Ralph Compton Death Rides a Chestnut Mare (26 page)

“What are you doin' here so early in the day?” Gaddis inquired.

“They got wise to me,” said Burke, “and I had to shoot the varmint that fired me.”

“Had to, or wanted to?” Byler asked.

“He knew too damn much,” said Burke. “Some body's huntin' all of our old gang. The death list he showed me included
hombres
we rode with in Indian Territory. Three names was missing. Bart Scovill, Levi Jasper, and Brice Levan wasn't on it, but I was, along with both of you.”

“If somebody had the names of seven of us, he had them all,” Gaddis said. “I reckon Scovill, Jasper, and Levan are dead.”

“I think so, too,” said Byler, “and thanks to you shootin' that railroad man, we'll likely have every damn bounty hunter and Pinkerton in the country after us.”

“Then I'll just go my way, and you gents can go yours,” Burke said, “but I won't be leavin' until I get my share of that twenty-five thousand you took from the train.”

“You'll get it,” said Gaddis, “and whether or not you go your own way is up to you. We know somebody's after us, maybe a bounty hunter, and we might be safer not ridin' alone.”

“I'll likely have a price on my head before the day's done,” Burke said. “Let's get out of here and head for Indian Territory for a while.”

“We'll have to,” said Byler. “That's where the gold's hid.”

“I think we ought to wait until dark,” Gaddis said. “There's a storm building, and it'll be raining by tonight. Somebody might discover our trail and decide to track us.”

“I'm going down to the parlor for an evening paper,” said Burke. “I'd like to see just how much they know about me, and if there's a price on my head.”

The story was on page one, and they all gathered around to read it.

“Damn,” Burke said, “there's a five-thousand-dollar bounty on me.”

Gaddis laughed. “If they raise it to ten thousand, I'll take you in myself.”

“Whoa,” said Byler, “this ain't so damn funny. That death list the sheriff found on the floor of Steele's office come from a young gunman who's looking for us. Somehow, he's found out we're ridin' together.”

“Yeah,” Burke said, “and how does he know we're ridin' together?”

“He's likely been through Waco,” said Gaddis. “It wouldn't take a man long to find out all of us are from there.”

“This young gun-thrower's smart,” Burke said. “Without any evidence, he figured out that I was keeping you gents informed about the gold shipments. I owe Steele something. If he had gone directly to the sheriff, and had allowed the sheriff to move in, I'd likely be in jail by now.”

“The law's got our names on that death list now,” said Gaddis, “and I think we should get the hell out of Kansas. That newspaper's linked all our names together, and the three of us have prices on our heads totaling ten thousand dollars.”

“Then let's ride,” Burke said. “Remember, that varmint that gave Alan Steele the list with all our names is still in town.”

The three mounted and rode away toward Indian Territory.

 

Danielle whiled away her time in her hotel room, regretting having promised the sheriff she would remain in town another day. Looking out the window, she could see a gathering of clouds far to the west. She had considered circling the town, seeking the tracks of Burke's horse, but with rain on the way, it would be of little use. Tomorrow she'd have to begin her search all over again. But there was the problem with Elmo Winters's kin. Noon came and went without a sign of them. Then there was a knock on her door.

“Who is it?” Danielle asked.

“Sheriff Barnes.”

Danielle opened the door, allowing the lawman to enter.

“Well,” said Sheriff Barnes, “they're here. They brought a wagon, and they're over at the carpenter shop, loadin' Elmo to take him home.”

“How should I handle this, Sheriff?” Danielle asked.

“Any way you have to,” said Barnes, “but don't go gunning for them. Let them make the first move, and if you're forced to shoot, then shoot. Everybody around here knows how they are, and if they come after you with guns, there's not a court in Kansas that'll blame you for defending yourself.”

“Then I might as well circulate around town,” Danielle said. “Otherwise, they'll likely come here to the hotel, and somebody here might be hurt.”

“I wouldn't spend too much time on the street,” said Sheriff Barnes. “Trouble with the Winters has never gone this far before, so I can't predict what they might do. They might climb up on a roof and bushwhack you.”

“I don't believe in putting off something that must be done,” Danielle said. “I'll go on and face them, and be done with it.”

“Then I'll go with you,” said Sheriff Barnes, “to be sure it's a fair fight.”

Herb Sellers had heard the sheriff at Danielle's door, and had waited in the hall.

“I'm going along, too.” Herb said.

Sheriff Barnes nodded, and the trio left the hotel. The walk to the carpenter shop was short, and Jubal and Ebeau Winters were there standing beside a wagon, arguing with someone from the carpenter shop. As Sheriff Barnes and his companions drew near, Winters spoke.

“Sheriff, this varmint's expecting me to pay ten dollars for Elmo's coffin, and I ain't gonna do it. I didn't ask him to build it.”

“I did,” said Sheriff Barnes, “and I'll pay the ten dollars. Now you and Ebeau get out of town. I want no more trouble.”

“We ain't goin' nowhere until we take care of the bastard that killed Elmo,” Winters said.

“That would be me,” said Danielle.

Sheriff Barnes and Herb moved out of the line of fire. Ebeau walked toward Danielle.

“Jubal,” Sheriff Barnes said, “this is going to be fair, just between the two of them. If you pull iron, I'll shoot you myself.”

Danielle waited, thumbs hooked in her gun belt. Her green eyes bored into Ebeau's, and he halted a dozen yards away.

“Draw, damn you,” Ebeau shouted.

Danielle continued to wait, while Ebeau cursed. Then Danielle turned and began walking away, and that's when Ebeau Winters went for his gun.

“Daniel!” Herb shouted.

