Sacrifice: destruction or surrender of something for the sake of something else: giving up some desirable thing in behalf of a higher object. (Webster´s 3rd. New International Dictionary)
Part 1
Josiah sat on the slanted roof of the church. The early morning dew soaked through his pants to his skin. He smiled around the handful of nails trapped lightly between his lips. Jackson matched the look and then gazed over at the Eastern horizon. The sun would not rise for another half hour. The grey of a false dawn emanated enough light for them to work. If truth be told their efforts were not truly devoted to the fixing of the Church roof. Well not one hundred percent. Their intentions had more of a devious nature. A plan unfolded and in its actions the plan would bring about two results. One, obviously would be the laying of a few more wood shakes to the church roof. The other,less obvious at the moment but certainly the driving force behind the two´s early appearance on the roof, would reveal itself in time,..
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Vin watched the two on the roof under the slouch of his hat. Without looking up or acknowledging Larabee´s approach, the Tracker held out an expectant hand.
Chris chuckled and handed Tanner the second cup of coffee he carried.
“Josiah ‘n Nathan are up early,” Larabee took the empty seat beside Tanner and sipped his coffee.
“Up to no good,” Vin pushed his hat slightly off his eyes and shifted carefully in the tilted chair.
The sudden, persistent, twin, hammering echoed around town.
Chris chuckled shaking his head.
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Ezra Standish cursed. Vile, scathing words flew from his mouth. The words tumbled with the explicitly and duplicity of a long shoreman with a freshly jammed finger. With anger so profound, he jumped from his feathered bed with the intent to maim and do bodily damage.
The Cretins.The foul, no good, bottom dwelling, fiends.
He yanked his trousers on and threw open his window. With a fury he had not known since his mother´s last visit, Standish scanned the area.
There they were. On the roof. Who the hell would be hammering this time of morning? Of all the conniving things a person could do this was one of the lowest.
A wicked, unrepentant sneer leached across his features. He was prepared to do battle.
He left the window, grabbed his weapon of choice and headed for the roof. His ammo waited there for him.
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Chris and Vin heard the window slide open. Heck they could hear the cursing before the window had been even touched. The two kept their seats and watched the show.
Buck and JD joined them. Both nursed their coffees and enjoyed the morning´s unexpected activities.
This had been building for weeks.
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Standish hauled back on the sling shot and let loose with the projectile. It sailed high in its trajectory. It arched over main street in it´s diagonal path and landed within a few feet of Sanchez.
The weakened shell smashed on impact spewing its heated rotten yolk everywhere.
Sanchez jumped to his feet as if shot.
Jackson´s laugh was cut short when a second egg caught him full in the chest.
The aroma had a tangible taste to it.
“Why that squirrely no good Son of a Bitch!,” Jackson searched the roof tops across the street.
Standish stood squaring his shoulders and tipped his hat.
He let a third egg fly.
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Vin leaned back in his chair, “Looks like Ezra´s got himself a passle of rotten eggs.”
“I´d say he´s got himself a passle of trouble,” Larabee sipped his coffee without hiding his smile.
“Where´d he get the sling shot?” JD leaned against the porch post and watched as eggs sailed over main street and smashed on Josiah´s roof. Wonder how Josiah´s gonna git rid of that smell?
Buck sipped from his coffee and chuckled. Dang Ezra sure takes low to a new level. “He swiped it from that kid on the wagon trainEugene,” Wilmington caught the questioning stares of the others. “Said it was payment due for puking on him.”
The others nodded in understanding.
“I s´pect Ezra best git himself a hidin´ place cuz here comes Josiah and Nathan,” Vin´s chuckling voice mingled with the others.
They watched as Josiah and Nathan ran across the street. They ran with their arms curled over their heads and their bodies hunched and twisted away from the flying eggs that seemed to rain down on them and explode on impact.
Ezra sure is fastJD backed up when the preacher and healer drew closer.they stunk.
“Howdy Boys,” Buck held up his coffee in greeting. He stepped back a bit when the repugnant odor rolled in his direction.
Both men ignored him and made to barge through the batwing doors.
