Trego, page 8
I rolled that over for a little bit, then said, “Yep, I guess you’re right. But the reason some people use fancy words is just to impress people. That’s not being honest, it’s not who they really are. We want to be careful about that.” I said.
“Yes, of course. Pride and ego can lead to a crash. Thinking more of ones self than is necessary can lead to a person like Evan Blythe.” Brie said.
“Yes, that’s a good example to remind us to practice humility. And if I ever start to get a big head, its your job to deflate me, sweetheart.” I said, as I bent toward her and kissed her.
“Oh, you don’t have to worry about that, I will. In more ways than one.” Brie said.
I thought, ‘more ways than one’. What did that mean. Then it hit me, “Oh, you’re a naughty one aren’t you?” I said.
Brie giggled, “It took you long enough to get that. For a minute I thought it went clean over your head.” She giggled again, then spurred her mare into a run. I held Jim back, just enough to let her get a good start, then I relaxed the reins, Jim jumped forward. The jump forward set me back in the saddle a little bit, just enough so that the shot missed me.
I heard it buzz by my ear, I bent forward in the saddle, making myself less of a target. Brie heard the shot and reined around. I motioned for her to keep riding. Out of the side of my eyes I seen the smoke of the shot, Jim and I headed right for it on a dead run.
But when we got there, the shooter was gone. I dismounted and checked the dead fall that the shooter used for a rest for his rifle. There were tracks in the soft wet earth, the ground had thawed just enough to make them stand out. As I was checking them Jake and Brie came up. “I thought I told you to keep riding?”
“Yeah, like I would.” She said, as she also dismounted. Jake came over by me, I patted him on the head. “Hey, old buddy, sniff around here and see if you can get his scent.” I told him. He was busy doing just that.
Brie seen something and leaned over and picked it up. It was a cigarette butt. She held it up. “I haven’t seen too many of these.” She said.
“Yeah, it’s a Mexican habit. The vaqueros in California smoke them. And look here, see that boot print, the way the toe is more pointed; than what most guys around here wear. I seen on one of my trips, the vaqueros have boots that are pointed, they said it was so they could get them in the stirrup quicker and better.” I said.
She poked around some more, “Here is where his horse stood, look at the shoe prints, the horse is wearing ice shoes. She how the shoes have extra traction bars on them?” Brie said.
“That’s unusual, that is if he was from the southern climates. Of course he could have had them put on in Colorado. I think there are a lot of Mexicans living there now.”
Jake was pawing at something on the ground, I went over, it was a shell casing. I picked it up, it was a 30-40 Krag. The Calvary used them, that is if I remembered right.
“There sure are a lot of inconsistencies.” Brie said, then added, “the cigarette butt, the pointed boots, say Mexican. But the shell casing and the ice shoes, show he was familiar with cold weather. And the gun, he came in contact with the Calvary somewhere.”
“Yeah, an intermeshing of cultures. But isn’t that what this country is all about?” I said. We mounted up and followed his trail, it lead toward town. The shadows were getting long. So much so, that they were starting to disappear into the twilight.
It was full dark when we got home, I unsaddled the horses and fed them. While Brie went into the house. I still had my rounds to do. I stopped at my Uncle’s place and told them about the girls coming to town on the morrow. There were more than happy to have them.
I went to the livery. Henry was feeding. As I came through the door, he looked up. “Hi Trego,” he said, by the tone he was happy to see me. “Just doing your rounds?” He asked.
“Yeah, I guess Henry, how’s business been?” I asked.
“Good, this sure beats farming,” he said.
“Oh, your business has been picking up, huh? And I don’t mean the manure.” I said with a laugh.
“Yep, I’ve had three new customers the last couple of days. One just came in about twenty minutes ago.”
“Oh? Which horse was he riding?” I asked.
“This Dun over here, he’s wearing ice shoes. Most guys don’t want to pay the extra money for ice shoes, so you don’t see too many horses with them on.” Henry said.
“Did he happen to mention his name?” I asked.
