Riders of the Silver Trail

by Franklin D. Lincoln

  Colby and Murdock had taken advantage of the temporary attention on Rio and ran for the back door of the refinery. They were just disappearing through the open door when Clayton spotted them. He pushed himself to his feet and ran after them, cramming shells into his gun as he ran. He paused just inside and to the right of the door, peered out into the darkness. Looking for signs of ambush. He leaped through the doorway, pistol ready and landed on the grassy area between the refinery and the stamp mill. He looked to his right, there was a connecting gate. No way for them to get through there. He looked to his left. The valley was out there and there were riders with flaming guns. It would be futile for Colby and Murdock to run that way. That left the only way out, straight ahead into the darkened stamp mill. He moved to the closed door, stood to the side and reached out to try it. It was unlatched. He was sure they were in there now.

  With a quick reach he flung the door wide open. There were no gunshots. No sound from his quarry. They were waiting him out. Waiting to see his silouette framed against the outdoor light as he would come through the doorway.

  Bending low, Jack dived, hurling himself across the threshold and landing onto the earthen floor of the stamp mill. Flame belched from six guns and bullets pounded the wall over Clayton’s head. Jack rolled as he landed, coming up momentarily to return fire twice at the muzzle flashes. Then he rolled to the right twice and back to the left a half turn. He lay there, holding his breath, waiting, listening. Silence! Complete silence! He let moments tick away. He waited. Nothing! Dare he move? If he hadn’t gotten them, and he was sure he hadn’t, they were at a standoff. Someone would have to make the first move. Clayton decided, he would have to make it.

  He reached into his cartridge belt and retrieved a bullet. He let it fly across the room to his left and it clattered against something he couldn’t see. Again no return fire, no sound. Sweat beaded on Jack’s forehead. He knew they had to be up to something. Or had they gotten away? Was there another way out?

  Then with a deafening roar, the stamp mill came to life, the stamping die pounding in its shaft. Clayton’s attention seized on this momentarily, just long enough for a lantern to emerge from behind a partition, bathing him in its ominous glow. A pistol shot rang out from the other side of the mill. Clayton felt a burning slug across the top of his left shoulder as he pitched sideways, rolling into the shadows behind a pile of silver bullion bars, returning fire as he went.

  The lantern retracted behind the partition all went black again. Jack poured lead to the left of where he saw the lantern disappear. He heard a cry of pain and then the lantern rolled out into view, its glass globe broken and flame igniting the area around it. Flame quickly leaped into a monstrous fire, lighting the stamp mill brighter than day. Clayton could see Ace Murdock’s body stretched out on the floor where he had fallen out from behind the partition.

  Jack saw Colby on the other side of the mill taking aim at him. He ducked low just in time. Bullets spanged off the silver bars.

  Enraged by the futility of it all, Colby threw all caution to the wind and sprang from his hiding place to run toward the door.

  Jack raised up from cover, saw Colby running, his back toward him. “Colby!” Jack shouted lining his pistol at the outlaw’s back ”Stop! I don’t want to have to kill you!”

  Colby whirled, “Too bad, G-Man.” He fired point blank at Clayton. Jack squeezed his trigger at the same time. The thunder of the gunfire melted into the roar of the flames and the pounding stamp machine.

  Meanwhile, a horde of riders came to a sliding halt in the lantern lit yard of the refinery doorway, the firing in the valley had ceased. Tamara ran up the gray haired leader. Colonel Montrose was replete with all his glory as he had once again had the chance to lead battle. The others were quickly dismounting and pouring into the refinery. One man had run up to Francy and was helping her to her feet.

  “Jack is back there in the stamp mill.” She shouted running to the rear entrance. She reached it just in time to see the mill light up from the flames in side. She started forward, but was pulled back. The Colonel and his men and Tamara were right behind her. “It’s too late,” the Colonel said.

  They stood there, frozen in the heat of flame. No it couldn’t be happening. The fire was through the roof now, rafters were peeking through the flame and then a whole buttress collapsed into the center of the burning building, just as a shadowed figure outlined against the flame seemed to fly through the crumbling doorway and land at their feet just as the entire building crashed with a massive roar.

  Jack Clayton pushed himself to a half sitting position on the ground and looked up at his astonished audience. “Some people really burn me up,” he said glibly, running his fingers through his matted dark hair.

  ****

  CHAPTER 20

  AFTERMATH

  It was mid morning and sunlight streamed through the lace curtained windows of Colonel Montrose’s spare bedroom. The Colonel, Jack Clayton, Francy Jones and Tamara Wild were gathered around the bed. Mort Dooley was propped up on several pillows. The swath of bandages around his upper torso showed through the open neck of the borrowed nightshirt. His drawn face seemed more pinched than usual, but the old lawman was in good humor and there was a glint in his eye. “Lucky thing for me, that Rio polecat was a lousy shot.” He moved a little in the bed and winced . “Stupid fool should of checked to make sure I was dead instead of just a shoulder wound.”

