Shatto's Law (Perry County Frontier)

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Shatto's Law (Perry County Frontier) Page 22

by Roy F. Chandler


  Carp raised a little to see further but the draw was still empty. Good! He turned to check Snyder's progress and saw men coming out of nowhere behind him. There were two, right on top of him. Instinct told who they were and, even as chagrin at having been so easily beaten touched him, Carp made his play.

  Reared mean and aged meaner, Jud Carp could not imagine mercy. As he would have given none, he sought none. His one shot rifle was pointed wrong so Carp went for his Colt revolver. Snarling like a cornered wolf, uncoiling like a rattler, Carp snatched the pistol free. This close he did not need sights and his thumb eared the hammer as the gun came into line.

  Jud Carp! Ted remembered the man's name even as he saw him. Carp was turning and going for a pistol without wasted motion.

  Ted felt the big Sharps buck in his hands. He did not recall cocking or pointing, but Carp's shirtfront twitched and a bullet plowed dirt behind him. A bloody froth came through with the misshapen slug and Carp half-collapsed within himself. His pistol sagged and his eyes unfocused before he somehow regained control.

  Still moving ahead, Ted saw Carp's pistol again coming up. Some gut instinct kept the shot-through outlaw going, but Ted was too close. With all his powerful body's momentum, Ted drove his rifle upward in a butt stroke that sledged with pile driving force under Jud Carp's chin. Carp's head snapped backward. His neck broke even as his face dismembered. Jud Carp was as instantly dead as he ever would be.

  +++

  John Snyder had a horse saddled and was mounting when the rifle shot echoed. He took a look upward and almost choked on what he saw. Shatto and another stood over Jud Carp's position and their mounts sagged nearby.

  Without hesitation, Snyder lashed his fresh horse through the corral gate and down the canyon. His back crawled with the expectation of a bullet's strike, but each stride made his chances better. He leaned along his mount's neck and beat on the animal with his stump, forcing the best that it had.

  Jesus Escalante marveled at the Senor's quickness. He was still swinging his rifle when Senor Ted's bullet struck the ambusher. The unhesitating and devastating smash with the rifle butt awed Escalante. The Senor truly was a ferocious fighter.

  Ted reloaded his Sharps, taking a make-sure look at what was left of Jud Carp. He kicked the pistol from the lax hand and let the sound of a running horse reach his mind.

  There he went, John Snyder, riding like the wind, down the flattened out canyon on a fresh horse. It was a long shot and lengthening fast. Ted almost raised his gun to take it but there was a better way.

  Jesus Escalante was their hunter and a rifleman. He had already proven himself. With a word, Ted Shatto could grant the youth honor and place forever. He would also bind the boy to him in ways men understood but found hard to explain. Ted did not reason through these things. They were instinctive and he did not hesitate.

  "He is their leader. Can you hit him, Jesus?"

  "Si, Senor."

  "Then take him."

  Escalante knelt to rest his rifle over an outcropping. More than four hundred yards—it was a long shot but the horseman ran straight away, which allowed him to hold on his target.

  Escalante squeezed smoothly, holding his sights like iron, allowing for the great loop of trajectory necessary at such extreme range. The rifle's recoil bucked him and the report seemed lost across the great expanse before them. He waited out the bullet's high flight and long drop to the fleeing outlaw.

  Snyder's heart pumped and his mind flooded with elation. He was away. He had a fresh mount and a good lead. Night would come and even Shatto would know he was licked. Later? John P. Snyder was sure there would be a later.

  A tremendous blow crushed breath from his lungs. Snyder saw his hand fall from the reins but there was no feeling. His body fell forward and the horse's bony head smashed into his already savaged nose. The blow drove him upright and, as though from a distance, Snyder saw himself falling sideward. He hit solidly and realized with horror that a foot was stirrup caught and that he was again being dragged. He attempted to scream but he had no air. The bounce that crushed his skull was an unrecognized blessing.

  +++

  Ted said simply, "A good shot, amigo."

  They rode down to make sure and were coming back when Juan Santos and his men appeared with only one slightly wounded. They changed horses and gathered all worth collecting.

