Part 1:
A Dying Breed
Maddie threw back the shot of whiskey and set the empty glass back down on the counter with a heavy sigh. She spun the glass around in her right hand and looked about the Blackwater saloon underneath the brim of her black Stetson; she frowned as she saw the usual saloon dwellers taking up the tables and chairs. Near to where she stood at the bar, the blackjack table was well under way with a game; outside on the patio, another game of poker commenced. Prostitutes mingled about like vultures, eying every man hungrily. Almost every single man in the large room wore clean, expensive suits, whereas Maddie was dressed in her weathered bounty hunting outfit. Her Henry repeater was slung across her back, and her trusty semi-automatic pistols hung at her sides. An occasional cigar was seen spewing out smoke and sitting nestled between the fingers of the townsfolk who'd moved from other larger cities—New York City and San Francisco, for starters—to live in the ever-growing town of Blackwater. Within the last four years, the town had doubled, making it impossible to ignore or refuse the changes that had befallen the land. From beneath her hat, Maddie scowled at them all and shook her head, feeling like a relic in their presence and getting angrier because of it.
Maddie turned back to the counter and stared down at her empty shot glass in her hand. Again, she sighed and shook her head. Disappointment in the day's events led her to this godforsaken place, and with the measly amount of cash she'd received and pocketed from Archer Fordham not but twenty minutes ago, it was all she could do to not spend it all on liquor. A lousy fifty bucks isn't even worth it, even if I went down to Thieves Landing to get that lousy goddamned horse thief. She snorted through her nose. He wasn't even that hard to find and subdue, anyways. My God, it's like he didn't even think to be on the look-out.
She looked up from her brooding as the bartender came over to her. He held up the bottle of whiskey with a knowing grin.
"Need another, Maddie?"
She nodded and pushed the shot glass forward with a flick of her hand. She watched the golden liquid pour from its bottle to her glass, and she threw it back once it was to the brim. The whiskey fell down her throat and splashed into her stomach with a pleasant after-burn. She sighed as she took off her hat, set it on the counter on its crown, and ran a hand through her dark-brown hair that settled just above her backside.
"Bounty hunting business ain't servin' you too well, I take it?"
Maddie shook her head as she grabbed her hat and put it back on. "Yeah, and apparently nobody 'round here knows how to pull off a damn crime. The kid I brought in tonight must've been more than sixteen and stole his first couple horses. I swear, if this town's police force keeps crackin' down on crime, I'll be out of a job." Realization dawned on her, and with widening eyes and a dampening spirit, she bowed her head and leaned heavily on her elbows on the countertop. "There will be no more need for me."
"They're just doin' their job, miss," the bartender said as he refilled her glass. "Archer Fordham's been runnin' this law enforcement better than your uncle could've dreamed of doin', no offense. He's changed it a lot, and faith is bein' restored in the law. Hell, I'm surprised you or Jack hasn't taken that offer of Archer's. Then again, it's not like you and him are hurtin' for money, with that big ranch of yours."
Maddie picked up the shot and held it before her, studying the way the light was caught and reflected in the liquor. "That's true, I suppose. We do have it great out there." She swallowed the shot and chuckled afterwards. "But if you're referring to Jack and I joinin' the police force, you've got another thing comin'. That job's outta the question with Jack; he'd tell you to fuck off the second you asked him."
"And what about you? Would you ever take up on Fordham's offer? You know he's just dyin' to have you a part of his force, miss. You'd be perfect for the job, and like you said, bounty hunting's a dyin' career, so why not take it?"
"And deal with drunks and snobs every night?" she asked, gesturing to the crowd around them with a wave of her hand. "I don't think so. I may be aptly eligible for the job, but I'm not takin' it. My family's had a bad history with workin' for the law, or have you forgotten that?"
The older man bowed his head, not wanting to stir her up further. "Speakin' of Jack, how's he doin'? Haven't seen him in town for quite some time. He doin' okay?"
Maddie nodded. "He's been busy breakin' Cloud, that sassy little filly Féileacán and Sundance had three years ago. Got the best of both parents. She's a gorgeous little thing. You should stop by and see her, Charlie: she's been givin' me and Jack a run for our money, I tell you what."
"I would, if this saloon wasn't so damn busy all the time. Hell, you know this town keeps growin' every day. Just the other day, I was talkin' to a guy who said he and his family were all the way from New York."
Maddie's eyes widened. "The hell they doin' out here?"
"What do you think they're doin' out here? People from all over America are just flockin' out to the country to settle it down."
Sadness and anger darkened her countenance; she glared down at the shot glass. "Yeah, that's what's pissin' me off." Her hard gaze wandered the room. "All these rich bastards comin' down here thinkin' they can just take over. It's the rape of the West, mister, and it just sickens me. It was a pain in the ass tryin' to cut across land to get to Thieves Landing this morning to get that kid. You should've seen all the barbed wire fences, Charlie."
