Waco 3

by J. T. Edson

  ‘How about bail?’ he asked.

  ‘Bail?’ Carmody turned and looked at the man, listening to the mumble of agreement from the good citizens. He knew that if bail was granted there was little or no chance of the trial ever taking place, for the Mexican border was only two hours steady buckboard drive away. He also realized that a refusal to agree with the bail offer would weaken the already precarious position of the Rangers in this town and would certainly lead to any jury in the town giving a verdict of not guilty, no matter how strong the evidence.

  ‘All right, gentlemen,’ Carmody looked at the three prisoners. ‘But in view of the seriousness of the offence I cannot accept a bond of less than seven thousand dollars. Each.’

  For a moment Carelli was silent; seven thousand dollars was about all the money he could lay his hands on at the moment. He knew his two partners were not so self-sacrificing that they would let him use that money as bail for himself while they remained in prison. They trusted him, but not that much. His eyes went first to the impassive, unsmiling Rangers and the Federal Judge, but there was no chance of getting anything from them. Then he looked at the citizens of the town.

  ‘I can’t manage anywhere near that much,’ he said. ‘My business was only just getting started and my overheads were high.’

  Smethurst and the other men looked at each other, then went into a huddle. The merchants of the crowd were getting their goods delivered at less than the standard rate by Carelli, and they liked this. The words, ‘outrage’, ‘outstanding citizens’, and ‘must help’, came through repeated with regularity. Carelli winked at his two partners who were now looking more relieved.

  Then at last the banker turned. He looked Judge Carmody up and down, gave the Rangers a scowl and finally said, ‘If you’ll allow, Mr. Carelli, we, your friends, would like the honor of paying your bail.’

  ‘You realize that if the bondees do not appear in court you forfeit the money, Mr. Smethurst?’ Carmody asked.

  ‘Of course I do. I also realize that there is no danger of that happening. Mr. Carelli and his two partners are first-class citizens of our town. We trust them implicitly. Don’t we gentlemen?’

  There was a chorus of agreement at this and the good citizens stood waiting for Carelli to be released. However, Carmody did not give the order and at last they realized that this was a delivery on payment affair so trooped off to collect the money.

  Mosehan watched the men go, then turned to Billy Speed, ‘I got word to Colonel Kosterliski. there should be a couple of Rurales waiting at the border, by the trail. Head down and check. If there isn’t, find Don Emilo and give him this message.’

  Billy Speed listened to the message, a grin on his face; he left the office and afork his fast running horse headed south along the border trail.

  Carmody had seen this happen but was not sure just what it meant. He followed Mosehan and his Rangers into the side room and sat at the desk. Waco, Doc and Glendon looked at the leader, waiting for him to speak.

  ‘You look disappointed, Bert,’ Carmody said.

  ‘Only with the folks here. Look at the way they’re acting. Anybody would think my boys were the crooks.’

  ‘I couldn’t refuse bail.’

  ‘I know. You know they’ll light out.’

  Carmody nodded, he was sure that the three men did not intend to appear for the trial. ‘There’s nothing we can do about it.’

  ‘Was that why you warned the fine public-spirited citizens they’d lose their money?’ Waco asked.

  ‘It was.’

  ‘They’ll lose it, too. That bunch will light out come night. I reckon they’ll be gone by midnight.’

  ‘They’ll head for the border,’ Doc remarked mildly. ‘Out of the United States and into Mexico.’

  ‘Reckon they’ll stick to the main trail?’ Waco inquired. Mosehan looked at the young Texan. There were times when he was sure Waco could read his mind. This was one of the times and Mosehan knew that at least one man guessed what he planned to do.

  ‘Don’t you?’

  ‘Sure, they’re dudes and they don’t travel much. I reckon they’ll take their chance on a fast run for the border on a regular trail, rather than going across country.’

  Carmody looked from one to the other. He’d a lot of faith in Mosehan’s capabilities and almost as much in the tall, handsome young Texas boy called Waco. He got the feeling that somehow he’d lost the drift of the conversation, and in this he was not alone, for Doc Leroy and Glendon were looking puzzled.

