“I’ll explain that when we get where we’re goin’,” Garth snapped.
The clerk had no choice but to go with him. They walked down the street in the light of the rising sun, toward the train station. As they went inside, Garth heard the telegraph key clicking.
“Go see what they’re sayin’,” he said, punctuating the order by prodding the gun barrel into the clerk’s back.
The man hurried over to the door that led into the little cubicle behind the ticket window where the telegraph apparatus was located. He sat down, picked up the pencil and pad that rested on the table beside the key, and began listening intently, writing down the tapped-out words that came over the wire.
Garth crowded into the room behind him. “What’re they sayin’?”
The clerk looked around at him. The man’s face was pale with fear as he glanced at the gun in Garth’s hand. It was clear that he wouldn’t even consider lying to the outlaw.
“It’s the district office in El Paso. They’re advising everyone along the line that the repairs to the trestle at Bowtie Canyon are finished and that a westbound train is on its way.” The clerk looked at the clock on the wall. “It should be here in less than an hour.”
Garth grunted in acknowledgment of the news. “
The clerk summoned up his courage and asked, “What are you going to do? Are you going to rob the train when it gets here?”
“Now, that’s a thought,” Garth said with a grim smile. “Since traffic along the line’s been backed up, there might be a pretty good pile o’ loot in the express car. But we got bigger fish to fry today. The train’s gonna stop and pick up a few passengers, and then it’ll be on its way just like normal.”
The clerk frowned. “I don’t understand.”
Garth felt like walloping the nosy son of a bitch across the head with his pistol, but he decided against it. Everything had to look normal when the train rolled into the station, and that included the clerk.
“Me and some of the other fellas are gettin’ on the train,” Garth explained. “Nobody on there will know who we are—and you ain’t gonna tell ’em.”
The clerk shook his head emphatically. “No, sir. No indeed.”
“We figure Marshal Thorpe will be waitin’ somewheres west o’ here to board the train with Joshua. Once they’re aboard, we’ll take it over and set our boss free.”
After a moment’s thought, the clerk said, “You know, I’ll bet you’re right. Matt Bodine was in here yesterday asking about flag stops to the west. I gave him a map.” Somewhat peevishly, the man added, “That map belongs to the railroad, too, and you know, I didn’t get it back.”
The fella picked strange things to worry about, Garth thought.
“Once we’re gone, you won’t be tryin’ to send any wires to warn folks about what’s goin’ on, now will you?” he asked as he moved the gun barrel closer to the clerk’s face.
Beads of sweat popped out on the man’s forehead. “N-no, sir, of course not. I wouldn’t do that. You have my word.”
“Your word ain’t good enough, amigo. I’m gonna make sure.”
The clerk paled even more. He licked his lips nervously and said, “Please, I swear—”
“We’re gonna pull down the telegraph wires both ways,” Garth went on after savoring the man’s fear for a second, “and smash that apparatus to boot. The rest of the gang will drive off every horse in town as they’re leavin’, too. You folks’ll have a long walk if you want to go anywhere.”
The clerk swallowed. “I…I was afraid you were going to—”
“Gonzalez wanted to just kill you all and burn the town down, to make sure,” Garth went on, interrupting. “I don’t figure that’s necessary, though. And the smoke could be seen for a hell of a long way. Somebody on that train might spot it behind ’em and wonder what was goin’ on. Don’t want to spook anybody before we have to.”
“Thank you. We…we appreciate you not killing us.”
“Just remember that and play your part. No funny business while the train’s here.”
“No funny business,” the terrified clerk swore.
The door opened and Jeffries came in, along with the Winslow woman. Maggie wore a nice traveling outfit now, complete with a hat with a couple of feathers on it perched on her fair hair.
The clothes had come from one of the stores in town, all of which had been looted of everything the outlaws thought they might need, along with all the cash on hand, of course. Not a great haul, Garth reflected, but they might as well get
“You ready to do your part, missy?” Garth asked the young woman.
Maggie nodded. She looked about as pale and scared as the clerk, but Garth had seen the steel core inside her and knew it was still there.
“I don’t understand why you need me, though,” she said. “I can’t really do anything.”
“Except keep Matt Bodine distracted and off his guard,” Garth said. “Do a good job of that, and you’ll be back with your husband and kid by the time this day is over.”
“You swear?”
“Sure. You got my word.”
Of course, that wasn’t worth much, he thought…but she didn’t have to know that.
Garth glanced at the clock on the wall. “We’ve still got a while to wait,” he told Maggie. “You might as well go
