14.
The doctor did not make it. He died from his
wound. It was only the Stagecoach with three passengers that made it. We were
greeted by the town folks and Sheriff.
“You were delayed, and we fear the worse.”
Sheriff Thompson was relief that we made it through. The euphoria soon died off
when he learned of my name.
“Yes, Sheriff. He is to be taken to jail.” I
was led away by the Sheriff with my eyes on the two souls that made it there
with my help, I was locked up and then left alone. I saw the Marshall arrived
later and handed over my guns to the Sheriff. He had a brief talk with the
Sheriff before leaving. Not a word was for me.
It did not take long for my trouble to rumble.
I heard the Sheriff rushed out to the street
but he left the door opened. I heard voices and it was about me.
“Sheriff, he gunned my son in cold blood. He
will hang for it.” I assumed that was the father of the Plummer I killed. Luke
‘Old Man’ Plummer was taking not the no for an answer.
“The law in my family says he killed my son,
and he will hang for that.” Luke Plummer was a tough man who made his empire
from the sands there and battled the native Indians and Mexicans for years. “I
have no understanding of the law that you profess to uphold. Mine is straight
and easy. Ashes to ashes.”
“I can’t let you do that. Luke. You know me and
I upheld the law here.” The Marshall somehow had won back from me the respect
he deserved.
“Sheriff, it's your town. Call it.” Luke made
the call on the town sheriff. “I ain’t got all day for all of you.”
The Sheriff was silent and then he spoke.
“Luke, its time for us to reconsider. Heck,
Luke. I rode with you any my pa alongside you fighting for this land. Now you
are the man with the ranch, I am the Sheriff duly appointed by the town folks.
I have to honour my pledge to them. If I let the …”
“Stay your words, Thompson. I knew you since
you were of Junior’s age. You were my friend and no more. Anyone who stands in
my way will not be.” Luke Plummer told the Sheriff. “You have till before
sundown to give him to me or I will come for him.”
Sundown was two more hours.
That said, Luke Plummer rode off with his
members consisting of trail hands and gunfighters. The last was to protect his
land. And his family.
The Marshall and the Sheriff stepped back into
the office to discuss the situation.
“I have no deputies but I could muster up some
town folks to help me. It won’t be many but any help is better than none.” The
Sheriff rushed off leaving me with the Marshall.
“Let me ride, Marshall. I won’t trouble the
town folks” I pleaded with the Marshall. “I won’t stand to die by lynching.”
“Kid, I saved you from one and will do from
another. So, let me think.” Marshall Wilcox looked away. He then looked up.
“Kid, you ever wondered why I was on the stagecoach?”
“Would it matter now?” I asked back bluntly.
“I was looking for a ride to Apache Wells. I
left my stuff there.”
“I think you found it.” I replied bluntly.
“Yes, but I did not reckon I find you on the
trail.”
“Yes, I was lost in God’s way but I think I
found my salvation there.”
“Who with? Ms. Dallas. Kid, she is a whore.”
“Marshall, you have no right to call her that.”
I reacted in anger. “She may not be a purty farm girl but I think she will make
a mighty good wife.”
“So, you may say. I am not standing in your way
there.” It was the town banker who stepped into the office. He handed over a letter
to Marshall. “Sign here and put your name there. Then that property deed of
Apache Wells belonged to you. The Stagecoach company reckon with Tom’s dead,
there was no use of that place. The railways going to take over their route anyhow.”
I was confused. Marshall Wilcox buying the
Outpost. It does not make sense. Soon, it did after the Banker left.
“Kid, I am going to retire. I bought Apache
Wells with my retirement stash.” Marshall Wilcox replied. “I have been eyeing
that tract of land for a long time. The Apaches will be removed soon and the
Railways coming by there. It’s needed for the river to replenish the boiler
water. Soon, Apache Wells will be a town. I will call it Wilcox Falls.”
“Where did you get the money?” I was ever curious.
“Well, it was not easy. I am a man with no
home. I used to stop over there and hold the company of Tom. He was nice to
tell me about the Railways plan. He told me he had some funds stashed there but it
would not be enough. I offered what I could get and we were soon partners but
the money was far from what we could offer to the Stagecoach. The Apache
revolt helped but it also scared away the Railways. I started working for the
Plummer family on some land acquisitions, later I got some from the bank heist.
I kept it at the Outpost. It was Tom who wanted to remove me. I had him killed
and buried behind the Outpost. I rode out that day but the horse went lame.
That was how I boarded the stagecoach to go back there but I found you. And
from you to those dead passengers. The Railway Bonds secured me the final
payment.”
“Do you intend to hand me over to the Plummer?”
I was direct.
“No, Kid. Despite all my dealings, I won’t send
a man to die needlessly. I owe the Plummer nothing.” The Marshall replied. “I disliked
Junior. He had a huge amount of money. It was only later I found out he had
cheated on the cards. That was why I brought you back here to expose the card
dealings.”
“Or get me killed?” I had to add that in.
“Perhaps not.” The Marshall replied.
Soon, I stood outside facing Luke Plummer and
three of his henchmen. They do look like any cowboy I met but their low-slung
gun belt tells you differently. Those were paid gunfighter. I was once like
them acting for a rancher against the other on the turf war. The wage was good
but the possibility of being shot in the back was the risk we knew.
“Marshall, you let the murderer out and with a
gun. That made my work here easier.” Luke voiced out. He had seen me with my
gun belt but he did not know I have only two bullets in it. The Marshall had
just handed me the gun and told me to use what’s there.