Inez suddenly materialized with broom in hand. She held it diagonally across her torso, “Sorry senors but you are not coming in here smelling like that,” She turned her head to the side trying to garner some fresh air.
“Now Ms Inez he can´t go unpunished for this,” Nathan held his arms up and wide to display the obvious egg stains and shells that clung to him. A country chicken coop had less smashed eggs after a coyote´s visit.
“Senor Standish would not be awake at such an hour if he had not been roused by your hammering,” Inez too had a room in the saloon and she herself kept late hours.
This little war of pranks and jokes had been slowly building over the last week. Something had to give and at the moment it seemed as if it would be Inez´s temper.
“Has a point boys,” Larabee directed his gaze upward and met Nathan´s and then Josiah´s eyes, “no sense waking up the rest of the town.” Chris took a sip of coffee as steam rose and twisted passed his face. “This can wait ‘til later.”
“You guys stink,” JD waved his hand in front of his nose and backed away from them. Boy the roof was gonna smell for days what if some fell through the roof into the church
Buck laughed and sat against the railing. The war had just begun.
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The dark mid morning lighting of the saloon kept voices somewhat hushed. The proprietress still prowled the room with an angry glare. Buck had only made one attempt to describe her beauty and it met not with indifference but intolerance. JD had chuckled but cut it short when her frosty eyes landed on him.
The second story of the saloon resounded with the gentle click of a carefully closed door. The sound seemed to echo. Ezra paused waiting for a moment cautiously swinging his eyes around the supposedly empty corridor. His companions were fiends. No man should have to live like this. Walking on the balls of his feet he carefully picked his way down the hall. He stepped over every board that creaked, he rolled his foot at every loose plank. There was not a board he did not know or recognize. He knew which ones spoke and how loudly. With a sheen of perspiration on his forehead he made it to the head of the stairs.
With one foot raised in the air to descend upon the first step, catastrophe hit.
“Ezra quit yer gawd dang pussy footin´ around and git down here,” Larabee´s exclamation, though no louder than room conversation seemed like a heraldment from the devil himself.
“Aww Hell.” Standish thought about turning back down the hall but Larabee swiveled in his seat and watched the gambler. With a resigned sigh, Standish descended the steps. The fourth, sixth and seventh creaked and moaned loudly. Next time next time they would never know he moved about.
“Son, you and I are going to have us a talk,” Josiah´s booming voice tolled over the room. The levity he hid from his face laced his words. It seemed neither he nor Jackson could quite get the upper hand. Maude raised a tricky, cat walking, fox. Dang Standish would give you a beguiling smile, an innocent look and make off with the eggs from the hen house. A fox.
“I hope you and Mr. Jackson have bathed,” Ezra plastered a smile on his face and sauntered across the room as if his life were not on the line.
“Oh don´t worry Ezra you´re going to git yers soon enough,” Jackson leaned forward on his arms pinning the dapper man with a scowl. Rotten eggs gonna have to top that somehow gonna nail that swaggering fool to the floor one of these days .Oh yeah. Eggs rotten eggs should have known Half the fun was in the planning. A coy smile settled on Nathan´s face.
Ezra matched it.
“Now, now Mr. Jackson, whatever happened to your benevolent side?” Ezra slid into the chair Buck dragged out for him with his foot. Standish sat nestled between JD and Buck. Josiah flanked the other side of JD with Nathan and Vin closing the circuit. Somehow, even with a round table it seemed Larabee sat at the head.
“Must´ve washed off it with all them eggs,” JD chuckled.
“Yes, well, one should not throw punches if they don´t want to be hit back,” Standish smiled a thank you when Inez handed him coffee. The barmaid forced a smile that appeared more like a hybrid snarl.
“You´re gonna git...” Jackson´s voice pulled the gambler´s attention from Inez.
“Alright enough,” Larabee sat forward and cut off the remainder of threats and innuendoes, “you two can kill him later.”
Ezra balked wide eyed at the comment.
“But,” Chris conditioned, “ I want´im able to ride this afternoon, we have work to do.”
