ranchers by surprise. But the surprise was theirs for they saw stretched across the road in front of them, and extending for several feet to either side, an obstruction that would deny passage to their horses. Behind the crossed and sharpened log battlements was a barricade constructed of boxes, barrels, and logs. Protruding over the top of the barricade were a dozen or more rifles.
“Whoa! What the hell!” Wilson shouted as he and the others riding with Denbigh came to a quick halt. “What is that?”
“It is nothing you need worry about,” Denbigh said.
“It don’t look like nothin’ to me,” Wilson said.
“Me neither,” Carver added.
“Forward, men, don’t weaken now,” Denbigh said.
“Forward? Into that?” Wilson said. “Are you crazy?”
“I have gone to great lengths to recruit only the most skilled gunmen in the territory,” Denbigh said. “Are you telling me now that you are afraid to go against a bunch of farmers and small ranchers? At the first shot, they will run.”
“I don’t think so,” Wilson said, shaking his head. “I was at Shiloh. Wasn’t nobody there but farmers and such. And they didn’t run. I’m gettin’ out of here.”
“No, you ain’t,” Meacham said, pulling his gun and pointing it at Wilson.
“You watch me,” Wilson said. Turning his horse, he started to ride away, but before he had gone no more than a few feet, Meacham fired. His bullet caught Wilson in the back, just between his shoulder blades, and it exited from his chest. Slater fell from his horse, dead before he hit the ground.
The other men riding with Denbigh broke into a gallop then, running away. Meacham raised his pistol to fire again, but Denbigh stopped him.
“No need to do that,” he said. “Killing them won’t bring them back.”
Now, only Meacham and Denbigh remained, and they dismounted and continued to stare toward the fortifications that had been erected overnight.
Matt Jensen appeared then, climbing down from the barricade and walking toward the two men.
“Give it up, Denbigh,” Matt said. “I’ll see that the two of you get a fair trial.”
Denbigh applauded sarcastically.
“Very good, Jensen, very good!” he said. “But I thought you were coming after me. How did you know we would be coming after you?”
Tolliver appeared then, standing on top of the barricade.
“I’m afraid I told them, m’lord,” Tolliver said.
“You? Mr. Tolliver, you would betray the trust that has existed between our families for over one hundred years?”
“I am not betraying that trust, m’lord,” Tolliver said. “Your own family charged me with the responsibility of seeing that you did nothing to disgrace the Denbigh name. I am afraid I have been remiss in that duty, but there came a time when I could not let this go any further.”
At that moment, and quite unexpectedly, Jimmy Smith came riding up the road behind Denbigh and Meacham. Jimmy was carrying a string of fish he had caught that morning. Because he had spent the night camped out on Brewer’s Pond, he had no idea of the events that had transpired in the town during his brief absence.
More curious than frightened, he continued to ride forward.
“Jimmy, go back!” Matt called, but it was too late.
Moving quickly, Meacham jumped behind Jimmy’s horse, then pulled the boy down. Wrapping his left arm around Jimmy’s neck, Meacham managed to keep Jimmy between him and Matt. Meacham’s right hand held his pistol against the side of Jimmy’s head.
“Well now, Mr. Jensen,” Denbigh said. “It would seem that there has been a change in our situation.”
“What do you say, Jensen?” Meacham said. “Are you going to ask me to let the kid go? Are you going to try to convince me that the kid has nothing to do with this?”
Matt glared at Meacham, but said nothing.
“Undo your gun belt,” Meacham said. “Let it fall to the ground.”
Matt continued to glare at Meacham, but he made no move to comply with Meacham’s demand.
“Do it!” Meacham shouted, and to emphasize his order, he pulled the hammer back on the pistol he was holding against Jimmy’s head.
Slowly, deliberately, Matt unbuckled his gun belt and let it fall.
By now, everyone who had taken up arms behind the barricade was standing on top, watching the drama unfold before them.
“Now what?” Matt asked. “As you can see, you aren’t going anywhere. Your men have left you. Your time is over.”
“Oh, I think not,” Denbigh said. “These people have no homes to return to. I will provide them with homes, bigger and better than the ones they had before. I think we will be able to establish a relationship that is beneficial to us all. Of course, in order to assure that nirvana, I am going to have to take you out of the picture.”
“Oh? And just how do you plan to do that?” Matt asked.
