Sara whispered, “What kind of advantages?”
“Besides having the sheriff with me, I’ll know where he is and the layout of the dead town. We’ll be able to choose the time that we arrive, and I know that he has the Martini-Henry.”
“Why is that an advantage? He can shoot you from a quarter of a mile away before you know he’s there.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, sweetheart. Firing at long range is a tricky business. It’s not like a pistol shootout at fifty feet when the bullet shows up before you know the other man fired. If he tries to shoot at us from, say six hundred yards, then I’d have two seconds to avoid getting hit. If I’m looking at the buildings and see a flash and smoke, that bullet has to travel eighteen hundred feet. It’ll start slowing down as soon as it leaves the muzzle, too.
“Hitting a moving target at that range is very difficult. And because I know he has the Martini-Henry, I can shift directions and speed, so it becomes almost impossible. To be honest, it would be much better if he did try to fire at long range. Then we’d know where he is. By the time he’s able to reload, we’d be close to Winchester range.”
Sara was still worried, but Jake’s technical explanation was actually soothing. It was logical and deflected many of her fears.
“Thank you for explaining it to me, Jake. I feel better, but I still expect to have you back here in four days with nothing to prevent you from making better use of our bed.”
Jake kissed her on her forehead before saying, “I promise.”
Jake was finding it difficult to sleep as he envisioned riding down that trail toward the ghost town watching for that muzzle flare. He’d have plenty of time to discuss the strategy with the sheriff on the long ride and maybe Arv would have a better idea.
He closed his eyes and felt Sara as she breathed quietly beside him. He had promised her to return in one piece and he prayed that he wouldn’t break it.
CHAPTER 12
Jake waved to Sara as she stood on the front porch, then turned the sorrel toward the access road. Bill had chosen his temporary ride well. The six-year-old gelding wasn’t as spectacular as Mars or Vulcan but had a big chest and strong legs. He had four long white stockings and a light tan mane and tail. If Jake didn’t already have Mars, he’d keep the sorrel.
Sheriff Zendt hadn’t even needed to dismount when he’d reached the house just after sunrise, which must have surprised him as the early August sun arrived early.
As they turned west on the road, Jake waved once more to Sara who hadn’t moved. She waved back before Jake and Arv picked up the pace.
Once on the road, Arv told him that he’d received a second telegram from Sheriff Jefferson. The update included Dave Forrest’s lack of supplies and his use of the long-range rifle to kill his deputies and his horse. The Lewis & Clark County sheriff also informed Sheriff Zendt that he’d formed two volunteer watch parties to guard the road north of Silver City and the only other road that Dave could have taken to return to his county.
“That means if we don’t spot him, then he’s going to ride into a passel of Winchesters.”
Jake replied, “I don’t think he’d risk heading back that way, Arv. I don’t think we’ll bump into him on this road either. He could be camped out south of Fort Shaw, but my best guess is that he’s already north of the fort and on his way to Woman’s Breast.”
“That’s what I think, too. Let’s figure out the best way to smoke him out.”
“When was the last time you were up there?”
“More than a year ago. There were just a few squatters living there, so there wasn’t much call to head that way again.”
“I only met one old coot when I visited the place. If he’s still there and Dave shows up, he might not get to see another sunset.”
The sheriff nodded as he said, “I reckon you’re right. Tell me what it’s like nowadays.”
Jake described the abandoned town as they kept up a good pace.
_____
Jake and Sheriff Zendt had already been on the road for an hour when Dave slid out of his bedroll.
He was still stiff from yesterday’s long, difficult ride and had slept too long. Before he even answered nature’s call, he looked south along the barely recognizable roadway. After finding it empty, he emptied his bladder then turned to the north. He didn’t see the abandoned town yet, but knew he’d get there within a couple of hours. He had enough supplies to last him for at least two weeks but knew he couldn’t return to Fort Shaw to buy more. But that was a future problem. Right now, he had to get his horses ready to go. Because he’d used his subterfuge by heading south, he hadn’t worried about leaving a trail.
As he saddled his horses, he didn’t even glance to the south again. Twenty minutes after leaving his bedroll, Dave Forrest was riding north to the abandoned settlement.
Dave believed it to be totally empty because he hadn’t seen anyone when he’d been looking for Jake. That was because Joe Packard didn’t want to be seen.
When Joe had seen Jake ride into town, he’d only stepped out of the saloon when he was sure that the young man wasn’t dangerous. He had a different opinion when he spotted Dave Forrest and stayed out of sight. It was how he stayed alive.
So, as Dave rode north with the bright morning sun casting a long shadow to his left, he wasn’t expecting anyone to
