Once a Ranger

by Dusty Richards

  “Not for long. When I get a letter from the Rangers, I will go get McAllen.”

  When they finished lunch, he hugged and kissed her and went to go back to the sheriff’s office. The workers were back to pounding and sawing. He smiled at the racket. “Your new house is going up.”

  “Yes.”

  * * *

  THAT AFTERNOON, VANCE came in with one prisoner. The prisoner looked to be a teenager and had three stolen horses in his possession.

  “I think he was going to meet a man and sell them. But someone must have warned him off. So I arrested the one and brought him in.”

  “Whose son is he?” Guthrey asked with a frown.

  “Some woman who works at Fort Grant. She is not married. He has no father that claims him. He’s been on his own most of his life.”

  “What is your name?” he asked the youth.

  “Buck Smith.”

  Guthrey doubted that was his name but he didn’t mention it. “Buck Smith, have you any idea what happens to horse thieves?”

  “No.”

  “No, sir, is what you say to an adult.”

  “‘No, sir.’”

  “I am going to send you down to Yuma for a week to see how tough that place is. Then, when you come back, you will be under my thumb and do hard labor every day for two years. If you don’t like that, I’ll have a trial and you can stay in Yuma for five years or until you die.”

  “I don’t want to die—sir.”

  “I don’t blame you but you only get one chance not to be in prison.”

  “I think I understand, sir.”

  “Stand up straight. You can stay in an empty cell for now. I’ll handle the rest. But if you run off, you will be caught and put in prison for a full term.”

  The boy shook his head—hard.

  “Go back and sit in an empty cell. I’ll tell you more about your new life later.”

  The boy went to the back of the jail and into a cell and closed the door.

  Satisfied, Guthrey went back to his desk to talk more to his deputy.

  “Nice job, Vance. What’s next?”

  “I heard that Mexican outlaw who stole the horses you got back is coming up here again.”

  “Royal Montoya?”

  “Yes. He’s been bragging down in Mexico that this time he will kill everyone and take their horses.”

  “Keep listening. He may try that.”

  “Another thing I learned was about two men who are staying at a place south of here. They are up to no good.”

  “Who’s that?”

  “Thomas and Fred Morales are their names. Two tough guys from the border. There are some putas there and a few other crooks, but these men are tough and I am certain up to no good.”

  “I know them. When I went after Looman I ran across them in a saloon near Nogales. What are their plans? Do you think they will do something?”

  “I don’t know what, but they aren’t there for a rest stop.”

  “Have you been in their camp?”

  “Yes, they don’t know my job yet. Maybe we should raid it?”

  Guthrey, deep in thought about the matter, shook his head. “We have no evidence to hold them for trial.”

  “So we must wait for them to try to do something?” Vance looked perplexed by the situation.

  “I’m afraid so. But keep up the good work. If we can change that boy’s mind about crime, we may make him worth something.”

  Vance agreed and smiled. “I sure like this job.”

  “Be careful. They learn you represent the law, your life maybe in danger.”

  “I understand.”

  “By the way, where is this place you mentioned?”

  “South. It recently had a fire that must have burned the ramada. It once was a ranch, I think.”

  “I know the place. I burned it. Do they have tents?”

  “Yes. Tents and shades made of canvas. It is a tramp town to me.”

  “Watch your back. When Noble and I left, I burned that squaw shade so trash wouldn’t use it anymore.”

  “It didn’t matter to them; they camped there anyway. I will see about them.”

  Before Vance left town, Guthrey made sure he had his pay, though it didn’t matter too much to Vance. He was happy being busy.

  There was no mail and it would be weeks before he got a letter back from Austin.

  * * *

  GUTHREY LEFT THE office and headed downhill. The hammers still rang and the sawing continued but he could see the fresh-cut rafters in the sky like a comb. Cally’s house was taking shape.

  A familiar-looking buckboard was parked in the yard. He soon saw the large-framed Cam standing with Olive and Cally as she pointed out what would be on the upper part.

  “Hey, how are you two doing?” Guthrey asked.

  “We come by for some advice. Mark hasn’t been buried for very long. Would folks look bad at us if we got married? Olive and I want to be together and I said we should get married.”

  “If she agrees, who gives a damn about the rest?”

  “I sure agree, but how long is decent?”

  “Tomorrow sounds all right to me.”

  Olive nodded. “I guess you’re right. Cam, I’ll marry you.”

  “Great! You’ve made me the proudest man in the world. I knew Guthrey would know what we should do. Miss Cally, you married a great man.”

  “I think so too.”

  So plans were made and the wedding date set. A large number of women agreed to sew Olive a wedding dress and get Cam a suit coat. They’d be married in three weeks at the schoolhouse and honeymoon on Mount Graham in their friends’ cabin.

  That night, Cally whispered in his ear when they were in bed, “Part of why those two are so excited, do you know why?”

  “I don’t have any idea.”

  She made certain no one was in the dark room. Then she whispered, “Don’t tell anyone. They’re going to have a baby.”

  “Has she ever had one before?”

  “No, and his wife and four children died in the epidemic.”

  Guthrey chuckled. “They’ll have fun raising one.”