"I can believe it, miss. It's hard findin' any land around here that hasn't been touched by it. You still have your cattle out by your place, don't you?"
She nodded. "They're mostly out to pasture nowadays, but we still drive 'em home at night. There's no more room for free grazing anymore." She scoffed and shook her head. "Jack and I, we're a dyin' breed, with our ranch and way of life."
"So is that what's got you hot and bothered under the collar? You seem so bitter nowadays."
The sadness and yearning swelled within her and extended outwards to engulf her face in sorrow and nostalgia. She rested her chin in her left hand and propped her elbow on the counter. "I just miss the old days, Charlie. I miss the freedom and the space. I miss bein' able to ride around anywhere and go after bounty hunts that were worth my time and skill. Nowadays, there's barbed wire fences every which way you look, and this town's gettin' bigger and fuller with rich lawyers and stock brokers and the like while us farmers and ranchers are startin' to feel the changes. Hell, Armadillo is gettin' a lot smaller, now that I think about it. Before ya know it, it'll be a ghost town like Tumbleweed. I feel like that's what's gonna happen to me. I'll just dry up and be gone with the wind, forgotten with the sands of time." She picked up the glass and turned it around and around in her free hand. "Things have changed, that's for sure. The bounties I've gone after haven't been more than fifty dollars, and it's hardly worth my time and energy to go after them anymore. But what other choice do I have, Charlie? I'm helpin' Archer to keep this land free of crooks and bandits and the like, but I just don't think it's enough. I just want some adventure in my life, a chance to go back to the way it was…just one last hurrah before everything changes for good. Is that too much to ask?"
"We all figured this was gonna happen," Charlie responded as he leaned his forearms on the counter. "Time changes things, even the way we live and the times we live in. It's only a matter of time before them contraptions…them automobiles take the place of horses."
Maddie fervently shook her head. "I'm never gettin' rid of my horses. I'd wager my horses are more reliable and more affordable than them goddamned automobiles."
"Don't speak so soon, miss," Charlie warned as he leaned back up. From across the way at the other end of the bar, several gentlemen called to him and waved him over. "Those things are on the rise in town. Pretty soon, they'll make their way across West Elizabeth and into New Austin, if they haven't already."
Maddie bit her lip. As she watched Charlie serve the men, she retrieved a cigar within an inner pocket of her duster. When she struck a match and lit up, the eyes of the men whom she was watching drifted to her. She puffed on the cigar and stared at them through the cloud of bluish-white smoke she'd produced. She flicked back her duster and exposed her pair of semi-automatic pistols. She smiled through the cigar when their jaws dropped. Chuckling, she turned and faced Charlie as he came back up to her.
"You want another, Miss Maddie?"
"Yeah. Gimme one more."
Charlie gave her a cross look but acquiesced nonetheless. He, along with the flabbergasted rich men across the bar, watched her as she threw back the shot with practiced perfection. "Show-off," he grumbled.
The electric light above her reflected on the wedding ring she wore on her left hand; she glanced down at it and smirked. She'd received four years ago, almost to the day, and though it was a simple band with a large diamond, it was all she could've ever wanted. She reached into her duster again and withdrew the money she'd received thirty minutes ago. She laid down a twenty-dollar bill on the counter. "I'd better get goin'. I've got a husband at home who's missin' me. God forbid I'm out of his sight for more than a day."
"And for good reason, too, Missus Marston. You're one attractive and impressive lady." He glanced over at the gentlemen who stood staring at her and nodded to them. "They seem to think so. Hell, I'd say they're downright intimidated by you."
"Good," Maddie said smugly. She turned to leave.
"Don't you want your change?"
She smiled and shook her head. "Keep it, Charlie." She tipped her hat to him and headed for the door. "Have a good night, mister."
The bartender returned the smile and bid her good night as well.
Maddie made her way out of the saloon, past the poker table, and out of the patio, where her rocky mountain mare was hitched to the patio fence. Gypsy whickered a greeting and flicked her ears forward; Maddie petted the mare with affection before untying her and mounting up. As she reined her horse around, from out of the corner of her eye, several large and shining objects snagged her attention. Turning her head, she looked and saw with rising disgust the row of five Ford Model T's parked in front of the hotel across the way from her and her horse. Puffing on her cigar in anger, she turned back in the saddle and kicked her horse into a lope out of town and down the road that led back home.
The nighttime songs of crickets and owls filled Jack's ears. The autumn air nipped at his skin underneath his rancher's clothes, but he didn't pay attention to any of that. His attention was focused on the road that led onto his property. Dusk had begun to blanket the world; nevertheless, he sat in his rocking chair on the porch impatiently awaiting the return of his beloved wife. His fingers drummed an anxious rhythm on the arm rests; he frequently checked the pocket watch she'd given him as an anniversary present: it read eight-fifty.
