Looking to the Future, page 10
They rode hard for almost two miles before they spotted riders. They were in a gaggle instead of columns.
Charley was huffing hard and throwing lather.
Wes reined him back to a canter and looked more closely at the approaching Rangers. The horses were walking. “Aw damn it.”
Pinchot slowed too. “What’s wrong?”
“Corporal Connolly in the lead. Corporal Edwards in the rear. Both with their carbines out.” He paused, then pointed. “See those pack horses toward the back?”
Pinchot frowned. “Yeah. But they didn’t take pack horses did they? We don’t usually—”
“Those are bodies.” Wes spat to one side.
“Aw man.”
“They were ambushed.”
As the group came nearer, Corporal Connolly raised his carbine and waved.
Wes kept watching, counting.
Connolly and Edwards are all right. And Lawson’s there. And Stanton. Siler’s there. And Dramon.
“The pack horses used to belong to Eli Sanders and Sam Britten.” He put his heels to Charley’s flanks and walked him forward to meet Corporal Connolly.
As Connolly stopped, Wes said, “Sorry, Jim. Ambush?”
“Yeah. A few in that brush you talked about, most up in the rocks. Sanders and Britten.” He paused. “Everybody okay in town?”
Wes nodded. “I left Stilson with the captain. Four Crows visited. Pretty big, but mostly show. We hoped it wasn’t a diversion.”
“Yeah, well....” He put his heels to his horse. “Anyway, we better get ‘em on home.”
Wes nodded. “Yes sir.” He reined Charley around and fell in alongside Connolly, then waved to get Pinchot’s attention.
Pinchot rode up alongside him. “Yes sir.”
Wes handed Ramón’s carbine over to him. “Go back and either relieve Corporal Edwards or ride along with him.”
Pinchot nodded and rode off without speaking.
Chapter 23: The Aftermath
When Ranger Stilson walked into the dining room of the Amarillo Inn, the captain had just reached to grab the foot of the dead Comanche who’d come in through the busted window. He straightened and frowned. “Stilson? What are you doing here?”
“Sorry, Cap. Corpor—I mean, Ranger Crowley told me to get my horse, but to stay back here with you. He took Pinchot with him.”
“Did they ride east?”
“Yes sir. That was his intention.”
Still frowning, the captain put his hands on his hips. “And what else did the inimitable young corporal have to say?”
Stilson couldn’t suppress a grin. “He said if the captain doesn’t like it, I should just stay out of sight.”
The captain only looked at him for a moment. “Well that’s not a very good start to his career as a corporal, is it? Directly superseding my orders?” Then he laughed. “You don’t have to answer that. I’m the one who’s promoting him, so I suppose I’m only getting what I deserve.”
He gestured toward the dead Comanche. “Well, as long as you’re here, help me drag this man out, would you? And how are you with a hammer and nails? After we get this man outside, I want to find some boards and cover that window so Manuel can—”
Manuel Ortega was coming through the door. “The window will be covered shortly, capitan. I have a few men on it. Also, I have already sent a telegram to a place I know. In a week or so we will have a new window.” He grinned. “But one with many smaller panes.”
The captain nodded. “Thanks, Manuel. Gracias. Anyway, I’m sorry about—”
Manuel put up one hand. “You are not responsible, capitan.”
“Perhaps, but—”
“I do not believe you invited them. Such things happen in a town on the edge of civilization.”
“Well, I do appreciate that.” He gestured again toward the Comanche. “We’ll have this guy out of here in a minute.”
Manuel grinned as he nodded. “That much, you may do. Y gracias. But now I must see to other things.” He turned and left.
Moments later, the Comanche from the dining room lay next to his colleagues on the boardwalk.
With nothing else to be done immediately, the captain said, “Well, the office awaits.” And he stepped off the boardwalk.
Stilson stepped off the boardwalk too.
The captain turned around and shook his head. “No, Jack. I need some time. I’ll be fine. Take some time yourself. I’ll see you at supper.”
“Yes sir.” He walked inside, borrowed a chair from the dining room, and sat on the boardwalk. Crowley said to safeguard the captain.
