Rebel Spurs Read online

  8

  Only once before, when some river toughs had ganged up on the scouts, hadDrew had to use fists to beat his way out of an argument. But that hadbeen a round dance at Court House Day compared to this. Within moments theKentuckian knew that he was no match for the trooper, that he would belucky if he could get out of this unmaimed. The fellow knew every dirtytrick and was eager to use them all. Drew tried only to keep on his feetand out of the other's grip. Once down, he knew he would have no chance atall.

  Then he was jerked back, off balance, staggering on to bring up againstthe wall. He caught at the solid backing and somehow remained upright,seeing hazily through one eye. The other was puffing closed, and his lipwas torn, a trickle of blood rising there to drip down his chin. He putboth hands to his middle where more than one of the pile-driver knocks hadlanded, and tried to understand what was happening.

  Sergeant Muller ... that was Muller standing over the man on the floor.And Nye ... Reese Topham ... suddenly the cantina was very well populated.Drew turned his head cautiously to see on his blind side. Anse was down!The Kentuckian stood away from the wall, lurched out to fall to his knees.He rolled the Texan over on his back. Anse's eyes fluttered open, and helooked up dazedly. There was an angry red mark on his chin just an inch orso away from the point of his jaw.

  "Now, just what devil's business is goin' on here?" The sergeant's voicewas a roar to hurt the ears. Somehow Drew got an arm under Anse'sshoulders and tried to hoist him up. The Kentuckian swallowed blood fromhis lip and glared at Muller.

  "Suppose you ask those high-binders of yours!" he snapped. And once moreit was Sergeant Rennie who spoke.

  Other hands joined his to boost Anse. With Topham's aid Drew regained hisfeet and got the staggering Texan, still half unconscious, onto a chair.

  "I'm interested, too." The cantina owner's drawl was as slow as ever, butit held a note of a whiplash.

  "Them soldiers...." Fowler appeared, the bar-side shotgun across hisarm--"they jumped th' boys. I saw it, myself."

  "Yeah, told yuh these town buzzards're all th' same. Stick together an'have it in for th' army!"

  Drew could not see which of the troopers had burst out with that, but inhis present mood all bluecoats were the enemy.

  "Dirty Yanks!" Anse's eyes were fully focused now--right on the sergeant.Anse struggled to get up, but Topham's hands on his shoulders held himdown. His hand went to his holster, and Drew's fist came down on theTexan's wrist, hard.

  "See that thar, Sarge! Th' stinkin' polecat of a Reb was gonna draw onyou! Told you, they's all alike. Th' war ain't over; we jus' gotta keep onlickin' 'em. Give us room, an' we'll do it again--now!"

  Anse's face was green-white under the weathering, save for the wound onhis jaw. He was watching Muller as if the sergeant, rather than his men,was the focal point of any future attack.

  "You--Stevens--shut your trap!" Muller's roar brought silence. Drew couldactually hear the panting breaths of the men now.

  "Mitchell, what happened here?" Muller turned to the man at his far right.

  The trooper was younger than the rest, his face still holding something ofa boyish roundness. His eyes shifted under the sergeant's steady, boringstare, and he glanced at the rest of his companions, the two disheveledfighters, the lanky man picking up a forage cap and handing it to one ofthem.

  "I dunno, Sergeant. Th' boys ... they was jus' funnin'. They didn't meantnothin', jus' funnin'. Then these here Rebs, they come right after Helms,was gonna jump him from behind. An' Danny waded in jus' to keep thatone"--the boy pointed straight at Drew--"offa Helms. That's what happened.Th' boys didn't mean no harm--jus' havin' a little fun--when these Rebsjumped 'em!"

  Drew pulled up his neckerchief and dabbed at his cut lip. Anse hadsubsided, though he was still watching the sergeant with an unrelentinggaze. The Kentuckian tried to remember where Fowler had been during thefracas. He had spoken up for them already, but would Muller accept histestimony over that of his own men? There was already ill feeling betweenthe army and the town. Drew remembered _Don_ Cazar's encounter withBayliss at Kells' stable. What had Reese Topham said then? That thecaptain was only waiting to make trouble for Rennie. And now here he washimself--one of Rennie's riders--involved in a saloon fight with troopers.Drew began to realize that this could be even worse than the physicalpunishment he and Anse had suffered.

