“More than one?”
The man nodded.
“Got us a pack that’s roaming around.”
“They wouldn’t get near a fire.”
“Maybe not,” the bartender said, “but you gotta think about your horse, too.”
Decker knew he wouldn’t have to worry about John Henry. His gelding would be the first to know if there was a wolf nearby, so Decker would be the second.
“I guess I’ll take my chances.”
“Well, you’ll be okay as long as it doesn’t rain.”
The ground outside had looked fairly dry to Decker as he rode in.
“Expecting rain?”
“That’s what my bad leg tells me.”
“How reliable is your bad leg?”
The man shrugged. “Half and half, I guess,” he admitted.
“I’ll buck those odds,” Decker said. He finished the beer and said, “Thanks.”
“Sure.”
“Anyplace I can get some supplies?”
“First tent as you came into town. There’s no sign on it, but it’s the closest to a general store as we got.”
“Thanks again.”
Decker turned to leave, then decided to go ahead and ask the question. He’d gotten everything he could out of the man, so if he clammed up now it wouldn’t matter.
“By the way, I’m looking for a man you may have seen hereabouts.”
“Oh? Who’s that?”
“He’s called the Baron.”
It might have been Decker’s imagination, but it seemed to get quiet in the room.
He was watching the bartender’s eyes closely when he said the name. Although a man can control the expression on his face most of the time, the eyes usually get away from him. He was sure that he saw a glint of recognition in the man’s eyes.
“The Baron? Is that his name?”
“That’s what he’s called.”
“What’s he look like?”
Decker gave the man the information that was on the poster in his pocket.
“Can’t say I’ve seen a man who matches that description,” the bartender said. “Sorry I can’t help you.”
“You’ve helped enough,” Decker said. “Thanks anyway.”
Decker had decided not to push the man. It was enough that he knew the Baron. It meant Decker wasn’t wasting his time up here.
As Decker started for the door he noticed a disturbance at the table of five men where the big lumberjack was sitting. The two men on either side of him suddenly grabbed his arms, and one of the other men leaned over and punched him in the face. It was so sudden that Decker stopped to watch.
The man who had thrown the blow was off balance, so there wasn’t much force behind it. The big lumberman simply shook it off and then rose to a standing position, roaring, taking the men who were holding his arms with him. Both men, looking frightened, held on for dear life as the big man swung both of them around, dragging them over the table and slamming them into each other.
The table collapsed beneath the weight, and the other two men jumped back.
The big man waited for the two fallen men to regain their feet, and then he faced all four, two of whom had picked up pieces of the collapsed table.
“You fellas are making a big mistake,” the man said. “Put the lumber down and go on back to your camp.”
“We’re gonna splatter your brains,” one of them said, and the others nodded in agreement.
The four moved toward the bigger man, and he swung a backhanded blow that almost took one of their heads off. The other three swarmed over him, two of them swinging the wood. The big man blocked the blows with his huge arms, then grabbed both of the wood-wielding men by the jacket fronts and began to shake them. Decker knew their brains had to be bouncing back and forth inside their heads.
Decker then saw the fourth man take out a knife. He began to circle the big man so he could come up from behind. Everybody in the room saw what was happening, but no one made a move to do anything. That was when Decker moved.
Decker came up on the man from behind, grabbed his wrist, and twisted. As the man staggered off balance, Decker broke the man’s forearm with a satisfying, audible snap.
The big man slammed the two men he was holding together, this time banging their heads. As one of the men slumped forward, the bigger man released him and let him fall to the floor. He held the other man up, pounded his big fist into his face once, and then released him.
As he faced Decker, Decker put his hands up in front of him and said, “Take it easy. I’m on your side.”
The big man looked down at the man who was cradling his broken arm and saw the knife on the floor in front of him.
“So I see. I’m in your debt.”
“Don’t mention it. You want to hold these fellas for the law?”
“Ain’t none,” the man said. “Why don’t we just get out of here and leave them to themselves.”
“Good idea.”
They went outside and Decker moved to take hold of John Henry’s reins.
“This your horse?”
“He is.”
“He’s a mighty good-looking animal.”
“Thank you.”
Decker took a moment to examine his new acquaintance. He was big, wearing a plaid coat with a fur collar and a fur hat. He had a full beard and was obviously a lumberjack.
“Looks a little long in the tooth, though.”
“John Henry’s nine, but there’s plenty of fire left in him. He’s better than any horse half his age.”
“I’ll bet. Name’s Frenchie,” the man said, extending a huge hand.
“Frenchie?” Decker said, shaking the man’s hand. “You don’t sound French.”
“I ain’t, but every lumber camp’s gotta have a Frenchie, right?”
“I guess so,” Decker agreed, amused by the man. “Who were those fellas?”
“Just some fellas from another lumber camp. They took exception to something I said.”
“What was that?”
“I told them any man from my camp could whip any three men from theirs.”
“Well, you proved that point.”
“With your help.”
“Ah,” Decker said, “but I took care of the fourth man.”
“That’s right,” the man said. “You did. Are you just passing through?”
“Yes. I was just going to get some supplies.”
“First tent as you come into town,” Frenchie said. “Going that way myself. Mind if I walk along?”
“Not at all,” Decker said. The man appeared to be genuinely friendly, but Decker stayed on the alert nevertheless.
They walked together, John Henry trailing behind them. Decker held the reins loosely in his left hand, keeping his right hand free.
When they entered the tent the bounty hunter saw that supplies were stacked on the dirt floor and that a counter had been set up similar to the one used as a bar in the saloon tent. Behind the counter was a man who couldn’t have been more than five and a half feet tall but who had the upper body of a man a full foot taller.
“Hello, Frenchie.”
