Goodnight's Dream (A Floating Outfit Western Book 4) (12 page)

Slouching in his saddle, Chisum slowly thrust
away his bandana. He sensed danger and knew that he must pick his
words very carefully if he hoped to steer clear of being held
responsible for his brother’s actions. Avoiding trouble unless he
held the whip hand had always been Chisum’s way. Making a quick
assessment of the situation, he knew that he did not hold it at
that moment. Backed by the three OD Connected riders and his own
cowhands, Goodnight had a fighting force to be reckoned with. The
four Swinging G cowhands could be counted on to stand by their boss
from soda to hock no matter how tough the going. Chisum had no such
faith in his hired hardcases, especially those who came with
Targue. So the bald rancher decided to make use of his wily charm
and try to ease out of the difficulty peaceably.

‘
You said that you needed the eleven
hundred head in a real hurry, Charlie,’ Chisum pointed out in his
most unctuous and placating manner. ‘So brother Pitzer allowed it’d
be quicker to round up some strays instead of going right back to
the Long Rail and gathering our stuff.’

A neat way out, in Chisum’s opinion, laying
all the blame on his younger brother’s incompetent shoulders.
Pitzer scowled at the words, but he had grown accustomed to being
used as a whipping boy and kept quiet.

‘
Most of those “strays” have brands on
them, Mr. Chisum,’ Dusty reminded.

On the open range, a bull, cow, calf or steer
belonged to whoever’s brand it carried, no matter where it might be
found. Left to forage for themselves all year round, Texas
longhorns were great travelers. So the code of ownership by brand
rather than location gave protection to the ranchers.

‘
Likely the boys were a mite
over-eager,’ Chisum answered blandly. ‘Them wanting to help Colonel
Charlie out of a tight spot and all.’

‘
Helping out’s not what I’d call it,’
Dusty stated and the men behind Goodnight tensed ready to meet the
explosion if it came.

‘
Or me!’ Goodnight growled, giving
complete backing to his nephew’s words. ‘What was the idea, Chisum,
mix them in with my shipping herd and hope that I didn’t notice the
brands?’

‘
Do you reckon I’d do a meanness like
that, Charlie?’ Chisum asked in tones of pained disappointment.
‘After all the time we’ve knowed each other.’

‘
You didn’t have them brought here
because they need the exercise,’ Goodnight answered.

‘
Charlie, Charlie!’ Chisum sighed.
‘We’re been doing business together for a fair time
now—.’

‘
And in all that time I’ve never taken
anything but straight-branded cattle from you,’ Goodnight reminded
him. ‘I’m not starting to buy stolen cattle now.’

‘
Can’t say’s how I like what you just
said, Charlie. But I’m not fixing to fight a real good friend over
a lil misunderstanding.’

‘
That’s not the name I’d put to what
you’ve done today,’ Goodnight grunted, nodding towards the
herd.

‘
I’m not arguing with you, Charlie,’
Chisum insisted. ‘If you don’t want these-here cattle—’

‘
I don’t!’

‘
Then that’s all there is to it. Nobody
can say that John Chisum tried to force his will on other folks.
I’ll just take the rest of them back where they come from and turn
’em loose again. Only I don’t figure on raising sweat gathering and
bringing you anymore.’

Being aware
of the importance of his cattle to
Goodnight’s plans, Chisum might have hoped his ultimatum would
force a change of heart. If so, he was doomed to be disappointed.
Goodnight was a scrupulously honest man and unwilling to sacrifice
his principles at any cost.

Although Chisum had, up to that point, been
completely honest in his dealing with Goodnight, the same did not
apply to his treatment of other people. In the past Goodnight had
tolerated Chisum despite the other’s faults, knowing something of
the reason why he had turned into a unscrupulous miser. All that
altered when Chisum attempted such a blatant piece of dishonesty as
delivering a herd which consisted almost entirely of stolen
animals.

‘
That suits me fine,’ Goodnight
answered calmly. ‘I only want to buy honest stock.’