  “Lucky for all of us,” Jack said. “We owe you a great deal, Mort.”

  “Aw shucks, I didn’t do nothing but get shot, fall off my horse, and lay there until the Colonel and the other miners came along.”

  “Just why were you there Colonel?” Tamara asked.

  “We were supposed to meet Mort on the trail anyways, but a little farther along. I had been with him most of the afternoon and had gone to get the other miners while Mort went to arrest Rio and the others.” The Colonel explained.

  “I guess I just don’t understand,” Tamara said. “I’m supposed to be the detective here and I haven’t got a clue as to what happened. It seems like I was just there in the middle of it all. What was this Dark Rider thing all about and what happened with Daggett?”

  Francy grinned, “When the Tait’s attacked us on the trail. The real Tom Ragan was killed and Daggett got away. Knowing he would go straight to Colby and blow Jack’s cover I went after him. I shot him from the hill above the mine.”

  “You shot him?” Tamara was puzzled. “I thought the Dark Rider shot him.”

  Jack chuckled, “The Dark Rider did shoot him?” He nodded toward Francy.

  “You, the Dark Rider?” An incredulous look on Tamara’s face. “Then it was you who stopped the attack on the Colonel and me the other night.”

  “That’s right.” Jack said. “As the Dark Rider, her job was to watch my back. Rio and I were the one’s who attacked you.”

  “What?” Tamara gasped.

  “Yes, I was supposed to kill you. I needed to fail. I had passed a note to Francy at the gaming tables to stay close to me that night. When she saw what we were up to, she took a hand and drove us off.” He grinned at Francy. “Supposedly. She didn’t hurt Rio much, just enough to back us off. For some reason she didn’t hurt me at all.”

  “Next time, Buster. Just give me a chance.” She giggled.

  “But the Dark Rider was around long before you two showed up. I saw you both get off the train together.” Mort Dooley interjected.

  “That’s right,” Francy said. “I was here for weeks, but nobody saw me when I was not the Dark Rider. I hid out in a shack just south of town. The black stallion was stabled there. I was working with another partner then. Another government man, Ramon Chavez. Mexican Government that is. Both our countries were working on the smuggling of silver out of Mexico into the U. S. We had a run in with Colby and his men and though I was able to rescue him, Ramon died of his wounds. My boss recalled me and I went back East to be teamed up with Jack. Jack had been reported k
illed and we dreamed up this scheme to replace Tom Ragan. Meanwhile, back here, Colby decided to take advantage of the Dark Rider’s lack of current activity and create his own Dark Rider to pin crimes on.”

  “So that’s why I was so confused as to who’s side the Dark Rider was on,” Mort mused.

  “One other thing, I’m confused about,” Tamara said to Jack. “You brought in Tom Ragan’s body dressed as the Dark Rider”

  “Yes,” Jack said . “When Daggett was shot, I was pretty sure Francy had something to do with it. I rode up into the hills and found her waiting for me. We rode back to the spot where the Tait’s had ambushed Ragan. Francy had instructed Mort and the Colonel to hide the bodies and wait for her to return. I then briefly explained to Mort who I was and asked him to go back to town and arrest Colby’s men. I instructed the Colonel to round up the other miners and meet Mort back in the same spot after dark. I wanted them to ride into the valley shooting and creating as much disturbance as possible. I didn’t know for sure what kind of situation I would have gotten myself into by then, but I was sure I was going to need help.”

  “And you stashed me under a dirty old tarp with those smelly bodies,” Tamara wrinkled her nose.

  Jack laughed, “Would you rather I had actually shot you?”

  She stuck her tongue out at him.

  “Would have served you right,” Jack cajoled. “You shouldn’t have let him catch you rifling his safe anyways. By the way,” he added. “Did you find anything incriminating?’

  She lowered her lashes and sighed dejectedly, “No. Just a bunch of papers. All mining business.”

  “Too bad,” Jack said. “I wish I could have taken someone alive. Someone who could have told us about bigger fish. I know Ragan knew someone he referred to as boss.”

  Then to Francy he said, “What about Daggett’s files? Did you find anything there?”

  “Well, I did find out who Ed Gordon’s partner in the mine was.”

  Jack’s interest peaked, he stared into Francy’s eyes that had now turned grim. He waited expectantly, not asking the question.

  “You’re not going to like this, Jack.” She said.

  ****

  CHAPTER 21

  FINAL CONFRONTATION

  The noonday sun shined brightly on the ornate brass door knocker. A strong bronze tanned hand reached for it, lifted it and slapped it against the striker three times. The hand released it and the visitor waited patiently for the heavy door to open.

