Ambush Valley (25 page)

When they rode out of the canyon, he caught up with Stanley and rode beside him. “What would you charge me for a buckboard to haul them to Preskit?”

“A dollar.”

“No, I want to pay for it.”

“To get rid of those two, I'd pay you.”

“I want to keep going. I'm going to send Hampt to take the Clouds' horses back to them and then give the money back to the storekeeper up there. I'm going to have him give me a receipt. Then I'll have them locked up.”

“I'll get a driver for you. He can bring the rig back.”

“Thanks.”

“I heard about you. I thought all this talk was bullshit and when I met you this morning, I saw you were none of that. You won't get paid a dime for this work. Why did a man with a big ranch have to go to find these criminals?”

“There was no pursuit by the law, and the bastards ruined a good woman's life.”

“I'm sorry most about that.” They dismounted at the livery. Word was out about the capture and several folks began flocking to the stables and asking questions.

“Who are they?”

“What did they do?”

“Why are they tied up?”

Stanley got their attention. “These men held up the store at Crown King. They shot a deputy sheriff who tried to stop them. They assaulted a rancher's wife and stole their horses. Mr. Byrnes, Mr. Times, and Mr. Tate are concerned citizens doing the job our lawmen should be doing. The horses and money will be going back to the rightful folks.”

When he ended, the men and women applauded and came by to shake the three men's hands.

Chet listened closely to the crowd as they prepared to take the outlaws on to Preskit. Lynching them and getting it over was the word on many lips. He started for Stanley to tell him to hurry the buckboard deal as the crowd was turning angrier by the minute from what he heard. Not at them, but at the two in the back.

“Hold it.” he raised his hands. “These men are my prisoners and I'll shoot anyone that tries to take them away from us. The law is working. Now you all can go on. Start moving.”

“Your name Byrnes?” a man shouted at him.

“I'm Chet Byrnes. I am just a rancher. I am trying to stay out of this law business, but I am not doing a great job at it. That isn't here nor there. Yavapai County needs good law enforcement. I am just here to take these men in to the authorities. Thank you for dispersing.”

Chet instructed Hampt on taking the Cloud horses back to them, then for him to take the storekeeper the money in the shirt. Then he needed to carefully count it with him, as well as bring a receipt from him for the prosecution attorney.

“I can handle it. Thanks, I'll see you at the ranch.”

“Yes, come by Marge's. Leif and I will take them in to Preskit tonight and have them locked in the jail.”

“You don't need any help here?” Hampt asked, looking as the crowd began to let up.

“Wait till we start out. Thanks. Is your man ready, Stanley?”

“Yes, his name is Lloyd Burks. Good man.”

“Thanks again, Stanley, for all your help.” He saluted him in the late afternoon sun's glare and the team struck a good clip on the Black Canyon Road, headed north for Preskit. By the time they reached the turnoff into town it was long past midnight. Chet had a time staying awake in the saddle.

“You want to go home from here?” he asked Leif.

“Naw, I'll make it and dislocate my jaw yawning. I'm sure pleased you let me join you. Now do you have an in with your sister?”

“No. She pretty well makes up her own mind. I certainly can't head her toward anyone, no matter how much I like you. You're on your own in that case.”

“Thanks. You won't object to me trying?”

“No, it is a free world. I just don't want her hurt.”

“Oh, I'd never hurt her. I'd just like to have her look at me. I am not rich. I am not educated. Does she go to church?”

“Don't we all?”

“Yes. I mean is she into any brand?”

“Better ask her.”

“I didn't join you to win your sister. I am one of your fans since you tracked down the Artman killers. I told my dad I wanted to help you again. I am not any great hero, but I am learning.”

“I appreciate your help. I hope this is the last time I have to run down anyone. Only I don't believe it will be. Still the same, you need something or help on something besides winning my sister, come get me.”

“Thanks. What don't she like?”

“Pushy people.”

“Oh, I'll remember that.”

“Good luck to you.”

“I ain't leaving until they're in jail. Let me know how Hampt got along.”

“Be glad to do that if he's not around.”

“Where did he come from?”

“I'm not sure—” Gray spooked sideways at some grouse's booming flight in the night from the edge of the road. He got him calmed down and went back to riding with Leif.

