Chapter 2: Becoming Dusty the Outlaw
Indy rode into town & stopped in front of the sheriff's office & looked at the list of Wanted posters on the wall. Then he spotted his target. Rowdy Smith & his partner the Cherokee Kid. Indy ripped them off the wall & put them in his pocket. Then walked into the saloon. The room that once was filled with ruckus turned into complete silence as Indy walked in.
"You ain't from around here, are ya kid?" A man asked.
"Yes sir. I am. Born & raised" Indy answered.
"How come no one's ever seen you, stranger?" A woman asked.
"I'm just passing through. I lived in the outskirts of town." Indy replied, "Have you seen these men, by any chance?" He asked.
"Depends. How much are you willing to pay to find out?" The woman asked.
"You give me my information & I'll pay you. I ain't givin' you a penny until you're gonna tell me what I need to know." Indy negotiated putting his hand on his gun.
Her eyes widened, "Fine. They were headed up to Abilene,Kansas." The woman answered.
"Thank you, ma'am." Indy said tipping his hat to her & walking out.
"Hey you! What about you paying me?" The woman snapped.
"You're still alive aren't ya? And, if I find out you gave me false directions I'm gonna come back... You better hope, I don't come back, cause I'll kill you, & everybody else who's in this saloon, ya got me?!" Indy snapped.
"They're goin' to Memphis, Tennessee." The woman remarked. Indy stormed out, got on his horse, & rode away, leaving a cloud of dust not too far behind.
He traveled through the plains of Arkansas & into the hills of Tennessee. He immediately ran into a girl who was about his age maybe a little older, but still none the less, she had long blonde hair that reached about mid-back she wore a stetson & she looked up at him with her bright green eyes.
"Who are you?" The girl asked.
"I'm a wanderer lookin' for a couple of men who killed my mother." Indy answered.
"I'm sorry to hear that, but if anybody passed by here I'd know, what did these two look like?" The girl asked.
"Here." Indy said handing the wanted posters to the girl.
"Yep. I seen 'em both headed that way towards Memphis." The girl answered as she pointed towards Memphis.
"Thank ya, little lady." Indy replied tipping his hat & winking before taking the posters, " What's your name anyway?" He asked.
"Tessie Jones." Tessie answered.
"Tessie. Until we meet again." Indy said.
"Wait you didn't ever tell me your name." Tessie replied.
"My name's of no importance. You'll probably hear from me again soon enough." Indy said as he rode off leaving Tessie behind in a cloud of dust.
'What a strange character.' Tessie thought.
Indy rode all the way to Memphis, then walked into a local saloon. As he walked in the entire room fell silent.
"Who's seen Rowdy Smith & the Cherokee Kid?" Indy snapped knowing all eyes were on him.
A man wearing a black ten gallon hat & stood about 6 foot tall man got out of his seat and he slowly turned around & smirked, "You lookin' fir me?" Rowdy asked.
"Where's your kid, Rowdy?" Indy interrogated.
"That's for me to know & you to stay outta my business." Rowdy remarked.
Indy noticed a body laying on the ground,
'Looks like he offed him before I got the chance. Oh, well. That's one less person I've gotta bring back to get him hung.' Indy thought.
"You here to have a shoot out, son?" Rowdy asked.
"No I'm bringin' ya back to Indian territory to have ya hanged!" Indy said.
"Alright, here's the deal, if ya manage to shoot me without killin' me, I'll go back with ya, but if I shoot ya... Well you'll be singing with the angels sooner than you can whistle Dixie." Rowdy remarked.
"Fine. Outside, right here, right now." Indy remarked.
"Alrighty. If ya want." Rowdy said as he & Indy walked out into the town square. They stood back to back & walked a few steps apart. Indy turned around first pulling out his revolver & took the shot. Little did Indy know Tessie was watching from a distance & seen Rowdy fall on the ground. Indy walked over & stood above Rowdy as the doctor ran up. Indy jumped on his horse & rode off in a haze of smoke.
"How is he, Doc?" Tessie asked riding up on her horse Autumn.
"He's still alive but, I imagine not for much longer." The doctor answered.
"Who was that guy?" Tessie asked.
"He never said who he was." A man with a sheriff badge & a banjo on his strapped to his back said as rode up.
"Kenny?" Tessie asked.
"Howdy, sis. Looks like ya got an outlaw on the loose." Kenny said taking off his hat & revealing his brown scruffy hair & blue eyes.
"Seems so." Tessie agreed. "You can always call me if ya see him again little sis." Kenny replied.
"Telegram you, ya mean?" Tessie asked.
"Whatever. I'm gonna try to catch him. See ya around, little sis!" Kenny said as he placed his hat on his head & rode off after the new outlaw.