Lady Luck Chapter Eleven: Return to Paradise
At breakfast the next day, Buck suggested a trip to Tucson. "We need supplies and I reckon if we git some lumber we could fix up that tack shed and keep the tarp for sumpin useful."
"Hombre, you are right, a trip to Tucson would be most beneficial and, cómo se dice, necessary!" Mano grinned, raising an eyebrow.
"I don't think we need to go that fer, Mano, just as fer as the mercantile and the livery stable and maybe that old carpenter's shop."
"Oh, the undertaker, er, I mean cabinet maker." Mano corrected himself. "A good idea compadre, a good idea. Roy, do you think some of our horses would be ready for sale? Could we drive a few in to town now?"
"Shore Mano, they's the four two year old mares, about four filly yearlings and a coupla colts that are gentle enough, I think."
"Well then Roy, we shall drive ten horses into Tucson and sell them. The money can be used for supplies and we can pay back some of what we owe to Big John, which will give me great pleasure." The satisfaction on Mano's face was plain to see.
"Me too, Mano, amigo, I'd purely love ol' John to see we done paid off another big chunk of his loan." Buck chuckled.
"Sí. muchachos, let us first see what we can do with the remaining horses so that they neither escape nor are stolen."
They moved the fourteen yearlings to the second pen, from which they had removed the four mares. No horses remained in the main corral; fourteen milled about in the second, four in the next corral and two in the smallest corral. They secured each gate with the ropes and added crossbars for additional security. They made sure each pen had a trough of water and some hay, just enough to keep the horses going for a day or so.
"Mano we'd better git goin' and come back quick, cuz I don't reckon them comancheros will pass up this gift, do you?"
"No, amigo, you are right, the sooner we are gone, the sooner we will get back. Andale, vamonos!"
Roy led the horses while Mano and Buck drove the herd from behind, coaxing any strays back into the main group. The drive was easy, since the horses all thought Roy was their mejor amigo and followed him with little urging. Men and horses reached Tucson in record time. The sun straight overhead indicated noon when they rode into the yard of the livery stable.
Mitch saw them coming and stared. How'd Mano, Buck an' that kid he'd seen with the Chaparral crew manage to get this good lookin' bunch of horses to Tucson by themselves? He spat tobacco juice and broke off another chaw before walking out to greet his customers. Horses seemed downright tame, he thought, even though they was young. Went right into the holding corral, too, no trouble at all. Mitch prepared to dicker.
"Hey there, Mitch," Buck called. "We got some mustangs for sale here. You wanna buy 'em, or do we got to look fer a buyer?" The three dismounted, with Mano and Roy hanging back just a little.
"Well now, Buck, I might be interested if the price is right."
"What you figger these young 'uns is worth then, Mitch?"
"Oh 'bout $15 a head, I'd say."
"Then I'd say bye, cuz you shore ain't gettin' 'em that cheap!"
"How much you want for 'em then?" Mitch asked. He could tell by how docile the horses were that somebody had worked on them to get them halter broken and calm.
"I tell you, Mitch, we're robbin' ourselves here, but I reckon as how we can let you have 'em for $35 a head."
"You gotta be joking! $35 a head?" Mitch boomed. Little too loud, Buck noticed. Mitch was gettin' excited. He had already figured he could get $40, maybe $45 a head, if they could be bred as well as ridden.
"Take it or leave it, Mitch, cuz there's probably other folk in town who'd give us more'n that." Buck said, deadpan, casual, seeming uninterested.
"Okay, Buck. It's a deal: $35 a head." Mitch had agreed pretty quick, Buck thought. Mano raised an eyebrow and looked at Buck who nodded and winked in agreement.
"Did I say that's jest fer the four fillies, Mitch? It's $40 a head for the two colts, and $50 a head for the four mares. They's around two years old, ya see, and worth more, cuz they can breed."
"That's over 400 dollars, Buck!" Mitch sputtered, about swallowing his chaw. His face purpled and he spat a stream of brown juice.
"Mitch, that is exactly 420 dollars and we will take it in cash, ahora mismo. Right now, hombre!" Mano demanded. As he spoke, his eyes narrowed to a steely squint that gave nothing away.
Mitch spat, worked his mouth a bit and sighed.
"All right. It's a deal. I'll just fetch the cash." He ambled toward his office. Buck waited till Mitch was inside and out of earshot.
"Mano, we done it! We purely done it!" Buck was tickled again.
"Sí, hombre, we 'done' it."
"What are we gonna do once we get all that cash, Mano?" Roy asked with a wide-eyed innocence that amused Mano. He laughed.
"Ah, Roy, the town of Tucson holds many delights and we shall see what we shall see." Mano put his arm around Roy's shoulder and led him away from the livery stables back toward the main part of town, or "Paradise" as Buck liked to call it.
