The Western Justice Trilogy Read online

  “One of ’em is still in there,” Heck complained. “That’s Sudden Sam on the left and his brother Hardy on the right. You watch out for Sam. I’ll take care of Hardy.”

  Suddenly Thomas raised his voice. “This is Heck Thomas, Sam. I’m takin’ you in!”

  “You ain’t takin’ nobody in!” The voice was rough, and it was Hardy who spoke. “Sam ain’t done nothin’.”

  “Hardy, you stand away. I’ve got no trouble to pick with you, but I’m taking Sam in.”

  “No, you ain’t.”

  What happened then was so quick that Riordan could not logically follow it. He was watching Sam, but then out of the corner of his eye he saw Hardy draw his gun. Heck must have drawn his own because he got his shot off first, which drove Hardy backward.

  Riordan then saw, at almost the same moment, another man come out of the cabin. He knew it must be Dent Smith. He was holding a rifle up, aiming right at Heck when Heck shot Hardy. Without thought, Riordan pulled his gun and in one practiced motion got off a shot. It caught Dent Smith in the throat. He dropped the rifle and fell back gurgling. He grabbled around on the ground, trying to speak but making only unintelligible noises.

  Heck went over and kicked Dent’s rifle away and looked down. “Well, you’ve kilt your last man, Dent Smith.”

  Riordan looked down at the man he had shot. He was sick, but he knew that he had done what had to be done. “I didn’t want to kill him,” he said hoarsely.

  Heck shook his head. “You didn’t have no choice.” They watched as Dent Smith died, finally stiffening into that attitude of death. Heck Thomas turned and said, “Well, this bothers you, don’t it, boy?”

  “Yes, sir, it does.”

  “You never shot a man before?”

  “No, I never did.”

  “Well, it’ll bother you some. It goes like that. It did when I got my first man. But Dent Smith is a bad one. He’s killed four men and one woman, and he would have added me to his score if you hadn’t got him. I know it’s going to be hard for you, but you done good. As good as any marshal could have done.” He sighed then nodded at Sudden Sam and said, “Let’s get this worthless critter in the pokey.”

  CHAPTER 10

  Judge Parker stood at his window, staring down at the gallows. He had been responsible for condemning many men, knowing there was no appeal from his decisions. Every time there was a hanging, he stood at this window, staring down. He never missed a hanging. Most thought he enjoyed watching the men die, but only a few knew he took no pleasure from it. He just felt it was his duty. If he was going to command the ultimate sentence, he should be able to face its carrying out.

  His attention was drawn to a man riding up to his building. He watched as Heck Thomas stepped out of the saddle, took a deep breath, and then made his way across the dusty street. Within a few minutes, Heck knocked on his door. “Come in.”

  Heck entered with his hat in his hands.

  “Hello, Marshal. Have a seat.”

  Heck sat down heavily.

  The judge poured two glasses of water and handed one of them to Heck. “You look dried out.”

  “I am. This summer’s got the best of me. I read a book about Eskimos living on top of the ice. I wish sometimes I had the luck to be born there.”

  “Well, you’d be just as unhappy there, I guess, wishing you were down here in Fort Smith with the sun burning your brains out. Well, tell me about the scout. Did you catch up with Sam?”

  “We sure did, Judge, but the trouble was he had his brother Hardy and Dent Smith with him.”

  “That’s a bad horse.” Judge Parker frowned. “Were you able to sneak up on ’em?”

  “Well, Judge, we had to hunt ’em pretty hard. Finally found out from a store down there that they’d gone to Sam’s cabin. We took out after ’em and got there just before dark. I didn’t want to tackle ’em in the dark, so I sent young Riordan to cover up the smokestack and force ’em out.”

  “Has that young fellow been able to keep up with you?”

  Heck scratched his head and said thoughtfully, “You know he did. He’s got more stamina than you’d think. He looks like he’s little, but he must be made out of steel wire.”

  “What happened then?”

