Johnny was just reaching over for his bottle of Irish whiskey when the night air was suddenly rent with an ear-piercing Comanche war whoop as a bullet ricocheted from the rock just behind them. Five more shots followed in rapid succession as Johnny and Charlene both flattened themselves prostrate on the rock. Johnny had pulled both pistols while Charlene had managed to grab her Henry 44 repeater. "There shouldn't be any Indians..." Charley stopped in mid sentence as Johnny had turned to her putting his index finger to his lips shooshing her abruptly. They both strained to hear anything when finally, Jesse could hold back no longer and began laughing out loud.

"You two soil yer britches yet?" He asked as he calmly stepped out from behind the concealment of the tree limbs and began approaching the Lancers.

"Jesse, you *%$#? son of a bitch!" Charlene yelled.

"My oh my, Charley! Such language!" Jesse scolded in mock severity. "That certainly ain't no proper way for a lady ta talk! Why ya oughta be plumb ashamed a yerself!"

Johnny shook his head, slapped his knee and began laughing himself. "I owe ya one fer that, pardner." He said as he rose to his feet to shake hands with Logan. "I gotta admit, you scared me outta ten years growth that time."

"Well I reckon I owe the both of ya. And by gosh, I'll get it outta yer hides one way or another!" Charlene said still fuming somewhat.

"Awe, come on Charley. It was all in fun." Jesse said as he shook hands with Johnny. "Long time no see, pardner." Logan offered.

"Yep, too long, that's fer damn certain." Lancer said sincerely.

"You must be gitting rusty Johnny. I sure caught you with yer pants down that time. What if I'd been the army?"

Lancer laughed and said, "I don't know about ya catchin' me with MY pants down, but if you were over behind that tree branch fer very long I reckon ya caught Charley with a lot more'n that down just a little while ago."

Charlene blushed and said, "Shut up Johnny, you always were a turd!"

Both men again laughed. "Either of you hungry!" Logan asked.

"Come ta think of it, I am a bit overdue fer a meal." Lancer said.

"I guess I am too." agreed Charley, her anger subsiding.

"Well, I got me three cottontails while I was trailing ya'll earlier. There's a dead limb over behind where I was hiding. If you'll break up some fire-wood and get a fire going, I'll run down and skin 'em right quick and we can spit them over the fire."

"Let's cook 'em up here. I like the view better." Charlene suggested.

"I don't know, I'll bet the Indians would like it better too." Offered Johnny, still slightly shaken from Jesse's prank.

"Naw, there ain't any Indians around right now. The Apaches have been hanging around the Guadalupe's up north and the Comanches have been raiding off to the east.' Sides, Murdoch's on good terms with both for the time being. There's a good place over back from where I was hiding up against the rock that is pretty well hidden, and is a good place to build a big fire that can't bee seen from very far away. Charley knows it an can show you where to set up the fire." Logan said. He then returned to his horse, retrieved the rabbits, and set about skinning and cleaning them.

Having been trained at the task by both Zach Baynes and various Indians, Logan made short work of the chore and soon rejoined the Lancers atop the rock. While he had been busy with the rabbits, Charlene had returned to her saddlebags and retrieved several sourdough rolls and three baking potatoes she'd brought from Ma's Cafe. They had quite a feast cooked up in a very short time.

As they were sitting around eating, Johnny asked, "How'd you know I was coming out here Logan? In fact, how'd you know I was even anywhere near town? And if you knew, who else does? The Army, Murdoch, the Masons?"

"The Murdoch's know, but I doubt the Masons do, at least, they don't know where you're at or where you were headin' when you set out after Charley. You were spotted by Zach Baynes, and a big half-breed by the name of Lance Nighthawk. The Army knows nothing so far."

"Hell, Zach Baynes? I never figured that ole mountain man'd still be alive. I'd figured him fer losin' his topknot a long time ago."

"You must not remember him very well then pardner. It'll be a cold day in Hell for sure when someone lift's Baynes' scalp." Logan said.

"Now Lance Nighthawk, I know him alright. He rides with them Fogg boys. Them bastards gave us a lot of trouble a few years back when I was ridin' with the Dunstall gang. But I thought Fogg finally got run outta Texas an inta Mexico."

"He did, but he got run out of there too after shootin' up half the ranchers down there, rustlin' most of their cattle, and raisin' hell with the Mexican army all the way back to the Texas border. Now he's back in Texas an about ta get into more trouble yet. Maybe more than he can handle." Logan said.