“Mr. Larabee, I take some offense to your casual disregard to my future demise ..these miscreants are the ones to have thrown the proverbial first punch.”
“Life´s unfair Ezra,” Chris leaned back in his chair, thankful he had not been included in this little war, “ deal with it,” a sly sneer fixed his face, “you´re more than capable of making other people miserable.”
Was Mr. Larabee being facetious or gracious? Always let people believe you think the best of them Ezra smiled and tipped his hat accepting the compliment.
Chris shook his head damn man refuses to see a rebuke when he meets one.
Buck chuckled as he reached across Ezra to JD´s plate and stole some bacon while the kid laughed at the gambler´s expense. Poor Ezra always seemed turn up short with Chris.
“Favoritism I tell you, favoritism always backs the others .” Standish muttered under his breath not sure if he really felt disgust or hurt.
Tanner sipped his coffee and watched the table. Maybe next time he would help Ezra out. Two against one don´t seem right fair. Lately there´d been too much of it.
“What are we doin´ tonight Chris?” JD took a quick glance at Chris before recounting the number of strips of bacon on his plate. He was sure he had three left. He stared accusingly at Ezra but it was too early in the morning for the gambler to be eating. Buck wasn´t chewin´ nuthin´. That left Josiah dang preacher should git his own breakfast.
“Judge wants us to put a stop to that pit fightin´ they´ve got going between here and Eagle Bend.” Larabee thought the order fell into the area of mundane and more nuisance work. It seemed as if the Judge was trying to justify having seven men defend one town. Pit fighting though illegal was only as illegal as the law that enforced it. If it kept the dregs of society out of town, kept the cowards away from his citizens then let them seek their fun in the desolate wildness and enjoy their dog fights.
“You´re kidding?” Buck leaned back in his chair having palmed a second piece of bacon while JD threw Josiah an accusatory stare.
Standish leaned back out of the way enjoying his coffee. Young Mr. Dunne needed to learn to expect the unexpected. No one was above taking advantage of you, friend, foe or relative. With a smirk, the gambler watched Wilmington abscond with yet another slice of bacon.
Larabee´s ,“Nope,” pulled the Southerner back into the conversation. The whole prospect of the Judge´s order was absurd.
“Surely you don´t intend to disrupt the gaming competitions?” The incredulous tone in Standish´s voice pulled at Jackson´s moral fiber.
“It ain´t right to be forcing dogs into a pit and fighting to the death,” Nathan nailed the southerner with demanding eyes.
“The fights are not always to the death though a few have occurred,” Standish started shuffling cards from hand to hand. The deck flew in a fluttering arc of color from right hand to left hand. “There is no profit in it if the dogs perish. There would be no rematch. Without rematches this far from civilization then there would soon be very few matches.” Ezra raised his eyes from his cards to Larabee pointedly ignoring Jackson. The man´s moral fiber was too strong to see the grey in any situation everything was black and white for Mr. Jackson. “Surly the Judge has something more important in mind for us.”
“Nope,” Larabee sipped from his cup and met Standish´s gaze waiting for a challenge.
“I see no point in it,” Ezra muttered, “we´ll no sooner break up this ring then another, a few months down the line, will spring into existence.”
“Then we´ll stop that one too,” Jackson bit back. The healer then cocked his head, “how much you been winning on these fights Ezra?”
Larabee ignored the inflammatory comment. He knew Standish had been to the fights. Knew he had made wagers. The man had a flagrant Achilles heel. Though one day it would probably get him killed, it would not be under Chris´s protection.
“Enough to supplement my meager earnings as peacekeeper for this fickle citizenry.”
“Gawd Ezra don´t it turn yer stomach to know you make a dollar off the sweat of another living beings forced labor?”
“Do you Mr. Jackson, have your gut turn every time you saddle your mount and force it to rush you off to the next medical emergency or gun battle?” Standish quirked a raised eyebrow with brazen inquiry.
Buck let out with a low whistle. Some skirmishes were better left untouched.
Nathan´s color rose in his cheeks. His eyes blazed, “It ain´t the same thing that horse is trained.”
