The Walters Brothers

I grinned when we hit the ridge. If nothing else that might give them pause. The corpses were still more or less laying in a line, body parts scattered as scavengers discovered the remains. Above them on a stick pounded into a cracked rock was a derby. I learned years later the place was marked on Colorado maps as Derby Ridge.

Chapter 14

After the logs our enemies decided to retreat back down the trail for a good camping spot. Darby went among his men, assessing their wounds. Two were hurt bad enough that their figtht was over. He promised them their fair share of the gold when they had it. Five more were hurt, ranging from lumpy noggins to broken arms. Worse, eleven of their men and fourteen horses were dead. Maybe his father should have been a little more careful. They'd had a good thing going until his father had jumped three strangers, one of them a woman. He died in the dirt for his actions, as well as his brother when they went after their killers. Darby had seen the derby nailed to the stick and recognized it for what it was. It had been on his brothers' head the last time he saw it. Maybe revenge wasn't such a good idea because it hadn't worked out well so far.

If he was wavering Bart Hill, the leader of the other half of the group, was even more determined. "We're still too many for them boys. He can't have more than two or three helping him. We'll get him soon and the gold will be ours."

One of his followers asked what everyone else was thinking. "What do we do when his brother shows up?"

"Kill him. We'll have possession by then and we'll call for more men. He won't have a choice but to ride away and when he does we'll follow."

I grinned in the darkness. I'd slipped down to check them out, ghosting past their sentry. I'd heard it all. I had another little surprise for them. After they retreated, Eion and I spent an hour and a half gathering rattlesnakes. The rocks and logs we had dislodged were their hiding places, and they lay on the ground stunned and sluggish, the hot sun making them very uncomfortable.. We'd pin their heads down and throw them into a burlap bag we'd been soaking in a stream. They immediately went quiet in the dark and the cool. We caught nine before we stopped. The saddles were stacked near the picket line and I managed to get five into saddlebags. The horses could smell the snakes and got pretty restless. They sent a man to see what was bothering them.

I had the biggest rattler by the head, his mouth forced open, his fangs fully extended. When the man passed me I rose up and jammed the fangs into his ass as hard as I could. He screamed and ran back into camp, the snake still dangling. There was a lot of steppin' and fetchin' until they got the snake off and killed it. By then it was too late for their man and he died in agony later on in the night.

While they were distracted I got the last three snakes out, holding their heads in one hand, twirling them like a lasso before letting go. They landed in the clump of men, madder than hell and happy to have something to lash out at. Two more got bit before they killed one and the others slithered away. I slipped back up the trail, knifing the guard as I passed. He shoulda been better at his job. I bet they didn't sleep much that night.

We settled down to sleep a few hours. When I woke up Elsa and Gallison were there fixing breakfast.

"Don't complain. You're gonna need our help."

Gal just grinned and after breakfast we laid up in the rocks. Every one of us with two rifles, our pistols, and I had the shotgun. Every hiding place had a clear path behind for a quick retreat. We all knew we weren't going to be staying long.

They must have been late risers, because the yellin' and cussin' didn't start until almost nine. Well, they'd found the rest of the rattlesnakes. Thirty minutes later they came into sight, twelve riders looking anxiously about. They must want that gold pretty bad knowing we had high ground and weeks to prepare for something like this. The number of riders bothered me, there should be four or five more. Course the snakes might have took care of some of them, but not all.

It hit me they were trying to flank us so I waved to everybody telling them to watch the sides and behind them. Elsa elected herself watcher, keeping eyes behind us as we let them have it one more time. Eion was a pretty canny old man, and he waited until they hit a patch of trail that had them riding single file. He let loose with the buffalo gun, the big slug going through one man and into the body of another. Both fell from their saddles dead before they hit the ground. Gal and I opened up. He scored a hit but the rider stayed in the saddle and I had a clean miss, the horse jerking slightly just as I squeezed the trigger. It killed the horse, though, and it tumbled back down the trail, the rider trying to kick his feet out of the stirrups. He managed to ride it out but when he stood up one leg was at an odd angle. He was a little dazed and made a perfect target for the buffalo gun. The shot literally lifted him off his feet. We all knew when he fell he was never getting back up.

