The Circuit Preacher

[Apache Hawk 60642]

Grizz got into camp with that still warm apple pie, and I smelled it long before he rode up.

 

"Here" Grizz said to me, hold out the pie so he could dismount. "Knew you had a apple pie or something apple. Could smell it coming up the draw. Smells good too ! Want another piece of bear or buffalo steak, you're choice."

 

"Think I'll pass Hawk. Judge is here and wants to know the details of you're plan. You do have them worked out, right ? This is not going to be another "Winging it" operation is it Hawk ?"

 

"Not if I can help it, Grizz ! I have most of the details worked out but need Phil here to verify and covers us as we set up. Phil aint back yet....not worryed bout him, Phil can take care of himself, just worryed his horse may have came up lame or something like that. I asked Blac

 

ck Hawk if he would send out some warriors to look for him.

 

I put a slice of buffalo steak, fryed taters in the very little grease, and some flat breadon my plate ,along with a slice of that apple pie. I was pouring some whiskey in my empty coffee cup when a Apache rider, rode up and said they had found Phil. He had taken a flesh wound in a scuffle with some white men who had stolen his horse, and should be here in about an hour. They had dressed his wound and given him a horse.

 

The brave smelled and looked at the apple pie, so I gave him a slice, to which he ate the whole thing, licking his fingers as a child would do. He looked at me, smiled, and with his 1873 rilfe in his up rasied hand, rode off, out of sight.

 

"Grizz" I said, "I do belevie I'm going to give Phil a hard time when he shows up, letting someone get the jump on him like that !" Grizz stopped chewing his pie and responded, "A man that size, Hawk, you'll be taking you're own life in you're hands ! And I think if he made a move on you, I don't think I would act upon it too !" Grizz chuckled as he stuff another bite into his mouth.

 

I had just about all the details worked out of my plan. We would holed up in the jail. Plenty of water, beer, whiskey and food could be brought in the back way, out of sight. Wood could be used for heat and for light after the coal oil ran out for the lamps. More than enough guns and rifles on the wall and ammo in the desk drawers to boot. I needed to know just two things, one...how many men do the outlaws have ? Are they hard core, or men that where down and ouot, needing money. And two, could the judge be trusted ? Would he order Grizz to slap the cuffs on me, call in the Army and cut us all down with shot !

 

Untill I had or knew reasonable well who was on what side, I would wait. But not too long. Within a few days, the outlaws would earn their boss has been captured and had to get him back. I fear this would happen first.

[Grizzly Dave]

Grizz cut a slab of pie and put it on a plate and set it aside "that's for Phil" and set the pie tin with the one remaining piece on the log next to him "an dats fer me." He took a big chunk of buffalo steak and some taters from the pan and wolfed them down, never letting that last piece of pie get from his sight. When he was done, he grabbed the whiskey and poured some into the pie tin letting it soak into the pie crust.

 

As Grizz was savoring each bite Hawk couldn't help but poke some fun at him. "You making love to that pie or eating it?" Grizz shot him a quick look and continued eating, and Hawks teasing only made him grunt with delight at each bite all the more. Grizz didn't stop until he had coaxed every last bit of the sugary goodness out of the pan, wiping the last of it up with a biscuit. "Damn that woman makes good pie"

 

"If yer done making love to yer pie, we need to work out some details, what did the judge say when you told him it was me?" Hawk said.

 

"Didn't tell him who I was working with." Grizz said stretching out his legs before lighting a cigar.

 

"And he let it go at that?" Hawk questioned with a look of shock on his face.

 

"Ayup, I just explained it was better he could honestly say he didn't know" Grizz explained, obviously pleased with himself.

 

"Dayam" Hawk replied "maybe you should be a politician, you could sell a drowning man a drink of water"

 

Grizz thought about that a moment and raised his eyebrows, "might be a tough sell."

 

"So when do you have to tell him the whole plan?"

 

"Not going to, just what he needs to know to do what we want him to" Grizz said smugly. "I figured I'd keep him busy brokering the deal with the Indain agent over this land. He said the government lays claim to it now and will want payment, I figure that gold that miner donated to me the other day will more than cover it."

 

"And you think they'll abide by the deal and not go back on it in the future?" Hawk said, looking doubtful. The government had made a routine of promising the Indians land and food and then backing out when it suited their purpose.

 

"Thought about that too, might work better if I bought it, then there's no questions about it, and where the gold came from, as long as this other business gets sorted out."

 

Hawk scratched his head thinking about that idea, "yeah, that might work, as long as some greedy relative don't try and grab it after you get kilt."

 

"No worries about that, I'll have it written up what to do with it when I'm gone." Grizz said, satisfied that he'd taken care of that part of the problem.

 

"You trust that judge doya Grizz?" Hawk asked, obviously not sure if he himself trusted him.

 

"Money won't sway him, his family back east has plenty, he has a political vision that's for sure and for certain, so as long as things suit that, or at least don't hurt them, he's fine" Grizz told Hawk. He was sure the judge would go along with about anything he asked, as long as it didn't hurt the chances of Grizz running for Governor. The judge had opened the sealed letter, so he knew what was at stake, probably did before he'd come down here, yes, Grizz thought, the judge will be fine. In the back of his mind Grizz was already figuring out a plan where by the judge would be happy, well, mostly and he wouldn't run for office, no way he would let that happen, nope, no way.

 

Hawk seemed satisfied for the time being. "Throw me one of them ceegars will ya?"

 

Grizz got up and fetched a cigar out of his saddle bags, and handed it to Hawk, holding out a burning stick from the fire to light it. In short order Hawk was puffing away.

 

"Hawk" Grizz started "just how do you know which of the pinkertons is bad to take hostage in the jail? And how we gonna keep the local law from getting all riled about us taking over down to the jail?"

[Aunt Jen]

AJ walks into this movie and finds a seat down near the front, in the middle between 14 people. Then she realizes she needs some chocolate covered raisins, and goes back out again.

