Outlaws Of Phantom Canyon (Savage Series)

by Lisa Rae

  Clayton often paid BJ and Brent Saunders, the telegraph operator, to keep him informed of the local news and shipments of gold and payroll money transported in the area. It had been a profitable business decision paying them a percentage of the take.

  The story BJ told was that the Calvary was looking to crack down on all the outlaw gangs in the area. This said to Clayton that his hideout was going to be full and busy for a while till things settled down and the Calvary left the area.

  This also meant that Clayton was going to need more supplies shipped into the Phantom gang’s camp, and to do that he needed more money. If they could pull off this robbery then he would be set for a while.

  The rest of the gang started setting up camp as Levi and Tate rode off in the direction of Texas Creek. By the time they got back with the whiskey, the supper of ham and beans, and biscuits was ready.

  With his supper Gabriel had a few swigs of whiskey, but refused to drink any after that. He knew they were the ones the Calvary was really looking for, and he wanted to stay alert throughout the night. All because he had kidnapped Julianna, the governor’s daughter. If the gang found out who she was, both of them would be dead.

  *

  The gang lounged around their temporary camp most of the morning. They cleaned and reloaded their pistols, and brushed and checked the hooves of their horses. Saddled up, they headed out after they finished dinner of left over ham and beans.

  The outlaw gang stayed concealed in a tree covered draw close to the road, while they waited for the stagecoach that was carrying the gold shipment. Not too far away up on a mountain ridge, Levi was scouting the area, and kept watch for the coming stagecoach when he spotted a Calvary regiment in the far distance headed their way. “Oh hell!” And as he looked back towards the stage road, he saw the stagecoach coming in the distance too. “And here comes the stage.” Levi raced down the mountain to the outlaw gang, and spurred his horse up to Clayton.

  “What in tarnation lit the fire under your ass?” Clayton asked trying not to show his concern.

  “The stage is coming, but that’s not all. Over on the other side of that mountain in the distance is a Calvary regiment headed this way!” Levi pointed in the direction of the mountain ridge he had kept watch on.

  Gabriel spoke up then, “Looks like we better pass on this one.”

  “No. We’re taking that coach! Just no shooting unless we have to. Now let’s go!” Clayton ordered as he raced off to the road, while the rest of the outlaw gang followed. Gabriel wished he was anywhere else right now. If just one shot is fired, that regiment will be on them like fleas on a hound dog. The only advantage they would have is that their horses were fresh, whereas the Calvary probably had been riding since sunup.

  As the stagecoach neared, the outlaw gang stepped their horses out into the road with their guns drawn, hoping their large numbers would call the stage driver’s bluff. It didn’t work though, as the man riding shotgun wasn’t about to give up without a fight, and started shooting at the outlaw gang, before they were within good shooting range.

  Gabriel hated to see a good man killed, but it was better if it was just one killed than possibly all the passengers on the stagecoach. It was a judgment call he hated to make, but he didn’t see he had a choice as he said, “Alex, drop him!”

  All the gang members could shoot good, but Alex had one thing in common with Angel. She was an expert shot. Taking careful aim, she shot the man right in the heart just before the stagecoach driver pulled the horses to a halt.

  The gang was almost in a panic now as they knew those shots would bring the Calvary at a run. “Throw down that strongbox of gold!” A couple of the outlaw gang members yelled, and waved their guns to emphasize their impatience.

  The stagecoach driver threw down the strongbox of gold dust and nuggets, while some of the gang members climbed down from their horses. They shot the lock off the strongbox and put the bags of gold into everyone’s saddlebags. The Calvary had already topped the mountain, and was headed down their way at full speed … Seeing the Calvary was already too close for comfort, the Phantom outlaw gang took off as fast as their horses would carry them.

  *

  Back at the Phantom outlaw camp, Julianna was sitting, reading one of her books when all of a sudden she felt very anxious. She wondered why? Was it Gabriel? Was he okay? She couldn’t shake this feeling the rest of the afternoon. Even while she helped Barry in the cook’s shack that evening it gnawed at her. She had no idea Gabriel was literally running for his life at the moment …

  *

  The Phantom outlaw gang rode hard till their horses were getting winded, forcing them to slow down. Having started on fresh horses, the outlaw gang did gain some ground on the Calvary unit that was chasing them. It wasn’t much though, maybe a half hour, if that. As they came to a stream, they quickly watered their horses and pressed on at a steady fast pace.

