Part 1c

Andy picked the way down the trail as he tried to figure out the best route to intercept Standish and Larabee. He knew the two men with him would be of use until he got the money, but considered them a liability he could do without once the money was back in his hands. A plan was forming in his mind and he smiled inwardly at the thought of killing these men, but the beauty of it all was that it would also bring down his high and mighty brother. He wished he could see Billy’s face when he realized there would be no money to pay the men and that he’d have to go into even more debt in order to save the ranch. A place that should’ve belonged to Andrew Cross, but his own brother had made sure their father thought he was a worthless sonofabitch. The further down the trail they went, the more agitated by his lot in life Andrew Cross became.

“I’ll make you sorry, Pa,” he whispered as he continued thinking about what might have been.

Ezra knew there was no way Chris Larabee would be able to stay in the saddle on his own. He looked at Larabee’s face, the slack features, the pale face, the discoloring contusion on the right side of his face and knew Larabee did not belong in a saddle at all. He also knew there was no choice but to get him on Pony if he was to get him to a doctor. Looking around he wondered how he would even reach help with the thick foliage and vegetation.

“Well, Chris, it appears we are in dire straights. I’m afraid this little escapade is going to be very rough on you,” Standish explained as he moved towards Pony. He patted the animal’s neck as he reached for the reins of both horses. He quickly tied his own horse to Pony’s saddle before leading them closer to the injured man. Once more he knelt beside the blond and gently tapped his cheek.

“Chris, I’m sorry I have to wake you, but there is little choice if I’m to succeed in getting you into the saddle. I wish I were as versatile as our capable trapper, but I have no idea how to create a travois,” Standish explained as he watched Larabee’s face contort in pain.

“E...Ezra?”

“Affirmative, how are you feeling?”

“D...don’t ask...e...everything hurts,” Larabee muttered as his eyes opened and he looked at the other man through blurred vision.

“We need to get you on Pony,” the gambler explained.

“L...looks kinda high,” the blond said as he looked at the saddle on Pony’s back.

“Yes, well I’m afraid there’s nothing I can do about that, but perhaps it won’t seem so insurmountable once you’re on your feet,” Standish tried.

“You could go for help...”

“That, Sir, is not an option. I promised I would not run out on you again and I will not do so now.”

“W...won’t be a...able to s...stay on h...him my...self,” Larabee mumbled as Standish moved to help him.

“I have thought on that and I do believe I will be able to hold you in the saddle until we arrive at some sort of sanctuary.”

”How long was I o...out?”

“No more than half an hour, but I believe it is imperative that we leave these premises immediately.”

“Get me up!” Larabee ordered, his voice weak, but still carrying the strength Standish was used to hearing.

“All right, but lean on me.” Standish reached down and gently grabbed Larabee’s left arm. He heard the man cry out, the sound tearing at his heart, but he knew there was no other way.

“Jesus!”

“I wish he was here to help us, but alas there is only me.”

“Shit, Ez, told you n...not to...to m...make me l...laugh.”

“Sorry, perhaps I should work on my repertoire with Mister Dunne!”

“J...just as l...long as y...you d...don’t p...practice on m...me!” Larabee ordered as he finally made it to his feet. He leaned heavily against the conman as wave after wave of dizziness assaulted his senses. Pain invaded every pore of his body as he struggled to remain on his feet. He knew Standish was speaking to him, but there was no way he could answer the worried man. He felt Standish’ grip tighten as his own legs began to collapse.

“Hold on, Chris, just a little longer!” Standish stated as they stood beside Larabee’s gelding.

“T....trying...”

“I know, now comes the hard part...”

“T...thought that was t...the hard p...part,” the blond said breathlessly.

“I’m sure it felt that way, but I’m afraid the next part involves you calling on every ounce of strength you have.”

“Why?’

“Because this will probably feel as if you’re scaling a mountain,” the gambler explained as he put Larabee’ left hand on the saddle.

“S...shit!” the blond groaned and leaned against the familiar horse. He felt Standish grab his leg and put his foot in the stirrup.

“All right, Chris, I’m going to hoist you into the saddle and all you have to do is stay in place for a few seconds until I can mount behind you.”

