The Border Empire (25 page)

The six newly arrived gunmen back-stepped their horses.

“Hey, buzzard-face,” Trevino shouted, “where do you think you're going? We ride when I'm ready, and I ain't ready.”

“We do not take orders from you, nor do we ride with you,
señor,”
Zopilote replied. “Do not push your luck.”

The Mexican carried a thonged-down revolver on each hip, and his thumbs rested on the butts of the weapons. Black Bill Trevino's face colored, but he said nothing, for he had not recovered his dropped Colt. Turning. their backs in contempt, the six gunmen galloped their horses away. There was nervous laughter from some of the men, and nobody had yet started the fire.

“Damn it,” Trevino shouted, “I said start a fire and boil some water.”

“We got no time to wet-nurse you,” said Rucker coldly. “You got a horse and you're not worth a damn to us wounded. Ride back to town and find yourself a doc.”

“You ain't heard the end of this,” Black Bill snarled.

“Thanks for the warning,” said Rucker. “I'll watch my back. The rest of you mount up. We got some ridin' to do.”

“Rinks ain't dead,” Mannon said. “What do you aim to do about him?”

“Nothing,” said Rucker, “unless you want to put a bullet through his head. He's been gut-shot, and it's just a matter of time. Now let's ride.”

Black Bill Trevino laughed, while the ten remaining outlaws mounted their horses. But the men eyed Rucker with anger and distrust, each aware that he might have received the same heartless treatment as the unfortunate Rinks. A tiny spark of rebellion had been kindled.

 

Wes watched the western horizon hopefully, for the daily thunderstorm appeared to be in the making. His companions shared that hope.

“If the rain will hold off long enough for us to find a place to hide,” Renita said, “we can escape them.”

“That's about the only chance we have,” said Wes. “That was just one bunch of the varmints. We don't know how many more may be looking for us.”

“Infierno,”
El Lobo said in disgust. “The wolf does not hide from coyotes.”

“He does when the coyotes have Winchester fangs,” said Wes. “We shot our way out of this because they
expected
us to run. Next time they'll know better, and if we stand. our ground, we'll find ourselves surrounded
muy pronto.”

The shelter, when they found it, was only an overhang along a creek, but the growth that shrouded the creek banks was dense. They rode their horses in the water, leaving no trail. Thunder rumbled in the distance and a west wind brought the smell of rain.

“We will be secure for today and tonight,” said Tamara.

 

The rain came, drenching the pursuers and washing out the trail they followed. The six gunmen took it in stride, prepared to wait out the storm and pick up the trail if and when they could. But Denton Rucker and his riders were frustrated.

“We'll never find 'em now,” Bailey complained. “When this rain's done, we'll have to go lookin' for their trail all over again.”

“Yeah,” said Rucker sourly, “but we got other business to attend to. We know where they was holed up after that shootin' in town, and it's time we made believers of these damn
Mejicanos
that's sidin' with them against us.”

With Rucker leading the way, they rode back to the modest cabin where Pablo and Shekeela lived.

“Bailey, you and Mannon set fire to the barn,” Rucker ordered. “The rest of you shoot every mule in the corral.”

The thundering of Winchesters and the slaughter of the mules brought the expected response. Pablo and Shekeela came running from the house.

“Please,” Pablo cried.

He spoke no more, for Denton Rucker fired and the heavy slugs flung him on his back in the dirt. Shrieking in terror and fury, Shekeela ran toward the fallen Pablo, but she never reached him. Rucker turned the deadly Winchester on her, and she collapsed in a lifeless heap. Rucker stomped into the little cabin and, finding a coal-oil lamp, slammed it against a wall. He dropped a match in the spilled oil, and the flames quickly took hold. He and his ten followers mounted their horses and rode toward town, never looking back. But their cowardly acts hadn't gone unnoticed. Juan, a friend of Pablo's and an occasional visitor, had been approaching the cabin when he had heard the outlaws coming. In hiding, he had watched, horrified.

