.44 Caliber Man (11 page)

‘
Figured we might need these,’ the Kid commented, hefting the
two Winchesters. ‘So I fetched ’em from the hotel.’

‘
Made me tote the heavy ‘n’,’ Temple went on, holding out the
Winchester. ‘Here, take hold of it, Mark.’

‘
Sheriff figures we should go through the Mex section, Lon,’
Dusty remarked as he accepted his carbine.

‘
I’ve already done that,’ the Kid answered. ‘They not hid down
there.’

‘
You searched every jacale and the cantina?’ Lansing
asked.

‘
Warn’t no need,’ the Kid replied. ‘Folks weren’t acting scared
or nothing. They would’ve been if the Flores boys were
around.’

‘
Maybe we should make a search,’ Lansing said to Dusty. ‘You
know greasers?’

‘
Nowhere near as well as Lon does,’ Dusty stated. ‘I’ll go
along with him.’

‘
There’s one way we can maybe fetch ’em out of wherever they’re
hid,’ Mark put in. ‘If Colin’s game to try it.’

‘
Try what?’ the Scot asked.

‘
Walk right down the center of Main Street. If they’re around,
that ought to bring them out.’

‘
It for sure will,’ the Kid agreed. ‘They’ll have to make their
play, or lose face with the local Mexicans.’

‘
I’ll do it!’ Colin said grimly.

‘
It’ll be risky,’ Dusty warned. ‘You’ll be throwing out a
challenge they have to take up.’

‘
I’ll still do it!’ Colin insisted.

‘
Figured you would,’ Dusty grinned. ‘We’ll do everything we can
to make things easier.’

‘
Give Lon and me a few minutes to get into place, Dusty,’. Mark
suggested. ‘I’ll go to the livery barn.’

‘
Saloon for me,’ the Kid went on. ‘Up on the
balcony.’

‘
Take my carbine with you, Lon,’ Dusty ordered. ‘You’d best
stay here with Ma, Lou. How about you, sheriff?’

‘
M—Me?’ Lansing croaked.

‘
Maybe you’d best go back to your office and get your deputies
ready to help us when Flores comes,’ Dusty suggested.

‘
Yeah!’ Lansing agreed eagerly. That’s what I’ll
do.’

‘
Shouldn’t he be with us?’ Colin inquired, watching the sheriff
scuttle away.

‘
Comes to trouble,’ Dusty replied dryly, ‘I’d sooner have him
where he is, out from under-foot. Get to it, Mark, Lon. We’ll come
on to the street down the west end.’

After Mark and
the Kid took their departure, the latter once more carrying Dusty’s
carbine, the small Texan turned his attention to Colin. Making sure
the Scot knew how to load and handle the Sharps, Dusty told him
what to do in case of an attack. From all he could see and the
questions Colin asked, Dusty concluded his instructions had been
understood and he could rely on the other not to panic. While
walking towards the west side of the town, Colin brought up
something which had been puzzling him since hearing Jeanie mention
it.

‘
What does it mean when you say somebody is a forty-four
caliber man?’

‘
It started back around the early ’40s,’ Dusty explained.
‘Colonel Colt’s new revolvers started coming into Texas about then.
His first guns were only .36 caliber, and the new gun was a
forty-four. Which same was a whole heap of gun, too much for some
folks. The Texas Rangers got the first of the new guns, and the
Rangers were all picked men. So folks started saying they were
forty-four caliber men, something special. As time went on, more of
the Colts came on the market. The name got to mean a feller who was
all man and could be relied on from hell to high water. Any man who
gets called it earns the name.’

‘
Miss Schell’s father was a forty-four caliber man?’

‘
All the way and back again.’

By that time
they had passed alongside the last building and stood at the edge
of the main street. Carefully Dusty studied the surrounding range,
then turned his eyes to the street. The body had been removed and
only a few people walked the street.

‘
Let’s go,’ Dusty said. ‘Take it easy and keep your eyes
open.’

Knowing that
Mark and the Kid were covering them did not cause Dusty to relax or
become careless. All the time he and Colin walked, he kept his eyes
constantly flickering from side to side. On the sidewalks, men and
women paused to look at them as they advanced along the center of
the street. No westerner needed to ask what such behavior meant and
there was a sudden scattering as the people headed for cover.