“We have to do t...this?”

“Unless you can walk?”

“N...no, don’t t...think s...so,” Larabee said, screaming as Ezra helped him into the saddle. His vision blurred once more and he grasped the saddle horn in a white-knuckled grip in an effort to stay where he was. He felt his body listing to the right and realized he’d be even worse off if his shoulder connected with the ground. “E...Ezra.”

“Almost there, Chris. Just hang on.”

“E...easy f...for you t...to say,” Larabee snapped as the gambler caught him and held him in place. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome. Now why don’t you lean back and try to relax.”

“Any more w...whiskey?”

“I believe you could indulge a little,” Standish said, holding the reins with one hand while he dug his flask from his pocket once more. He held it to Larabee’s mouth and waited for the blond to signal he’d had enough before taking it away and recapping it.

“Thanks, Ez, n...needed t...that!”

“Yes, I’m sure you did. Now relax and...”

“Ezra?”

“Yes, Chris.”

“Thanks for n...not r...running o...out on me!”

“You’re welcome...as I said a promise is a promise,” Standish said and caught the lean body as Larabee lost consciousness. He was relieved that the blond was out of pain for the moment, but worried that the injuries he’d sustained were even worse than he first feared. The bullet wound needed immediate care, but they were so far from help that he wasn’t sure Larabee would survive. Flicking the reins he gathered his courage and resolved to do everything in his power to bring Larabee home.

“Andy, are ya sure this is the right way?” Hank asked as they rode through the rough terrain.

“Hank, we came down on the opposite side of the plateau and that means we have to ride halfway around before we find where they came down. Now keep moving!”

“I don’t like this. They could be waiting for us!”

“Could be, Jacob, but think about that money and what it means to us. Imagine not having to worry about where yer next drink comes from or how many nights ya can pay ta stay with one of them saloon ladies yer always talkin’ ta.”

“Would be nice ta spend a full night warming Millie’s bed.”

“Millie? Ya gotta set yer sites a little higher’n Millie, Jacob,” Hank explained.

“Whatcha mean?”

“With that kinda money ya’ll be able ta buy one of them fancy ladies and sleep in a real bed!”

“Yeah, yeah, tha’s right...maybe even two of ‘em right Andy?”

“Tha’s right, Jacob, ya can have as many as ya want. But first we have ta catch Larabee and Standish!” Cross explained. His gaze was on the trail ahead as tree limbs brushed at him and nearly dragged him from the horse. He knew the men he was chasing were traveling over the same rough terrain and smiled at the thought of killing them and hiding their bodies where no one could find them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ezra carefully picked his way through the tangle of scrub brush and trees as he held tightly to his friend’s limp body. Several times he’d nearly lost his grip and had to shift his own body in order to keep Larabee from falling to the ground. The sounds of birds screeched through the wilderness as he journeyed past their homes and intruded on their domain. Unable to reach for his pocket watch, Ezra had no idea how long they traveled, but the sun had already reached it’s zenith and begun it’s slow trek towards the horizon. His back ached and his arms felt ready to break, but there was no way he could stop, for that would mean getting Larabee off the horse and right now he didn’t trust himself to get him back on. He winced as a new kink made itself known and a raspy voice whispered to him.

“Ezra, n...need to r...rest!”

“I’m fine, Chris,” Standish tried reassuringly.

“May be a conman, Ez, b...but y...you’re not fooling m...me. F...find a p...place to make c...camp f...for a few hours.”

“I’m afraid that is not an option, Chris. If we dismount there is no guarantee that I’ll be able to get you back in the saddle.”

“Ezra, c...can’t s...stay like t...this much l...longer. B...back’s killing me...not to mention my butt,” Larabee tried to lighten the mood, but could tell Standish didn’t feel like joking.

“Yes, well, right now I am in charge and since I am the only one who can get us off Pony I say we keep going until we find a suitable place. Maybe something with a feather bed that will do wonders for your aching posterior!”

“Big words again, Ezra.”

“Oh, yes, well, I am sorry, but...”

“That’s better.”

“What is?” Standish asked bewilderedly.

“Said butt and not post...what...ever it w...was.”

