by Lou Bradshaw
“Nice horse, you had him long?” Not waiting for an answer, I moved on to the next question. “Where’d you get him? In Taos?”
“No, we didn’t. Went to Taos for supplies, but couldn’t find a pack animal. So we loaded up as best we could, and headed back. On the way we went up to a ranch to try and get a pack hoss. Warn’t nobody around, and we found this’en and some others, so we took him and that pack hoss.”
“Well, fuzzy face. That was probably the dumbest move you ever made. You see these horses belong to the meanest son of a bitch in the valley… Me! And I’m taking them both back with me.”
“The hell you say!” and he went for his gun turning to his right, as he did. Then he was turning back the other way, as my bullet tore through his left shoulder. His barely grasped pistol went flying. He must have thought I was left handed because he paid too much attention to the rifle. I already had my hand gun out before he ever got a notion to draw.
Swinging my rifle around to my right, I braced it across my right forearm and pointed it at fat boy’s belly. “Shuck that belt, fatso, and don’t even try to be as stupid as whiskers… I had my eye on his chest, but he turned.”
“Now, I’m really startin to get irritated at people tryin shoot me and my friends… I’m really getting’ fed up… Just get over there and see if he’s gonna live or die. I don’t give a damned either way.”
Fatty scurried over to Ledge and was trying to stop the bleeding. Ledge was cussin and groanin. “I think he’s got a busted shoulder, an he’s bleedin bad.”
“Well, put a thick pad on it and wrap it up real tight. It’s his own damned fault for turnin on me, then he wouldn’t be any trouble at all. You could’ve just rolled him over the edge with them other two.”
“I been thinkin’ all morning as to what to do with you two if you showed up. I still don’t know what I’m gonna do with you.”
“Whata ya mean do with us?” Simmons asked.
“I should take you back to Taos for trial and hangin. I could just shoot you both and roll you over the edge. It’d be years before anyone would find you. Or I could just ride away and leave you here. I’ll let you decide”
They looked at each other and decided that they would rather I just rode off and left them there.
I went about collecting their weapons from their gear and the ones that they’d been wearing. By this time, I’d reloaded the Colt and pulled the express gun from Andy’s saddle scabbard. They were subdued and weren’t going to give me any more trouble. That little shotgun was just to make sure they didn’t.
Fatty got Ledge in under the overhang and made him as comfortable as a man with busted shoulder and a bullet hole in him can get. Then he built up the fire. Keeping a wary eye on them I unloaded the pack off of Brownie and the saddle off of Bob. Then I took a look at the horse Simmons had ridden. It was wearing a circle P brand, the same brand as Clyde Gentry’s horse… Pickering’s brand. So I put a lead rope on him.
“What’re ya doin with that lead rope?” Ledge demanded.
“Takin these horses back to their home range, they belong to the real Pickering’s heirs.”
“What gives you the right to do that, and what’re we gonna ride outa here on?” Black beard wanted to know.
“I reckon you’re just gonna have to walk, unless you want to change your mind and go back for a hangin.” With that I pulled the badge out of my pocket and told him, “This gives me the right and authority to return stolen property.”
I only had one more detail left to take care of before I left them there. I took their belts, holsters, and hand guns and tossed them over the edge of the cliff. They just glared at me. I took their rifles and stuck them behind my saddle, and then I swung into the saddle.
Turning to them I said, “You boys got about two weeks worth of supplies here, and there’s game in these hills, but it’s gonna get colder than hell soon. If I was you I’d head for Colorada and some of those mining camps before the snow falls. Otherwise you’ll be stuck here for the winter.”
Simmons looked up and said, “Hey Blue, I always heard that you warn’t no good with a six gun. They tell it, that’s why you carried that shotgun. But you got Dave here easy enough, and he’s what they call handy.”
“You don’t cover all those years and trails with someone like Hickory Jack Moore, without learnin a thing or two about gettin a gun into action pronto. I must not be all that good with a hand gun… he’s still breathin.”