"Goddamn it, Maddie, where are you?"
At his feet, Django lay with his muzzle resting on his large paws. The border collie whined and looked up at his master.
"She'll be back soon," Jack said and petted his head.
Five minutes passed, and he nearly jumped out of the rocking chair when his palomino stallion Sundance trumpeted a neigh from nearby the corral. The stallion, along with Féileacán and their foal Cloud, stood staring down the road with ears pricked and nostrils flaring. Jack watched the horses with growing excitement.
Off in the distance, a whinny answered Sundance's call. Sundance and Féileacán whickered back and ran to meet Gypsy. Ten seconds later, the rocky mountain mare came galloping down the road carrying Maddie with her hair and duster billowing behind her.
"It's about damn time you got home, Madeline!" Jack called out as she pulled up her horse by the hitching post. He shot out of his seat and rushed across the porch, down the steps, and across the property to the barn. He skirted around the gaggle of horses and enveloped his wife in his arms, nearly squeezing the air out of her as he held her tight and kissed her lovingly. As he released her and pulled away, he exclaimed, "Where have you been? I thought you said you'd be back before dark."
Maddie shrugged as she turned and hitched her sweaty horse. Sundance came trotting up, and as the mare and stallion nuzzled each other's noses and nickered, Féileacán and her tobiano palomino foal stood off to the side watching. As Maddie loosened the cinches, she explained, "Well, after I threw that horse thief in jail, I got thirsty and thought I'd stop and have myself a drink or two. The reward was only fifty bucks, Jack. It's not even worth my time anymore to go out on hunts."
Jack stepped closer and put his hands on her waist, drawing her away from her horse momentarily to turn her back around and face him. "I'm just glad you're home. You know how much it worries me when you get home later than expected."
"I know. I just wanted a few drinks, that's all."
"Just a few?" Jack asked with a cocked eyebrow. He gave her a quick kiss before leaning back and frowning down at her. "Maddie, I can taste the whiskey on your lips."
She gave her husband an admonishing look. "Jack, I'm not like my father. Alcohol isn't my reason for existence."
"How is your pa? Did you see him tonight?"
She scoffed as she turned back to her horse, pulled off the saddle and blanket, and carried them into the barn. She placed the saddle on top of a saw horse with the blanket lying across it to air out. She fetched a brush, came back to her horse, and immediately set to work brushing out her worn-out mare.
"Maddie, answer me."
"I didn't see him tonight," she answered back, irritated. The sound of the brush sliding across Gypsy's sweat-coated back was the only sound for a short time. "I haven't seen him in such a long time. Hell, I don't even remember the last time I saw him at Blackwater. I mean, I've seen him on the street, but you know me. Every time he'd walk my way, I'd get back on my horse. I haven't talked to him or seen him much at all, really, not since our wedding day."
Jack turned and headed into the barn to grab another brush and help her out. As he momentarily disappeared, he called out to her, "So I take it you two have been avoidin' each other like the plague, huh?"
"And for good reason, too. I'll be damned if I talk to that bastard ever again."
"Please tell me you haven't disowned him, darlin'," Jack said as he returned and stood on the other side of the black mare. "I mean, sure, he tried to kill me, but that was a long time ago. And he did come to the wedding."
"And he stood at the very back. I remember that, and I also remember seein' him leave after we said our vows. He didn't even stay for the whole thing."
Jack's brush paused in mid-stroke on Gypsy's withers; he gave her an admonishing stare across the horse's back. "Maddie, stop it. Any man in his position would've done the same thing. How else do you expect him to act after what happened between you two, and between him and me? I'm amazed he even had the audacity to show up that day. But you know what? He did, and for that, you should be grateful."
Maddie stared out across the property, watching the cattle graze off over in the south corner of the fence that surrounded Beecher's Hope. By that time, Sundance had moved off to join Cloud and Féileacán to graze. A troubled frown tugged at the corners of her mouth.
Jack walked around her horse and wrapped an arm around her waist. "Maddie, listen to me: you gotta let the past be past. We've had a good four years together, haven't we? Our ranch is thrivin', despite all the changes the land's had to overcome. Sure, Blackwater's gettin' bigger and bigger, but we've got this ranch and ourselves to count on, right?"
She sighed as she leaned into his arms and rested her head on his chest. "Yeah, I suppose so, Jack."
"But there's still somethin' botherin' you, isn't there?"
"I'm just upset is all. Bounty hunting isn't what it used to be. This land isn't what it used to be."