Buck waited for Mitch to count out the bank notes. He folded the cash and placed it in his inside vest pocket. The two shook hands and Buck jogged toward his friends after telling Mitch to give their horses water, a grain feed, and a rub down, tossing him a silver dollar as he headed out. Mitch caught the dollar, spat, and moved on to see what he'd bought.
"Mano" Buck called out as he caught up to them.
"Sí," Mano smiled broadly "What is it, compadre?"
"I think I oughta take some of this money and head to the bank."
"Está bien."
"I'll go there right now an' meet ya later. You know'd where."
"Sí, amigo, hasta luego!"
Buck turned on his heels and headed for the bank. Mano and Roy walked to Wiley's.
"When we get there, Roy, I would like you to …."
"I know, Mano, keep quiet and say nothin'," Roy interrupted.
Mano laughed and clapped him on the shoulder "Sí, amigo, sí, perfecto!"
Wiley sighed as Mano entered with Roy. These guys were worse than Joe Butler. But since they were customers, Wiley tried to look as though he wanted them there.
"Hello Manolito, what can I do fer you this fine day?"
Mano was not taken in, but he smiled and took out a list from his inside jacket pocket. "Please fill this Señor Wiley, and have everything ready first thing in the morning, as we will be leaving early."
"Sure thing. No problem." Wiley scanned the list. "I got all this in stock so it'll be ready for you to pick up tomorrow. What time?"
"Six I think, sí, six o'clock would be best. Is it convenient for you, Señor Wiley?"
"Oh sure, no trouble at all!" Wiley smiled outside, but cursed inside. These ranchers always wanted to leave town before the sun had showed its face. If they weren't such good customers, he'd be tempted to tell 'em it wasn't convenient, but he couldn't afford to turn 'em away.
"Muy bien. Hasta mañana!" Mano tipped his hat in farewell.
They walked on and Roy said, "Where we going now, Mano?"
"We are going to the saloon, Roy, because I suspect Buck will want to have a drink or two before we leave town." His smile was wide and knowing. Buck would never miss visiting the saloon.
El Toro Loco was not crowded, and there were a couple of tables free in the back. "Roy, why do you not go and sit over there and I will bring the drinks?" Mano gestured to a table in the corner.
Roy nodded and did so. Mano ordered a bottle and three glasses. He carried them to the table and sat in the chair facing the door so he could see Buck when he walked in, which did not take long. Buck spotted them and came straight over.
"Here Mano, this here's the receipt for what we paid John. I put $200 into his account, like we agreed."
"Excelente, hombre! If we assume that the cattle will fetch $400, which is not unreasonable, then we only owe John another $400 in total. We still have twenty horses left to sell and we should make much more than that."
Buck chortled and rubbed his hands. "We got $220 right here." He patted his shirt pocket and Mano frowned. "Don't worry, amigo, I know we got stuff to buy an' all," Buck added.
Mano did not look reassured. He had paid for the bottle with his own coin and was now worried that their profits would disappear if left in Buck's pocket. "Maybe I should go and arrange for the purchase of a buckboard and team?"
"No need, amigo, I done that aw ready" Buck laughed again. "Don't worry so much. I know we gotta pay Wiley, too. Plus I done ordered the lumber we talked about so that's all done, too."
"How much, Buck?" Mano enquired.
"How much what?"
"How much do we need to pay for these things, hombre?"
"Oh right, er, $20 fer the wood, $30 for the team and second-hand buckboard; I did a deal for them, and then I guess about $50 at the mercantile."
"That is $100 then out of our $220. I have an idea about that remaining money, Buck, and I hope you will agree with me. I think that we need to pay Roy for his work, do you not agree?"
"You bet I do."
"Well, how does this sound to you? Fifty dollars apiece for yourself and for me and $20 for Roy."
"Twenty dollars for me? For my work? What work?" Roy asked, puzzled.
"Roy, you are quite brilliant with horses and I think we need to reward that work. You can put the money in your pocket or you can open a bank account, because I believe we may well have more work for you in the future," Mano explained.
"Really?" Roy's smile almost split his face. He felt like he'd won top prize in the turkey shoot. Then his face turned solemn. "I think I'd like to open a bank account," he said with a very serious expression.
Mano couldn't help smiling, but checked his laugh. It would be cruel to laugh at Roy who was just learning to be an upright citizen instead of a stage robber.
"Bueno, Roy, and I think perhaps that is what we all need to do," Mano said looking straight at Buck, whose face fell.
"Aw Mano, I wanted to have me some fun."
"Not tonight Buck. I think we need to collect everything now and leave town tonight."
"Whut?" Buck's eyebrows reached his hat brim. "Why?"
"It occurs to me that the comancheros may have seen us leave and, thanks to Roy, we have some very valuable stock still in our corrals, no?"