“Diablos, bastardos,”
he said, crossing himself. The bodies of Pablo and Shekeela must be attended to, but he was old and he must have help. He and his people knew of the two valiant men who had so often bested the evil dragon, and now its disciples were destroying all who stood in its way. Mounting his mule, he rode away at a gallop, for there were many in town who must know of this foul, evil deed. The dragon must pay.

After a doctor had seen to his wound, Black Bill Trevino wasted no time in calling on Jarvis, one of Sandlin's lieutenants.

“That's how it is,” Trevino said, after telling Jarvis of the slaughter of half of Denton Rucker's men. “Rucker's bunch didn't get off a shot, and they held back while I rode after the gun-throwin' varmints myself.”

“And you allowed the pair of them to escape,” Jarvis said.

“Allowed, hell,” said Trevino. “They had Winchesters and all I had was a Colt. They cut down on me and nicked my horse before I was in range.”

“Stay off the street,” Jarvis warned. “We have a meeting tonight.”

Trevino had been gone only a short time when a courier arrived from Mexico City. The message he brought from Hidalgo was short and urgent.

 

Presidente
calls for investigation.
Soldados
possible.

 

Jarvis hurriedly conferred with some of Sandlin's disciples, and while they had no idea what had prompted an investigation or what it might involve, a possible police action by soldiers would be serious indeed. The pending meeting became all the more important, and Señors Hidalgo and Ximinez would have to do some explaining.

 

“I have already received a report on your action this morning,” Jarvis said when he was confronted by Denton Rucker. “A loss of nine men, with nothing to show for them. I think you'd better back off until I've had a chance to ... ah ...”

“Talk to Sandlin,” said Rucker bitterly.

“Maybe,” Jarvis said. “See me tomorrow.”

Uneasily, Rucker returned to his men. They were looking to him for answers, and he had none.

 

For the first time, Sandlin's disciples met without their leader.

“This morning,” said Jarvis, “I had a message from Senor Hidalgo. He's told me only that the president is demanding an investigation of some sort and that soldiers may be involved. I reckon all this involves us in some way, so why don't you spell it out for us, Hidalgo?”

Hidalgo got to his feet, and but for Ximinez, there wasn't a friendly face in the room.

“Today,” Hidalgo said, “A
Mejicano
and his
señora
were murdered, their animals shot, and their buildings burned. There was a witness, and he is calling it an act of revenge. We have been accused, for these
Mejicanos
have been hiding the pair of
Diablo
gunmen we seek and have been unable to find.”

“Tell your president he's barkin' up the wrong tree,” said Jarvis. “These
Mejicanos
were likely shot by the very gunmen they've been hiding.”

“No,” Hidalgo said. “Eleven men did the killing and the burning, and afterward they returned to town. The
presidente
is aware of these two
hombres
we seek, and he is in no way sympathetic to us.”

“So that's how it is,” said Jarvis. “Your president don't give a damn if these two varmints kill us or if we kill them. His concern is for the poor
Mejicanos
who get caught in the line of fire.”

“Sí,”
Hidalgo said. “The
Mejicanos
complain by the hundreds, and el
presidente
finds the support he needs. He seeks the authority to deploy the
soldados
in a police action.”

“Damn,” said Jarvis, “how much time do we have?”

“Two weeks, Per'ap,” Hidalgo replied. “No more.”

“Then we must find and eliminate these two gun-throwers before the soldiers move in,” said Jarvis, “and there must be no more killing of
Mejicanos,
for any reason.”

“Sí,”
Hidalgo said, “but I fear the damage has been done.”

“Maybe you're right,” said Jarvis, “and I think I know who's responsible for that. I'm calling this meeting adjourned. Hidalgo, you and Ximinez can go. I have a job for everybody else.”

Hidalgo and Ximinez wasted no time in departing. Canton, Tafolla, Zouka, Klady, Handley, Wittrus, Moke, and Undilay waited expectantly. Jarvis spoke.