‘
Do you reckon that you can do without
me and my cattle, Charlie?’ Chisum asked, switching his tactics
when mentions of old friendship and the danger to Goodnight’s dream
failed to bring results.

Alert for trouble, Dusty watched the other
men rather than the two ranchers. He noticed Targue squirming
uneasily as the conversation continued and wondered why.

‘
I’ll damned well make a stab at it!’
Goodnight stated, although he knew the disastrous effect the words
might have on his scheme.

‘
All these boys I brought along to help
with your drive’ll pull out if I go,’ Chisum went on and Dusty saw
Targue’s uneasiness increasing.

‘
That’s something I’m going to have to
chance,’ Goodnight replied. ‘Just get those cattle off my range as
fast as you can.’

‘
Have it your way, Charlie,’ Chisum
sighed, although Targue showed some relief. ‘Get them moved out,
Pitzer.’

‘
How about your three men in Graham
jail, Mr. Chisum?’ Dusty asked.

‘
They stole the cattle deliberate from
the young lady, Cap’n Fog,’ the bald rancher answered. ‘I’m going
to let the legal law hand them their needings.’

With that, Chisum turned his
horse and rode after his departing men. Dropping back, Targue
ranged his mount alongside the rancher’s. Quickly the
segundo
glanced over his
shoulder to make sure that his words would not carry to the ears of
Goodnight’s party. Apart from sending two men to handle Dawn’s
cattle while the herd moved off, the bearded rancher showed no
signs of movement and displayed no interest in Chisum’s
crew.

‘
I thought you’d spoil it all,’ Targue
commented. ‘Going on like you did to Goodnight.’

‘
Did, huh?’ Chisum replied
mildly.

‘
Sure. Way you kept reminding him what
he stood to lose, I figured he’d take the herd after
all.’

‘
You don’t know Charlie Goodnight like
I do. More I’d’ve argued, the more set he’d’ve got at doing the
right thing way he sees it. So I kept stirring him up and done what
whoever’s paying you wanted doing.’

‘
How’s that?’ Targue
grunted.

‘
Charlie’s shy this
eleven hundred head on what he’s contracted to deliver. Unless he’s
on the trail in ten days at most, he’ll not reach Fort Sumner by
the end of June. That means he’s got to raise a thousand head or
more before he starts. And he can’t move
’em
without my men helping him. Which all
amounts to one thing.’

‘
What?’ asked Targue.

‘
That I’ve done what’s
wanted.’

‘
Yeah,’ admitted
the
segundo.
‘I reckon you have. So I’ll give you the money as soon as
we’re clear of Graham.’

A faint grin twisted Chisum’s lips and his
face took on its expression of benevolent innocence that only came
when he was about to spring the trap on a shady deal.

‘
It’s not as easy as all that,’ the
rancher warned.

‘
How do you mean?’ Targue
growled.

‘
I stood to make a fair heap of money
with Charlie. More than your bosses’ve paid me—’

‘
Only you’d spoiled that chance when
Pitzer lost the herd.’

‘
We could’ve likely come through,’
Chisum insisted. ‘Only you made me an easier offer. I took it and
done my share. But I’ve been thinking a mite about it.’

‘
Such as?’ Targue muttered
suspiciously.

By that time the herd,
chuckwagon and
remuda
were on the move. Riding back in the way from which the
cattle had been brought that day, Chisum waved a languid hand
towards the trail crew.

‘
There’s money behind you, Wally.
More’n I can make working with Charlie, he’s got too many notions
of what’s wrong and right for other folks to suit me. Now I don’t
reckon that’d apply to your bosses. Likely we’ll get
along.’

‘
You know
’em
then?’

‘
Not yet. But I’m going
to. I’ll trail along with you and meet
’em
. If they’re getting contracts from
the Army, they’ll likely need a good man to help them fill
’em
.’

‘
I dunno about that—’ Targue
began.

‘
Put it this way, Wally,’
interrupted Chisum. ‘Happen you don’t take me to meet
’em
,
I’ll just naturally have to take
you
back to Charlie Goodnight and tell him’s how I
learned you’d hoodwinked Pitzer into wide-looping these
cattle.’