  ‘What are you two getting at?’ the Judge asked.

  ‘Just talking about what Carelli and his pards would do if they jumped their bail and lit out,’ Mosehan replied. ‘Which same they don’t do, of course, being such pillars of the community.’

  ‘What do you aim to do to stop it?’ Carmody asked.

  ‘Nothing,’ Mosehan’s voice was mild. ‘These folks would surely raise a scream if my boys followed Carelli and his bunch: so they aren’t going to follow them. The folks’ll be real pleased.’

  ‘It would be a big loss if they did break their bond.’

  ‘The man who put the money up can stand it. Carelli may stand his trial, I don’t know.’

  ‘But I’d surely bet he doesn’t,’ Waco finished.

  The deputation of citizens arrived back with the money for Carelli’s bond. They stood by while Judge Carmody counted the notes out and made out a receipt, then to cheers from the crowd outside Carelli, Dodd and Spencer were released.

  Carelli stopped at the desk. ‘I want to say that I hold no hard feelings against the Rangers, they were only doing their job. Mr. Fascati should not have tried to draw his gun although I think he thought it was a hold-up.’

  The townsmen who were present felt proud of their fellow citizen. He’d been arrested and accused of the Lord only knew what heinous crimes and yet he did not bear the men who arrested him any grudge.

  The Calverton Clarion came out with a full page editorial condemning the Rangers and demanding an investigation into their methods of operation. The paper was bought out within half-an-hour of publication and the editor decided that he might as well cash in while the boom lasted; so he ran a second edition With substantially the same things in it, but with the added statement that Carelli was the victim of his unscrupulous rivals who’d planted the evidence against him and used the Rangers as their dupes.

  Next, the editor went to see Carelli and kept him busy giving a false but highly complementary story of his life, and how he rose from the poor class in the New York slums to attain his present position in the world. Carelli gave the information although he would much rather have been left to himself and spent the time in getting ready for heading south across the border at midnight.

  The next sensation came when the town received news that the Governor himself was coming here. He was on a tour and making a one-night stop at Calverton; this made it awkward for certain of the bail bondsmen as they meant to watch Carelli until trial time. Not, of course, that they did not trust him, but the unscrupulous rivals might kidnap him and get him out of town.

  ‘Man’d say we weren’t popular, Cap’n Bert,’ Waco remarked after reading the third edition of the Calverton Clarion. ‘Wonder what they’ll be saying tomorrow?’

  Before Mosehan could reply, the jail door opened and Billy Speed came in, a grin on his face that told Mosehan all was well, even before the Ranger gave the news that he’d met Colonel Emilo Kosterliski of the Rurales at the border and all was in hand.

  Mosehan sat back in his chair, a look of satisfaction on his face. Carelli was smart, real smart; he’d made this town think he was a benefactor and a real desirable citizen. He’d got everything in his favor here but it was all going to be useless because he did not know of a certain arrangement between Mosehan and Colonel Emilo Kosterliski.

  When the Governor arrived, shortly after dark, he was met with a deputation of the leading citizens of the town but took the wind out of their sails right off by introd
ucing Mosehan to them as his friend. He also refused to hear any suggestion that he should intercede on behalf of Carelli.

  The influential citizens of the town congregated at the hotel for a dinner and an informal get-together which went on late. Carelli and his two partners made a brief appearance but then left with the excuse that they wanted an early night. The banker watched them go and then once more tried to influence the Governor and Mosehan in favor of Carelli.

  ~*~

  Smethurst went along to the hotel to see Carelli early the following morning, and was given the disquieting news that the three men had gone out at midnight and not returned. So Smethurst headed for the Carelli Freight Service depot. The door of the office was thrown open, the safe door standing ajar. Over the floor and scattered about were papers, while in the stove smoked the charred ash of more paper. He frowned as he looked around, then a shadow fell across the floor and he turned to find the tall, blond, handsome young Texan standing in the door.

  “You’re too late, friend,’ he said.

  ‘What do you mean, my good man?’ Smethurst snapped. He did not like this Arizona Ranger, who after all was only a public servant, nor the way he talked to his betters. He did not show any of the respect Smethurst thought he deserved.

