King of the Gun Trail: A Frontier G-Man Novel
Page 15
The entrance to the tunnel had been partially covered with brush to camouflage it, keeping most of the light out leaving only the eerie shadowy dimness. They approached the brush cautiously, Jack in the lead. He pulled branches apart and peered out. He was looking into a wide valley that stretched out into a vast stretch of sand. All was quiet and there didn’t appear to be anyone around. His gaze roamed the distant ridges where they met the clear blue sky of early afternoon. He squinted against the bright rays of the shimmering sun. There could be someone up there on the ridge to see them when they came out, but he could see no one.
Leading Tamara by the hand, Jack slid along the rock wall and shoving branches aside carefully until they had emerged into the heat of the day. Standing silent, they waited, listening. So far, they didn’t seem to draw anyone’s attention. They walked out until they were directly in front of the camouflaged tunnel.
Jack’s boot hit something hard in the sand. He kicked at the sand until it revealed the metal of a spur line rail. "They had a spur to drive this train in on, then they covered it with sand so no one would know, "Jack mused. "And look here," he added, striding further away from the tunnel.
Tamara tagged quickly along after him.
"There’s been a lot of activity around here. These tracks. Several wagons, loaded heavy. See how the ruts dig deep. And here. These tracks, "He pointed at the narrower sets. "These are turret wheel tracks."
"What wheel tracks?"
"Turret, "Jack explained. "The weapons shipment included three nine pounder cannons. The wheel apparatus that carries them is called a turret. These are the tracks they left when they moved the arms and it hasn’t been long. Probably last night."
"What are they going to do with them?"
"I don’t know, but I’ve got to find out ."Then pulling her with him, he started out. "Let’s go."
"Go? Where?" She protested, stumbling after him, trying to keep up without being dragged.
"Trail those guns, "He answered without looking back.
"On foot?" She was incredulous. "How can we…?"
"Shut up and keep up," he ordered. She stumbled on.
An hour and a half passed. They had continued westward and left the valley far behind. The trail had taken them along a rushing creek, then northward into a basin, and now they were trudging along in a dry wash. "We’ll never catch up to them on foot, Jack" Tamara pleaded.
"There’s got to be someplace where we can find horses, "Jack answered. "We’ve got to keep going."
When they emerged from the dry wash, they saw it and they began to run. It was a ramshackle cabin off the trail to the left, but there was a small corral that penned four horses. They weren’t the best of horses, but they appeared hearty. The old codger who owned the place, was pleased with the hundred dollars Jack gave him for the two better horses and beat up saddle rigs. He sat gleefully in his rocking chair on the rickety porch, counting the greenbacks in his grubby hands, as Jack and Tamara rode on westward following the gun trail.
Side by side, they rode steadily onward, Jack’s eyes on the ground. Tamara kept watching the sun lowering in the mid afternoon sky. She began to pull her mount up, slowing the pace. Jack pulled up. "What’s wrong?" Can’t you keep up?"
"Jack, I’ve been thinking."
"Now don’t start that again."
"Start what?"
"Thinking. You know that always gets me in trouble." He winked."What is it this time?"
"I’ve got to go back. I can’t let him get away."
"You mean King?" He’s not going to get away. After I get the guns, we’ll have enough on him to hang him twice."
"What if you don’t ?" She pouted.
"Don’t worry, we will, "he said with annoyance.
"I’m going back." She started to wheel her horse.
Jack’s arm lashed out and grasped the bridle. "You’re not going any where, but with me."
"Bossy, aren’t you Galahad?"
"Quite. Now stop the fooling around and let’s keep going." He pulled her horse forward.
"All right, you win, but could we just rest awhile?" She sighed with resignation.
"Oh, all right. Just a minute. Probably need to give the horses a breather anyhow." He let go of her bridle and stepped down out the saddle.
"Well, "She said impatiently.
"Well what?"
"Aren’t you going to help me down?"
Jack grimaced. "You got up there all right. You can get down."
"It’s a long ways down, "She complained. "I could fall."
"Lady, you’re a first rate pain in………"He muttered with annoyance as he came around to the side of her horse. He reached his arms upward as she seemed to reach out for him, one hand still on the reins. Then with a sudden burst of fury, she kicked out. Her boot clipped Clayton in the jaw, sending him spinning and reeling into the dust of the trail.
So sudden was the movement, that Jack had no time to react. Lightening seemed to flash in his brain, mixed with enveloping darkness.
Tamara quickly leaned to the other side and gathered up the reins of Jack’s mount. She wheeled her own and pulled the extra horse after her. She kicked her horse in the ribs and into a gallop, heading back down the trail from whence they came. After a bit, she loosed the reins of Jack’s, letting him trail to himself. Jack would pick him up. After all, she really didn’t want to leave him stranded. Only delayed so she could go back. She was not going to let King get away. He had killed her sister and now he had tried to kill her. She was going to get him, no matter what Jack thought. She urged her mount on disappearing in the lengthening shadows of late afternoon, leaving Clayton behind, sitting up in the dirt and rubbing his sore chin. "Be careful, Lady, "He thought wistfully."Be very careful. You’re on your own." Then he shook his head in chagrin.
*****
Chapter Sixteen
Retribution