Sabrina's Man (35 page)

“Don't tell me how to run my business,” LeBeau said.

LeBeau led the troop up to the clump of oaks that offered shelter. “Get those horses tied down. When we rush the train we won't need them,” LeBeau said.

Breed spoke up. “According to what that letter you got said, there'd only be one man on there, but he's expecting us to give the girl to him.”

LeBeau grinned. “Let him wait. He can expect anything he wants, but if he argues, we'll give him a bullet in the head.”

“Better not do that,” Al Munro said. “According to the letter, he can give the word to get us in to where that gold is.”

“We won't kill him, but we'll hold a gun to his head and make him think so,” Trey said. “Now everybody knows what to do. Scatter out here.”

The others moved to both sides from where LeBeau was standing, all except Al Munro. The two men were silent. LeBeau said nothing for so long that his lieutenant said, “What's on your mind? I know you're thinkin' about somethin'.”

LeBeau turned and grinned at Munro. “I tell you what, Al. It grates me to have to split all this money with Waco.”

For a moment Munro looked startled, and then he grinned. “I don't reckon we have to do that, do we, boss?”

“One of us will take care of it. Once we get the money, take him out.”

“What about those women?”

“I guess we can let 'em out of that house and let 'em walk wherever they're goin'.”

“Well, they can identify us. Maybe we ought not to give them that chance.”

That Al Munro was suggesting that the women be killed to keep from testifying did not seem to shock LeBeau. “Might come to that. Let me think on it. Now let's wait it out here.”

Waco had been waiting impatiently, and finally he heard a faint whistle. He got on his horse and said, “Okay boy, get me on board that train, and then you can do as you please.” He checked the loads in his guns and pulled his horse out almost to the clear.

Five minutes later he saw the train appear, puffing black smoke, the drivers churning. It began to slow down as it always did, and as it made the curve, the speed lessened even more.

When it came out at its slowest speed, Waco kicked his mount in the side and said, “Get 'em, boy!” The horse shot out like a racehorse opening a race and soon was galloping beside the engine. Waco looked up and grabbed the handles that led beside the stairway. When he got on he saw that the engineer was a tall, lanky man wearing a marshal's badge.

“You must be Waco Smith. I'm Marshal Fred Gierson. He grinned and said, “I used to railroad before I became a lawman. How's it lookin'?”

“Pull it down to a stop, Fred, right now.”

Instantly Gierson threw the brakes on, and the screeching of the brake's steel began to sound like a banshee.

“The men all in place?”

“In every car. Mr. Warren and his employee Morgan, they're there, too.”

Waco climbed over the coal tinder and entered the first car behind. The first man he met was Heck Thomas, who suddenly grinned and shouted over the noisy engine. “Well, I thought you might be joinin' us. Are they waitin'?”

“They'll jump us as soon we're up by those trees.”

“I got men in every car. As soon as they come out, we'll catch 'em in a crossfire. What do you want to do?”

“I'll wait until the train stops. I'll drop out on the other side. I'm gonna run down to that express car. That's where LeBeau will be. I'll try to nail him. Promise me you'll take care of him. By the way, there's a house about three miles northeast by a big cut, an old stone house. Anybody can tell you where it is. The Warren girls are there. You get 'em out if something happens to me.”

“Sure, Waco. We'll take care of it. You watch yourself. That LeBeau is a wolf.” Pulling his gun, he looked out.

Waco leaped out on the other side. He had not gone ten steps before he heard shots ring out.
Something's gone wrong. They were supposed to go to the man inside. I think somebody's trigger happy
.

The train ground to a complete jolting stop, and Waco crawled beneath it. Before coming out, he saw that the band, all of the men, were shooting at the car, and fire was being returned.

He looked quickly to find LeBeau and saw him stooping down. He fired a shot but didn't have much of a target.

He could tell that the windows were open and Heck's men were throwing a blistering fire on the outlaws. They were completely unprepared for it, and even as he watched, Zeno Shaw was knocked backward, his face a bloody mess. The next to go down was Breed Marcos. The half-Apache was firing rapidly, but a bullet took him and knocked him backward. He tried to lift his gun, but two more slugs struck him. That left Aznar and Al Munro, as well as LeBeau.

Al Munro said, “Let's get out of here. It's a trap.”

Munro and Aznar started to run but were cut down by the withering fire. He could hear the boom of a shotgun and couldn't imagine who would be firing it.

Scrambling out from under the car, Waco met Heck, who was reloading his pistol. “I think we got 'em all.”