“Nope, didn’t ask either. He’s an Apache, I could tell, I spent some time in Arizona. All he did was grunt when I asked him how long he was staying and whether he wanted his horse to have corn or oats.”
“Did you see what direction he went?”
“Yep, sure did. He’s over at the saloon.” Henry said. As I walked toward the saloon, I told myself, that I should just go home and make love to my wife. Of course I didn’t. But him being an Apache answered some questions; like where he picked up the habit of cigarette’s and of course the 30-40 Krag: The cigarette’s from his associations with the Mexican’s and the rifle from fighting against the Calvary.
I was just about to go in the saloon door, when Brie grabbed my arm. “What the hell?” I said, as she swung me around. “No you don’t.” She said, “I know he’s in there, you’re not going in without me.”
“And just how do you know he’s in there.” I asked.
“I just do, woman’s intuition. So if you’re going in, so am I.” Her jaw was set.
I thought about what Henry told me about two others who had showed up in the last couple of days. Could they be in there with the Apache? I didn’t want to take the chance of Brie getting hurt. “Please Honey, go on home. There might be more than just him in there. Henry said two more strangers have come to town. You might get hurt.”
“Shit! Tre`, you know I can shoot just as good as you can. So don’t give me that malarkey.”
I stood there, thinking. She was right of course. I thought about an old saying, “he who hesitates is lost.” I knew the time was right, never let an enemy outflank you. I nodded, “Alright, when we go in, pull your hat down to hide your face, with your long coat they won’t be able to tell that you’re a woman.”
We opened the door and went in. Hell, she did just the opposite. She pushed her hat back to show her hair and pretty face. She also swept her coat tails back to show that she was wearing jeans. And of course clear her gun.
All eyes turned toward us. The locals looked and then turned their eyes away. The Apache was setting at a corner table with two other guys. We went to the bar and turning our backs to the bar we leaned against it. We both stared at the three at the corner table. They were watching us also.
I pulled my riding coat back to show the star on my vest; and to clear my guns for action. Everybody seen what was going on, they scrambled to clear the line of fire. I took one step forward, “anytime your ready.” I said looking at them. All three of them stood up.
The Apache and the guy on the right were ready, but the guy on the left said, “Hell fire man, that’s Trego. Count me out, I’m not going up against Trego. I can’t match him. And that woman looks like she knows what she’s doing. Trego, don’t shoot at me, I’m out of it.” He held his arms up and backed away. But for some reason, I didn’t believe him. I seen that ploy before. It was a diversion so we would take our attention off of him, then when we got busy with the other two, he could draw and shoot without being shot at. He was the most dangerous of all.
I whispered to Brie, “keep your eye on him, I’ll take care of the other two.”
I was counting on the western code of chivalry, that they wouldn’t shoot at a woman, unless she was shooting at them. But with the Apache, I knew the code didn’t apply to him. But the other guy was of European decent, he would shy away from killing a woman. The Apache’s look was one of pure hate. What did he have against me? Then it hit me: We Blackfoot called him: Koko Sinopa or Night Fox in English. He usually killed by night. He was known through out the west as a hired murderer.
I had foiled his attempt to kill a rancher over at the four corners. I had put a bullet in him one night, but he got away. No wonder he hated me. I whispered to Brie again, “the Apache is going to try and kill you first, he knows that you are my woman.”
I had no sooner than finished, than they drew. He was fast, but not fast enough. My first shot caught him between the eyes. I turned my attention to the other one as soon as my bullet left my right hand pistol. My left hand gun bucked, the other one went down. I heard Brie shoot, just once. The guy who said he didn’t want any part of it, was laying there with his pistol in his hand, dead.
“You were right Honey, as soon as it started he went for his gun.” Brie said.
I looked at the crowd, “I know you all seen them draw first, didn’t you?” They all nodded as one. But what I didn’t like was the look on their faces; it wasn’t one of complete horror, but close to it. And I really couldn’t blame them; for at times I looked at myself with the same look.
