Ralph Compton Sixguns and Double Eagles (2 page)

“Yes,” said Simpkins, “but that was a rather loose alliance of outlaws. In this country, this conspiracy we know as the Golden Dragon is organized beyond belief. It's impossible to destroy it one faction at a time. Do you actually believe a pair of young gunmen is the answer?”

“Hell, I don't know what the answer is,” Silver said, “but I know Wes Stone and El Lobo are more than just a pair of gunmen. Stone is barely eighteen, and already he's seen duty as a Texas Ranger. I don't know the Indian that well, but I know the two of them fought their way south to Mexico City and out again, pursued by hundreds of outlaws and the Mexican militia. If either of you have a better proposal, I'm listening.”

“No,” said Taylor, “we'll do it your way. Nothing else has worked.”

“Good,” Silver said. “I'll expect full cooperation from the Treasury, and that includes air tight security. Nobody—including the Congress or the President—is to know of this.”

“That won't be easy,” said Simpkins, “especially if another bank goes bust as a result of these counterfeit eagles and double eagles. A shame we can't take this problem to the Congress and President Cleveland. We might cease minting eagles and double eagles and go to a paper currency.”

Silver laughed, but it was without humor. “President Grover Cleveland and the United States Congress get along like a pair of cougars in a sack, and I can't see the relationship improving. We must keep a lid on this and resolve it in our own way. I'll meet with you again when I return from St. Louis.”

“Good luck,” said Taylor.

“One more thing,” Silver said. “I'll need four thousand dollars. Two thousand of it in eagles and two thousand in double eagles.”

“You'll have it within the hour,” Simpkins said.

Wes and El Lobo, following Silver's instructions, had taken a ground-floor room at the Grand Hotel. Empty lay beneath the room's single window, dozing fitfully, for there was a continuous clatter of horses' hooves and the rumble of wagons from the street.

“Por Dios,” said El Lobo, “it seem like we wait in this hotel forever.”

“I know,” Wes said, “but Silver warned us about making ourselves too obvious. Like we did in that saloon. If we'd had to shoot somebody, the law and the newspapers would have spread our names all over town.”

Suddenly Empty got up and stood facing the door:

“Somebody come,” said El Lobo.

There was a soft knock on the door. After a pause, it was repeated three times.

“Identify yourself,” Wes said.

“Twenty-one,” a voice replied.

Quickly Wes unlocked the door, locking it immediately after Silver had entered. With him he had a heavy leather case, and this he placed on the floor at the foot of the bed. He then took a chair, while Wes and El Lobo sat on the bed.

“I can't be sure I wasn't followed from the steamboat landing,” Silver said. “When I'm gone, I suggest you take another room.”

“Why not another hotel?” Wes asked.

“No,” said Silver. “Stay off the street as much as you can. You may be in danger as you leave town, but that can't be helped. I told you only a little of what you're up against before you left Texas. Now I'm going to tell you the rest, and I won't blame either of you should you decide to stay out of it.”

“We'll still be facing this outfit callin' itself the Golden Dragon,” Wes said. “How much different are they from the Sandlin gang, except that they're north of the border?”

“The Sandlin gang couldn't hold a candle to this bunch,” said Silver. “Mind you, I'm not playin' down what the pair of you accomplished in Mexico. You were magnificent. But the Dragon's organization in the States is unbelievably secure. You can't break them up a few at a time. Attack them, and they all come after you in force. Five Pinkerton men have vanished without a trace and are presumed dead.”

“I don't like Pinkertons,” said Wes. “They gave my father hell.”

“You won't be bothered by them,” Silver replied. “They've withdrawn from the case.”

“It be just us, then,” said El Lobo.

“Yes,” Silver said, “and for your own safety, we can't offer you any backup. All our men are known. The best I can do is give you a code granting you private use of the telegraph. Show the card to the telegrapher and you'll be allowed to send any necessary telegrams to me without even the operator reading them.”