For all their being spoken in a gentle,
almost apologetic voice, the words were charged with menace. Cold
anger creased Targue’s face and his hand crept towards his
holstered revolver.

‘
You reckon I’d keep quiet about your
side of it?’ Targue asked.

‘
Sure you will,’ Chisum answered
calmly. ‘I’d hate like hell to do it, Wally, but if I took you back
you’d be dead. Frank there’s got his scatter lined on you right
now.’

Twisting his head, Targue saw
Chisum’s Negro cook allowing the team of the chuckwagon to amble
along while nursing a evil-looking double-barreled shotgun which
pointed in the
segundo’s
direction.

‘
My men—!’ Targue began.

‘
Real nice boys, all
of
’em
,’ Chisum replied. ‘Why, they’d have no sympathy for
anybody’s made trouble for good ole Uncle John.’

Having seen the way in which Chisum could
influence even surly hardcases and win them over, Targue did not
doubt the comment. Loyal only as long as the money lasted, their
kind would change sides quickly enough. Slowly a grudging
admiration filled Targue and he let out a chuckle.

‘
Know something, Uncle John?’ he said.
‘I reckon the bosses could use a gent like you—And even if they
couldn’t, I figure we’re smart enough between us to come out of
this winning.’

‘
So do I, Wally,’ Chisum purred. ‘So do
I. Say though, Fog had a point about them three fellers of your’n
we’ve left in the pokey.’

‘
How’d you mean?’

‘
They might start talking when they
hear that we’ve gone.’

‘
They won’t,’ Targue assured the
rancher. ‘I saw to their needings afore I came looking for you and
Pitzer.’

‘
You’re a smart young
cuss, Wally,’ complimented Chisum. ‘Seems a real pity to waste
these cattle, though. ’Specially with the Army paying good money
for
’em
.
Reckon your bosses can use
’em
—happen we do something about the brands, that
is.’

‘
I reckon they can,’ Targue answered.
‘Only we’d best swing off to the north as soon as we’re out of
Goodnight’s sight. Somebody besides that gal might be looking for
cattle they’ve lost.’

Watching Chisum follow his men, Dawn let out
a low sigh of relief. Then she remembered that there had been other
brands represented among the herd.

‘
Shouldn’t we have taken all the cattle
instead of letting him go off with them?’ she asked.

‘
I don’t reckon he’d’ve let them go,’
the Kid drawled, having drawn his rifle and sitting holding it
downwards on the side of his stallion away from the departing trail
herd.

‘
That’s for sure,’ Dusty agreed. ‘If
we’d tried, likely Chisum would’ve dug his heels in. That’d mean
shooting—’

‘
Which, in turn’d mean the whole bunch,
including yours, would stampede,’ Mark continued. ‘And that
wouldn’t’ve done any of us any good.’

‘
Maybe Chisum’ll do like he said and
turn them loose,’ Dusty went on. ‘I don’t reckon he’ll have
anywhere that he can sell them.’

‘
Damn it!’ Goodnight barked. ‘I never
figured that Chisum’d pull a game like this on me.’

‘
How’d it happen, Uncle Charlie?’ Dusty
wanted to know.

‘
Pitzer was bringing eleven hundred
head here to complete my herd. Only him and his crew left the
cattle while they went into some town on the way. While they were
gone, the herd stampeded and they lost it. So John went off to send
Pitzer to gather more. I must admit I thought they’d worked fast
when they got back so soon, but I’d never start to think he’d pull
a play like this.’

‘
Maybe he figured that you’d do the
same as he would, take the herd and be pleased to get it,’ Mark
suggested.

‘
I’d’ve thought he knew me too well for
that,’ Goodnight answered.

‘
It could have come out badly for you,
happen he’d mixed that bunch in with your shipping herd, Uncle
Charlie,’ Dusty said quietly. ‘Their owners and other folks would
blame you for the theft.’