The Devil's Trail

by Robert J Conley

“Ole Horse,” I said, “we got to stop acting like this.”

  He blowed at me.

  “I made a little mistake back yonder, and we both knows it. Hell, ever’one makes one now and then. Ain’t you never made a mistake?”

  He nickered as how he couldn’t recall one just then.

  “Well, all right. If you ain’t you ain’t, and so I did, but you got to put that there thought outa your mind and not go on a-dwelling on it like you been. I’ll try my damnedest not to make no more. All right?”

  He allowed as how he’d go along with that, and I said, “I reckon I sure am a lucky feller all right to be partnered up with someone like you what ain’t never made no mistakes.” And he agreed with me on that one for sure.

  We settled in for the night and was up early and ready to go. I didn’t bother making myself no breakfast and coffee on accounta I thunk I was that close to End a the Line, and I’d just wait. Some farther down the road, I got to wishing that I hadn’t decided to wait for End a the Line. I was craving some food and coffee. I was a-thinking that I had already made me another mistake, and I wondered if Ole Horse was a-reading my mind again. If he was to ketch me in too many mistakes like that, he might get to where he was ashamed a being rid by me. Just about then, though, I seed a town up ahead, and that sure did set my mind to ease.

  The first thing I done was I found the stable, and I tuck Ole Horse in there. I told the man to take real good keer a him and feed him real good on oats, and Ole Horse, he nickered me a thanks for that. I walked on out and found a eating place where I really put on the feedbag. I was a-keeping my eyes peeled for any sight a my former pardner and them Duttons. After I et and paid for my food, I went to asking around had anyone seed them three. The man in the place said that he had saw them all right, but they hadn’t come in that morning.

  I went outside and walked the street a looking in places and asking more folks. Some knowed who I was a-talking about and others didn’t have no idee. I figgered that I was a-fixing to spend the whole day in that town and so I might as well have me a room, so I went into the hotel, and I got me a room for that coming night, and I asked again about Cherry and the Duttons.

  “That sounds like three who’re staying here,” the clerk said, “only that ain’t the names they’re using. They call themselves John and Joe and Jim Carter.”

  “Has they gone out yet this morning?”

  “I don’t think so. I ain’t seen them.”

  He give me a key and room number, and he even told me the number a the room them “Carters” was staying in. I went upstairs and checked the two room numbers. Them “Carters” was just down the hall from me. I unlocked my room and went inside. I left the door open just a crack, and I put a chair where I could set and look out that crack, and I would see whenever them three left outa their room. I knowed it could be a pretty good long wait depending on how late they had stayed up the night before and how much they had drunk and whored, so I rolled myself a cigareet and lit it. I set there a-smoking and a-watching and a-waiting.

  I was just damn near ready to give it up from being bored to death, and I was even thinking about yelling out “fire” to skeer them outa the room, whenever their door come open and they walked out. My heart kindly thrilled in my chest and I went for my Colt, but then I stopped myself. That there weren’t the right place for me to go killing. I sure did want to, though. Instead I just set and watched while they filed outa the room and headed for the stairs. I let them go, and then I had me a thought.

  When they was all well down the stairs, I went out in the hall and over to their door, and I tried my room key in it. It was just only a skeleton key, and likely all the keys was the same. I was right. It unlocked the door. I looked up and down the hallway to make sure no one was a-watching me, and then I opened up the door and went inside. It didn’t take too much looking around before I seed that there saddlebags what we had stoled from offa the stagecoach. I jerked them up and throwed them on the bed and opened the flaps, and sure enough, they was still stuffed full with money. I didn’t bother to go counting it. I didn’t want to stay in their room long enough for that, and besides I likely couldn’t a counted that high nohow. I figgered they was at least some pocket money pulled outa there for each one a them three, though.

  I tuck the saddlebags down the hall to my own room, and I locked the door and set there a-staring at them. I weren’t thinking about running off with all that money, if that’s what you’re a-thinking. I was trying to figger out just what the hell to do now that I had got my hands on it again. I surely did want to kill them three for what they had did to me. I ’special wanted to kill ole Cherry for double-crossing a pardner. But it come to me that the money was more important just then than the killing, and if I was to take time for the killing, why, it might just interfere with the getting a the money back where it belonged to be.