"More than he can handle?" Lancer asked incredulously. "You don't mean he's goin' up against you an Murdoch do you? Anyhow, unless he's goin' up against the law its hard to imagine who could hand 'em more trouble than he could handle. We couldn't ever get the upper hand on 'em, and the Dunstall gang was pretty savvy when I rode with 'em. We finally backed off. We'd have settled things with 'em but the Rangers were hot on our trail as well, and we finally decided it was best ta relocate rather than fight Fogg and the Texas Rangers at the same time. Folks ever since have been sayin' that the Foggs ran us off, but it ain't true. They did get some of us though. They've got some downright fast gunmen like Blackjack Slade, Tuck Lomax and Slinger Hawk. Hell those three alone took out six of our best gunmen, an it was two of us against one of them each time!"

Logan had heard of the three Johnny mentioned yet had never seen any of them in action. "You didn't mention Tyler Dain, or Billy Fogg, who Tyler's taught everthing he knows."

"Yeah, him too. I don't remember Billy as bein' much more than a loud-mouthed pup though. Word is that he's the one that got the Foggs inta too much trouble, what with robbin' stagecoaches and what not. As fer Dain, I've heard he's fast, and kinda like Fogg's lieutenant, but I doubt he's any match fer the three I've named. I knew the men they killed and although they weren't as good as me or either of the Dunstall brothers, they were damned good with their guns. I'd planned ta try an settle up with them Fogg bastards later, and so did the Dunstalls. But with one thing or another, we never got a chance to."

"Well I don't know about Hawk, Slade or Lomax, but Dain is about as fast a man with a gun as I've ever seen." Logan said.

"Faster than you?" Lancer asked.

"I'm not sure. He was when I first met him, but I'm a mite faster now than I was then. But then, he may be too."

Logan then went on to tell of the first time he'd met Dain, and how he'd sided him against the Mexican pistoleros. After he finished that story, he then brought Lancer up to date on all that had been happening since the time he had left Olsen's Falls to chase down Johnny and Charlene.

Lancer then explained in his own words what had taken place at Camp Stockton the previous night. He then asked Logan, "Why was it that you were in such an all-fired hurry ta catch up with me an Charley?"

"Well first of all, I wanted to make sure you did catch up to her so you wouldn't go gallivanting out to the ranch or into town where you might run into the Masons. Second, I'd like to know just what your plans are? Where are you going to be standing in all of this?"

Charlene was beginning to get nervous as Johnny mulled the questions over in his mind. "I don't know yet Jesse. You may not like my answer, but I reckon I'm going ta hang around fer awhile. Don't worry, I plan to stay away from the Mason's. I'll even back down from them if they find and challenge me. But I like it out here, an I intend ta settle down somewhere around these parts. I'll figure some way ta square things with the Masons, at least enough ta where I won't have ta gun 'em down. Hell, I might even side with either Tanner or Fogg, whilst they're fightin' amongst one another that is. I won't go against you an Murdoch though, so no matter what you hear or think, don't ever believe that of me. I may be a lot of things, but I'd never go against my own!"

"Just how'n the hell would you manage to get on with the Foggs? I thought you just said that you were aiming to plug some of their best gunmen." Jesse asked.

"Hell, Jesse, don't you know how I got pardoned? I'm the one that brought down the Dunstall gang from the inside, after the rangers had tried and failed for years!"

"Even so, Johnny, after everything I just told you I don't see why you'd want to hang around. You're likely to get in more trouble than ever, if you don't get killed first."

"Shoot Jesse, after what you've told me, I KNOW I ain't goin' nowhere." Johnny said smiling, that old reckless devil dancing in his emerald green eyes as Jesse had remembered it years before.

"Why, Johnny?" Charlene asked incredulously.

"Alright, between us three, an no further, alright?"

They both nodded in affirmation and Lancer continued. "I not only brought down the Dunstall gang, but I also got all the gold they'd had stashed from several years of robbin' banks, army payrolls, Mexican banks, stage lines and whatever. Unlike a lot of the gangs ya hear about, the Dunstalls never spent much of what they stole. In fact, before me an the Rangers brought 'em down, they had planned just one more big holdup and then intended ta leave the country fer Australia, where they'd live out the rest of their lives in luxury an peace. Didn't work out that way though.

