War of the Mountain Man

10

Joe Walsh rode back to the ranch, chuckling as he went. Smoke Jensen was not only the slickest gunhandler he’d ever seen, but the man was damn smart, too.

There was no way a western man was going to turn down an invitation for a box supper and a dance with some really nice ladies. And both Max and Red would know that if anyone’s place was torched that night, the fires could be seen for miles and there was no way either of them would leave Barlow alive.

“Slick,” the rancher said. “Just damn slick.”

“I had my mind all made up to not like Smoke Jensen,” one of his hands said. “But I sure changed my mind. He’s a right nice fellow.”

“Yes, he is, Curly. I had my mind all made up to dislike the man. I figured he’d be a cocky son. Shows how wrong a man can be.”

“I can’t wait for this shindig,” another hand said. “Been a long time since we had a good box supper and dance.”

“Be a damn good time to put lead in Max Huggins and Red Malone, too,” Curly said. Curly and Skinny Jim had been close friends.

“Be none of that, Curly,” Joe cautioned his hand. “Not unless they open the ball. Too much a chance that women and kids would get hit.”

“I hate both them men,” Curly replied. “With Jensen leadin’ the pack, we could ride into Hell’s Creek and wipe it out. I don’t see why we don’t do that.”

“It might come to that, Curly,” Joe said. “For sure, a lot of blood is going to be spilled before this is over.”

“Just as long as the blood spilled comes out of Max Huggins and Red Malone and them that ride for them,” Curly said. “I don’t wanna die, but I’ll go out happy if I know I got lead in Max or Malone.”

Joe cut his eyes to the puncher. I’m going to have to watch him, the rancher thought. He’s let his hate bubble very nearly out of control.

Sally and the ladies of Barlow met with the editor of the paper and designed and had printed dozens of invitations. Smoke made certain that Max Huggins and Red Malone received an invite.

Max stared at his invitation for a long time, being careful not to smudge the creamy bond paper. “What’s Jensen doing this time?” he questioned the empty office. “He’s got to have something up his sleeve.” Then it came to him: If he attended this shindig and there was any trouble caused by his men, Max and Red would be gunned down on the spot; shot down like rabid skunks.

The big man was filled with grudging admiration for Jensen. Slick. Very, very slick. If he and Red didn’t attend, Jensen and the others would be put on alert that something was going to happen out in the county, and it would be open season for any Lightning rider or gunhand from Hell’s Creek caught out after dark.

He sent one of his bodyguards to fetch Val Singer, Warner Frigo, Dave Poe, and Alex Bell to his office.

“Me and Red will be attending this shindig,” he informed the outlaw leaders. “And there better not be any trouble out in the county. You hold the reins tight on your boys ... and I mean tight.”

“It might be a trap,” Val pointed out.

Max shook his head. “No. I don’t think so. The people of Barlow are going to let off a little steam, that’s all.” He waved the invite. “This is their way of insuring that they can do so without fear of any trouble.” He eyeballed them all. “And, by God, there isn’t going to be any trouble. Those are my orders. See that they are carried out.”

Red Malone had recovered from his beating at the hands—or fists—of Smoke Jensen. He stared hard and long at the invitation. He laid it on his desk and stared at it some more.

Was it a trap? He didn’t think so. But he had a week to nose around and find out for sure. “We goin’, ain’t we, Daddy?” Tessie asked, looking and reading over his shoulder.

Red turned his head and stared at his daughter, all blond and pretty and pouty and as worthless as her brother, Melvin. He loved them both—as much as Red Malone could love anything—but realized he had sired a whore and a nut.

“I don’t know,” he told her.

She pouted.

“Stop that, girl. You look like a fish suckin’ in air.”

Tessie plopped down in a chair and glared at him. “I got me a brand-new dress I got outta that catalog from New York, and I ain’t had no chance to wear it. Now I got a chance to wear it and you tell me we might not go.”

Red sighed. “Where’s Melvin?”

“Same place he always is: shootin’ at targets.”

The boy was good with a gun, Red thought. Fast as a snake. But was he as fast as Jensen? Maybe. Just maybe the boy might do one thing in his life that was worthwhile: killing Smoke Jensen.

“Come on, Daddy!” Tessie said. “Let’s go to the dance and have some fun.”

Red stared at her, wondering whom she was bedding down with this time around.

The girl had more beaus than a dog had fleas.

“Pooh!” Tessie said. “I never get to do anything.”

Except sneak out at night and behave like a trollop, Red thought. “I said I’d think about it,” he told her. “Now go tell the cook to get dinner on the table. I’m hungry.”

She sat in her chair and pouted.

“Move!” Red yelled.

She got up and left the room, shaking her butt like a hurdy-gurdy girl.

Red sighed and shook his big head. The only thing he regretted about his wife leaving him was that she didn’t take those damn kids with her.

“Max has accepted,” Sally told Smoke, holding out the note from Hell’s Creek. “This came on the southbound stage a few minutes ago.”