  I made me a quick decision. I tuck that there payroll and headed back for the stable. I got Ole Horse saddled up, and I throwed that extry saddlebag on him, and I headed outa town going back the way I had come in. I never seed them three on the way out. Well, I moved along lickety-split for a ways a-wanting to get some space betwixt me and them others. I told Ole Horse how come me to be a-running him like that, and he understood all right. He didn’t mind. In a while I slowed him down.

  “Well, Ole Horse,” I said, “did I make another mistake here, or did I do the right and smart thing for a change? I tuck the money, and I didn’t even face them three. I didn’t want to take no chance on not getting outa there with all that money.”

  He said I done all right. He weren’t about to heap no praises on me, though. We rid on till noon, and I kept a-looking back behind me to see were I follered, but I never seed no one a-coming. I stopped to rest Ole Horse with that sun direct over my head. I had me a smoke, but I never built no fire. I et a cold, hard biscuit and washed it down with water outa my canteen. Pretty quick I mounted up again and we rid on.

  Now the trip back was just about like the trip down. I seed some travelers along the way, but I never seed no pursuit after me, although I was constant nervous a bit and always on guard, you know. I come on back to the Devil’s Place about how I had come on End a the Line. It was late and dark night, and I still had me a little ways to go. I decided to go on and make me a camp for the night, and I built me a fire and cooked me a meal. It weren’t much. Some bacon and beans what I et with a cold biscuit, but I did brew me some coffee and drunk me a few cups. Then I slept, but I was still some nervous. I told Ole Horse, and he promised me that he would stay alert to anyone a-trying to slip up on me.

  You see, he had let hisself get caught and tuck away by them three that time, but I hadn’t never said nothing to him about that. Anyhow, I figgered that he weren’t about to let that happen again, ’special since he had bragged about not never having made no mistakes. I slept all right, considering the circumstances what I was in, and I was up early the next morning. I told Ole Horse we’d just go on in and get us some proper food for the morning. He agreed to that.

  Whenever we rid into Devil Shit, and I was a-headed for the stable, the first feller I seed was that there Ace what I had shot his ear, and his ear was a-looking a mess, I can tell you. He give me a ugly look and headed for the saloon. I figgered he was a-going straight to ole Wheeler to tell him I was back. I tuck keer a Ole Horse, and then I walked on over to the eating place a-toting them saddlebag. I set down and ordered me up a big breakfast and lots a coffee. My plate had just only been laid there in front a me whenever ole Wheeler come in with Ace walking along behind him. Ace stared at me real sullen-like. Wheeler come and set down.

  “Good morning, Kid,” he said.

  “’Morning, Mr. Wheeler.”

  “You got something for me?”

  “Right now I got me a breakfast to eat,” I said. “It’s been a long, wearisome trail.”

  He eyeballed them saddlebag, but he didn’t say nothing. Instead he waved at the waiter feller and got hisself some coffe
e. Ace was still a-standing by the door and staring at me. I got myself busy eating and acted like I wasn’t paying neither one a them no attention. I got to say, Wheeler showed me that he had a-plenty a patience. He waited till I was done with my food and set back to sip on one last cup a coffee.

  “You ready to talk now, Kid?”

  “Soon as I finish this here cup,” I said, “let’s go on over to your office.”

  “All right.”

  We finished up and I grabbed up them saddlebag, and we headed for the saloon, but I stopped. I looked back at Ace where he was a-follering along.

  “I don’t need ole Notch-ear a-walking along behind my back,” I said.

  Wheeler turned towards Ace. “It’s all right, Ace,” he said. “Run along. I don’t need you.”

  We made our way on into the office. Wheeler went on around behind his desk, and then I tossed the saddlebag on top of it right there under his nose. He opened it up, and his eyeballs got big and round.

  “Good,” he said. “You did real good, Kid. I’ll count this and take out my percentage and give the rest to you.”