 

Sorry

[Grizzly Dave]

AJ walks into this movie and finds a seat down near the front, in the middle between 14 people. Then she realizes she needs some chocolate covered raisins, and goes back out again.

 

Sorry

 

Don't blame ya Jen, chocolate covered raisins are my favorite! Well, one of my favorites anyway.

[Grizzly Dave]

Before Hawk could speak, Grizz jumped in and continued "And just why in the heck haven't the outlaws come after the gold yet, I thought that was the plan!?"

 

Hawk started to speak and Grizz interrupted him again "And how do we know them outlaws give enough of a crap about they boss to come after him, in town, with the army nearby?"

 

Grizz's mind was whirling, each question brought more questions.

 

"I'd sure rather hole up out here somewhere and get them to come to us, in town there's too many people around. Dang it, where is Phil!"

[Apache Hawk 60642]

I puffed away on that ceegar and said "Grizz, if ya let me act like a blood thristy crazy Apache Injun, in the jail with them fellers, and, letting those fellers over hear that you don't care what I do as long as I get an answer..I think the others, knowing Apache tortuer, will rat out their boss. They just don't what to endure all that pain."

 

"Besides Grizz, we could get that women friend of you'res to make us food and bring us water and beer. The jail is like a small fort. Reinforced walls and roof. Shutters on the windows. Cells that could hold 4 men each, also reinforced. And don't worry so much about the town folk. They're smart enough to stay clear. As far as the Sheriff goes, that's where you come in Grizz. He thinks I robbed the bank and I need you to set him straight. Also to leave the back door unlocked so we can move the Gatlin Guns, ammo and those dirty pinkerton boys into their cells."

 

I saw a figure off in the distance and retrived my spy glass. The firuge looked well rested judging by the way he rode. As he got closer, I could see a white bandage on his shoulder and as he waved, I knew it was Phil.

 

"But Grizz, let's wait till Phil gets back and heard what he has learned."

 

Grizz fumed and said, "But Phil's not back Hawk ! No telling how much longer he'll be gone !" Grizz made the end of his ceegar bright red.

 

I smiled, waving my arm toward the figure off in the distance and said, "Behold, Doubting Grizzley Dave,...He comes !" and winked at Grizz.

[Grizzly Dave]

I'll add a chapter tomorrow during the day, just got out of a 3 hour rather....lively shall we say church budget meeting. I'm not in a mood to write right now.

 

Stay tuned!

[Apache Hawk 60642]

I'll add a chapter tomorrow during the day, just got out of a 3 hour rather....lively shall we say church budget meeting. I'm not in a mood to write right now.

 

Stay tuned!

 

 

 

Ok Grizz, I'll be standin' by............

[Grizzly Dave]

Grizz turned and looked, and sure enough he could just see a riding starting down the ridge, must have been what Hawk had been looking at thru the spyglass, it was too far out for Grizz to have a clue who it was, but if Hawk looked and said it was Phil, well, then it must have been Phil.

 

He threw the stump of his cigar in the fire and dished up a plate with most of what was left of the food. Grizz was there to meet him when he rode into camp on the Indian pony. The big man sat proud, but you could tell he was hurting, both from the shoulder and from riding bare back.

 

"Lots to report Colonel" Phil said as he sat down.

 

"It'll keep til after you eat" Hawk told him, as both he and Grizz watched him tear through the big plate of food like he hadn't eaten in a week. Truth was it had probably been 3 days since Phil had gotten a hot meal, hard tack and jerky was all he'd had in the mean time. As Phil ate, Grizz gave the horse a good rub down, the poor pony was about played out after hauling Phil.

 

When he was about finished Hawk pointed to the plate with the pie "you can have my piece of pie if'n ya want"

 

'yer pie hell" Grizz growled as he stormed over and picked up the plate "I saved this 'un fer you Phil, Hawk already had two." The look of satisfaction on Phil's face as he ate the pie made it worth saving for him, both Grizz and Hawk had been tempted more than once to just go ahead and eat it themselves.

 

After a long pull from the whiskey bottle, Phil laid out what he'd learned. There had been 6 riders follow them out of town after the bank robbery. They'd stopped and checked the war wagon where it had crashed and then two had turned back to town, and four had continued to follow before breaking off to the east. Phil had followed thier trail to a little valley two or three ridges over from the hidden canyon where they now sat. He estimated it at 5 to 8 miles. There the 4 riders had met up with 6 more and had been camping with them for the last few days. Phil had been able to work his way in close enough to over hear what was said around the camp fire one night. One of the Pinkertons, a feller named Joe, and one of the outlaws who was called Bob were brothers. They were mad as hornets that someone had hit the bank and ruined their plan. It sounded like the two riders who had returned to town weren't part of the gang, and had been sent back to try and keep the army out of it while the 4 chased down those who'd robbed the bank.

 

Joe the Pinkerton wanted to storm the hidden valley and take the gold back, but Bob didn't want to mess with the Indians and wanted to just go back to town, take what was left at the bank and skin out of there. The rest of the men were divided on what to do siding with one or the other, and often changing sides.

 

Each day the pinkertons would ride a patrol to keep an eye on the hidden valley, two would go out early and return early afternoon, and two would go out mid afternoon and return late at night. It was one of those partols that had bushwhacked Phil, "they musta seen my horse and then snuck in and got me as I was takin care of natures business, that jerky and hard tack tears me up after a couple of days."

 

It sounded like Phil had put up a hell of a fight until the Indians had intervened, at that point the Pinkertons had escaped, taking Phil's horse, rifle and possibles with them. "They can have the horse, I just want my dam rifle back!" Phil lamented.

 

Grizz walked over and pulled his sharps from the scabbard on his saddle, and got a couple of boxes of shells from his saddle bags and handed them to Phil, "Take mine til you git yers back." Phil took the rifle and caressed it like a kitten, examining the action, bore, and sights, "shoots true do it?"

 

"with those loads she does, be a few inches high up til about 300 yards though" Grizz told him. Grizz was a great shot with that rifle, if he could see something, he could hit it, problem was his eyes weren't what they once were. And as good as Grizz was, Phil was better. "Obliged" Phil said setting the rifle down and taking another deep pull from the bottle. His shoulder must had been hurting him a fair bit.