“Chris, perhaps you should consider working on your repertoire as well before we all become the butt of somebody’s jokes.” This time he was rewarded with a soft laugh from the injured man, but it quickly turned into a cry of pain as Larabee tried to move and set off another wave of pain. He fought to keep them both in the saddle as the blond struggled to get past the agony of his wounds. He drew Pony to a stop and held tightly to the trembling body until Larabee went still in his arms. With trembling hands he held tightly and waited to feel the gunslinger draw breath and sighed thankfully when he felt a trembling breath. 

“Don’t you think about running out on me, Chris Larabee, because I’ll hunt you down if you do,” the gambler said and continued his journey.

Andrew smiled as he looked up the steep slope. It was late afternoon and most of the valley was in shadow, but there was no mistaking the signs that someone or something had fallen from above. He quickly dismounted and began searching the area as the other men joined him.

“What is it, Andy?” Hank asked.

“Think maybe something fell from the plateau,” Cross explained as he touched a stain on several limbs at the bottom of the trail.

“Think it was one of ‘em?” Jacob asked.

“Think so and whoever it is was hurt and tried to crawl over there,” Cross explained as he handed his reins to Hank and quickly hurried along the unmistakable path.

“Where are ya goin’?” Jacob asked.

“I want to see where the trail leads. Ya both can wait here until I get back!” Cross slowly made his way along the trail, checking the area for any sign that the injured man was still nearby. He came to an area that was beaten down and again knelt to check the grass. He found more evidence of blood and two sets of footsteps that lead to the unmistakable signs of two horses. There were deep prints in places and he knew two men were riding one horse and leading the other. Finally satisfied that one of the men was seriously hurt he stood up and quickly found the trail leading away from the plateau. He knew the two men were in unfamiliar territory and smiled at the thought of catching them and killing them both before taking his money and disposing of his two companions.

“Did ya find anything, Andy?”

“Yeah, looks like they went this way and one of ‘em’s hurt. Come on, boys, it’s time for a coon hunt!” He heard the sharp whoop from the two men as he mounted up. He could put up with them for a little longer and then he’d see the look on their faces when he killed them and left them in the dirt.

The sun had already set when Ezra spotted the ranch house in the distance. Larabee was now sporting the start of a mean fever and was caught in some nightmare that only he could see. Several times he’d nearly pulled them both from the saddle and only Ezra’s quick reflexes had saved them both a hard fall. He knew they’d have to stop soon if only to check the wound to Larabee’s back, but he needed to find a source of water first. He knew the blond needed help and the ranch house looked to be their salvation. Standish hurried the exhausted horse forward.

“I promise both of you a clean barn and extra hay and oats tonight,” Standish whispered and felt the blond stiffen in his arms.

“Ezra, w...where are w...we?”

“Well, Chris, I’m hoping we’re about to enter heaven...”

“What?”

“Not literally, My Friend, but there seems to be a rather friendly looking building ahead.”

“Building?”

“Yes, it appears to be a house and several outbuildings. I believe you’ll soon be resting in a bed...just can’t guarantee feathers.”

“C...could sleep on a b...bed of r...rocks,” Larabee muttered as he held his breath against the pain slamming into him.

“Not much longer, Chris,” Standish assured the blond and prayed he would find a willing hand ahead.

Rose Cross looked towards the mountains that covered the horizon to the right of her home. Several times she’d gone with her husband to the creek that ran along the trail and now she was making plans for another outing. She would make a picnic lunch and they could spend the afternoon relaxing in the sun.

‘Maybe you’ll forget about Andy for a while,” she thought as she squinted her eyes in an effort to pick out the rider coming towards her from the mountains. As they neared the ranch she made out two horses, but only one seemed to be carrying a man. At first she thought it was Andrew Cross, but knew she was wrong as the shadowy image formed into two distinct men. She could tell one of them was injured and quickly ran to the barn.

“Dave, I’m going to need your help out here!”

“What’s wrong, Mrs. Cross?” Dave White asked as he stepped out the door washing his hands in the horse trough as she hurried towards him.

“It looks like we have company and I think one of them might need a doctor!”

“Where are they?”