“As are those dogs,” Ezra lifted his eyes from his cards and met the healer´s heated gaze, “and dear sir it is never ‘the same´ when one finds themselves embroiled in a similar folly.”
Tension sparked across the table. JD gave up looking for his bacon and stared accusingly at Josiah. The preacher noticed the glare but shook his head not understanding the animosity coming from the young man.
“Ok that´s enough,” Chris nipped the fight in the short pants, “Ezra stow it.” Larabee faced the rest of the table, “just make sure yer ready to ride this evening.”
Standish focused his attention back on his cards. Angry that no one seemed to notice it took two people to argue, that in order to have a discussion there has to be a point and counter point. To learn and make ones opinions heard they had to be spoken and persuaded, not dictated.
Buck pushed himself from the table and rested a reassuring hand on the gambler´s shoulder.
Standish shook it off.
Part 2 The more I see of men, the more I admire dogs…Madame Roland
The seven gathered just outside the wooded hollow. Within the branching oaks and sycamore trees, amongst the bent and beaten prairie grasses, men stood shouting and betting around a fenced hole in the ground. Horses picked and ate at the slim forage from their picket lines. Small fires blazed haphazardly throughout the woods. Reaching fingers of flickering fire light illuminated the area.
A few hundred yards off, cloaked by the converging darkness of a moonless night, gathered the seven. Through the maze of trees they could just make out the gathering of rowdy crowds. The occasional snarl and snapping of teeth punctuated the darkening evening.
“Ok since you´re acquainted with these gentlemen Ezra, I want you and Buck going in first,” Larabee let his gaze slide across shadow protected faces of his men.
“I do not know these gentlemen as you so quaintly put it,” Standish bit out with the flash of fury that had all day to build.
“Ezra shut yer mouth,” Chris turned and faced the gambler. What had him acting so contrary? “Jist do what yer told.”
“That´ll be a first,” Jackson muttered out under his breath. He took extra time with his horse today. Watched its eyes and ears as he brushed and saddled it searching for any signs of discomfort. It weren´t the same no way, no how.
Chris ignored the comment, “Josiah, I want you and Nathan to the east, Vin take JD and cover the north end I´ll come from here.”
“And what would you have us do Mr. Larabee, flash badges and announce in the name of his righteous Judge Travis to cease and desist from all illegal activity?” Sarcasm and frustration dripped from Standish´s voice.
Larabee pinned the gambler with a frustrated stare, “I expect you to do your job, read the crowd and make a judgment call.”
“Ohhho use my judgment now?” Ezra barked out a mocking laugh. One moment Mr. Jackson finds his judgments lacking and now Mr. Larabee wishes them to be employed. Fickle With a tip of his hat he disappeared into the shadows and weaved his way toward the pit.
“Buck keep an eye on him,” Chris´s words though unnecessary had Buck wishing Ezra heard them.
“No problem pard´.” Wilmington slid into the shadows.
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The pit lay about four feet into the soil. A dug out square really. A square surrounded by a three foot fence made of discarded railroad ties and two by sixes. The fence sported the marks of countless fights. Men surrounded and leaned over the barrier waving money and shouting bets.
Down in the dug out hole on opposite corners snarled and spat two dogs. Equal in height and weight. One dog held the silvery/copper color with a smattering of solid black patches. Its heritage long lost and disrupted from generation to generation. It held one dark brown eye and one blue. The broad chest gave hint to a mastiff descendent but the long legs spoke of a swifter breed somewhere within the family tree. The dog snarled and lunged at the black dog across the pen.
The black dog held its ground. It snarled and bared its teeth but did not fight the restraining leather tether that confined it. The black was a seasoned fighter. Undefeated since coming to this wooded area. In the four months that it had fought, it always walked away victorious. Finding an opponent for such a beast had become increasingly more difficult. It forced the ringmasters to search long and hard and become increasingly brazen in their inquiries for a suitable opponent.
Amongst the throngs of hecklers and fevered wagers stood Wilmington and Standish. A few nodded familiar Hello´s to the gambler who smiled and nodded in return. Buck recognized more than a few faces. The timid citizens of Four Corners found an outlet for their meager countenance.