 

It was quiet for a while, the only sounds to be heard were the pops of the fire and coyotes yipping in the distance. EAch man mulling over what they knew, and trying to come up with a plan.

 

It was Grizz who spoke first. "Hawk, that war wagon in good enough shape to drive?"

 

"Might take a little work, but I think so, what are you thinkin?"

 

Grizz proceeded to lay it out. They'd capture the pinkertons with the help of the Indians if need be, as the did their patrols. He'd match the whole bunch of them, plus Hawk and Phil into the jail in chains....

 

"Now just a dam minute Grizz" Phil protested, "I ain't gonna be put in no chains, they did that to me in the war and I ain't gonna do it again, not for you, and not even for the colonel." Phil had a wild almost scared look on his face that he hadn't seen before out of the big man.

 

"OK then, we can leave you out of it. Everyone in town knows it was Hawk that robbed the bank, but I doubt that too many saw you very well, we can work around that." Grizz continued with his plan. Once locked in the jail Hawk could do his crazy Indian act and find out for sure who all was involved and any details. Grizz would have to re-assume his true identity as marshal, but with the judge in town that was usable. They let it slip out that they'd recovered the gold, and were going to move the gold and the prisoners in the war wagon. No way the outlaws could pass that up, Bob could get his brother and the gold back at one time, nope, no way they'd pass that up.

 

"You really want to have the gold on the war wagon with them fellers when we know they gonna bushwhack us?" Phil asked.

 

"oh heck no" Grizz laughed, "the gold will stay where ever it is now, we'll just take in a few crates and bags of dirt and rocks, lock them up in the jail and treat it like it was gold."

 

It was quiet again as each considered the plan, it wasn't fool proof, but it was a plan.

[Grizzly Dave]

BTT

[Apache Hawk 60642]

I wasn't to thrilled on Grizz's plan, but it was possible. We seemed to work that way. One will come up with the plan, the other works out the setails as best he could.

 

"Grizz, when ya put me in the same cell as two of them fellers, make sure one on my dragoon's is near by." I asked as I pulled the amber liquid in that bottle. Grizz looked up and asked, "Why, you gonna break out ?" he asked, laughing. I had another pull on the bottle and said, "Very funny ! I just think those boys aint gonna answer, so they may need some persaution." Grizz let out a belly laugh, "What cha gonna do Hawk, scare'em to death ?" "Somethin' like that !" I said.

 

I saw Phil lovingly stroking Grizz's Sharp's. "Funny thing bout a weapon," said Phil. "Ya just got to know whar to hold her and squeeze her just so when ya touch it off. Colonel sir, might go agasint yur orders, but I aint lettin' no yankee put me in chains again. Please don't ask me sir !" "Phil, it will not happen, you got my word ! We'll work around that some how." Phil didn't even look up from the Sharp's and said, "Thank Ya, Sir !"

 

We would have to work around those patrols from the outlaws. It will be trickly, but we would have to slip out, leaving someone to guard the enterance to the canyon. Maybe the Apaches can do that. After all, they've been spoiling for a fight, and maybe this little brush with death will cool them off a spell.

 

I lite a ceegar, and drew long and hard. I blew the sweet, peppery smoke into the air, and sent my prayers to heaven on the smoke. Maybe the Creator could and would help us.

[Grizzly Dave]

Grizz thought a spell and took another pull on the bottle, then got up, took his gunbelt off and slide the scalping knife off the back. "Take this Hawk, it will be more persuasive than your dragoons. Hawk looked up but didn't reach for the knife.

 

About then the Indians rode in with a deer across the horse, Black Hawk saw Grizz holding the scalping knife and said in his best English "you know what that for?"

 

Grizz quickly slipped the knife from it's sheath and held it up to his scalp. Some of the braves laughed, but Black Hawk just smiled. "Know what for, but not how use"

 

Hawk rattled off some comment in Apache that Grizz didn't quite catch. Black Hawk looked surprised, but impressed. Grizz could only assume Hawk told him that Grizz not only knew how to use it, but had used it.

 

Grizz and Black Hawk hung the deer from a tree and gutted and skinned it, Grizz using the scalping knife and was not careful about getting blood all over it, and the sheath. In a way it was disrespectful to the knife, but in others it suited Grizz's purpose. Resheathing the knife he tossed it carefully to Hawk. "Now it looks like you have used it recently, that ought to put the fear of God in them.

 

Phil perked up "or you could just preach at 'em" and the big man laughed for the first time Grizz had seen, or at least could remember.

[Grizzly Dave]

Phil had observed that while the outlaw pinketons didn't always take the same route on patrol, they did always go through one particular saddle between valleys, there were other routes if you took the time to find them, but this was bar far the easiest. Grizz figured that he and Phil could capture the patrol there, with Phil providing medium to long range cover, and Grizz on the ground.

 

Grizz took a water skin and filled it with deer blood. They'd make it look like someone had been bucked off a horse and his their head, and staggered off into the brush, the pinkertons would be sure to follow and then Grizz could get the drop on them.

 

If they held true to form, and Joe the pinkerton rode on the afternoon patrol, they might be able to just get away with capturing the morning patrol as they'd be more likely to talk.

[Apache Hawk 60642]

I looked at Phil, laughing and stopped short. "Very funny Corprall ! That will be all !" I took the scapling knife and walked over to Grizz.

 

"I gave this to you, a while back cause I'm done with that way of life." I handed it back to him. "That debt has been paid to my satisfaction." But Grizz would not take it from my hand. "Hawk, you gave that fine scapling knife to me. Each time I held it, I thought of you. I'm loaning it to ya....I expect to get it back as soon as this thing is done, if we make it out alive." "We will get out alive. The Creator has told me so. But," I said looking into Phil's eyes, "He did not tell me what shape we would be in !"