Doc Hoeffer had been setting at the far back of the room. He came forward; “Damn Trego, you sure make a mess. I know, I know it wasn’t your fault, but you seem to be a magnet, just drawing this type of riff-raff to try and kill you. And now your Wife has joined you, just what we need; two gunslingers, instead of one.”
I started to reply, but Brie laid her hand on my arm; “come on Honey, let it be, lets go home, Margaret has supper about ready.” As we reloaded our guns, the ambient didn’t get any friendlier. The crowd parted as we went toward the door.
Jake was waiting just outside of the saloon door. He whined softly, glad to see us. People sure were a contradiction, they wanted law and order, but without the mess.
I pondered the coincidence of the Night Fox showing up here, along with two other gunmen. I knew he had reason to try and kill me, but the other two were complete strangers. Of course the only common denominator was Evan Blythe!
As we came in the kitchen door, Caitie and Brona were in the process of taking platters of food into the dinning room for the boarders. They glanced at Brie, their eyes widening at the sight of Brie with her gun belt around her hips.
“We heard shooting, was that the two of you?” Brona said.
“Yes,” Brie replied, “some more of Blythe’s hired guns tried to kill both of us.”
“Well, we’re happy they didn’t get it done.” Caitie said. Then they scurried into the dinning room with the food. Margaret looked at us and said, “I suppose that you two want to eat in the kitchen?”
“Yes, I think we do. Simpler that way, we don’t have to make small talk.” I said. Margaret filled two plates and set them in front of us. She sat down and poured herself and us a full cup of coffee. “Well, tell me all about it?” She said.
We did so. Her look became contemplative, when I told her about Brie getting one of them. “So Brie, you’re pretty good with that pistol, huh?” She said.
“Yes, she is.” I said. “And thankfully so, or maybe I wouldn’t be here.”
“Not too many women can shoot,” Margaret said, “but can you toss a knife?” Then Margaret picked up a table knife from in front of her and with a flick of her wrist, the plain old butter knife stuck in the door jamb.” It vibrated back and forth.
“Where did you learn to do that?” Brie asked.
“I’ve been a cook in cow camps and also for lumber jacks. You have to learn a few things in order to survive.” Then she got up and took the coffee pot into the dinning room. Brie and I looked at each other. I got up and went to pull the knife out of the wood. It was stuck deep, I had to work it back and forth to get it out.
“Did you notice she did that with just her wrist action and not her whole arm?” Brie said.
“Yeah, I guess years of lifting pots and pans of food around, her wrists must be strong. How old do you think Margaret is?” I said.
“I don’t know for sure, late forties or maybe even fifty.”
“Well, I think we ought to give her a raise. You know another thing I noticed about her, she doesn’t have any fat on her. She looks like she’s all muscle.” I said.
The three of them had just came back into the room, “Who’s all muscle?” Brona asked. Brie smiled and said, “Trego, right between his ears, he’s all muscle.”
Caitie smiled and said, “I bet that’s not the only place he’s all muscle.”
“Alright, enough about my husband, the three of you can lollygag all you want about him, but he’s all mine.”
Later that night a southwest wind was blowing warm. Brie and I stood by our window watching the moon and stars. Brie was snuggled back up against me as my arms were around her naked breasts. She laid her head back on my shoulder, “Honey, I heard that their going to start burying all of the winter’s dead tomorrow. Plus also I guess those three from this afternoon. Do you think that there will be any trouble?”
“Trouble? Yes, probably, I think Blythe will try and stir up the people against us.” I said. She turned around and kissed me, “Come on, let’s go back to bed, I’m not done yet.” She said, as she grabbed me and led me back to bed.
Chapter Four
The day dawned bright with the spring birds singing in all of their glory. Brie was laying tight up against me, with her hair spilling across my face. I brushed her hair back and kissed her on her freckled nose. She opened her eyes and smiled.
Throwing the covers back, she stretched. “Well, what are we going to do today?” She said.
“I don’t know. I hate to get up and face the day. It does sound nice out there. But of course nature always does. It’s the people that can ruin it.” I said.
