Chapter fifty-eight
Me and Ross rushed over to Mr. Tomlin.
We rolled him over, and were relieved to find him still alive. He had been shot in the shoulder, but a quick look told us that the bullet had gone clean through.
“Don’t worry about me, boys; I’m fine,” Mr. Tomlin grimaced. “How about them?”
We leaned Mr. Tomlin up against a log and got him comfortable, and then I went and checked on the rest.
Roy Shaw had three bullets in him, and the man Mr. Tomlin had shot was missing most of his face on account of Mr. Tomlin’s shotgun. As for the man in the rocks; I had put two bullets into his chest.
“Three of ’em are dead, Mr. Tomlin,” I reported as I walked back over to him. “But Ryan Palmer got away.”
“That’s too bad,” Mr. Tomlin said as he grimaced in pain. “But that was good work, you two.”
“What do you want us to do now?” Ross asked as we both squatted by him. “We’ve got to get you back to the ranch.”
“No, I’m not going back without my horses,” Mr. Tomlin declared. “We’ll stay here until tomorrow, and by then I should be able to ride a bit. In the meantime, you two had better make sure that the horses didn’t scatter off too far, and then you’d better break out the shovels. We should give those men a decent burial.”
We knew that there was no use trying to talk Mr. Tomlin out of it. So, we stood and got busy.
The horses hadn’t gone far, and it didn’t take us long to get them all gathered back up. Then, we got busy digging the graves.
“By the way; that was sure some shot you made when you dove off your hoss,” Ross told me while we worked. “For a second there I didn’t even know what you were shooting at.”
I smiled.
“It was just my normal,” I said, quoting Kinrich.
Ross grinned.
“Well, you saved us, that’s for sure. That feller could have killed us off one by one.”
I nodded, and then it fell silent as we worked on.
***
Mr. Tomlin slept most of the day. Near evening time he woke up feeling better, but hungry. We had a fire going, and it didn’t take us long to make some coffee and cook some grub.
“Lieutenant Porter ain’t going to be happy when he finds out that we’ve killed three of his men,” Ross speculated while we ate.
“No, don’t reckon he will,” Mr. Tomlin agreed.
“What do you think we should do now?” Ross asked.
Mr. Tomlin frowned thoughtfully.
“We aren’t going to do a thing. I’m sure this little incident will cause the whole thing to blow up. We’ll just stay at the ranch and see what develops.”
“I wish this cattle drive wasn’t coming up,” I said. “Lieutenant Porter might wait to do something until after we’ve left.”
“Mebbe one of us should stay here,” Ross suggested.
“No, this cattle drive is too important to too many folks,” Mr. Tomlin said. “I want both of you to go. Me and Buster can handle things just fine.”
Ross and I weren’t so sure, but we didn’t say anything.
Instead, Ross turned to me.
“It’s too bad Palmer got away.”
I nodded grimly.
“Yes, it is. That feller’s got nine lives, that’s for sure.”
“Well, mebbe he learned his lesson and will clear out for good this time,” Ross said hopefully.
“I doubt it,” I grunted.
We bedded down after that, and as I lay there I thought some more about Palmer.
Palmer had failed again, and I was sure his hatred for me was even stronger now. And, if I knew Palmer, he wasn’t going to stop trying to kill me until one of us was dead.
Chapter fifty-nine
The next morning we took out slow, and it took us most of the day to get back to the ranch.
By then Mr. Tomlin was in bad shape. But he was a tough old man and never said a word.
Mrs. Tomlin put him right to bed. Soon afterwards she gave me and Ross a severe tongue thrashing, saying that we should have hurried back home.
Mr. Tomlin stayed in bed for a week.
After that he was able to move about some, and he hobbled around headquarters as he supervised our preparations for the cattle drive.
It didn’t take long for word to get out, and there were lots of cow-punchers that wanted in on the cattle drive. They showed up in bunches, and Mr. Tomlin hired just about everybody right on the spot.
It was a busy time.
Already, different ranchers were showing up with their herds. We threw them in with our herd, and all the new hands stayed out with the herd.
During that time we all kept a watchful eye out for Lieutenant Porter. But he never showed up, and we were glad.