 

The dressing of the deer was done, and had some vinison cooking with some wild onions, and refryed beans. Some we cut up to dry and still others was salted down for later use. One thing the Apaches had plenty of was salt.

 

As we ate, we thought about our roles in the up coming play. Grizz would be on horse back, and Phil and I would be marching in front of Grizz, with me in chains, Phil's hands tied loosely in front of him, all with a loaded 73 pointed at our backs. Then we would all pile into the war wagon and head for the jail.

[Apache Hawk 60642]

Folks, Grizz has rushed to the hospital becuse a family member has to have brain surgery now.

 

 

Out of respect for him, I will wait untill he returns before posting again.

 

May the Lord bless his family and heal the one who is having this surgery.

 

Thank you

 

 

 

Apache Hawk

SASS # 60642

[Apache Hawk 60642]

Folks, Grizz's mother-in-law is some what ok..............for now.

 

 

So with that, I'll add to the story !

[Grizzly Dave]

hang on hawk, I'll get it

[Grizzly Dave]

But I'm gonna wait and make sure you ain't typin at the same time

[Apache Hawk 60642]

But I'm gonna wait and make sure you ain't typin at the same time

 

 

 

I aint..............go fer it Grizz !! :lol:

[Whiskey Business]

Awlright awlready. One of youse post a chapter.

[Grizzly Dave]

"OK fellers, here's what I have in mind" Grizz told them over breakfast still before first light the next morning.

 

"We'll ride on over to that saddle, Phil, you skin up that hill overlooking it and find a place where you can cover us"

 

"I got a good idea where will work" Phil said.

 

"Good, we'll have Hawk in irons, but not have them locked, we'll just tie them shut with some small string so he can bust loose if need be. We'll sprinkle a bunch of that deer blood around to make it look like I have a hard time catching Hawk, and I'll wear my Marshals badge"

 

"And what if them outlaw Pinkertons decide to just slap iron and shoot us both?" Hawk asked.

 

"Don't see that happening" Grizz said "they want to know where the gold is, besides, if they go for a gun, ol Phil there will drill them."

 

Hawk nodded, and Phil said "not a problem" as he stroked Grizz's sharps. Grizz was staring to wonder if he was going to get that rifle back after this was over.

 

"After I get those first two in irons, I'll take ya all into town and lock ya up, if we don't have the information we need by say 2 in the afternoon, Phil and I can ride up and grab the other two outlaw Pinkertons before they know something happened to the first two."

 

"You lockin me up too?" Phil asked.

 

"Don't see as we need to Phil" Grizz told the big man. "You just hang back and give me cover if I need it."

 

"But what if that sheriff is in thick with the outlaws and sends word you got two on the outlaw pinkertons in the jail?" Hawk asked.

 

Phil stood up "ain't nobody gettin word to anyone out of that town."

 

Grizz nodded, happy that Phil was getting the idea. "Yup, Phil will make sure nobody rides for the outlaws just yet, either he'll stop them, or come back and let us know in time to make other arrangements."

 

Hawk flipped a piece of fat off his breakfast steak into the fire making it sizzle and pop. "might work, and if nothing else we'll wind up fighting it out at the jail like I wanted anyway."

 

Grizz nodded as he finished eating his own plate of food.

 

"One thing though Grizz", Hawk said, "those irons need to be locked on me or they'll notice, we'll just cut a link of chain and tie the chain together towards the hand cuff, then I can cover it with my sleeve."

 

"Just make sure you can get them loose if you need to" Grizz said.

 

Grizz reached inside his vest and pulled out the US Marshals badge and pinned it to the outside of the vest. "I swear when this thing is done, I'm gonna throw this thing in a lake, all it brings me is trouble."

 

Hawk laughed "got you out of some trouble too as I remember."

[Blackwater 53393]

it was about to fall off of the front page.......... BTT

[Apache Hawk 60642]

Phil had found a place to watch the town. He could see all sides and all movement into and out of the town, and with the aid of my spy glass, the mine as well. Phil had plenty of ammo with him, so not hitting what he was aiming at was out of the question. And Phil was very proud of his marksmanship, and the way he stroked Grizz's Sharp's rifle, I was thinking that Phil thought it was a women.

 

Grizz clapped those irons on me and that simple act took me back to the POW camp in El Paso, ILL. I was captured, allowing my men to escape to saftey, but the guard had too much chain on the irons, and I killed him, took his rifle, which I still carryed, and slipped out before we got to the POW camp, with the aid of the local tribe.

 

"Hawk..........HAWK ! You ok ? shouted Grizz. The sound of his voice broke my rememberance. "Yup, I'm ok. Let's to this thing and be done with it !" Grizz could clearly see that having those irons on was having a very bad affect on me and he wanted it over with as badly as me. "Ok then, into the war wagon."

 

Grizz had built a fire in the boiler earlier, so there was plenty of steam. Grizz put it into gear and we went toward town, clinking and chugging all the way. And it seemed to me, to add insult to injury, Grizz blew the steam whisler way too much as we arrived at the jail. Inside the war wagon, it smelt like rust, steel, steam. And I could see the stars through the large holes in the turret, just before sunup. And I had to get those irons off, one way or the other !!

 

As the war wagon, kept blowing off steam, Grizz paraded me about the side walk, and floks where calling me names, throwing rotten eggs and tomatos at me. "Don't those people know, I'm doing this to protect THIER gold !!" I was straining against the irons and Grizz saw I was about to flash back and he told the Sheirff, "Federal Marshal, I'm placing these prisinors in you're jail ! Any questions, ask the judge at the cafe !" and moved all of us into the jail.

 

Grizz got the first two prisoners locked in thier cell, turned to the other prisoner, and turned to me. I was sweating buckets, Grizz saw the fire in my eyes and knew better than to turn me loose in the cell room with those prisoners. "Clam down Hawk" he said as he closed the cell door. "I'l get you out of those irons !" He put the key in the lock and turned the key and the lock sprang open, although I didn't need it. The link of chain had been cut and tied into place as planned. But this was not part of the plan.