  "You ... bartender--" The sergeant now looked to Fowler. "What'd you see?"

  "You ain't gonna take his word for it, for anythin' in this mudhole of atown, are you, Sarge? They'd all lie their heads off to git a trooper intotrouble. Wouldn't you now?" The lanky man sidled along the bar to snarl atFowler.

  "Stevens, shut that big mouth of yours, an' I ain't gonna say that agin!All right, Fowler, tell me what _you_ saw!"

  Fowler slid the shotgun out of sight, apparently sure that an armistice,at least, was assured.

  "Th' boys"--he nodded at Drew and Anse--"were sittin' at that table, mindin'their own business. Helms, he went over an' picked up a book----"

  "A book!" Muller's craggy features mirrored astonishment. "What book?Why?"

  Topham moved and suddenly they were all watching him. He stooped, pickedup the dark-brown volume, and a torn page fluttered to the floor. Hegathered that up, too, and tucked it back in the proper place.

  "It would seem, Sergeant," he remarked, "that there _was_ a book involved.And if your men didn't bring it in here, then Kirby or his friend musthave. This is certainly not a cantina fixture. Hmm, _History of theConquest of Mexico_," he read the title on the cracked spine. "There aremore books, I see." He stepped to the side of the overturned table,gathered the other two volumes, and placed them together in a neat pile onthe bar. All of the men continued to watch him as if his actions werehighly significant.

  "So--" he turned to face Muller. "We have established that there was abook, in fact, three books."

  "What'd you want with that book, Helms?" Muller demanded.

  He was met by a scowl. "Nothin'. I was jus' funnin'--like Ben said. Thenthem Rebs started playin' rough, an' we jus' gave 'em a lesson."

  Fowler snorted. "I say Helms started it, an' th' jumpin' went th' otherway 'round, Sergeant. An' that's all I got to say."

  "Well, it isn't all I have to say! Sergeant, just what is going on here?"

  Whoever, having once heard that turkey cock crow, could ever forget it,thought Drew. Captain Bayliss strode in, powdery white dust graying hisblue blouse, his face redder and more sun peeled than ever. The troopersbehind Muller stiffened into wooden soldiers, all expression vanishingfrom their features until they matched each other in exact anonymity.

  "Sergeant, take those two men into custody." A jerk of the head indicatedDrew and Anse. The Kentuckian straightened.

  "On what charge, Captain?" he got out.

  "Attacking a United States soldier."

  "In performance of his duty, Captain?" Reese Topham cut in. "I hardlythink you can say that. Your men were apparently off duty. At least theywere in here, drinking, too. You _did_ serve them, Fowler?"

  "Sure did, boss! Let's see now ... Helms, he had whisky; so did Stevens.Mitchell, now, he had a beer----"

  "It remains that they were attacked while wearing the uniform!" Bayliss'glare now included the full company before him.

  "From what I've heard, they did the attacking," Topham pointed out. "Atleast Helms seems to have given provocation. No, Captain Bayliss, your menwere in here drinking. They started a brawl. Your sergeant very rightlybroke it up. That's the sum of the matter!"

  Bayliss' high color was fading. "You want it left that way, Topham?" heasked icily. "This only confirms my contention that matters in Tubacca arecompletely out of control, that the Rebel element has the backing of thecitizens. I shall so report it."

  "That is your privilege." Topham nodded. "But this is still Tubacca andnot your camp, Captain. And _my_ cantina. If you want to declare myestablishment out of bounds for your men, that is also your privilege."

  "I do so--imm
ediately! Sergeant, get these men out of here!"

  "What about the prisoners, sir?"

