Journey Of The Mountain Man

They all thought that would be loads of fun.

Golden looked at an old rummy sitting on the steps, mumbling to himself. “What the hell are you mumbling about, old man?”

“I knowed I seed that schoolteacher afore. Now it comes to me.”

“What are you talkin’ about, you old rum-dum?”

“‘Bout fifteen year ago, I reckon it was. Back when Reno was just a sandy collection of saloons and hurdy-gurdy parlors. They was a humdinger of a shootin’ one afternoon. This kid come riding in and some hombres decided they’d have some fun with him. In ’bout the time hit’d take you to blink your eyes four times, they was four men in the street, dead or dyin’. The kid was snake quick and on the mark. He disappeared shortly after that.” The old man pointed toward the dust trail of the buggy. “That there, boys, is the Reno Kid!”

Twenty-Two

“The Reno Kid!” Golden hissed, as his front chair legs hit the boardwalk.

“He’s right!” Gandy, a member of Cat Jennings’s gang almost shouted the words. “I was there! I seen it! That there is shore nuff the Reno Kid. He’s all growed up and put on some weight, but that’s him!”

“Damn right!” the wino said. “I said it was, din I. I was thar, too.”

“That’s why he don’t never pack no gun,” another said. “Who’d have thought it?”

“He’s mine,” Golden said.

“We’ll both take him,” Gandy insisted. “Man lak’at you cain’t take no chances with.”

“But he ain’t packin’ no iron!” another said. “Hit’d be murder, pure and simple.”

Golden said a cuss word and leaned back in his chair.

“Here they come!” Gandy looked up the street. “To hell with it. I’ll force his hand and call him out. Make him git a six-gun. ”

“I’ll keep you covered in case he’s packin’ a hideout gun,” Golden told him.

Both men stood up, Gandy stepping out into the wide street, directly in the path of the buggy.

Parnell whoaed the horse and sat glaring at the gunslick.

Gandy glared back.

“Will you please remove your unwashed and odious presence from the middle of the street, you ignorant lout!” Parnell ordered.

“Whut the hale did you say to me, Reno?”

Parnell blinked and looked at Rita, who was looking at him.

“I’m afraid you have me confused with someone else,” Parnell said. “Now kindly step out of the way so we may proceed on our journey.”

“Git outta that thar buggy, Reno! I’m a gonna kill you.”

“He thinks you’re the Reno Kid.” Rita gripped Parnell’s arm.

“Who, or what, is the Reno Kid?”

“A legendary gunfighter from theNevadaTerritory. He’d be about your age now. No one has seen him in fifteen years.”

“What the hale-far is y‘all whisperin’ about?” Gandv hollered. “What’d the matter, Reno, you done turned yeller? ’

“I beg your pardon !” Parnell returned the shout. Begone with you before I give you a proper hiding with a buggy whip, you fool!”

No one seemed to notice the tall, lean, darkly tanned stranger standing in the shadows of the awning in front of the Pussycat. He was wearing a gun, but then, so did nearly every man. He stood watching the goings-on with a faint twinkle of amusement in his dark eyes.

If it got out of hand, he would interfere, but not before.

“Y’all heard it!” Gandy shouted. “He called me a fool! Them’s fightin’ words, Reno. Now get out of that there buggy. ”

“I most certainly will not, you ... you ... hooligan!”

“I think I’ll just snatch your woman outta there and lift her petticoats. Maybe that’ll narrow that yeller stripe a- runnin’ down your back.”

Before he even thought about the consequences, Parnell stepped from the buggy to the street. His coat was covering his pistol. “I demand you apologize to Miss Rita for that remark, you brute!”

“I ain’t a-gonna do no sich of a thing, Reno.”

“My name is not Reno and oh, yes, you will!”

“Your name shore as hell is Reno and I will not!”

Gandy could not see most of Parnell for the horse. Parnell brushed back his coat and put his hand on the butt of his gun, removing the leather thong from the hammer and stepping forward, drawing as he walked.

Gandy saw the arm movement and grabbed iron. Parnell stubbed his toe on a rock in the street and fell forward, pulling the trigger. The hammer dropped, the slug striking Gandy right between the eyes and knocking him down, dead before he hit the dirt.