  “Maybe they’ll have more in the future.”

  “You’re right. Strange though about her being married before and not having any.”

  “Well I’m not myself—yet.”

  “Don’t worry about it. It’ll happen.”

  “I hope so.”

  “When you are great big, you may regret it.”

  They laughed and kissed.

  TWENTY-FOUR

  VANCE CAME INTO Guthrey’s office on Tuesday morning. “I learned their plan.”

  “Whose?” Guthrey frowned at him.

  “The two brothers. Thomas and Fred Morales.”

  “What are they planning?”

  “To rob the store in Steward’s Crossing.”

  “Old man Hayes’s Mercantile?”

  “Yes.”

  “But he’s doesn’t look that rich to me.” Guthrey pointed for Vance to pull up a chair.

  “They say he has thousands of dollars in his safe.”

  “He might, but I better get Sweeney some backup. I’ll have Dan and Noble keep an eye on the store. You want to be there?”

  Vance nodded.

  “When will they try to rob him do you think?”

  Vance shrugged. “Fred told a Mexican woman named Rosa that they would be very rich when they rode for Mexico with all of Hayes’s money.”

  “You’re a great detective, mi amigo. I am going up there to warn Sweeney, plus send word for Dan and Noble to join me. Between five of us, we should be able to stop them.”

  “I better go there and watch the store until you come.”

  “Yes. We will be coming.” Guthrey called for the new
jailer, Sam Green. “Watch the desk and the jail. Send word to Zamora to come in. I need to go up to Steward’s Crossing. We have trouble up there.”

  “No problem. I’ll send a boy to get him.”

  “That’s good, Sam.”

  * * *

  GUTHREY SET OUT for his house and the big horse. No telling when they’d try to hold the robbery. The hammers and sawing were loud from the crew working on the house. They were shingling the roof that morning.

  “I have to go to Steward’s Crossing,” he said to Cally as he stood in the doorway, then hurried on to saddle Cochise.

  He was cinching his horse when Cally arrived by the corral. “What’s wrong?”

  “Some border bandits plan to rob Mr. Hayes. Someone said he had thousands of dollars in his safe.”

  She shook her head. “I don’t think he has lots of money. He is frugal but there isn’t that much business in his store.”

  “These bandits must think his safe is full of money.”

  “I’ve been in his office in the past and the safe was open. I didn’t see any money in it.”

  He dropped the stirrup and laughed. “They still think they will be rich robbing him.”

  “He is a nice old man who extended credit to my father when we had no money.”

  “I thought so, but these crooks think it’s there.”

  “Be careful.” She stood on her toes and kissed him.

  He pulled her close to kiss her, and Cochise gave him a shove with his head. Taking a few steps with her in his arms, he laughed. “He’s ready to go.”

  “Yes,” she agreed, amused, and clapped his shoulder. “I’ll be here.”

  * * *

  HE MADE THE trip quickly and sent a boy to the ranch to have Noble and Dan come in and help him. Sweeney was on his porch when Guthrey arrived at his house.

  “What’s wrong, boss?” he asked, standing up.

  Guthrey hitched his horse and crossed the yard, not anxious for anyone to hear and become upset about the robbery attempt.

  In a low voice, he said, “Some Mexican border bandits are planning to hold up Hayes’s store.”

  “Who?”

  “They are the Morales brothers. Tough hombres.”

  “Pretty hard up, ain’t they? Why, that old man don’t have that much money.”

  “I have no idea. They think he has a safe full of money.”

  “No way. What do we need to do?”

  “I have Noble and Dan coming, and my new deputy, Vance, should be here already. We’ll set up an around-the-clock guard.”

  Sweeney rubbed his whisker-bristled mouth. “Sounds strange, them thinking that old man had any large amount in that safe.”

  “Why don’t you go down there and quietly tell him what might be coming. I don’t want him or his employees to panic. When Dan comes, I may make him an extra clerk to work in the store.”

  “That would be smart.”

  “The Morales brothers know me, but not Dan and Noble. They may know you, no doubt they’ve checked on this store. They are at that old ranch where I burned down the squaw shade.”

  “I heard there were some whores and tramps down there. But I didn’t figure they were any threat.”

  “These two came up here looking for someone to rob. They talked a little too much and Vance picked it up.”

  Sweeney nodded. “I’ll go warn the old man. And get it set up for Dan to go to work there.”

  “Good. Tell him don’t panic. We’ll stop them. I’ll put Cochise in the livery and leave him saddled, just in case.”

  Sweeney agreed and set out for the store.

  After he stabled Cochise, Guthrey ate a burrito he bought from an old woman vendor with a small grill. He stepped back in the shadows and faced the storefront of Hayes’s Mercantile, where women under sunbonnets went in and out the front door. Children trailed along, and that worried him. He wanted no one hurt, but if he ran them off, he might alert the outlaws. More than that, he wanted this over.

  The man inside the saddle repair shop came out and offered him a crate to sit on.

  “I know you must be watching for something. Sit on this crate, sheriff. My name’s Rob. I voted for you.”

  Guthrey smiled. “Thanks. We’re watching out for a robbery try on Mr. Hayes.”

