War Of The Mountain Man

“Any who tried to kill me, Vicky. A half a dozen or so, I imagine. On that day we burned down Bury and I met Richards and his bunch in that ghost town, the first man to brace me was a man called Davis. Then Williams and Cross. Then a hired gun name of Simpson faced me. Then there was Martin and a man I didn’t know. Rogers and Sheriff Reese came after me. I plugged Rogers and Reese’s horse crushed him. I shot Turkel off a rooftop and Britt shot off part of my ear.” He lifted one hand. “This part. I dropped three more. Britt, Harris, and Smith. Then Williams got lead in me and I blew Rogers to hell with a shotgun. Brown come up and I dropped him.

“I used my knife to pick the lead out of my leg and wrapped a bandana around it. I believe there were three more left. I plugged two and used a rifle to blow a hired gun name of Fenerty out of it.”

Smoke’s voice softened as memories filled him, taking him back years. Robert and Victoria could practically feel the pain of those years as they strained to hear him.

“All right, you bastards!” Smoke yelled, tall and bloody in the smoky main street of the ghost town. “Richards, Potter, Stratton. Face me, if you’ve got the nerve.”

The sharp odor of sweat mingled with blood and gunsmoke filled the still summer air as four men stepped out into the bloody, dusty street.

Richards, Potter, and Stratton stood at one end of the street. A tall bloody figure stood at the other. All their guns were in leather.

“You son of a bitch!”Stratton screamed, his voice as high-pitched as a woman’s. “You ruined it all. Damn you!” He clawed for his pistol.

Smoke drew, cocked, and fired before Stratton could clear leather.

Potter grabbed for his gun. Smoke shot him dead, holstered his pistol, and waited for Richards to make his play.

Richards was sure he could beat Smoke. He had not moved. He stood with a faint smile on his lips, staring at Smoke.

“You ready to die?” Smoke asked the man.

“As ready as I’ll ever be, I suppose.” Richards’s hands were steady. There was no fear in his voice. “Janey gone?”

“Yeah. She took your money and pulled out.”

Richards smiled. “That’s one tough babe, Jensen.”

“Among other things.”

“Been a long run, hasn’t it, Jensen?”

“It’s just about over.”

“What happens to all my holdings?”

“I don’t care what happens to the mines. The miners can have them. I’m giving all your stock and the lands they gaze on to decent, honest punchers and homesteaders.”

A puzzled look spread over Richards’s face. He waved his hand at the carnage that lay all around them. “You did ... all this for nothing?”

Someone moaned, the sound painfully inching up the dusty street.

“I did it for my pa, my brother, my wife, and our baby son.”

“But killing me won’t bring them back!”

“No. But it will insure that you never do anything like that again.”

“I can truthfully say that I wish I had never heard the name Jensen.”

“You’ll never hear it again after this day, Richards.”

“One way to find out, Jensen.” He drew and fired. Richards was snake-quick but he hurried his shot, the lead digging up dirt at Smoke’s boots.

Smoke’s shot hit the man in the right shoulder, spinning him around. Richards grabbed for his left-hand gun and Smoke fired again, the slug striking the man in the chest. He struggled to level his pistol. Smoke shot him again, the slug hitting Richards in the belly. Richards sat down hard in the street.

Smoke walked up the street to stand over the man. Richards reached out for the pistol that had fallen from his numb hand. Smoke kicked it away.

Blood filled the man’s mouth. The light began to fade around him. Richards said, “You’ll ... meet ...”

Smoke never found out whom he was supposed to meet. Richards toppled over on his face and died.

Robert and Vicky were silent for a few moments after Smoke had finished his story.

Vicky said, “And after that?”

“I got Sally and we took off, heading for Colorado. We’ve been there ever since.” Smoke tossed the dregs of his coffee into the night. “We best get some sleep. We still got a pull ahead of us come morning.”

Smoke led the wagon and buggy into Barlow. The group was met with cheers from the onlookers. Draper was there with his camera, taking pictures.

“I must admit,” Robert said, “I rather like the welcoming committee.”

Sally rushed out of the hotel and the two women hugged each other. With Lisa in tow, the ladies disappeared into the hotel. They had a lot of catching up to do.

“I’m teaching the women of the town who don’t know much about guns to shoot,” Sally told her friend. “Classes are this afternoon. Do you have any jeans?”

“Britches?” Vicky looked horrified.

“Sure. It’s a changing world, Victoria. We’ll get you some at Marbly’s.”

“Everything’s been quiet, Smoke,” Sal said, walking up. He shook hands with the doctor, his eyes sizing the man up. He took note that the doctor did not wear a gun.

“Do I pass inspection?” Robert asked with a smile.

“Won’t know that until the shootin’ starts.”

“I’ve done more than my share of hunting, I assure you,” Robert replied stiffly.