Venom of the Mountain Man Read online

  “All the more reason I think the marshal might be suspicious of you, Thad,” Sara Sue said.

  “That’s why I should go as well,” Lorena said. “He might suspect Thad if he is by himself, but not if I’m with him.”

  “Mrs. Condon, Mr. Blackwell, I think the girl is right. I think the best chance Thad has of getting the key to Smoke would be if the girl is with him,” Pearlie said.

  “Pearlie, you do realize that you are putting my son’s life in danger, don’t you?” Sara Sue said.

  “To say nothing of Lorena,” Sandra added.

  “Please, Ma, I want to do this,” Thad said. “Isn’t the whole reason Mr. Jensen is over here, and in trouble now, because of me?”

  “Well, yes, but—”

  “Please, Ma?”

  “It will be all right, Mrs. Condon. I’ll be with Thad, and Mr. Bodine would never suspect us if I’m with him,” Lorena said.

  “Lorena, your mother—”

  “I trust Thad,” Sandra said. “He got my daughter out of that awful place. I trust him to look after her now, as well.”

  “Ma?” Thad said again.

  “All right, Thad, go ahead. God help me if anything goes wrong.”

  Thad’s smile spread all across his face. “All right!” he said, reaching for the key. “Come on, Lorena. Let’s do it!”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

  When Thad and Lorena passed by the gallows, it was nearly completed, and at least half a dozen people were standing around, staring at it.

  “If you folks have enjoyed watchin’ this thing bein’ built, just wait till we actual use it.” Boney Walls, one of the deputies, put his fist beside his neck, then, making a gagging sound, jerked his head to one side. “Sometimes their eyes bulge out so far they pop right out of their heads and roll around on the ground like little balls,” he said with an insane laugh.

  “Oh, Thad,” Lorena said, grabbing Thad’s arm. “That’s awful!”

  “It ain’t true, neither,” Thad said.

  “Well, I tell you what, boy. Why don’t you just bring your girlfriend by at noon tomorrow and see for yourself,” the deputy challenged with another laugh.

  As they walked away from the gallows and headed toward the jail, Lorena tightened her squeeze on Thad’s arm. “He called me your girlfriend.”

  Thad smiled. “Well, I reckon that’s true, isn’t it?”

  When they reached the jail, Thad opened the door for her as they went inside.

  Bodine looked up from his desk. “What do you two want?”

  “Please, Marshal, could we see Mr. Jensen?” Lorena asked.

  “What? Why on earth would you two want to see that murderer?”

  “He saved our lives,” Thad said. “And if he is going to be hung, we’d like to tell him good-bye.”

  “Hanged,” Bodine corrected. “He isn’t going to be hung, he is going to be hanged.”

  “Then, please, let us talk to him this one last time,” Lorena said.

  “I’ve put out the order to my deputies not to let anyone see him,” Bodine said.

  “Yes, sir, and I can understand that,” Thad said. “You are afraid that someone might try and help him escape or something. But you are the marshal, so you can do anything you want. You can let us see him, if you want.”

  Bodine drummed his fingers on the desk for a moment, then he nodded. “Very well. I’ll let you see him. I can’t imagine that a couple children could do anything to help him escape.”

  “Thank you, Marshal,” Lorena said with a sweet smile.

  Bodine opened the door to the back of the building then led them to the cell. Smoke was lying on the cot with his hands laced behind his head.

  “Jensen, I have granted the request of these two urchins to visit you,” Bodine said.

  “Thad, Lorena, it’s nice of you to come visit me.”

  “Marshal, would you please open the door so I can give Mr. Jensen a hug?” Lorena asked.

  “Now, what kind of marshal would I be if I allowed a child in the cell with a murderer?”

  “Alleged murderer,” Thad replied. “In our system of justice, a person is innocent until proven guilty.”

  Bodine smiled and clapped his hands quietly. “Very good, young man. I’m impressed.”

  “My pa is a lawyer,” Thad replied, “and if he hadn’t been shot, he would be here to defend Mr. Jensen.”

  “Yes, too bad he isn’t. However, the court will provide a lawyer for him.”

  “If we can’t give Mr. Jensen a hug, can we at least shake hands with him?” Lorena asked.

