From Hide and Horn (A Floating Outfit Book Number 5) (17 page)

‘
I doubled the night watch, Uncle
Charlie,’ Dusty remarked as the rancher approached him.

Before any more could be said,
Ahlen strode over. ‘What’s all this about us taking the herd across
the Staked Plains, Colonel?’
the big man demanded.

‘
I’m sorry, Colonel,’ de Martin called.
‘I thought that you had told your men the way you intended to go,
or I wouldn’t have drawn their attention to it on my
map.’

‘
Now lookee here, Colonel Charlie,’
Sherman went on, joining Ahlen. ‘We’ve got our bosses’ stock to
think about and we don’t figure to see them killed off.’

‘
Your bosses don’t have any stock in
this herd,’ Goodnight said quietly.

A low rumble followed, from the
Mineral Wells men, in echo to the rancher’
s surprising comments. Ahlen and
Sherman exchanged glances, then gave their full attention to
Goodnight. Behind them, the rest of their party awaited the next
developments. To Dusty’s rear, the OD Connected and Swinging G
hands stood alert, watchful but in no way openly threatening. It
was an explosive situation, calling for the most delicate
handling.

‘
Would you mind making that a mite
clearer, Colonel?’ Sherman asked, politely enough yet clearly
determined to receive an explanation.

‘
It’s simple,’ Goodnight answered.
‘Before we left, your bosses signed all their cattle over to me so
that I could claim the legal right to sell them at Fort
Sumner.’

‘
And you figure we can reach it,
Colonel,’ Ahlen said, ‘going across the Staked Plains?’

‘
It’s our
only
hope of reaching it
in time,’ Goodnight told him. ‘Chisum is headed there, going by the
trail Oliver Loving and I blazed. He’s got almost a week’s start on
us and we’ll never lick him going on his heels. Our only hope is to
cross the Staked Plains.’

‘
You could lose the whole damned herd!’
Sherman warned.

‘
It’s a
chance I’m willing to take,’ Goodnight assured him.

‘
You’ve
known about this from the start?’ asked Ahlen.

‘
Since the night the Kid rode
in.’

‘
And you didn’t mention it to
us?’

‘
I wanted you boys to learn about trail
herding first. To let you see what could be done. Well, you’ve seen
and you’ve learned. If I hadn’t faith in you, I’d’ve turned north
after the first week and said to hell with the contract. But I’ve
got faith in you and I say that you boys can take the herd across
the Staked Plains if it can be done.’

‘
Does Miss Sutherland know of the route
you intended to take?’ de Martin asked without leaving his sister’s
side.

‘
I told her the first night,’ Goodnight
replied. ‘Just her. Not her brother, or my hands. She said she
wouldn’t turn back and I don’t reckon she will.’

‘
We’re
going on, anyways!’ Dusty put in and the men at his back
mumbled their agreement. ‘The OD Connected and Swinging G don’t
want it sticking in our craw that Chisum got the better of
us.’

Dusty spoke deliberately and in a definite
challenge, implying that the drive would continue no matter who
deserted. No cowhand with loyalty to his brand could mildly allow
another outfit to make good on such a boast. Guessing what his
cousin had in mind, Red took up the stirring process and continued
it.

‘
I sure wouldn’t want it!’

‘
Maybe it don’t mean anything to some
folks that Chisum getting there’ll be selling their bosses’
cattle,’ Mark carried on from Red’s statement.

‘
Damn it, yes!’ Ames
growled, slouching forward. ‘Chisum’
ll maybe have our cattle
along.’

‘
Ain’t no “maybe” about
it,’ drawled the Kid. ‘He’s got
’em.’

‘
In that case, I’m for
licking the bald-headed son-of-a-bitch there and
taking
’em back when he arrives!’ Ahlen growled.

‘
And me!’ Sherman went on, slapping a
hand on his thigh. ‘Whooee! Won’t it be a pistol to see his face
when he comes and finds us-all waiting.’

