Outlaws Of Phantom Canyon (Savage Series) (9 page)

When they met up Angel asked, "Is Governor Whitaker in camp?"

With the governor's daughter already kidnapped, the scouts were a bit leery in answering that question. What if this was a trap to kidnap the governor?

Instead of answering her question, they escorted her back to their Colonel where Angel again asked the question, " Colonel, Is Governor Whitaker in camp?"

He stood there staring at Angel for a while before he answered, "My name is Colonel Finley. Why do you want to know about the governor's whereabouts?"

"I need to speak to him right away about his daughter."

"The governor is not here right now, so
you tell me about his daughter," the Colonel ordered Angel.

"No. I will only speak to the governor. When will he be returning?"

Colonel Finley stared at Angel again. She was dressed nicely, but wore a six-gun and had a Sharps .50 in her saddle scabbard which concerned him. He had no reason to trust her, but his gut told him she wasn't trying to pull any tricks. "What is your name Miss?"

"My name is Angela Savage."

Having heard of that name before, Colonel Finley knew it was safe to tell her the governor's whereabouts and said, "He left today for Canon City to go visit the Territorial Prison and won't be back for a few days."

"May I camp here tonight Colonel? I would like to get a early start in the morning for Canon City."

"Most certainly Miss Savage. I will have a lieutenant make a tent available for you right away."

"Thank you Colonel."

*     *     *

One of the outlaws from a different gang came and relieved Gabriel from sentry duty at midnight. Gabriel was tired but he knew he needed to have a talk with Julianna tonight
, if she was awake when he returned to their shack.

As he walked back to his shack Gabriel was thinking about what he was going to tell Julianna. She now already knows Angel is his sister. Roark will be coming into camp soon so he might as well tell her who he
is. The question was . . . does he tell her the real reason why they are all there?

Ten years ago Gabriel lost the first love o
f his life, Dora Jean Summers. Shot dead in a stagecoach robbery. She was the only daughter to the local widowed Doctor. Gabriel blamed the Doc for putting Dora on that stagecoach, and of course the Doc blamed Gabriel, because he would have never put her on that stagecoach if it wasn't for him.

For the past nine years, Gabriel spent it searching for the three outlaws the stagecoach driver had described to him. When he finally spotted Victor one day in the Wolf's Den Saloon playing poker with two men that looked like they could be brothers. Gabriel knew it couldn't be a coincidence and asked to join the poker game. He didn't want to ask too many questions in the beginning and scare them off, but he did ask enough to learn that they came to the Wolf's Den Saloon often.

Now knowing that the Wolf's Den Saloon was a local hangout for these men, Gabriel got himself a room in the O'Connor Hotel and Cafe', and took up residence in the Wolf's Den pretending to be a bad outlaw.

He
even took the train up to Denver, and talked to the writer of a penny dreadful about concocting a story about him robbing a bank in Cheyenne. After arguing that the stories the man wrote were only half truths . . . at most. The author finally agreed to write the story for Gabriel.

It took a couple months for Gabriel to convince Clayton and his Phantom gang to allow him to ride with them. And another six months of being blindfolded every time he was taken in and out from the Phantom gang's hideout, before he had their full trust.

Early on Gabriel introduced Angel, a poker playing card shark, as his woman. She had to go through the same thing of being blindfolded for many months, before she was allowed to travel in and out to the Phantom hideout by herself.

Getting Roark into the outlaw gang's hideout wasn't as easy, since Clayton was not looking to add anymore outlaws to his gang at that time. Luckily another local gang just recently lost a man in a robbery, and was looking to replace him.

Now that Gabriel had spent enough time in the Phantom outlaw gang's hideout, and worked closely with Clayton, he knew all there was to know about the place and the men in there. He knew where all the sentries were standing guard, what time of day they changed, where all the extra ammunition was stored, and all the routes in and out of the Phantom hideout.

