Free Bloody Trail by Ford Fargo Page B

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part of his men here to drygulch us, while he and the rest kept on
ridin’ south.”
    “ I don’t think any of us would
take that bet, Bill,” Jimmy said.
    “ No, we sure wouldn’t,” Charley
confirmed. “Far as takin’ prisoners, you leave that to me. Jimmy,
Robert, you two think you can cover Bill and Derrick without my
help?”
    “ We’ll manage,” Jimmy assured
him.
    “ Then, Bill, it seems we’re all
set,” Charley said. “I’m gonna slide on outta here.”
    "Just one thing first", Bill answered. He
pulled Jed's Navy Colt from his waistband. "I need some spare
ammunition for this gun. It's only got two rounds left."
    “ Gimme that gun,” Charley said.
“I’ll load it while you get your horse.”
    “ Much obliged,” Bill said, passing
the Colt to Charley. He headed to where Cholla stood, patiently
waiting. The horse nickered when Bill approached, then nuzzled his
cheek. Bill placed a hand on each side of Cholla’s muzzle, then
gently shook the big paint’s head.
    “ Just like old times, eh, Cholla?”
he murmured. Cholla snorted, and tossed his head. Bill placed his
head against Cholla’s forehead, then his nose to Cholla’s right
nostril. Man and horse stood, exchanging breaths, each absorbing
the other’s strength and spirit.
    “ Bill, I hate to interrupt, but if
you’re through makin’ love to that horse, we’d better get started,”
Charley said, with a grin. “Here’s Jed’s gun.”
    Behind him, Derrick was already mounted, rifle
lying across the pommel of his saddle.
    “ All right, and thanks. Sure hope
Satterlee’s clever enough to figure out what we’re tryin’. Good
luck to all of you,” Bill said. He tucked Jed’s gun into his
waistband.
    “ You’re the one who’s gonna need
it,” Jimmy answered.
    “ Give me just one minute before
you start,” Charley ordered. He slipped silently into the
underbrush and disappeared. Bill waited until a minute had passed,
then heeled Cholla into a dead run. Derrick followed, reining his
horse into the side gully. The minute he did, he opened fire in the
direction of the outlaws. Behind him, Gallagher and Jimmy did the
same.
    Joe Montgomery spotted Bill as he rode for the
creek bed.
    “ Sheriff, I told you not to bring
Torrance along. The son of a bitch is runnin’ out on us. I’ll stop
that bastard!”
    “ Joe, you fool, no! Looks like
he’s tryin’ to draw those renegades’ bullets,” Satterlee yelled,
uselessly. Montgomery leapt to his feet and leveled his rifle at
Bill’s back. Before he could pull the trigger, concentrated fire
from the outlaws tore into him, dropping him in his
tracks.
    As Bill had hoped, Danby’s men, distracted by
the gunfire from the gully, didn’t notice him until he splashed
across the creek and circled behind them. Cholla’s reins were
wrapped around the saddle horn, Bill guiding the paint with knee
pressure. He held a Colt in each hand, and began blasting away at
the outlaws’ backs as soon as they were in sight. Three of Danby’s
men died before any of them realized one of the posse had gotten
behind them.
    “ Get that bastard!” someone
yelled. Several of the renegades turned to concentrate their fire
on Bill, but he was an elusive target. Cholla, experienced in
battle, twisted and turned—taking a zigzag path and making himself
and his rider almost impossible to hit. Bill put bullets into two
more men’s chests, another into one’s belly. He grunted when a
bullet clipped the top of his shoulder, and Cholla squealed with
pain when one grazed his hip. Bill shoved his now-empty Colts into
their holsters, pulled out his Winchester, and urged Cholla
onward.
    Derrick, reaching the steep end of the side
gully, spurred his horse up the slope. The animal struggled, nearly
going to his knees, but Derrick’s strong pull on the reins kept him
upright until they burst over the gully’s rim. Derrick charged
straight into the brush, adding his fire to that of Bill. He shot
one man, then ran