
‘Is that so?’ jeered the shorter of the hired guns, also taking a step forward. ‘Well, seeing’s we know how come he got his-self hurt, we’ll—’
‘That’s close enough and too noisy!’ Damon warned, stepping across the threshold with his hands behind his back and his holster empty. His appearance brought an immediate end to the resumed advance. ‘Are you saying’s how you know what happened to that man who was brought in shot?’
‘I can’t see’s how it comes to being any of your business,’ the hired gun answered truculently. ‘But, seeing’s how it was us’s done it, we should—’
‘That being the case,’ Damon said, almost gently and still without bringing his hands into view. ‘You’re under arrest.’
‘We’re what?’ the hired gun growled.
‘Under arrest,’ Damon repeated. ‘You might not know it, but shooting people’s against the law and I’m a duly appointed and sworn peace officer.’
Listening to the marshal, Doc formed the opinion that he was well pleased with the opportunity he had been presented with by the hired gun’s boastfully incautious words. Nor did the youngster need to ask why. They were offering a means by which the quintet could be prevented from causing further trouble that night and, more important, doing it in a way that would remove all suggestion of partiality towards the Maudlins’ faction.
‘I thought you quit as sheriff!’ Lonny Wensbury protested, bristling with what he regarded as righteous indignation.
‘I’m still town marshal though,’ Damon pointed out. ‘Which makes it my sworn and legal duty to hold you until the county authorities can investigate what you said.’
‘Like hell you’ll hold u—!’ began the shorter of the hired guns, making a move at turning his rifle forward.
Steel rasped on leather as the Army Colt flashed into Doc’s right hand, lining and cocking all in a single blurring motion. Almost as quickly, Damon brought his Adams-filled fist into view and alignment. Stepping on to the porch, Brambile slanted the Henry towards the quintet in a gesture which left no doubt as to his intentions.
‘Drop the rifles!’ the peace officer commanded. ‘Pronto, or I’ll be taking you for resisting arrest’
‘Do it, damn you!’ snarled the taller and elder of the hired guns, directing a furious scowl at his fellow tradesman as he complied by allowing his rifle to fall to the ground at his feet. ‘You stupid son-of-a-bitch, Lington—’
‘You must know him real well to use his given name,’ Damon remarked dryly, as the other four discarded their shoulder arms. ‘Now we’ll take the gunbelts and everything’ll be more comfortable.’
‘Our daddy’s not going to like this!’ Ted Wensbury threatened, unbuckling his gunbelt and tossing it down. ‘And don’t you forget’s how he voted for you at every election.’
‘So did most folks, seeing’s I was the only candidate,’ Damon countered, avoiding the error of pointing out that he had received a similar support from Taylor Maudlin. His voice hardened and he continued, Tm including you with the others, Mr. Lington.’
‘Don’t make things any worse than you have already!’ the elder hired gun, Talbot, spat at his companion. ‘Get that belt shed, or I’ll do it for you.’
‘That’s fine,’ Damon said cheerfully, when the disarmament had been completed. ‘Now I’ll take you gents along to the jail and we’ll see what the county law thinks about your story. Happen they’re satisfied that it was all a mistake, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if you wasn’t all released without a stain on your characters.’
‘What about them Lazy M bunch in there?’ Ted Wensbury demanded.
‘What about them?’ Damon countered.
‘Are you arresting them?’ Wensbury enlarged.
‘Not unless they start to claiming that they’ve shot somebody,’ Damon replied. ‘As soon as they’ve had their hurts tended, they’ll be going home. By morning, when I allow your case’ll have been settled one way or the other, I reckon they’ll just be getting there. So there’s no reason why you-all should come across each other—happen you show good sense and don’t go looking for it to happen.’
Thirteen – Going There Could Be Dangerous
‘Well now, young feller,’ said the barrel-shaped, jovial faced Joe Harrigan, who combined ownership of the Pole-Axe Saloon with being a very active mayor of Lampasas. ‘So you’ll be off on Saturday’s stage to be made a doctor.’
‘I’m going to learn how to be one, sir,’ Doc Leroy corrected.
‘Devil’s the bit of learning you’ll need, me bucko,’ Harrigan boomed. ‘Sure and your father’s taught you as much’s many who’ve got the blessed letters M.D. behind their names’ll ever know.’
‘Gracias, sir,’ Doc grinned, pleased by the compliment, hoping that he could justify it when the time came. ‘Excuse me, please. I’ve got to deliver my present to Josey, or she’ll be likely to whomp me for not showing proper respect.’
‘She’s getting a mite too old for games like that, mores the pity; although there might be some who’d say it’s high time,’ Harrigan stated, also grinning, as he looked to where his eighteen year old daughter was greeting some of the other guests. Then the cheerfulness faded and he went on, ‘Somehow it doesn’t seem right for her to be having a birthday party without any of the Maudlins and Wensburys to help celebrate it.’
‘It doesn’t, sir,’ Doc agreed, remembering the previous years’ parties and the fun everybody had had. ‘But, under the circumstances, it’s probably better that they don’t come together in town right now.’
