2' chapter
Jack and Palomo came to the rest of the gang and told what happened ( Palomo's version).
--
Meanwhile in town, a young man, who had remained hidden and had seen and heard the comments, after waiting for their departure, immediately ran to the sheriff''s office.
Arriving there, he found the door locked and the keys thrown on the ground over the fence.
After picking them up he opened the door and, releasing the sheriff, told what he had seen and heard.
" Bravo Bobby, quick let's go warn Zachary knight. we need to set up a hunting party right away!
But tell me did you see their faces?"
" Oh yes, sir, it's a beautiful moonlit night... And the fatter one was covered in blood."
" Listen go upstairs, I'll call the judge in the meantime and we'll join you."
At that instant screams were heard coming from the club rooms.
--
" Are you guys sure no one saw you?"
" No, the country was deserted!"
" Well, we better cut out, maybe by now the girl will have found the body and called the sheriff. where is the dagger?"
" Here it is, I took it...I didn't want to leave a trail!"
" You did well, Palomo!...I see Jack, you always have to take care of all the details."
" Yes. Yes sir!"
" Have you found out where Miss Doreen is headed?"
"Yes. to Chicago. tomorrow morning she has the stagecoach to Chicago! it will leave from San Antonio!"
" Come on let's get away from here. We have a long way to San Antonio."
"But then if she has already left what are you going to do Britten?"
" It will mean that we will follow the trail of the stagecoach and join her on the road my dear Tomaz!"
" I'm afraid our paths will part...I have other things to attend to!"
" Are you still intent on finding Macahan?"
" Yes, I have an open account with him!"
Fernando caught up with them.
" Hey Tomaz I heard you say Macahan... maybe you might be interested in this!"
"What is it Fernando?"
" I found it in the sheriff's office... I think it's the judge's Macahan file. It was in the box of files to file!"
" File eh! Maybe for him, but not for me.And when were you going to give it to me?"
" Sorry, we talked about something else, I forgot!"
" All right. give it to me; when we get to San Antonio I'll look at it!
Colfax 11:45 p.m.
" Come on Luke, time for bed!"
" No, come on, just a little more! You said we have to celebrate today!"
" Yes, but with all that Alcohol you drank...we risk waking up in two days...good thing you didn't like it!"
" I...I said that?"
" Your exact words...after Grey's first visit home and I told you then you were not a Macahan.but as far as I can see ...
"I don't remember!"
" Of course right now, in that state, it's already so much that you remember your name!"
" Come on don't exaggerate uncle..I'm still sober."
" Yes of course, and I am Satangkai, come on let's go!"
" Well you don't look so clear either!"
immediately froze
" Are you thinking what I'm thinking Luke?"
" I think so...Ah. Erika..it's been so long you know I wasn't thinking!"
" And who is this Erika..another one of your girlfriends? But how many do you have...tell me?"
"Story too sad to tell, Marcela..better to think of something else!"
" Here, as if to show you...,come on let's go! I'll help you up, get you cleaned up and then bedtime!"
"Let Marcela take care of him!"
" Mmhh whatever, come on stick to me Luke!"
" I guess you're right you know uncle, I don't think I'm very sober!"
" Ma vah.. you say? Come on let's go!"
Helped by his uncle to reach the room, he then reached with Marcela the bathroom and, exited undressed and got into the tub.
The scent of the foam was intoxicating, and the water was not particularly warm.
Nevertheless, he grabbed a pitcher at the side of the tub with some cool water and rinsed his face, when Marcela reappeared.
She covered her lower abdomen with as much foam as she could and, blushing, greeted her entrance.
" Hello Marcela!"
"Is that the best you can say? Don't feel uncomfortable Luke..is that your name?"
" Yes."
"If you want I'll leave but, anyway I want to tell you that I leave it up to you to decide when to stop!"
" I thank you. Please stay..right now I don't think I'm in the best condition to carry out this passage!"