It was finally time to move to the next part of his plan . . . To take over the Phantom hideout and personally kill Clayton, Ted, and Victor in cold blood to revenge Dora's death. At least that was his plan till he kidnapped Julianna and fell in love with her . . .

Now he had to rethink that last part. Gabriel knew if he killed those men then he would be no good to Julianna. Killing in self-defense was one thing, but to kill in cold blood would send his soul to a dark place that he could never return from.

Up until now he didn't care because the revenge for Dora's death consumed him. But now that he had fallen in love again, he wasn't sure he could commit cold blooded murder.

When Gabriel reached his shack he found Julianna sound asleep. She was sleeping so peacefully that he didn't want to disturb her after the stressful day he had caused her. Gabriel figured he could skip breakfast early in the morning with the Phantom gang, and spend that time telling Julianna the whole truth.

*     *     *

When Gabriel woke early the next morning Julianna was already gone. Barry must have told her about the Phantom gang eating early before they were to leave, and she went to help Barry.

After Gabriel dressed and saddled his horse to be ready to go, he headed to the cook's shack to find Julianna. He found her waiting on Clayton and Ted at a table by a window. Not wanting to draw their suspicion, he went to his favorite table in the back corner and sat and waited for Julianna to come to him.

She brought him a plateful of food but didn't look him in the eyes until Gabriel reached for one of her hands, and wouldn't let go. When she did look, Gabriel saw the fresh pain in her emerald green eyes and said, "We need to talk before I go. I need to tell you something."

Julianna jerked her hand back out of his grasp, looked deep into Gabriel's slate blue eyes, and replied sadly, "There's nothing to talk about." And with that she walked away to go back to work.

She never gave Gabriel another chance to talk to her before Clayton said, "Let's ride."

*     *     *

Waking just before daybreak as Angel usually did, she hurriedly dressed, saddled up her red roan gelding, and headed out for the Territorial Prison in Canon City. The rolling desert terrain of scrub oaks, sagebrush, and prickly pear cactus would be fairly easy traveling, and she expected to make good time getting there.

When she finally arrived at the Territorial Prison that afternoon, she rode right up to th
e front gate and told the guard, "Please tell the governor that Angela Savage is here and needs to speak to him right away."

The prison guard called up another guard from further inside the prison yard, told him the message, and told him to go deliver it to the governor right away.

While Angel sat her horse and waited, she thought about how she was going to tell the governor about his daughter, and what she needed him to do to ensure her safety and others.

The guard that was sent to deliver the message to the governor soon returned and said, "The governor will see you now. If you will follow me, I will take you to him."

Angel nodded her head to the guard as she climbed down from her horse, and tied it to the hitching post outside of the prison wall. Then she went through the prison gate that the guard opened for her, and she followed the other guard inside the prison. Angel looked around as she was being led down a corridor . . . Nothing had changed since she was here a year ago.

As she stepped inside the room the guard took her too, governor William Whitaker greeted her, "Angel! It's good to see you again. How have you been?"

"I've been doin' good Bill," Angel said with a big beautiful smile.

"Please come in and sit a spell with me, so we can do some catching up
," The governor said as he showed Angel to a comfortable leather chair.

"Bill, I come to see you for a couple of reasons. To start with your daughter Julianna is safe and unharmed. She is with Gabriel."

"My Julie is safe! Oh thank God! I have been so worried about her, ever since I heard she had been kidnapped by the Phantom outlaw gang. How did Gabriel end up with her though?" The governor asked confused at that part.

"Gabriel was the Phantom outlaw that kidnapped Julianna."

The governor sat there a moment looking dumbfounded. He couldn't grasp what he was hearing. "Since when did Gabriel become part of the Phantom gang?"

"About a year ago,
not long after you last saw him," Angel answered him.

"I see . . ." As he started to understand the situation. "What can I do to help?" The governor asked.

Smiling with that beautiful face Angel said, "Well Bill, I'm glad you asked. Here's what I need you to do...."

