“See what you can find out,” Rubin said. “We need to know if there’s some trouble headed our way, so we can be ready.”
“That’s right, Perley,” John piped up again. “I hope all that fuss you caused up in Atoka ain’t comin’ home with you. You know what I’ve always said about you. If there wasn’t but one cow pie—”
That was as far as he got before Perley interrupted. “I know, I know. Save your breath,” he said, causing John to laugh and Rubin to shake his head as if exasperated.
The discussion was ended then with the arrival of Jimmy Farmer returning from the pasture, leading Buck.
John couldn’t pass up the opportunity and called out to Jimmy. “Whaddaya doin’ walkin’ back? Why didn’t you ride Buck back?”
“The same reason you don’t jump on his back,” Jimmy replied, knowing John was japing him. “’Cause I ain’t wantin’ to get throwed.” He handed the reins to Perley.
Perley placed his saddle blanket on the big bay’s back, then threw his saddle on. “They just don’t understand you, do they, boy?” He patted the horse’s neck affectionately. “You don’t tolerate anybody on your back that you don’t approve of.” He stepped up into the saddle then and said to Rubin, “I don’t know how long I’ll be. If it’s late, I’ll most likely eat supper in town.”
“Tell Lucy Tate all the men at the Triple-G said hello,” John said with a wide grin.
“I’ll tell her you said hello,” Perley came back, no longer touchy when it came to jokes about the flirtatious waitress.
Rubin stepped up beside his stirrup. “John and I will get everybody on their toes here and be on the lookout for them. If they show up, we’ll see that they get a warm welcome. You be careful, Perley. It could be a coincidence those two showed up here, if it turns out that’s who Link really saw. But I don’t believe in coincidences, so you be careful.”
“I will,” Perley said and wheeled Buck toward the road back to town.
* * *
“Howdy, Perley,” Bill Henderson greeted him. “I was just talking about you earlier today.”
“That so?” Perley replied, already thinking that was a bad sign.
“Yep, there were a couple of folks asking about you.”
“Man and a woman?” Perley asked.
“Why, yeah, matter of fact it was. How’d you know that?”
“Just a lucky guess, I reckon,” Perley said. Link was right. He’d said it was Clementine and the big ox that hobbled away with a bullet in his leg.
Perley was not really surprised. He had not been a hundred percent sure the boy was wrong. Still, to be absolutely certain, he asked Henderson why they were talking about him.
“As I recollect, he called her Aunt Clem, which she objected to. She called him Junior, I think, and they said they met you in Atoka, up in Indian country, and you told ’em you were in the cattle business down here.” He paused to chuckle. “They said they thought you mighta been japin’ ’em, on account you were all drinking a little. I told ’em you weren’t the kind to talk big, that you were in the business of raising cattle, all right, and had one of the biggest ranches in the county.” He paused again, because of the look of concern on Perley’s face. “I told ’em how to get to your place, and I think they started out that way when they left here. I’m surprised you didn’t run in to ’em if you just came from the ranch.”
“I’m surprised, myself,” Perley said, thinking back over the road he had just ridden, and the many places where an ambush would be an easy thing to set up.
Now that he definitely knew Clementine and Junior were searching for him, they could have only one thing in mind. The question was, why didn’t they take a shot at him? Maybe they were planning something bigger than just his death. He decided he should tell Paul McQueen about it, since he was the acting sheriff, just in case there might be some trouble heading for the town.
“Thanks, Ben,” he said and started to leave, then paused when he thought it best to warn him. “You need to know those two people that were askin’ about me are what’s left of a gang after a shoot-out in Atoka. They’re bad people. If they come in here again, you’d best watch yourself and make sure you don’t turn your back to ’em.”
His comment had a sobering effect on Henderson. “Damn . . . ,” he drew out, his eyes wide with the realization that he had given the man and woman all the information they asked for about Perley. “Damn,” he repeated. “I didn’t have any idea. I mean, when they asked me all those questions about you, I never thought to keep my mouth shut. I’m sorry, Perley, I swear.”
