The Reluctant Bounty Hunter

by S G Read

  The other marshal there decided to join in and did the same while Duncan scanned the area in the box canyon. He rolled back when the man below did not shoot at the two other men, just in time to hear a bullet zing past his head.

  ‘The son of a bitch has it in for you Dunc!’ The other marshal declared.

  ‘I reckon he has Zeke but don’t go taking too many liberties. When he can’t see me he’ll have a go at you.’

  It turned into a game of cat and mouse with Duncan finding a new place to look from then moving before a shot arrived but the sniper was well hidden. By dark he had not spotted the sniper but neither had he been hit by the sniper. The youngest marshal was sent down for the sleeping rolls and they spent an uncomfortable night on the top of the ridge.

  Duncan spent time probing the area and found a soft area of rock he could make a hole through to spy on the sniper below, hopefully without being shot at. It after he had made his hole he look through the scope, even though it was dark now, to see if the idea worked. When he did he saw a glimmer from a cigarette on the rock below. He left the scope trained on the area and went to sleep.

  At first light they all awoke as a bullet knocked a boot up in the air where it was visible to the sniper over the skyline. The young marshal cursed as the boot fell all the way down to the bottom.

  Duncan glanced at his scope and it was still where he had left it and unmolested. He peered through it to see nothing but stayed looking through it at the same area until he saw movement. With the movement came the realization that he was looking at the sniper who was well camouflaged an under a ledge. Even the rifle barrel was painted so that it matched the rock as the sniper moved it slowly to sweep the ridge above for a target.

  Duncan waited until he started to sweep away from him and quickly attached the scope to the rifle. He set the sights and aimed quickly where he knew the sniper was and fired. He missed and had to duck back as a bullet was fired in answer at the puff of smoke from his barrel. He adjusted the sights but then removed the scope to watch the ledge again. The barrel stayed pointing at the spot where Duncan had fired from without moving as the sniper waited for the next shot.

  Duncan took the chance and moved to the other side of the ridge, located the ledge with his scope and refitted it to the rifle. Now was the critical moment, if the sniper was looking where he tried to fire from, Duncan knew he would end up dead but if he was still looking where he had fired from, assuming that Duncan was trying to wait him out, then he had a chance.

  He lifted the rifle, swung it over the ridge and aimed quickly, firing as soon as he was on target. He saw the sniper judder as the bullet hit him but the rifle barrel swung to fire where the puff of smoke was hanging in the air so Duncan had to swing the rifle back and keep his head down.

  ‘I put one into him but he is still going.’ He declared ad bullets zinged by.

  ‘Is he a cat?’ The young marshal asked. ‘Just how many times do you have to shoot the son of a bitch?’

  ‘It depends where I hit him.’ Duncan answered as he moved across the ridge below the skyline to look though his little peep hole. ‘I can see blood that helps to pinpoint him but he is on the move, had a back door to the ledge he was on.’

  The cat and mouse game continued as the sniper waited for dark to take up his new position and get rid of the tell tale blood.

  ‘He is probably patching himself up and covering up the blood stain then when it is dark he will take up a new position but I have a surprise in store for him.’ Duncan declared and lay watching the area until it grew dark.

  As soon as it was dark enough to appear on the skyline with out being seen He set up the rifle with the scope on it, loaded it and waited, sweeping the area below with the scope to try to see the bright end of a cigarette, should he be silly enough to light one. The glow from the cigarette showed and he fired at the area, loaded and fired again and again. There was no answering fire.

  ‘Did you get the son of a bitch?’ Marshal Taylor asked.

  ‘I have no idea. If he was sensible the cigarette was away from his body but my first shot was at the point when the glow increased and I am hoping he was taking a drag and paid for it.’

  They settled down to sleep on the ridge for a second night.

  ‘I sure hope we don’t have to sleep up here tomorrow.’ Marshal Taylor said wistfully.

  ‘It is alright for you marshal Taylor I have to climb down with one boot on.’ The young marshal declared.

  ‘No Zeke, you could climb down in your socks.’ Marshal Taylor retorted.

  ‘I could if I was wearing socks!’ The young marshal exclaimed.

  Which caused both men to snigger in the dark.

  At first light Duncan looked through his peephole at the area he had fired at. He could see more blood but no body and no sniper.

  ‘Damn, must be part cat!’ Duncan complained and swept the area for sign.

  There was blood lower down and he followed the trail until he came to the sniper but the rifle was pointing right at him. He rolled back out of the way in time for the scope to be blasted into the air and over the side of the rock.

  ‘That’s torn it.’ Marshal Taylor exclaimed.

  ‘I got a spare on my horse.’ Duncan exclaimed and they both looked at Zeke.

  ‘Look you have to climb down and get your boot sometime.’ Marshal Taylor explained. ‘And we are both to old to go down and back up in one day.’

  Zeke did not argue but started climbing. Duncan and Marshal Taylor could do nothing until he returned so they lay back to soak up the early warmth of the sun, later it would be relentlessly trying to bake them but they had a job to do. It took an hour for Zeke to climb down without a boot on one foot and about the same to climb back up with two boots on and Duncan’s scope in his pocket.

