CHAPTER 6 THE PAWNEE [GRAY RIDER]

CAPTAIN RICHARDSON'S FOOT WAS BADLY SWOLLEN.  IT WAS ALL HE COULD DO GET BOOT OFF.   CHEROKEE BILL JUST LOOK AT IT.    SHOOK HIS HEAD AS CAPTAIN RICHARDSON PORE WHISKEY IN THE OPEN STING.   CHEROKEE BILL GOES OFF AND SOON RETURNS WITH A MIXTURE OF MUD.

BILL:   HERE CAPTAIN TRY THIS.   WE USE THIS FOR YEARS TO PULL OUT THE POISON.   IT WORKS.

CAPTAIN:   WHAT IS IT?

BILL:   MUD AND FRESH BISON DUN.   IT WILL WORK.  ALWAYS HAS.

CAPTAIN:   YOU WANT ME PUT THAT ON MY FOOT BILL?   I GET AN INFECTION.

BILL:   YOU ALREADY GOT A INFECTION.  WHISKEY GOOD TO DRINK .   SOME TIMES GOOD FOR CUTS.   NOT BITES OR STINGS.   PUT THE MUD AND DUN ON FOOT; WRAP WITH RAG; TAKE THE CANTEEN AND TAKE A SHOT OF WHISKEY. HUUUUUUUM GOOD.   THAT IS WHAT IT FOR.

CAPTAIN:  JACK JOHNSON SURE DID US IN GOOD. HAD ME FIGHTING WITH MEN. THINKING THEY WAS DRUNK.   GOT YOU DRUNK AND RUN OFF OUR MOUNTS.

BILL:   JOHNSON IS A GOOD MAN.   IF I KNEW IT WAS HIM I WAS SUPPOSE TO FINE BEFORE I LEFT THE FORT I WOULD NOT HAVE GONE WITH YOU.

CAPTAIN:   HOW WELL YOU KNOW HIM BILL?

BILL:   HE SAVE MY LIFE COUPLE TIMES.   WE LEAD CALVARY OUT WEST TO SET UP FORTS --  HE HONORABLE "NO LIE" MAN, TELL THE TRUTH ALL TIME.   THEY DID SOME THING TO HIM FOR HIM TO KILL SO MANY.  HE HAD GOOD REASON TO DO SO.

CAPTAIN:   WELL I AM SUPPOSE TO BRING HIM BACK TO STAND TRIAL AND BRING OUT THE TRUTH.

BILL:   YOU NOT KILL HIM TAKE MONEY.

CAPTAIN:   NOT MY ORDERS.   MY ORDERS BRING HIM BACK ALIVE TO STAND TRAIL.

BILL:   HUUUNNN HE MAY KILL US ALL IF WE NOT CAREFUL.   HE FRIENDS TO COMANCHE CHIEF RED BEAR.   THAT IS WHERE HE GOING.   HE GET THERE WE GOING NEED MORE WE GOT.

CAPTAIN:   YOU SURE OF THIS?

BILL:   YES HE BLOOD BROTHER TO RED BEAR. HE DID THIS TO SHOW HIS WORD WAS TRUE.   HE GOT THE COMANCHE STOP FIGHTING US.   LET US THREW THEIR GROUNDS.

CAPTAIN:   THANKS BILL FOR THE FACTS.    THOUGHT I WAS ON WRONG SIDE.   ORDERS ARE ORDERS.   I HAVE DISCRETION IN THE FIELD,  WAS CHOSEN TO RUN THIS HUNTING TRIP.

FIRST LIGHT THEY UP AND BROKE CAMP, AND WAS GOING SOUTH WEST. THERE THEY SEEN THE TWO TRAILS JOIN TOGETHER.

CAPTAIN:   BILL WHAT YOU MAKE OF THIS?

BILL:   THE WOMAN PICK UP GRAY RIDER TRAIL. HE CIRCLES HER CAMP NIGHT BEFORE.  SHE ALIVE BECAUSE HE LET HER LIVE.

THEY FOLLOW THE TRAIL ON ,AND FOUND WHERE TWO PAWNEE JOIN THE TRAIL.

CAPTAIN:   BILL WHAT IS THIS? TWO MORE RIDERS JOIN HERE.

BILL:   SHE FOLLOW GRAY RIDER , AND THEY FOLLOW HER.   PAWNEE BAD FOR EVERY BODY.

THEY RODE ON FOR TEN MILES CAME UP ON THE DEAD PAWNEE.

CAPTAIN:   BILL SHE KILL THIS ONE?

BILL:   NO JACK JOHNSON DID.   KILL WITH A SHARP 50 CALIBER.   LOOK AT THE SIZE OF HOLE. OTHER RIDE THAT WAY.

BILL FOLLOW THE TRAIL OF ONE GOT AWAY SOON HE SEEN BLOOD ON GRASS BY TRAIL.

BILL:   JACK HIT THE SECOND ONE, BUT GOT AWAY.   MAYBE HE DIES. MAYBE NOT.

CAPTAIN:   WHAT IF HE GOT AWAY?

BILL:   WE GOING TO HAVE PAWNEE ALL OVER US SOON.

CAPTAIN:   OK LETS RIDE AND NOT BE HERE WHEN THEY COME BACK.

THEY RODE ON AND CAME TO WHERE LIZZIE AND JACK RODE SIDE BY SIDE TRYING TO PUT AS MUCH DISTANCE BETWEEN THEM AND PAWNEE.