 

I got the irons off, and wiped the sweat off and walked out into the sheirff's office. He jumped to his feet, but I got his colt before he could, cocking it, I ordered him to sit back down. "Hawk, clam down damn it ! Put that thing away !" I walked right past Grizz, I didn't even feel his bear paw like hand grab me arm. I walked up to the prisoner, and fired.

 

There was a scream, cussing, and fine red mist in the air and a prisoner's finger was gone ! "Till I get the information I want, I'll shoot two fingers off each day. When you got no more fingers, I start with you're toes ! Think about it and I'll see you all tomorrow !" and walked out. Grizz grabed the colt away from me as I was putting my gun belt on, checking them closely. "Damn Hawk ......! Grizz said, looking like he had seen a ghost.

 

"You best start explainin' things real fast Marshal !" the sheriff demanded. I stared him down. "Federal Deputy Marshal....Shut Up Sheriff !" I shouted. All was quiet in the jail, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

[Grizzly Dave]

"Wait for me out back Hawk, and for God's sake don't shoot nobody" Grizz growled. He was hoping the cool air would calm Hawk down a bit, the irons had clearly brought on a whole mess of old memories, and not good ones.

 

The plan to capture the outlaw pinkertons morning patrol had gone off without a hitch, but as with most plans, especially where Hawk was involved, this one had pretty much blown up in his face.

 

The Sheriff was up again out of his chair and moved to get after Hawk. Grizz sat him back down with a shove from his right hand as his left pulled his left colt. "Best not be goin after him if ya are wantin to live long."

 

The sheriff stayed seated with a gun on him, but started talking a mile a minute "but you're just a saddle bum, and that damn preacher half breed is the one who robbed the bank! What in the hell is going on here?"

 

Satisfied that there wasn't a gun with in reach, Grizz holstered his colt and stuck out his hand "Grizzly Dave, US Marshall out of Denver, maybe you've heard on me"

 

The sheriff eyes Grizz closely and hesitantly shook his hand. "If you be him, yeah, I've heard of ya, who hasn't?"

 

Grizz laughed "I'm me all right, sometimes I wish I wasn't but I am. District judge over to the cafe or hotel will verify it if'n ya got any doubts."

 

The sheriff was calming down a bit so Grizz handed him back his gun which was gladly received. "So are you going to fill me in, or what? Why the hell do I have pinkerton men in my jail and why did your man shoot one of them?"

 

Grizz still don't know if he could trust the man or not, but at this point his only choices were to lock the sheriff up, or at least tell him enough of the story to satisfy him. Grizz chose the latter and laid out part of the story, leaving out the Indians and mine owner as much as he could. HOnest or not, the sheriff could be of some use, either he'd help out, or he'd run to the outlaws and tell them what he had heard, which was only what Grizz wanted him to know. Phil was watching the town and had Hawks spy glass, and would be able to report exactly where the sheriff went should he leave the jail.

 

"Well, if you vouch for that half breed, I reckon I'll go along with it, but he'd best keep out of sight or the town folks is likely to take the law into they own hands." the sheriff said seeming to relax a little bit for the first time since they'd burst into the office.

 

Grizz gave the man a hard stare. "They might try, but they'd get dead for their trouble. And don't call Hawk a half breed if you value your hair, and your life." Grizz was dealy serious on both things, and hoped his voice had conveyed that.

 

The man swallowed hard and he subconsciously brushed back his hair. "Understood"

 

Grizz left the sheriff out front and went back to the jail area and bandaged the outlaw pinkertons hand as best he could. Predictably he was greeted with claims of innocence and threats of retribution. As he was working the other outlaw pinkerton made a play for one of Grizz's guns and got his face planted into the bars. With that sound and the man screaming the sheriff rushed back into the room. Grizz's gun was drawn and cocked before he was even around the corner. "DON'T do that again sheriff, I'd hate to shoot cha" Teh sheriff held up both palms in surrender and backed from the room.

 

"Now boys, you got two choices, you tell my associate what he wants to know, or ya lose fingers, understand?"

 

The man who'd had his finger shot off spat defiantly on the floor. "I ain't tellen that half breed nothin."

 

"Call him that to his face and you'll lose more than fingers. You ever seen a man scalped alive?" Grizz shook his head, "nasty business that, lots of blood, looks mighty painful too. Last feller passed out three times, had to keep bringing him back around so he could enjoy it fully."

 

Both men seemed to be paying a bit more attention now... so Grizz laid it on even thicker. "Seen one tough hombre who lived through it, then they moved on to his private parts" Grizz said motioning towards his crotch and shuffling his feet back and forth. "You don't even want to know what they did with that."

 

The man who'd had his face slammed against the bars fainted. Grizz got the water bucket and threw a dipper of water in the mans face which brought him back around.

 

"I think I'll tell him to skip the finger and scalping and just start with the private parts on your fellers" Grizz said starting for the back door. The man fainted again.

 

OUt back Hawk was as calm as a kitten and was smoking a cigar. When Grizz got out there he looked up at him and said "Dang Grizz, I heard that out here, you sure can tell a good story!" and he smiled.

[Grizzly Dave]

Hawk and Grizz enjoyed a smoke out back and listened through the door to what was being said inside. The one who's finger had been shot off was clearly the senior of the two. The other was trying to be tough, but was clearly scared, and rightfully so.

 

"Hawk" Grizz said blowing a smoke ring "what say I take that one prisoner over to the docs and let you have some time alone with his buddy?"

 

"I reckon that sounds good" Hawk said, blowing a smoke ring of his own.

 

"Just don't tear the feller up if'n ya don't have to, I think he'll talk, and I'm gonna have enough to smooth over with the judge as it stands now." Grizz turned and went back inside. He unlocked the cell and jestured towards the one man with his colt "you, Mr. Fingers, lets to have the doc take care of that proper."

 

The man complied, and as he left the cell, Hawk came in the back door and the other man's face went white "you...you...ain't gonna leave me here with...him, are ya Marshal?"

