The Reluctant Bounty Hunter

by S G Read

  ‘We have a tepee ready for you if you want it?’ Running Wolf said in broken English.

  ‘I have a cabin to take my wife to Running Wolf.’ Duncan answered in broken Pawnee.

  ‘You have been busy since you left Duncan Lee.’

  ‘I have Running Wolf, how have things been with you?’

  ‘I eat, I sleep, I hunt. You know how it is. You will share our food?’

  It was a question but it was also an order and Duncan did not have any other plans. He stayed put and ate with Running Wolf. He also slept in the tepee which had been prepared for him and Morning Sun but it was some time before they slept.

  They left at sun up for their cabin but Morning Sun was aware of someone following them and soon Duncan knew. Little Buck was following but Duncan did not worry about it. He was wondering if Little Buck would find the opening if they had already passed through it. They took the trail Duncan had approached the village from and turned right where the trails met near the stream. When Duncan pulled the creepers back Morning Sun was surprised but followed him inside without question. The creepers fell back and they walked through to the valley and on to the cabin. Duncan was intent in showing Morning Sun the cabin and forgot the following Little Buck. In truth the cabin was just four walls, a roof and a door but it would be warm in the winter when they had the range, he planned to buy. Morning Sun started tidying the cabin and threw the door wide open to freshen the air inside and it was then that Duncan remembered Little Buck. He walked back through the cave quietly and saw Little Buck go by without seeing the opening. Duncan was satisfied and walked back but he would have liked to watch Little Buck searching just to see how well disguised the opening was, when someone was searching for it.

  Back inside the valley he looked for a way up the sheer cliff to be able to see and above he saw another opening. If that went right through he could watch Little Buck’s progress from above but there was no way to climb up without making a ladder.

  That night they slept together in their cabin safe from prying eyes. Morning found Duncan making his ladder, when they finally woke. When it was finished he climbed up to the higher opening with his pistol ready but it was deserted. He walked inside and found it light enough to see to walk through but it not only had an opening directly over the trail but another one to his left which allowed him to see the stream and the trail which led away from it. He could also walk to the right but it was dark and he could fall into the opening they had used to get into the valley and he definitely did not want to get injured. When he looked out on the trail by the stream he saw Little Buck come round the corner following the trail they had used yesterday, he was still looking.

  ‘I wonder how long it will take Little Buck to give up.’ Morning Sun said quietly from behind Duncan.

  ‘I must learn to creep about like you Morning Sun.’

  ‘It will come with practice Duncan Lee.’

  ‘The more he looks, the more I feel this place will never be found.’

  ‘You found it.’

  ‘I did but if I seal this end with canvas made to look like rock, there will be no wind to give it away and anyone who finds the opening will find just a cave.’

  ‘I will be interested to see that Duncan Lee, food is ready.’

  Duncan spent a week with Morning Sun in the cabin, making love and eating the food she cooked on the fire outside the cabin. He chose to go into town for a bed and a range after a week as the hard floor in the cabin was not getting any softer, despite the hay they put on it. He had to admit he was not getting any younger. Before he went through the cave he climbed his ladder and carefully looked about for anyone nearby. As he looked he saw Little Buck turn the corner coming from the track which led to the Indian village. Duncan smiled and watched him ride by trying to read track as he went. When he had passed the cave opening and was far enough along the trail Duncan led his horse through the opening and caught Little Buck up.

  ‘Good morning Little Buck.’

  ‘I will find it Duncan Lee.’ Little Buck declared.

  ‘I know you will and then you will be welcome in my lodge.’

  ‘So you have a lodge.’

  ‘We do.’ Duncan answered without going into detail.

  ‘I will find it.’

  Running Wolf rode up surrounded by braves.

  ‘My son is not doing his duty.’ He said when he stopped next to Little Buck.

  Little Buck wanted to argue but thought better of it.

  ‘I know you set yourself a target my son and it is good to fulfil a promise to yourself but I must question your ability at this time.’

  ‘I know father but I will succeed one day.’

  ‘Today is not the day my son, come.’

  Little Buck rein his horse and left with his father leaving Duncan to ride into town alone. He stopped at the mercantile to buy a bed and a range. Both had to be ordered and he paid for them prior to them being ordered, to make sure the store keeper did not end up with both and no buyer, if anything should happen to him. Empty handed Duncan returned to the cabin, without seeing anyone as he did so.

  Apart from a hunting trip to make sure they could eat, Duncan and Morning Sun spent another week together in the valley, while he waited for the range and bed to arrive. At the end of the week Duncan rode into town to find that his bed was waiting for him. He hired a wagon and carted it out to the cabin carrying it through the opening in pieces. Morning Sun was excited to find out what it was but when she lay on it she did not like it, it was too soft. That night they christened the bed but after making love Morning Sun moved from the bed on the floor to sleep. This went on for three nights but on the fourth night she fell asleep on the bed after making love three times and did not wake until morning.

  A week later Duncan collected his range but this was going to be harder to get through the opening as it was heavy. He took off all the removable parts and carried them through but the rest had to be dragged through using poles as rollers and planks laid on the ground to make sure there were no marks left on the ground to show its passing. The planks and the rollers were paid for and they were stored for later, when Duncan was dragging the range over and into the cabin. He drove the wagon back to town and was talking to the store keeper when the sheriff found him.

  ‘The bank at Cedar Falls has been hit Mr Lee. The bank has a large reward out on the miscreants who did it.’ He reported.

  ‘Do you know who it was?’ Duncan asked.

  ‘The Gallagher gang did it and they have a healthy reward on their heads as it is.’

  ‘Do you have any....?’

