Ten Guns from Texas Read online

“Bullock said he thought they was goin’ out to Bellefontaine’s place,” Dooley said.

  “Find Peabody and send him to me.”

  * * *

  A tall, slender man with a mane of sandy blond hair that hung beneath a black, silver-banded hat was leaning casually against one of the posts supporting the porch roof of the feed store next to the livery. He had watched the hanging and was still there, drawn by morbid curiosity. It wasn’t that he hadn’t seen men die violently before. In fact, Ethan Quinn had been responsible for the violent deaths of at least twelve men, including the two cowboys he had killed but a few days earlier. He’d rolled a cigarette and had just lit it when he saw Peabody standing with the others.

  “Hey, Peabody,” he called. With the lit cigarette in his hand, he made a motion toward the two hanging men. “This is quite a piece of work.”

  “What are you doin’ out here, Quinn? Ain’t you ever seen anyone hang before?”

  “Can’t say as I have. It wasn’t pretty to watch.”

  Peabody smirked. “It ain’t supposed to be. That’s why folks get hung . . . as a warnin’ to others.”

  “Yeah, well, it’s the law that does that, ain’t it? I didn’t think there was any law in Blowout, which is why I come here in the first place.”

  “Well, there is a kind of law here,” Peabody said. “You might call it an outlaw’s law.”

  Quinn laughed. “Outlaw’s law. That’s pretty good.”

  “Hey, Peabody,” Dooley said, coming up to the two men then. “Kendrick wants you.”

  “What’s he want me for?”

  “He didn’t say. He just said he wants to see you.”

  “I saw you and Rand and Beans ridin’ in a few minutes ago. Where are the others?”

  Dooley grimaced. “Dead.”

  “Dead? What the hell do you mean, dead?”

  “I mean dead. MacCallister ’n his bunch kilt ’em all.”

  “MacCallister ’n his bunch? How many of ’em was there?”

  “They call themselves Ten Guns from Texas,” Dooley replied, without giving any further information. “I expect you’d better go see Kendrick. He don’t like to be kept waitin’, ’n I can tell you right now that he ain’t in a very good mood.”

  Peabody nodded. “All right. I’m a-goin’.”

  “Hey, Peabody,” Quinn called out as Peabody started toward the saloon. “If you had seven killed, plus Poke and Jug, it would seem to me like it’s about time for you to be recruitin’ some more men. Tell Kendrick I’d be interested in joinin’ up.”

  “You should know by now that if Kendrick wanted you to join up with us, he’d ask you,” Peabody replied.

  “Yeah, but that was before he lost nine men.”

  “Only seven. Poke and Jug don’t count. They done some work with us, but Kendrick never trusted them enough to let ’em actual join.” Peabody glanced toward the still hanging bodies. “Turns out, he was right.”

  Reaching the saloon, he stepped inside. He had no idea what Kendrick wanted with him and was a little apprehensive about being summoned. He stopped at the bar and bought a shot of whiskey to calm his nerves.

  Kendrick was ensconced in the same leather chair from which he had conducted trial earlier in the day.

  “You wanted to see me?” Peabody asked, walking over with the drink in his hand.

  “Yeah, have a seat.”

  Still nervous, Peabody sat.

  “Did you hear what happened to the ten men you left back at the cabin?”

  “Yeah, Dooley told me they was seven of ’em got kilt.”

  “That was your responsibility, Peabody. I left you in charge.”

  “Wait now, just a minute here,” Peabody said, holding his free hand out toward Kendrick. “It warn’t me. It was Dooley that was in charge when they actual come. You told me you wanted the girl brung here from the cabin, ’n that’s what I done. I left Dooley in charge. It ain’t my fault he got seven of his men kilt.”

  “Fifteen,” Kendrick said.

  “Fifteen? What do you mean fifteen? We only left ten there, ’n three of ’em is here in town, right now.”

  “I’m talking about how many of our men MacCallister has killed so far.”

  “Yeah,” Peabody said. “Yeah, I see what you mean, now. Countin’ the men that was kilt at the Slash Bell ’n the two on the road—but wait, that’s only thirteen.”