" Passage? what passage?"
" Well! I mean the one to wash myself in a dignified manner! Wouldn't it be possible for you to help me?"
" Sure - she smiled at him - give me the sponge, come on, I'll do it!"
She gently went over his back and neck and then more vigorously over his shoulders and chest, finishing then, vigorously with his legs and feet.
"You're good and...very pretty too, you know! - He bent his head toward her and with a deep sigh, sniffed her skin -- and ...pro-perfume like the foam in this bath!"
" Of course, I took a bath earlier, too! Do you like it? ...the scent?"
" Oh yes, delicious!"
" Well, now that you're nice and clean you can go out and put on that robe; I'll wait outside if you want!"
" I shouldn't, you know!"
" Your girlfriend..I guess!"
" Yes, Hillary, you know we are almost...!"
" But would you?"
" Right now I don't even know what I want...I don't think I'm very lucid!"
" Well, if you want there's fresh water there, refresh your mind, make up your mind slowly..I'm not running away!" He got out.
Luke got out of the bathtub, dried himself, put on his robe and mirrored himself, after which he took some cool water and repeatedly rinsed his face, shook his head and looked at himself in the mirror.
" No I can't!!! Not now Hillary, I could never do that to you!"
She dried her face and walked out of the bathroom.
Marcela stood semi-reclining on the bed in a light robe that allowed a glimpse of her perfect form.
"So cowboy?"
"If you want to stay, stay but know that I'm not going to take advantage of this situation. Don't hold it against me, you are very beautiful and, in other times I probably would have given in without blinking but ... not now, I can't, forgive me!"
"You know what? Well a little bit I'm sorry, but it's a credit to you. I'd like to think and hope I have a man like you too.. so be it!"
They slipped under the sheets and after a few minutes, locked in a brotherly embrace, fell asleep.
Quite different things went on in the next room;
"Hey Zebulon, you're still my dear old stud, you know!"
" Oh thank you, and you're always gorgeous!"
"Aren't you good at telling lies!"
" No, I mean it...is part of my rules...don't lie and never apologize!"
"All right, I want to believe you! Tell me one thing...will I see you again?"
" Eh, good question!!! I don't want to make promises to you that I might not be able to keep
but... I would like to see you again, too. Tomorrow I have to visit a friend in Fort Clark then we'll see, depending on how things turn out."
" I'd say we've had the early hours for today it's best to sleep ..What do you say Zeb?"
" Yes I think it's better!"
They had been hugging each other in silence for a couple of minutes..
"Hey Zeb... Can't hear any noises in the other room ..how do you say things are going over there?"
" I don't want to think about it ...I'll make them tell me when we wake up!"
" Of course your nephew is such a big boy!"
" Oh yeah...and he's also a good guy...too bad that since he went to look for his father in the war, he's been involved in bad stories...framed by a system that condemned him to a bad life for years! I hope it is all over now and a new life can begin for him!"
"I wish you that from the bottom of my heart. Good night Zeb."
" Night dear!"
- - - -
A few hours later...
Zeb knocked on Luke's door.
" Come on lazybones, time to get up!"
Luke emerged from down the hall..
" Apparently I'm the one who should tell you; I've already been up for an hour and I've already had breakfast with Marcela!"
" Ah though! I never saw that one coming! So Luke..did you have a good night?"
"All good..a good bath..a nice... sleep..and as you can see it benefited me! I'm more spry than you!"
" You mean you collapsed ..without...!"
" Exactly but I didn't collapse because I was drunk ..it was intentional! And you..rather?"
" Eh..I'll let you imagine!" Giggle.
"Uncleoooo! You like her right? Why don't you marry her, after all she's free!"
" Marry me...No, it's not for me..I've been a lone wolf for too long now..I wouldn't see myself stuck in it. You know I love to leave, to go back to my mountains...it's no life for a woman to be with me!"
