Lone Jack Kid: The Buffalo Hunt (The Lone Jack Kid Book 3)

by Joe Corso

  Sheridan poured a drink and offered one to the other men. Custer refused. He never drank. But Buffalo Bill took the glass Sheridan offered him, as did Spotted Tail. Ned Buntline, who never refused a glass of good whiskey, gratefully accepted.

  Sheridan put down his empty glass and continued pacing the floor, his hands clasped behind his back.

  “What do we know about this Longstreet fellow?”

  Custer shrugged. “I haven’t read any of his books yet, but Libby read them and loved the way Ned portrayed him.”

  Ned grinned appreciatively and Sheridan smiled coyly.

  “Yeah, I can only imagine how he embellished what Longstreet really did after reading the way Ned portrayed Buffalo Bill here. Next thing, someone will hand me a book Ned wrote about the boy general himself, General George Armstrong Custer.”

  The men laughed. Except Ned.

  “You know, that’s not a bad idea!”

  The men laughed even harder.

  “Well, I can tell you about the Longstreet boy,” Ned said proudly. “For one thing, he’s the genuine article. The grand duke couldn’t be in better hands.”

  Hearing this, the little general calmed down. “Well, that makes me feel better. Grant wouldn’t have asked Longstreet to meet the grand duke if he didn’t trust the man. And if Grant trusts him, then so do I. Now, let’s have another drink, then we’ll see how the ladies are doing.”

  Libby Custer, the daughter of Judge Bacon, always made it a point to be near her husband if it were at all possible. So when she learned that her husband was going to meet the grand duke in Omaha, and that another woman had already arrived and would be joining them, she had her husband secure a room for her at the Mayflower Hotel.

  When Libby was introduced to Rose Sullivan and her daughter, the two women got along famously. They had a lot in common and were soon chatting up a storm. Libby wanted to know everything about how Rose and her daughter were rescued by Charles Longstreet. Rose had a good audience in Libby, who had just finished reading Buntline’s first book on the Lone Jack Kid. She hung on every word Rose said as she described the events of her rescue and what brought her to Omaha.

  They were so engrossed in conversation that they paid no attention to the two men Custer had assigned to chaperone them, as they pulled up chairs and sat beside the women on the veranda overlooking the Missouri River. One of the men was Custer’s twenty-three-year-old brother, Boston. The second man was Custer’s chief scout, a shy man known to everyone who knew him as Lonesome Charlie Reynolds and, right now, he would rather be anywhere but here. It showed the respect Lonesome Charlie had for Custer because only Custer could have convinced him to leave the wilderness to accompany him to Omaha for the buffalo hunt. The men were no sooner seated than Sheridan, Custer, Ned, and Spotted Tail joined them.

  “Aren’t you ladies cold out here?” Sheridan asked.

  “Yes, with the wind picking up off the Missouri River, it is getting rather chilly,” Libby Custer replied.

  “Let’s go inside and sit by the fireplace where it’s nice and warm.”

  She looked up at her husband, who adored her. “Have you heard from the grand duke’s party yet?”

  Sheridan answered her question. “Yes. We received a telegram from Charles Longstreet. They’re coming in by train from Salt Lake City and he said to expect them on the twelfth. We still have a few days before they get here.”

  “Well, at least we know they’re safe and didn’t run into any problems.”

  Sheridan rolled his eyes, thinking, Who knows what problems, if any, they may have run into? From what he was told, that boy was a trouble magnet.

  Chapter 25

  Four men and a wolf left the hotel and walked up the long main street, peering in store windows…just travelers doing a little sightseeing. Charlie spotted a shirt hanging in the window and was just about to enter the store to buy it when he heard a woman scream. All four men turned around to look for the source of the screaming.

  Wild Eagle pointed to an alley. “Scream come from there.”

  “Come on. Let’s take a look. It sound like someone’s in trouble.”

  As they walked towards the alley, Charlie grabbed Anthony’s arm.

  “Whatever you do, protect Alexis if we run into trouble. We don’t need an international incident involving Russian royalty.”