  “Fifteen. As it happens, he also killed Jenkins and Woodson back in Merrill Town.”

  “Damn. We need to do somethin’ about him.”

  “That’s why I sent for you. I want MacCallister killed, and I’m willing to pay good money to have it done.”

  “What do you mean by good money?”

  “Twenty-five hundred dollars, to be divided up by the men who actually carry out the assignment.”

  “What if one man does it?”

  Kendrick shook his head. “Killing MacCallister is more than a one-man job.”

  “Still, twenty-five hundred dollars is a lot of money,” Peabody said. “I might even be interested in trying it, for that much money.”

  “No, I don’t want you trying it, and I don’t want to use any of the Fence Busters for the job. We can’t afford to lose any more men, and if they aren’t killed, but are merely caught, I don’t want any chance that it will come back to us.”

  “You’re sayin’ you want to kill MacCallister, but what about the others?”

  “The others?”

  “Yeah, you know—the ones that’s callin’ themselves Ten Guns from Texas. To hear Dooley talk, they’re an army all by themselves.”

  “Ten guns from Texas?”

  “That’s what Dooley called ’em.”

  “Dooley didn’t say anything to me about ten guns. Where would he have gotten the extra men? There’s MacCallister, Gleason, and the Chinaman. And the information I got said that the governor would be pardoning three men from prison.”

  “Yeah, well, I don’t know nothin’ about that. All I know is that Dooley said they was ten guns. If there’s that many of ’em, it’s not goin’ to be all that easy to take care of ’em,” Peabody pointed out.

  Kendrick shook his head. “The only one we’re going to have to take care of MacCallister. If we kill him, I guarantee you, we won’t have any trouble from the others.”

  “You mean like, cut off the head of the snake,” Peabody said.

  “Why, yes,” Kendrick said. “That is exactly what I mean. Now, do you have anybody in mind for the job? Even though MacCallister is the only one we have to kill, he has shown that he’s going to take a lot of killing. I think we will need at least five men for the job.”

  “With the kind of money you’re offerin’, I don’t think it will be all that hard to find five men to take care of MacCallister oncet ’n for all.”

  “It’s not enough just to find five men; you’ll need to find someone to lead them. If you can find such a man, we’ll give him a thousand dollars and divide up the remaining fifteen hundred among the others.”

  “Damn, Kendrick, for that kind of money, I’ll lead ’em,” Peabody said. “I can do it. I know I can.”

  Kendrick shook his head. “No, you’re too valuable to me, I don’t want to risk you in this. Besides, you know my plans. Once we get through all of this and get the cattle sold, there’ll be enough money for us to go anywhere in the country we want. We’ll be far enough away from Texas to be away from the law, and we’ll have enough money to live like kings.”

  “Yeah, you’re right,” Peabody agreed. “All right. I do have someone in mind. How about Quinn?”

  “Quinn. Yes, I have given him some consideration. And I believe he has expressed some interest in joining us, hasn’t he?”

  “Yeah, I just spoke to him, ’n he asked me to ask you if he could join up with us.”

  “So, he has come around and is finally ready to ask us, is he? Well, that’s a rather fortuitous turn of events, isn’t it? Quinn may be just the man we’re looking for.”
r />   “Yeah, well, don’t forget he’s kilt a lot of men,” Peabody said. “There don’t nobody actual know just how many he has kilt. I thought you said someone like that was a . . . what did you say . . . a loose cannon?”

  “As a matter of fact, I did say that. But now it seems that I have need for the services of just such a man. How better to deal with a killer than to use a killer? Do you think he will cooperate?”

  “Yeah, I know he will. Most especially if we tell ’im that he can join up with us.”

  “All right. Tell him he can join. No, wait, don’t tell him that right away. Tell him that this is a test. If he can do this job for us, I’ll take him into our group. Do you think he’ll go for that?”

  Peabody smiled. “Yeah, he’ll go for it.”

  Kendrick looked up toward the door and saw Quinn coming into the saloon. “Speak of the devil, our friend has just come into the saloon. I’ll leave now. I think it might be better if you spoke to him alone. Buy him a drink and get his confidence.”

