Ralph Compton Brother's Keeper

by Ralph Compton

  “He did no such thing,” Ursula said angrily.

  “Take that back,” Jesse Lee said.

  “Forget I said it, then,” Thal said. “We need to make tracks before Galt comes back. I’ll go get Ned and Craw and we can be long gone before Galt shows up.”

  “What about Myles?” Ursula said. “I’ve hardly gotten to speak to him.”

  “Who’s more important?” Thal said. “Him or Jesse Lee?”

  Ursula saw what he was getting at, and felt a prick of conscience that Jesse Lee mattered more to her than one of her own brothers.

  “I hate tuckin’ tail,” Jesse Lee said.

  “Are we agreed or not?” Thal said. “Time’s a-wastin’. Every minute counts if we’re to make it out of here without any trouble.”

  “We’re agreed,” Ursula said. “Hurry and fetch them.”

  * * *

  Thal couldn’t move fast enough.

  Bringing his sister to American City had been a mistake. He’d realized that the moment he saw Trevor Galt set eyes on her.

  Thal felt sorry that they wouldn’t get to spend more time with Myles, but as Myles kept pointing out, he was a grown man and didn’t need them to look after him.

  Ned was seated glumly on the bed, fiddling with the fringe on the quilt, when Thal entered. “You’re back sooner than I expected.”

  “Pack your things,” Thal said. “We’re fannin’ the breeze.” His saddlebags were on the chest of drawers. The only items he’d taken out were his razor and his hairbrush, which he quickly replaced. When he turned, Ned was still sitting there. “Didn’t you hear me?”

  Moving much too slowly for Thal’s liking, Ned rose. “Where are we headin’, if I’m not bein’ too nosy?”

  “Texas,” Thal said. “And what’s gotten into you? You’re actin’ like you’re on your last legs.”

  “I can’t get over that she picked him instead of me.”

  “Would you rather it was Trevor Galt?”

  “Over my dead body,” Ned said,

  “It might come to that if you don’t light a fire under your backside. We’re leavin’ before Galt comes back. He might not want us to.”

  “We’re grown men. We can do as we please.” Ned stepped to the washbasin to collect his effects.

  “Let’s not push our luck,” Thal advised.

  “You reckon he’d go that far? Try to stop us?”

  “Didn’t you see him droolin’ over my sister?”

  Ned moved faster.

  With their saddlebags over their shoulders, and their rifles in hand, they went to the next room down.

  Thal knocked.

  “Who is it?” Crawford asked from inside.

  “Ned and me.”

  The door opened. Crawford was naked from the waist up, with a towel in his hand. “I wanted to be sure it wasn’t your sister. Jesse Lee would think poorly of me if I let her see me with my shirt off.”

  “We have a bigger problem than your bare ribs,” Thal said, and told him about their decision to skedaddle.

  “Can’t say I’m sorry to hear it,” Crawford said. “I’ve never liked anywhere less than this place.”

  “Your shirt,” Thal said, “and less talk.”

  “Give me a minute.”

  Ned was watching the stairs and nervously fingering his saddlebag. “Just so you know, I don’t have any hard feelin’s toward Jesse Lee. She picked who she picked.”

  “Good to know you’ve matured,” Thal said.

  “When was I ever not?”

  A shadow moved on the landing, and into the hall lumbered Bull. For someone so huge, he could move as quietly as an Apache. “Gents,” he said, smiling, but it promptly faded. “What are you up to?”

  “Nothin’,” Thal said.

  “Then why the saddlebags?”

  “No reason,” Ned said.

  Bull balled his big hands. “Do you think I’m dumb? You’re fixin’ to go somewhere, and Mr. Galt might not want you to.”

  “He doesn’t rule us,” Ned said.

  Bull snorted. “Cowboy, he rules everybody in American City, and don’t you think he doesn’t. He didn’t give me orders about whether you can go anywhere or not, so I’ll have to ask you to stay put until he gets back.”

  “If we refuse?” Ned said.