Chapter 7

On his way with the Phantom outlaw gang to Colorado City, Gabriel spent much of that time thinking about how badly upset Julianna felt, before he left the outlaw camp. If only she would have let him explain things this morning, then she'd know the truth and understand. She would understand . . . wouldn't she? Living with outlaws every day was his life now. But could she accept that? Would she be willing to marry a man that did that for a meager living?

Julianna was the daughter of Governor Whitaker.
Gabriel knew the governor would want her to marry a man of wealth, just like Dora's father had wanted . . .

Dora . . . Being in love with her, had gotten her killed. Now he was in love with Julianna. Would his quest for vengeance, get himself or her killed too . . .?

*     *     *

The outlaw gang headed down along Bear Creek towards Colorado City. They always varied their routes, so that they did not go the same way out from the outlaw camp, as they went in. When they reached the outskirts of Colorado City, they headed for the Wolf's Den Saloon in the red light district.

They rode past Boyd Witcomb's blacksmith shop, and Patrick O'Brien the undertaker who went by the name of 'Bones'. Both of which looked to be keeping busy, as Boyd was busy shaping a horseshoe for a horse that was tied up there, and you could hear Bones hammering away on a wooden coffin.

Next door to Boyd's, was the livery stable owned by Rex Weaver. He was a short stocky man with sandy blonde hair and hazel eyes who walked with a prominent limp, from having mistreated a mule many years back.

Rex was cleaning out a stall in the livery stable, when the whole Phantom gang rode up and dismounted. Clayton, Ted, and Victor headed into the stable leading their horses, while the rest of the outlaw gang tied their horses up outside at the hitching posts.

"Rex, you old limping dog, where are you?" Clayton called out, as he looked around for Rex Weaver.

"Over here," Rex hollered back to Clayton, as he stepped out of the stall he was cleaning, to where Clayton could see him.

"I want you to groom and feed all of our horses. Make sure to grain them good, and have them all ready to go at daybreak. The rest are tied up out front," ordered Clayton to the short livery man, as he flipped a golden eagle into the air to him. He left his horse standing there as he turned and walked back out the way he came in. Ted and Victor looped their horse's reins around a barn post, and turned and followed Clayton out the front, to where the rest of the gang had tied their horses.

Most of the Phantom gang had already headed to the Wolf's Den Saloon for a beer and a shot of whiskey. Tate had led the string of pack horses into town. He was busy tying them off separately, so they would not get tangled up standing there impatiently, while waiting for Rex to care for them. Tate had just finished tying up the last one, when Clayton, Ted, and Victor came back out of the stable.

Ted handed T
ate a list of camp supplies to pick up the next morning. "Here, why don't you take this over to Owens Mercantile now, so that he can have the stuff ready to go first thing in the morning."

"Sounds like a good idea, considering how long the list is," Tate commented, as he looked the list over, and headed in the direction of the mercantile store down the street.

Clayton, Ted, and Victor headed on over to the Wolf's Den. When they entered the saloon, they saw the rest of the Phantom gang already having a good time. As they walked up to the bar, Clayton and Ted nodded a greeting to BJ, the saloon owner.

"Hey BJ, give us all a beer and a shot of whiskey," Victor ordered, as he greeted BJ with a friendly smile.

"Comin' right up boys," BJ replied, as he drew the beers from the tap for the outlaws.

"Have you heard anything new?" Clayton asked, as BJ set his mug of beer on the mahogany bar in front of him.

"None since the last message I sent you, but you may want to check with Brent over at the telegraph office, to make sure."

"I'll check with him later," Victor said, right before he threw down a shot of whiskey.

*     *     *

Upon arriving in Colorado City, Gabriel knew he had to get his mind off of Julianna for now, and pay attention. He couldn't let any of the Phantom gang members suspect he was up to something. So he ordered a beer, and sat down with Levi, Alex, and Tate, to play some poker.