Ryan Palmer had also disappeared. Ross figured we had seen the last of him, but I knew better.
We were supposed to leave on the cattle drive in one week.
By now, me and Buster had Mr. Tomlin’s colts green broke. Except for one buckskin, they had all turned out to be decent horses, and we planned on putting them in the remuda for extra horses.
I was still determined to break that buckskin before we left. So, one evening after supper I decided to go work with him for a while.
I spotted a cow-puncher riding in as I walked down to the barn. Lately that was nothing new, so I didn’t give it much thought as I went about my business.
The cowboy rode on up to the main house, and while he and Mr. Tomlin talked I carried my saddle over to the round pen.
I took my time as I saddled the buckskin. He knew I was fixing to get on him, and he was all humped up and not liking it.
I led him around a bit to warm him up. After that I got a-hold of him and stepped up on him.
Soon as I did he put his head down and went to bucking. And, despite my best efforts, I couldn’t get him to stop. So, I started spurring him, and he went to bucking even harder.
After a while he finally quit, and then I made him lope. We went round and round for a good fifteen minutes, and when I finally pulled him up he was breathing hard.
I didn’t know it, but the cow-puncher had come down to the barn during my bronc ride. He was leaning on the corrals smoking a cigar, and soon as I smelled that smoke I turned around sharply.
That smoke smelled mighty familiar, and there was only one feller I knew that smoked those types of cigars.
The cowboy grinned as I walked up.
“Well, hello there, Button. Imagine finding you here.”
I was too surprised to answer. Instead, my mouth fell open in shock, because the man standing in front of me was Lee Mattingly.
Chapter sixty
Lee studied me as I led the buckskin out of the round pen.
“Well now, it looks like you’re doing just fine!” Lee flashed me a grin. “And you’ve grown up too. You’ve filled out plenty since I saw you last.”
“I’m doing real good,” I replied.
“Looks like it,” Lee agreed, and he looked curiously at me. “Does Mr. Tomlin know who you really are?”
“He does now,” I replied, and then I explained our situation.
There was a small smile that tugged at the corners of Lee’s mouth, but that was all.
“Joe Lenders, it’s good to make your acquaintance,” he said solemnly and with a straight face.
But then Lee laughed.
“Couldn’t you come up with something better than ‘Lenders’?” Lee asked.
“I needed it in a hurry,” I explained.
“Well, it ain’t very original, but it’ll do,” Lee said, still grinning. “I reckon it’s just as good as mine. I’ve been calling myself Lee Wilson.”
I led the buckskin over to the barn, and Lee followed.
As I unsaddled I thought the situation over. Why was Lee here? Was he really wanting an honest job, or was he after something else? I was going to have to find out, because if he was up to no good it would be up to me to stop him.
“So, what have you been up to?” I asked as I turned the buckskin loose.
Lee shrugged as he took a puff on his cigar.
“Drifting, mainly. In fact, that’s why I’m here.”
“How’s that?” I asked, confused.
Lee grinned.
“I was asked to deliver a message.”
“From who?” I asked.
“Ryan Palmer.”
I was startled.
“Palmer! Where’d you see him?”
“Five days ago, due east of here,” Lee explained. “It was nighttime, and I was traveling late. I saw a campfire burning, so I thought I’d ride over and have a cup of coffee. Turns out, it was Palmer’s camp. He told me what happened.”
“How was he?” I asked.
“Mad,” Lee grinned. “He was still bleeding some, but he’ll live.”
“Too bad,” I said. “So, what’s the message?”
Lee’s grin widened.
“He said when he heals up that he’s going to be coming for you.”
I shook my head in disgust.
“If he ain’t careful, he’ll find me,” I replied.
“’Spect he will,” Lee said. “He seemed determined.”
“He ain’t the sort that gives up,” I said.
“No, he ain’t,” Lee agreed. “But, he won’t be showing up anytime soon. He’s going to be laid up with that shoulder for a long time.”
“Good,” I said. “One less thing to worry about.”
Lee grinned as he dropped his cigar and rubbed it out with his boot.
“For a while,” Lee said.
I changed the subject.
“So, now that you’ve delivered the message, what do you plan on doing next?” I asked.