"But ..do you think I'm doing the right thing to get married?"
" Well for now let's send the telegram ... and then ..."
" I'm dying to see her again, I miss her!"
" There, you see, you've already given yourself the answer!!! But .tell me something Luke... you plan to settle down with her after the wedding?"
" Well actually we haven't talked about that yet...or rather it was a tentative thing we told Teton..then well...you know!
Orville would like me to continue as his deputy and someday for me to take over!"
" And you...É what do you want?"
" I don't know...I'd also like to carry out Pa's wish...to go to Oregon, California...what he wanted...you know how...a handover!"
" Yes, I hear you..it's good what you say...well one step at a time ok!!!"
" Yes uncle..let's go!"
They reached the post office.
" Good morning gentlemen, what can I do for you?"
" I should..would like to...send a telegram."
" Ok where is it going?"
" Do...Sheriff Gant's office at Jimson's Break."
" Ah! ok and the text!"
He sighed...
" For Hillary.. I'll be there very soon...I'm a free man...I miss you so much. Your Luke!"
" Gee, you're not feeling it anymore, are you son?"
" Eh yes...!"
" Well best wishes to you both!"
" Well...now let's write home!"
"To Fam. Macahan, Teton."
"We're fine..it's all over. we'll see you soon to celebrate. Luke and Uncle Zeb."
" Well, I'll mail it right away."
" Here you go!"
" Here, the rest..and... Best wishes ha ha ha!"
"Thank you, goodbye." They went out.
"Okay, now on the march. Do you mind if we go by Fort Clarke first?"
"No, of course not at all ... now I'm going to go more relaxed!"
" Eh eh, I think so too!"
--
At Fort Clarke
" Two men on horseback, sir!"
Colonel Hayde joined Lieutenant Mitchell.
" But it's Zeb, I'll be damned!
Bring them in and bring them to me!"
" Yes, sir...Open the gate!"
They entered.
" I feel strange, you know uncle...this is the first time I've ever entered a military fort! As a free man, I mean!"
" It's okay...You'll see you'll like the colonel; he's an old friend of mine, I was a scout for him for several years!"
" Will you leave the horses to me gentlemen!" intervened a plump and quite advanced sergeant.
" Thank you sergeant, you treat them well..they have been eating some dust lately!"
" Yes, of course!"
" Good morning mr.Macahan. The colonel is expecting you. I am Lt. Mitchell; if you will follow me!"
" Thank you!"
" Come...come along Zeb...good to see you again! What are you doing around here?"
They shook hands.
" I had heard about your move, and since I was in the area, I couldn't resist!
You know I was near the Mexican border
to try to help my nephew-he gave Luke a pat on the back-but like a good Macahan he had already taken care of things himself!"
" But then are you Luke Macahan? I've heard about you the last few years..and until last week it wasn't good news!"
" He has already read then!"
" Yes and I am very happy about it but..."
" What Sebastian?"
"Zeb I have some not good news to tell you!"
" What are you talking about?"
" A dispatch came to me just two hours ago.
We need to be on the alert and support the local sheriffs.
You see - he showed them the dispatch - Britten was broken out... They attacked the sheriff. They were three men, faces covered. According to Marshal they were three Mexican gringos--and that's not all--they found the body of one of the witnesses, a Mrs. Clara, lying on the floor of the club room, pierced by 3 stab wounds in the chest.
A boy saw two men coming down the club staircase and heard their talk and even their names as they exchanged jokes.!"
" What names colonel?"
" Palomo and Jack!'
" No, that's not possible!"
" What are you saying Luke?"
" I know them, they are two of Tomaz's gang!"
" In fact from the dispatch they talked about having to go back to Tomaz and Gruner and then go to San Antonio!"
" San Antonio? tell me Seb... Isn't San Antonio where the stagecoaches leave for the 'East?"
" Yes, it is the crucial junction!"
