Free Curly Bill and Ringo by Van Holt Page B

hadn’t even noticed the tracks.
    Curly turned the Appaloosa and rode back toward town, telling himself that it was the Lefferts gang that was short-handed, not Ringo.

Chapter 7
    When Curly got back to town, the eastbound stage stood hitched and ready to go in front of the hotel. Sid Gilstrap, the driver, was in the dining room eating—and Uncle Willy, the only passenger, was just climbing into the coach. Seeing him, Curly reined in beside the stage and peered through the window at him. The old cowman looked a little sheepish, and more than a little scared.
    “You pulling out already, Uncle Willy?” Curly asked in surprise. “Hell, I didn’t think you meant today.”
    “Well, I never either, Curly,” Uncle Willy said. “But I decided I better git out while I can. I’m afraid if I go back to the ranch, them boys will kill me. They think I sent for that feller Ringo. Curly, why didn’t you tell me it was him?”
    “I figgered you already knew,” Curly said.
    Uncle Willy looked at him in alarm, then pulled out his dirty bandanna and mopped his long horse face. “Curly, I swear I didn’t even know he was still alive, although that story I heard about how he died always made me wonder. I was ready to git on my horse and head on back to the ranch when Pike and them rode up and commenced to threaten me. They said they knew Ringo was in town and they figgered I sent for him. They said they was gonna take care a me and then git him, wherever he was hidin’.
    “Just then Ringo come outa the hotel and them boys looked like they’d seen a ghost. I never saw such wild fear on men’s faces in all my life. They was still in the saddle and all of a sudden they turned their horses and rode outa town like the devil hisself was right behind them. I never saw nothin’ like it, six grown men runnin’ from one that way.
    “That tall feller never even looked at me. He just went down the street to the stable to git his horse and then follered them like he wasn’t in no hurry or didn’t want to attract attention. But when he rode back by I noticed his face was hard as a rock and his eyes were cold as ice.”
    “You think Pike and them would bother you if you went back to the ranch?” Curly asked.
    “Curly, I ain’t takin’ no chances,” the old rancher said. “I got some friends in Texas I can stay with till things quiet down around here. If things don’t quiet down, I may just decide not to come back. I’ve had a bad feelin’ ever since you boys started callin’ this place Boot Hill. It was like a bad sign. I figger if I don’t git out while I can, I’ll git buried here. I won’t breathe easy till I’m back in Texas. When I go by the ranch I aim to lay down so them boys won’t see me. But it’d be just my luck for them to pick this stage to hold up. I know they used to hold up stages over around Tombstone and Benson, ‘cause I’ve heard them braggin’ about it.”
    “Me and the Hatcher boys have had our eyes on some horses below the border,” Curly said. “We were thinking about going after them in a few days.”
    “Well, just keep track of how many head there is and I’ll settle up with you when I git back,” Uncle Willy said. “If I decide not to come back, Grady knows where to git in touch with me in Texas. Just give him the list. Even if I decide to sell out, I’ll make sure the next owner makes it right with you boys, or I will myself.”
    Sid Gilstrap came out of the hotel cutting himself a chew of tobacco. “Howdy, Curly,” he said, his gray whiskers parting in a smile. “I see you still got your hair.”
    “So far,” Curly said. “But not for long, if Big Nose has any say in the matter.”
    Sid’s bleached eyes went to the Appaloosa. “You never should of told everybody you saw about stealing that horse from them, Curly. That was a mighty reckless thing to do. The stories got back to the Apaches and Big Nose made a vow to get his horse back, along with your scalp. Now they’re