After we'd robbed a bank down in Corpus Christie, I lit out for a few days planning on goin' ta San Antonio. Lots of times, after a holdup, the gang would split up and go off in different directions. That way, they might catch some of us, but never the whole bunch at the same time. We'd always get back together in a month or so, and stash whatever loot we'd taken.

I'd grown a beard so that I figured no one would recognize my face, which by now, was on wanted posters all over the state. When I hit San Antone, I got cleaned up, and sat down to a card game. After a while, I started doin' pretty good, and a gunman by the name of Jack Lawson began accusing me of cheatin'. I told 'em where he could go. He seemed ta think it was a better idea ta send me there instead and decided ta draw on me though. He was a mite slow and I killed 'em and went back ta the game. About ten minutes later, the town Marshal showed up and arrested my ass. Hell, it had been a fair fight, but Lawson was a friend of the Marshal's. The Marshal didn't recognize me fer who I was, no doubt on account of the beard.

Not too long after I got thrown in jail, the Marshal came in with another prisoner who'd been disturbin' the peace, and had busted up one of the saloons. The Marshal tossed him in with me and then headed back out to the street ta finish his rounds.

The man he'd thrown in with me asked me if I had me any strong sentiments against bustin' out. I told him that I hadn't, but had no idea just how I was supposed to do it. He then said that he could pick any lock on any cell this side of New Orleans and pulled out a set of lock picks like I'd never seen before.

In no time at all, he'd picked the lock, and we were outside the cell. We stole a couple of Winchesters and some ammo, got back our own pistols and gunbelts, then checked carefully ta make sure that the Marshall was nowhere in sight out front. He wasn't and we just walked out of that jail as calmly as you please, went over to the livery, and got our horses.

The stranger then introduced himself as Billy Splatt, and I told 'em my name was Lance Johnson. He said that he had some friends just outside of town, and asked me if I wanted ta travel with them a ways, in case anyone tried ta come after us or we got jumped by Indians. I figured that I had nothing better ta do at the moment so I said I'd tag along with them fer awhile, maybe as far as Uvalde or so.

We rode out of town toward the west fer about a mile or two before we found his friends. There were eight of them as I recall. They seemed like a decent bunch, claiming that they'd just unloaded a herd of stolen cattle and were just lookin' ta have some fun with the money they'd gotten. Anyway, we rode on for about five miles or so. They were all laughin' and jokin' and I had gotten ta where I felt pretty well at home with them and had dropped my guard. I didn't notice that after a while, I was ridin' right in the middle of em. All of a sudden, I heard the click of several pistols bein' cocked behind me and felt a rifle proddin' my back. They told me I was under arrest. Next, they pulled out their badges and proved that they were really Texas Rangers.

It turned out that they had spoken to the Marshal of San Antonio after he'd locked me up, and explained to him that I was an important prisoner that they wanted very badly. They didn't tell him who I really was though. The fact was, they hadn't been all that sure themselves and probably wouldn't have even paid me any mind had I not drawn their attention by out-drawing the fastest hombre in town. That's when one of them had recognized me, even with the beard. So they went and arranged my little escape with the Marshal so they could get me out of town. Well, I was fit ta be tied, and that's jest what they did, sat me down, and tied me up hand an foot, then laid out their proposition.

They said that I'd hang for certain, if they brought me in, which was true. At the very best, I'd get life in prison which to me, would be even worse. But, they told me that they had a pardon signed by the Governor himself, for me, providin' I would help em catch the Dunstalls and their gang. Otherwise, they'd just tear up the paper. The fella that helped me bust out and had told me his name was Billy Splatt, turned out to be the famous Texas Ranger Will Splatters. I knew him to be one tough hombre, but square, for the most part, from his reputation. I thought about it awhile and said that I'd help them, but that I was as good as dead if the Dunstalls found out. They said I was as good as dead then, and they were right, so I agreed. I asked them what was ta keep me from just goin' back to the Dunstalls an warnin' 'em? Turned out they had that all figured out too.