“Hampt was a cowboy then that needed work last year, and he handles lots of things for me.”

“Good guy to have on your side.”

Chet agreed.

They came off the steep hill to the courthouse, and Chet found the streets were deserted. He told the driver he'd pay for his room to sleep and to find Jenny's café and she'd feed him on his account. Frye's livery would stall his team too on his account as well.

“Thanks, I'm ready to sleep some. Sure glad we had no trouble back there. Folks were getting upset, but you see'd that and stopped them.”

“It will be all right.”

“Hell. We're here now for the most part.”

Chet agreed as he reined up on the west side of the courthouse. Leif went in and got the night jailer.

“So you got them bastards shot Roamer?”

“Yes, how is he doing?”

“Fine, he's on crutches. Seen him yesterday in the Palace.”

“Good. You need anything, I'll put this note with their names on your desk. Sims got any questions he can find me. We've returned the stolen horses and what money they had left to the storekeeper at Crown King.”

“He probably will. Good night.”

“How long you been up?” The guard made a face at him.

“Couple of days.”

“My lord, you're a serious man.”

“So is Times here. He's been up that long too.”

“Get to bed.”

The two men shook hands and he rode out to Marge's house to see the sun peeping up on the horizon. Jesus took his horse. Monica offered him breakfast and he thanked her, then went by her, kissed his excited wife and took his gun belt off, hung it and his hat on a peg. “I'm going to bed someplace. I really don't care.” He looked at her out of bleary eyes.

“Can you climb upstairs?”

“I think so. I want to sleep for four days.”

She laughed. “You will be up on a new project in lots less time than that.”

In their bedroom, she pulled off his boots and helped undress him. Last thing he could recall was her kissing him—then he slept.

By noontime, he'd taken a shower, shaved, and eaten some oatmeal. Seated at the dining table, he'd carefully explained his trip to the two women. They both, at points, asked him small questions, like Would Mrs. Cloud have shot him?

“No, even the men she should have shot got by her. No, that isn't fair, I think she's a very conscientious woman.”

“I have met her,” Marge said. “It takes a lot to ask a woman to shoot someone.”

The second one they asked about was his mention of Leif and his sister.

“How old is he?” Marge asked.

“Early twenties. Quiet, but he's very alert. I told him I considered him an uncomplaining posse member, but I was not a go-between for him.” Then he laughed.

“What will they do next?”

“Have a grand jury investigation. Then a trial.”

“Will they be convicted?”

He nodded. “The court can't hang them. But they can sentence them to several years.”

“Did you talk to them?”

“No. They are stupid criminals with no mercy for an innocent woman or a small storekeeper, or Roamer.”

Marge returned with a piece of peach pie for him. She hugged his head standing beside him. “Monica made this for your return.”

“Better keep her, she's great.”

They laughed and he felt good to be home again.

“Your man Hampt just rode up,” Marge said, looking out the bay window.

“Good, hide my pie.” Then he held up his hands. “I am only teasing. You going to show him in, Marge?”

“Yes. He is such a nice big man.”

“Well, boss man, they have the receipt of the money I paid back to Mr. Andy at Crown King.”

“Did they say anything at the office?”

“They asked me what the receipt from Clay Cloud meant for his two stolen horses. I told them. The sheriff never came out and asked me a thing. All I talked to was a clerk.”

“Sounds like what I expected.”

“There's the same tickets I gave them and signed in case they get lost,” Hampt said.

“Oh, Hampt they wouldn't do that,” said Marge.

“Ma'am, I don't trust them.”

“Put them in an envelope and in your safe,” Chet said to her.

“Certainly. Thanks,” she said, taking them from Hampt.

“Learn anything else?” Hampt took a seat and Monica brought him pie and coffee.

“Wow, thanks, ma'am.”

“That is my welcome home pie.”

“Glad I am included. I heard that the Hartley brothers are doing something.”

“What is that?”

“The things I heard are, their plan is not working. The cattle they dumped on us up here are all over hell. They thought at community roundups folks would brand their calves for them and they could go in and collect them as two-year-olds. First, many were not branded. So they're being claimed as mavericks. Second, folks are eating them. Since they can't get them all up, I think from what I heard they are collecting them to drive on the upper end of our place.”