“Well, you’re people too. So I guess we’re partly to blame. I guess we just have to follow the golden rule: Do unto others, as we would have them do unto us.” Brie said, as she got out of bed and pulled the chamber pot from under the bed.
I sat up and watched her as she squatted over it, “Yeah, that’s what we have been doing; doing to them as they were trying to do to us. But we still get into trouble.” I said.
Brie stood up and stretching her arms high over her head, she bent and touched her toes. She did that about five times, then she said, “ I bet you can’t touch your toes?”
“Oh yeah, I can after I drain my bladder like you done.” I got up and used the pot, then I touched my toes, she pinched me on the butt. Of course that sat up a game of slap and tickle.
By the time we got down to the kitchen; breakfast was long over. Margaret was setting at the kitchen table sipping a cup of coffee. “Where is everybody?” Brie asked.
“The girls went to watch the burying. The whole town is up there, at the Cemetery.” Margaret said.
“Didn’t you want to go?” I asked.
“Nope, I’ve seen enough of them. Including my husband and two little girls; the fever took them five years ago.”
“Oh, we’re sorry, we didn’t know that.” Brie said.
“That’s alright, I’ve pretty much got over it, as much as one can anyway. I reckon I should get me another man, but sometimes I think they’re more trouble than their worth. Except of course on those cold winter nights. Sit down, both of you, I got your breakfast in the warming oven.”
As we were eating, I was watching Margaret. She was cleaning up the kitchen. She was wearing an old gingham dress. It fit her loosely. I whispered to Brie, “You know if she would dress better, I think she would look quite smart.”
“Oh, you do, do you? But yeah, I think you’re right.” Brie said in return, then, “Margaret, come set down, won’t you? We want you to buy yourself some new clothes. Some that fit better. We’ll pay for them. You can take the afternoon off, Tre` give her some money.”
“Why, I don’t need any new clothes, these do me just fine.”
“Oh yes you do. As the new manager of the boarding house, you have to dress the part.” Brie said.
“Land O Goshen, what in the world are you talking about?” Margaret said, with her hand to her mouth.
“I didn’t know I was going to say that myself, it just popped into my head. But yes, I want you to take over the boarding house. Hire yourself a new cook, if you want to. Or you can do both, its up to you.”
“Well what are you going to do?” Margaret asked.
“I’m going to be the new deputy for my husband.”
“Huh? You are?” I said.
“Yep, I am. My cover is blown anyway; they all know how I can shoot. No use to pretend. Besides I’m bored with it, running the boarding house that is.”
“Well, if you really mean it, I’ll do it. But I’m not going to hire anybody. Between both of the girls I think we can handle it.” Margaret said.
“Good, then all three of you will get a raise, of course, and part of the profits.” I said, looking at Brie. She nodded. I gave Margaret a hundred dollars. Her eyes bugged out. “That’s too much,” she said.
“Not really, the girls might need some clothes also.” I said. Then Brie and I got up and strapped on our guns. Of course Brie was wearing her pants. We went out to the barn and fed our stock. Caitie had already did the milking. Then we walked by my Uncle and Aunt’s house.
The Specter’s had already brought Jane and Mary. They were all setting around talking in Blackfoot. We didn’t stay long. We, left and went to the Marshal’s office.
We looked toward the cemetery, they must of pressed most of the wagons in town into service. Anyway, there sure were a lot of them up there. We started a small fire in the stove, just to take the night’s chill off.
I searched through the desk looking for a deputy’s badge, I found one and pinned it on my wife’s shirt. In the bottom right side drawer, was a small .32 revolver. Brie had seen it, “Oh, that’s cute, can I have it?”
I handed it to her. She checked it over, it was loaded, aren’t they all? There was a box of shells with it. She put the .32 in one pocket, the shells in the other. Well, at least she had a hide out now. It was around eleven in the morning. We spent an hour going through all of the wanted flyers. I had pinned Sam Benbow’s poster on the cork board. I found three more, the Night Fox’s and one each for those other two. All together, there was a total of three thousand dollar’s in reward for them. We filled out the paper work and put it aside to mail. No use letting the reward go to pot.