He wasn't near as good as his card shark of a sister, but Angel had taught him a few tricks. He used them now to keep in the game, by winning a hand, and then purposely losing a few hands, before he won again.

Already having downed a few shots of rye whiskey and a couple warm beer
s, Chet was feeling his oats. He took a liking to one of the pretty saloon girls, that was already spoken for by another patron of the saloon.

Chet didn't care though, as he walked right up to the soiled dove, and grabbed a hold of her bare arm. "Why don't you and me get to know each other better in private."

Seeing this, Gabriel laid down his hand of a straight flush, and hurried over to interrupt what was just about to happen. As the saloon customer started to give Chet an earful, and was just about to give him a face full of a knuckle sandwich, Gabriel intervened. He grabbed a hold of Chet, pulling him away from the saloon customer and the saloon girl. "Excuse my friend here sir, he's had a bit too much to drink."

"What the hell do you think you are doin'?" Gabriel asked Chet, as he led him over to the other side of the bar. "Now is not the time to draw attention to ourselves!"

"Ah, you know the constable won't do anything to us in this town. Clayton has him wrapped around his big finger," Chet said drunkenly, as he ordered another warm beer from the saloon keeper.

"That's not completely true Chet. Clayton saved constable Millard Stone's life once a long time ago, and Stone figures he owes him one. The agreement between them, is that as long as the Phantom gang doesn't cause
any
problems in Colorado City, Stone will look the other way, and not arrest any of us.

"You go causing problems, not only will he put the cuffs on you, but his father is the judge here, and I know he will make sure you don't get off easy. I've heard Judge Stone is a tough man. He goes strictly by the book." Gabriel was hoping he was getting through to Chet in his drunken haze. "Now can't you find another dove to take upstairs? One that is
not
already spoken for."

"Ya ya, alright," Chet said, as he turned to look around in the saloon.

"How about that one there?" Gabriel pointed to a older saloon girl over by the piano, who was a little plump and well endowed.

"She's
old
!" Chet exclaimed.

"She's not
old
. She's just not as young. But she can make up for that in experience. She may even teach you a few things." Gabriel laughed, as he patted young Chet on the back.

"Oh all right. I guess it don't matter which whore, as long as she does what I pay her for," Chet replied, as he headed towards the pudgy soiled dove standing by the piano.

Gabriel watched Chet until he had engaged the dove in a deal, and they went upstairs in the saloon to her room. Gabriel never had liked Chet, especially after he had attacked Julianna on their way to the Phantom hideout. But Gabriel didn't want any more problems right now. The Phantom outlaw gang needed to pull off this bank robbery without problems, or bloodshed. He hoped Chet would pay that dove enough money to keep him up there all night out of trouble.

Heading back to the card table, Gabriel remembered he had a straight flush when he hurriedly walked away from the poker game.
Damn
. That was supposed to have been his winning hand!

Gathering up his money on the table where he had been sitting, Gabriel said, "I'm going to go over to O'Connor's Hot
el and grab a bite to eat in the cafe'." Alex and the boys nodded at him as he turned, and headed out through the batwings of the Wolf's Den saloon.

Walking out of the Saloon, Gabriel headed east on the boardwalk, out of the red light district, to Thomas O'Connor's Cafe' for a good meal. He loved Mrs. O'Conner's cooking, and would go there to eat every chance he could.

As Gabriel walked through the front doors of the hotel, Mr. O'Connor greeted him from behind the front desk in the lobby, "Gabriel! So good to see you again."

"Good to see you too, Tom. How have you been doin'?"

"Oh, fair to middling. I have enough clientele to keep me and the misses busy, but nothing special to write home about."

"I hear ya, Tom. Well I'm going to go see your misses, and tell her how good her cookin' is, and sweet talk her into a big plateful of her vittles."

"You go on, she'll fix you right up!" Tom encouraged Gabriel.