He kissed her forehead. "It'll be all right, Maddie. One way or another, things will work out." He pulled her towards the house and said, "Now come on. Supper's been waitin' on the table for you all evening, so get to it." He pushed her gently on the back before he turned and pulled the bridle off Gypsy's head.
The weeks passed; autumn settled around West Elizabeth, bringing a chill to the air and colder starts to the days. The leaves had begun to turn a myriad of brilliant fall colors; the trees began to shed their multi-colored plumage and litter the ground around them, and the ever-present breeze picked them up and spun them around like dance partners across Beecher's Hope. Maddie and Jack had picked their garden clean behind the house, leaving the crops bare as they moved the food to storage in the pantry. The calves that were born in the summer quickly grew and filled out; Maddie and Jack drove the calves to the MacFarlane's ranch, where the herd was separated with one half staying on the ranch and the other loaded onto the train and sold elsewhere. After they returned home from a long day of driving, cutting, and sorting cattle, the Marstons retired their exhausted horses to the corral alongside Féileacán and Cloud before heading in and getting a good night's rest.
The next few days that followed were rather uneventful, except for the continuous work with the unbroken tobiano palomino. Maddie drove Cloud's anxious mother out of the corral to stand alongside Gypsy and Sundance while Jack worked with the filly. She stood alongside the three horses outside the fence watching intently as Jack stood in the middle of the corral with the lunge line and Cloud loping around him, keeping one attentive ear cocked to him.
"Keep your shoulders facin' her, Jack," she reminded quietly to him as she watched. Beside her, Féileacán nudged her side as she watched her foal being worked with outside of her reach. Maddie petted the mare reassuringly on the neck.
"I know what I'm doin'," Jack grumbled back, flicking his annoyed gaze back over his shoulder at her. "I've been workin' with her since day one, Maddie."
"I know, but it's good to have an audience who helps keep you in check."
Jack grunted in reply and returned his attention to the young horse who circled around him. He'd been lunging her for at least ten minutes, and now as he watched her lower her head and focus on him, he gave her the signals to slow her pace and come in towards him; the filly turned in and trotted up to him and came to a stop with her ears perked and her head raised. He stepped forward with a hand raised and brushed her pink, velveteen muzzle. Cloud flicked one ear back, the other forward, but did nothing to show signs she'd back up or refuse his touch.
"Good. Now try the saddle again with her. Maybe today she'll take it."
"I'm hopin' she does, too," Jack said as he turned and walked toward the barn. Cloud followed by his shoulder; however, the second she saw him retrieve the saddle, blanket, and bridle, she pinned back her ears, turned, and fled out of the barn. After ten feet of fleeing, she stopped, turned back around, and watched as Jack reemerged with her tack in tow.
Jack sighed and shook his head. "Oh, come on, now. Don't you be startin' this up again. You know what all this is." He set the tack down on the ground between him and Cloud and watched as the filly cautiously took a step forward, her nostrils flaring. "Come on, you know what this is. Now come here." He bent down and picked up the bridle.
The tobiano palomino faltered in her advancement for a brief second, and with a flick of her ears and a quick backward glance at her mother and Maddie, she proceeded forward and stood in front of Jack. Her lips quivered with intrigue as Jack brought the bit to her mouth and slipped the head stall over her dainty head. The filly took the bit without a fuss and stood still while Jack buckled the throat latch.
"Alright, Cloud," Jack said as he dropped the reins to the ground, "here we go. You stand still now." Cautiously, he bent down and retrieved the blanket. "Easy, now." He slid the blanket over the filly's back, and he smiled when she didn't spook.
Maddie watched as her husband stooped back down the third time and retrieved the saddle. She gasped when the filly spooked slightly and side-stepped as Jack hefted up the saddle near her. "Whoa, Cloud," she commanded.
"Easy, girl," Jack added as he paused in lifting the saddle up. "Stand." He lifted the saddle up and over Cloud's back, pausing only a moment to let the filly calm before setting it down on her.
Cloud's ears folded back against her head as she became accustomed to the weight and feel of the saddle and blanket. She side-stepped and pranced awkwardly about, giving Jack the impression he had to pick up her reins and hold her in place. After another moment longer, she calmed and allowed Jack to tighten the cinches. When he was done, Jack tied the reins around the saddle horn and picked up the lunge line. As he backed away towards the center of the corral, he sent Cloud out into a walk away from him.
The second the filly stepped forward, she baulked and squealed as she felt the saddle on her for the first time. She crow-hopped and bucked around the corral, but after a minute, she became accustomed to the saddle and came to a standstill, staring wide-eyed at Jack and panting.
"That a girl," he cooed as he came up to her and patted her neck. "See? That wasn't so bad, now was it?"
Cloud shook herself and rubbed her bridled head against his leg. Jack chuckled and turned around as footsteps approached from behind; he smiled as his wife walked up to him and wrapped an arm around his waist.
