Instinctively, Jace Carlin whipped the horse into a run. The carriage jolted forward with a lunge. Jenna, taken by surprise, let out a short scream and shot a hand to the back of her head, holding her bonnet in place.
Carlin drove the horse off the driveway into the barnyard; the carriage wheels slewing sideways, churning up dust and debris. The two men were turning in surprise as the horse and carriage almost slid into them. Carlin pulled the horse up short, forcing him to slide to a stop, almost on his haunches. In the same instant, he tossed the reins into Jenna’s lap, and without making sure that she was in control of the leathers, he leaped from the seat, diving in mid air between the two men. He hit them hard, each arm and shoulder taking each of them down.
He had surprise on his side and was able to recover first. While the two stunned men rolled in the dirt, he jumped to his feet with catlike quickness. As he did so, his fingers reached inside red beard’s collar and pulled the man to his feet with him.
Still holding red beard upright with his left, he released his right and smashed a round house blow into his face. The sound of bone cracking was followed by a gush of bright red blood spewing from red beard’s mashed bulbous nose.
Carlin released him, letting him fall into his partner, who was trying to get up behind red beard. The two fell to the ground, their bodies intertwined in confused flailing. Carlin came after them, keeping his momentum and element of surprise. His face was cold as chiseled stone and his eyes were blank and devoid of feeling. He pulled the man with the black stubble to his feet. He held him in place and sunk his right fist into the man’s belly, without giving him room to double up or fall. He swung his fist into the man’s face. It whipped to the side with a crack. Blood, sprayed out from between his teeth. Then, once again, Carlin buried his fist in the man’s midsection. This time he stepped aside and let him fall to the ground on top of the writhing red beard.
Meanwhile, Jenna Holt had taken control of the reins and brought the startled horse to a halt. She was climbing down from the carriage seat, when the door to the ranch house burst open and a tall man of about thirty, with huge shoulders and broad back, well groomed blond hair and a bristly blond mustache ran out into the ranch yard. He wore a white shirt, with the shirt sleeves rolled halfway up his forearms and his black string tie hung loose beneath his collar, as if he had been relaxing. He first ran to Jenna, making sure she was all right; then ran behind Jace Carlin.
His strong arms wrapped around Jace’s shoulders, pinning his arms to his side. He lifted Carlin off the ground, letting his toes dangle. Carlin tried to squirm free, but could only swing his legs. The big man, rocked back and forth on his feet, swinging Jace from side to side, increasing the arc swing and building momentum. Then he let him go and Jace went flying headlong across the yard. He landed, hard, on his right shoulder. It was still hurting from the beating he had taken the day before and now it hurt even more.
Instinctively, he pushed himself to his feet feet in a crouch. His right hand automatically went to his thigh, reaching for the gun that wasn’t there. He froze in place when he realized that he was unarmed and as the haze drifted away from his enraged eyes and he began to focus, he finally saw the big man before him clearly, for the first time.
“Jace! Jace Carlin!” The big man exclaimed, recognizing his old friend. He came forward quickly, extending a big hand in friendship. “You old son of a gun,” he said. “When did you get back?”
It seemed as if he had forgotten about the two beaten men, on the ground as he stepped forward, until he heard red beard groan as he was rolling over and sitting up in the dirt, his hand covering his bloody nose. The other man was stirring also.
“Hello, Duncan,” Jace said through his labored breathing, without moving from his crouched stance and not reaching for the offered hand.
Duncan Holt rubbed his thumb and forefinger together as if in disdain and pulled his and away. “I guess the better question,” he said. “is what the hell is going on here?” “I’m the one who should be asking questions,” Jace snarled. “What the hell are
you doing with my horse in your corral?” He arched his neck, pointing his chin toward the corral. “And why did you have your men beat up on me yesterday.”
“Wh…what are you talking about?” Duncan Holt asked unbelievingly.
“These two men jumped me on my spread yesterday. Beat the tar out of me and stole my horse. It’s the gray mare in your corral.”
Holt glanced over his shoulder and saw the horse. Then to his two men who were now struggling to get to their feet. “Is that right, Lacy?”
Red Lacy was sitting up now, rubbing his red bearded chin. “Yeah. That’s him. I told you about it yesterday.”
“You didn’t tell me he was a friend of mine.” Holt bellowed.
“How was we supposed to know, boss?” Red said chagrined. “You said to keep everyone off your property.”
“Your property?” Carlin exclaimed, his eyes round and wide open. “But the cattle were branded Diamond 8.” Then he added. “Wait a minute. Just how did you get my spread, anyhow?”
