CHAPTER 9 CAPTAIN RICHARDSON THE  PRIEST

CAPTAIN WATCH AS TWO PRIVATES RIDE OFF SLOW TO THE NORTH.   EACH HAD THE REINES OF TWO HORSES ONE ON EACH SIDE OF HIM.

BILL:   THEM GOING NORTH KEEP THEM AWAY FROM PAWNEE AND SAFE.

CAPTAIN:   YES IT WILL BUT WE ARE GETTING THIN NOW.   I DO HOPE WE LOSE NO MORE MEN.

BILL:   CAPTAIN I BELIEVE IT IS ME AND YOU TOGETHER.   THEM THREE ..WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY DO?

CAPTAIN:   THAT CORPORAL WAS TRYING TO KILL JACK JOHNSON.  JOHNSON WAS SAVING OUR SKINS.   SOMETHING WRONG HERE.

THERE WAS A SOUND AND A YELP FROM PRIVATE.   THE SOUND THERE WAS NO DOUBT ABOUT WHAT IT WAS -- A RATTLE SNAKE. CAPTAIN RUSH TO THE PRIVATE AND BILL SHOT THE SNAKE.

CAPTAIN:   BILL PUT SOME  MUD ON IT AND DRAW OUT THE POISON.

BILL LOOK AT CAPTAIN WITH A LONG SAD FACE SAYING 'OUT HERE, A SNAKE BITE IS DEATH.'

CAPTAIN:   TRY ANY WAY.

BILL:   I WILL TRY BUT BITE CLOSE TO VEINS IN WRIST.    THAT'S A DIAMONDBACK RATTLER.

BILL GOES OFF GET MUD AND BISON DUN TO DRAW OUT THE POISON.

PRIVATE SIMS:   SIR AM I GOING TO DIE?

CAPTAIN:   WE WILL TRY TO SAVE YOU.   BILL GETTING SOME THING TO PULL OUT THE POISON.

PRIVATE SIMS I SEEN THAT SAD LOOK HE GAVE YOU.   I AM GOING TO DIE AINT I?

CAPTAIN:   CALM DOWN SON.   THAT MAKE IT WORST.

PRIVATE SIMS:   SIR WILL YOU TAKE MY CONFESSION I AM CATHOLIC.

CAPTAIN:   SO AM I SON.   I AM AS CLOSE AS A PRIEST THERE IS RIGHT NOW.

PRIVATE SIMS:   CAPTAIN I HAVE SINNED.    I WATCH SERGEANT AND THE CORPORAL RAPE JACK JOHNSON DAUGHTER AND DID NOT STOP THEM.

CAPTAIN LOOK UP AND BILL WAS STANDING THERE.   'DID YOU HERE THAT'  CAPTAIN SAID TO BILL.

BILL:   YES I DID HERE THE MUD.   OPEN THE BITE UP.   I HOPE IT WORKS.

PRIVATE SIMS:   I WAS A AFRAID TO SAY ANY THING.  THEY SAID THEY KILL ME IF I SAID ANY THING.

CAPTAIN:   WHO KILL HER?

PRIVATE SIMS:   SERGEANT DID.   HE WAS THE FIRST THEN CORPORAL.   I REFUSE TO TAKE PART.  MOST THE REST DID TOO  BUT THEY ALL DEAD NOW.   JACK JOHNSON HAS KILL A LOT THEM,

CAPTAIN PUT THE MUD ON HIS WRIST AND LOOK UP.   PRIVATE SIMS EYES LOOKING OFF INTO THE SKY.   HE WAS GONE.

CAPTAIN:   DAM HE SHOULD NOT GO LIKE THIS.  A DAM SNAKE.  CAPTAIN THREW THE MUD DOWN.

BILL:   HE WAS OUR ONLY FRIEND IN THIS GROUP CAPTAIN.   NOW ITS 4 TO 2:   US 2 AND THEM 2 AGAINST JACK AND BOUNTY HUNTER.   GREAT SPIRIT HELP US.

SERGEANT CAME UP WITH CORPORAL   THEY BEEN PUTTING SADDLES ON MOUNTS THEY SEE PRIVET SIMS THERE ,

SERGEANT:   WHAT HAPPEN SIR?

CAPTAIN:   RATTLE SNAKE.  HE WAS DEAD IN FEW MINUTES.

SERGEANT:   HE SAY ANY THING SIR???

CAPTAIN:   JUST BABBLING MOST TIME HE OUT HIS HEAD.