“Just west of here. Two horses, but one is being ridden by two men.”

“All right, ma’am, I’ll have one of the boys set up a bed in the bunkhouse...”

“No, if he’s hurt he’ll need someone to care for him and I won’t be able to do that if he’s in the bunkhouse.”

“But, Ma’am,” White tried, but was stopped by the woman’s fiery glare.

“Dave, are you gonna help me or do I call one of the others?”

“I’ll help you, Ma’am, just tell me what you want me to do.”

“If the second man is injured I’m going to need you to help me get him into the house. Are Frank and Carl around?” She asked as the horses entered through the gate.

“Yes, Ma’am. Frank’s working that new horse Billy purchased, Carl’s in the barn cleaning the stalls.”

“Tell Frank to come help us and tell Carl to go get Dr. O’Neil!” Rose ordered as she raced to meet the newcomers.

“Ma’am, if there are such things as angels then I must be in heaven,” Standish blustered tiredly.

“Well, you’re not in heaven and I’m no angel, but it appears as if your friend is nearing the pearly gates,” Rose said as she walked beside the horse.

“Yes, Ma’am, he’s hurt bad,” the conman answered as they neared the ranch house and a trio of men hurried towards them.

“I can tell,” the woman said as they drew to a stop in front of her home. “If you’ll hand him down Dave and Frank will carry him into the house.”

“I...d...don’t w...want to p...put you o...out, ma’am,” Larabee ground out through tightly clenched teeth.

“You’re not,” she said as Dave White stood beside her. “Dave, did you send Carl for the doctor.”

“Yes, ma’am, he’s just leaving!”

“All right, let’s see about getting him cleaned up before the doctor arrives.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” Dave agreed and reached for the injured man.

“Be careful...his arm is broken and he has a bullet in his back.”

“A bullet? Mister, what kind of trouble are you in? Did you have a run in with the law?” White asked moving protectively in front of his boss’s wife.

“I assure you the vermin who shot Chris were in no way involved with the law, but it’s possible they were wanted by them!” Standish explained as he shifted Larabee’s weight slightly.

“Look, it doesn’t matter right now! This man needs help and I’m not about to stand here while he bleeds all over the front yard. Dave, you and Frank get over here!”

“Yes, ma’am,” Frank agreed quickly and reached for the injured man.

Chris felt himself lowered into the waiting arms and tried to hide just how much pain he was in as his feet hit the ground and tremors of white hot pain spread from his lower back to every extremity. His stomach churned and he tried to fight off the nausea, but there was no stopping the bile that rose up in his throat. He hated being sick, especially in front of a woman, yet there was no stopping the vile tasting fluid that left his mouth in a noxious stream. He gasped as this new torment continued for several long agonizing seconds before he was able to draw air into his lungs. Two sets of hands held him tightly as his legs gave out and the nausea abated momentarily.

“S...sorry.”

“Nothing for you to be sorry about. Lord knows I’ve seen enough sickness over the years,” the Cross woman assured him as she looked into the pain filled green eyes.

“T...thank you, Ma’am,” Larabee said through a throat ravaged by vomiting.

“You’re welcome. Dave, take him to the guest room at the top of the stairs!”

“Yes, ma’am...”

“B...bunk...house,” the blond tried.

“I don’t think so, Mr...”

“Larabee. His name is Chris Larabee and mine is Ezra Standish. We’re peacekeepers from Four Corners.”

“Peacekeepers? Four Corners? You’re a long way from home right now.”

”Yes well, we were delivering papers to a rancher south of Swift Creek. It was a special order from Judge Travis,” Standish explained as he followed the woman into the house.

“Judge Travis is a good man and well known in these parts,” Frank explained as Rose held the door for them to bring the injured man inside. 

Chris heard them talking, but every part of him was a fiery agony that refused to be dampened. He kept his mouth closed and breathed through his nose as they stopped at the bottom of the stairs. He swallowed quickly in an effort to ward off the feeling of sickness that came over him once more and knew he wasn’t going to be able to make it up the stairs as his legs trembled and buckled once more. He felt himself lifted between the two men and groaned as a hand brushed against the wound in his lower back.