  The army did have one advantage. Each of their horses did not have to carry an extra 50 pounds of weight in gold. Luckily for the gang, their horses were use to long hours of hard riding with little or no food and rest.

  With the sun almost gone, it will force the Calvary to slow their pace as they try to follow the outlaw’s tracks in the dark. Levi was leading the pack, and Gabriel hoped that Levi had some of his tracking tricks planned for their hasty return to the Phantom outlaw’s hideout.

  To Gabriel’s relief, Levi obviously had planned ahead. He led them up into streams often to come back out on the same side they went in at, just much further upstream. Gabriel even swore Levi was taking them the wrong way one time, but when they came out near a rock ledge that he recognized in the moonlight, Gabriel never doubted Levi again.

  The horses were getting really tired, so the outlaw gang now had the horses going at a slow pace. Gabriel knew Levi had gained them at least a couple hours, if not more. Even though there was moonlight, it would be hard for the Calvary to track them in the dark on land they did not know, and where the tracks just disappeared …

  *

  The moon had disappeared as daybreak was only minutes away. All night Julianna tossed and turned as sleep eluded her. Restless, Julianna climbed out of the small bed, dressed and went outside for a walk. She hadn’t made it far from their shack when she looked up to see the gang’s horses coming into camp. The horse’s heads hung low in exhaustion as the men’s heads hung down in sleep from the long grueling ride.

  Just then the camp dog started barking, waking the outlaw camp, and the sleeping outlaws on their worn-out stumbling horses. Gabriel was so happy when he opened his eyes to see Julianna rushing towards him. When he slowly climbed off his big horse he fell into her open arms as she hungrily kissed him.

  “I’m so glad you are back here safe. I’ve been worried sick all night, ever since I got this feeling yesterday afternoon,” Julianna said as she hugged and kissed Gabriel again.

  “We had the Calvary on our heels the whole way back,” Gabriel told Julianna in exhaustion. “If it wasn’t for Levi’s smarts, we may not have gotten away.”

  “Oh Gabriel!” Julianna hugged him so tight, she never wanted to let him go again. “Come on, let’s get you to bed.” Julianna took the horse’s reins from Gabriel and led them both back to their shack. She left the horse hitched out front as she guided Gabriel inside and closed the door.

  “I need to feed and care for my horse first. If it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t be here now,” Gabriel protested half asleep.

  “I’ll feed and take care of him for you. You just get in here and rest,” Julianna told him as she helped him undress and climb into bed. “I’ll be right back.”

  Julianna went to care for the big bay stallion that carried her loved one to safety. After she unsaddled him, she gave him a large portion of grain to eat while she brushed the dirt off his sweat dried body. Once the horse finished his grain, she took him to the meadow full of buffalo grass where the rest of the herd was kept, and turned him loose to graze his fill. But first the
horse went and rolled in the dirt, showing Julianna his appreciation for brushing him clean. Then he stood up, shook, and started hungrily grazing on the buffalo grass.

  When Julianna returned to their shack with the heavy saddlebags, Gabriel was sound asleep and snoring. She couldn’t help herself as she just stood there and watched him sleep like a baby. Content that he was now safe, she headed out to the cook’s shack to help Barry for the day while Gabriel slept.

  Not wanting to disturb Gabriel while he slept, Julianna went to see Ruby as usual after cleaning up from the breakfast crowd. When she walked in she could tell by the look on Ruby’s face, that Ruby was just as relieved and worried as she was. “I take it Ted already told you what happened?”

  Nodding her head Ruby said, “Yes. He said it was a very close call. Almost like the Calvary was expecting them.”

  Julianna was wondering on that very thought when a loud commotion started up outside. The women, in curiosity, went outside to see what it was about.

