country, that you never give up, that you’re crazy.”
“OK, I suppose that might be true, Mr. Hawkins, but don’t let that be of concern to you. It just means to you that I’m trying to give you, a taxpayer, your money’s worth.”
Hawkins set his mouth in a grim line. “How about I don’t do what you tell me to do? What happens then?”
Longarm said gently, “You took the oath, George. You don’t have a choice.”
“Yeah, but what if I don’t really go through with it? What if I just go on about my business and head for my next stop?”
Longarm said levelly, “Then I’d make that next stop Kansas. Leavenworth, Kansas. That’s where the federal penitentiary is, George, and that’s where you’d be headed sooner or later.
“You mean you’d keep coming after me just over a piddling thing like this?”
Longarm chuckled. He said, “Well, George, if you let the little matters slide, then all of a sudden you’ve got a mountain of trouble. No, I think I can depend on you.”
“And I’m supposed to be going to interest Archie Barrett in a saddle? I’m supposed to talk him into coming to town to view a saddle? You know, that’s going to have to be one hell of a saddle. Hell, I can’t even think of one that would interest him. He’s a rich man. He’s already got most of what he wants.”
Longarm yawned. He said, “George, let’s give it up for now and talk about it after supper. What do you think of that? I think I might even go upstairs and rest my weary bones.”
“I guess I’ll do the same. I’m going to need all the rest I can get.”
As they stood up, Longarm said, “By the way, do you happen to know the story on Mrs. Thompson’s husband and what happened to him?”
Hawkins’s face darkened. He said, “Yes, and it’s a sad chapter, too. It almost makes me hate to do business with either the Barretts or the Myerses. In fact, maybe that’s the reason I’m agreeing to help you. He was a fine fellow. His name was Milton Thompson.”
“Maybe tonight you can tell me about him.”
Hawkins nodded, and then they went their separate ways to their separate bedrooms.
Instead of lying down for a nap, Longarm sat in a chair, staring out the east window of his room, with a glass of whiskey in one hand and a cigarillo in the other. He was staring out toward where he had ridden earlier to visit Tom Hunter. He was trying to work out the details of a plan that was still very hazy in his mind. All he knew was that a frontal attack on the Barretts and the Myerses wasn’t going to work. They had too many guns. He somehow had to cut the leaders out and put them under his thumb and find some way to force them to obey the law. He didn’t have any idea how he was going to do that, and he didn’t have any idea if he could do it. But one thing he did know for certain: he was going to need a fort of some kind. A fort, a jail, a hideout, a prison. Something along that order.
He looked at his watch. It was going on four o’clock. There was still plenty of time before supper. Without thinking too much about it, he went down the stairs in a hurry and saddled his horse and rode rapidly toward Tom Hunter’s ranch.
Tom Hunter was flabbergasted and surprised and more than a little doubtful after Longarm finished explaining his plan—or the parts of his plan that he knew enough about to explain. When he had ridden up, Hunter had been having an early supper of beans and bacon and corn bread, but he had put that aside to talk with Longarm. They went outside and stood under the only sizable oak tree for as far as the eye could see.
Longarm said, “Look, I know it might not work, and I know it’s dangerous, and I know it’s risky, and I know that there’s a lot of reasons not to try it. But it’s the only thing I can think of. I’ve got to have your help, and I’ve got to use your place. I know that puts you at risk. I do understand what I’m asking of you.”
Hunter shrugged. He said, “Hell, I don’t see what I’ve got to lose. I’m about finished now, and if I’ve got to eat my cooking much longer, I’m going to starve to death. I miss my wife. I miss my kids. I can’t hold on here much longer. Yeah, hell yeah. I’m willing to try.”
Longarm looked back at Hunter’s cabin. He said, Your place is ideal because it’s stone and concrete. It’ll make an ideal defensive position. It’s also cleared all around for a good hundred yards in every direction, so it’s not the kind of place that anyone can sneak up on. But if we get located before we’re ready and before we’ve got our deals made, we’re going to be in a lot of hot water. There’s going to be a lot of lead coming through those windows and those doors.”
Hunter shrugged. “Yeah, and there’s going to be a lot of lead going back, if I have anything to say in the matter.”
“The problem is, Tom, you and I can’t do it by ourselves. We need more help. What do you think about the Goodmans? Do you think they’d leave their place and come over here and stay for that time period?”
Hunter shrugged. “I can’t answer for them, but my guess is that yeah, they would. They ain’t got much left to lose, either.”
Longarm said, “But they’d be leaving their place unprotected, and there’s no telling what could happen to it.”
Hunter smiled. He said, “They’re about burned out now. They don’t have a barn left and about half their house was burned down. They’re the same as sleeping outside right now.”
“What about their stock?”
“Well, what little they have left, they could drive them over here and throw them in with mine. One of us could day herd them and then put them up in my corrals at night. They’d be a hell of a lot safer than they are right now. If we don’t hurry up and get the mess straightened out, there’s not much left for any of us here.”
Longarm said, “Can you think of anybody else that might be of some help?”
Hunter shook his head. “Oh, there’s a few good men left among the settlers. In fact, that’s about the only ones that are left. The rest have turned tail and run. But let me ask you this, Marshal. Ain’t we better off being as secret as we can?”