  “I once walloped five men with my fists. They jumped me in a saloon, and I busted their bones.” Bull raised a callused fist toward them. “Do you want some of the same?”

  Thal figured to reason with him, but Ned didn’t know when to keep quiet.

  “You can’t tell us what to do, you tub of lard. It’s a free country, or ain’t you heard?”

  “You just insulted me.”

  “I’ll do it again if you don’t step aside and let us pass,” Ned blustered.

  Thrusting his jaw out, Bull came toward them. “I’m beginnin’ not to like you.”

  “Hold on,” Thal said, moving between them. “How about if my pard and me go back to our room and we forget all about this?”

  Crawford chose that moment to step out, fully dressed, with his saddlebags and rifle. “We all set?”

  “So I was right,” Bull said. “All three of you go in that room and we’ll wait for Mr. Galt.”

  Thal was inclined to do as Bull wanted, but Ned went up to him and poked him in the chest.

  “I’ve had enough of you bossin’ us around.”

  “Mister, I’ve only started. You forget I’m a special deputy.”

  “A special jackass is more like it,” Ned said.

  Bull hit him.

  Chapter 31

  The blow smashed Ned against the wall. He was able to stay on his feet but only because the wall held him up.

  Bull drew his fist back to punch him again.

  Thal sprang to his pard’s defense. He’d only ever been in two fights in his life, both when he was much younger. His natural reaction was to draw his revolver, but a gunshot might bring the desk clerk or someone else to investigate, and word would get to Trevor Galt. Instead he swung his fist with all his strength and slugged Bull squarely on the jaw.

  It was like hitting an anvil. Pain exploded up Thal’s arm clear to his shoulder. He thought he’d broken his hand but had no time to examine it.

  Bull spun and drove his own fist into the pit of Thal’s stomach, doubling him over. He heard Crawford curse, and a flurry of movement, and looked up to see the older puncher go down from a blow to the temple. Bull was beating all three of them.

  Girding himself, Thal leaped. He landed a couple of punches, though they had no effect, then blocked a looping left that drove him back a couple of steps. Bull was immensely strong. His nickname was well deserved.

  “Damn cowboys,” Bull growled, and waded in.

  All Thal could do was block and sidestep. He succeeded in sparing himself from five or six punches, but then one slipped through and it felt as if his ribs caved in. The world swam, and he staggered. Fingers as thick as railroad spikes gripped his throat, and his breath was choked off.

  “I’m goin’ to break your bones.”

  Thal’s vision cleared.

  Bull towered above him, that huge fist cocked.

  There was a silvery flash, and a thud, and the giant grunted. A second flash, and a second thud, caused Bull’s grip to weaken. At a third streak of silver, Bull’s legs buckled and he oozed to the floor in a giant pile.

  Over him stood Jesse Lee, with his ivory-handled Colt. “I should have just shot him.”

  Ursula was there too, grabbing hold of Thal so he wouldn’t fall. “Are you all right?”

  “Fine,” Thal gasped, although his throat and his ribs were welters of pain.

  Crawford was picking himself up from the floor. “That mountain of muscle about stove my face in.” His nose was bleeding
, and he wiped at it with a sleeve.

  Ned had recovered enough to come over and kick Bull in the side. “For two bits I’d stove in his head.”

  “We have to get out of here,” Ursula urged. “Galt could return any minute, and there’s no telling how he’ll take this.”

  Thal could guess. The lord of American City wouldn’t like having one of his special deputies knocked senseless. Nor would Galt like it that they were intent on lighting a shuck without a by-your-leave.

  Jesse Lee twirled his Colt into his holster. “Sometime this year, gents,” he said. “We have to get Ursula out of here.”

  They hurried to the stairs and started down, moving as quietly as they could.

  Thal was out in front, his sister and the Southerner holding hands behind him, Ned and Crawford at the rear. He came to the next landing and passed a man in a suit coming the other way. Slowing, Thal smiled and nodded, and the man did the same.

  Five or six people were lounging or talking in the lobby. Over at the front desk, the clerk was busy checking someone in.