They told me to wait a few more minutes and that question would be answered for me. Sure enough, it was. A few minutes later, two riders rode inta the campsite. One, was another Ranger, and the other, a girl that I'd been sweet on named Molly Arnett. Molly's kid brother Wayne Arnett had ridden with us on a couple of jobs the past year, but had gotten himself caught. The banker had been killed that time, and like it was with me back in Kansas, her brother Wayne, had gotten the blame. He hadn't been the one that fired the shot, I'm not sure who did, but it wasn't him. That didn't matter though, the town was in the mood ta lynch, and he would be lynched, the ranger said, unless I cooperated completely. Molly begged me ta cooperate, and I couldn't turn her down. Fact was, I was gettin' tired of the Dunstall gang anyhow. I knew it wouldn't be easy, but I gave her and the Rangers my word that I'd do my best, and I did.

It's a long story that I won't go into right now, but before the job that was to be the Dunstall's last, I let the rangers in on their plans and arranged for an ambush. I made sure that I killed the ones the rangers missed. Couldn't leave any loose jaws that might get ta flappin' about where the gold was stashed. Both the Dunstall brothers and their two best gunmen were not with us at that time though. They had decided ta do an extra job themselves and meet up with us after we'd finished the big one, then we'd make plans about goin' to Australia.

Anyhow, they pulled that one off down in Gonzales County and then they split up, the two gunmen going one way and the Dunstalls going another, after they'd heard what happened ta the rest of us. They didn't know that I was still alive, much less that I had double-crossed 'em. I caught the two gunmen, gunned them down, then later, the Dunstalls, an did them in too. I brought all four and handed their bodies to the rangers, collected my pardon, an took out easy as ya please. Not only that, but I got the dead or alive rewards for killin' the Dunstalls and some of their gang. The rangers were not allowed to keep any reward for criminals that they captured or killed. It came out ta just over eleven-thousand dollars, all told, which wasn't even a drop in the bucket compared to all the loot the Dunstalls had stashed over the years.

Anyway, I waited around fer a while, gambling here and there fer a couple of months until I was certain that no one was watching me anymore. I then went out ta their hideout and got the gold, and stashed it somwhere's else. Fact is, it ain't all that far from here. Yer lookin' at a rich man, an when the dust settles down, either Tanner, Fogg, or both will be gone. I intend ta get hold of some of that land myself, and start my own spread. I got the money ta do it too. All I got ta do is stay alive an play my cards right. After that, we'll all be neighbors an live happily ever after, jest like in them story books ma used ta read us Charley."

"Johnny, those books were just stories. Fairy tales. The whole countryside's about to explode, an the Army is lookin' for ya and so are the Mason brothers. I think ye'r livin' in a dream world. I wish fer all of our sakes, you'd just leave." Charlene said soberly.

"I think she's right, Johnny. If only you hadn't shot it out with Will Mason years ago, and if you hadn't shot up those army boys the other night, we could sure use your help and would love to have you. But I don't see how you can bring anything but trouble now." Logan said.

"You intend ta try an run me out, Jesse?" Lancer asked pointedly, looking Jesse directly in the eye.

Charlene's blood began turning to ice and she said, "No, Johnny, not that, not now, not EVER!"

"OH, don't jump yer fences yet Charley, I wasn't planin' on drawin' down on 'em. I just want ta get it clear where we stand."

"No Johnny, I don't plan ta run you out, or try to draw on you either. Not now. We used to be close friends, and I hope we can stay that way. But know this, the Masons are my closest friends, next to Shane and Brazos. You gun one or both of them down, and I find out you could have avoided it, then it'll be you an me." Logan said, meeting his gaze.

"Alright, fair enough. But I'm askin' ya ta do anything you can Jesse, ta help me see to it that that don't happen. You got influence with 'em, if you really care about em, USE IT! Remember, they used to be my friends too. I'll do what I can on my side, but I need them off my back. And like I said, no matter what it seems like I am doing with either the Foggs or Tanner, I will never be against Murdoch."

"Why do you keep saying that Johnny?" Charlene asked.

"Because, sis, fer a while, some folks may very well begin thinkin' I'm the worst scoundrel around. I may be doin' things that'll make me look that way. But when a fella is only lookin' at his feet, an tries ta start runnin', he's liable ta run smack dab into a tree or somthin'. He's got ta look ahead to the road in front of him. That's what I'll be doin', an what I hope you will keep in mind if an when it seems like I'm runnin' the wrong direction."

"I guess that's all I can ask of you then Johnny." Logan said, however, Lancer had not by any means allayed his worries.

Top of This Page | Front Page | Next Chapter

Copyright © 1999 by John T. Crow
All rights reserved.