  Ted's foot ached as badly as before. His brains and his carcass were too tired to think about, but there was an awful mess back at the ranch. He left Juan in charge, and with just Jesus Escalante for company, he began the long ride home to Falling Water . . . the Arrowhead . . . the Valley of Bones? Ted sighed and wondered if they ever would get settled on one proper name for their home place.

  +++

  Abel and Mary Troup

  Little Buffalo Creek

  Perry County, Pennsylvania

  November 17, 1867

  Dearest Mother and Father

  Ted reminds me so say hello and Tiff said to add his greetings. We are fine although Ted twisted his weak ankle again. He said he may chop his foot off with Sexto's cane knife and wear a peg leg like Pap. Do not worry, he just likes to complain.

  This letter will be short since it may not reach you before you take ship for Texas. We can hardly wait to see you all. The children are especially excited they will finally meet the wonderful grandparents they have only heard about. Yes, they can hardly wait to meet Chip and Tinker as well. We hope that Carter and Hella Roth will decide to come. From your letters, we've grown to know them and they seem like cousins.

  My only special news is that with railroads drawing closer. Men are again talking cattle drives. This old ranch may soon be making a profit. It is about time; the gold pile is getting light. (Those are Ted's words.)

  Ted also says to tell Chip it is safe form him to come back since the Apaches never cross the river. Which reminds me. The old watcher is gone. One day he just wasn't there. We suppose he died and, to tell the truth, we miss him. He probably saved us when Snyder raided and he seemed like sort of a guardian, looking out for all of us. It is touching to see the children still waving to the spot he watched from. No doubt they will do that for many years to come.

  Until we see you, have a wonderful trip and, of course, remember us to our friends in Perry County.

  With love,

  Beth

  Beth Shatto at Falling Water

  About Roy Chandler

  Roy F. Chandler retired following a twenty year U.S. Army career. Mr. Chandler then taught secondary school for seven years before becoming a full time author of more than sixty books and countless magazine articles. Since 1969, he has written thirty-one published novels and as many nonfiction books on topics such as hunting, architecture, and antiques.

  Now 87 years of age, Rocky Chandler remains active and still rides his Harley-Davidson across the continental United States.

  He divides his time among Nokomis, FL, St Mary's City, MD, and Perry County, PA,

  Rocky Chandler: Author, Educator, Soldier, Patriot in 2012

  Books by Roy Chandler

  Reading order of fiction books in the Perry County Series

  Friend Seeker

  The Warrior

  Arrowmaker

  The Black Rifle

  Fort Robinson

  Ironhawk

  Song of Blue Moccasin

  Tim Murphy, Rifleman

  Hawk's Feather

  Shatto

  Chip Shatto

  Shatto's Law (Ted's Story)

  The Boss's Boy

  Tiff's Game

  Cronies

  The Didactor

  The Perry Countian

  The Sweet Taste

  Old Dog

  Gray's Talent

  Ramsey

  Shooter Galloway

  Shatto's Way

  All Books By Publication Date

  All About a Foot Soldier, 1965 (A colorful book for children)

  History of Early Perry County Guns and Gun
smiths (With Donald L. Mitchell), 1969

