“Stay here, Charlie.” Preston took his hat off and handed it to Charlie, opened the window and climbed out, laid down on the roof, slid down to the edge and dropped down to the ground. Two riders riding away from him were the only ones on the street. He crossed the street and walked up behind Billy, drew his Arkansas toothpick and held it beside his leg.
“Billy,” he said and Billy turned around.
Billy looked at Preston and saw the knife, but wasn’t quick enough to draw his Colt before Preston plunged the knife into his throat and ripped his jugular out. Billy staggered against his horse. The horse pulled on the reins tied to the hitching post and Billy fell face down on the ground without so much as a grunt, his ivory-handled Colt halfway out of his holster, his blood spilling out on the ground.
Preston looked down at Billy’s crumpled body. “You’re kind of stupid, Billy boy.” He put the knife back in his boot, dropped Billy’s Colt back in the holster and lifted him on his horse and tied him across the saddle with Billy’s lariat, slapped the horse on the butt hard and it took off for parts unknown.
Preston scattered dirt over the blood with his boots in the moonlight and hurried back across the street without seeing anyone. He swung up on the roof and crawled back in the room, Charlie watching it all from the window.
“Takes care of that,” Preston said. “Now we’re the only ones that knows besides those three we’re after. Got seven-thousand more reasons to find them now.”
“Didn’t figure you was goin’ to let him come with us,” Charlie said. “Hope you’re not goin to do that to me.”
“Nope, I need you,” Preston said.
“How was you sure he was tellin’ the truth?”
“He wouldn’t have offered to show us the bank bag if he wasn’t.”
Preston pulled off his boots and wiped the blood off the knife and his boots with a towel and stuck the towel in his bag, the knife back in his boot, and laid down on the bed, waiting for the next day to catch another train.
21
When Rance, B.W. and Tommy rode into Texarkana, they started looking for a livery stable to feed the horses. Tommy saw the mercantile store and kept riding to get some peppermint sticks. Rance and B.W. rode into the livery and dismounted. Rance noticed Tommy wasn’t there.
“Where’d that boy go?” Rance asked.
“Was behind us coming in,” B.W. said.
They remounted and turned their horses around and rode back out in the street. No sign of Tommy.
They rode all over town but didn’t find Tommy and so they headed back to the livery stable. When they stopped at the door, Tommy came riding in behind them.
“Where you been?” B.W. said. “Scared the hell out of us.”
“I can take care of myself.,” he said. “Got me some peppermints, heard the train whistle blow and went to the train station.”
“Why’d you do that,” B.W. said. “Don’t wander off like that again. Don’t you know who’s following us?”
“Well, what did you find out?” Rance said.
“The next train outta here leaves at four this afternoon, pullin’ passenger and cattle cars. We can put our horses in a cattle car, ride in a passenger car all the way to Traversville. I told the ticket agent you was my uncles and sent me to buy the tickets.”
“Where’d you get the money,” Rance said.
“Took three ten-dollar gold pieces out of the bag the other day in case I needed money.”
“Well, it’s alright,” B.W. said, “but that’s stealing.”
“What you think you’re doing,” Tommy said, looking at B.W.
“That’s different,” B.W. said.
“Not really,” Rance said, “just more money.”
“Are you going to preach to me again?” B.W. said.
“It’s his money too,” Rance said.
“It is,” B.W. said. “Just don’t think he should take it without telling us.”
“You two hush. We got a train to catch.” Tommy said.
“He’s right, kinda silly us arguing over nothin.’ Lead the way, Mr. Travers,” Rance said.
“I want to stop at the store and get me some more peppermint sticks,” Tommy said. “Long ride ahead.”
“Whatever you say,” B.W. said.
Tommy got his peppermint sticks and they rode on to the train station. Several men were coming and going on and off the train.
“That the guy you talked to?” Rance said, looking at a big-headed man with a railroad cap on that looked like it was having trouble staying on his fat head. He was wearing the Travers overalls but had the side buttons lose to accommodate a bulging belly.
“Yeah that’s him,” Tommy said.
“Since you’re the one that was talking to him,” Rance said, “ask him where he wants the horses.”
Tommy handed Rance the reins to his horse. The agent saw Tommy walking toward him.
“Hello young man. Those your uncles?” he said, looking at Rance and B.W.
“Yes sir,” he said. “They want to know where to put the horses.”
“Uncles,” B.W. said, looking at Rance, both smiling.
“Didn’t know one of them was an Indian,” he said, eyeing B.W. “Might not should let him on board. You got Indian blood? Might not let you either.”
“Not really my uncle, I just call him that. He pretty well stays to himself, won’t bother nobody,” Tommy said.
“Make sure he stays away from the other passengers,” the man said.
“Yes sir, I will.”
“Tell them to put the horses in the first cattle car. After that, get your tickets and get aboard, only bout an hour before we leave. Don’t know if they will feed the Indian when we stop in Winfield.”
Tommy nodded and walked back to Rance and B.W.
“We heard,” B.W. said. “You sure I’m good enough to ride with the white folks?”
“Had to