"That really wasn't so bad after a week of work," Maddie commented. "I honestly thought she'd do a little more buckin' than that."
"Me, too," Jack said and untied the reins from the saddle horn. "Do you want to do the honors of finishin' her off, then?"
Maddie's smile widened as she took the reins from him. "It'll be my pleasure." She walked around to Cloud's left side. She glanced at Jack as she rested the reins on the saddle horn. "You might want to back away now."
Jack acquiesced and went to stand over beside Féileacán, Gypsy, and Sundance. "Whenever you're ready."
Maddie put her left boot into the stirrup and eased herself up onto the filly's back. As she put her right boot in the other stirrup, she gathered up the reins. The second she nudged the filly's sides with her heels, the rodeo began with an explosion of renewed power and panic. A minute passed, and Cloud gave one last crow-hop before landing back down on all fours and stood with her head held low and her body quivering. Maddie leaned down and stroked the tobiano palomino's neck and said, "That a girl, Cloud. You did well. I'm proud of you, little one."
She could feel her husband's eyes on her as she sat back up and looked over at him. She smiled and shook her head as he began to clap.
"Good ride, cowgirl! Good ride!"
"Oh, shut up. She wasn't near as wild as some of the other horses I've tamed." Maddie reined Cloud to the left and, with a gentle squeeze of her heels, urged her into a walk towards him.
"I know, but still, you're just somethin' to watch when you ride like that."
"Enough outta you, you smooth-talker. You're makin' me blush."
"And for good reason."
She reined Cloud to the right and walked her on around the corral. As the horse began to cool down, she listened to the horse and felt out her gait. She slipped into rhythm with the filly; the females moved in sync, even as the rider asked the filly to change gaits. It took several tries for the young horse to pick up on the cues, but she caught on fast, and soon, she was loping around the corral acting less like a green horse. When at last Maddie was satisfied with the horse's progress, she pulled her to a stop and dismounted.
"Good girl, Cloud," she said with tears of pride in her eyes. "You did excellent." She patted the horse's wet neck lovingly. "We'll continue tomorrow. Hell, I might even take you into town and see how you do."
"Do you think that's wise, Maddie?" Jack piped up behind her. "It's a bit early for her to experience all that at once, isn't it?"
"There's only one way to find out just how she does around other horses and people." As she spoke, Maddie hastily loosened the cinches and pulled off the saddle and blanket. After setting them on the ground, she turned back to the horse and took off the bridle. Cloud walked off and sniffed at the ground, searching for the perfect spot to roll. As Maddie returned the tack to the saw horse in the barn, the exhausted horse laid down and began caking her beautiful painted coat with dirt.
As she reemerged from the barn, Maddie opened the corral gate. She waited for the horses to pass by before she left the corral and joined Jack near the water trough. For a time, they said nothing as they watched the horses interact and boss each other around before loping back out onto the property to graze.
By that time, the sun had begun to settle into the afternoon and well on its way to evening. Judging by the monstrous roaring their stomachs produced, the married couple decided it best to retire inside and reward themselves with a hot meal and a much-needed bath.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?"
For the tenth time that morning, Maddie rolled her eyes, sighed, and nodded. "Yes, Jack, it's fine." She shook her head in annoyance as she finished tightening the front cinch on Cloud's saddle.
"Well, if this horse comes runnin' back here without you, I'm gonna say I told you so when you come walkin' back." He watched his wife ignore him as she finished up saddling up the tobiano palomino filly that stood patiently waiting before the hitching post; she chewed anxiously on the bit and held her ears pricked forward in excitement for her first real ride. Jack crossed his arms and shook his head. "I got a bad feelin' about this, Maddie."
"You always get bad feelings, Jack," she replied as she untied her horse and crisscrossed the reins atop the saddle horn. She went to grab the cantle with her right hand and put her left boot in the stirrup, but Jack held her back with a firm grip around her right bicep.
"Just don't overdo it with her today, alright? I don't want you gettin' hurt and stranded out in the middle of the plains."
"I'll be fine, Jack," she reassured as she turned to face him. She nodded down to her semi-automatic pistols hanging at her sides. "I've got my guns if the need arises, and I doubt Cloud will throw me. She's a good horse; she trusts me, and I trust her, and that's all that matters."
"Yes, but even you know that the tamest horse will throw its rider." Before she could interject, he raised a hand and pointed down at her with an index finger. "Don't you be tellin' me otherwise: I've seen Gypsy throw you off multiple times for the stupidest of reasons. You remember when she spooked over a damn rattlesnake and sent you flyin'?"
Maddie sighed heavily. "Yes, I remember. I'll ride carefully. I always do."