"Oh Mano!" but Buck could see the sense in his friend's counsel. They swallowed their drinks, but Buck kept the bottle.
Roy choked a little at the burning sensation the tequila made going down. He wasn't used to this drinking. He would have to learn, he guessed, now that he was a businessman. His whole body smiled as they walked out the door.
They stopped by the bank and deposited their profits in the C-Bar-M account, opening an account for Roy at the same time. Then they collected their new buckboard and team, tying Pedro's and Buck's horses to the back, since Buck and Roy would be driving. They surprised Wiley, who had just stacked their order when Buck strode in.
"Hey Wiley. Can you add two bottles of red-eye for medicinal purposes? An' a bottle o' mescal for my compadre, S'nor Montoya."
"Yeah, Buck, sure will."
"Here's $50, Wiley. That cover everything?"
"Er, sure Buck, sure." Since it was cash Wiley wasn't too bothered if he lost a dollar or two on the whiskey. He was just glad he was being paid. Too many ranchers came in and ordered stuff all year long before paying anything. He took the money and started carrying the order outside.
Mano tossed Roy a few coins with instructions to run over to Rosa's to ask her to wrap up tortillas filled with beans and meat for them. They would satisfy their hunger before starting out for the ranch. They ate while Wiley finished loading.
The next stop was the carpenter's shop, where they loaded the lumber before heading out of Tucson on the road back to the C-Bar-M. It was a dark night, not much of a moon and a lot of cloud cover, which suited the friends and partners. The comancheros would need at least the glimmer of a moon to risk raiding their ranch.
Buck drove the team at a good pace, but he was careful, because they needed to get there in one piece and holes in the road were less easily seen after sundown. Mano rode scout, just as careful. He rode back toward the buckboard at a good lope before slowing to draw alongside.
"Buck, at this rate we will reach the ranch just as it is becoming light."
"I know Mano, but I can't go any faster or we could kill these horses or have a axe-y-dent."
Mano smiled at his friend's expression, but he was worried. He had a feeling something was wrong and such feelings had saved his life on many occasions. He would not ignore them. He rode ahead to scout with renewed dedication.
Just as the buckboard neared the rise overlooking the ranch, Mano raised a hand, motioning for them to stop. They strained to see him in the pre-dawn gloom. He rode back.
"Buck, there are men and horses up around the back of the cabin, say 100 feet away. They are not doing anything, probably waiting for daylight, which will arrive at any moment."
"What we gonna do, Mano?"
"I will go around back and see how many there are and where their horses are tied. If I can loosen the horses and lead them away, our good friends will be on foot, again!"
"Ha, Mano you are always settin' them afoot, ain't you?" Buck said with a muffled chuckle.
"Mano, could I come with you, cuz I think I could get the horses loose without lettin' anyone know. It's what I used to do with Honch."
"Come on then Roy. Let us go and release some poor horses from their captivity."
Buck started the team out at a slow, careful pace. He was safe for a little while, but it wouldn't be long before the comancheros spotted him or heard the rattle of the buckboard.
Mano and Roy had ridden in a wide arc and then slowed to approach the spot where Mano believed the banditos were hiding. They found the horses in a little hollow. Roy approached the animals as he had the mustangs. The horses allowed him to come close. He undid their tethers. With scarcely a snort, the horses followed him as he led them down the hill a little further. Then he waved his arms and ran toward them to make them gallop off. He hurried back to Mano, who held his horse. The pair caught up with the buckboard just as Buck was cresting the rise and starting the descent to the cabin.
At that moment, Jorge Sanchez and the one called Slim spotted them.
"Sanchez, there's Montoya an' Cannon. Let's move," Slim rasped. Hesitation would cost them the advantage of surprise and all chance to kill men and steal mustangs would vanish. Sanchez, eyes fierce, motioned to the men to mount up.
"Andale, muchachos!"
The lot scurried to the hollow where their horses had been tethered moments before, only to find it abandoned. Sanchez threw his hat to the ground and cursed in displeasure. "Some day, Slim, I will kill those hombres."
"Sure Sanchez, sure." Slim said with a twisted grin, just as disappointed. "Let's get outta here." They'd have to walk back into Tucson to get more horses. Again. Attacking on foot would be a fool's errand, and Cannon and Montoya would be waiting.
"Sorry 'bout our trip to Tucson, Roy, but we can visit it again when we take the other horses in," Buck said.
"That's okay, Buck, I don't mind."
"Ay yi yi, compadres, I need some sleep. Come let's put away our team, unload our lumber, take the supplies in and then let us head inside."
"I'm with you, Mano, I'm plumb tuckered out," Buck said.
The three vaqueros, richer and happier, but exhausted, entered the cabin for a well-earned rest.