by Paul Colt
“You got a lot of nerve, Dolan.”
“Call it what you wish, McSween. I call it good business. This county isn’t big enough for two mercantile stores. Tunstall didn’t understand that. I’m sure an educated man, such as you, clearly sees the wisdom of such a conclusion.”
“I see you had this county all to yourself until John Tunstall came along. He had the money to take you on. No one else did.”
“Yes, well so much for history. I’m here to talk about the future, your future McSween. I’ll come over to the store when it’s convenient, have a look at the books and make you an offer. You’ll pocket a tidy sum without any of the headaches of running a business.”
“John had a very nice business established. If he hadn’t, you wouldn’t want it so badly. How do you propose to pay for it? We both know you’re short on cash. Short enough to negotiate a loan of the county tax receipts.”
“How I pay for it is none of your affair. I suggest you think about my proposal. It’s the best offer you’re likely to get.”
“I’m not looking for an offer. I rather fancy finishing what John started.”
“You do, do you? Tunstall didn’t find his business all that rewarding.”
“Is that a threat, Dolan?”
“Threat? Why would I do that? I’ve another way to deal with you, McSween. You know we’ve never satisfactorily settled that insurance claim you botched for us. I suspect a court might find you have some personal responsibility for the loss we incurred.”
“You mean a court adjudicated by one of your Santa Fe pals.”
“A court of competent jurisdiction.”
“Ridiculous. Stick to bogus liens on horses, Dolan. They don’t fight back.”
“Now that sounds like a threat.”
“No threat, merely a statement of fact.”
“I took you for a more sensible man than Tunstall. It appears I overestimated you.” He stood. “I can find my way out. Good day.”
Susan McSween waited for the front door to click closed. “I’m sorry for eavesdropping, dear. I can’t believe the man’s nerve coming here like this. What do you plan to do?”
“I hadn’t really thought about the store or the bank until now.”
“He’s an evil man, Alex. John didn’t have the sense to see that. Don’t oppose him. Take the money. We can move on. With it we can start over in any number of places with more opportunity than Jimmy Dolan’s Lincoln County.”
“I’m surprised at you, Susan. John saw it as a business, but when he took on Dolan he made things better for the people here. Do you seriously want to sell out and give all that back to Dolan?”
“I don’t want you to end up like John Tunstall. You know Dolan was behind John’s killing. You said so yourself. Why, he as much as threatened you right here in your own home.”
He made a steeple of his fingers, touching the tips to his lips in thought. “John had one thing right. New Mexico won’t see statehood until we bring law and order to the territory.”
“Let the professionals do that.”
“Like Brady?”
“Like Rob Widenmann or Ty Ledger. You’re a lawyer, Alex. You’re not a lawman.”
“Sometimes citizens have to stand up to rid the community of a man like Dolan. There are good people here with their lives invested in this county for better or worse. Dolan impersonates the law and then feels at liberty to break it anytime he pleases. It’s got to stop before Lincoln can grow. We can’t let him get away with it any longer. Dick Brewer and the Regulators are ready to take care of those responsible for John’s death. With Chisum’s help maybe we can put a stop to it.”
“They weren’t much help to John.”
“John didn’t know what he was up against. I do. John didn’t protect himself. I’ll not make the same mistake. If Chisum and Brewer stand with me, we can win. It’s the right thing to do, Susan. It’s the right thing to do.”
She closed her eyes. It might be right, but right still got people killed.
Late afternoon sun tinted the cantina a rosy glow. The only time of day the place hid its dirt and scars. The kid stared at the whiskey in his glass. Waite kept an eye on him the way a man watches a coiled rattler just out of striking distance.
“It was Dolan that done it. Just as sure as if he put a bounty on his head like some folks say he done.” He tossed off the drink and refilled the glass.
“You’ll never prove that.”
He scowled at Waite’s logic. “Who needs proof? You know it. I know it. Every honest body in the county knows it.”
