“He’s comin’ out,” one of the men with Earl Murray said.
“What do we do?”
Murray had seen Gear go down, and one of the men with Tobin.
“Fire, damn it,” he said, “fire!”
Sam ducked down behind a horse trough and heard the lead slapping into the wood from across the street. He felt something tug at his foot, and when he looked down hesaw that a bullet had sheared off his left bootheel. The bullet had come from his right. If he turned that way he’d be leaving himself vulnerable from the left, but he decided to leave his back to his brothers.
When he turned he saw two men standing up preparing to fire at him. He fired once, catching one man high in the chest. When he move his gun to fire at the second man, he was already falling forward. He couldn’t explain that, but he didn’t have time to ponder it.
When he turned left he saw both his brothers running toward him. Evan was across the street, and Jubal was running across to his side.…
“Let’s move!” Evan said. “You cross over.”
“Right.”
Evan ran along the boardwalk toward the two remaining
Evan ran along the boardwalk toward the two remaining men across from the telegraph office. Both men stood up to face him. Evan had the rifle in his left hand and his handgun in his right. He fired his pistol, the bullet striking one man in the stomach. When he moved to fire at the second man, he was already falling forward.
He turned and looked across the street.…
As Jubal approached the last man he turned on him, raising his gun. Jubal fired at the same time the man did. His bullet hit the man in the throat, while the man’s bullet tugged at his sleeve. Jubal kept moving until he reached the body. He leaned over both men and saw that they were both dead. He stood up and waved to Evan across the street.
Evan checked the three men and found that they were all dead, one having been shot in the back. He stood up, waved to Jubal across the street, and then looked for Sam. Sam McCall was across the street checking on the other two men.
Sam checked both men and saw that one of them had been shot in the back. He couldn’t figure that. They were both dead, though, so he turned to check on his brothers. He saw Evan across the street and waved.
The McCall brothers came together in front of the telegraph office.
“Looks like you boys got here just in time,” Sam said.
“Jubal spotted it,” Evan said.
“Just by accident,” Jubal said.
“Thanks, Jube.” Sam put his hand behind his younger brother’s neck. “Thanks.”
“Sure.”
“They all dead?” Sam asked.
“All of ’em,” Jubal said.
“You know, there’s something funny about one of the men across the street,” Evan said.
“What?” Sam asked.
“He was shot in the back.”
Sam looked at his brother.
“You know, one of the others was shot in the back, too.”
“One of those two was shot in the back,” Jubal said, pointing behind him, “but Evan shot that one.”
“Who shot the other two in the back?” Evan asked.
“I don’t know,” Sam said, “but I think someone else might have some questions for us.”
“Who?” Evan asked.
Sam pointed behind his brothers, and they turned and saw Sheriff Kelly hurrying toward them.
Coffin saw the sheriff and slipped out of sight, into an alley. It was the same alley he had used to slip up behind the bushwackers. He paused a moment to eject the two spent shells from his .45 and lay in two live shells.
He wasn’t all that sure why he had decided to help the McCalls, unless it was to keep Sam McCall alive until…
He retraced his steps down the alley. He had left a beer on the bar in the saloon.
Sam sat in a chair in the sheriff’s office, picking at the bottom of his left boot, which now had no heel.
In two other chairs sat Evan and Jubal. All of their rifles and pistols were on the sheriff’s desk.
The sheriff was seated behind his desk, wearing a hangdog expression.
“You know, this is a hell of a mess,” Sheriff Kelly said, shaking his head.
“Not of our making,” Evan said.
“No? Then whose?”
“Why don’t you talk to Lincoln Burkett?”
“Mr. Burkett? Why should I talk to him?”
“Those were his men, weren’t they?”
“Maybe, but that don’t mean that he was involved.”
“It doesn’t mean he wasn’t, either,” Evan said. “I think you should talk to the man. Hell, we’ll even go with you, if you like.”
The sheriff bristled.
“I don’t need help doing my job.”
“You could have fooled us,” Sam said.
“Look, McCall,” he said, speaking to Sam, “if anyone’s to blame for this it’s you.”
“Me?”
“You and your reputation, you invite things like this to happen.”
“I was minding my own business, Sheriff, sending a telegram. You tell me how I invited this.”
“Come on, you know how many men would like to be the man who killed Sam McCall.”
“Or the
“He ought to leave town,” Kelly said, glumly. “You all should leave town.”
“Oh?” Evan said. “Are my brother Jubal and I inviting some sort of attack by being here, Sheriff?”
“We’re not leaving until we find out who killed our parents,” Jubal said.
Kelly stared at him.
“Your father killed your mother and then himself.”
“That’s what we hear,” Evan said, “but we’re not accepting that.”
“I think we should leave now,” Sam said. He stood up and took his gun off the desk, fitting it into his holster.
“I didn’t say you could have your gun,” Kelly said.
“You want to take it away from me again?” Sam asked. “It ain’t gonna be so easy this time.”
“Easy, Sam,” Evan said.
“You’re the one who said I invite these attacks,” Sam went on. “Well, if that’s the case, I’m not about to walk around unarmed. Boys, pick up your guns.”
Jubal didn’t have to be told twice. He stood up, picked up his handgun, put it in his holster, and then took a rifle from the desk.
“Sheriff,” Evan said, “my advice to you would be to talk to Burkett. Tell him his men missed this time. Maybe next time he should send more.”
“I’m sure Mr. Burkett had nothing to do with this.”
“Well then maybe he’d appreciate a visit from you and the information that he’s got seven dead men.”
Evan picked up his guns and started for the door, followed closely by Sam and Jubal.
Before leaving Sam turned and said, “Much obliged for your understanding, Sheriff.”
