Gus Read online

  “You just tell us what we should do, Gus.”

  “I need to think on it a bit.”

  They returned to the house to figure out what they should do.

  ____

  Libby was able to get back, get her horse unsaddled, and make it to her room all without Joe noticing.

  He was in his office planning. If Libby didn’t go to the northeast pasture, he’d take her there. Whether she was still breathing was the only question. If she did go, he’d be following. Either way, Libby was in for a bad afternoon.

  ____

  Gus sat with Eli and Rachel.

  “Any ideas, Gus?”

  “New to this kinda problem, Eli. I figure we need to see them first, before they can light up those torches. I’ll figure something out so we can do that. After that, it’s just what they do. If they know we can see them, maybe they’ll get outta here. If not, maybe a shot or two over their heads will light a fire under them.”

  “They won’t be shooting, will they?” asked Rachel.

  “I don’t think so. If they set the place on fire, they can say it just was an accident. I just don’t know how far Joe Miles wants to go. I really want to know why he’s doing this. It doesn’t make a lot of sense.”

  “It does, Gus. The threats probably came from Reverend Quincy, but the other incidents, the shootings and the cattle, were probably Miles’s doing. They want us to leave, Gus. You heard Miles the other day. You may be right about the shooting, but they just want us gone. That’s all this is about.”

  “Well, we’ll worry about the rest of it later. Right now, I need to set up for tonight. I figure I can set up a ring of hay about a hundred feet from the house and then soak it in coal oil. I know there’s enough in the barn. At the first sound of hooves, I light the ring. They’ll be visible, and I can fire a few rounds over their heads or do something else to get them to leave.”

  “Then what?”

  “I make a quick ride up to Hendrick and notify the county sheriff what’s going on. He’ll probably wire the US marshal’s office in Fort Worth.”

  Rachel sighed. “This just isn’t worth it, Gus.”

  “We can talk about that later, Rachel. I’ll go and start my ring of fire.”

  Gus stood and walked out of the room and down the porch stairs to the barn.

  Rachel looked at Eli. “Eli, it really isn’t worth it anymore.”

  Eli shook his head. “No, Rachel it’s not. Sara isn’t coming back, and their behavior isn’t going to change. I just don’t want to see anybody hurt, especially not Gus.”

  Rachel nodded.

  ____

  Outside, Gus was building his ring. He had dragged out a full bale of hay and began spreading it into a small wall, about six inches high. It was quick work. He had the entire ring done and still had enough hay left to make the ring a little higher. Then he went into the barn and took the first of two cans of coal oil. He began pouring the coal oil onto the hay and just walked along. He was about two-thirds done when he had to get the other can. When he was done, he had a ring of coal oil–soaked hay that would burn brightly for about five minutes. That should be all the time he needed. He suspected they’d come from the front. He realized that the barn was vulnerable, so he moved the horses into the corral and threw some hay inside for them to eat.

  He walked out to the bunkhouse and took out his Winchester and the shotgun. He was still on the fence about how to confront the torchbearers. He’d make the decision when the time came. He brought both guns to the porch and leaned them against the railing. He put a box of shells next to the shotgun and a box of cartridges next to the Winchester. He made another decision and walked into the house.

  He went into the kitchen. Rachel had made lunch.

  “I was just going to come and get you for lunch.”

  “Thanks, Rachel.”

  She put a plate in front of him as he sat down. Rachel sat between him and Eli.

  “Eli, I’d be more comfortable if you and Rachel were in the hotel in Kinnick tonight. I can hitch up the wagon, and you can be there by two o’clock. It would make it easier for me, too.”

  “Is it really necessary?” he asked.

  “I think so. I just can’t predict what’ll happen. It would take a load off my mind if I knew you were both safe.”

  “All right, Gus. We’ll do as you ask,” he replied.

  “Thank you, Eli. I’ll come into town in the morning and let you know how it went.”

  “That won’t be necessary, Gus. We’ll just drive the wagon back out here.”

  “All right.”

  They had lunch, and Gus went out to hitch up the wagon while Rachel packed for their stay.

  He brought the wagon around front, and they came out of the house. Gus hopped up on the porch to take their bag.

  Eli got on board with some difficulty, but Gus knew he wanted to do it by himself. He helped Rachel onto the wagon.

  “When you get to town, leave the wagon with Abe Greene at the livery. He’ll take care of unharnessing the horses and keeping them for you. Do you need anything else? Do you need some cash?”

  “No, we’ll stop at the bank. Will you be all right, Gus?”

  “I’ll be fine. Now, none of that racin’ goin’ to town, Rachel. Drive slow.” He smiled at her.

  “Thank you again, Gus,” said Eli.

  “You both take care.”

