Range War Along the Pecos, by John Theron Crow

Range War Along the Pecos

CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO

 
Jesse Logan finally reached his destination. It was a ridge overlooking a basin between the Santiago and Woods Hollow Mountains. He was some three hundred yards away from, and about one third that higher up above the MT crew and a medium sized herd which were grazing in the valley below. Although he could make them out fairly clearly, there was small chance that any of them could see him, concealed as he was in a small clump of scrub oak. The Fogg crew were coming into view from the north so he settled down and prepared to watch.
"Try this, it'll give you a better view."
Jesse instinctively rolled over, pulling his pistol as he did so. Lance Nighthawk was standing about ten yards behind him smirking, his arm extended and holding a telescope. Suddenly, he broke into laughter. Logan was amazed that he had not noticed the big man's approach, and even more so, that his horse had not alerted him. "That's a good way to get shot, sneaking up on a man like that." Logan said, more angry with himself than Nighthawk.
"Good way to get scalped, being so easy to sneak up on." Nighthawk countered, still chuckling. He walked over and squatted down beside Logan. "I've been waiting up here for a bit over an hour for Captain Fogg to attack the MT hands down below. Heard you coming, so I hid back in that clump of trees over there." Nighthawk said, gesturing toward another clump of brush and scrub oak about twenty yards behind them.
"Why were you waiting up here? Logan asked, his curiosity piqued.
"Well, it should be a fairly easy fight. Fogg'll tell 'em to leave. The MT hands will of course refuse. The fight will start, and Fogg's men will start cutting the MT men to pieces. From horseback, they don't have much chance. But depending on how far they are from each other, some of the MT hands might make it to those rocks and trees just below us. If they do, they might be able to make a fight of it for a while. That means, they might kill some of Fogg's men, a lot more than they would if they can't get to cover. I aim to discourage them from getting behind those rocks." Nighthawk said, patting his Henry repeating rifle.
Rising up, he ran over and disappeared in the clump of trees, then returned a couple of moments later with a big-bore Sharps 50 caliber rifle, the Henry 44 repeater, and a couple of boxes of cartridges.
As the Fogg's approached the MT hands below, Jesse explained his presence and recounted the death of the sheriff, the townsfolk's belief in Nighthawk's guilt, and his own opinion that it was one of the Esperanza gang, likely Muerte, that murdered the sheriff. "'Preciate your concern. I found out most of it myself yesterday afternoon. I got some news for you too, Logan. But let's let them finish their business down there first, then I'll tell you." Nighthawk said.
By now, the Fogg's had approached within a hundred yards of the herd, but the MT men had left the herd, banding together, and were now approaching the Fogg's cautiously. "This is going to be a turkey-shoot, the way those MT boys are bunched up. If they had any sense, they'd at least try and stampede the cattle in Fogg's direction." Nighthawk said.
Jesse had been thinking the same thing. Obviously, the MT hands had already heard of the Fogg's by now, and of the Fogg's hostile intentions. Thus, they must have figured that they were in for a fight. Logan assumed that Tanner's men were expecting Fogg to approach close enough to palaver first, at which point, it would be a fairly even fight, so they thought, each man drawing from horseback. The numbers appeared to be about equal, some twenty men on either side. However, Fogg's men were experts at fighting with pistols from the back of a moving horse, and it was unlikely that the battle would last long.
Captain Fogg's next move surprised even Jesse. The way Fogg had spoken had indicated to Logan that Fogg intended to first order Tanner's men off the range. He did not. As the two groups of riders had approached to within about twenty-five yards of one-another, Jesse heard the unmistakable sounds of rebel yells as Fogg's men broke into a direct run, fanning out to either side, straight at the MT hands, their pistols out and firing.
It was a complete route. The MT riders had been expecting to be within spitting distance before having to pull their weapons. Fogg's men, after spurring their horses had placed their reigns in their teeth, and had began firing two pistols simultaneously into the MT riders as they charged, and fanned out. Their fanning out to either side had made the MT riders have to take that fatal extra split second to find and fix a target before firing whereas, they themselves, were still in a bunch.
By the time Fogg's men had formed a semi-circle around the Tanner riders, over three-quarters of them had been shot down, either dead or wounded. Fogg's men, at the edge of the semi circles on either side, fell back as those in the center caught up with them and they charged through the remainder of Tanner's men, wheeling their horses as they passed them and charging in to finish them off.
A couple of the MT hands had managed to extract Winchesters, and one of them killed a Fogg rider only to be cut down an instant later. It was, Jesse noted, a fine display of the guerilla tactics that they had used during the Civil War. Even the best gunfighters were rarely good shots from the backs of moving horses. However, the Fogg riders proved to be expert.
