Gone to Kansas Ch. 04

It was gettin toward sundown that evening when I spotted two riders just amblin along like they had nowhere in particular they were headed. I got out the telescope and looked them over. Sure enough, it was Charlie and Clive, I recognized their horses, they were too far to make out their faces, but I damn sure recognized their mounts.

I figured they'd gotten close enough that they saw the cattle, so I was surprised when they didn't come in. Instead, they just made a turn and headed North, I watched until I couldn't make them out anymore. I waited till almost dark and never saw hide nor hair of them, so I saddled up and headed for the house. On the way home we had one of those pop-up showers that came outta nowhere. I was soaked by the time I got home.

I figured there was a good chance they'd be back the next day, when there was more light to move the cattle by. I told Aunt Helen about seein them and my thoughts on what they might be plannin. The next mornin I got goin a little earlier than usual, I got to my overlook and waited. The weather had cleared out, and it was a nice clear early mornin with decent moonlight, so I didn't have any trouble findin my way. What I hadn't figured on was that could work both ways....

Charlie and Clive had camped not far from the heard, well before light they saddled up and headed to where the cattle were, there was plenty of moon light to see by. By the time they made their way to the cattle the first light was comin up over the horizon.

"Clive let's just go in and get a decent group of cattle movin, we'll lose plenty but I wanna get outta the area as soon as possible just in case he's waitin with a rifle somewhere. We should be able to get outta the area before there's even light enough to see through his sights."

I was watchin over the cows when I saw movement down below, it wasn't very light yet so I couldn't quite make out what was happening at that distance, but I could tell it was something besides the cattle. As it grew lighter, I could see it was Charlie and Clive movin cattle. I looked through my peep sights on my Sharps, there was nowhere near enough light to get a bead on them. They had bunched up some cattle and were drivin them away. I decided the next best thing to do was to try and follow them without them knowin. I slid the Sharps back in the scabbard and worked my way down to the valley they were travelin through. I made sure to hang back and take it slow, I didn't need to keep them in sight, they were raisin enough dust with them cattle a blind man coulda tracked them.

I hadn't followed them far when I figured they were probably going to cut South for the border. I figured they'd use the same trail they'd used before. I made a big loop headin back East a bit before cuttin South. About two hours later I was set up overlookin the trail to the Territories. If they followed that trail, I'd have a pretty easy two-hundred-yard shot. I figured it'd be a few hours or so before they came through, so I got out a sandwich and had my lunch.

Around six that evening they still hadn't showed up, I began thinkin I'd made a big mistake. The more I thought about it the more I felt I'd guessed wrong, I decided to go check out the valley where they'd held cattle before. I had a couple hours before dark so I saddled up and made my way there as careful as I could.

I rode straight West then cut up North and then rode to the valley from the Northwest, I figured if they were watchin for me they'd be watchin from the direction of the ranch. I was following the creek that flowed past the opening of the valley, I hid Buddy in some brush and shucked my Spencer. It would better serve me for a close-range shootout, and it was a whole lot lighter and handier to maneuver with.

The sun was settin and I figured to get in fairly close to them and try to figure out what they were doin. It was already too late in the day to find an overlook for the valley and take a long range shot on them. I'd just have the same problem I had this morning in the low light and not be able to see them through my sights.

I snuck in, following the creek, sticking to the brush along its banks. I got up to the opening of the valley and could tell by all the fresh sign that they'd drove the cattle into it. Now I needed to come up with some sort of plan. My guess was they'd either take what they had South to sell or leave them here and get more cattle to add to them, then take a bigger bunch to sell. I decided I wasn't goin back to Aunt Helen's tonight, I was gonna wait for them.

I hid out till dark hoping they would build a fire, that would lead me right to them. I didn't plan on takin them on at night unless they were bunched up by the fire, but I didn't figure they'd be that stupid. But if I found it at least I'd know their location and could be on them first thing in the mornin.

I waited a few hours; the moon was up, and it was a clear night. Clear enough for me to make my way around in the dark fairly well. I circled around down wind, I figured they'd be somewhere further into the valley. I finally smelled what I was lookin for, I could smell smoke from their fire, and I followed my nose closer to the source. I was movin real slow and careful, I figured I should see the fire anytime. I stopped and looked out into the darkness, about forty or so yards ahead I could make out the glowing embers of what had been their campfire. It looked like they weren't taking any chances by leavin it lit.