I had a funny thought he was sending me to die
that day.
“Luke, we could end this peacefully today. You
let him ride and we called it square.”
“Marshall, you are either stupid or too silly
to believe you. I am a Church goer every Sunday morning with my sons. I asked
for forgiveness on the sins I done that week. Come Monday morning, I am
cleansed of my sins and I could do more after that for the rest of the week.
Today, I will commit one sin and then tomorrow morning I would have it
cleaned. That made me a good man. And Junior will feel pleased too.”
“I doubt Junior will be pleased with you there
with him. I heard he is happy at Purgatory.” That insult came from me. The
elderly Plummer expression was that of a raging bull. In those situations, we
either grapple the bull or put it down with a bullet.
“To Hell with you.” Luke Plummer reached for
the gun on his belt. I drew too but the Marshall was faster. He shot Luke in
the chest and I diverted my aim towards the two gunfighters. It was a split
second slow and I got one in the left arm. My gun dropped but one of the
gunfighters had dropped too. The other was shot in the left thigh but still had
on the gun. The surviving gunfighter leveled towards me but another shot came
in short and impacted on the chest. I looked to the Marshall and saw the
shooter was not him. He was shot in the chest, probably from the gunfighters. I
then saw Sheriff Thompson was the one who shot the gunfighter with the rifle.
15.
The charges were dropped by the Sheriff. He
declared it a fair fight. I was free to ride on. The other gunfight involving
Luke Plummer with the Marshall and myself were dropped too citing it was unsure
who shot who. I was given the room above the saloon to rest before I moved on.
The next morning after a good sleep, I stepped
out of the saloon. I was not to partake in any card game although I have some
dollars with me. I met the Town Banker who approached me at the entrance.
“With Marshall Wilcox dead, he has named you as
beneficiary. Would you please sign it?” The Town Banker handed me the deed. I
read the deed and it told me of a huge tract of land with good waterhole and
grassland. I could be a cattle baron.
But I was not to be.
“Walther, I think you should.” I looked over to
Martha standing there with the Doctor. She had stepped into my personal
well-being. “You should for all the hardship you went through.”
I looked at the lady and wondered if she was ready
for my question.
“Would you join me?”
“I can’t. I am going back East to join me…. The family there.” Martha replied. It was the Doctor who explained it then in the
few words.
“Ms. Dallas is dying. She is with an incurable
disease. I have been her attending doctor for the last few months. She has not
long to live.” Doctor Bone added in. “We agree to meet here this week and I
will accompany her back to the East. She may find some relief there.”
“And who are you, Doctor Bone? I mean to her.”
“I am her Doctor and also her …. Uncle. I am
Doctor Bone ‘Josiah’ Daryl. I had come to the West to serve as a Doctor and be
near her. She had a bad life but won’t turn back. Not till now.” Doctor Bone
relate on his link to Ms. Dallas.
I was sad and angry at the same time. All of
these happenings were because of the stagecoach. If we had not boarded it, we
may not have to meet, fight and die over it. And I may never have to find my
personal well-being shattered.
“Forgive me, Walther.” Ms. Dallas spoke up. “I
do like you but there are moments of my life which cannot be reversed, or
return to change. I was a rebel and now pays the cost of it.”
Those were last words to me before they left on
the stagecoach for the East. I saw the Sheriff approached me.
“The Plummer family gunning for you. You killed
the old man and their brother but they have three more to complete the task. I
suggest you ride on out. I will cover for you.”
“No Sheriff. My ride ends here. I will face
them down. I am after all the Ringo Kid.” I told the Sheriff. I then handed him
the land deed. “Keep that for your retirement. I have no need of it. All I care
about is the sun is rising or down towards sunset. In between, it is the cattle
and the dust that the land made me breathe. I am happier that way.”
Epilogue
I stood over the grave of Marshall Wilcox on
the Boot Hill. I had survived the gunfight with the Plummer’s family. They are
all buried next to their father in their own family yard. The Sheriff has
resigned and moved away. So were Daryl’s families.
“Hey, Marshall. I am still the Kid. I made it past
them.” I smiled. “It won’t be today for you to join just yet. I am riding south
into Mexico. I hear that they are recruiting gunfighters. So, its adios, amigo
for now.”
I limped to the stagecoach station. I was shot
twice in the leg and then it hurts when I ride. I am taking the stagecoach. I
looked up to the driver. He was young. I never met him but I knew the shot gun
rider.
“Hey Horn. Who is the new rider?”
“Bucks, Junior. He asked to be reassigned here
from the Laredo line. He is a mighty fine boy.” I smiled at the new rider. I
knew the Bucks. They are like me; Men of the West,
“Kid, we are leaving in five minutes.” I
nodded. I hymn to myself the cowboy song I heard many times on the rides.
Pistolero Pistolero.where do you ride? Pistolero Pistolero.you ride alone tonight.
One of brothers five one day vowed to try to make his way,
Joined the cattle drive to Mexico.threw in with some bandidos,
Here he learned the lingo. killed the man they call him Pistolero.
Five thousand pesos they put on your head.
Five thousand pesos to get you alive or dead.
Ride on ride hard in vaquero, fast as you can to her side.
Ah, but por mucho dinero, el noveno por nada have died.
Lyrics from Pistolero
Roy Orbison ( April 26 1936 to Dec 7 1988 )
No comments:
Post a Comment