Duncan rubbed a finger behind his ear and said, “Well, now. I guess I have some explaining to do, at that. Come on in the house and we’ll talk about it.” He motioned to the front door, turned on his heel and headed for it, ignoring his beaten two men. Jenna was waiting at the door, consternation on her face.
Jace stood slowly, watching him go and trying to make sense of it all. His face was still flushed with anger. He clenched his jaw and followed after Holt.
“This ain’t over, cowboy,” Red Lacy called to him from behind.
Jace Carlin halted a moment, turned slowly; his eyes glaring at the two men who had now risen to their feet and were dusting themselves off. “That’s right,” he said flatly. “It ain’t over.”
He turned and stepped up onto the porch and allowed Duncan Holt to usher him through the doorway.
“So you see, Jace,” Duncan said. “It was all a mistake. I really am sorry about it.” He was standing beside his red brick fireplace, leaning against the mantle and poking tobacco into his pipe.
“So am I,” Jace said soberly. He tried to force a half smile. He was sitting in one of the plush upholstered chairs in the living room. The place had really changed since the last time, Jace had been there. The highly polished floors were mostly covered with expensive carpets and the furniture was very elegant and luxurious. Jace felt uneasy, placing the seat of his dusty jeans on such an expensive chair. He sat forward of the cushion leaned over his knees, nervously fingering his range hat in his hands.
“I’ll make sure, it doesn’t happen again. I’ll introduce you to my men, so there will be no mistake, next time. You’ve already met Red Lacy and Burl Riley.”
“Yes. And I don’t think they’ll forget it too soon.”
“I’ll talk to them. They won’t give you any more trouble. I promise you that.”
Jace nodded, but to himself, he thought he better not let his guard down,concerning those two. Then he said, “So, how is it you’re calling my place yours?”
“Well Jace,” Holt said, striking a match and dipping it above the bowl of his pipe. He puffed at the stem, until the smoke trickled upward. “You’d been gone a long time. We’d all read about you in the papers and everyone assumed you’d never come back.” He said around the stem of the pipe, through clenched teeth.
“Well, they assumed wrong,” Carlin said with an edge of bitterness.
Holt withdrew the pipe, blew out a puff of smoke and smiled. “As we can see now.” Then he continued, “The place was growing up to weeds and the stock had drifted off. The taxes hadn’t been paid for years, so the county auctioned it off. I couldn’t let the Diamond 8 get their hands on it. Lord knows they’ve already driven away many of the smaller ranchers, many of them your friends; and gobbled up their lands.”
Jace remained silent, listening.
“So, I outbid them a
nd took it myself. Paid a lot more than what it was worth.” “It’s good land.”
“Worth a lot,” Carlin interjected in protest.
“To you, yes,” Duncan agreed. “To me, I only wanted to keep the Diamond 8 out.”
“Why did you take my family’s grave markers down?”
Duncan stammered and shifted side to side on his feet. “I…I didn’t know your family was buried there. I assumed they were buried in the town cemetery.”
“Seems to me, there’s been a lot of assuming going on around here,” Jace said icily.
“I’m sorry, Jace,” Duncan’s brow furrowed in a frown. “My men must have cleared the markers away when they cleared the land of what was left of the buildings. It was a mistake, I’m sure. I never would have let that happen had I known about it. You and I can ride out there and see if we can relocate the graves and remark them.”
“No,” Jace growled bitterly. “I’ll do it myself. I want my land back.”
“Of course you do,” Holt retorted. “And, I’ll sell it back to you for what I paid forit.”
Jace flustered and twisted a chagrined smile. “You will? You really mean that, Duncan?” He came up out of his chair, offering him his hand.. You always were my best friend. I shouldn’t have doubted you. I’m awfully sorry about my attitude I came in here with.”
Duncan took his hand and gripped it tight. He said without letting go. “Never forget, I’m your friend, good buddy. But, before you get too carried away, I’d better tell you what it’ll cost you.” He released his grip and pulled his hand away.
The excitement died in Jace’s eyes. “Can’t be that much,” he said weakly; apprehension building in his voice. He stared into Holt’s eyes expectantly.
Duncan held his stare for a moment, then blurted it out. “It’s six thousand dollars, Jace.” There was a hint of sadness in his eyes.
Carlin’s jaw dropped. He was stunned. “Six thousand? I…I don’t understand.” His head bowed and his words were mumbled. Then as realization sunk in, his head jerked upward, his face turning red with anger once again. “What are you trying to pull? You know it’s not worth any where near that.”
Holt arched his back away, throwing up both hands, palms flat forward as if warding off an attack. “Just hold on there, Jace. Just hear me out.”
Jace backed off, restraining himself and glaring.
“We both know that it’s not worth that much. But that’s what I had to pay to keep the Diamond 8 from getting it.”