“I’ll leave these rifles about a quarter mile up the trail. You’re probably gonna need ‘em. What with the wolves and cougars and Utes prowlin these mountains, I’d be surprised if you didn’t.” I nudged Dusty and we headed for home. I didn’t turn around, but I was pretty certain that they didn’t wave.
Chapter 44
I reckoned that we made a fanciful sight going up that trail, what with one rider, six horses, one with double stacked saddles, one with an empty pack saddle, and one pullin a travois. When I stopped to put those rifles on a trail side rock, I put that extra saddle on the other circle P horse. After we got past the slide area I’d take the leads off my horses; they’d follow along without any worry. Andy’s horse would too. He knew me about as well as he knew Andy.
When I got to that slide, I didn’t like the looks of it any better from this side than I did from the other direction. I wasn’t all that thrilled looking down slope for a way around. Crossing that slide on a blind mule looked preferable to going down and around. It looked like we could get down in a hurry, but we’d play hell coming back up. Going up was also out of the question. The slide had come from up there and had left a sheer rock face behind.
Getting the travois and Andy across was the biggest challenge. All these horses had crossed it once, they may not have liked it, but they did it. If that travois got sideways, it could pull Andy’s horse down with it.
Finally, I came on an idea of rigging the travois between Andy’s horse and Bob, one behind the other. Bob and the other horse had been together for so many years that they were comfortable working together… I hoped. I figured that if I led Andy’s horse, with Bob right behind, that Dusty and Brownie would just come along. I was hoping that the two circle P horses would too. If not, then too bad, but I wouldn’t be going back to get ‘em.
Doing my best impersonation of a cat, I stepped out on that shale pussyfootin like an old maid’s tabby. It was every bit of a hundred yards across that slide, and every inch of it was like trying to walk on something alive and squirming. At about the half way point, I chanced a peek back. They were all strung out like so many beads on a necklace. Dusty was practically pushing Bob. The circle P horses were coming right along. From the looks of things, I was the only one worried about the footing. Well, I was worried enough for all of us.
Nothing had ever given me as much relief as did getting back on solid dirt. I stowed all those unnecessary lead ropes, and put the travois back with one end on the ground as it was meant to be. And we were again on the trail.
I spent that night in a nice little high country meadow. There was a stream nearby and more grass than these animals could eat in a lifetime. Even though there wasn’t much chance of them wandering off, I wasn’t taking any chances and picketed them. Some folks prefer to hobble their horses at night, but I hated to listen to that thump, thump, thump as they got from one place to another. Besides, I always thought they could get hurt without all their feet being available for balance.
My fire was built under a cutbank, where I could keep an eye on the stock and anything else. I put a chunk of some kind of meat on a spit, It could have been beef, pork, or baboon for all I knew or cared. I wasn’t hungry. I was almost too tired to eat but I knew I had to. I was kinda hopin that it wasn’t baboon though.
It was after sun up when I got that bunch on the trail the following morning. I had put my saddle on Bob and figured to ride him the rest of the way on in. By mid morning I had reached the first rock slide and started my small herd down the long slopi
ng main trail. It would take a little longer, but it would be easier to manage the travois than that canyon would have been. This trail was a whole lot easier than the one I’d just left. It was almost like a street in town by comparison.
It was a little past noon when I pulled up to give Bob and Andy’s horse a rest and let the rest of them get some water and munch a little grass.
I was loosening Bob’s cinch, when I heard the unmistakable sound of horseshoe on stone. Suddenly alert and listening with renewed attention, I could tell that there was more than one. There were at least three of them. I was between the two horses, so I pulled my Winchester from Bob’s scabbard and the express gun from the other saddle. I didn’t know what or who I had coming at me and I wanted to be ready. Leaning across the saddle with my arms crossed there was a weapon in each hand.
As the trio of riders came into view with the sun at their back, the only one I could safely put a name on was Rubio. And then I recognized Deputy Duncan, and lastly I saw Jasper Stewart come into the shade.
“Benblue!” Yelled Rubio and waved. I waved and put my artillery away.
When they rode up, Marshal Stewart smiled and said, “I can quit worrying about my deputy now. I see a bunch of empty saddles but no prisoners.” His eyes were darting here and there… searching.