As they passed
the livery barn, Colin saw Mark standing up in the hayloft. The
blond giant gave the Scot a cheery grin, but did not speak or lower
his rifle. Walking from the barn towards the Black Bear Saloon,
Colin tried to locate the Kid. At first he failed, then saw the
black-dressed youngster crouching behind the long name-board
fastened to the railings of the balcony.

Suddenly hooves
drummed on the street behind them and four riders tore into view
from around the end of a building. Instantly the Kid rose from his
place of concealment. His left hand tossed the carbine down to
Dusty and his right started to raise the rifle shoulder-wards.
Catching the carbine, Dusty swiveled around. Colin turned almost as
fast, snapping the Sharps to his shoulder.

‘
Don’t shoot!’ Mark bellowed, appearing at the loft’s loading
door. The riders wore U.S. cavalry uniforms and forage caps. Nor
was it likely that were members of the Flores gang in disguise, for
all had Anglo-Saxon features. Finding two carbines on the street
aimed their way, the soldiers reined in their horses
hurriedly.

‘
What the—!’ the sergeant in the lead began.

‘
We thought you were somebody else,’ Colin replied, lowering
his Sharps.

‘
Looks that way,’ the non-com admitted dryly, then studied the
Scot from head to toe. ‘Say! You’re the feller who shot Adàn
Flores, ain’t you?’

‘
He’s the feller,’ Dusty agreed. ‘We figured Adàn’s kin might
be wanting to try for evens and concluded to give them a
chance.’

‘
So that’s why you’re out here,’ the sergeant
breathed.

‘
Figured letting them come to us’d be the easiest way to find
them,’ Dusty explained. ‘And when you boys come busting around the
corner—’

‘
Yeah,’ the non-com said. ‘We was headed for the saloon to
spend some of our pay afore the post sutler attaches it. If we’d
got shot, it’d’ve riled him. We owe him a double-eagle a
piece.’

‘
I’ve got me a thirst worse than afore,’ commented one of the
soldiers.

‘
And me,’ admitted the sergeant. ‘We’ll go on, if that’s all
right with you, si—friend.’

‘
Go to it,’ Dusty told him. ‘I hope you spend some afore the
sutler finds out you’ve left the post.’

‘
We’ll try,’ promised the sergeant. ‘If there’s any shooting,
we’ll come out and lend a hand.’

‘
Thanks,’ Dusty said.

After the
soldiers had ridden on, the Kid walked from the saloon. Mark came
from the livery barn and joined his companions.

‘
What do you reckon?’ Dusty asked.

‘
They’re not around,’ Mark replied. ‘Or if they are, the
soldiers’ll keep them off.’

‘
Way I see it,’ the Kid went on, ‘Vicente and the other jasper
came in without Tiburcio knowing.’

‘
He felt that bad about Adàn being killed?’ Dusty
inquired.

‘
Felt nothing,’ scoffed the Kid. ‘He’d do it to show Tiburcio
and Matteo how tough he was. Other feller was maybe kin to the
jasper Miss April shot.’

‘
So the gang may not be here after all?’ Colin said.

‘
They’re around, somewheres not too far off,’ the Kid
stated.

‘
Arnie Ho Hell’s fire, Dusty. I clean forgot to look in on ole
Arnie while I was down there.’

‘
Do it now,’ Dusty ordered. ‘Do you want Mark
along?’

‘
I can handle it best alone,’ the Kid decided.

‘
We’ll wait for you at Ma Schell’s then,’ Dusty
replied.

‘
Where can I buy a revolver?’ Colin asked as the Kid strolled
unconcernedly off in the direction of the Mexican
quarter.

‘
Down to Hoffer’s store,’ Dusty answered. ‘I’ll come with you.
Mark, you’d best go back to let Ma know what’s
happened.’

‘
Sure,’ Mark agreed. ‘Only don’t come blaming Lon and me if the
Flores bunch sneak up and kill you both.’

With that
friendly warning ringing in their ears, Dusty and Colin headed for
Hoffer’s general store. A few customers eyed them worriedly as they
entered, but said nothing about the incident in the street. The
store carried the usual miscellany of items, including a good range
of firearms. Crossing to the side of the shop devoted to sporting
goods, Dusty and Colin looked into the glass-topped case which held
a number of revolvers.

