The Floating Outfit 11 Read online

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  CONTENTS

  About the Book

  Dedication

  One – Tom Blade Puts Down His Roots

  Two – Louise Finds Trouble

  Three – Tom Blade’s Friends

  Four – Red Blaze Joins In

  Five – The Gap

  Six – The Slope

  Seven – Right Lively for Tame Indians

  Eight – Red Blaze Meets a Man

  Nine – Miss Raines Meets Miss Ortega

  Ten – Miss Raines Indulges in Fisticuffs

  Eleven – Dance Night in Backsight

  Twelve – Maisie Simons’ Explanation

  Thirteen – The End of the Chore

  Copyright

  The Floating Outfit Series

  Piccadilly Publishing

  More on J. T. EDSON

  The wagon train was heading for Backsight, the people looking to the West and a new home. Only Colonel Raines and his scout, Tom Blade, knew the danger that was stalking their every move. Then Tom Blade was dead, killed in an ambush, and Raines rode into Hammerlock to get help from the law. In Hammerlock he found four men who had been friends of Tom Blade.

  Three of them were tall men, Texans who would catch the eye in any crowd. The Fourth was a small and insignificant-looking cow hand who hardly seemed to rate a glance. Yet when he spoke, the other three jumped to obey. In his presence the gun-hung toughs of Hammerlock grew silent and uneasy ... for his name was Dusty Fog.

  For ‘Rocky’ Byford,

  having known him twenty years

  without learning his first name!

  One – Tom Blade Puts Down His Roots

  The two riders about a mile ahead of the wagon train formed something of a contrast, although both were excellent horsemen. Tall, slim, distinguished looking, Colonel Raines wore a white Confederate campaign hat, clean buckskin jacket, white shirt with gray trousers tucked into shining riding boots and carried an Army Colt in a close-topped holster. On the other hand, Tom Blade rode slouched in his saddle, unlike the Colonel’s erect cavalry seat, had on a black Stetson, smoke-darkened buckskins and moccasins.

  ‘How do you like us, Tom?’ asked Raines.

  A twinkle came to Blade’s sun-squinted eyes. ‘Passing fine, Colonel. I’ve made six trips west since the War and this’s been the best. Mind, the other times I had Yankees along.’

  Raines smiled. This train might be Confederate but owed its existence to the aid of a Yankee. General Mansfield, Governor of Arizona Territory, wore the blue in the War yet he did not forget his old West Point classmate when Raines wrote for a suggestion of a new home. The reply came quickly. Up near the Grand Canyon lay a small hamlet called Backsight in the heart of cattle country and sorely in need of a township of some size to take its place. So Raines gathered people around him, hired Tom Blade as scout and headed west. The wagons carried a six months stock of supplies for re-sale and home consumption as the travelers intended to run businesses rather than ranch or farm. They needed to be self-supporting until such time as a wagon route be established to one of the larger towns.

  ‘Have you thought over what we discussed yesterday, Tom?’

  ‘Thought some about it, Colonel. I’ve never settled down any place since the War. Never took to anybody enough to want to settle.’

  ‘A man should put down roots, Tom,’ Raines replied. ‘I know you’d like to go back to the Rio Hondo but there’s a place for you. We need someone just like you to handle the law. There’s that other trouble too.’

  Tom Blade nodded. Over the head of Colonel Raines and the train hung a threat which only the two men and Raines’ daughter, Louise, knew about. It hung over them, hovering unseen yet always there, just waiting for a chance to strike.

  ‘I’ve thought some about that, too,’ replied Blade. ‘Been thinking about it ever since that night in Nashville.’ He raised his hand to point ahead at a smudge of smoke which rolled into the air. ‘That’s Hammerlock.’

  ‘What sort of town is it?’