  “Don’t worry, the grand duke is my charge. I’m responsible for his safety and I won’t let anything happen to him.”

  Just as they arrived at the entrance to the alley, which ran between two wooden structures, two men walked out, dragging a young Chinese woman by the hair. She started to scream again, so one of the men slapped her hard.

  “Shut up, bitch, or I’ll really hurt you.”

  Charlie stepped in front of the men. “Let her go. You’re hurting the girl.”

  The man took a quick look at Charlie, saw his guns, but didn’t think he was much of a threat, so he pushed him out of the way. The man continued dragging the woman by her hair as he walked past Charlie with his buddy following. Charlie reached out and clobbered him with the barrel of his gun, sending the man to the ground. He released his grip on the girl’s hair. His friend went for his gun, but before Charlie could get a bead on him, Ban-Chu leaped up and his jaw snapped shut, crushing the wrist bones of the man’s gun hand.

  “Pick your friend up and get him out of here.”

  The man sneered but used his good hand to pick up his buddy. “Mister, you don’t know who you’re messing with. We’ll find you and when we do, you’re dead. All of you are dead men.”

  Charlie grabbed the man by his shoulder. “Then you better hope you never meet me because if you do, you’ll be the one who winds up dead, and that’s a promise.”

  When the two men left, Charlie lifted the young lady’s chin and spoke calmly to her. “What was that all about, missy?”

  The girl started to cry hysterically.

  “Calm down, little lady, and tell me what this was all about. Nothing can be that bad. Now take your time and tell me everything. Maybe we can be of some help.”

  Anthony suggested they talk in the privacy of the hotel and Charlie liked the idea.

  “Come on, little lady. We’ll get ourselves a cup of coffee and you can tell us everything. Now don’t you worry about anything because I’m a United States Marshal.” He pulled out his badge and pinned it to his vest.

  “Do you speak English?”

  She nodded.

  “Good.”

  The coffee helped. Once she realized they meant her no harm, she relaxed and told them everything that happened.

  “They need young girls to entertain men, so two men take my sister Yu Ling to work in their house. I go to find her, but they wait for me when I leave house. They going to take me too, but you men stop them.”

  “Where’s your father?”

  Charlie thought she was about to cry.

  “No have father. Die in mine. Mother is old lady now, and she sick.”

  Charlie knew now that no one would help her but him. “What’s your name, little lady?”

  “My name is Mei Ling.”

  “Okay, Mei Ling, do you know where they took your sister?”

  She nodded and pointed up the street.

  “Who owns that place?”

  “Man named Faro Sorenson. He own business he call ‘House of the Sun and Moon.’ It not far from here. Maybe one block.”

  “Take us there and we’ll get your sister back for you.”

  She hesitated for a moment, then took a few steps and said, “Follow me, please. I take you to where my sister is.”

  Ten minutes later, the four men and the young lady stood in front of an average-sized wooden structure.

  “This is the place?”

  “Yes. This is where took my sister. Please, you go and get her?”

  Charlie looked at Wild Eagle.

  “Are you ready, partner?”

  “You go, I go.”

  Anthony grabbed C
harlie’s arm. “What about us? We’d like to go in there with you.”

  “Your job is to make sure Alexis doesn’t get hurt. Don’t worry about us. We’ll be all right.”

  Alexis stepped forward. “Charlie, I admire your courage, but Anthony and I will accompany you when you enter that building. And I will not be denied the thrill of the hunt.”

  Charlie chuckled. “And here I thought Ned was the only one with more balls than brains. All right then.”

  He jabbed his finger in Anthony’s chest. “He’s your responsibility, so make sure he doesn’t get hurt. Understand?”

  Charlie waited a moment for Anthony to answer. He gave a slight nod of his head. “Good. Now that we understand one another, let’s go and see what the House of Sun and Moon has to offer us.”

  Charlie knocked on the door and a partition at eye level slid open to reveal a pair of cold eyes assessing them.

  “What do you want?”

  “We want to come in, of course,” Charlie answered.