"I know, but I'm just—"
"Always so worried about me," she finished. She leaned up against him and kissed him lovingly, making him sigh through his nose and relax from his tense stance. As she pulled away, she cupped his face with both hands and looked him in the eyes. "I'll be fine, Jack. It's not like I'm headin' into Tall Trees or goin' down to Thieves Landing for a day. It's just a quick ride to town and back, that's all."
"No screwin' around, alright? And no lollygaggin' at the saloon, either. I'm worried enough as it is." He gripped her hands in his. "Promise me."
"I promise."
After a long moment of hesitation, Jack stepped back and nodded. "Alright. Just please get back here before chores, okay? I don't want to have to feed and water all the cattle and horses by myself while worryin' about you."
She scoffed as she mounted up. "Yes, dear," she said with excessive compliance. She tugged her hat down further onto her head and gathered the reins in her hands. "I'll be home no later than five. Is that acceptable to you, Jack?"
He chuckled and nodded. "Yes, ma'am." His eyes softened with endless affection. "Have a safe and fun ride, darlin'."
"Will do," she laughed and spurred Cloud down the road at a lope.
Blackwater seemed so much more gaudy and large than the last time she visited as she loped Cloud down the sloping road, across the railroad tracks, and into town. She couldn't help but note the varying traffic on her way there: more automobiles than horses passed her. Cloud reared and squealed at the sight and sound of such a frightening hunk of metal. It was as if they had no respect or regard for her and her horse: they took up half the road with their loud, clunky contraptions and made her and her horse choke on the smoke as they passed. Once she had Cloud back under control, Maddie urged her on.
The streets of Blackwater were bustling with men and women in a myriad of attire; housewives wore the latest fashion from Paris, and the businessmen sported three-piece suits. It was a struggle to keep Cloud in a straight line down the streets: she had to rein her around people, automobiles, carriages, carts, and horses. The cacophony of the crowd was almost overwhelming for both horse and rider; they grew tense and befuddled at all the movement, sounds, and smells that assailed their senses. Already growing tired of the struggle to ride down Main Street, Maddie reined her filly down a quiet alleyway and made her way towards the plaza and gazebo in front of the police department and auditorium.
The flustered females gained some relief as they ambled up to the gazebo; Maddie dismounted Cloud and stood beside her and rested for a bit. A small handful of people were milling about, some enjoying the space and their privacy, while others sat socializing on the park benches. A young boy and his dog played nearby, drawing Cloud's attention. Maddie paid close attention to her horse, making sure she wasn't about to spook and run off. The horse's ears and eyes were constantly observing as she took in everything around her. Her body held a considerable amount of tension, and as a gesture of reassurance, the filly brushed her pink muzzle against Maddie's forearm and nickered.
"Easy, girl," her rider cooed and petted her the neck and head. "It's all right, Cloud. Nothing's gonna happen to you, I'll make sure of it, hon." She stepped closer to the horse, like a mare would to her foal, and combed through her black and white mane with her fingers.
After a time, some of the locals approached her. Many comments were about her horse's beauty, but some were about her uncanny dress. She was given skeptical, if not judgmental, looks from the uptight men and women that occupied the park. What little children were out and about with their parents approached Cloud with outstretched hands, wishing to pet the filly. Maddie allowed them to, but she kept a close eye on Cloud's reactions as the miniature hands caressed her muzzle and forelock. To her amazement and pride, the filly lowered her head and allowed the children to pet her, flaring her nostrils and taking in their strange scents; never had she met such small humans. After a short while, the women moved away, beckoning their resilient children onward.
Maddie watched a particularly wealthy and stringy woman drag her weeping little girl away; the child looked back at her and her horse and pouted. Maddie nodded at the child encouragingly and grinned, advising she follow her mother's lead. With a loud sob, the girl turned around and submitted to her mother at last. They walked across the street between a gap in the traffic and continued on with their day.
"What viciously changing people," Maddie commented and shook her head. She looked around at how much the town had grown and changed. Where once there were dirt roads beside the train station and in parts of the town, brick roads had taken their place. Many more houses had sprung up around the outskirts of town, making it swell outwards towards the plains. There were fewer hitching posts and water troughs; no doubt the mayor had them taken down to make way for parking the automobiles.
"It's all just too much, girl," Maddie continued, turning to face the horse. The females shared overwhelmed gazes. "I can't believe so much has changed in just four years."
"You'd be surprised what can happen in such a short amount of time."
She blinked and turned around to face the man responsible for her intrusion of privacy with her horse. Irritation turned to happiness as Archer Fordham came to stand before her. "Mister Fordham! How are you?"
"Well enough, I suppose." A troubled frown tugged at the corners of his mouth; he took off his hat and ran a hand through his unkempt hair. His clean-shaven face looked worn, ragged, and dreary. His stance was slightly slouched, and his uniform looked not as ship-shape as he usually kept it. His badge looked dull in comparison to how it usually shined in the sunlight.