  “All right. I don’t see why not. Jensen, don’t try anything like grabbing one of these innocent children and holding them in some ploy to give you leverage over the situation, because it won’t work.”

  During the exchange, Smoke had noticed that Thad had winked at him. He wasn’t certain what the wink was about, but it did put him on the alert.

  “Good-bye, Mr. Jensen,” Lorena said, sticking her hand through the bars. “Thank you for coming to rescue us.”

  “And thank you for coming to visit me,” Smoke said.

  Thad was next. “Good-bye, Mr. Jensen. And thank you for giving me my horse, Fire.”

  As Smoke took Thad’s hand, he felt the key. “You take good care of that horse, now.”

  “I will.”

  “Bodine, thank you for allowing them to visit,” Smoke said. “I was wondering if you would allow my friend, Pearlie, to visit.”

  “I’m afraid not,” Bodine replied. “I wouldn’t put it past the two of you to come with a bit of chicanery in an escape attempt. He can see you at your trial.”

  “We’ll go now,” Lorena said. “Thank you for letting us visit.”

  * * *

  “I’ve got an idea, if you think the telegrapher will go along with it,” Pearlie said.

  “Mr. Cox is a good man.” Blackwell had remained after Thad and Lorena left. “We have done a considerable amount of business together. I’m sure if your idea is feasible, he will be willing to do anything he can.”

  “Would you go see him with me?” Pearlie asked.

  “Of course. I’d be glad to,” Blackwell replied.

  Just as Pearlie and Blackwell were about to leave Thad and Lorena returned. The smiles on their faces told of their success.

  “Oh, I’ve been so worried about you two,” Sandra said, greeting them.

  “There was no problem,” Thad said.

  Pearlie smiled. “We don’t have to worry about Smoke anymore. Now, let’s take care of Miz Sally.”

  “How are you going to do that?” Sandra asked.

  “By sending a telegram.

  * * *

  Cox smiled as he read the telegram. “Technically, this would be a violation, but under the circumstances, I think it is absolutely the right thing to do.”

  New York City

  Gallagher smiled as he read the telegram. “Listen to this.” He began to read the telegram aloud. “I am coming to New York with ten thousand dollars in cash. It is important that Mrs. Jensen be healthy and in good condition so that I may complete my business transaction. Wire me at Chicago Depot to tell me where we should meet. Kennedy.”

  “What do you think he means by business transaction?” Brockway asked.

  “I think he has gone to see her husband and has made a deal to return her to him for cash,” Gallagher said.

  “Sure ’n it must be for a lot of money if he can bring ten thousand dollars in cash to us,” Brockway said. “Just how rich is the man, Jensen, anyway?”

  “I believe he is very rich,” Kelly said. “It is said that he is one of the biggest ranchers in all of Colorado.”

  “That’s what you’ve read in one of those books, have you?” Gallagher asked.

  “Aye, but it must be true, I’m thinkin’, or the books would have no’ been wrote.”

  “Haven’t you ever heard, don’t believe everything you read?” Gallagher asked.

  “He must be rich,
or where is the money comin’ from? ’Tis too bad O’Leary was killed before the job was done. He’s missin’ out on his share,” Kelly said.

  “Why is it too bad? If he was still here, our share would come only to twenty-five hundred dollars apiece. But without him, it’s thirty-three hundred dollars apiece,” Brockway added with a laugh.

  “There will be no shares, for we’ll not be dividin’ the money up,” Gallagher said.

  “’N would you be for tellin’ me why we’re doin’ this if not for the money?” Brockway asked.

  “For to rebuild the Irish Assembly,” Gallagher said.

  “Do you think we could really do that? I mean, look what happened to us the last time.”

  “That was because Kennedy was in charge then. He won’t be in charge this time.”

  “You’ll be in charge?” Brockway asked.

  “Aye, I’ll be in charge. Tell me, Brockway, would that be a problem for you?”

  “No, no, ’twould be no problem at all. Sure ’n you’d be a hell of a lot better ’n Kennedy ever was.”

  “Kennedy wants to know where we should meet. Are you going to bring him here?” Kelly asked.

  “Aye, we’ll bring him here.”