“Be careful,” Rose Cross ordered as she hurried up the stairs. She moved past them in the hallway and opened the door to the spare bedroom. “Put him on the bed!”

“N...no!” Chris gasped as the two men carried him inside.

“Why not?” the woman asked in disbelief.

“D...dirty...”

“Oh please, do you really think I’m concerned about whether or not my sheets get dirty? I’ve got plenty of linen and we can change the bed once we’ve made you more comfortable. Now put him on the bed!” she said as she pulled back the blankets.

“No,” Larabee tried again, but was gently deposited on the clean sheets.

“Sorry, Mister, but Mrs. Cross is boss when her husband’s away,” Dave said with a grin.

“All right, you two help him out of his clothes while I get some clean linen and hot water. I may even be able to find a little whiskey to help ease the pain, Mr. Larabee.”

“Thank you, Ma’am, I’m obliged.”

“Yes, well, I don’t think you’ll be as obliged when we start cleaning you up. Mr. Standish, would you like to come down to the kitchen and get something to eat?”

“I would prefer to stay with Chris for now, Mrs. Cross...”

“Go, Ezra, I’ll be here after you’ve e...eaten,” Larabee mumbled as Frank eased the duster off his injured arm. He bit back a cry of pain as the movement jarred the limb and sent shards of pain from fingertip to shoulder and continuing until it met up with the other reawakened pains.

“Come, Mr. Standish, you got him this far, now let us help both of you before you fall over and injure yourself in the bargain,” the Cross woman suggested firmly.

“She won’t take no for an answer, Mister, so ya might as well go with her,” White explained.

“Chris...”

“I’m f...fine, Ez, g...go,” Larabee whispered as the two men helped him sit up.

“Be careful of his ribs too,” Standish said before Rose Cross latched onto his arm and pulled him from the room.

“Sorry, Mister, but this is not gonna be easy,” White explained as they carefully removed the remainder of the tattered clothing.

Chris held his breath as his body was maneuvered each time a new article of clothing was removed from his body. By the time they removed his socks he was nearly unconscious and he fought to stay awake. He had no idea how long it took the two men to rid him of his clothing, but was grateful when a soft warm blanket was eased up over him.

“T…thanks,” he whispered, watching the duo closely.

“You’re welcome. Mrs. Cross is a fine woman and you’d best be telling the truth about where you come from,” White warned.

“T…telegraph Four Corners…Josiah Sanchez. H…he’ll vouch for us.”

“I’ll do that first thing in the morning,” the older man vowed, looking up as the soft billow of skirts reached his ears.

“Frank, would you mind making sure there’s more water boiling and tell Mr. Standish there’s plenty of food so he doesn’t need to worry about how much he eats! I also left a cup of Willow bark tea on the counter and would like that sent up as well. Dave, I’m going to need your help to clean him up.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Frank said and hurried from the room.

“Mrs. Cross, maybe you’d better let me take care of him,” White suggested.

“Nonsense, Dave, I’ve taken care of most of you at some point in time and you know I’m not squeamish.”

“No, Ma’am, squeamish you’re not,” the older man agreed as they folded back the blanket.

“Mr. Larabee, this might hurt a little,” the woman said as she watched fever baked green eyes open.

“T…that’s what N…Nate a…always s…says,” Larabee said as a cloth was gently wiped over his face. He winced as she came in contact with the wound on his face and heard her apologize. “It’s o…okay…just s…sore.”

“I bet it is,” she said sympathetically. “You’re running quite a fever and hopefully the tea will help.”

Larabee felt himself drifting as the warm clothe continued to remove the dirt from his wounds. He knew he wouldn’t be awake much longer and again thanked the woman for her help. Just before he gave in to unconsciousness he felt a soft hand on his shoulder.

“Mr. Larabee, I want you to try a little of the tea for me,” the Cross woman said as White lifted the injured man’s head slightly. She helped him take several sips from the cup and knew there was nothing more she could do as he finally lost the battle to stay awake.

“He’s in bad shape, Ma’am.”

“Yes, he is, Dave. Look, I want you to ride out and meet Billy. Tell him what’s happened and that I’d like him to come home.”

