End of a Era Pt. 03

Slowly, taking care not to make any noise, Johnny got closer to the bushwhackers. Finally he was close enough for what he had planned. Stepping from behind the last tree, Johnny swung the butt of his Winchester and hit the man with the Sharps in the back of the head. His victim fell over and was motionless. The other man yelled and reached for the pistol on his hip. Before he even got his hand on the grip, Johnny swung the rifle around and pointed it at the man's head.

"Y'all go on a draw that Colt if you've a mind to die," Johnny said. The man slumped back against the big rock. "Now, real easy, draw that pistol with your left hand and toss it away." The man hesitated and Johnny pulled back the hammer on the Winchester. "Your choice Mister."

The man pulled the weapon with his left hand and threw it over the rock he'd been hiding behind. Johnny motioned with his rifle barrel and the man laid face down on the ground.

"Put your hands behind you," Johnny ordered. He stepped over and put his foot on the back of the man's head. Turning his head down the slope of the hill he yelled, "Josh, Red, come on up. I got em treed."

Josh and Red climbed up the rise and walked around the rock to where the two men laid on the ground. The man that Johnny had hit was regaining consciousness; the other one sat up after the foot was taken off his neck. Johnny greeted his friends.

"I was gonna kill em but thought y'all might want to hear why they shot at you," Johnny told Josh.

Josh's face was a study in anger. Never saw the boy so riled up, Johnny thought. And Red's got a crazy gunfighter look in his eyes.

Red cocked his rifle and pointed it at the sitting man. "Red," Josh said sharply. "We need him alive to talk."

Releasing the hammer on the rifle Red remarked, "We got another one."

Johnny laughed; he liked the way Red thought. "Let's get this fellar on his feet and give him a fair chance Red." Turning to the bushwhacker Johnny continued, "Just you and him for it." He had no intention of letting Red kill the man; at least not until they got the information they wanted.

"Not me, I'm not pullin down on Red McCall," the man whined. "He'll kill me ifin I do."

"Why should I let you go?" Johnny asked. "Y'all seemed happy enough to try an kill Red and Josh." As he said this he stepped in front of Red. Red had a nasty evil grin on his face. Johnny had seen that type of grin before; just before someone got killed.

"No Mister, that ain't the way it was," the man answered as he circled to keep Johnny between him and Red. "We weren't trying to kill any one; we were just trying to scare em a bit."

"Why?" Josh asked, speaking up for the first time. He had the same look in his eyes as Red; it was called a death stare.

"Don't know. Man hired us to come out here and shoot at the house. He didn't' say nothing about no killing."

"Who was this man?" Josh asked. He'd taken over now. "Why did he hire you to scare us?"

Johnny thought how much the boy had grown. Josh wanted to find out the why, Red just thought about settling with the two men.

"All I know is his name is Jackson," was the answer. "We were at a saloon in Colorado Springs and he bought us a drink. Then he said he wanted to warn some people off and gave us both a $50 gold piece to shoot at your place over there."

The man's eyes got big as Red pulled his pistol. "Honest to God Mister, we weren't trying to kill nobody." "But it was $50 dollars gold, so we thought it was a good way to get money."

Red continued to stare at the man and handle his weapon. "I guess you're gonna kill me like you did Jess there," he said pointing to his partner lying on the ground.

"He ain't dead. I just knocked him in the head," Johnny said. As if to prove his words, Jess started to moan and reached up to grab his head.

Josh pulled Jess to his feet and using a tie down rope fastened his hands behind him. He did the same to the man that had been talking. They'd found out his name was Lenny.

"Were you supposed to meet up with this Jackson after you got done here?"

"Not right away," Lenny answered. At Josh's look he continued, "We were supposed to go do the same thing over to a ranch called Winterborn. Owned by a fellar named Gallagher. Supposed to scare him too. But we weren't trying to kill no one."

Why would anyone go to the trouble of hiring someone to scare Red and me off, Josh asked himself? And why Dillon too?

"Let's hang him and get on with the day," Red suggested.

Johnny had to turn his back to hide his smile. He knew that Josh wouldn't hang the men in cold blood. Josh wouldn't hesitate to protect his family or himself but he won't kill helpless men, Johnny thought. But Red sure put the fear of God in em. Lenny and now Jess were pleading to not let Red kill them.

