Rowdy Rides to Glory (1987) (5 page)

Beyond, and close to the sheer wall at the far end of the little meadow, was a ston
e
cabin, and a corral. There were several horses in the corral. No saddled horses wer
e
in sight.

Skirting the cliff wall, they circled to the right, trusting t
o
the sparse trees and the brush, as well as to the wide shadow of the encircling cliffs
,
to hide them. As they neared the cabin, Rowdy saw that the stream had been damme
d
and there was a large pool, all of an acre in extent.

Vaho touched his arm, indicating the pool. "That may be your trouble," she said
,
low voiced. "This stream is probably the source of your water supply."

He had been thinking the same thing, and he nodded. When they had a better view
,
he could see that no more than a trickle seemed to be escaping from the pool, an
d
the waters of the stream had been diverted to irrigate another small meadow.

More cattle were in view in the branch canyon. Rowdy Horn estimated that three hundre
d
head were held here. From the brands he saw, nearly every ranch in the South Ri
m
country was represented except the Bar 0. That was, in itself, evidence of a kind.

He stored the fact grimly away in his mind.

"Nobody around," he said thoughtfully. "I'm going to have a look in that cabin."

"I'll wait here," Vaho said. "Be careful."

He left her with Silverside and rode forward slowly. When near the cabin he dismounte
d
and walked nearer on cat feet. A glance through the window showed the cabin to b
e
empty. Stepping inside, he took a hasty look around. Six or seven men were bunkin
g
here, and they had supplies and ammunition enough to last a long time. Also, th
e
house gave every evidence of long occupancy.

Under one of the bunks he saw a square black box and drew it out. It was padlocked
,
but picking up a hatchet, he smashed the lock with a few well-directed blows. Insid
e
the box were a couple of engraved six-shooters, some odds and ends of letters addresse
d
to Jack Rollick, and a small black tally book. He had picked it up and opened it
,
when he heard a scream.

With a lunge he was on his feet, racing to the door. He sprang outside, his eye
s
swinging to the woods where he had left Vaho. The bushes were thrashing, and he hear
d
another low cry. Instantly he vaulted into saddle and the black horse lunged int
o
a dead run for the woods. Rowdy hit the ground running, and dived through the bushes.

Vaho, her blouse torn, was fighting desperately with a tall, powerful man in a sweat-staine
d
red shirt. When Rowdy plunged through the brush, the man's head turned. With an oat
h
he hurled the girl from him and grabbed for his gun.

His draw was like a flash of light, and in an instant of desperation as the big man'
s
hand darted, Rowdy Horn knew he could never match that draw, yet he palmed his ow
n
gun. The rustler's six-shooter roared, then Rowdy fired.

The big man lifted on his tiptoes, raised his eyebrows, and opened his mouth slowly
,
then plunged over on his face.

Carefully, gun ready, Rowdy walked forward. He had never killed a man before, an
d
he was frightened. The rustler'
s
shot had been hasty and had missed. Evidently, the big fellow had stumbled when h
e
tried to move, for Rowdy's bullet had gone into his back, just behind his left arm
,
and had come out under the heart.

"Oh, Rowdy!" Vaho cried, her eyes wide. "You killed him!" "I reckon I did!" he said.

"And I reckon we'd better make tracks out of here before they get back! There's a
t
least five or six more of them around somewhere."

Swiftly they rode away, and in his hip pocket was the black tally book, forgotten.

They were skirting the Slash Bar range when Vaho spoke up suddenly. "Rowdy, hadn'
t
you better ride on into Aragon and report this to the sheriff? Wouldn't it be best?"

"That's a good idea," he said worriedly. "What about you?" "I'll wait at the Poin
t
of Rocks with Silverside. You can cut across to town, then come back here and we'l
l
go on to your place."

Despite the fact that the killing had been in self-defense, and to protect Vaho
,
Rowdy was worried. It was no small thing to kill a man, even a thief and rustler.

He rode swiftly, hurrying by every shortcut he knew, for Aragon. Yet when he arrived
,
the sheriffs office was deserted. He walked down the street, but could find him nowhere.

Eager to be back with Vaho, and worried about her-for he realized that the dead rustler'
s
friends might trail them-Rowdy finally abandoned his quest for the sheriff and returne
d
to the Point of Rocks. Together they rode on to the Slash Bar.

Riding into the yard, he called out, but there was no reply. Neil Rice was evidentl
y
away. Rowdy swung down, and wearily the girl dismounted. He stripped the saddle
s
and bridles from the sweat-stained horses and turned all three of them into the corral.

He and Vaho walked toward the house, but Vaho halted suddenly.

"Rowdy," she said, "I'm as tired as can be, but I should be going back to the Indians.

Cleetus was to come today, and he'll be worried about me."

"All right." He turned back and saddled a paint horse for her to ride. As she sa
t
in the saddle, he took her hand. "Vaho," he said, "you've been swell. I didn't kno
w
they made them like you."

"It's all right. I liked doing it."

"Look," he said. "After the rodeo there's a big dance. Will you go with me?"