I wasn't going any closer since I didn't know exactly where they were bedded down. I'd hoped I'd find them sitting around a fire bullshittin and surprise them, but that wasn't to be. I decided to back away about another forty or so yards and just wait out the night and try to catch them unaware the next mornin.

Somehow, I slept better than I should have, and I awoke in the pale predawn light to the sound of someone ridin their horse off back towards the entrance of the valley. I swore to myself for oversleepin, there was no way I could get into any position to ambush them, if they were ridin away from me. I just sat there thinkin, then I heard a horse whinny. I began makin my way over to where I'd heard the horse, real slow like. I got to where I saw Clive's dun colored horse tied off without a saddle on it yet.

I was in luck, one of them was still here. I'd guessed that Charlie rode off and left Clive to watch over the stock, as I was thinkin this I realized that the cattle were probably bait for bringin me in and Clive would pick me off like he'd done Uncle Tom.

There was a thick bunch of cedar trees just to the left side of where the horse was tied. I hid myself in them not more than about five or so steps away from Clive's horse. I had a plan, and it didn't involve shootin him. I sat there in the early light and waited.

I didn't have to wait long, Clive came walkin back to where his horse was tied, his saddle and tack was layin close by, between me and the horse. Clive walked up lookin in my direction without seein me, he got to his gear, then leaned down to get his saddle blanket, he turned his back to me facing his horse. Clive used his hand to make sure the horses back was clear of anything and laid the blanket on its back, then he came back for the saddle.

I was sittin there just a waitin, for the right moment and I knew it was comin. When Clive came back for his saddle he did the same thing, turning his back to me he leaned down to pick up the saddle. It was the moment I was waitin for. Clive was stooped over with his hands full; I lunged out of my hidin spot and with my left arm I wrapped it around Clive and put my hand over his mouth.

I had my knife in my right hand and sunk it right into Clive's right side, puncturing his right lung. Then I wrapped my right arm under Clive's right armpit and brought my hand back around to grab the back of his head, I did the same with my left arm and forced his head forward towards his chest. I rode Clive to the ground, and he struggled for all he was worth, but with only one lung he couldn't get the strength he needed to throw me off.

I smashed Clives face into the dirt, making him suck in dirt for every gasping breath he took. Clive finaly wore down and stopped trashin. With my arms going under his armpits and back around to the back side of his neck he couldn't reach his pistol, once he stopped thrashin, I rolled to my side taking Clive with me and reached down quickly and shucked his pistol out of the holster, throwin it out of reach. I let go of him and jumped to my feet, my knife still in my hand, Clive just lay there starin up at me. He had blood frothing out of his mouth.

"Clive I only punctured one of your lungs, you got two. You can live quite a while on just one you know. How about you tell me where Charlie went."

"I ain't tellin you shit boy," he choked out.

"Yeah Clive, you say that now, but I have this feelin you're gonna change your mind on that real soon."

"Boy, you ain't got it in ya to make ole Clive talk, why don't you just saddle up and ride on back to Missoura. Sides, I got some unfinished business with that aunt of yours. She's gonna be my bitch before this is over."

"Well Clive, I gotta say I admire your confidence, but from where I'm standin, I just don't see that bein a reality.... but I suppose everyone's gotta dream. I got this feelin though, by the time I'm done with you, you won't remember any of your dreams."

I cut the reigns from Clive's horses' bridle and tied his arms behind his back, then I tied his feet off to a small tree so he couldn't go nowhere. I began to build a fire about five feet away from Clive, once I had it going, I pilled more brush on it. I had a good hot fire going and Clive began to complain about the heat.

"Clive, let me tell you how this is gonna work, I'm gonna ask you some questions, how you answer them is gonna determine your comfort level. What did you and Charlie do with Aunt Helen's cattle?"

"Boy, I told you I ain't talkin!"

"Ok, suit yourself," I said as it grabbed him by the shoulders and pivoted his upper body to where he was about three feet from the fire.

