“Are you really Smoke Jensen?” The captain was clearly in awe.
“Yes.”
Horace’s photographer popped another shot.
The captain sighed. “Well, gentlemen. This is not an Army matter. I will take a report, certainly, and have it sent to the sheriff. But I imagine it will end there. I’m new to the West; just finished an assignment in Washington. But during my short time here, I have found that western justice is usually very short and very final.”
“I don’t understand part of what you just said,” Cord leaned forward. “You mean you weren’t sent in here?”
“No. We were traveling up to Fort Benton and heard the gunfire. We just rode over to see what was going on.”
Smoke and Cord both started laughing. They were still laughing as they walked out of the saloon.
“The strain of battle,” Captain Morrison spoke the words in all seriousness. “It certainly does strange things to men.”
A grizzled old top sergeant who had been in the Army since before Morrison was born shifted his chew of tobacco to the other side of his mouth and said, “Right, sir.”
Smoke went to the tubs behind the barber shop and took a long hot bath. He was exhausted. He dressed in clean clothes purchased at the new general store and walked over to Hans for some hot food. The bodies of the outlaws were still being dragged off the street.
Hans placed a huge platter of food before the man and poured him a cup of coffee. Smoke dug in. Cord entered the cafe and sat down at the table with Smoke. He waved away the offer of food and ordered coffee.
“We have a problem about what to do with the wounded, Smoke.”
“I don’t have any problem at all with it. Treat their wounds and when they’re well, try them.”
“We don’t have a jail to hold them.”
“Build one to hold them or hang them or turn them loose.”
“Captain Morrison is leaving a squad here to see that we don’t hang them.”
“Sounds like a real nice fellow to me. Very much law and order.”
“You’re being sarcastic, Smoke.”
“I’m being tired, is what I am. Sorry to be so short with you. Is it OK to have Charlie buried out at the ranch?”
“You know it is,” the rancher replied, his words softly spoken. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Any reward money goes to Hardrock and Silver Jim and Pistot.”
“I’ve already set that in motion.” He smiled. “You really think they’re going to open a home for retired gun- fighters? ”
“It wouldn t surprise me at all.”
“I tell you what: I’d hate to have them for enemies.”
The men sat and watched as wagons pulled up to the four new saloons and began loading up equipment from Big Louie’s, the Pink Puma, The JimJam, and Harriet’s House.
“I’ll be glad to see things get back to normal,” Cord said.
“It won’t be long. I been seeing that fellow who opened up the new general store makin’ trips to Walt and Leah’s place. Looks like he’s tryin’ to buy them out.”
Cord’s smile was not of the pleasant type. “Liz and Alice paid Walt and Leah a visit. They convinced Walt that it would be the best thing if they’d sell out and get gone. Parnell is buyin’ their house. Him and Rita will live there after they’re married.”
“Beans?”
“I told him he was my new foreman. He’s gonna file on some sections that border my spread.”
Smoke finally smiled. “Looks like it’s going to be a happy ending after all.”
“A whole lot of weddin’s comin’ up next week. You are goin’ to stay for them, aren’t you?”
“Oh, yeah. I couldn’t miss those.” He looked up at Hans, smiling at them from behind the counter. “Hilda and Ring gonna get hitched up, Hans?”
The man bobbed his big head.
Smoke looked out at the muddy, churned-up street. All the bodies had been toted off.
“I reserved all the rooms above the saloon,” Cord said. “The hands are back at the ranch, cleaning it up and repairing the damage. Bartender has your room key.”
Smoke stood up, dropped some money on the table, and put on his hat. “I think I’ll go sleep for about fifteen hours.
Bob and Spring and Pat and some hands from the D-H and the Circle Double C began rebuilding Fae’s burned-down house and barn. Smoke, Hardrock, Silver Jim, and Pistol began driving the cattle back onto Box-T Range.
The legendary gunfighter, Charlie Starr, was buried in a quiet ceremony in the plot on the ridge above the ranch house at the Circle Double C. His guns were buried with him. He had always said he wanted to be buried with his boots on. And he was; a brand-new pair of boots.
Dooley Hanks and his sons were buried in the family plot on the D-H.