  “Act natural,” Thal said over his shoulder. No one paid any attention. He reached the glass-and-brass doors and pushed out into the night.

  “So far, so good,” Ned said.

  “Don’t jinx us,” Crawford said.

  Main Street bustled with activity, as always.

  Their horses were at the hitch rail. Ned scooted to his and threw his saddlebags on. “I’m not lettin’ any grass grow under me.”

  Thal couldn’t get out of there fast enough either. It had been a mistake, coming all this way to check on a brother who didn’t want to be checked on. But then, how was he to know how much Myles had changed? The Kansas farm boy Thal grew up with had turned into a paid assassin.

  They shoved their rifles into their saddle scabbards and prepared to mount up and go.

  “What’s all this?”

  Thal nearly jumped at his brother’s voice. Plastering a smile on his face, he turned.

  Myles had come up unnoticed. He wasn’t alone. The deputy called Rafer stood to one side, his thumbs hooked in his gun belt.

  “Are all of you goin’ somewhere?” Myles said.

  Thal hesitated, and looked at the others. They appeared as unsure of what to say as he was.

  “Didn’t you hear me?”

  It was Ursula who recovered her wits first. “We’re taking our mounts to the livery stable.”

  “That’s right,” Ned said. “We don’t want to leave them out in the street if we’re goin’ to be here a couple more days.”

  “I’ll show you the way,” Myles offered.

  “You don’t need to,” Thal said. “We know where it is.” Truth was, they weren’t stopping until they were well out in the wilds.

  “It’s no bother, big brother,” Myles said.

  “What’s with them?” Rafer said to him. “They’re actin’ peculiar.”

  “We’re tired, is all,” Ursula said. “We haven’t had any rest all day.”

  “Which is why you should let me have your animals attended to, my dear,” declared Trevor Galt, striding up. The rest of his special deputies were all with him: Mateo, Tiny, Olivant, Dyson, and Carnes.

  “We don’t want to put you to any bother,” Ursula said.

  “Nonsense,” Galt said in that oily way he had. “Haven’t I made it plain that you are my special guests?”

  Thal was rooted in consternation. To try to leave now would make Galt suspicious. But what else could they do, with Bull lying upstairs unconscious?

  Grasping at a straw, he said, “We’re Texans. We see to our own animals.”

  “You’re from Kansas,” Galt said in amusement, “and the young one there is from the South.”

  “Still,” Thal said.

  “We’d much rather do it ourselves,” Ursula said, backing him up.

  Galt leaned on his cane, his brow furrowing. “Why are you making such a fuss? I’m doing you a kindness.”

  “Yes, why are you?” Myles said.

  Thal wasn’t about to antagonize them. Not when lead might fly, and with his sister there. An inspiration came over him, and he said, “If you really want to, then go ahead and see to our horses. We’re goin’ back upstairs and turnin’ in.” Before Galt could object or anyone say anything, he wheeled and pushed on through the double doors. Crossing swiftly to the stairs, he took them two at a time. He must be quick. It might already be too late. A glance showed that the others had followed, and that they were confused.

  “What are you doing?” Ursula said, catching up.

  “Savin’ our hash,” Thal replied. “I hope.”

  Once out of sight of the lobby, Thal ran. He reached the third floor and smiled on seeing that Bull still lay on the floor, out to the world. No one had come across him yet. “Hurry,” Thal said. “Haul him into the room Ned and me are usin’.”

  “You’ve gone loco,” Ned said.

  It took all of them, straining and puffing, to drag the huge bulk inside. Once they had done so, Thal turned to his pard.

  “Did you leave your saddlebags on your horse?”

  “What? Oh. I forgot about them,” Ned said.

  “Go back down and fetch them. Bring your rope too.”

  “My rope?”

  Thal pushed him toward the door. “Don’t ask questions. Go now, before they take the horses away, if they haven’t already.” He gave Ned a shove and closed the door behind him.

  “That’s what you’re up to?” Crawford said.

  “It was all I could think of,” Thal said.