"Where were you supposed to meet Jackson when you got done scaring us?" Josh interrogated the men.

"We was gonna meet him on Friday evening at the Bird Cage Saloon," Jess answered.

"And you don't know his full name?" The two men shook their heads. "What does he look like?"

"Big man, bigger than you," Lenny replied pointing to Johnny. "Got long dark hair and a scar on the right side of his face running from his eye down to the corner of his mouth. Wears a fancy two gun rig. Real mean looking hombre."

"Let's get em on their horses and take em to the barn," Josh said. "We'll take em into town tomorrow morning and turn em over to the Sheriff." He paused for a few seconds and added, "I'll ride over to Dillon's place this afternoon and tell him what we've found out."

They tied the men in the barn and then walked back to the house. As the three men stepped onto the porch the children came outside, gathered around the old mountain man and started asking questions. Danni was standing next to Josh, holding young Clint. The youngster held out his arms to Johnny and said loudly, "BEAR."

Johnny smiled and took Clint into his arms. "How's my little cub doin?" He asked playing with the boy who put his arms around his personal bear and hugged him.

"You smell a lot better," young William said. "Are you gonna stay with us."

"Yes he is," Josh answered the question for Johnny. "He'd going to stay as long as he's a mind too." Turning to Johnny he added, "And I won't abide no argument."

"Reckon I'll be here a spell," Johnny told the boy. "Sides can't think of a better place to be rite now."

Sarah came to the door and said, "Morning Johnny. Foods on the table, y'all come and eat before it gets cold.

The whole Kelly and McCall clans trooped into the house for a late breakfast. It was over an hour later that Josh, Red, and Johnny went back out onto the porch. The ladies were cleaning up and Josh and Red had the children playing in front of the house to keep them out from under foot.

"After we turn those two over to the Sheriff in Fountain we'll make a trip to Colorado Springs and see if we can find this Jackson fellar," Josh said.

"Ain't never seen Colorado Springs," Johnny said. "Looking forward to it. Hear tell it sure is somethin."

"Mr. Burrows?" Red questioned.

"Name's Johnny Red, why the Mr. Burrows?

"Well sir, I'm gonna ask a favor of you. A big favor. Thought a little respect might help," Red replied.

Johnny smiled. "You'll get more out of me treating me like a friend Red."

"Yes sir, I'll remember that." Red hesitated for a few seconds and said, "I'm askin you to stay here with Sarah, Danni, and the kids. Look out for them you know. If this Jackson hired those two to scare us, when he finds out his two boys didn't do the job he might decide that shooting at our house isn't enough."

Johnny looked at Red. He ain't just a simple cowboy, Johnny thought. That's just a show he puts on.

"The ranch hands are all on the cattle drive so Sarah and Danni will be alone. With Josh, Dillon and me all in Colorado Springs, I'd feel better if you were here to look after things," Red explained.

Johnny realized the trust Red and Josh were putting in him. Josh nodded his agreement to Red's suggestion. "Well...Never did care for big towns much," Johnny replied. "Ifin you've seen one you've seen them all I guess." Looking first Red and then Josh in the eye, he said, "I'm tired of ridin the trail and need to rest a spell. Maybe I'll just stay here with those two pretty gals of yourn and be spoiled for a bit."

Josh smiled. "Thanks Johnny. Now that's settled I think I ride over to Winterborn and talk to Dillon. See if he has any idea what this is all about."

"Who is this Dillon and what's Winterborn?" Johnny asked. "Ifin he's got a family maybe they should come over and stay with Danni and Sarah instead of being left at his ranch?"

Josh and Red both grinned. "They're welcome but they won't need much more protecting with Oso around," Josh said.

"Oso?" Johnny asked.

"Oso is Spanish for Bear you know," Josh explained. "That's what Roberto is called.

"Si," Johnny said. "Yo comprendo."

"Yes sir," Red replied. He chuckled and added, "Oso is bout the biggest one man I've ever seen. He's close to 6 and a half feet and must weigh over 300 pounds.

"Oso, Roberto, moves like a big cat," Josh said. "He's as fast as a charging grizzly and just as mean when someone threatens his family.