  Rachel got the wagon moving, and Gus watched it leave until it entered the road and was on its way to town. They’d be there by three o’clock. Gus began to wonder whether he was ready.

  ____

  Rachel and Gus weren’t in town yet when they were met by a Western Union messenger. They may not be the most popular people in town, but they had to be given the telegram.

  Rachel kept driving as Eli read the message.

  “Rachel, this changes everything. Should we turn around?”

  “No, Eli. It is all in motion now. All we can do is trust in Gus and see if we can make it better for him after.”

  “All right.”

  Rachel continued to drive to Kinnick. They arrived at 2:40. They had things to do.

  ____

  Gus began by hunting for buckets. There weren’t many. He found four. He filled each one from the trough and placed one outside each wall. It wasn’t much. Then he pumped the trough full and went to the barn and pumped that trough full.

  He closed the barn doors and slid the heavy wooden beam into the angle irons to keep them closed.

  Gus loaded his Colt with the sixth cartridge. He took off his Stetson and left it in the bunkhouse. No sense in being a bigger target. He looked up at the sun. He guessed it was about three thirty. Time to head out to the northwest corner.

  ____

  Libby was nervous. Despite what she had told Gus, she knew there was a risk. Joe was using her, first to try to lure Gus away from the Star A, and now as some sort of pawn in his game to burn out the Aronsons. She just couldn’t figure out what her use was.

  She had dressed in a riding outfit so that she could wear her boots. She began to walk to the northeast pasture. She kept looking around. No one was here. She knew Gus wasn’t going to be there, but who was?

  She finally reached the corner. She saw the repaired fence wires. This must have been where they had moved the cattle. She heard hooves and turned. It was Joe, and he was riding her horse. She watched him guardedly as he stepped down and tied her to the fence.

  “Where’s your boyfriend, Libby?”

  “Joe, what game are you playing? You know Gus isn’t coming. Why are you having torches made?”

  That surprised Joe. How had that gotten around?

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I thought you said Gus wasn’t coming. Here he comes now.”

  Libby fell for it. For just a moment, she thought it was true. She hadn’t even fully turned her head when Joe hit her with his Colt’s barrel. She went down like a lump. Joe rolled Libby down a shallow gully and started walking
back to the house, leaving her horse there. It was about three quarters of a mile to the house, so it took him about ten minutes to get back. He went to his office.

  ____

  Gus had reached the northeast corner. He spotted Libby’s horse nearby, but no Libby. He bent under the wire and crossed over to Slash M land. He walked to the horse and rubbed her neck.

  “Well, girl, where is Libby?”

  He knew she had to be nearby. He walked closer to the fence line and saw a flash of white. He trotted over and saw Libby lying at the bottom of the gully. He climbed down. He reached behind her and saw blood matting her hair. That bastard, Joe!

  He felt her chest. Her heart was still strong. He picked her up and laid her down outside the gully. Then he scrambled out of the gully and retrieved her horse. She wasn’t very heavy, about 120, he guessed. He picked her up and walked to the repaired wire. He kicked it with his foot and snapped it open. Then he did the same for the other repaired wire.

  He set her down gently on Star A land and went back quickly to get her horse. He took the horse’s reins and led her across the wire. He picked up Libby and set her across his shoulder and put his foot into the stirrup, hoping it would support the weight. It did, and he was able to get into the saddle, still holding Libby. He set the horse at a trot to the now-empty Star A ranch house. He stopped in back and stepped down, flipped the reins around the hitching rail, and took Libby inside. He set her down softly in one of the two spare beds then went into the kitchen and soaked a towel in water.

  He lifted her head and began cleaning her wound. It wasn’t too bad. Head wounds often looked worse than they were. He lowered her head to the pillow.

  “Libby? Libby, can you hear me?” he asked loudly.

  She moaned softly. Gus left and returned to the kitchen. He rinsed the towel clean and wrung it damp. He returned to the bedroom, sat next to Libby, and touched the cool cloth to her forehead.

  “Libby? Are you with me?”

  Libby’s eyelids fluttered. After a few seconds, they opened.

  “Gus? Where am I?”

  “You’re at the Star A ranch house. I found you in a gully. Someone hit you in the head.”

  “That was Joe. I knew he’d do something.”

  “You’re safe now, Libby. You just take it easy. I’ve got to go outside for a while. They’ll be coming soon. It’s getting dark.”

  “Gus, I can help. I can shoot a Winchester and a pistol, too.”

  “First, try to sit up. You’re gonna be dizzy.”

  Gus helped her sit up, and she was dizzy, but not too bad.

  “How are you now, Libby?” Gus asked as he held her arms.

  “Not too bad. I’ll be all right in a little while. I want to help, Gus.”

  “Libby, if you do, you won’t be able to go back again.”