Pit fighting was a simple blood lust diversion for simple people. Buck didn´t like it but did not find it offensive enough to put an end to it aggressively. With a sigh he followed Ezra´s lead.
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Chris rested his hand on the butt of his revolver and wondered why the Judge even bothered with such trivial matters. A cool breeze snipped the air. The cold weather of middle fall would soon be on them.
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Nathan cursed the gambler and all those that welcomed him to the fenced railing. How much of a profit had he made off of the misery of those poor creatures?
“Now Brother yer not being fair,” Sanchez spoke softly watching the crowd and feeling the rising excitement. There was almost a fevered pitch to the whole thing.
“He ain´t ever gonna change Josiah .He is what he is .been raised to be a cheat and gambler .He ain´t got it in him to be anythin´ else,” Nathan shook his head in despair. He really did like Ezra and tried hard to show the gambler that there was more to life than a pocket full of cash. Ezra jist weren´t interested in listening, “such a waste.”
Sanchez slid his gaze to his friend and softly uttered, “Does that mean you will always be a slave less than others?”
Jackson threw him a scathing look, “It ain´t the same thing .” His words tapered off, “It ain´t the same thing.” The conviction faded before the statement completed itself.
“Why´s Ezra so mad?” JD rested his thumbs in his gun belt. His hat sat back off his forehead. Dang night was so dark he could hardly see Vin standing next to him. The fires around the pit did a pretty good job lighting the place. Dunne hated to admit it but he was kind of curious about the fights wanted to see one for himself understand what the big deal was all about. Nathan sure seemed upset.
“Guess he´s gettin´ tired of standin´ alone when it comes to facin´ us,” Vin unholstered his mare´s leg.
JD gave him a quizzical look but Vin ignored it.
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The fight began. The dogs were released. In a furry of savage brutality, the dogs dove head first engaging in a battle. The crowd roared with anticipation.
Standish took odds and held money. Buck could scarcely keep pace with the betting. Cash was handed off and passed in wads. With each turn in the battle, the crowd reacted with voice and the shifting of cash. Men screamed in jubilation while others groaned. The smell of blood sweetened the air.
The black dog fought like a demon.
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Nathan watched the betting. With blazing eyes, he focused on the money that swam through Standish´s hands.
Josiah marveled at how easily the southerner intergraded himself into the crowd. With note book in hand and pencil in the other, Ezra made quick calculations shouted changes in odds and accepted money and handed cash over.
The sound of a deadly battle raged unseen by the waiting peacekeepers.
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“Why we waitin´?” JD, in reckless abandonment marked with youth, wanted to act.
“Best we wait til after the fight wait for the blood lust to go down less likely to have to pull any guns.”
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Chris waited patiently in the dark appreciating Standish´s gift for the game.
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The fight suddenly came to an end.
Groans and cries of disgust filled the air, while others whistled and cheered in victory.
The black dog finally latched onto the massive throat of the other dog. With its jaws firmly in place, the big black simply held on squeezing and scissoring its teeth back and forth.
The opponent panicked and flailed. It threw its body to the ground and pawed desperately at the black chest. The standing dog took the abuse calmly.
The fight had been declared won .or lost depending on the perspective.
It was then things went awry.
The owner of the dying dog jumped into the pit. With a mad rage, he kicked viciously at his downed dog. The dog refused to acknowledge the added abuse. Glazed eyes stopped roving madly around the pen.
The black´s teeth finally found the trachea. With a horrible sudden inrush of wind, the rings of the trachea were crushed and the vacuum destroyed as teeth penetrated the air way.
The downed dog began to turn blue, grey at the gums. The dilated eyes became fixed.
The Black shook its head tearing and damaging as much as it could.
The owner of the downed dog turned his fury on the black dog. With foot and hand, he beat at the dog. Someone from above tossed him knotted stick. With blind rage the man took the stick to the dog.
With no thought of consequences, Wilmington punched the man who threw the stick.
A brawl suddenly erupted.