Red suggested they go down to the corral while Josh saddled his horse. "I'll tell you the whole story."

When they got to the corral a big bay horse came to greet them. Josh walked over to the animal and scratched his ears. "Ready for a ride Diablo?"

"Is that the animal you was working with when I met you?" Johnny asked. Josh smiled and nodded. "Don't look much like a devil now, does he?" Looking closer at Diablo he added, "That's as fine an animal as I've ever seen."

Josh smiled again. "Yeah, he's something special. He's saved my hide more than once."

Turning to Red Johnny said, "Okay I'd like to hear the story of Winterborn and this fellar Dillon."

Red nodded. "Dillon Gallagher is a friend, a good friend. He and his family named their place Winterborn. It's some poem that Dillon likes. He likes to read poetry but don't let that fool you. He's about as much man as I've ever met."

"Reckon I never read any poetry myself," Johnny offered.

"Yes sir." Red continued his story. "Dillon's from Virginia; fought at First Manassas among other places." Quietly he said, "Dillon met my two brothers just before that battle." With a faraway look in his eyes Red added, "My brothers were killed during the fight and I got this bum leg."

Red sort of shook himself and came back to the present. "Anyway, when Lee surrendered Dillon just rode away; he refused to surrender. He went back home about three years later but wouldn't swear an oath to the Union. Said he'd already sworn one to the Confederacy and he figured a man was only good for one oath at a time.

"Dillon wandered around for a spell, even spent two years as a Deputy Marshall in Texas. He decided it was time to move on, left looking for a home I guess." Red looked at Johnny, smiled and said, "Sorta like you've been doing. Never staying in one place too long. Dillon ended up in Arizona, a town named Prescott. That's where he met his wife Elizabeth and her mother, brother, and adopted brother, Oso. Their name was Edwards.

"There was a big rancher named Cassidy who was trying to force the Edwards to sell their ranch to him. Word was that Cassidy had killed John Edwards to get the ranch. But he ran up against it when he met Eleanor Edwards. Dillon befriended the Edwards and made an enemy of Cassidy."

Red grinned, "Cassidy made a bad mistake crossing paths with Dillon and the Edwards. Dillon killed Cassidy's hired gun and then killed Cassidy. Almost got done in himself doing it, but Dillon recovered. They sold the ranch in Prescott and moved to the Chico Basin."

"Dillon met up with Red because he had known the brothers," Josh said. "He and Red sorta hit it off and we invited him out to our place." Now it was Josh that got quiet for a few seconds, looking into the past. "The morning that Dillon and Elizabeth rode out, five gun hands braced Red and me. They planned on killing us and then having their way with Sarah and Danni."

"Dillon sure did put a knot in their rope that morning; Elizabeth too," Red took over the story again. "When the smoke cleared there were five dead men on the ground."

Johnny saw Red's eyes get that far stare for a second or two. Red continued, "Josh got one, Dillon got one, and Elizabeth got one with her rifle from over 75 yards away. I got the other two."

"Sounds like those boys picked the wrong folks to pick a fight with," Johnny said.

"Yes sir, they surely did," Red replied. He smiled and added, "But it could have got a mite interestin without Dillon and Elizabeth dealing themselves a hand. After that Dillon, Elizabeth, and the Edwards became almost an extension of our families."

Josh had finish saddling Diablo. He led the big horse out of the corral and mounted. "Be back fore supper." He put Diablo at a lope and rode away. Johnny and Red went back to the house. "Would you like to see a map showing the Chico Basin Cattle Company?" Red asked.

Johnny nodded and Red led him into a small office off the kitchen. On the wall was a hand drawn map of the Chico Basin. Marked in red were the original two ranches that had been combined to make the CBC.

"Josh and I started working at the Lazy L for Nancy Larson," Red explained pointing to the map. "Her husband Tom had been sent to prison and died there. After a bit Josh, Jerry, and I bought the place." Pointing to another ranch outlined in red, "That's the Maggie M. It belongs to Dan and Maggie Maguire, Sarah and Danni's folks."

Red grinned. "Dan and Josh had the same idea about the same time. Why not combine the two places into one big ranch? That's how the Chico Basin Cattle Company came to be."