  The majority of the Phantom outlaw gang stood outside arguing and cussing each other. Victor spotted Julianna, walked up to her angrily, and grabbed her arm demanding, “Where is Gabriel?”

  Terrified by Victor, all Julianna could say was, “Asleep.”

  “Go get him and tell him to bring his saddlebags,” Victor ordered. When Julianna didn’t instantly move he yelled in her face. “Now!”

  Flinching at his nearness and loud voice, Julianna turned and ran to their shack. As she burst through the door, Gabriel bolted up out of the small bed, grabbed for his gun and took quick aim. Seeing it was Julianna he lowered his pistol.

  “What’s wrong?” Gabriel asked when he saw the upset and scared expression on her beautiful face.

  “Victor.” was all she could say to begin with as she caught her breath.

  “I’ll kill him!” Gabriel roared as he assumed that Victor had tried hurting her in some way.

  “No. No.” Julianna held up her hands to stop him. “He wants to see you right now. The whole Phantom gang is in front of the mercantile store. They are all upset, about what, I don’t know. He just said to get you now and for you to bring your saddlebags.”

  Confused, Gabriel wondered, my saddlebags? This didn’t make any sense. “Where are my saddlebags?” he asked Julianna.

  “By the door. They were so heavy, I left them there.”

  Gabriel dressed, put on his low-hung gunbelt and grabbed the saddlebags like they were empty as he headed out the door with Julianna right on his heels.

  As he stormed across the compound, it was all Julianna could do to keep up without running. When he neared, he saw the whole Phantom outlaw gang in front of the mercantile store with Clayton, Ted, and Victor right in the middle of them all.

  Once Gabriel was within ear shot of the Phantom gang he yelled at them, “What the hell is going on?”

  Victor walked up to Gabriel. “Empty your saddlebags on the ground.”

  With a confused and bewildered look on Gabriel’s face, he did as he was told. Besides the bags of gold, the only thing he had was a small sack of hardtack and jerked meat that he kept in there for emergencies.

  “Open and dump the bags of gold on the ground,” Victor ordered.

  Filled with curiosity now, Gabriel dumped the first bag onto the ground. It was only filled with pieces of lead, not gold. Hurriedly he dumped the rest of the bags only to find the same thing. “We were set up.” was all Gabriel could say.

  Knowing he had to make it look good, Gabriel stood up and angrily went towards Clayton as he yelled, “You risked our asses for this. Bags of lead!”

  “You said it yourself, we were set up,” Clayton yelled back. “But they’re not going to scare us off. In a few days, after we rest up, we are going to rob the Well Fargo bank in Colorado Springs.”

  “I thought you said we was to never rob close to home?” Gabriel asked worriedly.

  “Yes I did, and that’s exactly why they won’t expect it!” Clayton said with a crazed evil look in his eyes.

  Gabriel didn’t like Clayton’s plans anymore than the rest of the outlaw gang, who had any brains, did. Gabriel needed to find out when Roark would be in camp, and to get a message out. With the Calvary hanging around, the gang Roark was in should be coming into the Phantom outlaw camp soon too, to hideout for a while.

  After picking up his saddlebags, Gabriel turned to Julianna and gently took hold of her arm, and lead her back towards their shack. “Come, let’s go home.”

  Once safe inside their shack, Julianna asked Gabriel again, “When will you stop? You can’t seriously be going to rob that bank in a couple of days.”

  “Until I have everyone where I need them to be, I don’t have a choice.” Gabriel knew that didn’t make her feel any better, but he wasn’t going to lie to her about it. She needed to know the truth, as much as he could safely tell her, that is.

  “Now come here and remind me how much I love you,” Gabriel said as he pulled Julianna into his arms and kissed her with unbridled passion. He then picked her up and placing her on the small bed, after he had removed all of their clothes.

  *

  Hours later they laid spent in each other’s arms. For those few hours they did not think about the danger Gabriel was in, but enjoyed the pleasure they could give each other. When Gabriel’s stomach growled, their minds returned back to the present.