  ‘They’ve gone, friend, gone like the wind. Took their buggy and lit out. I surely hopes they get back in time for the trial.’

  For the moment Smethurst looked at the tall young Texan, then around the disordered room. Slowly it sank into his mind what had happened. His face lost all its color as he thought of the seven thousand he’d personally put up as part of the bond money; if Carelli and the other two were not here for the trial, the money would be forfeit.

  ‘Are you sure they’ve gone?’ he asked hoarsely.

  ‘Sure enough, friend,’ Waco felt an inner glow of delight now and knew that the good citizens of Calverton were going to regret the way they’d treated the men of the Arizona Rangers. ‘I came down here to check up on them this morning. The old gent who was their watchman told me he’d seen them take the buggy and pull out at midnight, headed down the south trail.’

  ‘The south trail!’ Smethurst’s voice rose to a strangled scream, ‘but that leads into Mexico.’

  ‘Never thought it led to Canada,’ Waco answered. ‘I’d best go back and report to Cap’n Bert.’

  The words fell on deaf ears as Smethurst turned and headed out of the room fast. He made for the bank and sent hurried messages to all the other men who were Carelli’s bondees. They gathered fast and the news they heard brought them on the run to the hotel where they asked for, and were granted, an interview with the Governor.

  ‘I’m sorry, gentlemen,’ the Governor looked at the men, seeing the guilt in their faces. ‘You understand that when you stood bail bond for Carelli, Dodd and Spencer you would forfeit your money if they did not show up for the trial?’

  ‘We did, but-but-er—’ Smethurst floundered off, at a loss to explain to the man who’d formed them that he thought the Rangers were working for one of Carelli’s business rivals.

  ‘I can’t change the law any, gentlemen, you realize that. If Carelli is in court all will be well and your faith in him will be justified.’

  ‘He’s gone into Mexico,’ a man croaked. ‘He doesn’t mean to come back.’

  ‘We don’t know that for sure, yet.’ The Governor felt an unholy joy as he watched these men. ‘You were so sure of his innocence.’

  Smethurst could see that the Governor was not in favor of their attitude to the Rangers. He also knew that he was going to eat crow. ‘Couldn’t the Rangers get them back for us?’ he asked. ‘We would give an ample reward.’

  ‘If the men are in Mexico my men are helpless.’ The Governor knew full well that between Bertram Mosehan and Emilo Kosterliski of the Rurales was a strictly unofficial arrangement whereby members of the Rangers or the Guardia Rurale could either cross the line and pick up their nationals who’d slipped to the safety of the other side, or call on members of the other force to do it. This, however, was not an official agreement and nothing could be said of it in public. He also knew that Carelli and his partners had been under observation from the moment they climbed into the buggy and headed south. At the border two members of the Guardia Rurale took over the following, with orders that if Carelli and his men did not stop at Tejanus, a few miles south of the line, they were to be arrested on some charge or other and held.

  With that cold comfort Smethurst and his men had to be satisfied. They could see that they’d brought it all on themselves and there was much recrimination among them as to who was to blame.

  The Governor sat back in his chair after the door had closed on the deputation and then smiled. From the bedroom where he’d gone at the first sign of the arrival of Calverton’s good citizens, Mosehan strode.

  ‘Well, Bert?’ the Governor asked. ‘Do you know where they are?’

  ‘In Tejanus most likely. If not they’ll be held; Kosterliski’s men never fail to obey him.’

  ‘Can you get them back again?’

  ‘Not in time for the trial,’ Mosehan replied, ‘and I’m not sure I would if I could. I don’t like the way folks in this damned town have been treating my boys.’

  ‘That’s a damned immoral outlook, Bert,’ the Governor answered, the twinkle in his eyes belying the serious tone he used. ‘Unofficially I heartily approve of it. Officially I must ask you to try to get them back. I won’t ask questions about how they come back.’

  ‘Will Judge Carmody delay the trial?’ Mosehan glanced at the clock on the wall. ‘There’s no chance of them being brought back before trial time.’