 

Hawks calm demeanor was replaced with a much harder look, not as wild as it had been before, but enough to be very intimidating.

 

Grizz pushed the wounded man through the door, then leaned back closer to the man still in the cell "just tell him what he wants to know son, and you'll be ok."

 

"an....and if'n I don't?" the man stammered.

 

"Well" Grizz drawled, "I reckon you won't ever be a daddy." Grizz collected the wounded man and walked out the front door of the jail.

[G. I. Tarpicker, SASS #998]

BTT

[Apache Hawk 60642]

" Yur partner ain't told my friend nothing.... so I guess I'm gonna have to start with you !" I said pointing to the man with the white face. "What....What....What cha gonna do to me ?" he sammered. I pulled out the bloody scapling knife, and lookng him dead in the eye, I smiled slighty and said..."Seems to me that you sir..are in despate need of a hair lifting !"

 

The white faced man, who Grizz had tryed to put his face through the bars, back peddled to to wall of his cell, shaking his head in a no fashion. He was shaking so hard, I could see it and I acted on it. " I scapled a man once, " I said as I closed the door. "He thought he saw tough, but I taught him differant. I took my time with that one. First, I made him a steer, if you know what I mean. He passed out from that so I waited for him to come to. Then I started to gave him , let's just say a hair cut." I advanced on the man in his cell and held pu the bloody scalping knife in a sawing back and forth motion. " Have to bring him out of his sleep two more times before that feller died. Tuff, ...naw !" I said smiling.

 

"For Gawd's sake, leave me be ! I'll tell ya what you what to know !" he screamed. The other feller in the cell next to him shouted out, "You blow and I'll kill ya !" That's all I needed to know. I now know who was the boss, and I centerned on him.

 

"Not to worry feller, it's you're boss I want !" I told the white faced, shaking man. He fell with a thump on the wood floor,..out like a light. I walked out of his cell and started to enter his cell. The wildness back in my eyes now. "You're gonna be fun. Not a push over like you're friend there. You're a fighter, and there's nothing a Apache like more than a fight he wins !"

 

"Now, friend, I can ether cut ya, " I said, pointing my scalping knife to his forehead, "or I can shoot ya" pointing the dragoon at his fingers "Or,..I can make you a steer !" pointing my gun at his privates. "You're choice. But one will happen untill I get the information I want." "Ok..Ok...Just don't touch me you crazy devil ! "

 

I stopped my advance on him and shouted "Talk...Now !" He sallowed hard and told me, "I aint the big boss. He owns the mine. Using the pinkertons was his idea." I took another step toward him and asked, "What's he planning ? What do he want ?" He stammered on,.."He plans to stel the land da goverment gave da injuns cuz dats where the motherlode runs. He aims to have it and nothing short of a act of Gawd can stop him !"

 

I looked at his wicked smile and met it with my own. "He's got a new gun he calls a "Broom". Plans on killin' you're friend with it the first chance he gets !" "Is that so !?" I said and little him taste the butt end of my pistol. He screamed out in pain, cussed my mother and other foul things. As I closed his cell door and locked it I looked him in the eye and told him, "Remember what I told you..scapling or shooting and how I wasn't going to do it if you talked ." "What a bout it ?" I looked at him and smiled, twiling my scalping knife in the hand and said ,"I lied !"

[Grizzly Dave]

I've got the next installment pretty well written in my head, was gonna type it up today at the office, but that dang w#*K thing got in the way. I'll try and get it done this evening.

 

Grizz

[Grizzly Dave]

Before leaving the sheriffs office, Grizz grabbed a bottle of whiskey from the sheriffs desk drawer. After a good long pull himself, he let his prisoner have one. The doc acted impressed with the battlefield bandage job, and with Grizz's big paw squeezing his shoulder, the prisoner agree with Grizz's statement that the missing finger was due to an accident with a revolver.

 

With that task done, Grizz steered the prisoner down the alley. "You like pie fingers?"

 

The prisoner looked at him stupidly "pie?"

 

"Well shore you do, lets go get us some pie" Grizz said marching them both in the back door of the cafe, setting down at a barrel in the store room. Grizz was able to catches the cafe ladies eye without any of the other customers seeing, and held up two fingers. In short order she brought back two pieces of pie to the store room. She took a long look at the man in irons with a bandaged hand, and an even longer one at Grizz, and the badge on his chest. She didn't say a word, just raised her eyebrows, shook her head and walked back out the way she'd come in.

 

"Now what say we eat some pie and have a little chat, hmmm?" Grizz slid the second piece of pie over as he started on his own.

 

"That ha...er, deputy of yours is plum loco" the man said in between bites." Clearly he was enjoying the pie as much as Grizz was.

 

"You don't know the half of it friend. By now your partner over at the jail has told him everything, so what say you fill me in."

 

The man laid out what he knew, he told of the brothers, Joe the Pinkerton and Bob the outlaw, turns out it was Bob in the cell next to them over to the jail, he'd been arrested drunk and disorderly the night before. When Hawk had robbed the bank their plan was destroyed, they'd spent the last few days trying to make a new one.

 

"Tell me something I don't know" Grizz said, pouring some whiskey over what was left of his pie and offering the bottle to the prisoner, who took it, took a drink and set it down.

 

"Joe and Bob ain't the boss of this thing if that's what yer thinking, it's they uncle, he owns that big mine just north of here"

 

Grizz stopped in mid chew, thoughts whirling around in his head. "And?"

 

The man laid out the rest of it, the other robberies were the main targets, the one here was more or less just to cover tracks and avoid suspicion. The mine was fairly well played out and the gold the mine owner kept sending to town was gold his nephews had taken in the robberies. The mine owner had squandered much of his fortune on high living and needed to put together enough money to entice the government to sell him the land the Indians were now on. Part of that plan was to slaughter some of the town folks and make it look like the Indians had done it.