  A History of Perry County Railroads, 1970

  Alaskan Hunter: a book about big game hunting, 1972

  Kentucky Rifle Patchboxes and Barrel Marks, 1972

  Tales of Perry County, 1973

  Arrowmaker, 1974

  Hunting in Perry County, 1974

  Antiques of Perry County, 1976

  The Black Rifle, 1976

  Homes, Barns and Outbuildings of Perry County, 1978

  Shatto, 1979

  The Perry County Flavor, 1980

  Arms Makers of Eastern Pennsylvania, 1981

  The Didactor, 1981

  Fort Robinson: A novel of Perry County Pennsylvania, the years 1750-63, 1981

  Friend Seeker: A novel of Perry County PA, 1982

  Gunsmiths of Eastern Pennsylvania, 1982

  Perry County in Pen & Ink, 1983

  Shatto's Way: A novel of Perry County, Pa, 1984

  Chip Shatto: A novel of Perry County Pennsylvania, the years 1863-6, 1984

  Pennsylvania Gunmakers (a collection), 1984

  Firefighters of Perry County, 1985

  The Warrior, A novel of the frontier, 1721-1764, 1985

  Perry County Sketchbook (And Katherine R. Chandler), 1986

  A 30-foot, $6,000 Cruising Catamaran, 1987

  The Gun of Joseph Smith (With Katherine R. Chandler), 1987

  The Perry Countian, 1987

  Hawk's Feather - An Adventure Story, 1988

  Ted's Story, 1988

  Alcatraz: The Hardest Years 1934-1938 (With Erville F. Chandler), 1989

  Cronies, 1989

  Song of Blue Moccasin, 1989

  Chugger's Hunt, 1990

  The Sweet Taste, 1990

  Tiff's Game: A work of fiction, 1991

  Tuck Morgan, Plainsman (Vol. 2) (With Katherine R. Chandler), 1991

  Death From Afar I (And Norman A. Chandler), 1992

  Kentucky Rifle Patchboxes All New Volume 2, 1992

  Behold the Long Rifle, 1993

  Death From Afar II: Marine Corps Sniping (And Norman A. Chandler), 1993

  Old Dog, 1993

  Tim Murphy, Rifleman: A novel of Perry County, Pa. 1754-1840, 1993

  Choose the Right Gun, 1994

  Death From Afar Vol. III: The Black Book (And Norman A. Chandler), 1994

  The Kentucky Pistol, 1994

  Ramsey: A novel of Perry County Pennsylvania, 1994

  Gray's Talent, 1995

  Hunting Alaska, 1995

  Last Black Book, 1995

  Dark Shadow (The Red book series), 1996

  Death From Afar IV (And Norman A. Chandler, 1996

  Morgan's Park (Vol. 3) (With Katherine R. Chandler), 1997

  White Feather: Carlos Hathcock USMC scout sniper (And Norman A. Chandler), 1997

  Death From Afar V (And Norman A. Chandler), 1998

  Ironhawk: A frontier novel of Perry County Pennsylvania 1759-1765, 1999

  Sniper One, 2000

  One Shot Brotherhood (And Norman A. Chandler), 2001

  Shooter Galloway, 2004

  The Hunter's Alaska, 2005

  The Boss's Boy, 2007

  Pardners, 2009

  Hawk's Revenge, 2010

  Antique Guns (included above)

  History of Early Perry County Guns and Gunsmiths (With Donald L. Mitchell), 1969

  Kentucky Rifle Patchboxes and Barrel Marks, 1972

  Arms Makers of Eastern Pennsylvania, 1981

  Gunsmiths of Eastern Pennsylvania, 1982

  Pennsylvania Gunmakers (a collection), 1984

  Kentucky Rifle Patchboxes All New Volume 2, 1992

  Behold the Long Rifle, 1993

  The Kentucky Pistol, 1994

  Hunting

  Alaskan Hunter: a book about big game hunting, 1972

  Choose the Right Gun, 1994

  Hunting Alaska, 1995

  The Hunter's Alaska, 2005

  Sniper Series

  Death From Afar I (And Norman A. Chandler), 1992

  Death From Afar II: Marine Corps Sniping (And Norman A. Chandler), 1993

  Death From Afar Vol. III: The Black Book (And Norman A. Chandler), 1994

  Death From Afar IV (And Norman A. Chandler), 1996

  White Feather: Carlos Hathcock USMC Scout Sniper (And Norman A. Chandler), 1997

  Death From Afar V (And Norman A. Chandler), 1998

  Sniper One, 2000

  One Shot Brotherhood (And Norman A. Chandler)

  Gun of Joseph Smith Trilogy (Young Adult)

  Gun of Joseph Smith, The (With Katherine R. Chandler), 1987

  Tuck Morgan, Plainsman (Vol. 2) (With Katherine R. Chandler), 1991

  Morgan's Park (Vol. 3) (With Katherine R. Chandler), 1997

  Children's Books

  All About a Foot Soldier, 1965

 

 

 


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