Chapter 13, Part Two

No Honor Ch. 13 Pt. 2: Tag

One o' them boys, with the scarf over 'is face... he seemed familiar. Even just from 'is eyes, I could tell I'd seen 'im before. I didn't think he was a bar regular, but I kept lookin' at him, tryin' ta see fer sure, and he kept lookin' away, well on ta me. The other man with Carter was a mystery, and he wasn't half as nervous.

We rode out, about a hunnered and fifty yards or so, away from and northwest o' The Station. The area was muddy, and there was clumps o' trees here an' there, while the rest of 'em was spread out, wit' plenty o' feet between 'em. In one o' the clumps, was Carter's tent he made, from cloth and saplings. I reckoned that was where Carter spent most of his nights, and he confirmed it, but he said he kept movin' it around.

That night, it was across from Marco's home. Behind the gates over there, there really wasn't that much land, and what space there was, was taken up by that buildin'. It was the kind you'd find on a plantation, and at three stories, it seemed too dark and too still. There was lights though, in some o' them windas, and by the well, three horses stood waiting.

They was secured wit' lariats, that was tied ta iron posts in the ground. One of 'em I seen was def'nitely, that reddish brown stallion, o' Jonas's. After lookin' the rest over, I closed up the spyglass telescope, that Carter gave me, and I handed it back to 'im.

"They came and got 'em two hours ago", he said. "Two men I don't know, and one o' Marco's faithful. Ta get 'em so late, and ta have 'em out there without shelter... Well, I reckon they're leavin' soon."

And they were. Two men came out the front doors, and down the steps. They had nice lookin' coats on, and these kinda black hats, I never seen before. The brims on 'em was so short, they'd be nothin' against the rain.

Once they got down by the well, they dug the posts up, and mounted. One o' the pair, grabbed hold o' the reins o' Jonas's horse, and there they stayed, for about five minutes. The front doors opened up again, and lit up in the doorway was Marco. Someone else stepped around 'im, and at that distance, he looked like a twelve year old.

But that was Jonas. It had to be. He was the size of a jockey, and he had on one o' those same, short-brimmed, hard black hats as his friends had. Him and Marco stood there talkin', for a time.

Marco had his arms folded up, and he was noddin'. When Jonas turned ta leave, he went back inside and closed the doors. He didn't wave ta Jonas, and the two did not shake hands. The doc mounted his stallion, and one o' Marco's boys appeared, ta open the iron gates.

They rode, and we quickly mounted our horses, so as not ta lose 'em. Again, we kept our distance, so they didn't see us out there, in the dark. They posted up on 3rd, by the cross trail, and there they waited. An hour passed by, and they were still there.

I looked through Carter's spyglass again. Jonas kept checkin' his pocket watch, and you could see he was frustrated. One o' his friends was dismounted the whole time, and he kept walking up to, and looking up the cross trail.

One o' the mystery men, the one I wasn't familiar with, he said, "What the hell are they doin'?"

Carter said, "Well, they're obviously waitin' for someone", and then he smiled.

Mystery said, "I hope he gets his ass here, quick. I don't like Dancer, watchin' our guests alone, for too long."

"Danca's fine. I doubt those boys could take 'im, even if they wasn't bound."

"Still though..."

"Hold on", Carter said. 

He was lookin' east, and then he got that spyglass out, ta get a better view. I turned and looked myself, and by the moonlight I seen a wagon, wit' a man on one o' the two horses, drivin' it west. After he put up his toy, Carter looked at me.

"It's the Chinamen in there I think", he said. "That rider's probably kin, or one o' their servants."

They was headed fer the cross trail. I reckon the plan was, ta hit 2nd and then go south, ta Henrietta's. Jonas's boy seen 'em comin', and he ran back to 'is horse and got on. Jonas pulled his horse back aways, and the otha two turned their steeds, ta face tha trail.

Mystery said, "They gonna ambush 'em".

Sort of.

The two on them horses got ready, and they braced 'emselves. That asian driver was ridin' past 'em, and as he did, those men jumped their horses, right into the wagon's broadside. Hooves went through wagon cloth, and loud neighing reached our ears.

"Jesus", Mystery said.

Them horses drivin' the wagon, went beserk. I think all o' them horses, was deathly scared. The asian rider was thrown off, and trampled, and that wagon was tiltin', farther towards its side, with all o' that weight on it. Eventually, somethin' snapped, and them horses that were drivin' the wagon, tore free. They bolted, and the wagon fell to the ground.

Jonas's pals, got their horses settled down. They carefully, backed 'em up and off the wagon. Looking at it on its side, even from as far as I was, I could see that blood stained the cloth.

Carter said, "They're dead in there. Alright, let's take 'em now, before they get away. Shoot 'em if you have to, but Cow'and, I want Jonas tied up, unharmed."

That familiar one nodded. Carter looked at me, and waved me on, ta follow. Before I could say anything he turned, spurred Shadow and rode off, closely followed by his two helpers. I brought up the rear. My horse was snorting, and under my legs, I could feel the power of 'is muscles.

I could also feel my heart in my chest. Up to that point, I was just watchin' thangs unfold, like a witness. Now I was a part of it, now I was involved, now I was a player and I realized, ta anyone that mighta seen, I was a gang member. One o' Carter's faithful... and that's no matter what I did.

We rode south, towards Jonas's party... We rode south, and we rode hard.

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