  “Well, he got on top of the dugout, covered up the stovepipe, then he come back down, and we waited. Just like I knowed would happen, the smoke backed up into that dugout, and pretty soon Sam came out, and Hardy was with him. I didn’t see Dent, so I told Riordan to take care of Sam. He’s a slow draw and a coward anyway, but Hardy’s different. So I kept my eye on Hardy. That was sort of a mistake. He went for his gun, and you know how quick he is. I pulled at the same time, and I got off a shot. But then I heard Riordan yell, ‘Look out!’ and knew Dent had come out of that dugout. As soon as I fired at Hardy, I started to turn, but right on top of my shot came another one. I thought Dent had missed me somehow. I turned around, and there was that young fellow Riordan with his gun out. He had hit Dent right in the throat, and that done him in. He fell down and gurgled for a while, and then he died.”

  “You mean that young man beat Dent to the draw?”

  “I don’t see how he done it. But Dent is a bad guy, and he’s killed his share of folks. I wasn’t sorry to see him go.”

  “How did Riordan take it, killing a man?”

  “Not good. He’s tough enough to keep up with me, and he can pull a gun quicker than I thought, and he must be a good shot ’cause he hit Dent right where it done the most good. But he was kind of green.”

  “Did you ask him?”

  “Sure did. He said it made him kind of sick, but I remember when I killed my first man. I didn’t take it too good either. But let me tell you this, that young man is better than he looks. I’ll partner with him anytime, Judge.”

  Parker listened as Heck talked for a while. When Heck left, Parker sat down, pulled a paper from his desk drawer, took the pen, and dipped it in the inkwell. He began to write:

  My dear Mrs. Riordan,

  I take this opportunity to write with what I think is very good news. I think I’ve told you we followed your advice and poured every dirty, hard job we could on your son. It didn’t do any good, however, not from your standpoint. He stayed cheerful and did everything that Marshal Swinson put on him. Never said a word, always with a smile. Well, that impressed me very much. I know you may not agree with this, but I think he’s at least learned a little bit about how to become a man. He’s got all kinds of determination. What I would like is for you to consider letting me give him more responsibility. I don’t mean to make a marshal out of him and send him out on dangerous missions, but there are other things he can do, for example, delivering summons, and I’d like to try him for that. I will, however, await your reply, and whatever you decide will be the way it is.

  Respectfully yours,

  Judge Isaac Parker

  He sealed the envelope, put it on the desk with other mail he had answered, and then smiled. “That young man has come a long way, and I know his mother will be proud of him.”

  Rosa was sitting in the parlor, mending one of her sister’s dresses. Her grandfather sat across from her. She looked up when he cleared his throat, obviously wanting her attention.

  “Well, time for a little foolishness, I guess.”

  “What kind of foolishness, Grandfather?”

  “Olan Henderson, a rich rancher on the Arkansas side of the Territory not far from Fort Smith, is throwing a big wedding. He’s making a celebration out of it. He’s going to have dancing and drinks and food and entertainment. I think you ought to go.”

  Rosa had heard about the wealthy rancher and how he was marrying his daughter off. He lived so close to Judge Parker’s court that for the most part the bandits stayed away from him. He had only the one daughter, and he decided it would be an event that the Territory would never forget. He had instructed his hands to build a six-inch platform, which would be the venue of the wedding ceremony itself and also be a dance floor
after the wedding. He had made arrangements for music and had killed two heavy beef critters to barbecue and cut up into different sorts of meat dishes. He was a drinking man himself and would provide strong spirits for those who drank and lemonade for those who didn’t. He sent out general invitations to as many of his neighbors as he knew, and one of those had come to Frank Lowery. “I’d like to. Could I take Raquel with me?”

  “Why, of course. You two probably need some pretty dresses.”

  “I don’t have much and neither does Raquel, but we’ll get some material, and we’ll deck ourselves out like the Queen of Sheba.”

  Indeed, it was a big job, but Rosa and Raquel had Chenoa and Ethel to help. They were all good seamstresses, and they had plenty of time.

  When the day of the wedding came, they had the dresses ready. They put them on, and Frank and Mateo admired them.

  “That’s a beautiful dress, daughter,” Mateo said.