BILL JUST LOOKS DOWN AND TURN HEAD AND SPIT ON THE SNAKE.   'DID NOT SAY MUCH.'

SERGEANT KIND OF LOOK RELIEVE AND TOLD CORPORAL 'WE DIG A HOLE AND BURY HIM'.

JACK JOHNSON WAS LOOKING BACK THRU THE LONG GLASSES.   HE COULD NOT SEE ANYTHING ON THEIR TRAIL.

LIZZIE:   MAYBE THEY GOT THEIR FILL AND TURN BACK TO HOME.

JACK:  WE SHOULD BE SO LUCKY. THEY HAVE HURT AND DEAD TO DEAL WITH.  THEY BE A DAY RIDING BEHIND US NOW.

LIZZIE:   WE SHOULD RUN NOW AS FAST WE CAN.

JACK:   Sam HERE IS GETTING OLDER,  LOT BATTLES HE AND I LIVE THRU.   WE JUST TAKE IT EASY LET OUR HORSES STAY FRESH FOR WHEN WE REALLY NEED THEM.

LIZZIE:    HOW MANY HAVE YOU BEEN IN JACK?

JACK:  RED LEGS MAYBE 50 OR SO AND INDIANS 10 OR 12.   TWO MORE DAYS IT WONT MATTER.

LIZZIE:   TWO DAYS WHAT HAPPEN?   JACK WHAT AINT YOU TOLD ME?

JACK:   IF CRAZY DOG AINT FELL OFF HIS HORSE AND BROKE HIS NECK  RED BEAR BE HERE WITH 100 BRAVES.

LIZZIE:    WHO RED BEAR AND CRAZY DOG?

JACK:   CRAZY DOG WAS THE DRUNK INDIAN I GAVE THE HORSE TO.   RED BEAR IS MY BLOOD BROTHER CHIEF OF THE COMANCHE.   HE BE HERE IN TWO DAYS.

LIZZIE:    HE KILLS THEM ALL.

JACK:    NO HE TALK TO ME BEFORE ANY KILLING IS DONE.

LIZZIE:  THAT GRAY LOOKING AT MY MUSTANG AGAIN.

JACK:    HE AINT ONLY THING LOOKING AROUND HERE.

LIZZIE:    I WANT TO BE A MARRIED WOMAN BEFORE THINGS GO TO FAR.

JACK:     I GET RED BEAR TO DO IT FOR US.   HE IS CHIEF.  HE CLOSE THING TO  A  JUDGE OUT HERE.

LIZZIE:    NOW I AINT GOING TO KILL YOU AND GET THE MONEY HOW ARE WE GOING TO START OVER?

JACK:    I GOT GOLD.   WE HIT LAWRENCE KANSAS.   THE GOLD THERE FROM THE ANTI SLAVERY TO FUN THE RED LEGS I FOUND IT BE FORE QUANTRILL AND HID IT.   DIG IT UP WHEN WAR OVER.   LIZZIE YOU DO NOT NEED THAT MONEY.

LIZZIE:   MORE THAN 5000?

JACK:   YUP LOT MORE. 21,505 DOLLARS PLUS 250 MORE I TOOK OFF BOUNTY HUNTERS.

LIZZIE JUST STOPS WITH MOUTH OPEN CATCHING FLIES AND STARES AT JACK.

RED BEAR PICKS 12 BRAVES AS SCOUTS AND SENDS THEM OUT TO LOOK FOR JACK.   RED BEAR (signs) WHEN YOU FIND HIM TELL HIM WE ON WAY.   YOU RIDE NOW.  THE WAR PARTY WILL FOLLOW AS SOON WE MAKE READY FOR TRIP.

RED BEAR TURN AROUND TO CAMP THAT HAD CAME OUT TO HEAR WHAT IS GOING ON.

RED BEAR:   MY BLOOD BROTHER SENDS WORD THAT THE BLUE BELLYS AFTER HIM NOW.  THEY WANT TO KILL HIM.   ALL WHITE EYES HUNT HIM.  THEY KILL AND RAPE THAT LITTLE GIRL OF HIS. THEY GOT MAD WHEN HE TOOK REVENGE ON THEM.   NOW SEND MANY TO KILL HIM FOR GOLD. OUR BROTHER IS THE GRAY RIDER WE HEARD SO MUCH ABOUT.   HE IS COMING TO US NOW. I WANT ALL OLD MEN AND YOUNG MEN STAY HERE TO LOOK AFTER OUR PEOPLE.   REST COME WITH ME.   THEN HE LET OUT HIS WAR CRY.