Vengeance Creek

“Who’s the second man?” Cory asked.

“He should be here in any minute,” Shaye said. “His name is Rigoberto Colon.”

“The drunk?” Cory asked.

“Rigoberto, Pa?” Thomas asked.

“Sober, he’s a good man.”

“When is he sober?” James asked.

“He knows horses,” Shaye said, “and he can handle a gun.”

“And what does Mr. Cory bring to the table?” Thomas asked.

Cory left it to Shaye to answer.

“Cory can track,” Shaye said, “and he can handle a gun.”

There was an awkward moment, then James said, “Well, it sounds good to me. The sooner we hit the trail, the better.”

“James,” Shaye said, “I’d like you to take Mr. Cory over to the livery and show him the stall where the horses were. Also, show him the horses the bank robbers left behind.”

“Yes, Pa.”

“Answer whatever questions he has,” Shaye added. “Fill him in. And get him a horse. Tell Hill the town will pay him.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Thomas….”

“Yes, sir?”

“Ribogerto is going to have to be outfitted. Clothes, gun, horse…take him and get him whatever he needs. Tell the merchants the town will pay.”

“Yes, Pa.”

“Be back here by three. You should have enough light left to pick up the trail…don’t you think, Ralph?”

Cory nodded. At that moment the door opened and a clean, wet-haired Rigoberto Colon walked in, looking sheepish.

“Berto, that’s Ralph Cory. He’ll be goin’ along.”

“The gunsmith, es verdad?”

“That’s right.”

“Con mucho gusto,” Colon said, shaking the man’s hand.

“Berto, these are my sons, Thomas and James. Thomas is gonna take you and buy you what you need.”

Thomas walked over to Colon, shook his hand and asked, “Shall we go?”

“Bien,” Colon said. “I am ready. Lead the way, Tomas.”

“Thomas, when he’s outfitted, take him to the livery and show him what we have as well—and get him a horse.”

“Yes, Pa.”

As they left, Cory said to Shaye, “Can I talk to you for a minute?”

“Sure.”

James looked from his father to the gunsmith and back, then said, “I’ll just wait outside.”

After James left, Shaye asked, “What’s on your mind, Cory?”

“You haven’t told your boys who I really am.”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“I thought that would be up to you,” Shaye said. “All they have to know is that you’re willin’ to help. The rest is your business.”

Cory studied Shaye for a moment, then asked, “What about the Mexican?”

“What about him?’

“Is he just a borracho? Or is he not who he seems?”

“I guess that’ll be up to him to say too, if he chooses.”

Cory stared at Shaye for a few more moments, then nodded as if satisfied with the answers he’d gotten and left.

32

James watched while Ralph Cory studied the ground in the two empty stalls. Standing off to one side, the livery man, Ron Hill, also watched.

“Did you and your brother walk in here?” Cory asked.

“No,” James said, “we stayed outside.”

Cory started to step into the stall, but remembered that Shaye wanted the Mexican, Colon, to examine them as well. He stepped back and swept the floor of each stall with his eye.

“Do you see anything?” James asked.

“Yes,” Cory said, hunkering down in front of one of the stalls, “but it’s understandable that you and your brother missed it.”

James came over, squatted next to the man and said, “Show me. I want to learn.”

Cory looked at James, then said, “All right. Look there.” He pointed to a set of tracks. “This horse steps more lightly on his left hind leg.”

“Is he lame?”

“No,” Cory said, “it’s just an odd gait the animal has. Otherwise, it’s perfectly sound.”

James looked at the man with undisguised admiration.

“Well, I’ll be…” Hill said, scratching his head. “I never woulda noticed that.”

“I don’t think my pa would even have seen that.”

“Don’t sell your pa short, son,” Cory said, straightening up. “Take me out to the corral and show me those other two horses.”

“Yes, sir. This way…”

Thomas and Colon went to the general store and got the Mexican outfitted with saddlebags, blankets, a bedroll, and some new shirts and trousers. With both of them carrying bundles, they walked to the livery to get him a horse and let him have a look at the now empty stalls where the bank robbers’ horses had been.

Upon entering the livery they set the bundles aside on a bale of hay, then Thomas showed Colon the stalls.

“Muy bien,” the Mexican said after only a moment. “I have seen enough.”

“Then let’s find Hill and get you a horse,” Thomas said. “Must be out back.”

The two men went out to the corral, where they found Hill and James watching while Ralph Cory inspected the horses formerly owned by the bank robbers.

“Mr. Hill,” Thomas said, “Rigoberto needs a horse.”

Hill frowned at Colon and asked Thomas, “He got money for a horse?”

“The town does,” Thomas said. “They’ll be footin’ the bill.”

“Go ahead and pick one out, then.”

“Con permiso,” Colon said. “I will wait for Senor Cory to finish.”

“Fine,” Thomas said. He walked over to his brother, who quickly told him what Cory had found in the stalls.

“The Mexican said the same thing,” Thomas informed his brother.

“He did?” James was shocked. “I guess Pa’s right about him not bein’ just a drunk.”

“We been livin’ here as long as Pa has,” Thomas said. “How come we don’t know these two men?”

James shrugged and said, “’Cause we ain’t Pa.”

Cory came waking over to them, remaining inside the corral. “Double W brand,” he said. “Know it?”

“Never heard of it,” Thomas said.

“Me neither,” James said.