  “Do you have an invitation?”

  “No, we don’t.”

  “Well then, who sent you?”

  “No one sent us. I happen to have a very famous person with me who would like to visit your establishment.”

  Charlie could see the man vacillating, wondering who the famous man might be. “Who’s the person you’re talking about?”

  “He’s the Grand Duke Alexis, who came directly from Russia, and he’s on his way to meet General Sheridan. But before he leaves for Nebraska, he’d like to visit your establishment.”

  “Wait here a minute.”

  The partition slid closed. The man returned a few minutes later and the door opened. Two men stood at the entrance. One was the man who had interviewed them, a big, gruff-looking man with a broken nose who looked more than capable of handling himself in a fight. The other was a distinguished-looking gentleman dressed in fine evening clothes. His hair was slicked down and he sported a thin mustache, unlike the mustaches men usually wore.

  “Good evening. My name is John Sorenson and I own this establishment. My friends call me by my nickname, Faro. I understand we have a famous guest in attendance tonight. Which one would he be? Ah, I see him now. Please do come in, Your Grace.”

  Charlie didn’t know if that was the proper way to greet the grand duke, but it got them into the place, so he wasn’t about to complain. It was when the men entered the hallway leading to a large room, which could have been the living room, that Faro spotted Mei Ling trailing behind. His polite veneer disappeared and the thug in him came out.

  “Who is she?”

  He pointed at the frightened Chinese girl.

  Charlie smiled graciously and told him. “Her name is Mei Ling and she’d like to see her sister, Yu Ling. I believe you had your men bring her here tonight. Do me a favor and bring her here. The grand duke really is going to Nebraska and we’d like to conclude our business before leaving.”

  Faro snapped his fingers and three men stepped out from behind some drapes. Charlie looked at them.

  “It’s getting kind of crowded in the hallway, Faro. Supposing we go in there and sit down and discuss this situation like men.”

  “Who the hell do you think you are coming into my place under false pretenses?”

  Charlie calmly took out his marshal’s badge and pinned it on his vest.

  “I had hoped we could settle this like men, but if it’s a fight you want, then I’m your huckleberry.”

  “What’s your name, kid? You don’t look old enough to be a marshal.”

  “My name is Longstreet, Charles Longstreet, and I’m a real, genuine federal marshal. But I’m not here to arrest anyone. I’m here to get this young lady’s sister and take her home. Now if you cooperate with me, we’ll just leave with her and you won’t see us again. But if you force me to look for her, I’ll burn this place down and neither you nor any of your men will not be able to stop me.”

  “You’re awful cocky for someone so young. What did you say your name was again?”

  “Longstreet, Mr. Sorenson, Charles Longstreet.”

  Charlie decided to tell Faro who he really was, since it was no secret that the Lone Jack Kid was in town. Besides, if mentioning his name prevented some bloodshed, then why not use it? He watched Faro’s men begin to position themselves. There was going to be a fight soon unless he did something to diffuse the situation.

  “Maybe you heard my name before or you might have read it somewhere. Charles Longstreet. Does it sound familiar to you?”

  Faro rubbed his chin. “Yes, it does, but I can’t quite place it.”

  “Does the name ‘the Lone Jack Kid’ ring a bell?”

  At the mention of his name, Faro stood bolt upright. “Jeez, you’re the Lone Jack Kid?”

  Charlie smiled pleasantly. “Yes, sir. That would be me. Now you have two celebrities in your place at one time.”

  Faro turned to one of his men. “Blackie, fetch the best bottle of brandy we have and bring it here. Come on in and have a seat.”

  Everyone relaxed. Faro turned to his other men. “You guys can leave us now. Oh! And bring that Yu Ling girl here.”

  Charlie took a seat where he could see who came and went, which brought a smile to Faro’s face.

  “Why didn’t you tell me who you were when you first came in here? We could have avoided all this unpleasantness.”