  Chapter Twenty-nine

  Peabody watched Kendrick leave, then he called out to the bartender. “Weasel! Mr. Quinn’s drink is on me. Quinn, come over here. Let’s talk.”

  A moment later, Quinn was sitting at the table with Peabody.

  “You asked me to talk to Kendrick for you, ’n I done that.”

  “And?” Quinn asked, interested in the remark. “What did he say? Will he take me into the Fence Busters?”

  “Yeah, he will, but only if you’ll agree to do one special job for him.”

  “What job would that be?”

  “Wait, you ain’t heard all the details about it, yet. He’ll give you a thousand dollars, and he’ll also take you into the Fence Busters.”

  “A thousand dollars?”

  “Yes. And another fifteen hundred dollars for you to divide up among your men.”

  “What men?”

  “Why, the men you’ll get to help you if you decide to do the job,” Peabody explained.

  “Will I be in charge of these here men I round up?”

  “Yes, you will be totally in charge.”

  “All right. You tell Kendrick I’ll do it,” Quinn said.

  “You ain’t heard yet what the job is.”

  “I expect he’ll be wantin’ me to kill someone, seein’ as how that’s what I’m most good at.”

  “Yes, that’s exactly what we want you to do.”

  “All right. Who is it he’s a-wantin’ me to kill?”

  “His name is MacCallister.”

  “MacCallister? Wait a minute. Ain’t he the one Dooley was talkin’ about? The one that kilt all Dooley’s men?”

  “Yes, that MacCallister. But of course, he had ten guns with him. Kendrick is only interested in killing MacCallister, though. He figures if MacCallister gets kilt, we won’t have to worry none about the others. Are you still interested in taking the job?”

  “Damn right I am,” Quinn said. “And I’ll get the job done, too. You just tell me where he is. That’s all I need to know.”

  “I believe he and his men are staying out at the Slash Bell Ranch,” Peabody said. “I know that he ’n Bellefontaine have come to be real good friends.”

  “The Slash Bell? Where is that?”

  “It’s just outside Merrill Town, but I’d think twice about tryin’ to hit MacCallister out at the ranch. There’s not only his men stayin’ there. Bellefontaine has plenty cowboys out there, as well. What you need to do is catch him at a time when he ain’t at the ranch. I know that Bellefontaine ’n his cowboys go into Merrill Town a lot. More ’n likely MacCallister will be goin’ there his ownself.”

  “Yeah, that’s what I’m a-thinkin’, too. All right. I’ll go to Merrill Town and check things out,” Quinn said. “Don’t worry none ’bout me. I’ll check things out pretty good before I make any move.”

  “You’ll need to pick up some men to help you.”

  “If I need anyone, I’ll pick ’em up in Merrill Town.”

  “Why would you pick them up there? Why not get the men here?”

  “’Cause outside them that’s already a part of the Fence Busters, I don’t figure there’s anyone here that would be worth a damn in a fight. If they was, they’d already be in the Fence Busters.”

  Peabody laughed. “I don’t see as how I can argue with you on that, Quinn.”

  * * *

  Rosalie was having lunch at the Palace Café, the other restaurant in town, when she saw Kendrick coming in. She stared at her plate, hoping that if she didn’t meet his eyes, he wouldn’t come to her.

  Her ploy was unsuccessful. She felt, rather than saw, him approach her table.

  “May I join you, Miss Ireland?” he asked, even as he was pulling out the chair.

  “Do I have a choice?”

  Kendrick chuckled. “No, not really.”

  “Then why did you even ask?”

  “I was just being polite.”

  “If you were being polite, you would let me go.”

  “We have already discussed that. I’ll let you go when your father accedes to my demand.”

  “When do you intend to cut those poor men down?” Rosalie asked.

  “I’ll cut them down before nightfall. I want everyone to have a chance to see them. You are an intelligent young lady. I’m sure you realize that a public execution is not as much about the people who are being hanged as it is to provide an object lesson for the people who see it and learn by it.”

  “I’m sure those two poor gentlemen were comforted to know that they weren’t the purpose of their hanging.”

  Kendrick laughed out loud. “You have a good sense of humor.”