“No reason you would have,” Perley said. “Just be on the lookout if they show up in here again.” He turned to leave and saw that Ben’s wife Shirley was in the doorway and had evidently heard the last part of the conversation.
“I’ll darn-sure keep my shotgun handy,” she said, making no attempt to hide her distress. “And to think those two were in here while I was handing out peppermint sticks to those children.”
“Just be real careful if they come back,” Perley warned her. “That little fellow named Link that was with the other kids was orphaned by that woman and her gang—killed both his parents. It’s best not to give ’em any trouble. I’m goin’ now to talk to Paul McQueen, so he’ll know to be on the lookout for ’em. I’m sorry to have to bring you bad news, but I figure it’s better for you to know.” He left them looking fearfully at each other.
He found Paul McQueen shoeing Raymond Patton’s chestnut gelding. Patton was watching the process. They both greeted Perley when he entered Paul’s shop.
“Howdy,” Perley returned. “I reckon it’s a good thing you’re here, Mr. Patton. You need to know what I’m fixin’ to tell Paul.” He went on to warn them of the possible threat to the town with the appearance of the two outlaws. “I know, after talkin’ to Bill Henderson, that it’s me they came here to find, but you folks in town oughta be ready in case they’ve got anything else on their minds.”
The warning was taken very seriously by both men, especially Paul, since he would be called upon to enforce the law. Patton was concerned as well, considering he was the owner of the only saloon in town.
“I have to tell you,” Perley continued, “I don’t know where they are right now. They asked Ben how to find the Triple-G and he thought they headed that way, but I ain’t found no sign of ’em anywhere between here and there.” He didn’t know what else he could tell them, except that he suspected the trouble, if it came, would be directed toward the Triple-G.
“’Preciate the warnin’, Perley,” McQueen said. “I’ll keep a sharp eye tonight. Make sure ain’t nothin’ goin’ on.”
“Right,” Perley said in parting. “Just be careful, Paul, and don’t take that woman lightly. She’s straight outta hell. And they ain’t greenhorns in the killin’ and robbin’ business.”
He left the blacksmith shop and started for his horse, thinking he should hurry back to the ranch, but he reconsidered. What if that evil pair was still hanging around town somewhere? Maybe they might have seen him ride in and were waiting for the right opportunity to bushwhack him. John and Rubin would have the men on alert at the Triple-G to handle any trouble Clementine and Junior might bring. On the other hand, Paul McQueen was not an experienced lawman and might need the help of Perley’s gun.
He gave it more thought for a few minutes then decided to do what he had originally told Rubin—stay in town long enough to have some supper.
* * *
“Well, hello stranger,” Lucy Tate sang out sweetly when Perley walked in the door. “I was beginning to think you weren’t ever comin’ back to see us.”
“I’ve been outta town for a while,” he said and took a seat at the long table in the center of the dining room.
Lucy seemed to sense a sober disposition in him that was not usually present. “You want coffee?” she asked and he nodded, but said nothing.
She thought she detected a coolness in his attitude toward her. It bothered her, b
ecause he used to shine up to her like every other bachelor in town. He’d even worked up the nerve to ask her if he could come calling one time. She’d rejected him then, but she hadn’t thought that would really stop him from trying. It hadn’t stopped other men from coming back.
“You ain’t very cheerful tonight,” she said.
“I’m just hungry, I reckon,” he replied and watched his cup while she filled it.
She stood there for a moment longer, waiting for something more in the way of flirtatious banter. There was none, so she shrugged and went to the kitchen to fill a plate.
At the other end of the table, Becky Morris stood, fiddling with some silverware, pretending to be busy while she listened to the conversation between Perley and Lucy. Good for you, Perley, she thought smugly, long since hoping that Perley would someday realize how fickle and insincere Lucy was.
She went to the kitchen and intercepted Lucy, who had just filled a plate with stew. “Want me to take that for you?” Becky asked.