Chet listened. “How many are on our land?”

“Tom and I figure fifty or more mother cows.”

“Then we need to move them off and drive them down there before they drive more of them on us.”

“What will they do with them then?”

“I don't care.”

“We can take everyone and get them up in a week. We have a good tally on our own and they're all branded. We've worked hard to do that and we never touched a Hartley animal. Of course if they were mavericks, we branded them by the law.”

“I know you and Tom have worked hard building a real tally. It is important we don't discuss this with anyone except you, me, and Tom. When we saddle up they won't have a warning and the cattle will be at their headquarters before they know what happened.”

“Who needs to know?”

“Hoot for one, and get Victor to fix the outriders food, then take some of the men so we can get the ones on the far edge.”

“Secret as I can be. I'll tell Tom this Thursday. I'll talk to Raphael and her father about their part. Will we start Monday morning?” Hampt asked. “And should we bring the loggers back?”

“No, we have enough down here. I may send word to Reg. But I can do that.”

“What about JD?” Marge asked.

He shook his head. “I can talk to him but he has enough problems over there.”

“Should I tell Tom about that situation?”

“Yes, but no small talk about our plan. I want them drove up here and they won't have a reason to ride on our deeded land.”

“Was that why Loftin wanted to set up a camp at Perkins?”

“For a receiving place? Maybe. I figure they don't know how many they have and want to cut out a new range on federal land.”

“Good thing they didn't know about your new place.”

“Yes.” He'd need to see Bo about his progress on closing the deal.

Hampt held the coffee cup in both hands. “Word is if you have three horses and can ride, they'll hire you.”

“What do they pay?”

“Forty dollars a month. That ain't much for riding your own horses and having to find grub.” Hampt shook his head. “They'll get some men hired but I doubt they get much work out of them.”

“Good, we may be doing them a favor to ship them their own cattle.”

Hampt laughed. “I don't know about that. I better go find Tom and make plans.”

“Yes, do that. When will your father be back?” Chet asked Marge.

“Oh, when he gets through down there.”

Chet frowned.

“My father has a lady friend down there.”

“At Hayden's Mill?”

She smiled and nodded.

“Oh.” Chet chuckled.

Hampt ate his pie, drank the coffee, and after thanking the ladies, he took off. Things were set now to get things done, and as quickly as they could do them.

Chet stood up, stretched, and decided he needed to talk to Bo about his progress. Marge agreed to go with him. After a short while he drove the team into Preskit. They stopped at Bo's office and he looked up from his desk when Chet stepped inside and nodded to his man seated and reading a
Police Gazette
magazine.

“You're going to be well informed.”

Davis looked up. “He's still sober.”

“Thanks. Well, Bo, where do we stand?”

“You own the Hackberry ranch, lock, stock, and barrel.”

“Good. What else do you need?”

“Reg may want his own brand up there. I'll talk to him about it.”

Bo nodded. “I have three sections of land available on the stage line route and the military road at the base of the mountains that hold the San Francisco Peaks.”

“Are any west of that point?”

“All three are. The real estate company selling them for the Francisco Railroad wants twenty thousand a section.”

“Wait until they shut down the track building again and offer them two thousand apiece.”

Bo laughed. “The way these economic waves keep going through Wall Street, you may buy it cheaper than that.”

“Good. It may be our best investment.”

“Twenty miles east of there they are about worthless.”

“I can see why.”

Bo made a face like he had another idea. “I am meeting with Jane. If I marry her can I be freed of these two
brothers
?”

“I will think about it. Has your fee for my work been paid?”

“No, but you will get a bill. Next week I am selling real estate. Several homes and small ranches.”

“Being sober has helped your business.”

“Yeah.”

“Then realize that you are doing better because you're sober.”

“Yes.”

“Good. I may be out of pocket in the next few weeks. Marge can find me.”

“Word's out you found the ones who shot Roamer?”

“Leif Times, Hampt Tate and I arrested them down at Hassayampa City a day ago.”

“You think Sims has some pains in his ass over that?”

“I don't know.”

Bo shook his head. “You better get ready for another job.”

“We'll see.”

“You know what I mean? Folks are really talking about electing you as sheriff.”