BILL TO CAPTAIN:   THEY RIDE TOGETHER JOIN FORCES NOW.

CAPTAIN:   THEY JOIN FORCES?

BILL:   YES THEY GOT BIGGER PROBLEM THAN EACH OTHER, THE PAWNEE.   JACK JOHNSON AND BOUNTY HUNTER RIDE HARD TO FINE A PLACE THEY CAN HOLD OFF PAWNEE.

CAPTAIN:   WE BETTER DO THE SAME.

BILL:   YOU RIGHT.  PAWNEE WONT CARE WHO THEY KILL:  RIGHT NOW WE IN SAME BED ASJACK JOHNSON AND WOMAN.

CAPTAIN:   LETS GET THE HELL OUT HERE.   WE NEED A SPOT TO HOLD UP.  THIS IS NOT THE PLACE TO FIGHT AT.

THEY RODE ON HARD MOST THE DAY,TRYING TO PUT AS MUCH DISTANCE AS THEY CAN BETWEEN THEM AND PAWNEE.   THE RED LEGS WHISPER BETWEEN THEM AS RODE ALONG.  THEY DID NOT LIKE THE IDEA OF HAVING INDIANS TO FIGHT PLUS JACK JOHNSON. THAT NIGHT THEY MADE A COLD CAMP.   THE RED LEGS SENT A REPRESENTATIVE  TO TALK TO CAPTAIN.

RED LEG CAPTAIN:   WE DID NOT GO OUT HERE TO FIGHT INDIANS. THIS IS NOT WHAT WE BARGAIN FOR.

CAPTAIN:   YOUR BEST CHANCE TO STAY ALIVE IS WITH ME AND BILL ..   THERE ARE MORE INDIANS BEHIND YOU THAN IN  FRONT OF YOU.

BILL:   WHY YOU THINK JACK SHOT THAT INDIAN ANY WAY.   SAVE THE BOUNTY HUNTER ASS.  NO IT WAS TO GET THEM STIR UP AND WE HALF TO FIGHT THEM.   HE GOES FREE.

CAPTAIN:   SO RED LEG YOU CAN DIE WITH ME OR BY YOUR SELF OUT HERE.   BUT YOU GOING TO FIGHT INDIANS ANY WAY YOU GO.

JACK JOHNSON AND LIZZIE JANE MADE CAMP. AFTER MEAL OF SALT MEAT BISCUITS AND RED EYE GRAVY HE LEAN BACK TOOK OUT SACK TOBACCO AND ROLL HIM A SMOKE.   HE MARVEL AT LIZZIE SHE WIPES THE SKILLET CLEAN AND PUT AWAY.

JACK:   LIZZIE JANE THAT FINE MEAL, I BEEN LIVING OUT ON TRAIL SO LONG. I FORGOT WHAT RED EYE GRAVY AND BISCUITS TASTE LIKE.   COFFEE WAS GREAT.

LIZZIE:   I AM SURPRISE THAT YOU WANTED A FIRE TO NIGHT TO COOK A MEAL OVER.

JACK:   WE CLEAR OF INDIANS NOW BUT THE CALVARY BETTER BE LOOKING OUT.

LIZZIE:   I BET YOU JUST WOUNDED THAT INDIAN SO HE COULD BRING THE WHOLE TRIBE DOWN ON THEM.   [LIZZIE FACE LITTLE RED NOW].

JACK:   BILL READ THE SIGN RIGHT; HE TELL THE CAPTAIN HE GOT TROUBLE.

LIZZIE:   JACK YOU SAID BILL WAS YOUR FRIEND.

JACK:   THAT'S THE SAD PART OF THIS, MY FRIEND IS EYES OF MY ENEMY.   HE GETS KILT, I LOSE A FRIEND.   HE COULD GET ME KILT TOO.

JACK:   LIKE I SAID TWO THOSE RED LEG WAS IN GROUP THAT RAPE MY DAUGHTER AND KILL HER. I WISH I COULD GET MY HANDS ON THEM AND MAKE THEM TALK.

LIZZIE:   IF THEY DEAD THE TRUTH DIES WITH THEM.

JACK:   HUUUUUM NEVER THOUGHT OF THAT.   I'LL GO BACK AT FIRST LIGHT AND SEE IF CAN HELP THEM.

LIZZIE:   YOU GO NO WHERE WITH OUT ME. YOU GET KILT I TURN YOU IN.

JACK:   YOU GOT ALL ANGLES FIGER WOMAN.

LIZZIE:   JUST LIKE YOU WOUNDED THAT INDIAN.  I BET YOU COULD KILL HIM CLEAN AND CHOOSE NOT TO.

JACK:   I STARTED TO KILL HIM. DECIDED TO LET HIM BE A PROBLEM TO CALVARY.

LIZZIE:   YOU GOT GO BACK AND SAVE THEM SO YOU CAN MAKE THEM TALK.   YOU GOT NO CHOICE.   AND YOUR FRIEND BILL YA HAVE TO GO BACK FOR.

JACK:   YOU RIGHT, LIZZIE JANE WE RIDE AT FIRST LIGHT. LEAVE PACK HORSES HERE AT WATER HOLE.   THE HORSES TOO TIRED TO GO NOW.   SAVE YOUR ENEMY SO YOU CAN KILL HIM. SOMETHING TWISTED IN THAT.