  “If you don’t mind to do it for me, Mr. Wheeler,” I said, “I’d just as soon you put it all in a safe place for me. I’ll ask you for it whenever I need it.”

  “Your money’s safe in Devil’s Roost,” he said. “No one staying here would dare steal anything in this town.”

  “Men sometimes does funny things,” I said. “’Special for money. I’d feel better about it if you was to hold on to it for me.”

  He give a shrug. “All right,” he said. Then he done just what I was a-hoping he would do. He got up and tuck the saddlebags over to his big safe, and he squatted down there in front a the thing, and he didn’t even seem to notice or to keer that I was a-standing there a-watching over his shoulder while he dialed that there wheel on the front. I watched real keerful, and I was able to ketch the numbers he was a-dialing up. I said them over and over in my head. He pulled the door open and tossed that payroll in there. I got myself busy a-rolling a cigareet just as he turned back around.

  “What about Cherry and the Duttons?” he asked me.

  “They’re still alive,” I said, and I told him how I come by the money and how come me to not go on and kill them bastards. “What I’d like to do now is I’d like to go back just after them.”

  “Likely you won’t have to go all the way back,” Wheeler said. “I’d bet they’re on your trail by now. Of course, they won’t dare come back into Devil’s Roost.”

  “I reckon you’re right on both counts,” I said. “If I was to turn around and head right back where I just come from, likely I’d run smack into them.”

  “You want any help?”

  “No sir. I’d ruther not.”

  He grinned. “Especially not Ace.”

  “No. He wants to kill me worse than them other three.”

  “He’s a bad hombre,” Wheeler said. “And he’s dangerous. He won’t try anything here in town, though. He knows better than that. But when you ride out of here, if I was you, I’d watch my back trail.”

  “I always do, Mr. Wheeler,” I said. “That’s how come me to still be here.”

  That there was a kinda lie what I told. My ole paw and ole Zeb had both saved me from getting back-shot a time or two, and Ole Horse, he had kept watch over me, too. But I figgered it was best to let on to Wheeler, and anyone else for that matter, that I were a rangy lone wolf what tuck keer a my own self just fine.

  “Well,” Wheeler said, “have it your own way. When do you mean to go after them?”

  “I figger I’ll lay around today and rest up my own self and my Ole Horse,” I said, “then get a early start tomorrer.”

  “All right,” he said. “Anything you need, just let me know.”

  “Thanks,” I said. “I will.”

  I went on out a there and up the stairs to my room, and I throwed myself on the bed. I was tired and sleepy from the trip. I hadn’t lied to Wheeler about the resting up part. I was laying there a-thinking that Wheeler seemed to a tuck a liking to me. It come to me that I could stay right there in that town and live a right easy life if I was a mind to. Why, hell, I had all the money in the world, and I’d have the pertection a Wheeler’s outlaw town. I had Doc, too. At least, I thunk I did. I considered getting up again and going to see Doc, but I was just too tuckered out. Pretty soon, I was asleep.

  I didn’t know what time it was whenever I come to, but it was in the middle a the day. I got up and left the room. I went back to that eating place and had me another meal. Then I walked over to Doc’s office. She seemed real glad to see me, and I was sure tickled to see her.

  “Kid,” she said. “Oh, I’m so glad you’re back safe. How’re your ribs?”

  “Oh, they’ve healed up all right. My head, too. ’Course, it’s plenty hard. That’s what my ole maw used to always say.”

  She throwed her arms around me and give me a real nice kiss, and that got me to hankering after more, but only right then in her office and in the middle a the day weren’t the right time nor place for it, so we kindly made us a little promise to each other to get back together late in the evening. I made me some lame excuse then and left and walked on over to the saloon. I bellied up to the bar and ordered me a shot a whiskey, and then up in the big mirrer behind the bar, I seed that Ace a-glaring at me from a table way back behind me.