" If that's what I think, they'll want to go there and reach and kill Doreen, the other witness in the trial!"
" It's several hours on horseback, I don't know if they made it to San Antonio in time!"
" You know, I think we're going to go San Antonio and find them all there, maybe setting up the plan."
" Be careful Zeb. I'll give you reinforcements if you want."
" No thanks. I can't put your men at risk!"
" But there are only two of you, you could be facing a dozen men!"
" I have some friends in San Antonio who owe me a favor, including the sheriff!"
" Ah well, if so ...let me know, please!"
"Certainly. Well Luke, time to go, are you ready?"
" Yes Uncle Zeb!"
" Wouldn't you rather go to Hillary's?"
" No, I won't leave you alone uncle and then with them is Tomaz, I want to end this forever!"
" Get ready my boy, it won't be a piece of cake! He will have a poisoned tooth!"
" I'd rather face him now and not find surprises later!"
"Yes, fair enough! let's go.
I salute you my friend!"
"Bye Zeb, bye Luke...take care! It was very good to see you again. Ah! I forgot...sorry about Billy, we haven't had a chance since then !"
" Thank you ! He didn't deserve to die like that. by the way, I don't know if you heard, but I found Dutton and 'sent him off to betterment!"
" Did you kill him?"
" It was the least I could do!"
" I'm sorry, I know you were friends!"
" Exactly-we were! "
" See you soon, come back and see me!"
" Come on Luke let's go, it's not very far!"
" How long will it take Uncle?"
" No more than half a day!"
" What do we do when we get there?"
" First we go to Sheriff Bentley, I think he has already received the photos and report of the fugitives headed to his town...then since you know some of them, maybe you can identify them."
" Do you think they will come to town?"
" They might even stay out camped and send someone ahead, so Luke eyes open, we don't know which way they will come!"
" Yes uncle!"
--
Shortly thereafter at Fort Clarke
Colonel Hayde's office
" Lieutenant Mitchell!?"
" Yes sir!"
" Assemble 5 or 6 men!"
" What should I do sir...I guess, if I may speak freely, it concerns Your friend, Macahan!"
"That's right, I owe that man. I can't let him take on that gang alone ..after all, we received the dispatch and we have an 'obligation to assist him in the search and capture of Britten and comrades!
Remember, you must not be noticed by Zeb, you will go without uniform.
Here is an arrest warrant validated by me and this is a letter acknowledging your location."
" But-if he sees us? Zeb, I mean!"
" Don't worry, the man is smart..if he should see you, he'll play it cool, laughing under his breath. All things considered, I think he'll be pleased. Now go, quickly. Ah if you can catch them alive otherwise dead is fine, as mentioned in the dispatch!
" Well sir, at your orders!"
--
Luke and Zeb arrived in San Antonio in the late afternoon.
" Man it's a great little town, so many people!"
" It's famous you know, see that building over there? That's the Alamo!"
"Ala.., what?"
" Fort Alamo. It used to be, you know, a convent. Then it became a base used by General Cos until the Texan rebels attacked and fortified it resisting the Mexican army for a few days only to be flushed out and shot."
" I remember you talking about it that night when you arrived at Bull Run!"
"Oh yeah, you have a good memory!"
"Man, being here I almost feel like I'm part of history!"
" But you are part of history!"
" In what way? Well, I hope, not because of my stays in prison!"
" Haha..well maybe that too , but that wasn't what I meant...I see your memory is leaking a bit! Let me refresh your memory...what about the "Arrapaho trail"?
You had a good hand in it, too!"
" Well, it's not like I did much, half the way back to the herd I was locked up in Las Mesas!"
" Don't be too modest! You did a good part too and it's only fair that you get credit!"
" You know, Uncle, someday they will talk about it and say about the Arrapaho trail opened with the 'help of Zeb Macahan, period!"
" Yes, you may be right although I insist that you are part of it too.
I notice you've been looking around for a while... are you seeing anyone?
