To Fight the Good Fight: Part 4; A Johnny Ringo/Gunsmoke Crossover. As the afternoon wears on the Abel's catch up to Ringo in Dodge. Rated T for Gun Violence
If Matt Dillon was hoping to keep the word of Ringo being in town a secret. He was soon to be disappointed. Inside of a half hour there was a bunch of gawkers outside the Long Branch. Chester would occasionally get up and chase them off, but they would come back after a few minutes.
Over at Miller's dry goods store, a middle aged man named Harris was finishing loading his wagon. He looked down the street at the commotion. A couple men went running by. "Hey what's going on down there?" Harris asked.
The one man looked at him in amazement. "Don't you know, Johnny Ringo's down the street in the Long Branch."
The man named Harris turned white as a sheet with the information. "Who's down there?"
"Johnny Ringo is down there." The man said as he ran down the street. Harris looked down the street toward the salon. He face told the whole story, it was red with fury as he took his rifle from the wagon and started down the street.
Ringo and Chester had finished eating and now Ringo was getting a little restless. He started for the doors. "Where you heading, Johnny?" Chester asked him.
Ringo said. "Think I might wander on down to Matt's office, and see what going on."
Chester got up and started with "OK, but Mr. Dillon says that "Im to stay right by you."
Chuckling Ringo said "You know Chester you got all the makings of a mother hen." They both started out the door, but at the last second Ringo pulled Chester back inside.
"What's wrong?" Chester asked.
Ringo gestured "Other side of the street, second floor window. I saw a rifle barrel." Chester started to look out the door but Ringo pulled him back again.
"Want to get shot?" Ringo looked to the back of the saloon. "Is there a back way to get in over there?"
"Yep, go out the back here and down the alley then take a left, but I'm the one that should go." Chester said.
Checking his pistol Ringo shook his head. "No, Chester I got this. You cover the front from here. Chester nodded and Ringo header for the back, but before he left he asked Chester. "What does Matt pay for this job?"
"15 dollars a month." Chester replied.
Grinning Ringo said "Tell him from me, it's not enough." And left out the back. He snuck down the alley and made it across the street. The rifle barrel was sticking out a second floor window at the Dodge House. Ringo walked in through the back door and quietly walked up the back stairs. On the second floor, the man Harris was kneeling by the window with a Spencer rifle pointing at the front of the saloon. He did not notice the man coming up from behind him until he heard the sound of a pistol being cocked.
"Drop it." Ringo barked. Harris reluctantly dropped the rifle. "Now kick it back to me."
He kicked the rifle back. Ringo picked it up. "Stand up and turn around, real slow. Let's get a look at you." The older man reluctantly got to his feet and faced Ringo.
"I should blow your head off!" Ringo said "What's the big idea anyways?"
Harris glared back "You don't remember me do you?"
"No why should I?" Ringo said.
"You don't remember my boy Dan Harris do ya?"
"No."
"You should, you killed him." Harris said
Ringo shook his head in irritation. "I never heard of your boy, or you."
Harris was insistent. "Folks told me that you were the one that shot my Dan."
"Your crazy, don't you think I would remember someone if I'd shot him."
"Would you?" Harris said. This comment caught Ringo off guard for a moment. Then looking around. "One thing for sure partner" Ringo said "Your too dangerous to be running around loose." Gesturing toward the stairs. "Let's go to the Marshal's office." They both walked down the back stairs to the alley. From there they made it to Matt's office. Matt was not there. So Ringo took the keys to the cells and led Harris to the cell and locked him inside.
Stepping back out front Matt and Chester was walking back in. "Did your job for you, Matt." Ringo said "Got a fella locked up."
"Was he the one with the rifle?" Chester asked
"Yep"
Matt looked in the back, Harris just sat on the cot staring into the air. "Want to press charges, Johnny?"
"No, of course not. Just keep him locked up till I get gone."
That won't be long now the train just pulling in. They could hear the whistle from the depot.
Looking round, "Not too bad, Matt." Ringo said "I guess they didn't get them horses after all.
"Let's go grab your gear, Johnny." Matt said as they all went out of the office. They did not get 20 from the door when a voice yelled out "RINGO!"
Matt and Ringo turned. The Abel's were standing in the middle of the street. Sig standing in the middle said. "Your time has come, killer."
Matt replied "No one's doing any killing Sig! Especially when it was your boy who started the fight in the first place."
Henry Abel snarled "That don't matter Dillon! This man's got to die. And if you butt in then you can join him."
The youngest son James was pale but stood his ground.
"Sorry about this Matt." Ringo said as he faced them down. Matt nodded.
"Walk away now, while you still can." Ringo said
"Any last words?" Sig said. Ringo shook his head in disgust. Then it started, Henry made the first move, his father followed his draw and then his brother James. But it was no match. By the time the Abel's had their guns out of their holsters, Matt and Ringo was firing. Matt took down Henry in the right shoulder, while Ringo shot James' leg from under him, who rolled around in pain. Sig stood looking at his sons on the ground and let out an animal yell of rage. He raised his gun to shoot but by this time Chester has come from behind and hit him in the back of the head with the barrel of his gun.
The crowd started to gather around. Doc pushed hi way through. "How many we got Matt?"
"Three Doc." Matt replied "These two got shot, and this one gonna have a headache when he wakes up." He stood up and walked over to Ringo. "You about ready?"
Ringo looks to the three men that to the waiting train. "I'm past ready Matt." They got Ringo's gear and walked hi to the train. "Well so long Matt, Chester." Ringo said it a long ride to New York."
"You never did say why New York, Johnny." Matt said. Ringo looked back down the street. "That's easy. It's a place where a man can walk down the street with having to wear one of these." Gesturing to his gun. "That gun can get real heavy sometimes."
"Yeah it can, Johnny." Matt said. Shaking hand one last time "You take care John."
Johnny Ringo smiled and steeped into the train as it pulled out of Dodge and headed east.
Matt and Chester watched the train until it was out of sight. "Mr. Dillon do you think he'll find some peace?"
"I hope so Chester. Every man deserves a little peace in their life. Even Ringo."
They both walked back to the Long Branch, as darkness started to fall on Dodge City.
The End.