"You look like you've been to hell and back, Archer. Are you all right?" She crossed her arms and gave him an admonishing look. "Have you been takin' night watches again? You know a man in a position such as yourself needs a good night's sleep."
Archer managed to chuckle as he shook his head. "No, Maddie, I haven't been doing that. I have men who look over this town once the sun sets. We have shifts, you know."
"Then what's the matter?"
"I'm actually glad you asked, and that you came into town today." His face took on a more serious countenance as he locked gazes with her. "Maddie, would it be all right if you and I could discuss something in my office? I was actually going to call you and ask that you come into town, but since you're here, for convenience's sake, I say we catch up and I inform you on the…situation at hand."
Maddie blinked and stepped forward with a grave frown. "What situation? Archer, what happened?"
He gestured to the building to his left, and as he turned and led her towards the police department, Maddie followed, leading her horse. As they came upon the steps leading into the building, Archer called over one of the sheriffs and said, "Take good care of Missus Marston's horse."
"Yes, sir," the man responded and kindly took the reins from Maddie. He and Cloud disappeared around the corner of the building.
"Now, then," Archer said as he waved Maddie after him. They ascended the stairs and walked across the threshold; once inside, they climbed the set of stairs and up into Archer's office. As they entered, he retreated behind his desk and sat heavily in the chair. He gestured to the door and said, "Shut the door, if you would, please."
Maddie did so before carefully approaching his throne. She glanced about the room, noting that his awards and metals had grown in number and brilliance, just like Blackwater had. Stacks of papers spread out across his desk caught her attention.
"Have a seat, if you will."
She acquiesced and situated herself in one of the two chairs before his desk. "So, what's wrong, Archer? I haven't seen you this haggard since we stormed the mines in Gaptooth Ridge. Is the war in Europe worsening? Has the U.S. started to become involved?"
He blinked, caught off-guard by her assailment of questions. "Actually, yes, to answer your last two questions. The Great War has been raging, as I'm sure you've heard and read, but I can wager that soon, we Americans will get involved. It's only a matter of time before we supply them with more than just weapons and the like. But to answer your first question, let me ask you a question."
She blinked and waited for his inquiry.
"Have you heard of the latest disturbance here in Blackwater? It happened a week ago, and I'm not sure if you've read it in the paper or not."
She shook her head. "I haven't been in town since I brought in that horse thief, and that was about four weeks ago. Jack and I have just been busy with the livestock and all that, so no, I guess I haven't been keepin' up with the newspaper. Why? What's goin' on?"
"A small posse led by a most psychotic woman rode through town and killed ten of my best men, not to mention eight civilians and two horses. I was there when it happened, and I saw my men and townsfolk get mercilessly murdered by these fiendish criminals." As he spoke, his body grew rigid with hate, and his voice rose in intensity and emotion. "This has happened in every town from here to Rathskeller Fork. This woman and her men ride around killing people without reason, although they are more prone to killing lawmen than harmless civilians. Their motives are as scarce as eyewitness accounts and hearsay. But the only thing I can tell you is that these people are ruthless and seek nothing but destruction and death. Some of my best friends and colleagues were gunned down a week ago today as if they were nothing more than wild game. I know you've had your fair share of nut jobs and psychos, but this bitch takes the cake, and I apologize for my profanity, but I've been doing my research on this woman and her followers, but they're like goddamned ghosts! They're hardly seen outside of towns, and when they reach them, they're in and out before anyone knows what just happened, and all that's left is a bunch of dead bodies and screaming townspeople demanding answers." He gestured hopelessly and sighed. "So far, I have very little information, but what I can tell you is that this is no ordinary criminal, as I'm sure you've guessed by now."
Maddie sat in stunned silence. She stared back at Archer across the desk and shook her head. "So what do we know about this woman? Do you have any leads at all?"
Archer looked down and selected a sheet of paper from the pile. He turned it around and set it in front of her.
Maddie looked down at it and instantly recognized it as a wanted poster. Her jaw dropped as she studied the sketch of the face of the infamous woman. "She looks sort of like me."
"And apparently, she dresses similarly to you," the police man answered gravely.
"What, is she some sort of impostor? Is she tryin' to impersonate and frame me?!"
Archer shook his head. "As far as I know, no, but like I said, I don't know about her motives or methods. She's just become famous for having such a reckless trigger itch and an insatiable thirst for blood." He nodded to the paper she'd picked up and held in her hands. "She goes by the name La Phantasma, or La Asesina, as I've been told by many eyewitness accounts. She wears dark clothing and rides a white stallion known as Muerte. As far as I know, around four or five men are seen riding along with her, dressed in dark clothing as well. She and her followers appear to be Latino; my theory is that they've crossed the border and are trying to raise all sorts of hell, but as to why, I haven't a clue. Perhaps they wish to start a rebellion of some sort, since things down in Mexico haven't been the greatest? Hell, I don't know. And from what it states on that poster, she's wanted for an innumerable amount of murders, theft, arson, and abduction."