‘That it is,’ Harrigan conceded with feeling. ‘Mind you, there’s some around who weren’t happy with the way you and Dirk Damon handled the Wensbury boys, but it proved to have been right in the end.’
‘It did,’ Doc agreed. ‘At least, as far as the town’s concerned. But nothing’s changed between the Wensburys and the Maudlins on the range.’
Twelve days had elapsed since the members of the two factions had paid their respective visits to the home of Doctor Eldridge Jason Leroy, M.D.
On learning of the measures taken to deal with the Wensburys’ party, Hayden Paul Lindrick had conceded that, providing the hired gun, Lington, rescinded the confession, holding the quintet in custody would not be feasible; nor desirable where the welfare of the town was concerned. However, he had promised that he would not attempt to take reprisals for the ambush as long as his former assailants were prevented from trying to repeat the attack. Oil being given such a guarantee, although clearly suffering from his injury, he had stated that he and the two cowhands would go back to the Lazy M. Allowing them four hours’ start, Damon had pretended to accept that Lingford was only displaying a misplaced sense of humor when he claimed to have done the shooting. The men were then released. He had also warned them that they would be advised to return to the Circle W by a route which would keep them well clear of the other ranch, and the older of the hired guns had promised they would do so.
It had been too much to hope that the arrivals of the two parties would have gone unnoticed. However, having the typical Westerners’ instinct for the possibility of danger, such of the citizens of Lampasas who were present had kept indoors while awaiting developments. Not until it had become obvious that
there was to be no gun play had anybody offered to come and investigate.
On learning what had been done, some of the more timid citizens and those who tended to favor one side or the other had expressed concern over the wisdom of the marshal’s actions. Fortunately, Harrigan and a few other sturdy souls—who had been absent on a coon hunting expedition along the Lampasas River, in which Leroy and Damon would also have been participating if their wives had not made other arrangements—had been summoned from their sport. On their return, they had announced their intention of supporting the peace officer in his efforts to maintain the town’s neutrality. Furthermore, they had insisted that Damon should deputize them. By doing so, he would have solid backing when the inevitable protests were delivered from the leaders of the rival factions.
Taylor Maudlin had been the first to put in an appearance. Thinking of the incident, particularly in later years and with the light of greater experience, Doc considered that the way in which the rancher had prepared for his arrival was significant. It was clear that he was determined to avoid any suggestion of bringing trouble in to the town.
Sending Rusty Willis with the information, Maudlin had stated that he would come accompanied only by his wife and sister and that their sole purpose was to collect his wounded son. In addition, he had requested that somebody who was neutral or supported the Wensburys should ride out and verify that he was speaking the truth. Appreciating the wisdom of the suggestion, Harrigan had volunteered.
On reaching the town, despite expressing his gratitude for what had been done on Arnold’s behalf, Maudlin had been adamant in the decision to take him back to the Lazy M. Nor, in spite of Leroy’s warning that such a course would be highly ill-advised, would he change his mind. He had claimed that the risk of leaving his son in Lampasas was too great. Rather than expose the citizens to the danger of the Wensburys coming to finish the work they had started, he would take Arnold home. Knowing how stubborn the rancher could be, Leroy had warned him that he would accept no further responsibility for the young man’s wellbeing if the removal was performed. When this had produced no change of mind, he had insisted that Arnold was carried in the Rocker ambulance lvii he had purchased for transporting patients.
As a precaution against hostile action on the part of the Wensburys, the vehicle was driven by Doc with Harrigan as an escort until a place, some three miles from the edge of town was reached, where a strong and well-armed party from the Lazy M were waiting to give protection for the rest of the journey. It was clear that Japhet Maudlin and the three hired guns, who had been present, were still resentful over the humiliation they had suffered on the day of the peccary hunt. However, they had done no more than scowl their hostility at Doc.
Before parting company with the rancher, Harrigan warned that he and the other citizens would not countenance the feud being brought into town to endanger their lives and property. Showing a remarkable willingness to oblige, Maudlin had stated that—providing Wensbury would respect the arrangement—he would only allow his men to visit the town on certain designated days and would guarantee their good behavior.
From what had happened later, it was obvious that Boone Wensbury had been told by one of his supporters what had taken place. Drawing the correct conclusions, he had taken equal care to show that he wished to avoid the stigma of having brought trouble to Lampasas.
Late in the afternoon, Wensbury had sent word that he would like to visit the marshal. He promised that he would bring in the quintet who had been arrested and that they would not be armed. When he arrived, it was found that he had kept his word. However, his party had been accompanied by a lawyer from San Saba who, he said, was representing his family’s interests.
According to the five’s story, which enlarged what they had said the previous evening, they had been hunting for strays when they were fired upon. So they had shot back, without as far as they knew hitting anybody. After their assailants had fled, they had ridden into town to report the matter to the authorities. Seeing the horses outside the doctor’s house, they had wondered if some more of the Circle W hands had also been under attack. On learning to whom the animals belonged, they had decided to investigate. However, Lingford’s statement that he had shot somebody was nothing more than a thoughtless joke for which he was now heartily sorry.