“Ben… Where’s your brother… Where’s Andy, Ben?” I gestured to the travois and its burden. “Damn!” was all he said as he climbed down from his mount. He walked up beside me where I stood looking at the travois and said, “I’m sorry, Ben…truly sorry. You two made such a good team. You really could have been brothers.” He squeezed my shoulder and removed his hat, for a brief second.
“Jasper,” I said, not realizing that I had used his hated first name for the first time. “I mean Marshal.”
“Jasper will be fine. They put it on the office door, so I’m stuck with it.”
“Well, whatever they call you, Poke and Gentry are dead. We got ‘em both. Gentry shot Andy from the back, and I unloaded the express gun on his head. Poke was hanging on dangling off a cliff… And he fell.”
“The other two,” I started but was interrupted.
“What other two?” his head snapped up.
“There were three of them. Hard cases they’d hired on the circle P. At least one of them thought he was a gunfighter. Rubio got the one named Buck Patton; I shot and broke the shoulder of Dave Ledge because he stole two of my horses. I left him and Hoyt Simmons sittin on a rock about twenty miles up that trail. Told them that if they wanted to come back to Taos as my prisoners they could ride. They didn’t, so I took my horses and those two that belong to the real Pickering’s kin.”
“Dave Ledge,” Stewart said, “is supposed to be fast. How’d you shoot him?”
“Face up and coming out of the leather,” I told him, “But he had the idea that I was a lefty and was gonna use my rifle like a pistol, so he watched it while I got the six shooter out. He was stupid, and I reckon he’ll stay that way.”
“I think the US Government will accept your affidavit that Poke and Gentry are gone and take them off the list.”
I gave him their saddle bags and told him about Poke offering to split the twelve thousand in the bag to let him go. “There’s a bunch of papers in there and a whole lot of cash money, both coin and paper.”
While the Marshal and I talked Rubio and Duncan put together a fire for coffee and a little bacon and beans. It helped to have friends there. I had a little more appetite.
The next morning at about half past ten we were back on the plateau and within 6 miles of Taos. I told Duncan to go ahead and take everything to town, and see to it that the undertaker gets started on a very good coffin. Just put my horses and Andy’s in the town corral. I’d be in to talk to Nelson as soon as I let the Stellars know. I asked Jasper if he felt like takin a two mile detour. Rubio turned and rode the other way to the valley.
As we rode I told him that this was the ranch where Andy had worked for almost four years until he started working for the sheriff. I said, “These are very special people. Andy had as much a family here as he’s had since we first met the Poke gang.” I told him about the crew and Sam and Patty.
He asked if there was any romantic connection with the girl. “Only as a big brother and maybe a heart throb at some earlier time.”
When we rode into the yard and dismounted the door flew open and Patty came flying out and off the porch with tears streaming and nearly knocked me off my feet. “Oh Ben, I’ve been so worried.” Then she near squeezed the livers out of me.
I just held her while she composed herself. I saw Sam coming down the steps and said, “Patty, Sam, this is US Marshal Jasper Stewart out of Santa Fe. Marshal, I’d like you to meet Sam Stellars and his granddaughter Patty… Patricia Stellars.
Sam took Jaspers hand and told him how very pleased to meet him he was, and Patty made a little dip and nod with a smile.
Sam asked, “That rascal brother of your’n go on in to town, did he?” I still had my arm around Patty’s shoulder and gave it an involuntary squeeze when Sam posed the question. She gasped and looked up at me with fear stricken eyes. I just folded her into my arms and let her cry. It near broke my heart, which had already been in sorrow for the past few days.
It was right and proper that someone should cry for Andy. I might shed tears in the dark of night for losing him, but I didn’t know how to feel beyond lost. With her weepin Andy was getting his due.
While I was giving Patty something to lean on, Jasper was telling Sam the cold hard facts. We all went into the house, and Patty excused herself. I recounted the events for Sam, and Rosa brought out coffee and a plate of doughnuts. It’s funny how women always think of food when there’s a tragedy.