 

There was a knock at the door, Grizz was off his chair with pistol drawn far faster than one would have imagined possible for an aging fat man. The cafe lady said quietly "it's me" and then came in with two more pieces of pie. She sat the plates down on the barrel and picked up the others, pausing, she picked up the whiskey bottle, wiped off the neck on her sleeve and took a long pull off of it and turned to leave. Grizz caught her by the sleeve and was pulling some money out to pay for the pie. She shook her head 'no' and said "I'll settle up with you later" then she winked and walked out.

 

Grizz turned back to the prisoner who was already eating a piece of pie. "Did she just wink at me?"

 

The man nodded 'yes' and kept on eating.

[Apache Hawk 60642]

It was all I could do not to give this man the same "treatment" I had given the other. Just something about him didn't set right with me. He was just to smrick about the whole thing, gave up information much to easy. I wonder what he was up to ? And what did he say about a "Boomer"? Was that a weapon of some kind, another conctraption like the war wagon only bigger and faster, more heavly armed ?

 

And there was something else I was pondering. What would the mine owner do when he discovered we where onto him ? It would be utterly foolish to attack a large tribe of Apaches. For they will stand and fight to the last person ! Plus, they problely know what he's up to, and will be perpaired for him. The miner owner has enough nitro to blow this whole town off the map. He got a new shippment in the day after I "Liberated" a few bottles to blow the bridge.

 

I sat down in the sheriff's chair, rolled a smoke, and just let thoughts run through my mind. One of the men in the cell room called out he was hungery. I shouted back, "Once more, I cut out you're liver and feed it to ya !" Now, something didn't some right to me. I kept going over it in my mind, over and over again. More nitro, not many fuses, some other explosives......and that's when I realized.....The mine owner had almost no dyinamite !!

 

And where the hell was Grizz ? Why was the Doc taking so long ? I've seen men with shattered limbs, having then cut off in agnoizing pain, screaming, in less time that Grizz was gone ! And where was Phil ? How come he didn't report in like he was told to. Something must ahve happened or he would be here. But he could take care of himself. Besides, the Apaches had his back. But where the hell was Grizz ?

[Apache Hawk 60642]

It was all I could do not to give this man the same "treatment" I had given the other. Just something about him didn't set right with me. He was just to smrick about the whole thing, gave up information much to easy. I wonder what he was up to ? And what did he say about a "Boomer"? Was that a weapon of some kind, another conctraption like the war wagon only bigger and faster, more heavly armed ?

 

And there was something else I was pondering. What would the mine owner do when he discovered we where onto him ? It would be utterly foolish to attack a large tribe of Apaches. For they will stand and fight to the last person ! Plus, they problely know what he's up to, and will be perpaired for him. The miner owner has enough nitro to blow this whole town off the map. He got a new shippment in the day after I "Liberated" a few bottles to blow the bridge.

 

I sat down in the sheriff's chair, rolled a smoke, and just let thoughts run through my mind. One of the men in the cell room called out he was hungery. I shouted back, "Once more, I cut out you're liver and feed it to ya !" Now, something didn't same right to me. I kept going over it in my mind, over and over again. More nitro, not many fuses, some other explosives......and that's when I realized.....The mine owner had almost no dyinamite !!

 

And where the hell was Grizz ? Why was the Doc taking so long ? I've seen men with shattered limbs, having them cut off in agnoizing pain, screaming, in less time that Grizz was gone ! And where was Phil ? How come he didn't report in like he was told to. Something must have happened or he would be here. But he could take care of himself. Besides, the Apaches had his back. But where the hell was Grizz ?

[Grizzly Dave]

Grizz wrapped up that last piece of pie in a cloth napkin, plate and all and ushered the prisoner back into the alley and down to the hotel. The Judge normally traveled with at least two armed and loyal guards, Grizz only hoped that was the case this time. Finding one watching the back stairs Grizz turned over the prisoner to him. It was an old tactic, divide and conquor, Grizz was fairly sure the man had been telling the truth, but now they could play what he'd said against the other two and find the truth out. Teh guard verified that the sheriff had been to see the judge earlier.

 

Walking back into the sheriff's office, Grizz was greeted with the barrel of one of Hawk's dragoons in his face. "Whar da hail you bin?" Hawk snapped out.

 

Grizz glanced towards the door to the back where the cells were before answering "Just got done with our friend, he was quite helpful." Grizz was careful to say it loudly but not so loud as to raise any suspicions.

 

"Brought you some pie Hawk" Grizz said in hushed tones.

 

Hawk growled, "I might have known you'd be off eating pie leaving me to fight the whole territory by myself."

 

Grizz grinned "well shoot, just the territory? I figgered you din't need no help with that."

 

Hawk let a grin slip out though trying desperately to keep a scowl on his face.

 

They sat down and in hushed tones shared what they'd learned while Hawk ate his pie. Both found it interesting that Bob had implicated his uncle, while not admitting any relation. Perhaps the nephews were planning a double cross.

 

"

[Apache Hawk 60642]

I told Grizz, with a mouth full of pie, of a weapon called a Boomer. And Grizz rasied a brow. "Damn ! That's bad news." "And why would that be ?" I asked, shoving the last bite into my mouth. Grizz sighed and said "Hawk, it's a automatic pistol that can fire at least 10 rounds faster than a Gatlin gun we have here. And in the right hands, it's very deadly."

 

I almost choked on the last bite of pie at the news Grizz was telling me. And I said "Griss, I was....uh......talking to our other cell mate and I got some information out of him, but I don't like it. He was just to sure of himself when he was talking. Then it occured to me, when I was steling the nitro from the mine, the mine owner had enough to blow this town to hell, but he aint using it much. And he had a very low supply of fuses and no dyimaite at tall ! He must be planning on blasting the mine under the Apaches instead.!"

 

"And that's not all !" I think our guests in the other room are planning to double cross the mine owner !" Grizz said. Then the was some one yelling outside the jail. "Hello the jail !"I opened the door slightly and said, "What do ya want ?" "Got a massage for ya, don't want to get shot deliverin' it. Here ya go !" he shouts and throws a rock at the jail window. Grizz covered me as I picked it up and closed the door to read it. Grizz untied the note from the rock and read it aloud.