  Julianna sat up and went to get dressed. She looked out the old window and realized the sun was setting, and soon Barry would be busy at the cook’s shack. “I’ll go get you something to eat before I go help Barry,” Julianna said wishing she could just spend the evening in bed with Gabriel. The camp was starting to get busier as outlaws were coming in to lay low for a while, and Julianna knew Barry needed her help. She didn’t want to let him down.

  “If you see Angel tell her I want to see her right away,” Gabriel told Julianna before she went out the door.

  Nodding, Julianna headed out their shack door. She knew Gabriel told her that Angel was only a messenger, but she still didn’t like Angel. Julianna couldn’t put her finger on it, but she could tell that there was something between Gabriel and Angel.

  Upon entering the cook’s shack, Julianna sees the place is busy and spotted Angel on the far side of the room. Angel had just finished up her supper and was sitting by herself. Julianna made Gabriel a plate of food and took it over to Angel and said, “Gabriel wants to see you now and this plate is for him. He’s in our shack.”

  Angel noticed the emphasis on the word ‘our’ and figured Gabriel still hadn’t told Julianna everything. Thinking she could have a little fun, Angel rose with the plateful of food and smiled mischievously. “I’ll take it right over.”

  As the cook’s shack door shut behind Angel, Julianna whispered to herself, “Bitch!”

  *

  Angel knew she shouldn’t have done that to Julianna. It was obvious Julianna was in love with Gabriel, but she couldn’t help making a little ripple in their pond.

  When she entered the shack, Angel could tell Gabriel wasn’t his happy usual self and asked, “What’s troubling you?”

  “I need you to deliver a message first thing tomorrow.”

  While he ate, Gabriel explained what happened with the stagecoach robbery, sacks of lead, and the Calvary chasing them. Then he told her of Clayton’s plan to rob the Wells Fargo bank in a couple of days, and of the message he wanted her to deliver before he asked Angel, “Any idea where Roark is?”

  “Roark and his bunch went down by Hole in the Rock a few days back. I suspect they are probably in Cucharas right now drinking it up for the night. They should be here by the end of the week.”

  “Good. You make sure to come back then too. With the Calvary in the area, the timing couldn’t be more perfect,” Gabriel said as he was giving Angel a hug and kiss goodbye.

  When Angel turned to leave, they both saw Julianna standing in the doorway of the shack looking like she was ready to commit cold blooded murder.

/>   “Let me handle this Angel, you go ahead and go,” Gabriel said as he stared into Julianna’s fiery emerald green eyes …

  Chapter 6

  “Gabe! Don’t you dare try to tell me again that she is just a messenger. I could see in your eyes that you love her,” Julianna said angrily with tears in her own eyes.

  “You’re right. I do love her very much,” Gabriel replied smiling. “Because she is my sister.”

  Shocked, the only thing Julianna could say was, “She’s your sister?”

  Laughing, Gabriel was still smiling as he pulled Julianna into his strong arms and kissed her hard at first, then softening to a gentle caress of her lips.

  “Jules you have no reason to be jealous of any woman. You are the only woman I love, and when this is over I will prove it by marrying you.”

  Overwhelmed, tears ran down Julianna’s smiling face now as she cried in happiness. “Oh Gabe!” Thinking of the future she said, “I can’t wait for you to meet my father. I wish I could let him know I am safe.”

  “Tomorrow Angel will be leaving to go send your father a message to let him know you are okay,” was all Gabriel told Julianna, leaving out the rest of the message that Angel would be delivering.

  “Now let’s go to bed and I’ll show you just how much I love you!” Gabriel said as he picked Julianna up and carried her to their small bed, and playfully dropped her on it. She laughed at his silly behavior.

  *

  After leaving Gabriel to face Julianna’s fiery anger all by himself, Angel couldn’t help but giggle to herself as she headed for the outlaw camp’s saloon. Upon walking through the batwing doors, she spotted Barry standing up at the bar and went to join him. “Evening Barry.”

  “Good evening Angel. May I buy you a drink?”

  “Yes, a beer and some company sounds good to me tonight.”

  “Tommy, get this lady a beer!” Barry told Tommy Richardson the Phantom outlaw gang’s saloonkeeper.