  “Ian, are you sure you want to bring him here?” Brockway asked.

  “I don’t see why not.”

  “It’s just that I don’t really trust him all that much. He’s the one that led us into the fight with the Five Points gang, then he left, sort of abandoned us, you might say. ’Tis thinkin’, I am, that we might want to arrange a meeting somewhere else.”

  “Aye, perhaps you’re right.” Gallagher smiled. “All right. We will meet him somewhere else, ’n I know just where it can be.”

  Mule Gap

  Smoke stuck his hand through the bars, placed the key into the keyhole, and was rewarded with a satisfying click as he turned it. Going back to the bunk, he took the blankets and pillow from the other bunk in the cell and wadded them up in a way that a quick, casual glance would suggest that someone was in the bed. It would survive only the most casual glance, but that’s all he would need.

  “Hey!” he shouted from inside the cell so the location of his voice would not be suspicious. “Hey, Marshal, would you please come in here? I’ve got something to tell you!” Moving quickly, he stepped up to the room door and waited.

  “What the hell do you want?” The gruff voice belonged to Boney Walls. He stepped into the cell area.

  “I want out,” Smoke said from behind Walls.

  Walls turned, “Wha—” and was caught on the chin by a hard uppercut. The deputy went down and out.

  Smoke dragged him into the cell, then shut the cell door and locked it.

  With Boney Walls’s pistol in hand, Smoke opened the door and looked into the outer office. No one was there, and seeing his own pistol belt hanging from a hook, he strapped it on, then stepped outside.

  Bodine was standing at the foot of the scaffold with Lute Cruthis, Boots Zimmerman, and Angus Delmer. At least half a dozen others were standing nearby, one of whom, an older man, was dressed in a suit.

  “I want the trial over quickly, Your Honor,” Bodine was saying to the man in the suit. “I intend to hang him by noon tomorrow.”

  “How can you say you are going to hang him, sir, if you don’t know the results of the trial?” the judge asked.

  “That’s a good question, Bodine. I’d like to know the answer to that myself,” Smoke said.

  “What the hell?” Bodine shouted, shocked to see that Smoke Jensen was not only out of jail, but armed.

  “Answer the judge,” Smoke said.

  “Perhaps the hanging won’t be necessary.” A confident smile appeared as Bodine turned to face Smoke.

  Realizing there was about to be a gunfight, the others moved quickly to get out of the way. Their move left Smoke standing alone, facing Cruthis, Zimmerman, and Delmer.

  And of course, standing with the deputies, was The Professor himself, Frank Bodine. “It looks to me as if we may have just wasted time and money building the scaffold.” His draw was considerably faster than most gunmen who had tried to kill Smoke. He was able to bring his gun up to level.

  Smoke drew and fired before Bodine was able to pull the trigger. The bullet hit the marshal right in the center of his chest, and he went down.

  Keeping his gun ready, Smoke hurried over to look down at him.

  “I should have killed you the same time I killed Kennedy,” Bodine gasped.

  “Did you hear that, Judge?” one of the witnesses asked.

  “I heard it,” Judge Gordon said.

  Zimmerman pulled his gun and pointed it at Smoke.

  “Look out!” the same witness shouted.

  Smoke fired, and the deputy went down with a bullet hole in his forehead.

  “Don’t shoot! Don’t shoot!” Cruthis said, holding his hands in the air.

  Delmer looked as if he might try Smoke, but when he saw Cruthis with his hands in the air, he raised his hands, as well. “I ain’t drawin’,” said in a desperate tone of voice. “I ain’t a-goin’ to draw on you.”

  “I would say that is a wise move,” Smoke said.

  The townspeople who had moved so quickly to get out of the way of the gunfight came drifting back. A few looked down with morbid curiosity at the two bodies, but many of the others, emboldened by what Smoke had just done, took some initiative and placed Cruthis and Delmer under a citizen’s arrest. Within a matter of minutes they joined Boney Walls in jail.

  Word of what had transpired spread quickly through the town, and Pearlie, Blackwell, and Rafferty joined Smoke and the judge in the front of the jail.