Once started, agreement to
Goodnight’s plans came fast and the dangerous tension ebbed away.
No cowhand cared to let a rival spread out-do him. Added to that,
the idea of beating Chisum to Fort Sumner and retrieving their
employers’ cattle
appealed to their sense of humor or justice.

‘
There’s
one thing you gentlemen are forgetting,’ de Martin announced,
walking forward. He brought Barbe with him, an arm draped
protectively across her shoulders. ‘My sister and I are with you. I
don’t mind the hardships and dangers for myself. But is it fair to
risk the life of a beautiful woman?’

Slowly Barbe turned her eyes around the
circle of men. On her face was an expression of pleading which
begged all the big, strong men to protect her. Although Dusty and
Goodnight retained attitudes of stony indifference, they knew that
de Martin would gain support.

‘
Damn it! That wouldn’t be
right!’
Willock declared and was favored by a weak smile of
gratitude from Barbe.

‘
It for sure wouldn’t!’ Austin went on,
not wishing to let a rival gain so much of an advantage over
him.

‘
I warned you that the trip would be
dangerous,’ Goodnight told de Martin.

‘
But not that you meant to cross the
Staked Plains,’ the photographer replied. ‘I’m afraid that I can’t
risk Barbe’s life on such a crossing. We will turn north until we
find the Army’s trail to Fort Sumner.’

‘
Not alone you won’t!’
Willock declared and the rumble of agreement included members of
both the original parties. ‘Some of us’
ll come with you.’

‘
What
about the herd?’ demanded the practical Ahlen.

‘
Hell! We can easy enough
catch up with you after we’ve
seen these folks safe,’ Willock answered,
still basking in Barbe’s admiring gaze. ‘Me ’n’ Jacko—’

‘
I’m going along!’ stated Austin
grimly.

‘
What for, to help take pictures of the
Comanches killing you off?’ interrupted the Kid, for de Martin had
been instructing Austin on the use of the camera in order to be
photographed with his sister and various members of the crew.
‘Because, feller, that’s what’ll happen if you go north from here,
or even back east.’

‘
Them
Yap-Eaters let us through this far, Kid!’ Austin protested, seeing
his chances of a pleasant trip slipping away.

‘
Only
’cause they didn’t
have enough men along to do different,’ the Kid pointed out. ‘That
won’t be the way if you pull out. You don’t have a chance in a
thousand of getting through.’

‘
You reckon so, Kid?’ gulped Jacko,
impressed by the dark youngster’s vehemence and respecting his
knowledge of matters Comanche.

‘
You’d best believe it,
happen you want to keep Miss Barbe’s scalp from hanging on
some
tehnap’s
lodge pole.’

‘
But if you came as our
guide, Lon
—’ de Martin hinted.

‘
Which I don’t aim to, even if it’d
help. I took on to ride scout for Colonel Charlie, like these
fellers took on to drive the cattle. So I’m keeping my word and
doing just that.’

Almost instinctively the Kid had said the
right thing and struck a nerve among Barbe’s protectors. To leave
the herd would be betraying their trust and given word. That was
something not even irresponsible cusses like Willock, Jacko or
Austin wanted to do. Sensing their wavering, Dusty decided to offer
them a way out that avoided a loss of face.

‘
Take it this way,
Edmond,’ he said to de Martin, but making sure his words carried to
the trio. ‘Your only safe bet is to stick with us. But
if
you
want to expose Barbe to the danger of being
killed—
or
worse
—by the
Comanches, we’ll let these three fellers go along.’

That dropped the entire decision
into the photographer’s lap. If he insisted on going away, it would
be his stubbornness which endanger
ed his sister’s life. Like Dusty, de
Martin could see the uncertainty shown by her champions.

‘
If you’re sure there’s
danger
—’ de Martin began.

‘
I’d take my lodge oath on it,’ the Kid
said with quiet sincerity.

‘
Then we will accompany you, Charles,’
the photographer decided.

‘
It’ll not be easy, I won’t pretend
otherwise,’ Goodnight said. ‘We’ll all be on a strict allowance of
water and if it runs short, the horses get first crack at it. That
way alone we’ll get across alive.’