* * *
By the time the small troop of Rangers entered the east end of Amarillo, the town was relatively settled again. The boardwalks and streets had been cleared of the few Comanches who had been killed, and some men were busy nailing the last couple of boards over the space created by the crazy Comanche who’d crashed through the window.
Corporal Connolly called the group to a halt in front of the Ranger headquarters. He glanced back at Blake Stanton. “Hey, Blake, could you and Slate take Sanders and Britten over to the undertaker for me?”
Slate Lawson and Blake both nodded. Blake said, “Sure thing.” They both turned their horses and walked them back to where the bodies were draped over the saddles. They took the reins from Siler and Dramon.
Corporal Edwards put his carbine in his scabbard. “Pinchot, you, Siler and Dramon go on to the stable, then head over to the Inn and clean your weapons. We’ll be over directly.”
Ranger Pinchot said, “Yes sir,” then looked at the two newbies.
Both of them looked a little haggard. Tom Siler was watching as Blake Stanton led Sanders’ and Britten’s horses around the corner to the southeast.
Quietly, Pinchot said, “Hey, Tom, things just happen, that’s all. It’s why we train so hard.” His horse shifted under him. “C’mon guys, let’s go take care of our animals.” He put Ramón’s carbine in his saddle scabbard. “I gotta remember to return this to Ramón too.”
As the three of them rode out, Edwards edged his horse closer to Connolly and Crowley. “Hey, Wes, is Mac around?”
Wes frowned. “Y’know, I haven’t seen him. Haven’t even thought of him really.” He paused. “I’ll be damned. Far as I know, he must’a slept through the whole thing.”
“Well, go check. If he’s over there, wake him up. The captain’ll probably want both of you to sit in on this debriefin’. We’ll wait.”
Wes nodded, dismounted and whipped Charley’s reins around the hitching rail, then started across the street.
How in the world could he have slept through all that? And how did I not notice he wasn’t around earlier?
Upstairs, he pounded on Mac’s door. “Mac, wake up! We got a meetin’ with the captain.”
Mac’s voice came faintly from inside the room. “When?”
“Right now!” Wes tried the door but it was latched. He said, “I’ll wait downstairs, but hurry up.”
* * *
Inside Mac’s room, Marisol Martinez was propped up on one elbow on the bed. She frowned at Mac, who had just bounded from the bed as if he was on fire. “I thought you had the whole day off.”
As he tugged on his pants, he said, “Well, I did, but I guess I don’t now.” He sat on the end of the bed and pulled on his boots, then grabbed his shirt from the foot rail and tugged it on.
“Did something happen?”
He looked at her and frowned. “Now how in the world would I know?”
She smiled. “I think I could have slept through a tornado. Will you come back when—”
“No. You’d better get dressed and head back to your place. I’m not sure what’s going on. I’ll try to get by to see you later, okay?”
She sat up, frowned again, and crossed her arms. “Or perhaps you should not bother!”
He put on his hat. “Now Mari, I’m a Ranger. When the captain calls, I gotta go.” He spread his hands. “But I don’t know what it’s about. I promise.”
She smiled again and canted her head. “Well... perhaps you can come for supper. If you can make it. And if not, then I will see you when I see you.”
“Okay, that’s good.” As he reached for his gun belt hanging over the bed post, he bent to kiss her.
She turned her head.
He kissed her on the part on top of her head. “Sorry. I gotta run. I’ll talk with you later. ‘Bye.” And he unlocked the door and ran out, buckling his gun belt as he went.
Mac almost tripped on the stairs, but he caught the railing.
Wes was standing at the front door, his back to Mac, his arms crossed, looking through the window.
“Hey Wes, what’s the big rush?”
Wes turned around, his arms still crossed. “You slept through the whole thing? How?”
“What thing?”
“Four Crows came to town.”
“Oh he did not!”
Wes nodded. “I even got a shot at him, but he was just out of range, as usual.”
Mac’s eyes went wide. “Was there an attack?”
“Well he didn’t stop by for a social visit. Damn Comanches all over the place.”