  “I will admit, gentlemen, that I am an alcoholic,” Judge Gordon said. “but I am not a crook. There is no way, except under threat of death, that without a fair trial, I would have found Mr. Jensen guilty.”

  “The point is, Judge, you were under threat of death,” Blackwell said.

  “Indeed, I believe that I may well have been,” Judge Gordon replied.

  “What are we going to do with these three prisoners?” Rafferty asked. “We have no law, we have no mayor, and we have no city administration at all.”

  “I will authorize their internment here until Sheriff Sinclair can send a few deputies down to escort them up to Rawlins for trial,” Judge Gordon said. “A legitimate trial, I hasten to add.”

  As Smoke and Pearlie left the jail, they were met by the telegrapher.

  “Apparently your idea is working,” Cox said to Pearlie.

  “What idea is that?” Smoke asked.

  “I sent a telegram to Gallagher.”

  “A telegram?”

  “Yes, sir,” Cox said. “And I just got this one in return.” He smiled. “It was sent to Mayor Kennedy, of course, since Gallagher believed the telegram he received had come from Kennedy.” Cox showed Smoke the telegram he had just received.

  MRS JENSENS HEALTH IS GOOD STOP WE AWAIT YOUR VISIT AND THE CONCLUSION OF OUR BUSINESS STOP GALLAGHER

  Smoke looked up from reading the telegram. “I have a couple telegrams I would like to send.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

  The first telegram Smoke sent was to the railroad depot back in Big Rock, requesting that a private engine and car be made available to him, and that all track clearances be arranged from Big Rock to New York City. He emphasized in his telegram that it was imperative that he reach New York in the fastest time humanly possible.

  Then he sent a telegram to Cal.

  THE MAN BEHIND THE KIDNAPPING OF SALLY IS DEAD STOP HAVE GOOD REASON TO BELIEVE SHE WILL BE SAFE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS STOP DO NOTHING TO AGGRAVATE SITUATION UNTIL PEARLIE AND I ARRIVE STOP WILL WIRE YOU FROM CHICAGO STOP SMOKE

  With that arranged, he returned to the hotel to meet with Sara Sue. Thad, Lorena, and Sandra were still in the room.

  “Smoke, I have heard what has happened,” Sara Sue said. “I’m so glad you are safe.”

  Smoke smiled at Thad and Lorena. “If it ha
dn’t been for these two very brave young people, I would still be in jail and facing a very public hanging. Thad, I’d like to shake your hand again . . . this time without the key,” he added with a chuckle.

  Smiling broadly, Thad stuck his hand out to take Smoke’s.

  “Lorena, you asked to give me a hug, back in the jail. Does that offer still go?”

  “Yes, sir,” Lorena said, moving to him to give and accept an embrace.

  “Sara Sue, Mrs. Coy . . .”

  “Sandra,” she corrected quickly.

  “Sandra,” Smoke said. “I hope you two ladies are aware of what fine children—no, not children—young man and young lady you have.”

  “We know,” Sara Sue said, putting her arm around Thad. “Oh, I got a telegram from Sam while you were in . . . uh, while you were detained,” Sara Sue said. “He is aware now that Thad is safe, and he also says that he is feeling well and is ready to get back to work.”

  “Good. I suggest that you withdraw your money from the bank now and pack your things. I’ve rented a private coach to take us back home.”

  “All right,” Sara Sue replied. “By the way, Sandra and Lorena will be going back with us. I told Sandra that I was sure we could find a place for her to live and a good job.”

  “So I was told. The coach will easily take care of all of us.”

  “Mama, I want to tell Wee good-bye,” Lorena said.

  “I do too,” Thad added.

  * * *

  The first person Lorena went to was Mrs. Blackwell.

  “Hello, dear,” Millicent said. “I want to thank you for how well you looked out for Wee when you were all in that awful place.”

  “Yes, ma’am, but the truth is, all of us looked out for each other. Even Wee had a job to do, and he did it well.”

  “I must say, he came back home no worse for wear. I was so frightened that he would be traumatized by it, but he seems just fine.”

  “Mrs. Blackwell, I’ve come to tell Wee good-bye.”

  “Yes, I thought as much. Your mother talked to Richard about it. We will certainly miss you, but not as much as Wee. Why don’t you go see him?”