  Ursula looked fit to pull her hair out. “It would be nice if one of you would explain it to me. Why didn’t we leave? Just climb on our horses and go? They were right there.”

  “So were Galt and all his gunnies,” Thal said.

  Jesse Lee touched Ursula’s cheek. “Your brother was worried you’d come to harm.”

  “I don’t like being babied,” Ursula said.

  “Would you rather be dead?” Thal rejoined.

  “We’re right back where we started,” Ursula said. “With that big lump to deal with.”

  “We’ll tie him and gag him and roll him to the other side of the bed where no one can see,” Thal proposed. “Then we’ll sit tight and along about the middle of the night, sneak out, collect our animals, and fan the breeze.”

  “Galt is bound to wonder where Bull got to,” Ursula pointed out.

  “So what?” Thal said. “If Galt asks, we’ll act innocent. We’ll say we haven’t seen Bull since earlier. That should buy us the time we need.”

  “Good thinkin’,” Crawford complimented him.

  “I don’t know,” Ursula said.

  “If you have a better idea, sis, let me hear it,” Thal said. It was the best he could come up with, given the circumstances.

  Just then Bull groaned.

  “He’s coming around!” Ursula gasped.

  “Not if I can help it,” Jesse Lee said, and drawing his Colt, he took off Bull’s hat and struck him twice over the head. “That should keep him until Ned gets back.”

  Suddenly weary, Thal leaned against the chest of drawers. They were taking an awful chance. Galt might overlook a lot but not an attack on one of his special deputies. Granted, Bull had thrown the first punch, but still. He wondered if American City had a jail, or whether the deputies always dealt with troublemakers with hot lead, as his brother had done in the saloon.

  Ursula came over. “A penny for your thoughts.”

  “I wish you’d stayed in Kansas.” Thal would never forgive himself if anything happened to her. He should have put his foot down back in Cheyenne and thrown her onto a stage.

  “We’ve been all through that,” Ursula said. “I was the one who sent for you, remember? I couldn’t let you search for Myles alone.”
>
  “Myles,” Thal said bitterly.

  “He’s not the brother we knew, is he? Why do you suppose he changed so much?”

  “Maybe he didn’t,” Thal said. “Maybe he was this way all along.”

  “Balderdash. He and I were close growing up. We played together, did things together. There wasn’t a violent bone in his body. Now he blows men apart for a living.”

  “None of us are the same as when we were little. It’s how life is.”

  “I want the old Myles back,” Ursula said. “The one who wouldn’t harm a fly. The one who laughed a lot and was always playful.”

  “That Myles is gone.”

  Ursula frowned. “What a terrible thing to say. There must be some of the old Myles left. If we stuck around long enough, we might help him find himself.”

  “Wishful thinkin’,” Thal said, and motioned at the sprawled form on the floor. “And we can’t anyway. So put it from your head.”

  Jesse Lee came closer. “You and Ned will stand guard over him, I take it?”

  “He won’t take much guardin’,” Thal said. “Craw and you can stay with us too if you want.” It was better to stick together, he reflected, in case of trouble.

  “Craw can,” Jesse Lee said. “I’ll be with your sister.” He held up a hand when Ursula went to speak. “Whether you want me to or not. It’s for your own good. I wouldn’t put it past Galt to pay you a visit after he thinks we’ve turned in.”

  “I was about to say,” Ursula said, “that I’d be happy to have you with me.”

  Thal imagined the two of them alone in her room, with the bed for company. “Ned can stay with you too.”

  “Like blazes he will,” Jesse Lee said.

  “Crawford, then.”

  “Oh, Thalis,” Ursula said. “Don’t you trust me? Are you afraid Jesse Lee will make a wanton woman out of me?”

  A light knock spared Thal from having to answer. He opened the door a crack and saw it was Ned. “You must have run all the way down there and back,” he said, opening the door wider.

  “I have the rope,” Ned said as he entered, his saddlebags over his shoulder, “and we have trouble.”

  “More?” Crawford said.