Bannerman the Enforcer 1
Page 11
“Drop it!”
Venters spun at the snapped command and caught a glimpse of Yancey Bannerman and Johnny Cato as they stood atop a big boulder several yards away. Cato was straightening from his climb up and did not yet have a gun in his hand. But Bannerman held his Winchester braced against his hip. Venters took it all in smoothly with his one good eye and without any hesitation, spun and fired. Cato lurched as the bullet struck him and Yancey fired, but Venters was leaping down from his platform now, levering in another shell. Magnus yelled and pulled a pocket pistol, a Colt Navy in .36 caliber, firing wildly. His lead threw Yancey’s shot off and Venters triggered again. His bullet burned across Yancey’s upper arm and he winced, staggering as he dropped the rifle.
Venters had worked his own rifle lever so fast that he had jammed a shell halfway ejected and he flung the weapon from him, his right hand streaking for his six-gun. Yancey’s gun-hand dipped and came up, Peacemaker blazing a fraction of a second ahead of Venters’. The one-eyed man staggered under the strike of lead but twisted back to bring up his gun for a second shot. Yancey blasted again and Venters pitched backwards, arms flailing wide. For a moment he teetered on the rim and then he fell silently down into the gorge.
Magnus was running as fast as his bulk would carry him and he turned to shoot at Yancey but staggered as Cato fired from the top of the boulder. The bullet smashed into his fleshy shoulder and the big man tumbled down in a heap. Yancey leaped from the rock and stomped on Magnus’ pudgy right hand as the man tried to lift his gun. Magnus yelled and Yancey kicked the gun out of reach. Then the wounded senator looked up at Yancey and his thick lips pulled back in a grin of triumph.
“You’re too late!” Magnus gasped. “The fuse is burning. Nothing can stop that train being blown to kingdom come!”
Yancey grunted and hurled himself back around the rocks. He was in time to see the ‘special’ screeching to a stop on the approach to the great trestle bridge, its engineer and fireman peering down from the cab, their faces showing alarm for they had heard the shooting and had braked hard—and had seen something, as well ...
Yancey leaped forward, started to yell:
“Hold the train! Get the governor off!”
And then he saw Johnny Cato.
Cato had left a red trail of blood from the high rocks when he slid down to the railroad ties. He was lying down there in a sprawl but his head was twisted round so he could grin up at Yancey.
“Want a light?” he croaked.
In one blood-slicked hand he held the glowing tip of a busted fuse. In the other was the severed end, the rest of the fuse snaking harmlessly down to the bridge.
Yancey grinned. Behind him, he could hear J. J. Magnus yelling for help. He would yell louder when he knew the bridge was safe.
Yancey ran down to help Johnny Cato to his feet.
“You’ll live,” he said callously. “Hoe-down Hanna’s got something coming to her, after all.”
~*~
The special train rumbled along the tracks, heading for San Antonio, and Yancey sat a little awkwardly on a chair in Governor Dukes’ club-car looking at Kate as she stood beside her father. Cato, bandaged and pale, but as chipper as ever, was stretched out on a settee along the side. Dr. Boles paused at the door to turn and warn Dukes that he must get some rest. Dukes waved him away irritably and then looked at Yancey.
“Once again, gentlemen, I am in your debt. This time you saved my life. And Kate’s!” He added, “I could use men like you.”
Yancey glanced at Cato, then moved uncomfortably on his chair. “Well, sir, like we said before, we don’t like discipline … ”
“I wasn’t talking about the Rangers,” Dukes cut in. “I’d like you both to come on my personal staff. As special agents. You’d be free-roving, responsible only to me, working on assignment or on your own initiative. Think about it.”
Yancey’s face showed his interest. Cato’s was blank.
“It’s my intention, as you know,” Dukes went on, “to clean up Texas. Make it a decent place for people to come and settle. We’ve plenty of land that needs settling, but there’s too much lawlessness as well. And we need more settlers to fill our wide open spaces. I’m offering you this roving commission because I think you two can help me make things work. I’ll pay you well. There’ll be danger. I don’t have to tell you that. And you’ll need all your skills with gun and knife and fists ... What do you say, gentlemen? Will you help me enforce the law?”
Yancey was silent for a minute and then he looked at Kate.
She was sitting stiffly, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. He read a silent appeal in her eyes. He glanced at Cato.
“What do you say, Johnny?”
“Well ... I’m kind of impressed with what I’ve seen of Texas gals. I’d like to see a lot more of ’em ... Sounds like a job that would give me a chance to do that.”
Yancey smiled faintly. Then he looked squarely at Kate, though he addressed himself to Dukes:
“I guess you’ve just hired yourself a couple of enforcers, Governor,” he said.
Kate smiled radiantly and Yancey saw her unclasp her hands as if all tension had gone.
“I’m glad, Yancey,” she said quietly and, for then that was reward enough for him.
The loco whistle blew deafeningly, the stack belching black smoke as the train roared on across the plain to San Antonio ... on to destiny.
The Bannerman Series by Kirk Hamilton
The Enforcer
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