Elsa let out a yell and started shooting. We had talked about it and Eion kept his eyes forward while Gal and I turned. One was still out in the open and his last view was the barrel of my shotgun. It almost cut him in two. Elsa had gotten another one but there was still two or three out there. Time to retreat. I counted as I ran and figured there were at least twelve to fourteen out there.

We almost made it to our second position when a rifle barked. Eion threw the buffalo gun up in the air and dropped like a rock. Elsa screamed and tried to go back but Gal had her, pushing her forward. The outlaws were shooting at them and forgotten about me. I nailed one and put a hole through the leg of another before they realized I was still alive. I made it over to Eion but one look told me all I needed to know. I grabbed the buffalo gun and the cartridge belt and started running.

I made it to our rallying point. Elsa was sobbing into Gal's chest. He had a little mist in his own eyes. I knew I should let them grieve but if I didn't get them focused soon there would be no one to grieve for any of us.

"Elsa! Elsa!" Yellin' didn't work so I grabbed her and shook her pretty hard. She stopped crying, eyes wide in shock.

"Listen to me! I'm sorry about your Pa. We'll make sure he gets a good funeral and a proper resting place when this is done. Right now I need you to focus or you'll be crying for all of us. They're still coming. Hear me? The bastards who killed your father are still coming. We need to do something about that."

Her eyes cleared some and her jaw jutted out. "Here's what we do. We kill them. All of them."

"That's the plan."

We ran a little farther until we were in a little ravine that gradually opened up into a meadow. Gal and Elsa took their positions and I eased back up the ravine, waiting. There were twelve or thirteen left, still way too many. I knew that I would end up giving them the mine rather than have Gal and Elsa hurt. Well, not giving it to them. They would have to earn it and they wouldn't enjoy it long. I just needed to keep everybody alive until Zeke got here.

It took them two hours. Apparently the first two were their best woodsmen and they weren't bad but I had been trained by one of the best guerilla fighters to ever live, an Apache who was one of Geronimo's lieutenants. He and my father had a history and he turned up on the ranch one day basically seeking asylum for him and his family. Pa had given him a cabin on a remote part of the ranch and hired him to hunt any wolves and cougars who killed our livestock. Pa had him take each of his sons into the hills for four months when we hit fourteen, and he taught us quite a bit about woodcraft. His best lessons were on warfare, how to manipulate an enemy into a position of vunerability, how to engineer hit and run skimishes for maximum damage to an enemy without risking your own people. He taught us how to move like a ghost, how to kill with a knife, a stone, stick, how to turn anything into a weapon and most importantly, with bare hands. He taught us control of the battlefield was half a victory. So far his teachings had held true. We'd used terrain, traps, and ambush, reducing the enemy force by almost two thirds while losing only one combatant.

The odds were still heavily in their favor but we still had a few tricks up our sleeve. I waited patiently until one gave me a clear shot. His back was turned so he never saw the arrow coming. I was pretty good with a bow, again thanks to our Apache teacher, and the arrow hit him right at the base of the skull. He went down without a sound, dead before he hit the ground. The other man heard him fall and stuck his head out of the brush. The arrow went through his left eye. He kicked and gurgled for a few minutes before he sighed and stopped breathing. Time to move.

I thought I was far enough away when bullets started kicking up dust all around me. I heard the buffalo gun boom and a scream. One more down. I slid into the ditch we'd cut and we all took off, emerging behind a clump of trees.

"There's still too many of them. We're going to have to run. They can have the mine. We'll get it back later."

It galled them no end but they didn't argue. We hit a cache and grabbed more ammunition, some food, and four sticks of dynamite. If they took the mine I wasn't going to make it easy. They'd have to work to get the gold out.

Elsa and Gal didn't want to do it but we split up. They were going down to the end of the valley to a safe location. There was a trail there, a path made by mountain goats. It was steep and a little scary in places but we'd worked on it. A half a mile along and about three hundred yards down was a little cave. We'd stashed more guns and food there so they could fort up and hold out a good while. If they didn't stir they would be hard to find.

"What about you?"