  Charlie shrugged as he took off his marshal’s badge and placed it in his pocket. “As a rule, I don’t like to tell people who I am because once the cat is out of the bag, there’ll be some jerk who wants to challenge me. I just figured that if I mentioned my name, maybe we could avoid killing a lot of people, and possibly prevent messing up your fine place.”

  Wild Eagle stood behind Charlie’s chair, never relaxing, keeping a careful eye on everyone in the room. The brandy came and with it Yu Ling, who was wearing a beautiful green dress, showing a lot of leg. When she saw Mei Ling standing near Charlie, she ran to embrace her sister. Charlie, who was in conversation with Faro, excused himself and told Mei Ling to take her sister home, and that no one would bother her again. He looked over at Faro.

  “That is the truth isn’t it, Faro, when I say that no one will bother her again? Do I have your word on that?”

  Faro nodded. “You have my word. Go on, change your dress, and get out of here,” he said rather sharply to the frightened girl. Then he turned to Charlie. “Two of my girls ran out on me today and I needed replacements.” He had a sheepish smile on his face.

  “Hey, I’m a business man. I do what I have to do to get by. I needed a girl right away, so I had my men go out and find me one. And what better girl to get than a Chinese girl with no father. Yeah, I knew about her father. I have my men get the background on the local population; it pays to stay informed in my kind of business. I treat the girls well and, in a few days, they get over their shyness. When that happens, then they become real working girls, and, believe it or not, they learn to enjoy the work. They make a lot of money and, after a while, they don’t want to leave.”

  Charlie shook his head. “A pimp is a pimp is a pimp. You’re a sharp man. Why go into the pimping business? You would be successful in any business you entered. Why choose this type of business?”

  “It’s all about supply and demand. This town needed a brothel. All the important men in this town come here to enjoy the pleasures this house affords them. But the way the town is growing, soon this business will be a thing of the past. So while there’s money to be made, I intend to make it.”

  “Well I’m not one to argue the point with you. You’re free to run any kind of a business you like so long as it’s within the law. And since I’ve taken off my marshal’s badge, the question of whether this business of yours is lawful or not comes under the jurisdiction of the local law and not mine, which concerns federal business.”

  Faro smiled and pulled out a leather cigar packet. He took a cigar and offered one to the others. They all accepted. Even Wild
Eagle lit a stogy.

  Faro placed the candle under Alexis’s cigar. He looked into the grand duke’s eyes and told him, “I’ve read a lot about you and I want you to know that it is an honor to meet you.”

  Alexis took another puff before answering. “You are a rather strange man, Mr. Sorenson, but a most interesting man nonetheless. I thank you for allowing us to remain in your establishment and for sharing your most excellent brandy, of which I consider myself a connoisseur, and especially for this most excellent cigar. A Monte Cristo, I believe, from that little island near the coast of Florida, Cuba. All told, Mr. Sorenson, you have provided me with a most enjoyable evening.”

  Faro laughed and slapped his thigh. “If you will forgive me for calling you Alexis, Alexis, you hit the nail on the head! I take pride in having a few bottles of the best brandy money can buy kept on hand for guests like you, and my cigars are sent to me directly from Cuba.”

  The grand duke tried not to show that he was pleased with the compliment, but he smiled nonetheless.

  A door opened and the two sisters appeared. Without saying a word or looking at the men sitting in the living room, they bolted for the door, afraid that someone would stop them, and disappeared into the night. Charlie laughed as the door closed behind the girls. He held out his empty glass, looked at Faro, and with his eyes, asked for a refill. What appeared to be the start of a troublesome night for Faro was turning out to be one of the most memorable evenings he’d ever had. He was conversing and sharing drinks and good cigars with two celebrated men, and he was told that the Indian was the chief of the Kaw Indian Nation. It didn’t get much better than this, and even Charlie, who was suspicious and untrusting by nature, found himself relaxing and having a good time.

  Charlie glanced at Alexis, who appeared to be enjoying the evening as well, as was Anthony. Charlie’s eyes were constantly scanning the room, waiting for the unexpected to happen. Only Wild Eagle’s face remained inexpressively enigmatic. Charlie couldn’t tell what he was thinking.