‘
I’d like to look at that one,’ Colin said, pointing to the
required gun as Hoffer joined them.

Tall, lean,
with an expression of concern permanently on his face, Hoffer
studied the choice for a moment. ‘Sure. I’ve got some new 1860 Army
Colts if—’

‘
That’s the one I want,’ Colin insisted, still indicating the
old Dragoon model.

‘
Mind if I look it over?’ Dusty asked.

‘
Feel free, Cap’n Fog,’ Hoffer replied, opening the case and
taking out the revolver. ‘I got it from the widow of an old Ranger.
It’s been well cared for.’

Accepting and
examining the Dragoon, Dusty saw that Hoffer had spoken the truth
about its condition. However he wondered if the lighter Army Colt
might be more suitable for the young Scot.

‘
No!’ Colin stated vehemently when Dusty raised the point.
‘This’s the kind of gun I want.’

Colin was
determined to prove himself to Jeanie and make her admit that he
had the stuff in him to be thought of as a forty-four caliber
man.

Shortly before
noon, the men gathered in Ma’s living room. Only the Kid had not
returned and the others sat around the table eating a meal served
by the women. Colin had bought the Dragoon, three hundred .44 paper
cartridges, powder, lead for molding bullets, percussion caps and
the old Ranger’s gun-belt. This like the revolver, was in good
condition, the holster well shaped for a fast twist hand draw.
However certain alterations were needed to make it fit Colin and
the town’s saddler agreed to make the necessary adjustments. Not
wishing Jeanie to see the gun until he was competent in its use,
Colin had left it at the store.

On their
return, Dusty and Colin had learned that Kenny was sleeping
comfortably. Ma looked worried as she told them, for she knew that
her son would be unfit to ride for some time to come. Nor could he
be moved around in the wagon. Guessing what troubled her, Dusty
waited for the opportunity to offer any help she might require.
Ma’s pride would prevent her from asking outright, as he knew, and
his own offer must be timed and worded correctly or meet with
refusal.

The Kid entered
the room and halted to study the other men as they sat around the
table.

‘
It’s just about what I’d expect,’ he growled. ‘All the white
folks sat filling their bellies while this poor lil Injun boy’s
been working.’

‘
You’ve been working?’ Mark asked. ‘Well, they do say there’s a
time and place for everything.’

‘
What’d you find out?’ Dusty inquired before the Kid could
think up an answer suitable for mixed company.

‘
Arnie lit out just a mite after the shooting,’ the Kid
replied. ‘I was going to try looking for him, but figured I’d best
tell you first.’

‘
Any chance of you finding him?’ Dusty wanted to
know.

‘
Not a whole heap,’ admitted the Kid. ‘He took off along the
trail, could’ve left it anywhere. Happen Ka-Dih’s willing. I’ll cut
his sign.’

‘
Forget it,’ Dusty decided. ‘We’ll let them make the next
move.’

‘
They may not try,’ Colin put in.

‘
They’ll try,’ Mark told him.

‘
There’s nothing more sure than that,’ the Kid agreed. ‘Now
Vicente’s gone under, they’ve got to cut you down.’

‘
Then I’ll go back to the hotel,’ Colin stated and started to
rise.

‘
The hell you will!’ Ma snapped. ‘You’re staying with
us.’

‘
We stand a better chance of licking them if we’re all
together,’ Dusty went on. ‘If we split up, they can pick us off one
at a time.’

‘
Dusty can look after you better if you stay here,’ Jeanie
remarked.

‘
Damn it!’ Colin barked, slamming a hand on to the table. ‘I’m
not a child to need looking after. And I’m asking no man to fight
for me.’

‘
And I’m not offering to,’ Dusty said quietly, giving Jeanie a
glare which made her squirm in her seat. ‘This’s not just your
fight, Colin. Lou and Miss Hosman each killed one of the gang. Lon
downed two. I shot another of them. That means the Flores gang’ll
be after all of us. So we’ve got to stand together.’

‘
Like us Pehnane say,’ the Kid went on. ‘United we stand,
divided the Kaddo take our scalps.’