  ‘We’ll see about it. Now get your savages moving.’ Mosehan smiled, reached for his hat and walked towards the door.

  ‘They left as soon as Waco reported to me this morning.’

  ~*~

  Carelli and his partners were not used to the rigors of hunted men and were dog tired when they reached the town of Tejanus in the early hours of the morning. This caused them to head right for bed at the cantina and when they got up again it was well past noon.

  In that cantina they found their two men, Tull and Haufman, a pair of big, hard-looking dudes wearing loud check suits and derby hats. The two men showed some surprise at seeing Carelli here and came to their table fast.

  ‘Something wrong, boss?’ Tull asked.

  ‘We’re in bad trouble,’ Carelli answered. ‘The law got on to us and we only got out of town in time.’

  ‘What you going to do now?’ Tull growled.

  ‘Stay here for a couple of days and see how things go north of the line. I don’t think it’ll cool down any, so we’ll make arrangements to sell out the company then head back East again.’

  The door of the cantina opened and the two tall, young Texas men came in. Carelli stared at them, anger on his face. ‘Those two,’ he hissed. ‘They’re the Rangers who arrested us.’

  Dodd nodded, then he snapped. ‘They can't touch us down here.’

  Carelli knew this without being told, and could see a chance of getting his revenge on the two men. He glanced at Tull and Haufman, then jerked his head to the bar.

  Tull came to his feet and lurched forwards across the room; Haufman moved to one side, eyes on the tall handsome boy with the matched brace of guns. He did not give Doc Leroy a second glance, thinking the slim young man would be easy meat.

  Waco and Doc stood at the bar, backs to Carelli and his two partners. If they noticed Tull and Haufman they ignored them, ordering their drinks and leaning on the bar, glancing up at the mirror.

  Tull halted behind Waco, hand shooting up under his arm and bringing out the short-barreled gun from his shoulder clip. At the same instant the room broke into wild and sudden activity. Haufman started to whip out his gun to drop Doc Leroy and at the bar two men went into lightning fast and very effective action.

  Waco and Doc came round from the bar, spinning like tops and halting, hands already bringing out gun
s; faster even then Waco, Doc Leroy’s ivory-handled gun was crashing and throwing the bullet into Haufman. In echo to the sound, Waco’s Colts made a double crash; Tull, caught in the body by the two heavy bullets, was thrown backwards off his feet.

  Carelli, Dodd and Spencer rose, staring at the two young Rangers who had once more proved the superiority of western gun savvy against New York skill.

  ‘All right, Carelli, we’ve come for you,’ Waco said.

  ‘This is Mexico, you can’t do that to us,’ Carelli replied, a mocking smile on his face. ‘It’s against international law.’

  The door of the cantina opened and a tall, hard-faced man stepped in. He wore a grey uniform and on his high-crowned sombrero was the Mexican eagle and snake badge of the Guardia Rurale. He raised a hand to stroke the neat beard on his chin and looked Carelli and his two men over.

  ‘I am Colonel Emilo Kosterliski of the Guardia Rurale.’ he announced, his voice the hard clipped and incisive tones of a disciplined martinet, long accustomed to being obeyed instantly. ‘Have you any passport?’

  Carelli shook his head. He was losing some of his color. ‘No, but I can—’

  ‘Sergeant!’ Kosterliski shouted and the room was swarming with grey uniformed Rurales. ‘Escort these three men back to the border and see they go across.’

  The ride back to the border was silent and uneventful. Carelli and his two partners were not fools; they knew that they’d fallen into a carefully laid trap. The men in Calverton who’d been their friends, and all for them, would no longer regard them in the same light. They’d lost what might have been a valuable asset in their flight, for they knew Smethurst and the other men would never forgive them for losing the twenty-one thousand dollar bond.

  At the rear, riding behind the buggy which carried the bodies of the two killers, Waco and Doc were more than satisfied. They’d done what they came here to do and had helped bring to an end a vicious crooked business.

  At the border Mosehan greeted Kosterliski, then gave his attention to the two young Rangers. ‘How’d it go?’