Franklin’s army were having a fine ol’ time exercising their muscle on the citizens.
The Silver Dollar Kid and the punk who called himself Sundance were strutting up and down the boardwalk, shooting at signs and anything else they took a mind to fire at.
Big Mamma lay on the floor of her pleasure palace, her head split open from a rifle butt. A few of the TF riders were busying themselves with her stable of red-light girls. Free of charge.
At Beeker’s store, the shopkeeper and his wife had barricaded themselves in a sturdy storeroom. They huddled together, listening to the rampaging TF gunslicks loot their store.
Billy lay in the loft of the stable, watching it all, his .22 rifle at the ready, in case any of the TF riders tried to hurt him.
Louis Longmont sat in his gaming room, rifling a deck of cards. His Colts were belted around his lean waist. A rifle and double-barreled shotgun lay on a table. Mike sat across the room, armed with two pistols and a rifle. Louis was not worried about any TF riders attempting to storm his place. They knew better.
Colton and Mona Spalding and Haywood and Dana Arden sat in the newspaper office, listening to the occasional bursts of gunfire from the town.
All had made up their mind they were leaving Fontana at the first chance. Perhaps to Big Rock, perhaps clear out of the state.
And at his general store, Ed Jackson and his wife were being terrorized.
13
“How in the hell did they manage to tree the town?” Smoke asked.
“I reckon the townspeople—them that’s left—was in shock over the sheriff and his deputies bein’ gunned down the way they was,” Luke said. “And Tilden’s bunch just overpowered them that stood to fight.”
“How many men are we looking at?” Silver Jim asked.
“I’d say over a hundred,” Charlie replied. “But Beaconfield sent word in about two hours ago that Tilden left a good-sized bunch at the ranch. I’d say he’s got a good hundred and twenty-five to a hundred and fifty men under his command.”
“You got any ideas, Smoke?”
“Where is Monte?”
“At the Doc’s clinic. He’s hanging on, so I was told.”
“Judge Proctor?”
“Out of town. Denver, I think,” Luke said.
Smoke paced the street in front of the large general store of Big Rock. “It would be foolish for us to try to retake the town. If we leave here, Tilden would probably send his men from the ranch to take this place, burn it probably. And any ranch or farm up here he could find.”
“You’re right,” Hunt Brook said.
“Damn!” Charlie said. “I hate to just sit here and do nothing, but I don’t know what else we can do.”
“I just wish I knew what was going on down at Fontana,” Wilbur said.
Smoke grimaced. “I got a pretty good idea.”
Smoke was silent for a moment. “I hope Billy is all right. I should have got that kid out of there before this.”
The men fell silent, all looking in the direction of Fontana.
A group of TF riders had stripped Peg Jackson naked and were raping her, enjoying her screaming. Ed Jackson had been trussed up like a hog and tossed to the floor, forced to watch his wife being violated.
“You don’t understand,” Ed kept saying. “I like and respect Mister Franklin. We’re friends.”
One TF rider named Belton got tired of listening to Ed and kicked him in the mouth, then in the stomach. Ed lay on the floor, vomiting up blood and bits of teeth and the ham and eggs he’d had for breakfast.
Peg continued screaming as yet another TF gunhand took her.
In Louis’s gaming tent, the gambler looked at his bouncer. “Mike, go get our horses and bring them around to the back. And if you find that boy, Billy, bring him along. I’m thinking that at full dark, when those rowdies get enough booze in them, they’ll rush us. I’d like to get that boy out of this place.”
“Yes, sir, Mister Longmont,” Mike said, and was gone into the night.
Louis looked at the roulette wheels, the faro cue boxes, the card presses, the keno gooses…all the other paraphernalia of gambling.
“I shall not be needing any of it,” Louis muttered. “When I again gamble, it will be in the company of ladies and gentlemen…with champagne and manners and breeding.”
He rose from his chair, picked up his weapons, and walked into the back of the tent.
Mike returned in less than fifteen minutes, with saddled horses and Billy in tow.
“Any trouble?” Louis asked.
“One TF rowdy braced me,” the huge bouncer replied. “I broke his neck.”
The men and the boy mounted up. Andre said, “I will not miss this miserable place.”
“Nor will I, Andre,” Louis said. He pointed his horse’s nose toward the high lonesome. “Quiet now,” he cautioned. “Ride light until we’re clear of the town.”
“Boss?” Mike said. “Them thugs is rapin’ the shopkeeper’s woman. I could hear her screamin’.”