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“Damn you Buck,” Chris muttered to himself when the sudden melee exploded. Larabee had half a mind of turning around and letting Buck handle the situation. He threw the first punch after all. When Buck disappeared from sight under the piling bodies of the ‘spectators´ Larabee acted. With a curse and an unholy burning rage, he ran toward the fight.
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JD didn´t wait for Vin´s ok. The Kid took off as soon as Buck hauled off and nailed the guy next to him.
Vin took a breath holstered his mare´s leg and followed Dunne. Dang kid had more grit and loyalty than any ten men. The rest of them were lucky to know JD.
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“Wonder where Brother Ezra is disappearing too?” Josiah asked quietly of Nathan.
“Probably gonna go git his damn head bit off, tryin´ to play the good Samaritan, dumb fool ain´t got any sense no better than Buck,” Jackson´s disgusted diatribe trailed behind him as the healer bolted toward the aid of his friends.
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The owner of the black dog jumped in to interfere with the beating of his dog and to get away from the riot that suddenly spawned around the pit. Harsh words were exchanged, money changed fists and soon the owner took the branch to his own dog.
The black held on.
Up above the fenced hole, men cursed and stumbled. Fists fell and bodies flew. Buck felt something slam into the back of his head. A sparkling display of lights exploded in his visions before all went black.
Standish in an act of brash unthinking jumped into the pit. Buck could take care of himself, besides Mr. Larabee was out there somewhere brandishing a gun. The man would not let anything untoward happen to his oldest friend.
The creature in the pit, however, faced cruel odds.
Larabee pulled his gun, “Enough!” He fired into the air. Can´t his men do anything simple? Accomplish even the simplest tasks without throwing a punch or starting a fight? Why must it be so difficult to get anything done?
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“Chris is gonna be pissed,” JD slowed his steps and pulled his twin colts when Standish performed his one handed vault and disappeared.
“Yup.” Tanner swung his mare´s leg up and stepped from the shadows into the light.
They let Josiah and Nathan haul bodies off Wilmington. Sanchez and Jackson stood back to back, their shoulders toward the edge of the pen. Between them at their feet lay Wilmington, obviously unconscious. At one point the two larger men peeked down into the dirt pen.
“What the hell´s he thinkin´?” Nathan´s concern for the gambler hid behind anger. Jackson skewered one man, by his clothes, to the side plank walls of the pen. The hilts of his throwing knives still quivered.
“Just actin´ like´imself,” Josiah laughed as he caught a reveler by the collar and redirected the man´s panicked steps out away from camp. Chris sure had a sense of humor. Why else would he send Buck and Ezra in to do something discretely? Josiah kept Standish in the corner of his vision.
The southerner soundly whipped on the man with the club. The black dog had dragged its kill to its corner of the pen.
The second man raised his arms in surrender, “I ain´t done nuthin´ .that there is my dog I jist want to git it and I´ll be gone.”
Ezra heaved for breath and discarded the club to the furthest corner, away from any of them.
“You doin´ alright down there pard´?” Vin´s amused voice was tempered by the easiness in which he held his gun.
“Mr. Tanner how much is a beaten curr like that one in the corner worth?” Standish´s voice came out between gasps but his disgust had Vin turning his attention to the black dog.
“Ain´t worth much .half beaten,” Vin´s Texan drawl took on a tone of authority, “ain´t got much meat on´im so he won´t be good eatin´ .and he´s got blood all over´im. He´s got his bell rung ain´t gonna be keepin´ his feet much longer.”
Ezra curtly nodded his thanks, “How much do you want for him?”
The man backed into a corner away from the tailored dressed man, “He ain´t fer sale .he´s mine.”
“You have forfeited your ownership how much?” Standish lowered his voice to almost a snarl.
“He ain´t fer sale.” The coward gave more ground as he smashed himself into the small space of the dirt corner.
“Mr. Tanner?”
The bounty hunter leaned over the fence and critically appraised the dog, “He ain´t worth more than a double eagle if even that.”
Ezra fished in his pocket and pulled out two. In twin steady strides, he closed the distance to the man who now cowered with his arms over his head.