  Indeed, Raquel did look beautiful in a mild green dress. Her waist was tiny, and the bodice was crossed over in the front.

  “Thank you, Father.” She turned. “Grandfather, isn’t Rosa beautiful?”

  “She certainly is,” he said. “You look sweet, darling.”

  Rosa was pleased that her grandfather was now saying gentle, kind things he would never have thought of before.

  He looked at Rosa and smiled. “You are as beautiful as any woman in the Territory.”

  Rosa didn’t think that was true at all, but she did feel pretty in the blue dress with a tight bodice defining the high richness of her bosom and the elegance of her waist. The tight sleeve of the upper arm flared out with ruffles, and the skirt flared out at the hem.

  She smiled. “Oh Grandfather, you just think that because we are your granddaughters.”

  “Well, all I can say is you two better take your guns along. You’re so pretty them men are going to try to run off with you.”

  “Well, they won’t do that,” Rosa said. “I wish you would both go.”

  “Somebody’s got to stay here and take care of the place.”

  “That’s why you hired two new hands.” Indeed, they had hired a man called Whitey Ford and another called Felix Mantilla. This would allow Ringo and Ned to escort her and her sister to the dance. Blinky had no interest in going. He said he would stay around and watch the place.

  Finally it was time to go, and they got into the wagon. It was quite a long ride, and they were glad to arrive at Henderson’s ranch. They met his daughter, Hettie, who was marrying a man named William Logan.

  “We’re glad to see you ladies.” Olan Henderson smiled. “Don’t you look pretty! I can’t answer all these young fellows that are coming. Some of them will be up to no good. You just watch yourself.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Henderson. We’ll be careful.”

  The wedding came before the dance, so when Henderson had gotten the preacher in the front, everyone gathered around to listen as he talked about the sanctity of marriage. Finally he was through, and the bride came forward.

  “Isn’t the bride beautiful?” Rosa whispered to Ringo, who was standing next to her.

  “All women are beautiful,” he whispered back.

  She laughed at him. “You don’t really think that.”

  “Sure I do.” He moved closer and put his arm against hers. “When are you going to have your wedding?”

  She liked Ringo Jukes very much indeed. He was a bit forward, but she knew he admired her as a woman. They both had senses of humor, and now she said, “Well, I’ll have a wedding when I find a man who will do everything I tell him.”

  She expected Ringo to scoff at that, but he said, “Why, you know I feel the same way.”

  “You don’t really.”

  “Why, I do. You know there’s a verse in the Bible that I’m partial to.”

  “I didn’t know you knew anything about the Bible.”

  “Well, I know this one. It says, ‘When a man hath taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war, neither shall he be charged with any business: but he shall be free at home one year, and shall cheer up his wife which he hath taken.’” He grinned at her and winked. His eyes were full of fun. “Ain’t that a doozy? So you see, if you take me for a husband, I’ll do nothin’ but cheer you up for a whole year, Miss Rosa.”

  “I don’t know how you found that in the Bible,” she said. She was amused but also impressed that he knew such a verse. “Well, I’ll tell you more about my plans after this wedding is over. Come on. The dancing’s starting.”

  Rosa discovered that, as she expected, Ringo Jukes was a fine dancer. He was handsomely dressed in a gray suit she had not seen before, and she felt the eyes of many women taking him in. For a moment she found herself wondering what it would be like to be married to him. She was sure that he was speaking playfully about staying home for a year, but no man she had ever talked to had even such an idea as that.

  Rosa was enjoying herself tremendously. She seldom lacked for a partner, if she wanted one. She did sit out a couple of dances as she needed some time to catch her breath and get a drink of lemonade.

  The dance had been going on for some time when a tall man suddenly stood up in front of Rosa. “Don’t know anybody to introduce me, and I don’t want to be brash, but I’m Charles Rhodes. You’re Miss Rosa Ramirez, I understand.”

  “That’s right. Glad to know you, Mr. Rhodes.”

  “Just Charles is fine.” He hesitated and said, “I’ve been meaning to come over and welcome you. My ranch is about twenty miles west of yours. Could I have a dance?”