“Canton, you're in charge. Denton Rucker and the
hombres
ridin' with him got us into this when they gunned down that pair of
Mejicanos.
I'll tell Rucker I'm sending the eight of you to replace the men he lost and that you're to resume the chase. Then when you're well away from town, I want you to show Rucker and his bunch the error of their ways.”

 

The decision of Mexican officials to use soldiers to quell the killings had far-reaching effects. The telegraph carried the word to every military outpost in Mexico, and in Juarez, Ranch Stringfield took it as a warning. He packed a few personal belongings and cleaned out the safe, most of whose contents didn't belong to him. He filled saddlebags with gold and, mounting a fast horse, rode north. Into Arizona.

Denton Rucker and his remaining ten men were surprised when they were met by the eight riders Jarvis had sent them.

“I'm takin' charge,” Canton said. “Jarvis gave the order.”

Rucker's men looked at one another, not liking this new development.

“You tell Jarvis we're ridin' back to Durango,” said Rucker. “I ain't takin' his orders or yours.”

Canton and his men tensed, their hands on the butts of their revolvers, but they were still in town. Slowly they relaxed, and Canton spoke.

“Insubordination don't set well with this outfit. There's no place for any of you. Not in Durango or anywhere else in Mexico. Ride for the border, and keep ridin'.”

Unwilling to turn their backs, Rucker and his men back-stepped their horses, getting as far from Canton and his riders as they could. Finally they wheeled their horses and rode away at a fast gallop.

“By God,” Bailey said, “if the time an' place was right, they'd have gunned us down.”

“That's the feelin' I got,” said Rucker.”

“We ain't goin' back to Durango, then,” Mannon said.

“You can suit yourself,” said Rucker, “but I don't plan to. All things being equal, I ain't one to run out on a fight, but I won't dodge lead from both sides. I'll risk hanging in Texas if my only other choice is bein' shot in the back in Mexico.”

There was a rumble of agreement from the rest of the men, and when Rucker rode out, they followed.

 

“Damn it,” Jarvis said, when Canton reported to him, “they knew what was coming. I want all of you to be watchin' for other groups arriving from Durango, and I want them kept out of town. The last thing we want them knowing is of the decision to use soldiers.”

“If you know how to reach Sandlin, you'd better be gettin' at it,” said Canton. “When all this bunch rides in from Durango, there'll be may be six hundred men within ridin' distance of town. You reckon they won't attract some attention? Hidalgo and Ximinez will be havin' conniption fits.”

“Yeah,” said Tafolla, another Sandlin lieutenant, “all it'll take is for one or more of these
hombres
to pull a gun, and we'll have them soldiers down on us. ”

“Just do what I said,” Jarvis growled. “Keep watch in the hills to the north and tell all the arriving outfits they're not to come into town. Sandlin's orders.”

“Hold it,” said Wes. “Riders coming.”

The six riders crossed the creek within sight of where Wes and his companions had reined up. It was the morning after their successful escape from Rucker's outfit.

“They be Sandlin outlaws, or hired guns?” El Lobo wondered.

“Hired guns,” said Wes. “Sandlin outlaws usually travel in packs of ten or more.”

“Then why do we not ambush them?” Tamara asked.

“Per'ap there be more,” said El Lobo.

“He's right,” Renita added. “We saw only six, but there may be many more, all close enough to hear the shooting.”

“That's why we're going to trail them,” said Wes. “They're riding away from town. If they're looking for us, we'll let them find us, but not until we're ready for them.”

Empty ran on ahead, aware they were trailing the mounted men who had so recently crossed the creek.

“The
perro
follows the trail,” El Lobo said.

“He'll see that we don't ride upon them unexpectedly,” said Wes. “We'll give them a little more distance and then El Lobo and me will get ahead of them.”

“It's always you and El Lobo,” Renita complained. “When are you going to let me and Tamara prove ourselves?”

El Lobo laughed.

“It is no laughing matter,” said Tamara. “These outlaws made whores of us. We owe them something.”