Maddie's eyes widened as she read the inscriptions below the woman's apparent appearance. "The bounty's eight-thousand dollars!"
"And for good reason. Maddie, this woman must be stopped. I want this woman and her posse found, and I want them brought to justice. I don't care if they're dead when they're brought in, I just want them taken care of."
Maddie looked up from the poster and blinked. "Couldn't you and your officers have gone after them?"
"We would've been more than happy to do so, but therein lies the problem."
"Why? Where are they?"
He shook his head. "When word got around and their fame rose, they fled straight to Mexico, just," he snapped his fingers, "vanished like ghosts."
"So you're wantin' me to go after La Phantasma and her gang in México, where there is just as much civil unrest as Europe? Archer, I've got a ranch to take care of and a husband to look after. Plus, I don't think it would be wise if I went down to México at this time. It's been years since I've been there, so I doubt anyone would recognize or welcome me."
Archer leaned forward and rested his weight on his elbows atop the desk. He looked her in the eyes. "I understand your hesitance, but wasn't it you who said you've been craving adventure? Wasn't it you who wished for things to be the way they were, free and reckless? And not to press guilt upon you, but this is a serious matter, one in which I am personally invested in, along with the rest of my police department and my citizens. Were they still in my jurisdiction, I'd hunt down La Asesina and her gang, hogtie them myself, and drag each one of them back here behind my Model T. Maddie, times may have changed, but not the ways of cutthroats and criminals. They're still out there, bloodthirsty and stupid as ever, and they need to be dealt with before more people die. I've put my good faith in you for obvious reasons: not once have you ever let me down. You've been keeping an eye open for any such bounty hunt, however meager and pointless they may have seemed to you. You've helped keep this town and the surrounding towns a safe place to live in. The people look to you with good faith and admiration."
Her eyes narrowed. "They do not. They look at me like I'm some kind of tramp, some sort of relic that's been long dead and has risen from the grave to haunt them. I may be doin' these people a favor, but they still treat me like trash just because I wear unlady-like attire and don't have children. My reputation has been muddied by these rich townsfolk and their aristocratic view of life; my glory has been stolen from me and stomped on by the very people I protect."
"Wouldn't you want to cleanse their outlook of you, then?" Archer tapped the paper with a finger. "Perhaps this is a way to do so." He looked her deep in the eyes. "Madeline, I know you can do this. Dead or alive does not matter to me." He gestured to her with an upturned hand. "Plus, eight-thousand dollars is quite a handsome sum. You and Jack would be well off for years to come; your ranch wouldn't be a problem."
"It isn't a problem, Archer," she glowered. "It's the people that are makin' this town grow that's the problem. If they'd give me and Jack our fair share of space and tear down those goddamned barbed wire fences, then we'd be square."
"Tell you what: you bring La Phantasma in, and not only will you be rewarded the eight-thousand dollars, I'll see to it that your land is protected, and that those fences are taken down for your cattle. You won't be ridiculed over your appearance and stature anymore, and you're more than welcome to join my team. A female sheriff or marshal working in Blackwater would certainly raise a few eyebrows and make people think twice before badmouthing your choices in life."
"You drive a hard bargain, Mister Fordham," Maddie chuckled. She looked back down at the wanted poster in her hands. She frowned as she thought of his offer, and though it was very tempting, the logical voice in her head told her otherwise. Even with all his promises, things won't change much. The land will continue to be taken over, and people will still stick their noses up at me. But who am I to resist goin' back to México? Who am I to resist the very thing I crave for and used to do on a regular basis? With a smirk, she folded the wanted poster and stuffed it in an inner pocket of her duster.
Archer's eyes sparkled with hope. He beamed at her. "Will the famous Madeline Marston ride again?"
"You bet your ass she will."
He extended a hand toward her. "I can't thank you enough, Maddie. I owe you so much."
She shook his hand. "You owe me nothin' but your word and your friendship, Fordham." She nodded down at the rest of the papers. "Although I suppose you could give me those to look over before I head to México."
He gathered them up into a neat pile and gave them to her. "Of course. Will you be needing accommodations for your ranch?"
"No, that won't be necessary. I'll think of somethin'."
"Will you have Jack stay while you go to Mexico?"
She shrugged as she rolled up the papers and stuffed them in her duster. "Again, I'll think of somethin'." She chuckled and smiled sheepishly at him. "He's gonna kill me when I tell him about all this."