“So, what do you figure you can do about it?”
“Nothin’. Unless maybe I go over there and shake the truth out of him.”
“You must a really liked Brady’s jail. I hear the food’s shit.”
“Piss on Brady. I’d welcome the chance to blow his sorry ass to hell.”
“Kid, all this talk ain’t doin’ nothin’ but gettin’ you all riled up to no good.”
He scraped back his chair.
“Where do you think you’re goin’?”
“To have a talk with Dolan.”
Waite stood and blocked his way. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Shut up, Fred.”
Billy pushed him out of the way.
Waite muttered under his breath and followed along, figuring he’d have to back the kid’s play.
Dolan saw Bonney come out of the cantina with another of Tunstall’s men trailing behind.
“Jasper, this looks like trouble. Go out the back way and find Sheriff Brady. Be quick about it, you hear?”
Jasper scrambled out from behind the counter, shuffling for the back door as fast as his wobbly old legs would carry him.
The Bonney kid looked like trouble. Ty hurried down the boardwalk with the thought he’d cut him off, find out what was on his mind and cool him off some. He managed to reach Dolan’s store about the time Waite did. Billy had already gone inside.
“That looks like trouble.”
Waite nodded. “Might be.”
Ty led the way inside. Billy had his gun drawn, though not yet pointed at a surly Jimmy Dolan. He paid no attention to Ledger and Waite.
“What the hell do you want, Bonney?”
“You, Dolan. I want you for the murder of John Tunstall.”
“I had nothing to do with it.”
“You ordered it.”
“You can’t prove that.”
“Who says I need proof?”
“You can’t just bust in here making wild accusations at gunpoint.”
Billy laughed. “Sure as hell looks like that’s what I’m doin’, except the accusation ain’t wild. What are you gonna do about it, Dolan? Go ahead, make your play. I’d welcome the excuse to put a bullet in you the way your boys done Mr. Tunstall. You set him up to be killt, Dolan. You and your pet sheriff sent those men to kill him.”
“You’re crazy, kid. I got no idea what you’re talkin’ about. Now get the hell out of my store.”
“I ain’t goin’ nowhere.”
“Ledger, you’re an officer of the law, arrest him.”
“What for, Dolan? He ain’t threatened you with that gun.”
The front door burst open. “Hands in the air! All of you.” Brady blocked the door, flanked by Hindman and Mathews. Brady and Mathews had their guns drawn. Hindman leveled a sawed-off shotgun. “One of you so much as moves, George here’s gonna fill you full of shot. Get their guns.”
Mathews relieved the kid and Waite of their guns. “What about him?” He pointed his chin at Ledger.
“Him too,” Dolan ordered.
Ty glared at him. “Guess we know who’s in charge now.”
“Shut up, Ledger.” Mathews lifted his guns.
“Lock ’em up.” Dolan turned on his heel and went back to his office.
Brady stepped around the prisoners. “You heard the man. Keep your hands where we can see ’em. We’re gonna take a little walk down to the jail.”<
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Lucy glanced out the store window. The broom froze in her hand. She stared in disbelief. Sheriff Brady and his deputies marched Ty, the Bonney kid and one of Tunstall’s Regulators down the street toward the jail at gunpoint.
“Alex, look at this!”
McSween came out from between the shelves and stood at her side.
“What do you make of that?”
“I have no idea.”
“We’ve got to help them.”
“It’s Dolan’s law. I don’t know what we can do.”
“We have to do something.”
“Maybe I know someone who can.” He peeled off his apron and left the store.
The cell door closed with a metallic bang. Ty grabbed the bars. “What’s the charge, Sheriff?”
“I’ll work on that some and let you know.” He shuffled out, the door keys jangling.
Billy sat on his bunk. “What charge? The bastard’s got Dolan’s say-so. He don’t need no more than that.”
Waite shivered. “They don’t waste no wood heatin’ this place, do they?”
