“Not me,” John T. said. He slipped back and into the timber on the other side of the game trail Smoke had been using. One by one, the others joined him.
They grouped together, very conscious of the bodies of Dorman and Elliot, lying not thirty feet away, back-shot by their employers.
“Comes a time, boys, when a man’s got to use some common sense,” John T. said. “Personal, I think we should have used it about a month ago.”
“What are you sayin’, John?” Gil asked.
“That it’s time for us to go. We got some money out of this. More’un we’d have made in five years ordinarily. Boys, we’ve left bodies all over the place durin’ this so-called hunt. It’s time to pull out.”
“That’s what Dorman and Elliot tried to do,” Cat pointed out.
“That ain’t gonna happen to us, now that we know what to expect.”
“How about our money down in Dodge?” Gil asked.
“Hell with it. We can take that check that Miss Hoity-Toity wrote us back yonder in the park. How about it?”
“You boys go on,” Roy Drum said. “I want Jensen and the real big money.”
“It ain’t worth dyin’ for, Roy.”
“I’m with Roy,” Cat Brown said. “But we’ll see to it that you don’t get back-shot.”
“I’m stayin’,” Utah Red said.
“I’m goin’,” Montana Jess said.
“I’m with Montana and John T.,” Gil Webb said.
The six men walked over to von Hausen. “I’ll take that big money check you offered back in the park,” John T. said. “We’re pullin’ out.”
“Who is ‘we’?” Gunter asked.
“Me, Montana, and Gil. Hand over the check.”
Von Hausen noticed that the gunfighter’s hand was close to the butt of his six-gun. He reached into his jacket and took out a waterproof pouch and opened it. He handed John T. the check.
John T. looked at it, then folded it and put it in his pocket. “Thank you kindly, von Hausen. Roy and Utah and Cat will see to it that you good folks don’t back-shoot us on the way out. Adios, ladies and gents.”
Several long moments ticked by before anyone spoke. The sounds of the hired-guns’ horses faded into silence as the men left on the trail south. Finally, Gunter said, “Does anybody have a plan?”
“Hire more men?” Marlene asked.
“Forget it,” Utah told her. “No time for that.”
“I think I’ll make a pot of coffee and fry up some bacon,” Roy Drum said. “What about them bodies?”
“Push ’em over the side of that ravine yonder,” Cat said. “I don’t feel like diggin’ no damn holes.”
“We don’t have a shovel anyways,” Utah pointed out. “It got lost yesterday when Jensen ambushed us.”
Roy built a fire while Utah and Cat hauled the bodies away and shoved them over the side, into the ravine. Roy had the bacon frying when the men returned.
“It might work,” von Hausen said, looking at the trio of gunslicks. “Those are the hardest of the hardcases. We’re a very small force now, and we’ll be able to move faster and much more quietly.”
He looked up, then stood up. He thought he’d heard a very faint yell.
“What’s the matter?” Maria asked.
“I thought I heard something. A yell. Yes. I’m sure I did.”
The faint yelling reached them all.
“That’s Andrea,” Gunter said. “She escaped!”
“I doubt it,” Utah said, not getting up from his position by the fire. “Jensen probably got tired of listenin’ to her complain and cut her loose.”
“You men go get her,” von Hausen ordered.
“You hired us to kill Jensen,” Roy said. “Not find lost females. Just give a shout or two. She’ll wander over here.”
“Heartless brutes,” Marlene said.
“Right, lady,” Utah replied.
Von Hausen and party began shouting and waving their arms and jumping up and down. After a few minutes, Andrea staggered in, collapsing by the fire, telling all sorts of wild stories about being beaten and raped by Smoke Jensen.
“You’re a goddamn liar,” Roy Drum said flatly. “He wouldn’t touch the likes of you with a coup stick. I hate Smoke Jensen, but he never raped no woman in his life. I’d be willin’ to bet everything I own he ain’t never even been unfaithful to his wife. So why don’t you just shut your lyin’ damn mouth.”
Andrea glared hate at the man, but she said no more about being assaulted. She slurped at a cup of coffee and said, “He said he was going to whip you in a fight, Frederick. Said he was going to kick your face in.”