Watching the de Martins, Dusty read nothing
on the man’s face. However Barbe showed anxiety and seemed to be on
the verge of speaking. Her brother swung his head around and she
closed her mouth. Swinging on her heel, she stalked towards their
wagon and disappeared inside it. Muttering an apology, de Martin
followed her.

‘
Come and get it!’ boomed Rowdy with
masterly timing, rattling a spoon against his cooking-pot. ‘Come
and get it afore I feed it to the other hawgs.’

‘
Come on, boys!’ Mark yelled. ‘I’m
going to put some fat on afore I start to cross the Staked
Plains.’

That was
close!’ Dusty breathed as he and
Goodnight watched the rush for the chuck-wagon.

‘
Real close,’ the rancher agreed. ‘I
meant to tell the men about crossing as soon as I got back tonight.
Only it looks I got beat to doing it.’

‘
I’m sorry about that, Uncle
Charlie.’

‘
How did it happen?’

‘
Harmlessly enough. De Martin got
talking about how far we’ve covered and his sister fetched out an
Army map. She asked me if I could show her where we’re at. I
couldn’t lie about it with Swede and Sherm there. And as soon’s I’d
showed her, they knew we weren’t on the trail you blazed with
Oliver Loving.’

‘
I should have told them earlier,’
Goodnight declared.

‘
It all came out right in the end,’
Dusty answered. ‘Lucky for us Edmond saw sense. We couldn’t’ve
spared those three or four young cusses who aimed to go along with
him.’

‘
No,’ Goodnight agreed. ‘And they’d’ve
likely been fighting among themselves over Barbe afore they’d gone
two miles. It’d’ve happened before now but for the way you’ve been
keeping them apart. You’re doing a good job, Dustine.’

‘
Looks like we’ll miss the main storm,’
Dusty said.

‘
It’s coming heavy up north, for sure,’
Goodnight replied. ‘And don’t try to change the
subject.’

‘
No, sir. Further we go,
the more I think we’
ve lost Hayden’s men by coming this
way.’

‘
I like a segundo as takes orders,’
smiled Goodnight. ‘You could be right. Or maybe he figures that
seven-day head start has us licked. Tell the Kid to keep watching
our back trail regardless.’

‘
I’ll see to it,’ Dusty promised. Then
he felt the first patter of rain and went on, ‘Here it comes. I’ll
get my fish and ride out to the herd.’

Dressed in his yellow oilskin
slicker, with the fish picture trademark that produced its name,
the small Texan visited the
night guard. He found that they had taken warning
from the cloud-laden skies and carried protective clothing along.
For the first time Billy Jack, Vern and Narth learned of the change
in the route, although the former had suspected something of it for
a few days. It did, however, furnish him with material for a
mournful discourse on their probable fate. While Vern expressed
amazement at his ‘female’ sister keeping a secret, Narth took the
news more seriously. Yet, such was the faith they had attained in
Goodnight and Dusty, that none of them considered the decision
unwise, or that it would be other than successfully
completed.

Although the trail drive
m
issed
passing through the center of the storm, it ran into continuing
rain. For a week, with rain falling in varying degrees of severity,
the cattle were kept moving westward. In one respect the inclement
weather proved a blessing. All the trail hands were kept too busy
to brood over Goodnight’s failure to inform them of his plans. Nor
did the younger hands find time to resume their rivalry. If it came
to a point, Barbe did not show to good advantage in the wet
weather. Possibly her bedraggled appearance would have evoked
sympathy, except that everybody was in the same condition. So
Barbe’s whining and complaining produced little response other than
irritation.

Through all the bad weather, Rowdy and Turkey
performed miracles. Every day they managed to produce two hot meals
and a plentiful supply of hot coffee for the crew.

At last the rains ended and, as if wishing to
make up for the inconvenience, the sun blazed down on the sodden
land. Finding an area of reasonably dry ground, Goodnight halted
the herd for a day. With the cattle held under the minimum of a
guard, the remainder of the party spread out and dried their
clothing. Next day the journey was resumed.