Smoke read the note and smiled. “One down and one to go. No word from Red yet?”

“No. Nothing.”

“Smoke!” Jim’s sharp call came from the outside. “Melvin Malone ridin’ in. You watch yourself around this one. He’s crazy as a skunk.”

Smoke walked to the door and stepped out, after removing the hammer thongs from his .44’s. He’d heard too much about Melvin to be careless around him. He watched the young man swing down from the saddle, being careful to keep the horse between himself and Smoke.

Smart, Smoke thought. He’s no amateur.

Melvin stepped up on the boardwalk, studying Smoke as hard as Smoke was studying him. Melvin was about six feet tall and well built, heavily muscled. He was handsome in a cruel sort of way. He wore two guns, the holsters tied down. The spurs he wore were big roweled ones, the kind that would hurt a horse, and Melvin looked the type who would enjoy doing that.

“Jensen,” the young man said, stopping a few feet away. “I’m Mel Malone.”

“Nice to see you, Mel. What’s on your mind?”

Killing you, was the thought in Mel’s head. He kept it silent. Big bastard, Mel thought. Big as them books made him out to be. “My pa said to give you a message. We’ll be coming to the dance and box supper.”

“Well, I’m glad to hear that, Mel. Yes, sir. Sure am. You be sure and tell Red I’m looking forward to seeing him again. He is feeling all right, now, isn’t he?”

The young man stared at Smoke for a moment. Was Jensen trying to be smart-mouthed? He couldn’t tell. “Uh, yeah. He feels just fine.”

“That’s good. Your sister Tessie makes a pretty good box supper, does she?”

“My sister couldn’t fry an egg if the hen told her how,” Mel replied. “But the cook can fry chicken that’ll make you wanna slap your granny.” Why the hell was he standing here talking about fried chicken with a man he was going to kill? He stared hard at Smoke. Fella seemed sort of likable.

Smoke chuckled. “Well, some women just never get the knack of cooking, Mel. Tell Red to take it easy now.” Smoke turned and walked across the street, leaving Melvin alone on the boardwalk.

Feeling sort of stupid standing on the boardwalk all by himself, the young man wandered over to the saloon for a drink.

Sally watched it all from the window and she smiled.

“Smoke handled that just right,” Jim said. “There wasn’t nothing else to be said, so he just walked off leavin’ Melvin standing there lookin’ stupid. Which ain’t hard to do, ’cause he is.”

“But good with a gun,” Sally remarked, watching the young man push open the batwings to the saloon. “I can tell by the way he carries himself. He walks a lot like Smoke.”

“He’s almost as fast as Smoke, ma’am. But not quite as good. But he’s a dead shot, I’ll give him that.”

Sally felt just a twinge of worry that she quickly pushed aside. She had known what Smoke was when she met and later married him. She had long ago accepted that wherever he went, there would be men who would call him out. The West was slowly changing, but it would be years before gunfighting was finally banned.

When Melvin left town, Smoke was leaning up against an awning support watching him go. Smoke raised a hand in farewell. Melvin looked at him, then cut his eyes away, refusing to acknowledge the friendly gesture.

Smoke walked back to the office. Sally had just finished cleaning and straightening it up. “What do you think of Red’s son, Smoke?”

Smoke poured a cup of coffee and sat down at his desk. He sipped and said, “He’s crazy and he’s cruel. I’ll have to kill him someday.”

Little by little, in small groups, Red’s hands began drifting back into town for a drink or a meal or to buy this or that. So far, Red had not tried to buy any supplies from Marbly. The rancher was going to be in for a rude shock when he did.

Red’s hands caused no trouble when in town. They had all noticed that every man in town was packing iron: the bartender, the editor of the Bugle, the store clerks ... everybody. And they promptly took that news back to Red.

Red digested that bit of information with a sigh. “Then that’s it, John,” he told his foreman. “We’ve got to make a move and do it quick, before the town really gets together and runs our butts out of the country. And they’ll do it eventually. Believe me.”

“Before the dance, Red?”

Red shook his head. “No. After it. Maybe a week after it. Max has got some long-distance shooters comin’ in from Europe. They was invited to come in here for a hunt long before Smoke Jensen showed up. They should be here this week. Early next week at the latest. We’ll get things firmed up with Max after the party.”

“Take Jensen out first?”

“I don’t know. I think it’d be better to start working on the townspeople. I just don’t know. Whatever Max decides to do, we got to back him up. That’s the deal we made and I always keep my word.” He looked around him and sniffed, a look of distaste crossing his face. “What in the name of God is that horrible smell?”

“The cook is tryin’ to teach Tessie how to cook. Tessie is fixin’ supper, so I’m told.”

“Oh, my Lord. I’ll eat with you boys tonight. What the Sam Hill is she cookin’, skunk?”

“Fried chicken.”

“She must have left the feathers on.”

Henri Dubois and Paul Mittermaier were blissfully unaware of what was taking place in Barlow and Hell’s Creek. They had seen the sights of St. Louis and were now ready to board the train west.