Patty returned shortly after and stood behind my chair with her hand on my shoulder while we talked. I asked Sam if he would let the fellas know, especially Charlie who seemed to be close to him. He said he would. I told them that I was planning to have a funeral at their church if it could be arranged in the next day or so. And that I’d take him up to the MB for a burial. It was his home now. Patty excused herself again. When we had to leave, and they walked us out to the horses. Patty clung to my arm until I was ready to swing into the saddle. As we rode away, I turned and saw her crying against Sam’s chest. He waved.
“For some reason I sort of figured there would be an attachment between her and Andy, but a blind man could see where her emotions lie. I guess I still think of you as a precocious, gangling, red topped, fourteen year old youngster.” The marshal mused. I’d have to look up precocious to see if he was talking bad about me.
As we rode, I told him, “That the scene back there at the Esses was comforting but painful. She would have been sad and weepy had it been any of their riders, but not as devastated. Andy started working there when she couldn’t have been more than twelve years old. I’m sure he teased and petted here like a big brother. You never had the chance to see him in female company. Believe me he was a real charmer. Even though they knew he was just playing, they couldn’t help loving him. Mothers, daughters, or grannies didn’t matter, they just loved him. Eight to eighty, sweet, bitter, or crazy, he made them all feel special… like a princess.”
“When I was laid up after that bullet bounced off my skull, three friends of Patty’s came to cheer me up. Andy was just leavin as they came in, and I got more questions about Andy than I got about how I was feelin. He also told me what would happen to me if I broke Miss Patty’s heart. And I believed him.”
“You gettin serious about this young lady, Ben?” he asked.
“I’d like to, but I’ve got a lot to do before I can tell some girl I want to marry her. I need to start showing a profit on my ranch and add on to my house or build a bigger one. I’ve got a good start with plenty of range, but I’ve got to fill it with fat cattle and good horses. Plus, I’ve got a lot to learn yet about the cow business.”
As we neared the town I reached into my coat pocket and
pulled out my badge. When I handed it to him I said, “Reckon I’m finished with this.”
He started to take it then stopped and said, “No Ben, I sort of wish you’d hang on to that for a while. There’s no need for you to have it now, but it’s nice to know that there is someone here in this part of my region that I can depend on to show good judgment and nerve.”
“If I need your help, I’ll send a warrant through the mail to the sheriff’s office. And you will be paid for anything you do. It may take a little while, but you’ll get it. I’ve already paid Rubio… Good Injun, that one.”
I told him that I’d keep the badge and do what I could for the sake of justice, but he shouldn’t be in too big a hurry to send me any warrants.
Andy’s funeral was well attended. The little church was filled to the brim. It made me feel proud to see so many show up. Jasper stayed over for the funeral, he said that it was the least he could do for a hero. Patty clung to my arm throughout the service, and I’ll admit that I needed her support as much as she needed mine. Andy would have been proud to see so many weeping girls dressed in black or wearing black arm bands. There were even a few “naughty ladies” wearing black armbands and who knew what else.
It was cold and blustery with a little sleet, which was to be expected on a late November day, when we arrived at the grave site. I had found a little knoll about two hundred yards north of the house for Andy’s final resting place. There were at least sixty people on hand who had braved the weather. Some were ranchers, some were cowhands, some had been at the church, and some were taking time off from their work. Some spoke English and many spoke Spanish. One spoke English and Spanish and Latin. When I saw Father Paul and Don Carlos there I was speechless. I introduced them to Sam and Patty and asked them “How did you…?”
“The Mexican telegraph.” Was all Don Carlos said.
After the service and the coffin was lowered, I walked Patty and Padre Paolo around the ranch headquarters, showing off my barn, corral, smokehouse, and my home. It was the first time that Patty had seen it with me present. I had been thinking about plans to build a real house beyond the barn and said as much. I told Patty to feel free to make suggestions. The good Father chuckled and gave me a wink of approval. Jasper and Don Carlos came walking back together in a deep discussion, and Sam was having his own talk with Juan Domingo. The Reverend Millner came up to say good bye and I introduced him to Father Paul. I think the reverend was pleased to learn that priests didn’t have cloven hooves, or was that just the Missouri hill country preachers who thought that?