  A moment, then maybe two and the door swung open. Sally Ballard’s blue eyes focused on the man in the doorway. “Good morning, Sally,” John Randolph said in his usual polite gentlemanly voice. “Is the Senator in?” He asked.

  “Why, yes, he is, Mister Randolph. Won’t you please come in.” She swung the big door wide open and stepped back to allow the Deputy Justice Director to step into the large vestibule of Senator Ballard’s magnificent mansion.

  He stepped in and removed his hat. “What a nice surprise.” Sally said. “Dad will be pleased to see you. Follow me won’t you please.” She gestured toward the hallway. “Dad,” she called as she started to lead. “Mister Randolph is here to see you.”

  The big man emerged from a room down the hall. He smiled broadly as he saw his old friend and stepped forward to meet him, extending his hand in greeting. They met and shook at the edge of the vestibule. “Good to see you, John,” the Senator said. “Tell me, what brings you here this fine day.” His words trailed off and his eyes darkened as his gaze passed over Randolph’s shoulder to see the man in the black broadcloth suit and black flat crowned Stetson step through the open doorway behind Randolph. Ballard’s jaw dropped.

  “Surprised?” Jack Clayton’s quiet voice said.

  “I..I thought you were..were..,”

  “Dead?” Clayton supplied, striding forward, his slate blue eyes level.

  “Y..yes,” Ballard stammered. “B..but how..? I mean,” He forced a nervous smile. “I’m so glad to see you, Jack,” he gushed as he hurried forward to meet the G-Man. He thrust out his hand.

  Jack stood stock still. He made no effort to take the Senator’s hand. His eyes were cold and accusatory. “Wh…what’s wrong, Jack? Don’t you know me?”

  “I know what you are, but I don’t know who you are.” Jack said steely. “But I know who you aren’t.” He waited a beat, letting the big man react. “You’re not Senator Joshua P. Ballard. In fact I’m sure you had him killed.”

  The big man’s face flushed red, anger seething. Sally rushed forward. “What are you saying? He’s not my father?”

  “Maybe he is and maybe he isn’t. It all depends on who you are.”

  “Why, I’m Sally Ballard. You know us. Don’t you remember how you rescued us from those kidnappers.?”

  “Oh, I remember, all right,” Jack said to Ballard. “It was a clever way for you to replace the real Senator. Be in Washington, have power, be in on privy information. Added believability, sanctioned by me.” Then added, “Planting the girl in our office was a stroke of genius. Nothing has gone right since. Everything I did, you knew about and put obstacles in my way. You were behind that arms deal with Alexander King down in Texas and the trouble in the Black Hills. I should have guessed it before now.”

  “You’re crazy Jack,” Ballard said. “Are you sure you’re all right. What’s happened to you?”

  “Give it up,“ John Randolph said with disgust in his voice. “We know that Joshua P. Ballard was partners with Ed Gordon in the Glory Hill Mine.”

  “Yes, I was. Ed was an old friend and I invested in his mine when he needed financing. What’s wrong with that? That doesn’t prove anything.”

  “The real Ballard was friends with Ed Gordon,” Clayton said. “He never concerned himself with operations of the mine. Once you took Ballard’s place, you sent Ben Colby out there to take over.”.

  “That’s preposterous! If I’m not Senator Ballard, then who am I?”

  “A power hungry would be despot out to satisfy your own greed, no matter what the cost is to others. Now , I don’t really care who you are. You say you are Senator Ballard. We can prosecute you as the Senator. It will send a message to Washington and other crooked politicians. By the way,” Jack added. “We got them all including Ragan.” He neglected to tell him they were dead.

  The big man went silent, just stared sullenly.

  “There’s U. S. Marshals outside waiting for you,” Jack said. Then to Randolph quietly, “John, would you tell them to come in?”

  Randolph nodded and strode toward the open door.

  “You’re not taking me, are you?” The girl demanded, a hint of hysteria in her voice. “If he’s not my father, I didn’t know it.” She angrily turned to the senator. ‘‘What did you do with my real father, you oaf?”

  “Nice try,” Jack said. “Won’t work.”

  Her eyes flashed with anger and she raised her arm to strike him, but was restrained by a gripping hand as one of the Marshals came up behind her. “That will be quite enough, Miss,” the Marshal said.

  Another Marshal stepped up to the big man and took his arm. “This way, sir,” He said leading him down the hallway behind the other Marshal and the girl. The big man, halted near the doorway, turned and glared at Clayton. “I’m not finished yet ” he growled. You haven’t seen the last of me. I’ll get yet you. I’m the biggest trouble you’ve ever seen.”

  “Then you’d better get a fast horse.” Jack replied calmly.

  Jack Clayton will return

  In

  Trouble Rides a Fast Horse