"It's my mine. I intend to hang around and make life interesting for them until Zeke gets back. You lay low. I'll come and fetch you when it's safe. Here."

I handed them a note. It was my last will and testament. If I died, Zeke inherited everything apart from the valley. It was my wish that he give it to Elsa and Gal, minus the gold mine. I also left them ten percent of my half of the mine.

Elsa read it and cried. "We can't take this."

"You can and you will. You stood by me. Your father died defending this place. You deserve it. Now leave before they get any closer. I'll dust them enough to kep their heads down."

Gal had tears in his eyes and Elsa wrapped me up in a hug. Then she gave me a kiss that shook me to my feet. "You're a hell of a man, Brad Walters. We get out of this alive and I'm coming after you. I'd be a good woman for you. You think about that."

She kissed me one more time and turned. She didn't look back. I watched them until they were out of sight. I gave it a little thought. Elsa was a handsome woman. She had too much character in her face to be beautiful but I'd take character over beauty any day. She was tough and determined, a women who would walk beside you instead of behind you. She wasn't the dusky senorita I'd always dreamed of but dreams could change.

Chapter 15

I got a couple of more, then I became a ghost. I didn't make a move for six days, watching, waiting. There knew I was still out there, so they kept looking. Once or twice I was close enough to touch one, but I let them go. I wanted them relaxed and comfortable.

They found our cave and moved in. Then they found the mine. I was watching from behind a rise, heard them whoop and holler, saw them comin' out with bags of ore we'd already mined. Still I waited. When they started mining in earnest, I struck. There were probably eight inside when I set off the dynamite I had planted, all high in the roof of the tunnel. The mine collapsed with a roar, smoke billowing out of what was left of the entrance. No one came out.

I'd learned the name of their leaders. Darby something and Bart Hill. Hill I'd heard of. He was thoroughly dangerous and wanted for several killings. He'd made a living robbing and killing miners leaving the gold fields, taking their gold. He thought about it for a while and decided it was easier to jump claims. He got away with it a couple of times before he ran in to somebody who wouldn't give up. Him and his two partners turned the tables, ambushing Hill's gang and killing most of them before they got away just ahead of a lynch mob. He'd laid pretty low and most thought he'd left Colorado but here he was back and up to his old tricks.

I watched as they rode up, Darby cussing a blue streak. Besides losing his men, it would take days to reopen the mine and shore up the shafts. Hill never said a word, scanning the ridges.

"Walters! I know you can hear me! I got fifty men coming. Twenty are miners. The rest I hired just to kill you. Leave before you die!"

I lined up a shot but just as I pulled the trigger he moved and it was a clean miss. Darby was behind him a little and the bullet went through his leg and into the horse. The horse went wild, bucking like mad for a minute before it collapsed, taking Darby with it to the ground. They had to take his leg that night.

I think Hill would have killed him but he was in charge of the miners.

Five days later I watched as a column of riders came over the ridge. Seems Hill wasn't kidding about the number of men he'd sent for. I was worried that Zeke would ride into a trap, but those boys left plenty of sign and Zeke was no fool. I hadn't heard from Elsa and Gal and couldn't go near them for fear of leaving sign so I had to hope for the best.

The next few days were nip and tuck. They found me twice and it was a close thing getting away. I got a burn across the cheek and a pretty good gash across my side. Them boys had some pretty good trackers. I knew if Zeke didn't show up soon I was a goner.

Tired and exhausted, I burrowed down into some oak leaves and was out in a second. I felt rather than heard something and came out of the leaves with my knife in my hand. The knife was moving forward at at the last second I realized it was Elsa and jerked my hand sideways, burying the blade in the ground beside her head. Her eyes were wide and she would have screamed if I hadn't had my other hand around her throat.

I let go of her and she drew in a big gulp of air. "Jesus, Brad, you scared the hell out of me."

"You did the same to me. You guys all right? Where's Gal?"

"He's out scoutin'. We were gettin' low on food and I decided to hit one of our hideouts. I saw you getting into the leaves. You just seemed to melt into nothingness. Where did you learn that?"

"Old Indian taught me. You best be gettin' back."