  “Why did you hang them? What did they do?”

  “You do recall that we had to move you from the cabin where we were keeping you. That is because those two men, Poke and Jug, went to see your father and told him where you could be found.”

  “Oh. That means I am the reason they were killed.”

  Kendrick frowned. “Well, not because of anything you did personally, my dear. However, indirectly, you were the cause of their demise.”

  “Mr. Kendrick, I have been told that you are supposed to be a lawyer.”

  “Oh, but I am, my dear.”

  “Then I don’t understand. Aren’t lawyers supposed to uphold the law? What gave you the right to hang those men?”

  “You may have heard that we held a public trial for them. Even in this town, we have laws. It’s just that our laws are unique to our citizenry and, you might say, our situation.”

  “You should be ashamed of yourself.”

  “I feel no shame, Miss Ireland. I believe it is a man’s destiny to maximize his potential in any way he can. In my case, I have found ways to utilize my education and my intellect to attain my goal. Yes, the road there will, from time to time, be strewn with let us just say unpleasant diversions from the straight and narrow. But once that goal is achieved, it is my intention to leave Texas and establish residence in some other place as a wealthy man. There, I will be a law-abiding citizen and, no doubt, become a pillar of the community.”

  Rosalie frowned. “Do you really think you could put all this behind you?”

  “Yes, I am certain of it. Now, I would like to ask you a question. Do you know a man by the name of MacCallister? Unfortunately, I can’t give you his first name since MacCallister is the only name I know.”

  “MacCallister? No, I don’t think so. Why?”

  “What about a man named Gleason? Both men would be in conjunction with your father.”

  “Gleason? Wait, yes. Mr. Gleason saved my father’s life during the war. I just met him the other day, and now that I think about it, I believe the name of the man who was with him was MacCallister.”

  “I told you that the two men it became necessary for me to hang had gone to your father with information as to your location. Your father had been cautioned not to send the law after you, so he got around that by dispatching MacCallister, Gleason, Kel
ly, and some others to go to the cabin to rescue you. But, because I had advanced warning that they were coming, I was able to move you before they got there.”

  “You knew they were coming to rescue me?”

  Kendrick nodded. “Yes.”

  “How did you know that?”

  “Really, now, Miss Ireland, you don’t expect me to tell you that, do you?”

  “What happened? Did your men”—she paused before she completed the question—“kill Mr. Gleason and Mr. MacCallister?”

  “On the contrary, Miss Ireland, none of your would-be rescuers were killed or even wounded, but MacCallister, Gleason, and the men with him killed seven of my men. You should consider yourself quite fortunate you weren’t there. MacCallister and his men came in shooting like mad fools, and had I not made provisions to move you to safety, it is very possible that you would have been killed in the cross fire.”

  “Why did you ask me if I knew them?”

  “I’m trying to locate them now. I was hoping you would be able to help me out.”

  “Even if I knew where they were, do you think I would tell you? Why, they risked their lives to save me. I would do nothing to bring harm to them.”

  Kendrick applauded quietly and smiled across the table at her. “Good for you, Miss Ireland. If you had information, I would have appreciated you telling me, but I must say that I respect you the more for your loyalty.”

  “You are a strange man, Mr. Kendrick.”

  “It is too bad that we had to meet under conditions that have been so unpleasant for you,” Kendrick said. “It would have been much better for us to meet three years from now, when this is all behind me, and I am the epitome of the decent and wealthy citizen. I think you would welcome my attention.”

  “What?” Rosalie gasped. “Surely, Mr. Kendrick, you are not suggesting that there could ever be something between us?”

  “Oh, don’t discount the possibility, my dear. I think you would find me quite charming, under the right circumstances.”

  Slash Bell Ranch

  Elmer, Wang, Kelly, Decker, and Simmons ate in the bunkhouse while Duff had dinner with the Bellefontaines in the big house. He’d learned their son was a cadet at the United States Military Academy in West Point, and their daughter was attending school at the Lindenwood School for Women in St. Charles, Missouri. Mrs. Bellefontaine had presided over the dinner, then discreetly withdrew as the men retired to the library.