.44 Caliber Man by J.T. Edson Page B

halted to study the other men as they sat around the
table.
    ‘ It’s just about what I’d expect,’ he growled. ‘All the white
folks sat filling their bellies while this poor lil Injun boy’s
been working.’
    ‘ You’ve been working?’ Mark asked. ‘Well, they do say there’s a
time and place for everything.’
    ‘ What’d you find out?’ Dusty inquired before the Kid could
think up an answer suitable for mixed company.
    ‘ Arnie lit out just a mite after the shooting,’ the Kid
replied. ‘I was going to try looking for him, but figured I’d best
tell you first.’
    ‘ Any chance of you finding him?’ Dusty wanted to
know.
    ‘ Not a whole heap,’ admitted the Kid. ‘He took off along the
trail, could’ve left it anywhere. Happen Ka-Dih’s willing. I’ll cut
his sign.’
    ‘ Forget it,’ Dusty decided. ‘We’ll let them make the next
move.’
    ‘ They may not try,’ Colin put in.
    ‘ They’ll try,’ Mark told him.
    ‘ There’s nothing more sure than that,’ the Kid agreed. ‘Now
Vicente’s gone under, they’ve got to cut you down.’
    ‘ Then I’ll go back to the hotel,’ Colin stated and started to
rise.
    ‘ The hell you will!’ Ma snapped. ‘You’re staying with
us.’
    ‘ We stand a better chance of licking them if we’re all
together,’ Dusty went on. ‘If we split up, they can pick us off one
at a time.’
    ‘ Dusty can look after you better if you stay here,’ Jeanie
remarked.
    ‘ Damn it!’ Colin barked, slamming a hand on to the table. ‘I’m
not a child to need looking after. And I’m asking no man to fight
for me.’
    ‘ And I’m not offering to,’ Dusty said quietly, giving Jeanie a
glare which made her squirm in her seat. ‘This’s not just your
fight, Colin. Lou and Miss Hosman each killed one of the gang. Lon
downed two. I shot another of them. That means the Flores gang’ll
be after all of us. So we’ve got to stand together.’
    ‘ Like us Pehnane say,’ the Kid went on. ‘United we stand,
divided the Kaddo take our scalps.’
    ‘ You’re sure that’s an old Indian saying?’ April smiled. ‘I
learned it in school.’
    ‘ You white folks’re allus taking the red brother’s land,’
grinned the Kid. ‘Looks like you’re wide looping his sayings
now.’
    That broke the
air of tension. Sinking back into his chair, Colin relaxed. He
looked at Jeanie, but she turned her face from him.
    ‘ I’ve got to go see that Army hoss buyer this afternoon,
Dusty,’ Ma said.
    ‘ I’ll go with you,’ Dusty promised. ‘On the way back, Colin and
I’ll pick up our gear from the hotel.’
    ‘ You’d best bring your things from the Black Bear, April,’ Ma
went on.
    ‘ Thanks, Ma,’ April replied. ‘Only what’ll your neighbors say
when they hear you’ve got me staying with you?’
    ‘ Nothing to me,’ Ma grinned. ‘And what I don’t hear ’em say
won’t make me lose sleep.’
    ‘ You can maybe make some arrangements with your boss about
working,’ Dusty told the blonde. ‘Couple of us’ll go with you and
see you safe back here.’
    ‘ If you’re looking for volunteers—’ Mark began
hopefully.
    ‘ Put me down top of the list,’ Temple interrupted. ‘Depot agent
allows I’d best not take any stages out until this blows
over.’
    ‘ You and Lou go help Miss Hosman move in, Mark,’ Dusty decided.
‘Colin and me’ll be with you, Ma. Reckon you can hold the house if
I leave Lon to do the heavy toting, Jeanie?’
    ‘ I’ll make a whirl at it,’ the girl replied.
    So the matter
was decided. The men finished their meal and the two parties left
the house. Neither Dusty nor Mark carried his Winchester, but
Temple toted his Spencer. On reaching the main street, April went
with her escort to the saloon. Ma Dusty and Colin made their way
towards the hotel. People on the sidewalk eyed the young Scot with
interest. There was the man who had killed two of the Flores
brothers. One topic of conversation ran through Fort Sawyer;