“Why didn’t you come get me?”
“Come get you? Mac I didn’t even think about you. We were a little busy down here. Anyway, I’ll tell you about it later. We gotta go.” He turned and opened the door.
Catty-corner across the street, Connolly and Edwards were standing beside their horses, talking.
As Wes and Mac stepped off the boardwalk, Wes said, “Captain wants us in on the debriefin’.”
“Debriefin’ for what?”
Quietly, Wes said, “For one thing, we lost a couple guys. When we—”
“Who?”
Wes raised one hand. “When we get in there, just be quiet and listen. You’ll find out.”
As they approached Connolly and Edwards, Mac said, “Hey guys, I’m really sorry. I was—”
Corporal Connolly put up one hand, palm out. “It’s all right, Mac. Let’s just go inside and get this over with.” He and Edwards stepped up on the boardwalk, and Mac and Wes followed.
Chapter 24: The Debriefing
When Corporal Connolly opened the door, the captain was sitting at the far end of the long table. He looked up. “Hi Jim.” He craned his neck. “Oh, I see you brought our new corporals with you too. Good idea.” Then he frowned. “Mac, where were you when all the fun was going on?”
Mac whipped off his hat. “Sorry, Cap. I was sound asleep. I didn’t know anything about it. And we lost a couple of guys?”
Wes elbowed him in the ribs.
The captain stood up so fast his chair bumped the wall. “What?”
Corporal Connolly said, “Yes sir. I was gonna tell you. Eli Sanders and Sam Britten were both killed.” He paused. “I had Lawson and Stanton take ‘em over to the undertaker.”
Barely above a whisper, the captain said, “Jesus!” He dropped into his chair.
A moment later he looked up and gestured. “Everyone, please have a seat.” He paused. “Apparently we have a lot to discuss.”
As Wes sat, he said, “Cap, it’s like you said over in the dining room. About hoping for their sake the thing to the east was only a diversion?”
“You heard that?”
“Yes sir, and I thought the same thing. And when I saw Four Crows outside, I was sure of it.”
“Four Crows was here? Jesus, what else do I not know?”
“Yes sir. He was directing everything.”
Edwards said, “No doubt from a safe distance.”
Wes looked at him. “Yep, just outta range. I hit close to him though. Five feet farther and—”
The captain said, “With your revolvers?”
Wes nodded, then mimed elevating the barrels.
The captain shook his head, then looked at Corporal Connolly. “But two of your men were killed. Obviously the attack here was the diversion. So tell what happened out there?”
Connolly said, “Straight up ambush, sir. My fault.”
The captain frowned. “How so?”
“After we passed the arroyo that Wes mentioned yesterday, a few Indians popped up in that same brush there at the base of the hills. But only a few. Three I think. Maybe four. So I decided we’d charge them. I figured maybe we could capture a couple, get them to tell us about the pass and the hidden arroyo.”
“And?”
Corporal Edwards picked up the story. “The hillside right above them and the hillside to the east both came alive, Cap. I mean one second it was only those three in the brush, and the next second there was a Comanche comin’ out from behind every rock. Must’a been thirty or forty of ‘em.”
The captain arched his eyebrows. “Thirty or forty?”
Connolly said, “Yes sir. That’s what I saw too.”
Wes shook his head. “Good lord.”
Connolly said, “Maybe more. It looks like Four Crows has filled-out his ranks. Plus, I think almost all of ‘em had guns, same as us. Mostly revolvers plus a few carbines.”
The captain said, “Damn. Well, it looks like we’re in for a time.” He glanced at Crowley. “Wes, you want to fill them in on what we had here?”
“Sure, Cap. I think we killed six or seven but—”
The captain said, “Excuse me, but did you get any kind of a count in total?”
Wes shook his head and put up one hand. “Only a good guess, sir.” He looked at the others. “I figured we had only twenty or so here in town, maybe less. Most of them were riding a long oval, up one side of Main then back up the other side. ‘Course there was a lot of dust and yahooin’ and all that, so there might’a been more. But not more’n twenty I think.”