“Yeah, if you want to,” Lucy answered. “It’s for Perley. He’s a regular ray of sunshine tonight.”
Becky smiled and took the plate, walked back to the stove, put another ladle of stew on top of the portion Lucy had ladled, and went back to the table. “Evening, Perley,” she said as she placed the stew before him. “It’s nice to see you again.”
“Evenin’, Becky,” he returned and managed a smile to match the one on her face. “How have you been doin’?”
“Oh, about the same as always.” She picked up the empty bread plate. “I’ll get you some bread. You can’t eat stew without bread.” Then she was away to the kitchen.
One of the men sitting near the middle of the table looked at him and joked. “I’m glad you sat down, mister. I’ve been waitin’ for one of them gals to put some more bread on the table.” His remark brought a laugh from a couple of customers at the other end of the table.
When she returned, she held the plate for Perley before placing it back on the table.
Perley looked up at her smiling face and thanked her, and for a moment he forgot the trouble that caused him to be eating in the diner on this night. But it was only for the moment, for he immediately returned his thinking to what his next step should be if he was going to stand in the way of any harm Clementine might be planning.
Becky left him then to fetch more coffee for another customer. She wasn’t able to get back to him before he was finished, but headed him off as he started for the door. “Was everything all right?” she asked, concerned.
“Everything was fine,” he answered. “I’d like to stay a while and drink some more of that coffee,” he paused, “and visit with you, but I’ve kinda got a lot of things on my mind.” He gave her a smile. “I’ve got to go, but it was nice to see you again.”
“Maybe next time you come in there’ll be time to visit,” she said and stood in the doorway to watch him leave.
Behind her, she heard Lucy comment. “Something’s really got a hold on him. He acts like he’s half dead.
“Yeah,” Becky said as she thought he acts like he isn’t fooled by your flirting anymore.
Perley decided to make one more stop before heading back to the Triple-G, and that was in Patton’s Saloon to talk to Benny Grimes. Benny greeted him with the usual friendly hello.
Perley said no when Benny asked him if he wanted a drink. “I just wanted to ask you if you’ve seen a couple of strangers in here this afternoon or this evenin’.” Perley said.
“I ain’t seen them two you’re lookin’ for,” Benny replied. “Mr. Patton was in here a little while ago and he told me about that man and woman you were worried about. I don’t look for no trouble I can’t handle. I set my shotgun and my .44 right here under the bar where I can reach ’em real quick. If it’s just one man and a woman with him, I don’t see how I couldn’t handle ’em.”
“That’s good you’re prepared,” Perley said, “but don’t sell the woman short. She’s a genuine handful, maybe tougher than the big ol’ jasper she rides with.”
“Is that so?” Benny replied, giving it some thought, his bravado turned down a notch. He was a smallish man to begin with, and he had assumed he could shoot the man, and the woman wouldn’t do much more than scream and cry. “How ’bout you, Perley? You gonna stick around for a while this evenin’, in case they show up here?”
“Reckon not, Benny. I’m fixin’ to ride on back to the ranch in a little while. Like I told Paul and Mr. Patton, I think these two are lookin’ for me.”
CHAPTER 14
The five-mile ride from town to the Triple-G headquarters seemed more like ten on this night, as Perley constantly peered into the darkness all around him. Most of the trail was across open prairie, but there were plenty of hummocks and ridges, some with clumps of trees wherever a small stream found a way through. It was dark, but not a hard dark. No moon to light the way yet, but a man could see well enough to aim a rifle. Perley figured to reach the ranch before the moon came up and he just barely beat it, for he saw it rising over the distant hills as he rode into the barnyard.
Rifle in hand, Fred Farmer stepped out from behind the open stable door to meet him. “Glad to see you back, Perley,” he called out. “Rubin said you’d be back and to make sure I don’t take a shot at you.” He laughed in appreciation of his little attempt at humor. Getting serious right away, he asked, “You think that man and woman will show up here?”