Clive just sat there baking in the heat of the fire. "Clive, I want you to get used to this heat, cause where you're a goin it might be hotter."

Clive was sweatin and cussin, but he still wasn't talkin so I grabbed him and drug him about two feet from the fire. He began yellin even more but still didn't answer the question, so I drug him a foot away from that fire. I let him stay there for almost a minute and moved him back to about three feet away.

"Clive, this is real simple, you can answer my questions and I'll kill you quick, like I'd put down a lame horse. Or you can fight it, and not answer my questions and you'll still die, but with your brains a cookin outta your head, the choice is yours."

Clive kept quiet, so I drug him about six inches from the fire and left him there for a full minute. Clive began yellin and a screamin, so I drug him back to about four feet away from the fire.

"Talk to me Clive, this is your last chance, the next time I drag you over there your face is going right into that fire, I don't really need to know the answers to my questions, but you can have a quick death if you give them to me. The choice is yours."

I let him think on it for about ten seconds, he still hadn't said anything, so I began draggin him back to the fire. "Damn it boy, I'll talk, just don't put me close to that fire again."

"Ok, what did you all do with the stock?" I asked as I placed him about five feet from the fire.

There was silence for a bit, Clive was gettin weaker, and the front of his shirt was covered with his blood that was frothin outta his mouth and leakin from his side.

"We took all the cattle to the Miller brothers place and sold them."

"Did the Miller brothers have anything to do with Uncle Tom's death, or was that just you and Charlie?"

"It was just us, the Miller brothers got too big a cattle operation going these days to get involved in other things."

"Did the Millers know where the cattle came from, do they still have them?"

"No, they didn't ask questions about where the cattle came from, but if they recognized the brand then they'd know, not that they'd care. I doubt they still have those cattle; they usually sell them fairly quickly to the government agents that are responsible for buyin beef for the Indians that live on the reservations. Those agents don't ask no questions about the beef they're buyin and probably wouldn't care one way or the other if they was stolen property."

"Were you the one that shot Uncle Tom?"

"Yeah, I did that. I was set up on a hill just outside of Baxter Springs, Charlie led him right into the ambush and I shot him. It was a good shot though; he didn't suffer none."

"Where's all the money at you all got from sellin those cattle?"

"Well, beins we sold them to the Millers we didn't get but a third of what they was worth. Me and Charlie got us a lot of whores and spent quite a few weekends at the Chinaman's smokin somethin they call the Dragon. We got us these fine horses and a whole new outfit; drank a lot of whiskey and I reckon we just wasted most of the rest."

"What's the "Dragon?"

"Opium, them Chinamen got this stuff that you can smoke that takes you outta your head."

"Where's Charlie headed now?"

He's goin to where your holdin the cattle and bring another bunch back."

"Well Clive, that's about all I was wonderin about, you got any last words to say or anything?

"Can't say I do boy, just get it over with."

I rolled Clive back on his belly and drew out my pistol. I cocked the hammer back and was about to blow Clive's brains through his eye sockets, when I had a thought. If Charlie hears a shot, he's going to be suspicious. So, I lowered the hammer back down and holstered my pistol.

Clive began to laugh, or at least attempted to, "what's wrong boy, did ya lose your nerve?"

It was Clive's last words, I reached down with my left hand wrappin it around Clive's forehead, lifting his face up from the dirt. With my right hand I gripped my knife and slit Clive's throat from one ear to the other. Clive sputtered and gurgled, the blood was pourin out over my knife and hand, leaving a hot sticky wet feelin on my skin. His blood was pumpin out with each heartbeat until it stopped, leavin a huge pool of blood on the ground. I cut Clive loose from the tree, took all his belongings from his body and drug him off under some low hangin cedar branches to hide him. I swept dirt over the blood-stained ground, saddled his horse, threw his gear in the saddle bags and took it deeper into the valley, hidin it in a patch of trees.

My plan was to wait for Charlie to get back with the other cattle, then confront him. I knew the right way to handle it was by shootin him from long range, but I wanted the satisfaction of him knowin it was comin. Seemed like shootin him from ambush would be showin him mercy, and Charlie Price wasn't going to get any mercy from me.