 

"We both have something the other wants. Meet me in the Saloon at noon tomarrow to talk. Just you and that half breed preacher !" And it was signed by the mine owner ! I sighed, pushed my hat back on my head and said, "Well now then....taht's a whole kettle of differant fish !"

[Grizzly Dave]

Grizz pulled his pocket watch out of his vest and checked it, about 4:30 in the afternoon "dang, I had it figured to take a bit longer than this"

 

"You figure someone watching the town, or that sheriff?" Hawk asked as he finished his pie.

 

"I reckon ol Bob in back there had a buddy in town with him last night when he got locked up drunk and was waiting around to ride back with him today, then saw us march in the two pinkertons"

 

"Makes sense" Hawk said.

 

It was quiet for quite a spell, both Grizz and Hawk lost in thought about what was going on, and what to do next.

 

Grizz broke the silence slamming a fist down on the desk "I'm about ready to just kill 'em all and let God sort them out!" And he stood up and grabbed the keys off the peg.

 

"Now yer talkin Grizz!" Hawk practically shouted as he too stood up.

 

Just before they reached the door to the back, Grizz leaned in close to Hawks ear and whispered "follow my lead, we ain't gonna kill them just yet..."

 

Grizz and Hawk burst through the door and both of the men shrunk to the back of their cells.

 

Grizz unlocked the door to Bob's cell and tossed the keys to Hawk and strode in and pulled his left gun. In a booming voice he nearly yelled "what do ya say Bob, you ready to die?"

 

Bob stood defiantly and spar at Grizz "you kill me you'll be dead by sundown" and made a lunge towards Grizz.

 

Grizz stood him all the way up with his right hand and brought up his knee into the man's groin. From the gurgling and moaning it must have been quite painful. Grizz grabbed him by the back of the shirt and drug him out into the front room, with Hawk following along.

 

Grizz dropped him in a heap in the front office, and kicked him over so he could see his face. "Now Bob, suppose you tell me again how yer uncle and brother are gonna kill me?"

 

With the mention of 'uncle' Bob looked down and to the left, but he kept quiet. Grizz nodded, yup, we know the mine owner Jones is yer uncle, and all about you and yer brother, we even have an idea that you and Joe are planning a double cross on yer uncle." Again, Bob's face gave away his secrets.

 

Hawk grinned, "ya don't win much at poker do ya boy?"

 

Grizz laughed long and hard, looking more and more wild by the minute. 'Hawk ain't the only one that can play crazy' he thought to himself. "Maybe he likes the wheel of chance better!" And he made a show of emptying all of the cartridges out of his left colt, then taking one shell and putting it back in the gun. Actually, Grizz palmed that one shell, but Bob sure wouldn't have seen it. Grizz spun the cylinder and cocked the hammer. "Is this the one Bob?" Grizz cackled, and he pulled the trigger. Bob jerked at the sound of the hammer falling on an empty chamber.

 

"Still not ready to talk? No matter" Grizz cocked the pistol again and pulled the trigger. Again, Bub jerked at the sound of the hammer falling on an empty chamber.

 

Grizz turned sideways with his left side towards Bob and held out the gun, Bob was crying, hair hanging in his face with sweat dripping down his face. Silently and out of view Grizz pulled his right colt, and then cocked both guns at the same time.

 

"Go to hell" Bob spat out.

 

"You first" Grizz said right before he pulled both triggers. The only thing louder than Grizz's right colt firing into the floor was Bob's screams.

 

Bob was convulsing and wailing on the floor until Hawk threw a bucket of water on him.

 

Grizz reloaded his left pistol. "Now Bob, suppose you tell me why yer brother and uncle was you back bad enough to risk coming into town with the army only a few hours away?"

 

Bob looked up with a sheepish look on his face and was crying.

 

Grizz cocked the now loaded pistol.

 

"Cuz I"m the only one what knows where the new vein of gold runs, that's how Joe an me was going to trick out uncle."

[Apache Hawk 60642]

I was sitting in the sheriff's chair, rolling another cigarette, and looked at Grizz and said, "Well Bob, seems like two more knows that little secert too ! And I'll still bet you can't play poke with a damn ! " I stood up and took out my scalping knife, slowly, with all the deer blood still on it and said to Grizz, "Well......Let's git to it !" I started walking over to him and Bob was trying to crawl out the door, begging Grizz not to let me scalp him.

 

"I think he's hold a weak hand here Grizz and he's bout to fold. Cause he's holdin' out on us ! Told ya ole Bob here, can't play poker t'all ! He's liein' like a old dawg ! Bet that mine runs right under the Apache Village. Might even blow'em up with the next charge, I figure. Kill'in my people, I kinda frown on that. So I'll just kill you first and lift yur hair for my people."

 

As I strude him, grabbed a hand full of wet hair, jerking up Bob's head with one hand and laid the blade to his forehead and pressed untill he scearmed out in fear as some blood rolled down. "Hawk, don't give ole Bob a hair cut......just yet. We just might need him come noon, remember? His Uncle is going to be at the Saloon ! Now, won't he be surpised what we learned from ole Bob here."

 

Bob screamed out at the top of his lungs, "You aint gonna let dis half breed bastard scalp me !?" looking up at Grizz. "Bob, you keep useing those words against me, I just may cut that tongue out,....then I'll left you're hair !" I pressed the blade a little harder into Bob's scalp, a little more blood trickling down into his eyes. "Hawk......" said Grizz, and Bob went limp.

 

Grizz pulled out his watch, pressed the wind stem, and the lid popped open. "Gonna be bout 4 hours before noon. Think I'll sneak back to that cafe and get us some more breakfast," "And apple pie, maybe ?" I asked, just like a child. "Yup, " Grizz said, "I'll try to get some pie. And Hawk.......Don't kill'em !" pointing to the limp form on the floor. "What ever you say Capt'in Sir, what ever you say !"

 

Grizz walked out the back door of the jail and whispered, "Damn Half Breed !" To which I said , "I heard that Capt'in !"