Avoiding any comment upon how he regarded the story, Damon stated that he did not intend to press the matter further unless asked to do so by the Maudlin family. He also delivered a similar warning, with Harrigan’s backing, regarding the town’s determination to have no part in the disagreement between the two ranches. Displaying an equal desire to appear co-operative, Wensbury had declared that his men would not come into Lampasas on the days allocated to the Lazy M as long as the agreement was respected by the Maudlins.
Much to the relief of everybody in Lampasas, the arrangement had worked so far. Clearly both ranchers had given stringent orders to their respective crews. Each outfit had adhered strictly to the schedules laid down for their visits and the men had been on their best behavior while in town.
There had only been one incident of note. On the day that the Lazy M had returned the Rocker ambulance, Waltham had started to make drunken threats about taking revenge on the Leroys for almost having caused him to lose his horse. Although Lindrick had come in to have his wound examined and was present at the saloon, it had fallen—surprisingly enough—upon Japhet Maudlin to intervene. Stating that such an idea would not be tolerated by either his father or himself, according to the witnesses who were there, he had ordered the hired gun to forget any such notions.
Although the boss gun’s injury was responding in a satisfactory manner and the stitches had already been taken out, the same could not be said for Arnold Maudlin. As Leroy had warned, his father’s insistence on moving him—even in such a relatively comfortable vehicle as the Rocker ambulance—had been anything but beneficial to his welfare. In fact, his condition had grown increasingly more critical.
Despite the threat to wash his hands of the matter, Leroy had not deserted his patient. Instead, he visited the ranch and did all he could. At first, he had been far from sanguine over the chances of Arnold’s recovery. However, two days ago, the young man had appeared to be rallying. So, having other people requiring his professional attention, the doctor had returned to Lampasas. There had been no news from the Lazy M, so he had assumed that all was going well.
With Doc’s departure for medical college imminent and such an important social function as Josephine Harrigan’s birthday party that evening, Leroy had decided against making a visit to the Maudlins’ ranch that day. He was confident that, if there was any deterioration in Arnold’s condition, he would be informed. So he, his wife and son were all set for an evening’s relaxation in the company of their friends.
Catching his mother’s accusing glance, Doc excused himself from Harrigan and went to deliver his present to the saloonkeeper’s pretty daughter. Josey informed him that the half a dozen guests of their own age had planned a surprise for him. Instead of staying at the saloon with the older folks, they were going off on a hay-ride and picnic with him as the guest of honor. Feeling sure that such an affair would be lively and enjoyable, he did not hesitate over accepting the invitation.
Two hours seemed to fly by after the departure of the younger guests. The bar room of the saloon, normally regarded as terra incognita where the ‘good’ ladies of the town were concerned, was the scene of more genteel festivities than usually took place there. For all that, everybody appeared to be having a good time. By common consent, the subject of the feud between the two ranches was not mentioned. It looked as though, out of respect for the host and the strength of public opinion, the supporters of the Maudlins and the Wensburys were staying away from the town. There was plenty of good food, a liberal amount of drinks for the male guests and dancing to the music provided by the establishment’s small band.
The clock on the saloon’s wall was just striking ten when the batwing doors
were thrown open. At the sight of the person who was entering, silence dropped over the room. Even the band trailed to a discordant halt.
There was good cause for the reaction. The newcomer was Lonny Wensbury and one glance at him was sufficient to warn everybody present that something was radically wrong. Bare-headed, disheveled, he had obviously been riding hard. Horror and distress creased his face as he paused, staring around.
‘Do-Doctor Leroy!’ the youngster gasped, staggering forward.
‘What’s wrong, boy?’ Leroy demanded, leaping forward to help the newcomer into a chair. ‘Bring him a drink, somebody!’
‘Th-There’s all hell been let loose along Owl Creek!’ Lonny gasped, taking and emptying the glass of whiskey that Harrigan had brought. He glared around wildly and a shudder ran through him as he went on, ‘All hell—!’
‘Take it easy, boy!’ Leroy advised soothingly. ‘Have another drink and tell us what’s happened.’
‘I-It’s p-paw!’ Lonny groaned, before he could be given another drink. ‘H-He’s dead ‘n’ T-Ted’s bad hit out a-at the Widow Simcock’s b-barn. H-He’s like t-to die happen he’s not get help fast.’
Noticing that, although the atmosphere had been growing increasingly more congenial, the youngster’s arrival had once again caused the guests to form into three distinct groups—neutral, pro-Maudlin and pro-Wensbury—Leroy had listened to the somewhat disjointed explanation. Before it was half over, the doctor realized that the situation was very grave.
Basically, the story was that one of the Wensbury family had been shot shortly before noon while patrolling along the bank of the Owl Creek. On learning the news, Boone Wensbury had assembled his men and gone in search of revenge. A pitched battle had taken place, going on throughout the whole of the afternoon and into the evening. During the later stages, the rancher had been killed and his son, Ted, seriously wounded. Having rescued his brother, Lonny had realized that he could not hope to take Ted either home or to Lampasas in search of medical assistance. So, reaching the Widow Simcock’s property and finding it deserted—she was attending the party—he had left his brother in the barn and come for help.