The captain nodded. “That’s about how many I counted through the window.”
Mac said, “Just enough to make a ruckus.”
The captain said, “Exactly.” He looked at Connolly and Edwards. “We were still in the dining room. Wes had just sat down to eat breakfast when it started. Pinchot and Stilson and I were keeping him company. The Indians tried to make it look like an all-out attack, but Pinchot and I both kept seeing the same horses going past the window. Well, in the midst of everything else.”
Wes nodded. “It was a diversion. Had to be. They messed with us a little. Kept us busy. But what they really wanted was you guys who were out in the open.”
The captain looked at Edwards and Connolly. “Anything to add? How’d you get out?”
Connolly said, “We just turned tail and rode the hell out of there, Cap. When we got to the road, Ranger Stanton yelled that Sanders and Britten weren’t with us. Only their horses.
“He reined around to go back and get ‘em. I told him to wait, but he pointed and said they were leavin’. I looked, and it was true. They were. Quick as it started, it was over. Both hills were empty except for maybe five or six Indians on each hill, and they weren’t even lookin’ in our direction. They were toppin’ out and goin’ down the other side. I guess they figured killin’ two Rangers was enough.”
The captain nodded, then sighed. For a moment, he was silent.
Finally, he laid his palms on the table. “All right. We’ve lost two men. Not to sound crass or unfeeling, but we still have a job to do.” He paused. “And we’re still almost at full strength.”
He looked at Connolly. “Sergeant Connolly, I’d like you and Sergeant Edwards to come up with a plan for a series of patrols. Overlapping patrols if possible, to cover the panhandle to the north and east.
“I would rather that no patrol will last longer than two days out and back. And every patrol will have at least two men, three when possible. Include me in the rotation if you need to.” He paused. “Oh, and you can bring these two baby corporals into the planning if you want.”
Connolly grinned. “Yes sir, we can do that. But Cap, you do remember we ain’t sergeants yet, right?”
“Yes, I remember. But by damned you will be by next week if I have to ride to Austin to get the damn warrants myself! You’d think we were at the end of the earth out here!”
Wes said, “No sir, but we are in Amarillo.”
The captain eyed him and nodded. “Point well taken, Wes. Point well taken.” He patted the table with his palms again. “All right, gentlemen. Thank you for the debriefing. You are excused. And I suppose I have a couple of condolence letters to write.”
* * *
Outside, Connolly and Edwards mounted their horses and started toward the livery stable.
Wes and Mac stepped off the boardwalk and started toward the Inn.
Mac said, “Where we goin’?”
“I’m goin’ to the bar. I’m gonna have a few whiskies and then maybe run a rag over my Colts. I suspect you need to go find that woman you had locked away in your room. Make sure she’s still talkin’ to you.”
Mac’s eyes grew wide. “You were listenin’ at the door? Damn it, Wes, I—”
Wes frowned. “No I wasn’t listenin’ at the door. I just know you. You never lock your door, so I figured you had a girl in there. I just hope it was the right one. Mary somethin’, isn’t it?”
“Marisol Martinez, but—”
Wes grinned. “And now I know you had a girl in there.” He chuckled. “And I know she’s probably mad at you because, like I said, you’re you. And like I said, I know you.”
Mac scowled and wagged a hand. “Oh, to hell with you, Crowley.”
Wes laughed. “Now that’s a long trip.”
“Not from Amarillo it ain’t.”
“Well, buy me a drink first anyway.” He clapped Mac on the back. “Ain’t you glad I’m back?”
Chapter 25: Four Crows, and Troublesome Thoughts
As Wes and Mac stepped up on the boardwalk in front of the Amarillo Inn, some fifteen miles north of Amarillo, Four Crows kept watch to the south. He was sure there would be no pursuit today, though, and he was relaxed.
The braves remaining from the attack on Amarillo were filling their water bags at the south bank of the Canadian River. Soon the river would turn northeast and make its way across the panhandle and into Indian Territory.
Indian Territory. What a foolish name. Soon it will all be Comancheria again.