Danielle hit the ground and rolled, coming up with her right-hand Colt blazing. Ebeau had fired twice, but there was no third shot. Ebeau had died on his feet.

Chapter 13

As Ebeau Winters slumped to the ground, Jubal bawled like a fresh-cut bull and went for his gun. But Sheriff Barnes had been expecting that.

“Don't do it, Jubal,” Barnes warned.

Jubal fought the urge to draw, finally dropping his shaking hands to his sides. His old face a mask of grief, he stared at the body of his second son.

“I'll help you get him in the wagon, Jubal,” said Sheriff Barnes. “Then I'll ride out and help you bury them.”

“I don't need no help from the likes of you,” Jubal said.

But he couldn't handle Ebeau's body by himself, and he didn't object when Barnes lent a hand in getting Ebeau into the wagon beside Elmo's coffin. Wordlessly, Jubal climbed to the wagon seat, took the reins, and clucked to the team. Sheriff Barnes mounted his horse and followed the wagon.

“God, he took it hard,” said Herb Sellers. “I thought you'd likely have to shoot him.”

“I didn't want to shoot either of them,” Danielle said.

“You didn't have any choice,” said Herb. “He'd have shot you if he could. I reckon it's the curse of a man carryin' a gun. You got to shoot a man, just so's he don't shoot you.”

“Let's get on back to the hotel,” Danielle said. “I want to say
adios
to Jesse before I ride out.”

“There's a storm comin',” said Herb. “Why don't you wait until tomorrow?”

“I don't want to have to shoot Jubal Winters,” Danielle said.

But it was already early afternoon, and dark clouds hid the sun. The wind coming out of the southwest had begun to rise. Herb and Danielle had barely reached the hotel when the first drops of rain kicked up puffs of dust in the street.

“It's gonna blow long and hard,” said Herb. “You'd better reconsider and lay over.”

“I reckon you're right,” Danielle said. “I'll likely spend enough time soaked to the hide, so I'd better enjoy a roof over my head while I can.”

Suppertime was two hours away. When Danielle and Herb returned to the room that he shared with Jesse Burris, they found him awake, sitting on the edge of the bed, dressed except for his boots and hat.

“Where in tarnation do you think you're goin'?” Herb demanded.

“Out of this bed, and out of this hotel,” said Jesse.

“I don't think so,” Herb said. “The doc says you need a week to heal, and you ain't had any fever yet.”

“No matter,” said Jesse. “I was the cause of that shootin' in the saloon, and I reckon if that
hombre
that was shot has kin, they'll be ridin' in to settle up with somebody.”

“You didn't shoot anybody,” Danielle said. “I did.”

“Elmo's pa and brother rode in looking for trouble earlier,” said Herb, “and Daniel had to shoot Ebeau. Sheriff Barnes followed Jubal Winters home to help bury Elmo and Ebeau.”

“All this over a damn poker game,” Jesse said. “I wish I'd stayed out of it.”

“You don't feel any worse than I do,” said Danielle, “but some men have no business at a poker table, and Elmo Winters was one of them. I'm sorry for his pa's sake.”

“There should be a newspaper out today,” Herb said. “I'll go to the lobby for one. I'd like to see what's been written about that shooting at the Kansas-Pacific offices.”

“What shooting?” Jesse asked.

“Tell him about it, Daniel, while I go for the paper,” said Herb.

Quickly, Danielle explained what had happened. By then, Herb had returned with the day's edition of the newspaper. He read the front page account aloud while Danielle and Jesse listened.

“At least they didn't print the rest of the names on your death list,” Jesse said.

“No,” said Danielle, “but they figured out the connection between Chancy Burke and Gaddis and Byler. Now the three of them know their names are on my list.”

“Alan Steele died for nothing,” Herb said. “If he had told Daniel the straight of it, he'd have saved the railroad any bad publicity. Now the very thing he tried to hide is printed in the newspaper for everybody to read.”

“Some good may come of that,” said Danielle. “While they printed only the names of Gaddis, Byler, and Burke, that may warn the rest of them they're being hunted. If I can't find them, maybe they'll find me.”

“You'll need somebody to watch your back,” Jesse said, “and I'm beholden' to you. If you can wait until the doc lets me get out of this bed, Herb and me can ride with you.”

“I'm obliged,” said Danielle, “but I aim to ride out in the morning, as soon as the storm blows itself out.”

“There won't be any trail,” Jesse said. “Where do you aim to start?”

“I reckon I'll ride back through Wichita, and from there into Indian Territory,” said Danielle. “I figure that's the only place Chancy Burke will feel safe, with a bounty on his head and a murder on his back-trail.”

“It's a hell of a place for one man to ride alone,” Herb said.

“I have no choice,” said Danielle, “and I have no right to ask you and Jesse to risk your lives for a cause that will gain you nothing but a bullet in the back.”

Sheriff Barnes showed up at the hotel, water dripping off his slicker. He knocked on Danielle's door.

“Who is it?”

“The sheriff,” Barnes said.

Danielle unlocked and opened the door, allowing the sheriff to enter.

“Remove your slicker and sit down,” Danielle invited.

“I won't be here that long,” said Barnes. “I just want to know how long you aim to stay in town.”

“Until the storm blows itself out,” Danielle said. “Why?”

“I got me a gut feeling Jubal Winters ain't finished with you,” said Sheriff Barnes. “All the time I was with Jubal, helpin' him bury his boys, he didn't say a word. Something's on his mind, and I think it involves you.”

“The last thing I want is to have to shoot Jubal Winters, Sheriff,” said Danielle. “I aim to ride out in the morning, storm or not.”

“You've been a decent
hombre,
and I hate to rush you, but I think it's for the best.”

“So do I, Sheriff,” Danielle said.