She was about to move when we heard them. Five riders, moving slow. Casting for sign no doubt. It was almost dark and I doubted they could see anything but I grabbed Elsa and we sank back into the leaves. We could hear them talking as they rode by.

"I'm startin' to think they ain't here in the valley no more."

"Don't get too comfortable, Shorty. That boy don't seem the type to just give up and go away."

"If he's here we'll get him soon or late. There's still thirty of us not countin' the miners.

The other man laughed. "Keep your eyes open anyway. I don't want him to make it twenty-nine."

We waited until we were sure they were gone before we came out. "Give it a little time before you go back. I don't want them catching you or have you lead them to Gal."

In answer she tugged at the pack she had on and took the blankets she had and putting them on the leaves. "There now. We can sleep comfortable without the leaves sticking us.

It was better than any idea I had so we did just that. The blankets were small so we huddled together for a few minutes. I thought she was asleep when I felt her hand in mine. "Brad, can I ask a favor?"

"Sure. Anything I can give you or can do for you I will."

"Don't be so hasty until you hear me out. I'm scared, Brad. Real scared that we may not make it out of this valley alive. No, don't try to comfort me, just hear me out."

She went quiet for a second. "I'm nineteen years old, Brad. Most gals my age have been married by now and most got a young'un or two. I've never known a man. If I die, I don't want it to be as a virgin. Just once I want to feel what it's like to have a lover. Will you do it?"

I didn't know what to say and before I could gather my thoughts she was on me, her lips on mine and her tongue trying to get into my mouth. She reached down and grabbed the front of my pants with one hand and my other hand with the other, putting it firmly into her full breast.

It might have been the desperation of our circumstances but I soon gave up pretending to fight. I got her shirt open and was mauling her while she wiggled out of her pants. She rolled me over on top of her and nature took it's course. There was a sharp hiss when her hymen broke but it didn't take her long to start moaning. Realizing she was making a lot of noise she grabbed her shirt and bit down on it as I pumped. I tried to last as long as possible but she was steaming hot and tight as a vise. She peaked right before I unloaded, letting out a long moan. We fell apart gasping for breath.

Later as she snuggled to me she asked if she did all right. I kissed her and told her honestly she was the best woman I'd ever bedded. I could feel her smile on my neck. Two hours later she woke me up ready to go again. I got up and checked first and then I grinned. If I was going to die doing it while I was making love to a woman wasn't a bad way to go.

The second round was as intense as the first. When it was over I tried to talk but she put her put her fingers to my lips. "Now's not the time to talk. If we survive this we'll be having a serious discussion. I want you to know I have feelings for you Brad Walters. I don't know how you feel and I don't want to right now. You can tell me when it's over."

I woke up just before daylight and she was gone. "Thank you" was scratched in the dirt.

Running out of options, I decided to hide in plain sight. I slipped into the cave we'd used as shelter for the horses when we first got there and eased through the door we'd built into our cave, trying not to dislodge too much of the mud. I came out in the storage room, slipping through the back door and into the general cave. We'd explored it several times and there was a little alcove about eighty yards back that had an airhole and a little spring trickling out of the rocks. There was also a narrow shaft that went to the top of the ridge just above the entrance to the cave. It was tight, but I could get through it if I had to.

I hid for eight days. Sometimes I'd slip into the storeroom and listen. They had reopened the mine and had a crew of 24 mining nonstop. The gold was piling up and Hill was anxious to take it out but knew he had to take care of the other Walters brother before he could. One of his new men was a little skeptical.

"You forget I'm from Texas, Bart. I know these people. Their father is a Captain in the Texas Rangers. One of their brothers is an Arizona Ranger. Another is a county sheriff. His mother has family im Mexico and Bradley Walters is one of her brothers' favorite nephews. A very rich and powerful uncle. When they find out they're gone and the circumstances of their death they could have a few hundred riders descend on us like Angels Of Death. You need to keep that in mind. Might want to hire a few more boys if you can get them."

Hill wasn't impressed. "They're just men. They can die like everyone else."

"Think so? Brad's the baby of bunch besides his sister. How many men have you lost so far? Twenty? Thirty? And you still ain't real sure the Walters boy is dead."