  “Oh.”

  “I don’t want any panic. I can’t arrest them for mouthing off about a plan of robbery. But when they try, I can slam them in the hoosegow.”

  “Tough outlaws?”

  “Very tough. I’m going to whittle out here and keep watch in case they try.”

  “I got a double-barrel shotgun if you need it.”

  “Thanks, Rob.”

  “You need a drink, I have some cool water.”

  “I’ll be fine.”

  Noble and Dan rode in and he waved them around back of the saddle repair shop. He quickly explained how he wanted Dan working in the mercantile and Noble to be loafing around there since the outlaws didn’t know either one.

  The plan was set as the day’s heat rose. Sweeney came by and leaned on a porch post and, not looking at Guthrey, said, “Everyone is in place. Any idea when they plan to do this?”

  “No. My new deputy, Vance, is somewhere around here. He’s in cowboy clothes but he was a Mexican kidnapped by the Apaches. He’s a good tracker and a tough new lawman. Don’t shoot him. The Morales brothers were dressed like vaqueros when I saw them last.”

  “I see. Guess this is all we can do?”

  “We have it covered. Now we must wait.”

  “I’ll go back to my porch, which is the best lookout for anyone coming or going.”

  “Yes.”

  They didn’t come that day. Hayes closed up the store about seven and everyone but Vance parted with Guthrey. Vance said, “I’ll be back in the morning.”

  “Be careful,” Guthrey said.

  * * *

  GUTHREY, DAN, AND Noble went back to the ranch, and after Deloris fed them, they slept in the bunkhouse. She had breakfast ready before sunup. Guthrey and the other two had their horses saddled before they went to eat.

  Guermo greeted them and Deloris had plenty of food fixed. Her hot coffee was rich and the pancakes fluffy with her sweet homemade syrup.

  “Your food’s sure good,” Guthrey bragged on her.

  She blushed. “The senora, she teach me.”

  “She did a good job,” Noble said. They all laughed.

  Back in town, the men all took their places. In a short while, Vance rode up. “They are coming,” he whispered, passing Guthrey, and then he rode behind the store. Noble, hanging around, and Dan in the store, would be warned.

  Guthrey stepped inside the saddle repair shop, and at the sight of him, Rob picked up his shotgun.

  “Not yet.”

  “They’re coming?”

  “Yes, but we need to be quiet.”

  “I understand.”

  Guthrey checked across the street from the saddle repair shop’s front window. Not much customer traffic—good. That made less chance of an innocent bystander getting hurt or shot.

  The two outlaws rode up, looking all around, eagle-eyed. They dismounted and one stayed by the hitched horses. Guthrey didn’t know which brother was Fred and which Thomas—he remembered that Thomas had a scar on his face, but he couldn’t see the scar. One brother started for the front door, a six-gun in his hand.

  “Give me that shotgun. There might be shooting.”

  Handing over the scattergun, Rob said, “Both barrels are loaded.”

  Guthrey opened the shop door and shouted a warning to the brother who’d started for the store’s front doors. “Drop your gun!”

  The man whirled and started to shoot at him. Bad mistake. Guthrey’s blast knocked him into the paned glass door. He crashed through the right-hand one,
struck hard by the blast. Both of the brothers’ horses broke their reins and bolted. They fled bucking down the street.

  Noble had wounded the brother that had been holding the horses.

  Guthrey put down the shotgun and raced over.

  Stepping out of the cloud of black powder smoke, Dan, with his six-gun in one hand, shoved an obviously wounded outlaw outside with his other hand.

  “Dadgum, let’s get away of here. I can’t breathe in all this smoke,” Noble grumbled, looking hard at the ruined door and stepping over the prone outlaw.

  Vance followed with the bald-headed Hayes in his new fresh apron.

  “Your men did a helluva job,” Hayes said, shaking his head, dismayed by it all. “They probably would have killed me when they found out how little money I’ve got.”

  They all laughed.

  “Thank Vance. He did all the scouting work,” Guthrey said, shaking hands around the circle of men. “Thank Rob for his shotgun. I was afraid to shoot a pistol and miss, but his twelve-gauge worked fine.”

  “That one in the doorway might not live to get to Yuma,” Noble said.

  “He might not,” Hayes said. “Don’t worry about that door. I’m alive and still got fifty cents in the safe.”

  “You all did a great job,” Guthrey said. “Plenty of folks down here in the street now. Dan, you and Noble get a wagon and take them to Soda Springs. Doc can look at them there. It seems the horses have been caught. They will be county property. I’ll tell the crowd what happened. Where are you going, Vance?”

  “To check on Montoya.” He waved and started out the back way.

  Guthrey gave him a nod. “Be careful.”

  “I will be.”

  Guthrey, standing on the porch in front of the crowd gathered there, held up his hands for silence before he began. “Folks, two dumb Mexican bandits, the Morales brothers, tried to hold up Mr. Hayes this morning. Thanks to a warning, we cut them off. None of my men were shot. Those two are both wounded and will face long prison time for trying to rob him.”

  The crowd applauded.

  “You can all go home now. Mr. Hayes is fine and is open for business as usual, except for the front door. Use the one on the left.”