What they did not know was that they were under surveillance by agents of the U.S. Federal Marshal’s office. They knew of the situation building in Barlow and Hell’s Creek, and they also knew that with just a little help, Smoke Jensen would handle it and they would not have to get directly involved. The marshals sent a wire to the nearest town to Barlow, and the message was forwarded to Smoke Jensen by stage.

Smoke opened the envelope and read: Mercenaries left St. Louis this a.m. No charges against Dubois or Mittermaier. They are unaware of what is taking place in your area. Watch your back and handle situation as you see fit.

It was unsigned, but Smoke had a pretty good idea what federal office had sent it.

He showed the message to Jim and Sal. Neither man could understand why Smoke was smiling. Jim asked him.

“They have to come right through here, boys.” He walked to a wall map and put his finger on a town south of them. “This is rail’s end. From here to Barlow is either by horseback or stage, and I’m betting they take the stage.”

“And you got what in mind?” Sal asked.

“Any trouble that happens out in the county, you boys handle it. Starting day after tomorrow, I’ve got to meet the stage.”

“I wonder what he’s got in mind?” Jim asked Sal after Smoke left the office.

“Be fun to watch, whatever it is.”

“You reckon the Frenchman and the German will see the humor in it?” Jim asked with a grin.

“Somehow I doubt it. I really do.”

“The saloons are runnin’ out of whiskey,” Max was informed. “And the boys is gettin’ right testy.”

Max took a long pull on his stogie. “Yeah, and I had me five boxes of cigars on that shipment Jensen seized, too. So what else is new? I can’t find any freight haulers to handle our orders. The only option we have is some outfit out of Canada, and by the time all the red tape is over with, it’ll be six months before we get any supplies.”

Alex Bell shifted in the chair. “Max, the boys ain’t gonna stand still for this very much longer. They all got cash money to spend and nothin’ to buy. The women is raisin’ holy hell ’cause the boys is unhappy. Somethin’ has got to pop, and damn soon.”

Max Huggins’s little empire was crumbling at the edges and he didn’t know what to do about it. For the umpteenth time since Jensen entered the picture, the thought that he should pull out entered his brain. And for the same number of times, the thought galled him; but with each revival of the thought, the intensity of the sourness was somewhat lessened as common sense fought to prevail.

“I’ll talk to the boys,” he finally said to Alex. “Damnit!” he cursed, pounding a fist on the desk and scattering papers. “He’s just one man. Just one man! He’s not a god, not invincible. There has to be a way.”

“There is,” Alex said. “Me and Val and the others been talkin’.”

Max waited, staring hard at the outlaw gang leader.

“Wipe the town out. Kill every man, woman, and child. It can be done, and you know it.”

“Damnit, Alex,” Max said, struggling to maintain his patience with the gang leader. “This is 1883, man. The country is connected by telegraph wires and railroads. Ten years ago, I would have said yes to your proposal. But not now. I think the press would pick it up, and the public would be up in arms and all over us. We’d have federal marshals and troops in here before you could blink.”

“Fires happen all the time, Max,” Alex pointed out. “We pick a night with a good strong wind and that town would go up like a tinderbox. You think about that.”

“The people would still remain, Alex.”

“Maybe not. Maybe not enough of them to do any good. Lots of folks die in town fires. And charred skin don’t show no bullet holes. By the time the newspapers got ’hold of it, them folks would be rottin’ in the ground and nobody could do nothin’ about it.”

Max jabbed out his cigar in an ashtray. With a slow expelling of breath, he said, “We may have to do that, Alex. It’s a good plan, I’m thinking, but very risky.” He stared hard at the outlaw. “Have you ever killed a child, Alex?”

“Yeah. I gut-shot a kid durin’a bank stickup; sqalled like a hog at butcherin’ time. I shot him in the head to shut him up. I shot half a dozen or more ridin’ with Bloody Bill Anderson. All the boys has. It ain’t no big deal.”

Max nodded his head in agreement. He had killed several children—accidentally and deliberately—during his bloody life. And as Alex had stated: It was no big deal. He had no nightmares about it. They got in the way, they were disposed of. It was all a matter of one’s personal survival.

The plan that Alex was proposing would have to be very carefully worked out. There could be no room for error or miscalculation. And the men involved would have to be chosen carefully, for if word ever leaked out, nationwide condemnation would be certain to follow—quickly. It was a good plan, but very chancy. Very chancy.

“What do you think, Max?”

“It would take a lot of planning, Alex. And the men would have to be chosen carefully. The ones who don’t ride on the raid must never know what took place. Now, then, is that possible?”

The outlaw and murderer thought about that. Slowly, he shook his head affirmatively. “Yeah. Forty men could pull it off. Any more than that would be too many. Most of the men here would keep their mouths shut about it. Out of whole bunch, maybe ten might blab later on.”

“Dispose of them now, Alex,” Max gave the killing orders. “Once that is done, we start planning on destroying the town.”

Alex rose with a grin on his face. “My pleasure, boss.”