Chapter Two: The Trouble with Trains

Paco pulled his hat down over his face to get some sleep, but not completely he had learned to sleep light with one eye open. Four hours later the train pulled into El Paso, he didn't particularly want to change there. Dallas Stoudenmire had a habit of beating up Latinos when he was in his cups. Paco rose and descended from the passenger car and went to fetch Grandee and wait for the next train to Hays City. "When does the train to Hays get in?" Paco asked.

"Twelve fifteen, Sir, the station man said.

"Thank you," Paco saw Dallas Stoudenmire approaching as he tethered Grandee.

"You here for a reason Mex?"

"Just passing through, Marshal," Stoudenmire looked him up and down.

"You are a Ranger?"

"Si," Paco produced his credentials, Stoudenmire studied them and handed them back. "I'm just waiting for the train to Hays."

"A bit of the patch for the Rangers isn't it?"

"A bit yes," Paco had no intention of telling Stoudenmire the real reason for his journey. "I've taken some leave to visit an old friend. I haven't seen him since I was twelve."

"He live in Hays?"

"No, Dodge City, but I want to give Grandee some exercise on the way."

"I don't recall many Mexican's in Dodge City."

"My friend is Matt Dillon."

"I know him well, will you pay my respects to him?"

"Si," Stoudenmire clapped him on the back and thanked him. Paco stood with Stoudenmire as the train came in, he was surprised that Stoudenmire had treated him as just another man, mind you Stoudenmire was sober at the moment.

"You take of yourself now, Paco."

"Oh, I will, I will," Paco made sure that Grandee was loaded safely and then went to the passenger car.

"Marshal, I'll probably have a reply for you on the way back."

"Quite probable, Matt's always been a man you can trust with your life," Paco gave him the Ranger salute as the train pulled out. He settled himself down in a rear seat, two children were staring back at him. He stuck his tongue out at them they squealed with laughter.

"Now, you boys leave the gentleman alone, you hear," their mother admonished them.

"I don't mind, Senora, I was a child once."

"What do you do now?"

"Now, Senora, I am a Texas Ranger. But I'm going to visit an old friend," Paco told the children about his friend told them stories that Matt had told him long ago. "You remember those stories, they're good words to live by. Name's Paco Avila?"

"My name's Theresa Wildman and this is Tony and Jessica."

"They're good kids they'll be better full grown. You and your husband are sure raising them right."

"Thank you, Mr Avila. Where does your friend live?"

"Kansas, I'm going to Hays find out if he's still around. Are you going far, Senora Wildman?"

"Only as far as Amarillo."

"We're going to see our grandparents," the children said.

"You know I bet they can't wait to see you. They will spoil you, probably give you a lot of presents." Paco saw the children were asleep as the train pulled into Tucumcari Station. He watched the passengers getting on, he watched the male passengers a couple of them he thought were suspicious but he put that down to his Ranger training. It wasn't until later that his suspicions proved true, he leaned forward. "Senora, por favor, get your children on the floor and stay there," she did as Paco said. Paco drew his pistol as he saw five or six men take down their rifles.

"Ok! Ladies and Gentlemen, we're putting a little show on for you," Paco just fired taking the one who'd spoken in the heart, the next in leg.

"So am I, drop your guns. Don't think about turning those guns towards me. I can shoot a lot faster than you," Paco walked up to the cowboy sitting by the window. "Get their guns," the cowboy nodded and rose he picked up the guns from the floor and brought them to Paco.

"What makes you think you should take charge?" An old lady asked.

"Senora, I am a Texas Ranger it is my duty to stop men like this. Gentlemen if we can tie them up and sit them in those front seats," the other male passengers tied the men up and sat them down. Paco helped Theresa and the children up. "When the train stops in Amarillo we'll turn them over to the sheriff. Conductor these people here have had a nasty shock, can we get some coffee served and have you any food."

"No food, but I can sure get some coffee served up," the conductor heated up the coffee on the stove. "Thanks for saving the train like that, Ranger."

"The name's Paco Avila," Paco took some coffee to Theresa and the children, then fetched one for himself. He started to write a report on the incident. An hour later the train pulled to Amarillo, the conductor got down and sent for the sheriff. Sheriff Hardesty and his deputies got on board.

"Well, don't think they reckoned on a Ranger being onboard, did they, Mr Avila?" Paco got off the train, collected his horse and followed Sheriff Hardesty into the station. He handed the report over to the Sheriff.

"I have to be in Hays in two days, here's my report."

"Thanks, if you take the next train in fifteen minutes that should see you in Hays maybe in a day and half."

"Well, I'll probably be back this way on the return. I'm going to see if an old friend is still around there."

"Who's that?"

"Matthew Dillon."

"The marshal of Dodge?" Paco nodded.

"I haven't seen him for twelve years."

"Well, when you see that old buzzard tell him he still owes me four dollars he lost to me at poker when we were both young and frisky." Paco laughed and said he'd pass on the message. After a coffee, he loaded Grandee onto the next train to Hays. "You know, Matt always rode a buckskin," Paco nodded.

As he got into the passenger car he noticed the same men who'd trailed him that first day, the train set off heading towards Pueblo, Colorado Paco settled into a rear seat. He pulled his hat down over his face and slept but as usual he kept one eye open. Paco reasoned that they would probably wait but it wasn't worth taking chances. They made their move that night, passengers screamed but at the end four of the men were dead and the rest were wounded. "I am sorry, Senoras and Senores, that this happened."

"Why'd they have to do it?" The Conductor asked.

"I have to deliver an important paper to an old friend it will save the life of an innocent man."

"You some kind of law?" One of the passengers asked.

"I'm a Texas Ranger," that brought some gasps and kids came to stare up at him. Paco sat them down and told them stoires about the Rangers and then he told them about Matt Dillon.

"You know," the Conductor said. "You can sure entertain some of those stories about Marshal Dillon bit far-fetched though."

"Are they? They are exactly as told me when I was twelve and it ws Matteo who told me them."

"Yes but that Rawlins gang really!"

"Senor, that one he didn't have to tell me. I was there and to my certain knowledge his word is good from east to west coast and from Canda right down to Mexico where I was born. Do not insult the man I would have been proud to have as my father."

"Sorry, sir, I could wish I had a friend like that."

"Have you any coffee on the go, I could sure use one and maybe the rest of the passengers would as well."

"I was just about to do that. We'll be coming into Fountain shortly, where we can turn those men over to the Sheriff." The Conductor passed coffees around. The train pulled in to Fountain and shortly the Sheriff came onboard. The passengers told him what had happened he came to Paco.

"You're a Texas Ranger?"

"Si, my credentials," Paco handed them to the Sheriff who handed them back.

"Nice to meet you, have a safe journey."

"I hope to, but there maybe others, waiting for me in Hays." The Sheriff left the train and it pulled out. Not long after it rounded the bend to head for Hays.