“That was one hell of a price,” Carlin said.
“You’re telling me,” Duncan agreed. “But if they had gotten your spread, they would never sell it back to you. I will. That’s the good part. I really don’t need the land. I’d rather have you back on it and be my neighbor again.”
“I haven’t got six thousand dollars,” Jace said dejectedly. “Might as well be six million. Hell, I haven’t even got six hundred.” Then a thought occurred to him. “Maybe you could let me work it off. Pay it over time.”
Holt shook his head. “Wish I could Jace, but I’ve got a mortgage on it. I know it must look to you that I’m doing well, but between the trouble the Diamond 8 has been giving me and all the rustling going on, I’ve stretched myself financially.”
“Rustling?”
“Yeah. And it’s my guess that the Diamond 8 is behind that too. You said you saw Diamond 8 cattle on your spread. My guess is they were Rafter H cows that had been rustled and had their brands run over and then had wandered back onto your spread looking for their calves.”
Jace pondered a moment, then said, “You sure it isn’t the other way around? I mean, your men didn’t accidentally haze in some Diamond 8 stock by mistake?”
“You know me better than that, Jace. I’m no rustler.”
“No. But I’m not so sure about those two idiots you have working for you.”
“Lacy and Riley? No. They may be stupid, but I don’t think they’re that stupid. They know what I’d do to them, if I caught them.”
“Just what would you do to them?” Jace asked coolly.
Duncan grinned. “I dunno,” he shook his head. “Just spouting off I suppose. But tell you what. We’ll go out there and skin one of those critters and I’ll bet you dollars to donuts that the other side of the hide will show where a Rafter H was changed into a Diamond 8.”
“Well, I guess that would have been easy enough to do. Your brand is a natural to change into theirs.”
“Sure it is,” Duncan said. “I’m sure that’s why they chose the brand they did”
“Can’t you do something about it?” Carlin queried. “What about Parmalee? He’s the sheriff now. Can’t he do something about it.?”
“If we had proof, yes. But so far we haven’t caught them with the goods. Parmalee is a good man, but without proof, his hands are tied.”
“Amy Parker told me that the Diamond 8 bunch killed Randy Poole. What about that?”
“Again, no proof, even though everybody knows Morgan Slate did it.. He’s the hired gunman that Stacy Merrit hired to do her dirty work. He’s a mean one. No one wants to brace him. Not even Parmalee.”
“I know him,” Jace responded flatly. “I wouldn’t underestimate him, but I think he’s more bully and braggart, than expert gunman. Don’t get me wrong. He’ll shoot you in the back or from ambush if he can. He’ll just never give anyone an even break. He’s just not that fast.”
“Think you could take him?” Holt asked, his interest rising.
“Maybe, if I played by his rules and didn’t give him an even break either.” Then he paused with realization. “Say. Just what are you getting at, Duncan?”
“We’ve heard a lot about you, while you were away. You’ve built yourself quite a reputation. They say you’re fast. A real Coltman. Maybe you could help us out.”
“Oh, no,” Jace said shaking his head back and forth. “I’m through with guns and fighting. I’ve had enough.”
“I noticed you weren’t wearing a gun,” Holt said. “Are you sure that’s wise?”
“Why not? My home is here. All I want is to get my spread back and to be leftalone.”
“But that won’t happen as long as there is trouble in the valley. As long as the Diamond 8 keeps pushing us and grabbing up the range, none of us are going to keep our homes. If you’re going to stay here, you’d better be ready to fight.”
Jace lowered his head and stared at the plush carpet. “Otherwise,” Holt continued. “You’d better ride on.”
Jace jerked his head upward and his dark eyes flashed with anger. “Nobody’s chasing me away.”
“Then help us Jace. You’re the only one around here, who can stand up to Slate. Put that gun on one more time. Rid us of this monster and the Diamond 8 will have to back off.”
“Merritt will just bring in another gunman,” Jace said.
“I don’t think so. As long as you are here, she’ll have a tough time getting anyone else to buy in.”
Carlin remained silent. Duncan continued. “You want your land back. You haven’t got $6000 to buy it back. But what if I can get the other ranchers to go along with it, maybe you can earn it.”
“I’m not a hired gun,” Carlin growled indignantly.
“Of course not, Jace,” Holt replied. “I didn’t mean it that way. But if we can work together on this, maybe we can all keep what’s ours and you can get own spread back.”
Jace remained silent; glaring, but not seeing Duncan Holt in front of him. His eyes pulled together in thought, fighting the urge to see it Duncan’s way.
“Come on, Jace,” Holt urged. “You know this is the only way.”
*****
Chapter Five