"Never heard a ranch called a cattle company but I reckon it fits," Johnny offered.

"Our younger partner, Jerry Barnes, thought of the name," Red explained.

"Where is Jerry? I haven't met him yet."

"Jerry's the ram rod on the cattle drive," Red replied. "Should be back in a week or so. It'll be a while before we get fed lunch. Would you like to take a ride around the place?"

Red got a big black horse from the corral and threw a saddle on him while Johnny got a saddle on William. The animal tried to bite Red as he put the bridal's bit in the horse's mouth. "Dang you Jasper. If you bite me again I'm gonna beat you with a knotted plow line." Red smiled and slapped the horse on the nose. "Jasper's a mite contrary sometimes but he's a damn good horse.

Johnny and Red took a couple of hours riding around the ranch. They returned just in time for lunch. After eating, Johnny played with the kids for a bit. With Clint sitting on his lap and Molly standing by his knee, Johnny told them some stories about his living with the Indians. When the little ones were put down for a nap, Johnny and Red rode out to the line shack at the lake.

"Had a dam and lake like this back in Amarillo," Red explained. "I thought it might be a good idea here too.

"Looks rite pretty," Johnny offered.

"It does that," Red agreed. "But it's more than just a pretty place. Backin up the stream gives us plenty of water for our herd." He pointed to the dam. "See how the water leaks through and flows over the top?" At Johnny's nod he continued, "That lets the creek run on downstream; the same as it did before. Josh says we're just borrowing the water for a spell."

Pointing to the two room cabin Johnny asked, "And the line shack?"

Red grinned. "Josh's idea. We round up the stock, drive them over here by the lake, and do the brandin. It takes two or three days sometimes. It's easier to keep them bunched near the water. Josh thought it was dumb for the hands to ride back and forth from the bunkhouse every day so we built this cabin for the boys to use."

Smiling and shaking his head Red added, "Josh is always thinkin of others, he is." After a few minutes looking at the cabin and the lake Johnny and Red mounted their horses. "C'mon, got another line shack to show you."

They rode to the far north east corner of the ranch. Riding around a rock butte rising from the valley floor they followed a trail up the backside of the high bluff. Reaching the summit Red pointed to another cabin. It was built back into the hillside with trees hiding it from the trail. The structure blended into the surrounding trees so well that it was hard to see.

"Strange place for a line shack," Johnny said. "Hard to get building supplies up here."

"Might be," Red replied and motioned Johnny to the edge of the butte and pointed. "But I think the view was worth the doin."

The CBC was spread out below them. Johnny could see the dam and cattle grazing near it. He could see the land for miles around.

"Man can see a far piece up here," Johnny agreed. Looking back at the cabin he added, "Good work."

"Yep we did a good job," Red agreed. Turning back and pointing he said, "But that's all God's own work." He paused for a few seconds. "You can see most all the way back to the house yonder."

"I see a smoke trail bout where the house should be," Johnny remarked.

"That'd be Danni and Sarah startin supper. Reckon we ought to get back," Red replied. Looking at Johnny with a grin he said, "Sarah gets riled ifin I'm late for supper."

Carefully guiding Jasper and William back down the trail onto the valley floor they rode back to the ranch house. They were unsaddling their horses as Josh returned for supper.

"It's all set," Josh said. "Dillon will meet us at the main trail into Fountain at first light and we'll take those men into the Sheriff. Stopping for a moment Josh's face had an angry look. "Then we'll ride on to Colorado Springs and find this Jackson."

Early the next morning the two men were put on their horses with their hands tied to the saddle horns. Josh led one of the horses and Red had the other one. They had said their goodbyes to wives and the children earlier, but Danni, Sarah, and the whole pack of kids stood on the porch watching them as they got ready to leave.

"Just gonna be the three of you?" Johnny asked before they rode away. "Might be outgunned you know."

Red nodded and said, "Josh, Dillon and I've been out numbered before but never outgunned." Seeing the questioning look on Johnny's face Red added, "No brag just fact."

Johnny looked into Red's eyes and thought, don't doubt it. He turned to see Josh's reaction to Red's statement. His eyes had the same look as Red's.

Josh nodded and he and Red began what would be a dangerous mission to Colorado Springs.

To be continued...