Her eyes brightened. "Oh, Rowdy! I'd love to! A dance! Why, I haven't danced sinc
e
I left Boston! Of course, I'll go!" When she was out of sight in the gathering dusk
,
he turne
d
back again toward the cabin. Opening the door he walked in. The place was hot an
d
stuffy, so he left the door open. Striking a match, he lit the coal-oil lamp, the
n
turned around to replace it in the bracket. With the lamp in his hand, he stopped
,
riveted to the spot.

There on the floor of his cabin lay the body of a dead man. The red-shirted man h
e
had killed at the hideout!

But how on earth had he come here? Rowdy did not even hear the approaching horse
s
until a voice spoke abruptly be hind him: "Here! What's this?"

Turning, he found Sheriff Ben Wells staring from him to the body.

"What's happened here?" demanded the lawman. "Who is this hombre?"

Behind Wells was Bart Luby and Mike McNulty. "That's cold-blooded killing, Ben!"

Luby said triumphantly. "This man was shot in the back."

"He was not!" Horn declared hotly. "He was left side toward me, and he fired, the
n
started to move. My bullet went in where you see it, back of his arm."

"It's still in his back!" Luby said. "And," he added grimly, we have only your stor
y
for it. You say he fired a shot. Why, his gun's still in its holster!"

"He wasn't killed here!" Horn said angrily. "This hombre grabbed Vaho Rainey whe
n
we were ridin' back of the Rim. I rushed up to help and he drew and fired. He misse
d
and I shot and killed him!"

Sheriff Wells knelt beside the body. Drawing the gun, he checked it, then looke
d
up, his face grave.

"This gun is fully loaded," he said, "and hasn't been fired!" "What?" Rowdy was dumbfounded.

"Why, that couldn't be.

He-" He shrugged. "Well, I reckon the man or men who brought him here changed gun
s
with him."

Wells gnawed at his gray mustache. Secretly, he had always liked Rowdy Horn as muc
h
as he disliked Bart Luby, but this story was out of all reason.

"You mean to say," he demanded, that you killed this man back of the Rim? And tha
t
somebody packed his carcass down here and dumped him on you?"

"That's exactly what happened!" Rowdy Horn said flatly. "It's the only way it coul
d
have happened."

Luby laughed. "Give him credit for being original, Ben. But he certainly hasn't muc
h
respect for your intelligence, to try a story like that."

"You'll have to come into town, son," Wells said, his voice hardening. "This wil
l
have to be explained."

"But you can't put me in jail!" Rowdy pleaded. "Think, man! The rodeo's tomorrow."

"You should have thought of that," Luby suggested, "before you killed this man. Anyway
,
that's no excuse. Your ropin' horse is laid up, so you can't compete!"

On the verge of bursting out with an explanation about Silverside, he caught himsel
f
just in time. If he had to go to jail, and there was nobody to watch the horse, i
t
might easily be stolen.

"I knew this hombre," McNulty said suddenly. "He was Jake Leener, one of the Rollic
k
outfit."

"No matter," Wells said positively. "He was shot in the back. We had nothing agains
t
him, even if he did ride with Rollick. The law can't call a man a crook until he'
s
known to be one. This here hombre hadn't no record I know of, and he sure ain't wante
d
now."

"But listen!" Rowdy protested. "I've a witness! Vaho Rainey saw all this! She know
s
what happened!"

"Vaho Rainey?" Wells stared at him. "Rowdy, what you givin' us? If that girl wa
s
with you, where is she now? You know as well as I do that if there is any such gir
l
nobody has seen her around. You're just pullin' rabbits out of your hat. Tell u
s
what happened, and I'll see you get a break if you've got one comin'. "

"I told you what happened!" Horn said stubbornly. "Take it or leave it!"

"We'll take you," Wells said. "Mike, rustle this gent's horse, an' be quick!"

Bart Luby glanced thoughtfully across the room toward th
e
door of the bedroom. He was thinking of that old cabinet. Now that he was arrested
,
Horn would be away from the house. In the dozen or so times he had tried to enter
,
he had failed to find him away even once. But with a killer charge hanging over hi
m
he would not return, and he was out of the rodeo....

It was a solemn and silent group that rode over the trail to Aragon. Grimly, Rowd
y
thought that this was the last straw. He was through now. The rodeo had been hi
s
last hope. With that money, even though he had lost jenny, he could pay off the mortgag
e
on his ranch.

His thought of jenny brought it home to him that he had scarcely thought of her fo
r
days. Ever since he had first seen her, several years before, he had dreamed of her.

She had been an ideal girl, the prettiest one around, and all his attentions ha
d
been centered upon her. When they had become engaged, it was almost more than h
e
could believe.

Yet after he had begun to see more of her and know her better, his first doubts o
f
her had arisen. After all, there were other things than beauty, and although he tol
d
himself he was being unjust, Jenny seemed to be lacking in too many of them. Despit
e
this, his loyalty made him refuse to accept the evidence of his senses until th
e
day she had broken their engagement. For in spite of the shock and pain of that moment
,
he had felt a queer sense of escape and relief.