Billy stretched out on a bunk. “It gets colder at night, but you hardly notice for the food bein’ so bad.”
“There we was, havin’ a nice quiet drink and you had to go off and poke your finger in the man’s eye.”
“The man’s a murderer. I’d like to poke a lot more than his eye. I’ll do just that, first chance I get out of here.”
“Well, we ain’t got John Tunstall to pull us out this time.”
Ty dropped onto his bunk to the noisy complaint of the springs. “Rob Widenmann will get us out, I reckon.”
Billy brightened. “In that case, I’m glad we brought you along, Marshal.”
“I’d call it a pleasure, but I’d be lyin’.”
February 24th
Brady worked a light coat of oil through the barrel of his gun with a short cleaning rod. The freshly cleaned cylinder lay on the desk empty when Widenmann barged into the office.
“Mornin,’ Marshal. What can I do for you?”
“I hear you’ve got my deputy locked up. What’s the charge?”
“Well, we haven’t actually filed one yet. Most likely disturbin’ the peace or something like that.”
“Or something like that, what the hell kind of charge is that?”
“Mr. Dolan ain’t decided what charge to press just yet. Ledger was with Bonney and Fred Waite when they busted into Dolan’s store. Bonney was wavin’ a gun around and makin’ all kinds of wild accusations. Mr. Dolan took offense to it.”
“What sort of accusations?”
“I don’ know, somethin’ about Tunstall’s killin’.”
“When did this happen?”
“Yesterday afternoon.”
“Was the store open at the time?”
“I s’pose so.”
“So they didn’t break in.”
“Not exactly.”
“So basically you arrested them for sayin’ somethin’ Dolan took offense to.”
“It’s a county matter, Widenmann. You got no jurisdiction here. Now, if you’ve said your piece, get the hell out of my office.”
“I want those men released now, Brady.”
“You don’t hear so good, do you? I said you ain’t got no jurisdiction here. It’s a county matter.”
“I get jurisdiction when you interfere with a federal officer in the performance of his duty.”
“What duty?”
“Investigatin’ the death of a foreign national on our soil in case you’ve forgotten.”
“What’s that got to do with a civil disturbance?”
“About as much as a charge of ’or something like that.’ Now you let those men go before I lock you up at Fort Stanton.”
“I’d like to see you try.”
Widenmann smiled, drew his gun and leveled it. “Even I can draw faster than you can put that gun back together. You’re in a poor position to question my authority, Sheriff. Now release those men.”
“Mr. Dolan ain’t gonna like this.”
“You think I give a shit? That’s your problem. You’re the one can’t take a shit without Dolan’s say-so and everybody knows it.”
Lamplight spread a yellow halo across the desktop in the darkened office. Dolan hunched over the vellum in silhouette, his pen scratching a delicate cadence at the surface. He paused, collecting his thoughts over the circumstances of the insurance claim. He had to compose his allegation so as to implicate Mc-Sween in responsibility for his loss. He’d bring a civil suit to recover the sum of five thousand dollars. McSween, of course, would deny responsibility. They’d have to go to court, but with a little help from his friends, it would be the right court. He finished his thought, picked up the letter and blew the ink dry.
CHAPTER TWENTY
South Spring
February 27th
“So you figure you can put your bounty hunting aside and give her a proper home.”
Roth met Chisum’s eyes. The fire crackled. Mesquite smoke scented the air. Outside the wind howled. He nodded.
“What about that Crystobal fella down to Seven Rivers? He just gonna up and let bygones be bygones?”
“No. I’ll take care of that first.”
“I s’pect there’s more where he come from.”
Roth hated not having a truthful good answer. “None here just now.”
“So there could be more?”
“I’d be lyin’ if I said different.”
Chisum let the words settle between them. He didn’t like it, but at least the young man was honest. There was no denying the feelings between them. It was an age-old problem fathers faced, and he wasn’t even her blood-kin father. He might be no more than the man who was there when the child needed a father, but that didn’t change the feeling as far as he could tell.