  I knowed that ole Wheeler had said that Ace wouldn’t try nothing right there in town, but still I didn’t like him a-looking at my back like that. I paid for my shot, and then I picked it up in my left hand and turned my back to the bar. Sipping that whiskey, I stared right back at Ace. He didn’t look away, neither. Final, I’d had all of it I needed. I sipped the last a my whiskey and put the glass on the bar. I hadn’t tuck my eyes offa Ace.

  “You wanting to start something, Ace?” I said.

  It come real quiet then in the saloon. He didn’t answer me right off. Final he said, “Not here in town. It ain’t allowed.”

  “It ain’t far outa town,” I said. “You want to go out there? I’ll go with you. That there ear a yours I nicked, hell, that coulda just been a lucky shot. For all you know, I coulda been aiming right betwixt your eyes.”

  Well, now I ask you, what was that Ace to do? There we was in the saloon with several men around a-listening to ever’thing we said, and they was all outlaws, hard cases, and I had called Ace right there in front of them. He didn’t really have no choice. He stood up.

  “Let’s go,” he said.

  We walked out side by side and headed for the edge a town. Wheeler come outa his office and seed us a-leaving. “What’s going on?” he said.

  “He don’t want to put it off no longer, Mr. Wheeler,” I said. “We’re going out a town.”

  Wheeler follered along, and then so did several others. We only had to walk past three or four buildings and then off a little farther to get past the sign with the name a the town on it, but it seemed like a longer walk than that, walking alongside that Ace what wanted so bad to kill me. I noticed that he had the advantage on me on accounta he was a-walking to my left. He coulda pulled his shooter and let me have it in the side, but if I was to pull mine, I’d a had to a turned before I could shoot him. As we walked down the street, I begun to moving to my right to put some space betwixt us.

  “Whenever we get past that there sign,” I said, “it’s ever’ man for hisself.”

  He never said nothing, but whenever we tuck a step acrost the line, he made his move. He went for his shooter, and I jumped to my right, and his shot went wild. I slipped my shooter out and shot off his other ear. He screamed out and shot a wild shot at me, and then I dropped him with one right in his heart.

  Chapter 15

  Well, no one seemed to give much of a damn about the fact that I had kilt ole Ace. I guess he didn’t have no real friends in that there outlaw town. Instead folks marveled at how slick I had tuck him down, and on top a all a that, the word had done got around that th
e reason he was a-wanting to get me so bad was on accounta I had shot his ear deliberate, and that ain’t no mean trick, I can tell you. So I got me a good many slaps on the back, and they was several a them outlaws a-wanting to buy me drinks that evening. I let them, too, but only I was keerful.

  After all, it were a outlaw town, and no matter what it seemed like to me at the time, ole Ace just mighta had him one friend what had keered enough for him to slip up behind me and shoot me in the back. I weren’t really too worried about that, though, on accounta three things. Like I done said, I didn’t really think that ole Ace had a friend. Then after what they had done seed and heared about my shooting, I figgered they weren’t many a them would wanta try me. Final, there was the rule a ole Wheeler’s, that no one start no trouble in his town.

  I had me another reason for not letting myself get too drunk though, and that was that I had made plans with Doc for us to get together that evening. Anyhow, there I was a-setting at a table with my back to the wall and all a them boys in the saloon just a-dying to buy me drinks. They was all a-talking about my fight with ole Ace, and how I had just real cool-like let him have the first shot, and then I had shotted his other ear and then kilt him. They was downright amazed.

  “Hell, I heard about him before, all right,” some feller said. “You know what they say? They say he’s a regular Billy the Kid.”

  “Say,” I said, “I’d like for someone to find that there Billy the Kid and bring him in here to see me. We’d find out who’s a regular what. I ain’t never heared a him shooting off no ears, just only killing folks from the back is all.”

  At that a feller shoved his way through the crowd and stood just acrost the table from me a-looking down at me.

  “I rode with the Kid in New Mexico,” he said, “during the Lincoln County War. He’s no back-shooter, and he never wasted his time with fancy gun tricks.”

  “If he’s standing behind someone’s back,” I said, “he wouldn’t have no reason for no fancy tricks. The feller wouldn’t a seed them no how.”