“This drive up to Abilene sounds interesting. I reckon I’ll come along,” Lee replied.
“Lee, I’m riding for Mr. Tomlin,” I told him seriously. “I’d hate to see you go against him, ’cause you’d be going against me too.”
Lee looked at me strangely.
“Rondo, you know how I am. If I take a man's money I’ll stick with him ’til the job’s done. Now, that don’t mean that later on somebody else might pay me to come back and rob him, but not while I’m on the payroll.”
I breathed easier.
“I’m glad to hear you say that, Lee.”
It was silent, and then I asked him, “Say, how did you make out in that range war up at Midway?”
“Don’t remind me,” Lee grimaced as he gently patted his side. “My side lost. Matter of fact, I even took some lead in the ordeal. I’ll tell you something, Rondo, all of you Landons are downright dangerous to tangle with. Them cousins of yours, along with J.T. Tussle’s hands, whipped us right good.”
Lee paused as he pulled out another cigar from his shirt pocket.
“By the way, have you seen or heard from Yancy?” Lee asked as he bit off the end of his cigar and lit up.
I shook my head.
“No, I haven’t. Why do you ask?”
“’Cause he’s still looking for you,” Lee replied.
“I ain’t heard much since I’ve been down here,” I told him. “And to tell you the truth, I sort-a like it that a-way.”
“Well, Yancy has really made a name for himself,” Lee said. “Him and his brother Cooper joined up with that new Texas police force, and Yancy was promoted to Lieutenant. They were assigned to Midway, and they’ve really cleaned up things over there. Midway is plumb respectable now.”
“That’s good,” I said.
Lee smiled.
“I also heard that he’s been using the police force to look for you. Lately he’s been going on patrols, making big circles and looking for any sign of you.”
Lee paused, and then added, “He’s also still looking for Kinrich.”
I looked up sharply.
“Kinrich’s alive?” I asked.
Lee nodded.
“He’s alive, all right. I’ve heard plenty, and none of it’s good.”
“Oh?” I asked.
“A few months ago he got himself a new outfit, and this bunch he’s got now is nothing more than a bunch of cutthroats,” Lee explained. “On their first job out Kinrich killed a man, and it happened again on the next job.”
“That doesn’t sound like Kinrich,” I said as I mulled it over. “Kinrich always planned extra careful so there wouldn’t be any killing.”
“Well, he ain’t that way now,” Lee said.
“What changed him?” I asked.
“Too much killing; that’s what happened,” Lee declared. “You keep killing one man after another, and before long you lose all sense of balance. You don’t kill because of necessity; instead you kill just to kill. You sort-a get addicted to it, and that’s what’s happened to Kinrich.”
“Can’t say that it really surprises me,” I said as I shook my head. “I was with Kinrich nearly every day for three years, and I never did see a man that could change moods so fast.”
“Well, I reckon the sooner Yancy gets him the better,” Lee said. “Being an outlaw is one thing, but killing innocent folks just for the thrill of it is something else.”
“Think Yancy will find him?”
“I do,” Lee nodded. “And when he does, it’ll be some show. But you know something? If’n I was to lay down a bet, I would say that you could take either one of ’em.”
“I hope I never have to find out,” I said soberly.
Lee smiled.
“Well, you’re probably going to be meeting up with the both of ’em real soon.”
“What do you mean?” I asked with a startled look.
“Herd cutting has become Kinrich’s new scheme now that there’s all of these cattle drives going up north,” Lee explained. “Now, herd as big as we’re taking, he’ll be bound to try and hit it. Yancy will know that, and he’ll be lurking about trying to catch him.”
Lee was saying a lot, and I was silent as I thought it over.
Lee chuckled.
“Now you know why I want to go along. Could turn out to be real interesting.”
“If what you’re saying is true, it just might be,” I said. “But know this, Lee. My only purpose on this trip is to get these cattle to Abilene. There’s a lot riding on this cattle drive, and I ain’t going to let Kinrich, or even Yancy for that matter, stop me.”
“Sure,” Lee said as he reached over and gripped my shoulder. “But it’s still going to be interesting.”
We turned in after that, but I didn’t sleep too well. Lee had me worried, and I had a feeling that trouble was coming.