“But they can still be intercepted,” said Wes.

“Certainly,” Silver said, “and for that reason, don't use the telegraph unless you have to. Here's the coded card. Conceal it in your boot. If you're captured and it's found on you, it'll be your death warrant.”

“If there's shooting,” said Wes, “what about the law? If this bunch is all you say they are, I'm gettin' the idea they may wear a respectable face, forcing us outside the law. God knows, it gets a mite scary, bein' shot at from both sides.”

“I can't promise you that you won't be caught in the middle,” Silver said, “because we know so little about these outlaws. They could put a price on your heads of a hundred thousand dollars. That's enough to corrupt many an honest man, lawmen included.”

“Por Dios,”
El Lobo said. “All bounty hunters in the world be gunning for us.”

“All the more reason for you to keep your identities secret for as long as you can,” said Silver. “There's a chance that you may already be known to some of the men within the ranks of the Golden Dragon. We have reason to believe that some of the higher ups in Mexico, seeing the Sandlin gang falling apart, rode north. If you get close enough, they may recognize you.”

“Tell us again, in more detail, what the Golden Dragon is doing,” Wes said. “How can they become such a threat to the United States?”

“I showed you one of their counterfeit coins when I met with you in Austin,” said Silver. “Here's some more of them. Take a good look and then compare one of them to a genuine eagle or double eagle.”

El Lobo chose an eagle and Wes a double eagle. They examined both sides of the coins and then, avoiding a throw rug, dropped them on the wooden floor.

“Damn,” said Wes, “they look real and they sound real. What are they made of?”

“Copper, silver, and just a little gold,” Silver said. “The base metal is worth only a few cents. They're genuine enough to be circulated through banks. One bank went broke when it was discovered the bank's total assets were counterfeit.”

“Tarnation,” said Wes. “The bank president ..

“Shot himself before we could get to him,” Silver said. “We've had cases where the genuine coins—en-route from the mint to banks—were switched. The banks unknowingly were circulating counterfeit eagles and double eagles. Almost every saloon and gambling house west of the Mississippi is bankrolled by the Golden Dragon. They take as much as eighty percent of the winnings.”

“And when they pay off,” said Wes, “it's in counterfeit.”

“Exactly,” Silver said. “If you have no other leads and you feel it's safe to do so, you may want to sit in on an occasional poker game. After you've won a hand or two, collect your winnings and request payment in gold. The bag on the floor contains four thousand dollars in eagles and double eagles.”

“Suppose we find gambling houses and saloons paying off in counterfeit,” said Wes. “We know it's just a front for the counterfeiters, and we'll have no real evidence. Do you believe these men operating saloons and gambling houses can lead us to the outlaws at the top of this outfit?”

“Frankly, no,” Silver said, “but there's always a chance. We captured two such men who were willing to talk, but they didn't live long enough. The Dragon gives nobody the benefit of the doubt. Once one of their men is captured, he's marked for death.”

“Madre de Dios,”
said El Lobo, “the Dragon is everywhere and he has many faces. Where do we look for him?”

“These are western outlaws,” Silver said, “and they thrive because western men insist on gold coin. There are three United States mints where we've had trouble. There is one in San Francisco, California, one in Carson City, Nevada, and the third is in New Orleans.”

“New Orleans isn't a western town,” said Wes. “How do you account for it?”

“It's on the Gulf Coast,” Silver said. “We believe the Golden Dragon depends heavily on sailing ships into and out of New Orleans and San Francisco. We aren't sure there isn't a foreign power involved, and that the genuine gold coins aren't being shipped out of the country. We know for a fact that all their base metals necessary to mint the counterfeit coins are being freighted in, possibly from South America.”

“How you know?” El Lobo asked.

“Because they must have enormous amounts of these metals,” said Silver, “and we are able to control the sale of them within the United States.”