  ‘Wild, woolly and full of fleas, never been curried below the knees, or so it allows to be,’ drawled the scout. ‘I’ve known trail-end cattle and mining towns that could show it pointers for orneriness. Fact being there’s livelier and there’s more peaceable. It’s not the sort of town your folks want to have much truck with. First thing I do when I get in is take a bath, get some new duds and go to see if Ole—’

  The words ended abruptly, cut off by a soggy thud. Tom Blade jerked back in his saddle, hit the cantle then slid to one side. The hole in the center of his chest was small but his back a bloody horror where the heavy caliber bullet smashed its way out. From the distance came the boom of a heavy rifle but Tom Blade did not hear it. He hit the ground in a limp pile and never moved again. Tom Blade had reached the place and put down his roots. His lifeblood stained and soaked the soil of the Arizona plain.

  Colonel Raines came down from his saddle on the side away from the killer. Being neither a coward nor a fool he kept the horse between himself and the rocky outcrop from which the shot came. Quickly he drew the Henry rifle from his saddle-boot but it would be of no use. The killer lay at least four hundred yards away, beyond any range the comparatively weak twenty-eight grain load would carry. At any moment Raines expected to feel lead smash into him as the killer ended the job begun with Blade’s death. Seconds ticked by and Raines thought he saw a movement on the rock but could not be sure. He became sure when a small dust-cloud rolled into the air at the other side of the rock, enough to be caused by a fast running horse. From the direction the killer appeared to be heading for Hammerlock.

  Raines swung into his saddle again. One glance told him nothing but burying need to be done to Tom Blade. The killer would be beyond any range where he could be overtaken, so Raines decided his best bet would be to head for Hammerlock and allow the local law to handle the matter.

  It was at that moment Raines became aware of the sound of rapidly approaching hooves coming from the direction of the train. A frown came to his face for he did not wish to have anyone asking questions. With that thought in mind Raines turned his horse and rode to meet his daughter, wishing to prevent her going too close and seeing the bloody horror which was the late scout of the train.

  Louise Raines rode with the easy grace of one long used to being in the saddle. She sat astride her blue-grass country thoroughbred instead of riding sidesaddle in the manner of a Deep South young lady. Although not a tall girl Louise showed signs of her father’s proud and aristocratic features, yet she was beautiful and her face was fast becoming permanently tanned by the sun of the western plains. Her long blonde hair was taken back in a bang and a Stetson hat set on her head. The white blouse and doeskin divided skirt could not conceal the ripening curves of a young woman coming to maturity.

  ‘What is it, papa?’ Louise asked, halting at her father’s side.

  ‘Tom Blade was just shot,’ Raines replied, catching her arm. ‘No Louise. He can’t be helped. Ride back to the train and tell them to make camp by that stream back a piece. Tell Jim Lourde what happened and ask him to bring a burial detail. Go on, girl. Move!’

  Turning her horse, Louise obeyed. During the trip West she had seen death through illness or accident, but not as a result of violence. That shape on the ground had been a man she knew, liked and respected. Louise felt numb and grief-filled as she rode back towards the wagons.

  After his daughter departed, Raines drew the Henry rifle from its boot and rode by Blade’s body. Believing that the shot which killed the scout had been aimed at him, Raines wanted to get in close enough to use his Henry should the killer intend to make another try. No shot came, the killer had fled. So Raines did not ride up to t
he rock. Instead he swung clear of it so as to avoid spoiling any tracks which might lead to learning the killer’s identity. Taking a roundabout route, Raines rode towards Hammerlock with the intention of reporting the shooting to the law. His route brought him into town on the opposite side to the train.

  Hammerlock was a large town, by Arizona standards, boasting two main streets. Joined by numerous side-alleys, the streets ran parallel and offered the usual selection of business premises. Coming in along Bisbee Street, Raines failed to see the sheriff’s office and so turned his horse towards the Bell Saloon and halted with the intention of asking for directions.

  A medium-sized, ugly man stood just inside the saloon. After studying Raines for a moment, the man spoke over his shoulder, hitched up his gunbelt, which supported a brace of Starr Army revolvers, and pushed open the doors. Followed by half-a-dozen mean-looking cusses in cowhand clothing—although none probably ever handled rope or branding iron—the man left the saloon. A small crowd of passers-by halted to watch the fun as the men fanned out in a half-circle around Raines and blocked his path.