Nonetheless, three MT riders broke for the jumble of rocks and brush directly below Logan and Nighthawk, and two ran the opposite direction toward Olsen's Falls. Logan was suddenly jarred away from the telescope by a tremendous boom coming from Nighthawk's Sharps 50, and one of the riders fleeing toward Olsen's Falls dropped from his horse and lay still. Almost instantly, Nighthawk was firing from his Henry 44 repeater, levering shells into it as fast as he could.
One of the riders making for the cover just below, was knocked out of the saddle, and Logan could tell, that another had been hit, as he was grasping his side. As the remaining two whirled back around, Fogg's riders were virtually on top of them and cut them down with their pistols immediately. None had attempted to follow the other rider who appeared to be making for Olsen's Falls.
Nighthawk stood up and gave a rebel yell, waving his arms in the air. Captain Fogg waved back in acknowledgement. Logan noted with disgust, that Billy Fogg had returned to the downed MT riders and was walking about them with pistol in hand, shooting those who were not yet dead.
Logan stood up and drawled laconically, "Well, looks like your side won. You want to tell me that bit of information you said could wait until the fight was over?"
"Alright. Fact is, I didn't kill Sheriff Orr, and I don't know who did, but it does sound like Muerte's work. Anyhow, I caught site of the Esperanza gang last night. I wanted to find out just where they were holed up---- since I figured along the same lines as you--that Tanner or someone, had hired them to do in the sheriff and make it look like I did it. Well, I found that they'd been holing up in Javelina Canyon, but they had left when I got there. I followed their trial and then found them, driving a herd of cattle on the BAR-O spread, and heading them straight toward Joe Bolton's place. I didn't stick around to see what happened. Only half of the gang was driving the cattle, and that meant that the other half might be near-by. I'd already found out what I needed to know--that Tanner wasn't heading out our way yet, so I decided to return. Damn near rode my horse to death gettin' back. It would be my guess though, that Joe Bolton and crew, are now as dead as those men down below."
"Shit, Nighthawk! You should have told me sooner. I've got to get" Logan exclaimed.
"What's your hurry? Ain't no way anyone can save Bolton now. Whatever has happened, it's over, and you can't save them now."
Mebbe not, but I can damn sure get back to Murdoch, and get some men to go after them!"
With that, they parted company and Logan spurred his horse down the mountainside, away from the carnage below and toward Olsen's Falls and the BAR-O. * * *
Casa Bonita was a small settlement consisting mostly of adobe hovels. It had originally been the site of a ranch where a Mexican rancher had built a fine hacienda for his mistress who upon her first glimpse of it, had remarked as to how it was pretty. Hence, the name. The woman in question eventually succumbed to tuberculosis, and the rancher, sinking into depression after her death, had finally committed suicide.
Many of the families that had worked for the rancher however, had remained. Just outside of the town there was a large depression which regularly filled up with water after heavy rains. It was there that the cattle which the Esperanza gang had stolen from the BAR-O, along with a smattering of MT beeves as well, were presently watering.
Emillio Esperanza had just completed the sale of the cattle to a buyer named Pedro Martinez who planned to re-sell them at a profit, just below the border. As Martinez and his men left Manuel's Cantina to begin their drive south, Emillio began giving instructions. He left six of his most reliable gunmen at Casa Bonita. One courier, he sent to the Murdoch ranch with explicit written instructions, written down by Charlene Lancer as dictated by Cyrus Wilhelm, the only Anglo member of the Esperanza gang.
To the honorable Senor Angus Murdoch, Esquire,
We have your Sobrina, Senorita Charlene Lancer, and another Senorita whom she claims to be her half sister, Margaret Baldridge. You will do doubt recognize Charlene's handwriting. These lovely Senoritas have suffered the misfortune of observing my men driving a herd of cattle we have stolen from Senor Joseph Bolton. Alas however, their misfortune is our gain. If you wish to see them alive and in good health, bring twenty- thousand dollars at once, to Casa Bonita. There, you will give half of this money to my men, and you will receive in return, Senorita Margaret Baldridge alive and unharmed. Should any harm befall the man who brings you this message, or any of my men whom you find in Casa Bonita, we shall cut off Senorita Charlene's right hand---of course---only after my men have each used her after the manner of a common whore. I am tempted to use her this way myself, but shall not do so, and shall prevent any of my men from so doing, provided you abide by my instructions).
If, we do not receive all of the money in four days, or if you try to gain her back by force, we shall send her to you in pieces--after-- my men and I have ravished and tortured her to death very slowly. Do "NOT" try to be a hero and your sobrina shall remain alive and unmolested. Any tricks, and Angel de Muerte will show her the meaning of pain. No rangers or soldiers, no LAW!!!!! From Casa Bonita, you will proceed to Diablo Canyon, in the Chalk Mountains. You will receive further instructions when you arrive at that destination.
Your obedient servant,
Emillio Esperanza
With that message in hand, Alberto Perea, one of Emillio's most reliable couriers, set off toward the Murdoch Ranch. After reiterating his orders that Maggie Baldridge, was not to be molested in any way, Emillio Esperanza and his gang along with Charlene Lancer, quickly mounted their horses, and headed southeast at a gallop.

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