" No..but let's say I've been looking around! I thought I saw a group of 5/6 men earlier as we came over the ridge..then I turned around and they were gone.
" So you saw them too!
I tell you what, to me they are the men sent by the colonel to give us a hand."
" Well, they might come in handy!"
" Yes, but not now...in due time..and my guess is that good old Hayde will be laughing it off knowing I've already caught them!
Anyway you do well to watch your back, you're really getting smart you know! Way to go!
Well come on! Let's see how much old Martin knows! This way, here!"
Tying the horses together, they climbed the two steps leading to the sheriff's office.
"If you had asked me just a week ago to see so many sheriffs and military men, I would have called you crazy, you know!!!"
"Ha ha yeah..I guess..come on come on follow me, now you have nothing to fear. It has been several days since the verdict and by now the newspapers will have reached every far corner of the " country."
"So even back home they must have heard by now and..Hillary too!"
" I think so."
They knocked and entered the sheriff's office.
" I'll be damned, Zeb!, Is that really you?"
" In the flesh, my friend!"
" I haven't seen you since we went hunting together..good times right? Too bad about the 'last joke, the one from two years ago."
" Indeed! Oh yeah! They've been raiding, you can hardly find good game now!"
"The Indians were so right to say that the bullet that will kill you has not yet been manufactured! By dindirindina, let me look at you-you haven't changed a bit-they hugged each other-what are you doing around here?"
Zeb raised his head over his friend''s shoulders and noticed the poster while, at his side, Luke took his arm to draw his attention to the same thing.
Sheriff Bentley turned around.
" Have you come for those? don't tell me you're going out for a bounty hunter!" he looked at Zeb then looked at Luke.
" Don't tell me-this is your nephew Luke,
the one you were telling me about!"
" Yes, sheriff, that's me..I didn't know they were already in possession of Tomaz' sketch!"
" Yes, they came to me this morning.
I'm glad for you boy! Your uncle told me how much you've been through!
You see... Tomaz, is well known, as well as around here in Mexico, for robbing loads of 'gold! I guess you've already celebrated the news!"
" Yes, although I think it's not quite over yet!"
" What do you mean...Are you still in trouble with the law, for other crimes?"
" No, no that no!"
"Ah good for you!"
" You see Martin, Luke meant that he fears that Tomaz is looking for him to settle the score. I could be wrong but I think they might be coming here to town..you haven't seen them?"
" Of course not, otherwise they would already be in that cell - pointing his friend to the adjacent room - or underground...I'm always pretty good with the rifle you know..and with the gun too!"
" Easy man. see. - told him the news he had from the colonel - the problem is that they have put together quite a gang and we don't know when and how they will act. Can you tell me if today's stagecoach has left for Chicago yet?"
"Yes, this morning. but-why do you care?"
" Did you notice if, on board, there was a pretty girl, in her early twenties with beautiful wavy hair coming from Las Mesas?"
" Let's see...yes, now that you mention it there was such a Doreen!"
" Damn...she used her real name!"
"No wait, Zeb I'll explain now!
"Come on, spit it out!"
" The 'other day a stagecoach came in from New Mexico and a girl got off, she waved at me with her head down; she looked right left. You can imagine, in so many years in the business, I have learned to recognize certain situations. I asked her if she needed help and she said yes, almost crying.
I accompanied her to my home and, my wife and I, took her in.
She told me earlier that her name was Dolores but, from her tone of voice I could tell she was lying.
After reassuring her, she told me everything and this morning she left for Chicago, If it pleases you she is escorted by a man I trust. He was my deputy sheriff for a while to pay his way through law school and is now on his way to Chicago to practice law."
Luke, meanwhile, on pins and needles, was looking out the window, when all of a sudden.
" Hey uncle, sheriff, look at those two!"
"Who?"
" Those two on horseback; the stout one and the younger boy!"
" Do you know them Luke?"