Smiling at the thought of Mrs. O'Connor's good food, Gabriel headed into the cafe' part of the hotel, and sat down at a table in the back by the wall, where he could see the rest of the customers in the cafe'.

Mrs. O'Connor spotted Gabriel as she was waiting on another table. When she finished with them, she walked over to Gabriel's table. "Well hello Gabriel. What can I get for you today?"

"Hello Mrs. O'Connor. What is your special for today?"

"Our special today is corned beef, sweet potatoes, butter roll biscuits, and key-lime pie for desert."

Gabriel's mouth instantly started watering. "Mmm that sounds really good. I'll take seconds of all of it!" Gabriel said laughingly.

Laughing herself, Mrs. O'Connor replied, "Let's start with the first helping and go from there."

After Gabriel finished his two helpings of everything, including the key-lime pie. He paid and thanked Mrs. O'Connor, and headed back to the Wolf's Den. He wanted to keep an eye out, in case Chet wanted to start more trouble.

This time Gabriel sat with Victor, Clayton, and Ted playing poker. Three, soon to be dead men, playing poker on borrowed time, Gabriel thought to himself. As soon as this Wells Fargo Bank robbery is done in Colorado Springs, and everyone is back at the Phantom outlaw camp, the sooner he could take over the gang's camp.  Roark and Angel should be there ready when he and the Phantom gang return.

Chet must of either decided to stay with the soiled dove for the night, or he passed out, because he never came back down from the upstairs of the saloon. Either way, Gabriel was happy about it, as he went back to O'Connor's Hotel to rent a room for the night.

*     *     *

Doing her best to stay busy all day so she did not have time to think about Gabriel, Julianna finally went home to their shack after helping Barry clean up after supper. She felt emotionally exhausted as she collapsed onto their small bed, and laid there for a while, before she sat up to untie her boots and get undressed for the night.

Climbing back into bed after she had undressed and washed up, Julianna laid there thinking about Gabriel. She was so angry with him this morning that she didn't give him a chance to talk to her. He had said he had something important to tell her. As she fell asleep, she wondered what it was?

Julianna woke before daylight with an uneasy feeling again. The last time she had this feeling Gabriel had been literally running for his life. She told herself it had to just be nerves, because the Phantom gang wouldn't be robbing the Wells Fargo Bank for a few more hours.

She walked barefoot to the stream that ran through the wide canyon, by the Phantom gang's camp. Julianna thought about her father, and how much she missed him. Angel was suppose to be on her way to get a message to him, telling him she was alright. But was she really alright? She hadn't really taken the time to think about it.

There was no doubt
Gabriel loved her and she loved him, but she
was
still a prisoner in this outlaw camp, even if she was treated respectively. It doesn't matter that Gabriel was a cowboy before, he now was an outlaw out for revenge. The realization hit Julianna then, that she could also be pregnant by now from their lovemaking. What a fool she had been to let herself fall in love with an outlaw. They were not married, and she was living in sin! What would her father think of her? Would he disown her? The scandal could even hurt his career.

By the time Julianna reached the cold running stream, she had herself all worked up from worrying. Taking a deep breath, Julianna hiked up her long skirt, tucking it into her waistline, as she walked into the cold running water. Bending over, she proceeded to wash her long brown hair in the stream, using a tin cup to pour the cold water over her head.

When she had finished washing and towel dried her hair, Julianna felt better. As if she had washed away many of her doubts and fears. Determined to not let it get her down, she headed back to the shack to get ready to go to the cook's shack, and help Barry with the morning meal.

*     *     *

Waking before daybreak, Gabriel laid in bed in his quaint hotel room thinking about the coming days plans . . . In a few hours the Phantom outlaw gang would be riding into Colorado Springs to rob the Wells Fargo Bank, as soon as they opened their doors. Gabriel silently prayed no-one would get hurt. Clayton, who normally had a good business head on his shoulders, was still in a crazed state from when he found out the saddlebags were full of lead, instead of gold, in the last robbery.