  ‘You bossing that she-bang out there?’

  Raines turned at the words and looked the speaker over, then glanced at the other five who fanned out behind him.

  ‘If you mean the wagon train, I am.’

  The hardcase grinned, thumb hooking his hands into his gunbelt. ‘They tell me you gone shy a scout real sudden like,’ he said. ‘So I hereby offers me services.’

  Raines looked hard at the man. Nobody in Hammerlock could know about the killing of Tom Blade—except the man who killed him.

  ‘How did you know Tom Blade was dead?’ Raines asked.

  Two men had come from the saloon and halted at the edge of the sidewalk to watch the fun. They made a contrasting, yet in some ways much alike pair. One was a handsome blond giant, three or more inches over six foot and with a great spread to his shoulders. He wore a costly white Stetson with a silver concha decorated band around it. His hair was curly, golden blond in color and neatly trimmed. The face was handsome in the manner of a classic Greek god of old. Around his neck was a silk bandana, tight rolled and hanging long ends over the made-to-measure tan shirt. His levis were also expensive and made-to-measure, as were his high-heeled, fancy stitched boots. Around his waist was a brown leather gunbelt which hung just right, with holsters that told a tale carrying a matched brace of ivory handled 1860 Army Colts. That was the gunbelt and the way of wearing the same of a real fast man with a gun.

  Beside such a fine figure, the second man hardly rated a second glance. Five foot six at most, although with width to his shoulders that hinted at strength, with dusty blond hair and a strong, handsome face. While expensive, he contrived to make his clothes look like nothing. Around his waist hung a good quality gunbelt with bone-handled Army Colts butt forward in the holsters. Small he might be, yet with the indefinable something which spelled top hand—if one troubled to look for it.

  The two men, Texans, or their dress lied badly, stood side-by-side on the porch but made no move to interfere. They tensed slightly and exchanged glances on hearing Raines’ question, then gave their full attention to the group in the street. In that brief exchange of glances it seemed the tall man looked to the smaller for guidance in their next move.

  The hardcase grinned over his shoulders at his backers. ‘He don’t know who I am, boys. I’m Cultus Collins, Johnny Reb, that’s who I am. I’m the worst pizen rattler this side of the Big Muddy, faster’n fast and twice as dangerous. I’m wuss th’n any grizzly b’ar, I am and I’m your new scout.’

  ‘I never heard of you and I wouldn’t take you to clean my scout’s boots,’ Raines replied, forgetting for a moment he no longer had a scout.

  ‘Be that right?’ scoffed Collins. ‘Now is that right, boys. I puts it to you, be that nice?’ He paused and went on when no answer came. ‘Here’s me offering me invaluable services and he gets all uppy.’

  ‘Maybe needs teaching a lesson, Cultus,’ put in one of the five. ‘Make him do a dance for us.’

  Raines moved clear of his horse the better to face the hardcase bunch. His hand lifted to knock open the flap of his holster but he knew his chances stood lower than nil. The Colonel was a good shot, capable of hitting his mark but he needed his gun in his hand to do so. Often on the way west Tom Blade demonstrated how to draw and shoot in the frontier manner. Blade always claimed he should not set up to teach anybody such a vital piece of western business for he surely was not fast with a gun, although Raines put the words down to modesty. One thing Raines did know for sure, fast or slow Tom Blade’s draw from an open topped Western holster was better than anything Raines could do with his high riding, close-topped cavalry rig.

  Collins’ right hand moved and the Starr revolver was in it, his forefinger curling around the trigger, for the Starr was double-action and did not need the hammer thumb cocking.

  The small Texan’s left hand made a sight defying flip, crossing his body to bring the white handled Army Colt from the right holster. The move was fast, very fast, the seven and a half inch barreled Colt bellowing while only waist high but the .44 bullet smashed the Starr from Collins’ hand, sending it to the ground in the center of the street. Collins yelped and clutched at his hand, nursing it, for the lead from the Texan’s bullet sprayed out on impact and peppered his skin.