  "I think the captain will agree there are no prisoners," Topham said. "Wewould be obliged to give evidence at any army hearing, Captain. Kirby hereis not a troublemaker. I would unhesitatingly vouch for him."

  Bayliss looked directly at Drew.

  "You have a job? A reason for being in town?" He shot the questions as hemight have shot slugs from his Colt. Nye answered before Drew could.

  "He sure has a job, Cap'n. He's ridin' th' rough string for Rennie. An' hecame to town with them remounts you're buyin'. An' what Topham says istrue, th' kid ain't no troublemaker. He's 'bout th' most peaceful hombre Iever rode with."

  "Rider for Rennie, eh? I might have known!" Bayliss snapped. "And whatabout this one--he riding for Rennie, too?" He pointed to Anse.

  "He's my cousin," Drew returned. "He just got into town."

  "Another Rebel?"

  Anse stood up. "If you mean was I with th' Confederate army, Yankee--I surewas, from Shiloh clean through. Got me this to prove it. Do you want tosee?" From the inner band of his hat he brought out a much creased paper."No, you don't!" He twitched the sheet away when Bayliss reached for it."I'll jus' let Mister Topham read it. I want to keep it safe." He handedthe paper to the gambler.

  "Parole, Captain, signed and made out properly," Topham reported. "Datedin Tennessee for a prisoner of war--June, 1865. I hardly think you canclaim this is one of Kitchell's men, if that is what you have in mind."

  "No, but he'll be out of this town or he'll answer to me. Both of you--nexttime you step over the line, I'm taking you both in!" Bayliss spoke now toNye. "I heard young Shannon was here, that you had him in tow and thathe's seen Kitchell. I want to talk to him."

  "He's over to th' doc's, an' Doc'll have th' say 'bout that, Cap'n," Nyereplied. "Johnny took a pretty bad crease 'longside his skull."

  "He'll answer a few questions that badly need answering." Bayliss wasalready on his way to the door. Nye stepped back and let him pass. Hegrinned.

  "Let him have it out with Doc. Ain't nobody runnin' a stampede over DocMatthews, not even th' cap'n when he's got his tail up an' ready to hooksod with both horns. Only, lissen here, kid, maybe you'd better keep outtasight. Seems like a man who's waitin' to catch a fella makin' his bootmark in th' wrong pasture can sometimes do it."

  "Nye's right," Topham agreed. "Bayliss can either catch you off guard orsee you're provoked again into doing something he can rope you in for. I'dget back to the Range and stay there until things settle down a little andsomeone else takes the good captain's mind off you."

  "What about Anse? You take him on, Nye?" Drew asked.

  "I ain't got th' authority to hire, Kirby. But no reason why he can't godown th' trail with us. Old Man is always on lookout for a good rider.Soon as we see how Johnny's doin', we'll head south. I already sentGreyfeather back to tell the Old Man th' kid's hurt an' up here. Reese,what'd you think 'bout Bayliss? That he'll try to take over runnin' thetown?"

  "Might just," the gambler replied.

  "_Could_ he do it?"

  "I hardly think so. What he's really out for is Hunt's hide. He doesn'twant a powerful civilian ready to face up to him all the time. If he candiscredit _Don_ Cazar in this country, he figures he has it made."

  Nye laughed shortly. "Lordy, what bottle did he suck out a dream likethat? A lizard might jus' as well try to fight it out with a cougar an'think he hadda chance of winnin'. This here's th' Range, an' ain't nobodybut th' Old Man runs th' Range! Bayliss, he's ridin' for a fall as willjar them big grinnin' teeth of his right outta his jaws!"

  "Maybe, only there can be upsets." Topham looked thoughtful.

  "What kind--and how?" Drew asked quickly.

  Topham was playing with the three books, setting them up, putting themflat again. "Hunt didn't take sides during the war, but he did haveSouthern sympathies in part. After all, he was Texas-born. And Johnnyjoined Howard when they raised that Confederate troop here. He retreatedwith Sibley's force back east and fought through the rest of the war onthe Southern side. Yes, Bayliss, given the right circumstances and asympathetic listening ear in high circles, could make trouble for Rennie.Especially if the good captain had an incident on which to hang such areport."