“I swear, I don’t know, Fred,” Perley answered as he stepped down from his saddle. “I know for sure they were in town and they asked Bill Henderson where they could find me. I can’t figure out why they didn’t try to ambush me between here and town. From what little bit I know about that woman, I’da thought she’d come after me first thing, but for some reason she ain’t. Beats me.” He led Buck into the stable.
“I reckon I’d best stay out here,” Fred said. “Rubin’s got us lined up to stand lookout all night, just in case somebody comes sneakin’ around here durin’ the night. Two hours at a time, just like the army.”
Perley smiled. That sounded like Rubin. “It’s probably a good idea, at least till we find out what those two are up to.” He pulled the saddle off Buck and let him go to the watering trough in the corral while he measured out a ration of oats for him.
He found both of his brothers and their wives seated around the kitchen table when he went to the house. He had nothing he could tell them beyond the fact that Link had not been mistaken and the two people he’d identified were definitely looking for Perley.
“Well, I don’t know what we can do different,” Rubin said. “I’ve got the men takin’ turns standin’ guard tonight. I might keep one of ’em back here tomorrow. I don’t like to take a chance there’ll be any time when the women are alone. Maybe you oughta stay close to the house, too.” His thought was to take advantage of Perley’s skill with a firearm.
“I’m pretty sure those two are after me,” Perley said, “so it seems to me you’d rather have me away from here.”
“Maybe he’s right,” John said. “You know how he attracts trouble.” He was not joking, and when everyone paused after he said it, he tried to undo it. “I’m just sayin’ it happens to him more than most folks, that’s all. No offense, Perley.”
Perley just grunted in response.
Rubin pointed out that it wouldn’t put the ranch out of danger if he did leave. “Those two would come to the Triple-G to look for you, anyway, so you might as well stay and help defend the Triple-G.”
* * *
Thirty miles south of the Triple-G, Clementine Cobb and Junior Grissom sat before a campfire by a shallow creek. They had driven their horses hard to put that much distance behind them. Clementine was anxious to reach her family hideout five miles north of Tyler, and she figured they still had a day and a half ride ahead of them. Much to Junior’s surprise, Clementine had changed her thinking on how best to deal with Perley Gates, and that was the reason they were racing to get to the Cobb hid
eout.
He still couldn’t understand why she hadn’t simply shot him and been done with it. That’s the best way to even a score, he thought. When you see him, shoot the son of a bitch. But she kept saying they were going to take the whole family down, kill every one of them, and that was something he could understand and enjoy.
They were in the saddle early the next morning, passing Sulphur Springs well before the sun had risen halfway toward noon. They camped that night on the Sabine River, less than a half day’s ride from The Hole, as Clementine’s family called the family hideout.
Late the next morning they struck the wide creek that wound its way through almost a hundred acres of thick forest. They left the river and followed the creek until it passed through the trees to a clearing several acres wide. In the center of the clearing stood a barn and a large log house. It was surrounded by four smaller cabins and several outbuildings of various sizes.
* * *
Jesse Cobb sat on the porch of one of the small cabins, his chair tilted back against the wall and resting on its back legs. Idly whittling a green branch from a laurel bush to a sharp point for use as a toothpick, he was distracted when the two riders appeared. Until he could get a better look, he eased the chair back down to rest on all four legs, drawing the .44 Colt he wore as a matter of habit. When the riders cleared the opening in the trees, he let out a whoop. “It’s Aunt Clem!” He jumped off the porch and fired two shots in the air to announce their arrival, then ran to meet them.
Jesse’s shots almost emptied the cabins, as everybody in the compound came out to greet the travelers, expecting to welcome Clive Cobb home from prison. The explosion of raucous laughter and cheering stopped almost as soon as it started when they realized there were only the two of them returning home.
“What the hell?” Coleman Cobb bellowed. “Where’s Pa?” Looking back at the opening in the trees, expecting to see other riders appear, he bellowed again. “Where’s Brice?” Confused, he turned to his sister. “Clementine?”
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