I went back to where my horse was hidden and brought him inside the fence that ran across the front of the valley, I led him back aways out of view and found myself a good hidin spot close to where Charlie and Clive had their camp.

About three hours later, I heard Charlie at the entrance drivin in the cattle. About five minutes later Charlie rode into camp and started to make a fire. Once he had that goin he got out the makins for coffee and set some water on to boil. He plopped down on the ground and began to build himself a smoke.

I walked out from cover; I had my Spencer rifle in my hands, and I walked on up closer to the fire. I was probably about twenty steps from Charlie when he looked up and noticed me. He continued to build his smoke with a big grin on his face.

"Boy, what the hell you think your doin, just walkin into a man's camp like ya own the place? Don't ya know that's a good way to get shot?"

Charlie was way too at ease; I knew he was expectin Clive to blow me to hell from his hideout. That's when I took the wind from his sails.

"Charlie, Clive and I had us a little talk this mornin. I guess you could say ole Clive is a long way from here, so don't expect any help from him."

Charlie got a confused look on his face; he'd finished building his smoke and hadn't lit it yet. "What do ya mean by that boy?"

"Just what I said Charlie, he's gone and you're on your own. I intend to make you pay for what you done to Uncle Tom and for all the pain you put Aunt Helen through."

"Now boy, just calm down there, I stood by your aunt and uncle through thick and thin, why I...."

Charlie dropped the cigarette and reached for his pistol while rolling to the side and springin to his feet. The move was sudden, and he did it with such speed it caught me off guard. I shouldered my rifle and fired just as he was getting set to shoot at me. My shot missed him completely, I worked the lever and was cocking the hammer back when he got off his first shot. I felt a burnin sensation on my right shoulder, I took a step to my left as Charlie got off a second shot, missing me completely. I fired and saw a blood spot appearing on Charlie's lower stomach. Charlie was linin up for his third shot when my shot hit him, knockin off his aim, his shot burned my right side, right along my ribs. My next shot was true and caught Charlie right dead center of his chest.

That.56 Spencer did its job and put him on the ground. I walked up to Charlie to wish him farewell, but he was already gone. I sat down by the fire and poured myself a cup of his fresh coffee and breathed a sigh of relief. This moment had been buildin up ever since I'd heard of Uncle Tom's death, it was the main thing that occupied my mind, and now it was done. It was a strange feelin knowin that this had come to an end, and I could go on with my life as I pleased. I drank that cup of coffee and looked up in the sky and thanked God for seein me through this.

I had another cup then went and retrieved Clive's horse and brought it up to camp where Charlie and his horse was. I began takin everything out of the saddle bags. Makin a pile of everything of value, the clothes and other day to day items I didn't intend to keep I through in the fire.

Clive had a cartridge conversion pistol, buffalo gun, ammunition for both and about $100 dollars. Charlie had his pistol, which was also a cartridge conversion along with a Winchester 66 which was an improved version of the Henry and close to $400 in his saddle bag. My intention was to give all the money to Aunt Helen and sell the horses, tack and firearms and give that money to Aunt Helen as well. It was nowhere equal to her loss in cattle, but it would be something.

I piled more brush on the campfire, turnin it into about a seven-foot-long fire, then threw Charlie and Clive's bodies on it and stacked more brush on top of them. Then I went and got Ed and the other two horses, loaded up all the gear and headed for Aunt Helens. I'd come back in a day or so and push those cattle back with the others.

I rode up to Aunt Helen's about the time the sun was settin and threw all the loot from Charlie and Clive on the porch, then I went to the corral and unsaddled all the horses, brushed them all down, and turned them loose in the corral.

Aunt Helen was walkin across to where I was, I could see tears in her eyes. She came all the way up to me and wrapped her arms around me, sobbing. "Oh Zeb, did you finish it?"

"I did Aunt Helen, it's over, you don't ever have to worry about those two again. They've gone to get their just rewards in hell, I'm sure."

"Thank God you're ok Zeb, I have been so worried these past days, I just knew things were going to happen soon and I never would've forgiven myself if somethin had happened to you. All I could think about was, what will I tell my sister if somethin happens to you. This is such a relief, I'm sorry I'm so emotional, but this was becoming more than I could handle Zeb, I'm so glad you're Ok."