  “I don’t want to go back. How could I go back after what he did to me?”

  “But you’re married to him, Libby.”

  “Not really. We never consummated the marriage. That must count for something.”

  “It counts for Joe Miles being a moron, among other things.”

  She laughed. “That’s one way of looking at it.”

  “You sit for a few minutes, Libby. I’m going to go and unsaddle your horse and put him in the corral with the others.”

  “You brought Cleo?”

  “Is that her name?

  “Uh-huh. Named after Queen Cleopatra of Egypt. She’s mine, not the ranch’s. I’m glad you brought her, Gus. I’d hate to lose her.”

  “What about all your clothes and things?”

  “I can buy more. I have a pretty healthy bank account. I sold my boardinghouse when I moved into the ranch. He paid me thirty dollars a month. I’ve been getting that for almost six years. Plus, I had the household money that I used to buy food for the house. I didn’t spend all of that, either. So, I have over fifty-five hundred dollars saved up. I don’t need him at all. I never did, really. I do need someplace to stay, though. I could move into the hotel.”

  “Do you object to staying here, Libby?”

  “Not at all. I’d like that, Gus.”

  “All right. When the Aronsons return in the morning, I’ll ask them. I’m sure they won’t mind.”

  Libby smiled at him. “Thank you, Gus.”

  “You’re welcome, Libby. You’re a good woman.”

  “Thank you for noticing.”

  “I noticed the first time, if you recall. But I’ve got to get going.”

  She nodded as he left.

  Gus went outside quickly and led Cleo to the corral. He let her drink first and then removed her saddle and other tack. She was a pretty mare. The corral was looking a mite crowded.

  He trotted back to the house. The sun was gone. There was just the twilight.

  He entered the kitchen and found Libby preparing some sandwiches.

  “I was just thinkin’ about that,” he said.

  “We have to eat. I have to admit, Gus, it feels good to be out of that place. I feel free.”

  “You are, Libby. You choose now.”

  She turned and smiled at him. “New circumstances, Gus?”

  “You got that right. About as new as can get, Libby.”

  ____

  At the Slash M, Joe had called his hands together. They were near the barn.

  “Boys, something has happened that we need to make right. That cowboy working over at the Star A had been eying up Libby. Now, you all know what a fine woman she is. Well, seems like he wanted her and made up some story about needing to meet with her up in the northeast pasture. She told me that she was going up there. I told her not to go, but she kind of liked him. When she didn’t come back, I went looking for her a little while ago up there and found her dead in a gully. She had been raped. I want that bastard burned alive for what he did. I had cookie make us some torches. We’re gonna ride over there and make that yellow rapist pay for killing Libby. Everybody grab a torch and mount up. We’re gonna set things right. Where’s Bill Cook?”

  “Don’t know, boss. Haven’t seen him for a while.”, replied Hank.

  “Well, he’s drawn his last paycheck. Let’s go and avenge Libby, boys.”

  The hands saw a few holes in the story, but he was the boss, and it sounded somewhat plausible, so each of the four men walked to the pail full of coal oil–soaked torches and mounted his horse.

  ____

  Back at the Star A, Gus had taken a box of matches, and some spare shells that he had put into his pocket and headed out to the porch. Libby was behind him. When they reached the porch, Libby picked up the Winchester.

  “Stay inside until I call for you, Libby. You’re my ace in the hole.”

  “I’ll be right there, Gus.”, she answered as she returned to the house.

  Gus stepped down into the darkness and walked to within five feet of the coal oil–covered hay ring. He was off to the left of center. He waited.

  The five riders were on the road, about a half mile out, when Gus heard the hooves.

  He turned. “Here they come, Libby.”

  “I’m ready, Gus.”

  Gus cocked the hammers of both barrels. He held the shotgun in the crook of his right arm and a match in his left hand. He couldn’t see them turn onto the access road, but he could hear them.

  They were in a line now. Joe had told them not to light the torches until they got within a hundred feet of the house. They had just passed seventy yards and were reaching for their matches when there was the flare of a match to their right. They all watched as the flame floated across the ether, and then woosh! A bright flame shot around the house in a fiery circle. They saw Gus standing off to the side with a shotgun.

  “Evening, boys. I see you brought torches to the party. I’d suggest you drop ’em. This scattergun is loaded with number four buckshot, and both hammers are cocked. That ain’t gonna be pleasant.”

  The hands all dropped their torches. Even Joe.

  “Now, why in hell are y
ou boys here? I haven’t done nary a thing to any of you. Even to you, Miles.”

  “You killed my wife, you bastard!” shouted Joe.

  “Why would I do that, Joe? She’s a wonderful woman. I admire her a lot.”

  “Because you wanted her. You raped her and then killed her.”