“All except the one we wanted.”

Heck looked startled. “You didn't see LeBeau?”

“No. I got a feeling he might have stayed back and let the other men take the risk. The rest of them are dead or wounded.”

The men were piling out of the cars, checking the bodies and putting cuffs on the two who were alive and able to stand up.

Suddenly Waco said, “LeBeau's gone to get those women.”

Heck shot him a startled glance. “We'd better get there.”

Waco said, “I'll take care of it.” He ran back to where his horse was standing with the reins dragging. He moved quickly to the saddle and said, “Let's go, boy. Let's have a fast trip.” The big horse strode out with a sudden lurch that nearly threw Waco off, but he leaned forward, and although the fight had caused him no fear, he knew what that was now.

The thought passed through his mind.
LeBeau will kill 'em just to get his revenge
. He leaned forward and urged the big stallion to a full driving run and prayed, “God, let me get there in time!”

Heck Thomas walked the length of the train, stopping to look down at several bodies. He stopped when he saw Charles Warren holding the 12-gauge shotgun and staring down at the body of one of the outlaws. Warren's face was pale, and he turned to ask, “What's his name, Marshal?”

“Breed Marcos,” Heck said. “He was a real bad one. Four murders that we know of.”

“I think I killed him.”

Heck shook his head. “No, you didn't.”

“How can you tell?”

“Because those are bullet holes in his chest, not wounds from that shotgun.” He saw that Frank Morgan was standing off to one side, a bitter expression on his face. “He's taking it hard, I reckon. When I was a soldier with Lee, I noticed that most of us felt pretty bad after we killed our first Yankee. Almost made me sick! But as time went on, we learned to live with it.” He hesitated then added, “You didn't kill this man.”

Warren sighed with obvious relief. “I'm glad of that. I just pulled the trigger and reloaded.” He stared down at the bloody corpse. “I know he was a bad man, but it's a tragedy for a man to wind up like this.”

“He chose his way, Mr. Warren.”

“I know, but I can't help feeling sorry for him. If things had been different, he might have had a better life.”

“He would have killed your two daughters and thought nothing about it.”

Warren looked up abruptly. “I guess he got what he deserved.”

“He would have been hanged along with Rufo Aznar if we'd taken him alive. But the bad thing about all this is that the big fish got away.”

“You mean LeBeau?”

“Yes.” Heck shook his head, an angry expression on his sunburned features. “I'd rather we got LeBeau and the rest had lived. He's the kingpin, and he'll get another bunch of outlaws, and we'll have it all to do again.”

“What about my daughters?”

“Well, Waco told me they were kept in a cabin not too far from here.” Heck's mouth drew into an angry line, and he continued, “Waco had his horse, and he's on his way there now. I hope they're all right. Waco said they left that woman that hangs out with the gang to guard them.” Heck suddenly called to one of his men and walked away, and Frank came at once to stand before Warren. His face was strained, and he said, “I'm glad that's over. Did you hit any of them?”

“Marshal Thomas said I didn't, not a killing wound anyway. How about you?”

Morgan's mouth became a tight line, and he said, “I killed the one they call Al Munro. He was LeBeau's right-hand man. I shot and hit him right in the heart.”

“I know you feel bad about that.”

“Not as bad as if he'd hurt Marianne or Sabrina.”

“Well, we've got to go to them as soon as Heck's men locate the horses.”

“Charles, I've got to tell you something.”

“What is it, Frank?”

“I'm going to marry Marianne.” Morgan took a deep breath then said, “I've loved her for a long time, but she wanted another kind of man. She's going to have a hard time getting over this, and I'm going to be right with her.”

Warren said, “Why, Frank, Caroline and I have wished for a long time that you and Marianne would make a match of it. We'd be proud to have you in the family.”

Even as he spoke, a rider emerged from the timber leading three mounts. “There's our horses,” Heck said. “Mount up and we'll go to your girls. Waco told me how to get there. The place ain't far, but LeBeau is a wolf. He got beat, and he'll try to get even.”

The three mounted, and Heck led them out at a driving run. It was all Charles Warren could do to stay in the saddle, but he could only pray that his girls were all right.

“Somebody's coming in. It must be over,” Sabrina said.

“I hope Waco's all right and the rest of the men, too,” Marianne said.

Sabrina called out, “Waco, is that you?” There was no answer and finally the door itself swung open, but instead of Waco, Trey LeBeau stepped inside. His face was red, and he was furious. “Well, you two pulled a fast one.”