Longarm said, “Never mind, just get a move on. I’ve got a dozen things to do and not much time to do them. Meet me at the depot in plenty of time to load your horse and I’ll be there.”
With that, he hurried out of the saloon and headed toward the offices of the Silverado Mining Company, hoping that Simmons would still be there.
Chapter 5
Simmons looked slightly bewildered at Longarm’s sudden reappearance, but he invited the marshal to come into his office and sit down at his desk. Longarm didn’t bother to sit.
He said, “Mister Simmons, do you have a crew right now trying to lay track?”
Simmons shook his head. “I thought you understood that we finally had to shut down. There have been so many raids that we got tired of laying track only to find it torn up the next day.”
“Do they attack the crew while they are laying it?”
“Sometimes they do and sometimes they don’t. We’ve had guards out at night trying to keep them away from the track, but they come in such numbers that we haven’t been able to stand them off. Marshal, we’ve had several men killed. We’ve made appeals to the territorial governor and got nothing, we’ve made appeals to the sheriff in Springer and got nothing, we’ve made appeals to the sheriff in Clayton and got nothing. It appears that these outlaws, the Gallaghers, are content that we should build the track about ten miles out of Springer but they don’t want it to go any further. There’s a butte that rises to the north of our line of march, so to speak, with the track, and they won’t let the track go past that.”
Longarm said, “Mister Simmons, I want you to have a crew out there at first light tomorrow morning laying track. I want you to try to get past that point that they don’t want you to get past.”
Simmons shook his head and said, “Marshal, I can’t do that. First of all, I’m not sure I can get the men to take the chance, and secondly, I’m not sure that I want to take that responsibility. Like I’ve said, we’ve had several men killed and several wounded. I cannot get any help from the local law.”
Longarm said, “I’m not local law. I am a deputy United States marshal, and I am guaranteeing you that your men will not suffer any harm. An attack may well happen and if it does, I want them to immediately drop their tools and get the hell out of there. I don’t want any attempt on their part to defend themselves. I don’t believe that you can hire guards that can stand up to the numbers and ferocity of the Gallagher gang.”
Simmons said, “What you say is quite true with reference to the numbers and the fury of the Gallagher gang, but as for the rest, I don’t see how you can guarantee it, Marshal.”
Longarm said, “Well, sir. This is just a matter that you’re going to have to trust me on. Will you put that crew out there laying track in the morning? If you will, I think I can stop your troubles once and for all.”
Simmons folded his hands and looked at Longarm for a long moment. “I hope you know what you are asking, Marshal Long.”
Longarm nodded. “I’m asking you to fully trust me. You have no reason to. I am asking you to trust me to defend your men against perhaps a dozen or more armed bandits. Yes, I realize what I am asking you.”
“Are you by any chance planning on bringing in other deputy marshals?”
Longarm shook his head slowly. “No, sir, I’m not. It will just be me and a friend, the one I told you about.”
“Against that gang?”
Longarm nodded again. “I know it sounds like I am stretching it, but if any of your men get hurt, I’ll resign from the marshals service.”
Simmons laughed. “You don’t mean that, Marshal Long.”
“If it takes me saying that to convince you that I can do it, I’ll say it.”
“But will you do it?”
“Of course not. What do you think I am? A damn fool? I’m a deputy United States marshal and I’m about ninety-nine percent sure that I can stop that bunch if they do what I think they’ll do. Now, what’s your play?”
Simmons sighed and looked out the back window of his office. “I suppose you know what you’re doing.” He turned around to face Longarm. “All right, I’ll wire instructions this afternoon to put a crew back out there laying down track. You said no armed guards?”
“No armed guards. If trouble starts, I want your men out of there in a hurry. I don’t care if they are really laying track, I just want them to look like they are laying track.”
Simmons looked up at Longarm. “Are you by any chance going to use my crew for bait, Marshal Long?”
Longarm pulled a face and let his eyes drift to the ceiling. “That right there, Mister Simmons, is the very type of question that I don’t like to answer.”
“Then I’d better not ask it.”
“I’d be obliged.”
Simmons shrugged. “We’re at a stalemate right now. What do I have to lose?”
“You’ve got a hell of a lot of money to lose in Springer if you don’t go along with what I propose.”
Simmons looked up at Longarm quickly. “What makes you say that?”
Longarm leaned toward him. “Mister Simmons, think on it for a while. You’re a smart man, you’ve got an education, and I think you’ll come up with the answer. Why do you think they are stopping you from building that track on to where you can ship that ore?”
Simmons looked at him for a long moment. “Well, I’ll be damned. You know, I believe you’re right. Hell, I better get that telegram off right away.”
Longarm said, “Just hold up a second. We’re taking the six o’clock train, so make sure there’s room for us. And Mister Simmons, I know you’re going to think that I am crazy, but I want half-a-dozen little one-ounce bottles or