  The sheriff produced the flyers Duncan was about to ask for.

  ‘I’ll keep an eye out for them on my travels.’ Duncan replied as he took the flyers.

  He filled his saddle bags with supplies and started back to the Valley. Once more he saw no one on the way back and slipped inside without anyone seeing him. He rode up to the cabinet and Morning Sun greeted him as if she had not seen him for months.

  Duncan spent the next few days up in the upper cave, watching the trail to see if the gang came his way. For two days he saw nothing but on the third day he saw riders picking their way along the trail and used his scope to find out if they were the gang who were suspected of robbing the Cedar Falls bank. He came to the conclusion they were and watched as they moved along the trail, until the unexpected happened, Little Buck rode out onto the trail. He still looking for Duncan’s lodge and he rode out without looking behind him as he was engrossed in the search. A sixth sense made him look round but by then the leading gang members had drawn their guns and were taking aim.

  Duncan took aim as Little Buck took flight. He shot the two leading riders in quick succession and readied to shoot the others. One fired at the retreating Little Buck and was ripped from the saddle by Duncan’s next bullet. With two of the gang left one rode down the trail by the stream while the other tried to turn and go back the other way. Duncan shot the man trying to turn then had to wait
until the man riding down by the stream appeared in a gap in the foliage. He was visible for just a few seconds but it was long enough for Duncan to shoot him out of the saddle. He watched the fallen men for movement but no one stirred and Duncan climbed down the ladder leaving the gun he had used smoking in the cave above. He rode out and down to the fallen men. As he collect the horses and loaded the dead men on to them, he heard a noise from the trail by the stream. His hand went to the butt of his pistol ready for action but Little Buck rode up with the man Duncan had shot by the stream on the man’s horse.

  ‘I thought you would want his body like you did before.’ Little Buck explained.

  ‘You thought right Little Buck.’

  ‘You saved my life again Duncan Lee.’

  ‘You might have made it.’

  ‘I might but I do not think so.’

  ‘I will take these into town or they will soon begin to smell.’ Duncan declared and linked the horses together, ready to go.

  ‘Goodbye Duncan Lee.’

  ‘Goodbye Little Buck.’

  He watched Little Buck ride of going back the way he had come before he himself started for town. He rode slowly and tarried long enough to make sure there was no sign of the opening as he went by it. On his journey back to town he saw no one but other eyes arrived to watch him as Running Wolf had sent an escort to make sure he arrived in town, when Little Buck had returned with the news of the shootings. Duncan did not know about the escort and this time they were not needed as Duncan made it into town without seeing anyone who openly wanted to take his prizes.

  The sheriff came out to greet him as he rode into town; he looked over the bodies and emptied the saddle bags of the bank’s money.

  ‘They’ll be glad to get this back.’ He acknowledged.

  The deputy took charge of the corpses as Duncan followed the sheriff into his office to fill in the paperwork. It did not take long and Duncan was soon on his way back to the cabin. His escort followed him back as far as the start of the trail but this time Duncan was aware of them. When they broke off he turned and waved to them as they rode away. He made sure he was all alone before he rode into the valley to the waiting Morning Sun.

  They spent the next few days moving the range out of the cave and into the cabin. He cut a hole through the wall high up to let the flue pass through; it then turned up to exhaust the smoke into the air above the cabin roof.

  As with the bed, it took Morning Sun a while to learn how to cook on the range and using the oven built into it. Duncan learnt some new words in Pawnee which he assumed he should forget again. After a few burnt meals the food began to start to come out better than cooking outside and Morning Sun started to like her new range.

  Chapter 2

  Life was pleasant in their valley with them able to visit the Indian village whenever they wanted to and Duncan went into town for supplies when they grew short. Morning Sun cleared ground to plant seeds when the time was right and Duncan bought the seed Morning Sun wanted. Duncan helped her clear the land where she needed help and soon they had plants growing although the rabbits caused a little trouble as they were abundant there and Duncan had to shoot them faster than they could eat them, to save the young plants as the rabbits seemed to get through whatever fence he put up to stop them. It was heartbreaking for Morning Sun to see her young plants devastated by the rabbits and she too killed a lot of rabbits, her way.

  Finally they were able to grow their crop and harvest it. Now Duncan had to build another building to store it in, some in sacks and others buried in straw to keep them fresh. Duncan bought fruit trees and Morning Sun planted them around her garden but it would be some time before they would bear fruit in enough quantity to be worthwhile.

  On his trips into town Duncan picked up any new flyers to see if anyone came his way but with the demise of the two gangs, things were quiet round the area and the locals were grateful for the respite, even though Duncan was now considered a bounty hunter. If they knew he only shot the bank robbers to save Indians they may not have been so grateful but he had no plans to go out looking for any more bad men. On the other hand, if they came his way they might cross swords.

  Little Buck still spent time looking for Duncan’s lodge but without success and he was still looking when he came of age and was declared a brave after passing his test of manhood. Now he was getting better at tracking and reading sign in anything.

  Duncan was sitting on the porch he had added to his cabin, which now boasted two rooms and a food store, a double bed, a range to cook on and a dog which had taken a liking to Duncan and followed him home; the first living thing to do so. The dog helped with the rabbits and they now stayed clear of the cabin and garden. He liked how things were going in their valley and he liked the fact that when he went into town he was sure that Morning Sun was safe from any harm, when she was inside the valley. A noise alerted him, it was a new noise which made the dog, a redbone lift its head where it lay at Duncan’s feet. There was no more noise but both Duncan and the dog moved to see what had made it. Duncan heard a horse riding down from the cave and assumed it was Little Buck. He took up a position to greet whoever it was in any way he needed to, including shooting them.