“I’ll take care of Crystobal. Then leastwise I can offer you a clean trail.”
McSween indulged himself a sigh of relief as the ranch house came into view. The rumors had gotten to him. He’d been nervous as a cat on the ride down from Lincoln. Two warm sunny days and a promise of spring didn’t help. He half expected shooting to start at any moment. Rumors said Tunstall was killed on Dolan’s order. They said Dolan had offered a bounty on him when he refused to sell the mercantile and bank. The townsfolk were mostly sympathetic, but Dolan would have no trouble finding a gun to do his bidding if he wanted one. He needed help. He hoped he could count on Chisum.
He jogged through the gate and rode up the wagon track past the bunkhouse, barn and corral. He drew rein at the hacienda and eased down. A broad covered porch stretched across the front of the house and around the side to the southwest. He climbed the steps to the massive wooden door. The soft muffled sound of moccasins greeted his knock. Dawn Sky opened the door.
“Is Mr. Chisum in?”
“Who is it, Dawn?”
“Alex McSween,” he called to the voice in the parlor.
Chisum appeared in the foyer. “Alex, come in, come in. What brings you all the way down here?”
“I’m afraid I’ve got some rather bad news. John Tunstall is dead.”
“Dead?”
“Killed by Brady’s men.”
“I was afraid of something like that. Dolan ain’t given to take matters lyin’ down.”
“No, he’s not and these matters aren’t over.”
“Com’on. Take a load off your feet and tell me about it. You care for a drink?”
“I believe I would.”
Roth stood up to excuse himself.
“Sit down, Johnny. You best hear this too. Dawn, bring us a drink and then have one of the boys take care of Mr. McSween’s horse. He’ll be joining us for dinner. The guest room’s yours for the night, Alex.”
“Thanks, John.”
They settled into comfortable chairs set around a large adobe fireplace. The fragrant fire crackled against the onset of evening chill. Dawn Sky brought the whiskey bottle and glasses to the table beside Chisu
m’s chair. She hurried off to the rest of her chores. Chisum poured. He handed one to McSween, another to Roth and sat back with his own.
“Now tell us what happened.”
“Dolan got a court-ordered lien placed on the Flying H stock. Some claim of an unpaid debt by the previous owner. Brady sent some men to take the herd. They jumped John and his men moving the herd. John got separated from his men in the shoot-out. According to the story Brady’s men tell, John refused to turn over the stock. They say he resisted when they tried to arrest him for obstruction. They claim they shot him after he shot at them.”
Chisum took a swallow of his drink. “I never knew Tunstall to carry a gun.”
“He bought one before he left for the ranch. Lucy thinks he was finally coming to believe Dolan might resort to violence. Brady claims it had been fired.”
“Did Brewer or any of his men see what happened?”
“They were across the valley pinned down in the hills. Mathews and his men scattered after shooting Tunstall.”
“Mathews? Brady put that hothead in charge?”
McSween nodded. “So they say.”
“He might as well have tossed a stick of dynamite with a short lit fuse. Who’d he have with him?”
“Evans and his boys.”
“Now there’s a posse of upright citizens. Too bad we don’t have eyewitness testimony. I’d bet there’s more to that story.”
“Sure there is. John was shot twice, once in the side and once in the head. He was murdered sure as we’re sitting here, but that story will never be told.” He finished his drink.
Chisum poured another round. “You said matters aren’t settled.”
“I had a minority partnership in the store and the bank. With John dead, I’m the owner. Dolan wants to buy me out. I told him no. Now, I hear he’s put a bounty on me.”
“He’s declarin’ war.”
“That’s why I’m here. We can’t let Dolan get away with this. He’s got to be stopped. I need your help.”
“Are you suggesting we take the law into our own hands?”
“No. Justice Wilson issued warrants for those responsible. He appointed Dick Brewer constable. I’m saying we go after Brady’s posse men with the law on our side.”