  ‘I saw the other one down there but it wasn’t worth picking it up but I did.’ He exclaimed as he gave both the spare scope and the damaged scope to Duncan.

  ‘Now at least we can continue with the scrap.’ Duncan answered and moved to the top of the ridge behind an outcrop of rock.

  He looked then moved, looked and moved but did not draw a shot. Instead of taking a longer look he continued with the look and move action to make sure he did not draw a shot until he located the sniper.

  ‘Lot of blood down there.’ He declared and did not move on. ‘Pass me over my rifle.’

  While they passed his rifle to him he did not take his eyes of the sniper below then he slipped out of sight, fitted the scope on the rifle and swung it to look. The sniper was gone.

  ‘Damn.’ He cried and ducked out of sight, just it time for the incoming shot to miss him.

  ‘Aint he ever going to die?’ Zeke complained.

  ‘Don’t look like it Zeke but I’ll get him in the right place sooner or later.’ Duncan answered.

  The cat and mouse continued during the day but with the sniper below visibly less mobile and more likely to try a snap shot when he was moving. To give him time to find a new position and cover the fresh blood. Duncan had to duck several times as a shot zinged by when he was not expecting it and when he suspected the truth he was quick to return the fire. The sniper then took to firing twice or three times in a row as he was moving to keep Duncan from firing back.

  As the sun grew hotter again Duncan wanted an end to it and chose to pop up and return every shot fired at him as quick as he could. With the sun traveling across the sky the shooting from below stopped but Duncan did not tarry when looking down below. He still moved, looked and then moved again. Finally he spotted the sniper when he took a quick look. The next look was in the same place and the sniper had not moved but it was still just a quick look and move. With no movement from the sniper many men would have had a long look but not Duncan. He moved to his first peephole but put the damaged scope in there looking roughly where the sniper was laying and left it there. Seconds later it flew off the ridge again.

  ‘Son of a bitch.’ Zeke cursed.

  ‘He’s
a sneaky one alright, must’ve shucked his duds and spread then out with a dummy rifle so I got to spot him again and this time in clean duds.’ Duncan sighed.

  They were joined on the ridge by another marshal during the afternoon.

  ‘We got to go for food and water Marshal Taylor and that will leave us short handed if they try to break out.’ He reported.

  ‘Zeke and I will come and stand a spot we can leave our food and water up here for you Duncan while you try to outwit that son of a bitch.’

  ‘I was thinking of moving to the lower ridge anyway, he will be easier to spot from there.’ Duncan answered.

  ‘Easier to get your head blowed off as well!’ Zeke declared.

  ‘There is that but I have tried every trick I know so far and failed to kill him.’ Duncan answered and they all climbed down together.

  The lower ridge was an easier climb for Duncan and he made sure he had the damaged scope with him as a decoy when he started up. Marshal Taylor and Zeke took up the positions left by the men who were collecting supplies, to make sure the gang did not escape.

  When he reached the top Duncan moved very carefully to make sure he did not draw fire from below then took a quick look at the sniper’s last position. He had moved and Duncan darted back out of sight. Not that a lot of him was in sight when he was looking. He took another quick look and saw the duds as he had called them but was surprised that it was in fact a dead man.

  -More than one sniper then- he thought and darted back.

  His quick looks found another dead man lying in the ledge and drew no fire but he still did not tarry. He changed position even though he had not drawn fire and looked again until he finally spotted the sniper but the sniper was doing exactly what he was doing with just the scope and they ended up looking at each other. The sniper waved then put the scope back on to his gun.

  -The dance begins again- Duncan thought as he slid out of sight and put the scope on his rifle.

  He moved to the other side slid the damaged scope in place with his coat holding it in place then scurried back to the others side. When a bullet hit the scope he swung the rifle over the ridge, found his target and fired. The sniper dropped forward and did not move. Duncan loaded his rifle and put another round into the sniper to make sure then scoured the area. He knew where the rifle was and that meant he could not be shot by it and he was out of range of other rifles.

  With no other threats to his wellbeing from the men below, Duncan took to watching the cabin through the scope. He kept it attached to the rifle so that when someone came out he could shoot them and that was just what he did to the first man who showed. Studying the area had shown him that the well was in front of the house and there was no way they could get water now.

  He took the time to look along the ridge where the sentries were posted and from where he was two were visible. He looked back to make sure no one came out for water and then shot one sentry. He checked again and then shot the second sentry.

  Now the marshal’s men could move forward and when they drew fire Duncan spotted the offender and even if he could not see him he made it too hot to shoot at the approaching men. If they chose to run they were shot and if they stayed the marshal’s men would get them. They chose to run as a group and Duncan shot two before they made cover but now they were on the rocks with no fresh water or food and the marshal’s men were better off. The men in the cabin were without water but Duncan knew they would try for some after dark. Just as he knew that the men on the rocks would come down when it was dark. The marshal knew the same and men started up the rocks to winkle out the men hiding up there.

  The men in the cabin made a dash for it as soon as they were high in the rocks and no longer a danger. They leapt on their horses and rode for freedom.