“Use of the ports in New Orleans and San Francisco make sense,” Wes said, “but why is there any activity in Carson City, Nevada?”

“There's a mint in Carson City,” said Silver, “and there's still a lot of mining going on in Nevada. It was there that an entire shipment of newly minted double eagles were taken and an equal number of counterfeits left in their place.”

“An inside job,” Wes said.

“Obviously,” said Silver, “but nobody would talk. Either they had been well paid, or were afraid for their lives. Every man of them was dismissed, only to have the very same thing happen again, three months later.”

“I reckon you've searched incoming and outgoing ships in New Orleans and San Francisco harbors,” Wes said.

“In a limited fashion,” said Silver. “Oceangoing vessels require wooden crates nailed securely, with the nature of the contents stenciled on the top or side. Stated contents can be anything, regardless of what's stenciled on the crate. Even if we had the time and men, there would be hell to pay if we took to opening individual crates. We dare not allow the newspapers so much as a hint as to this conspiracy. If the public had any idea—especially west of the Mississippi—there would be a panic. A run on the banks could destroy this country. That's why, under no circumstances, are you to reveal what you have been told. Not to anybody. What have you told your women, Renita and Tamara?”

“Nothing,” said Wes, “except that we're working with a longtime friend of my father for a while. I reckon you know that's put us in a bad position. My Renita was stolen away in El Paso and spent three months in a Mexican whorehouse before I found her. Tamara—El Lobo's intended—met a similar fate, and was disowned by her wealthy Spanish father.”

“My God,” Silver said. “I didn't know that. I suppose they feel betrayed.”

“They do,” said Wes. “They were expecting us to stand before a preacher and let him read from the book. Now they're not sure of us.”

“
Sí
,” El Lobo agreed. “Tamara call me Injun with forked tongue. Selfish brute.”

“Renita had some harder words than that for me,” said Wes.

“Where are they now?” Silver asked.

“In El Paso, at Granny Boudleaux's boarding house,” said Wes.

“Good,” Silver said. “However bitter they may be, they're safe. If the Golden Dragon can't get to a man any other way, they'll go after his family. Wives and children especially. It's better that you have no obvious ties to anyone until this is behind you.”

“Since we're going into this cold,” said Wes, “where do you suggest we start?”

“You're only three days away from New Orleans by steamboat,” Silver said. “Why not start there? The Treasury has supplied me with names of all personnel within the individual mints in question. The list is in the satchel with the gold coins. You might want to follow up on certain men in key positions, such as the security guards. A man with a need for money—maybe for gambling debts—might be tempted. Should you find such evidence, don't make any move until you get word to me. Success or failure depends almost entirely upon the capture of some somebody willing to talk.”

“We'll keep that in mind,” said Wes, “but we'll be keepin' our guns handy. If you're right, and they send a bunch of killers after us, we'll be shootin' back.”

“I expect you to,” Silver replied. “I can kill any federal warrants against you, but you may run into trouble with local law. Some of them may have sold out, and you'll have to get around them as best you can. Try not to shoot anybody wearing a badge, because it can play hell with public opinion. Should you be arrested, wire me and I'll see that you get help.”

“You've already said we couldn't expect any help from you,” said Wes.

“I can't intervene directly,” Silver said, “but I have connections with federal judges who can order your release under certain conditions.”

“What are those conditions?” Wes asked.

“Self-defense,” said Silver. “Be sure that any shooting is justified. Of course, I needn't tell you that if you're involved in a serious shootout, do what you must, and then get the hell out of there before the law arrives.”

Wes laughed. “I think we'll rely more on that advice than on your federal judges.”

“I suspected as much,” Silver said. “There's something I still haven't told you. There is a reward of fifty thousand dollars being offered by the Treasury for the elimination of this threat to the nation. It can be yours.”

“Mr. Silver,” said Wes, “if we were in this for money, the United States Treasury wouldn't have enough to pay us.”