  Turning, Collins and his men faced the two Texans who stepped from the sidewalk and halted before them. The stocky hardcase’s face was lined with a mixture of rage, pain and surprise that two men would risk stacking against him and his men.

  ‘Who the hell asked you to put your bill in?’ he snarled.

  ‘We’re in and in we stay,’ replied the small Texan, his voice an easy drawl. ‘Likewise asking about Tom Blade.’

  The Colt whirled on the trigger-finger and went back into leather even as the words were spoken. Collins saw the move, saw his chance and ran his tongue tip over his lips. His left hand came from the injured right to hover over the butt of his second Starr. Behind him the men tensed, ready to take cards in the game. Six to two were good odds and the man who stood at the end of the saloon building was an ace in the hole. Collins gave fast thought to the matter. He was fair with a gun but knew he was faced by two who were even better. Only having Hooks Hammer standing to one side and behind the two Texans would give him nerve enough to stack against them.

  It was at that moment, in a fast taken glance, Collins discovered his ace in the hole was no longer a sure winning card.

  The tough on the sidewalk saw the interference to Collins’ plans and knew it was time to take cards in the game. His hand dropped to the butt of his gun, the fingers curling around it. Then his hat was thrust from his head from behind. Fingers dug into his long, bay rum smelling hair and hauled his head back to hit against the post he leaned on. Something which glinted in the sun passed before his eyes, disappeared from his sight to go under his beard and rest against his throat.

  Then the small man stood still, very still. That glinting thing which now rested with a feather-light touch on his throat had only been in view for a brief instant but he knew full well what it was. He knew the eleven and a half inch length, two and a half inch width of the blade of a genuine James Black bowie knife when he saw one. He knew also that such a knife, forged by the Arkansas master, held an edge many a barber’s razor might envy. He also knew the thing which passed before his eyes and was now in a position for the speedy slitting of his throat was a James Black bowie knife. Nor did he nurse any foolish dreams that it was the rounded upper edge of the blade which touched him. It was the blade, the cutting edge and he stood very still because of this.

  ‘Go ahead, hombre,’ a gentle voice purred in his ear, sounding meaner than the snarl of a she-cougar defending her young, ‘Just try and pull it.’

  Collins saw his hole card taken out of the game and felt suddenly uneasy at the appearance of the man who took Hammer out. Man might not be the right word for the knife-holding Texan
for he looked very young. He was tall, slim, wiry youngster yet gave the impression of having whipcord strength. His clothing was all black, from his head to high-heeled boots. Even his gunbelt was black as was the sheath from which the knife came and the holster in which hung, butt forward, an old walnut-handled Second Model Colt Dragoon revolver. His hair was as black as the wing of a deep-south crow. His face Indian dark, almost babyishly handsome and young looking except for his eyes. They were cold eyes, red-hazel in color. They were eyes which looked far too old for so young a face. That dark, somehow Indian looking boy might look about sixteen years, but if that was his true age they were sixteen hard packed and dangerous years.

  So with his hole card gone Collins was left with the choice of backing water and getting clear fast or setting tight and trying to force the game to go the way he planned it. All he and his men needed to do was stack against the two Texans, for Raines did not come into his calculations at all. Long before he could draw the gun from its holster he would be dead. That meant only two men stood between Collins and his plan. The third man being fully occupied with holding Hooks Hammer could not cut in. It was for Collins to make the play, the others would back him in it.

  Then a man in the crowd spoke, the words sounding clear in the chilling silence as the crowd prepared to head for cover fast.

  ‘That’s him,’ said the man, excitement in his tones. ‘That small Texan. I saw him when he was the law in Quiet Town. That’s him. It’s Dusty Fog.’

  Two – Louise Finds Trouble

  Riding back to the wagon, Louise Raines met and informed her father’s second-in-command, Jim Lourde, and Dr Fremont of Blade’s death. The men agreed to fetch the body back for burial and Lourde signaled to the leading wagon to start turning for the night’s circle. Face dull and showing the grief she felt, Louise watched her father’s colored servant in the lead wagon swinging his team off the line of march.