“Yes, Ma’am. Will you be all right?”

“I’ll be fine. Frank will stay with me until you or one of the others return, but something tells me we can trust these men.”

“I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“Thanks, Dave.” Rose said and went back to the job of cleaning up the injured man’s wounds.

The sky was beginning to darken when Andrew Cross realized where the two men were headed. He silently cursed his luck as the two men riding with him drew up alongside him. He drew his horse to a halt and looked at them both before coming to a decision. The fact that Larabee and Standish were headed for the Cross ranch made it imperative that he get rid of these two now. To have them ride in would put suspicion on him and right now he was coming up with a plan that might just get him out of trouble. All he had to do was convince his brother that Standish had indeed cheated or even stolen the money. He knew his brother wanted to believe the best about him and maybe, just maybe, he could get back under Billy’s good graces if he admitted to having a weakness when it came to gambling. He knew it would be hard, but if it meant he would get his hands on the money than he could do it.

“What’s wrong, Andy?” Hank asked as he drew alongside his friend.

“Nothing, not now anyway.”

“Whatcha mean?” Jacob inquired.

“I know where to find Standish and Larabee!”

“Thought we was followin’ ‘em,” Hank said.

“We are and guess what’s just a couple of miles from here?”

“What?” Jacob asked.

“My place…or should I say my brother’s spread. It’s just on the other side of the creek that runs along Kalley’s Meadow. Seems like they’re headin’ into the lion’s den.”

“Ya callin’ yer brother a lion, Andy?”

“Nope, Hank, I’m the lion and well I just may have come up with a way out of this mess.”

“Thought we were gonna take the money and run?”

“That was the plan, Jacob, but I’ve got a better one,” Andy said and drew his weapon. “See, I can convince my brother of anything and he’ll believe me when I tell ‘im Standish cheated during the game.”

“Andy, put the gun away.”

“Sorry, Hank, but in order for this to work I’m gonna have ta kill ya. Jacob too, sorry, boys, but ain’t got no use fer ya anymore. Ya’ll jest get in my way!” With those words he fired at both men, hitting his targets and watching them fall from the saddle. The two men landed with a thump and a cloud of dust rose from the spot where they landed.

“Sorry, Boys, but the money was supposed to be mine anyway,” Andy said and smiled as he rode away from the two men.

Billy Cross rode slowly along the trail towards his home and sighed contentedly. He loved being a rancher and owning the land that had been in his family so long. Since his father’s death he’d made a go of the ranch and his only regret was his brother’s seeming disregard for the things he cared about. He knew Rose was right and yet he could not quite bring himself to give up on Andy. He wondered if there was anything else he could do to help his younger sibling to see ranch life as he did.

Billy looked up as the sound of hoof beats met his ears. He pulled his rifle from its scabbard and waited for the newcomer to reach him. He relaxed his stance as he recognized the man.

“What’s wrong, Dave?”

“There’s trouble at the house…”

“What kind of trouble? Andy?”

“No, not Andy, but a couple of men rode in about two hours ago…one of ‘em’s got a bullet in his back.”

“What about Rose?”

“She’s taking care of the wounded one. They claim to be peacekeepers from up around Four Corners.”

“Who’s with Rose?” Cross asked as they rode towards the ranch.

“Frank is there. Carl should be back any time. Rose sent him for Dr. O’Neil.”

“Good. Any word on Andy?”

“No, Ryan’s not back yet,” White said and knew it wasn’t the news he wanted to hear. “The kid’s trouble, Billy.”

“Yeah, I know, but I keep hoping he’ll wise up and see what he’s got here. I told him half of this was his when he proved he could take care of it.”

“He’d probably just sell out without a backwards glance.”

“Probably, ah, hell, Dave, I should’ve listened to you a long time ago. I’ve given him enough chances…”

“More’n enough, Billy, most men would’ve wrote him off a long time ago. There’s only so much you can do before it’s too late and right now it’s too late for Andy.”

“I hope Ryan finds him and brings him home. Least that way he can pack his stuff and get the hell out of my sight! Come on, let’s get home and see if those men really are peacekeepers.” The two men picked up the pace and hoped nothing happened before they reached the ranch.