  "You kinda shoved him into that out-of-bounds order for th' Jacks, didn'tyou now?" Nye pushed his hat to the back of his head and lit a cigarillo.

  "Muller and most of the boys can be counted on not to cause any more thanthe normal pay-night disturbances. But there're some.... What _did_ happenhere today, Kirby?"

  Drew told it straight and flat in as few words as possible. And Topham'sface was sober when he had finished. The gambler brought the top book ofthe pile down on the bar with a thud.

  "I don't like it!"

  "Jus' ornery meanness, warn't it? There's always a few hombres in anyoutfit as tries to push when they gits a slug or two under their belts,"Nye observed.

  "True. Only Helms went out of his way this time. And I'd like to know whattriggered him into it. I can understand some roughhousing on hispart--Stevens, too--providing these boys were on the prod in the beginning.But this book business was too deliberate. Books--" He held up the volumehe was still fingering. "Where'd these come from anyway, Kirby?"

  Drew retailed the story he had heard from Stein. Nye walked over to lookat the display of reading matter, his interest plainly aroused.

  "Lutterfield brought 'em in, eh? Now that's somethin'. Trunk in a cave ...Sounds like these might belong to one of them mine men--a super, maybe.They pulled out fast in '61, right after th' army left. Except for Hodges,an' th' Rebs threw him in jail after they took his business an' what cashhe had on hand."

  "Could be," Topham agreed. "But where they came from doesn't matter asmuch as why Helms chose to use them the way he did. However--and now I'mgiving it to you straight, Kirby--this is once I'd follow Bayliss' orders.You and your cousin here had better make yourselves scarce."

  "An' jus' why?" Anse demanded. "We ain't givin' you any double-tongue wagover this----"

  "I'm not saying you are. I'm just saying that Bayliss and probablyHelms--maybe others--will be waiting, just as the captain promised. You canbe easily suckered into just such another fight. And they'd be smarterabout it next time, so you won't have anyone to call their bluff in yourfavor. Once they get you into the camp stockade, it might be difficult toget you out. And this is something else, stranger, you went for your gun afew minutes ago. Kirby stopped you, but next time that could lead to realtrouble."

  "I can't see why--" Drew began.

  "Well"--Anse was on the defensive--"a man can take jus' so much pushin', an'we had more'n that! Next time anybody lays his dirty hands on me, he'sgonna know he's had him trouble, all right!"

  "I don't mean that." Drew waved Anse's retort aside. "I don't see why wewere jumped in the first place. Unless it was because we happened to behere at a time when they wanted to start trouble?" He made that into aquestion and looked to Topham for the answer.

  "Could be," the gambler admitted.

  "Only you're not sure?" Drew persisted.

  "Could be you were handy and they had some kind of a hint to start aruckus just to show there ain't any proper law here. Could be that theyknew you ride for Hunt and that made you just the game they wanted."

  "Helms's kinda dumb to play any cute game," Nye protested. "An' th' sarge,he's always been a good guy, I don't see him bitin' happy on any suchbackhand orders."

  "Not orders, no. Captain Bayliss is still too army to give any suchorders. Helms's always been a troublemaker; he wouldn't need much morethan a suggestion or two of the right sort. Helms, Stevens, Danny Birke,and that kid Mitchell. You're right so far, Nye." Topham grinned. "Like asnot, I'm imaginin' things--a greenhorn huntin' Apaches behind every bush.None of that crew has the brains to see anything beyond the tip of hisnose. No, I guess we can take it that you were handy and they had too muchred-eye on empty stomachs. Only, I mean it, Kirby, you wal
k soft and getback to the Range as quick as you can."

  "That suits me," Drew agreed.

  "Come on over an' let Doc take a look at that face of yours," Nye ordered."You look like you came up behind a mule an' the critter did a mite ofdancin' backwards! You come 'long, too," he extended the invitation toinclude Anse.