  “Of course.” The two moved around the floor. After a couple of minutes, he asked, “Are you Frank Lowery’s granddaughter?”

  “Yes, I am.”

  Rhodes looked uncomfortable for the rest of the dance. When the music was over, he led her to the refreshment table. He seemed to be searching for words. After offering her a glass of lemonade, which she declined, he took one himself. After a long drink, he said, “I’ve been meaning to come over to your place, but your grandfather wouldn’t like it.”

  “Why not?”

  “Well, we had a little trouble quite a few years back. Frank got peeved at me, and of course, I got peeved at him.”

  “What was the quarrel over?”

  “Oh, it was about a horse that we didn’t agree on. But you know your grandfather holds a grudge pretty well.”

  “Yes, I’ve heard my mother say that. He’s stubborn.”

  “Well, what I would like to ask, Miss Ramirez, is if I could come over and call on you, and maybe you could get your grandfather to forgive me about that horse?”

  “Why, of course, Mr. Rhodes. You just come. Grandfather is older now, and he’s mellowed quite a bit.”

  “Well, you can look for me then.” He looked around and said, “I don’t get around to many things like this. Before my wife died, we used to go out to dances and such things quite a bit. Been kind of lonesome without her.”

  “How long has that been?”

  “It’ll be four years now. She was a wonderful woman.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “So am I. It’s hard to lose someone, isn’t it?”

  After the dance, Ned Little, one of the hands she’d come to like, came over and spoke to her. “I saw you talking to Rhodes.”

  “Yes, who is he?”

  “A big rancher. His wife died a few years ago. He and your grandfather had an awful ruckus.”

  “He told me about it. Said it was a fuss over a horse.”

  “Well, it was a little bit worse than that. I never knew the ins and outs, but your grandfather despises him.”

  “I don’t know, Ned. He asked if I’d try to make Grandfather listen to him. I think he was wanting to apologize. I told him to call on us. Maybe I can get Grandfather to forget the quarrel.”

  “Well,” Ned said, “your grandfather hasn’t set any records for forgiving folks, but now he’s old and not too long for this world, I guess. Wouldn’t hurt to have a f
riend. He’s a rich man, and when trouble comes, all of us need to stick together. There’s enough bad men that the good men need to do their thing together.”

  A week after the dance, Rosa answered the door and was pleased to see Charles Rhodes. She smiled and greeted him warmly. “I’m glad to see you, Charles. Come into the house. I told Grandfather you might be coming.”

  Charles looked slightly sheepish. “Did you take his gun away from him?”

  She smiled even wider. “No, but I told him he had to be civil.”

  Rhodes shook his head. “I was in the wrong about that horse deal, and I’m just too stubborn to admit it when I’m wrong.”

  “Well, you’re doing the right thing now. Come on in.”

  They found Frank and Mateo, as usual, playing checkers.

  Rhodes said at once, “Hello, Frank. I ask your pardon for calling without permission.”

  “No, my granddaughter said you might be coming.” He got to his feet and stared at him and said, “Been a long time since we spoke.”

  “Well, it was my fault, Frank. I was wrong about that horse, and I want to apologize to you. As I told your granddaughter, I don’t apologize good or easy, but I felt bad about it. Not many of us left. We need to stick together.”

  Frank stepped forward and stuck his hand out. “That’s good enough for me. This is Rosa’s father, Señor Ramirez.”

  “I’m glad to know you, sir. Your daughter graced the dance last week. The prettiest woman there.”

  “Now, that’s enough of that.” Rosa smiled. “Will you have some refreshment?”

  “I’d really rather you show me around the ranch and any horses you might have. I’m always in the market for a good mount.”

  “He’s got lots of money, Rosa. Be sure you gouge him.” Frank smiled.

  “Oh, Grandfather, I won’t do that. Come along, Charles.”

  The rest of the afternoon was pleasant. She found herself liking Rhodes very much. True, he was a willful man. She had found that out from several sources, but he wasn’t that way with her. His manners were perfect.