  Duncan killed one before he reached his horse and another when he rode away. He shot a third just before he reached the cover of the canyon wall and then his usefulness was over and he started back down the rocks.

  Marshal Taylor and the two men with him fired at the four men racing toward them but the men were firing at them as well. Two of the outlaws died and two made it through the canyon to freedom. One marshal was killed and Marshal Taylor was wounded in the shoot out.

  The men on the rocks were waved on and slowly the men were forced to the ground where the wounded Marshal Taylor and Zeke took them prisoner.

  Duncan joined them after it was all over and watched the prisoners while Zeke bandaged the marshal’s wounds. The other marshals climbed down to join the group and to plan the capture of the two who had fled. The prisoners were mounted with tied hands ready for the journey back to Bluegrass. The others decided who should take them and Marshal Taylor was one, he could make it home but he would not be much good in a fight. One other marshal accompanied him and the prisoners while the rest started after the two who fled.

  The trail was easy to follow. They were going as fast as they could to get as far as they could. The posse followed but not at the same speed. Three had seen them as they escaped and would know them again, so all they had to do was follow them until they caught up with them and then arrest them.

  When the sun started down, they camped and spent another night under the stars although now Duncan was sleeping on grass under his blanket which was softer than the ridge had been. They were up before first light and eating breakfast.

  ‘So how come that sniper had the lives of a cat Dunc?’ Zeke asked as he cradled his mug of coffee.

  ‘The answer is he didn’t, there were three of them and I killed them all one after the other.’ Duncan answered. ‘Been easier if I had known then I could have shot them as they tried to recover the rifle.’

  They left soon after when it was light enough to travel. At the first farm they came to they found two dead men and two played out horses. The dead men were not the fleeing outlaws but farmhands, who were trying to protect the stock.

  They rode on still able to follow the trail until they came to a border town. The trail led into town but two marshals skirted the town to see if they had come straight out the other side. Two rifle shots from the other side of town told them they had and the posse rode through town without stopping. They regrouped on the other side and rode on until the trail stopped in the next town. All they had to do was find the two outlaws and arrest them, if they did not resist arrest. As they were likely to hang back in Bluegrass, it was a fair bet that they would not go quietly.

  The two horses they stole were in the livery stable but no other horses had been taken so unless the men had taken horses from a hitching post they were still in town. With no complaint about stolen horses and no dead bodies visible, the posse split into three groups with each group containing one man who had seen the outlaws when they fled. Then they started searching the town quietly and methodically without arousing any suspicion or starting vigilante action.

  When they had searched all public places it was the turn of the private places and that was going to be difficult. They questioned everyone about the two men they were looking for. The two men would have been on foot and the men who had seen them described them when they asked. They had some luck. They found a man who had seen them going into a residential street. They came to the conclusion they were hiding in someone’s house.

  One group went one end of the street and the other two groups the other ready to search each house, with one group on each side with the third making sure no one went out the other end. The problem was searching houses where people lived was not easy. The men were likely to have guns pointed at loved ones when they were asking them if they had seen the two men, so that would not work but they had to make sure they found them before it grew dark.

  After a short discussion by the six men they watched the street for some sign of occupation by the outlaws. When someone came out of a house and walked past them without looking worried they assumed they were not in that house and after an hour they had accounted for half the houses. It was then they had their stroke of luck, a middle
aged woman walked from one house which they assumed was hers to one of the houses that was still a possible location for the outlaws. She knocked the door but was not allowed inside and the door did not open very wide. Eventually the woman walked away from the door and past where the six men stood.

  ‘Is everything alright maam?’ A Marshal asked making sure she saw his badge.

  ‘Fine, although it is a bit odd that little Tom and Liza did not want to come to the shops with me today, they love going into the shops with me.’ The woman answered.

  ‘That wouldn’t be because you buy them some candy?’ The marshal replied.

  ‘I am sure that has nothing to do with it!’ The woman retorted and walked away.

  ‘We might have found our house boys.’ The Marshal declared, after waiting until the woman was far enough away not to hear what he said. ‘Trouble is what do we do now they have a family with two little kids in there?’

  ‘I might have an idea.’ Duncan offered. ‘But I will need someone who has seen the men with me so I don’t shoot the father.’

  The marshal looked about and saw the church tower.

  ‘You can shoot them from there?’ He asked.

  ‘I reckon.’ Duncan answered.

  ‘Go with him Brad and make sure he shoots just the bad guys.’

  ‘Sure thing Marshal Lincoln.’ Brad answered. ‘Where are we off to?’

  ‘Up there.’ Duncan replied and pointed to the church tower.

  They walked back round into the main street and up to the church with its majestic tower. The door was unlocked and they walked inside unchallenged and found the door to the stairs leading up to the tower, still without seeing anyone. The started the climb, shutting the door behind them and were soon standing puffing next to the large bell.

  ‘What’s the plan?’ Brad asked when he had his breath back.

  ‘First we need to make sure our bad guys are in the house we think they are in and then we wait.’

  ‘Wait? What for?’

  ‘The right conditions.’