“I have some ranches to run.”

“That won't be all.”

“Thanks.” He left and drove Marge to the mercantile to get a few things while he went to see Jane while she shopped. He found her not busy.

“You know about the Hartleys' plan?”

“I've heard a little about it.”

“They're going to round them up and push them on us.”

She agreed and looked around. “Can they do that?”

“No, the Perkins is deeded land and there are no public roads. We will stop them but they know that.”

“I think they're desperate enough to try.”

He agreed. “Bo tells me you two are talking?”

She nodded. “We are. He's a great guy sober, but I don't know if he'll stay that way without his so-called brothers looking over his shoulder.”

“That's your business. I won't interfere.”

“Thanks. If I learn more about the others, I'll send word.”

“Thanks.” He tipped her five silver dollars.

She smiled and thanked him.

Then he went back to the buckboard to pick up his wife. She had some food items loaded in the back by a clerk and they went home.

“Things going good?”

“We have the ranch. I am going to have to ask Reg what he wants for a brand before we go forward.”

“That's nice. Do you want to meet Raphael tonight and talk to him about moving their stock off our land?”

“Will your father agree to this?”

“Yes.”

“Then I'll talk to him.”

“Good.”

“What will you do next?” she asked.

“I may need to stay down there while we gather those cattle and be sure it is going all right. Would you come along?”

“Of course.”

He turned and kissed her on the cheek, then clucked to the team. “We'll slip down there Saturday. Tell Susie and May. We'll go to the dance and be there Monday when we spread out to retrieve their cattle.”

“How do you think it will work out?”

“It may force them to sell some of their cattle.”

She agreed. “They may shift their attitude toward the rest of us. I mean make a show of force against us.”

“They can't fight every outfit.”

“But you could be a good place to start.” She smiled and shook her head. “I never expected to be in this much business as you stay involved in.”

“Life ain't never simple.”

 

 

Saturday they drove to the Quarter Circle Z. Marge made no plans to bring her tent and things down there. So once on the Verde, she and Susie, along with May, made some things for the regular potluck supper and laughed while he went to talk to Hoot.

“I'll be ready to pull out for Perkins and set up there. No problem. This came up fast?” Hoot asked.

“The Hartleys are hiring hands to gather their cattle. We needed to move fast in this case.”

“Who's ramrodding it out there?”

“Hampt's handling that end. Tom is going after the closer cattle and using the lesser cowboys. They'll eat at the ranch and when we get this end cleaned up, then we'll go out and wind up at that end.”

“You've got it planned well, then. Hell, Chet, we ain't greenhorns. We won't be long at this. I say in a week to ten days all their cattle will be at Mayer that are on this ranch and range.”

“How many you figure are on us?”

“Tom say's there's over a hundred and fifty cows counting what's out west on our graze.”

“That's a big herd. Didn't Ryan ever do anything about them being on his range?”

“Yeah, we ate them.”

“That's a common style. A man was eating at his neighbor's and going home got sick. He swore to his wife it was because they'd eaten their own stock.”

“Yeah, that's the way it goes.” They both laughed.

“I can't see you having much trouble. It will all be over before they know it and they'll be loaded with them. They ain't got a bull of their own with any of them using all your bulls.”

Later Chet wondered, riding up on top and surveying the rim north, what his nephew Reg had found up there that was occupying his time. It was tough to lose a woman like Juanita, and no telling what he was doing—but he'd show up in time. Chet hoped he'd found some solace in a new country and a new project. He'd know in a few more weeks. Reg would be back, or else he might miss all the fun of chousing the Hartleys' cattle back home to them.

“Who else is in on it?”

“Marge's foreman Raphael and his three vaqueros are doing that up there.”

“Good, her father is a leader on the high country ranch.”

“Don't tell anyone, but he's down at Hayden Mills courting a lady.”

Hoot chuckled. “That's interesting.”

“I need to go talk to Susie. She knows she can help Victor if she wants to.”

“Oh, yeah, thanks for getting me out here. It sure is a lot easier.”

Two bold magpies flew in the tent to scout for some food. But they quickly left.

“They are nearly done on the cook shack roof. They're busy busting more shingles for it, but this will put us off a few weeks.”