In a gesture of impatience and disgust, the gambler pulled down one of the offending arms and pressed two double eagles into dirt stained hands.
“That should more than cover the cost of the dog.”
“You can´t do this he´s mine.”
Ezra whirled on the man and pinned him to the corner with a raised index finger, “No sir, he is no longer yours.” Standish leaned in close and whispered something in the man´s ear.
No one above heard the whisper but all watched perplexed as the quivering man slid to the ground and pleaded in a high pitched voice for mercy.
Standish turned his back on him confident the others would provide cover. With anger and adrenaline roaring through his veins, he made his way toward the now unconscious body of the black dog.
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Part 3 gambling is a principle inherent in human nature…..Edmund Burke
Buck came to with a groan, “Oh Gawd what happened?”
“Well ya see here Buck, Miss Lulu´s husband came home early and .” JD tipped over backward laughing when the Ladies´ man bolted up right.
“JD,” Nathan warned coming toward the two men. Chris and Josiah had effectively threatened and disbanded the subdued crowd. The small clearing now lay empty, well except for the lawmen, horses and one dog. The many fires still burned quite effectively. It gave Nathan plenty of light to work by.
“He´s funn´in ya,” Jackson squatted down next to Buck. Wilmington tried to give JD a harsh look but blurred vision and a queasy stomach rioted. With a relieved groan, he lay back down on his bed roll.
“What happened?” His voice seemed thickened and a touch slurred.
“Brother Buck, You started a most amazing brawl,” Josiah´s chuckling voice preceded the larger man but in no time he knelt on the other side of the Ladies´ man, “and lead our frugal gambler into a spontaneous purchase.”
At the confused, furrowed look, Nathan laughed, “Ezra bought himself a dog.”
Buck let the words settle for a moment and then smiled, “Ezra own a dog?” Wilmington raised a hand to his head chuckling softly to himself. “Chaucer´s gonna love that,” The soft laugh faded away as sleep settled heavily in his bones.
“He gonna be ok?” Larabee stood over the small group annoyed at the turn of events. Next time he would send in Nathan and JD. What could he have possibly be thinking when he thought Buck and Ezra would be discrete? Larabee´s self directed anger and frustration grew.
“I think so,” Nathan slowly straightening up to his full height, “jist need to keep an eye on him...be best if we camp here tonight”
Larabee shook his head letting his gaze wander the rim of fire light. He nailed the Southerner with a caustic stare. Not that he blamed Ezra for any wrong doing just that his was the first face Chris saw.
Ezra caught the rebuke and slid back into the shadows.
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Chris stared across the campfire at the snarling dog. They set up camp around Buck and none to soon. Josiah and Vin had just fitted and fixed a tether to the dog when it came to life. It was not a slow coming to consciousness more like a lightening strike. Barely able to keep its feet it snapped and lunged at anything that ventured too close. Its legs would twist and give, sending the dog plunging to the ground but the jaws seemed to work without any hindrance.
JD already carried the bleeding wounds of miscalculating the tether´s length. A bloody torn pants leg was his reward. Vin´s arm sported three deep furrows and torn meat after moving just a hair too slow.
Nathan patched them both up not bothering to stitch the wounds. Instead, he scrubbed and wrapped them. Infection was always Nathan´s biggest fear.
Larabee contemplated the dog. It´s massive body nearly invisible within the shadows of night. Occasionally the firelight caught its eye and reflected the light in an almost demonic hue.
The gunslinger climbed to his feet and pulled his gun.
Standish watched. As did the others. Vin flexed his fingers gauging the damage done to the arm. Not bad least not yet.
“Mr. Larabee?” Ezra´s voice held a hint of surprise and ..panic? Truth be told the minute Ezra handed the dog over the fence he berated himself for falling into this mess. Where had this act of self indignation come from? The others of course they were to blame for his sudden charitable actions .and to think he paid money for the beast. Lord! What if mother were to discover his folly?
His apprehension grew when the dog came to his senses and started gnawing on the two people in their group that had a connection with the beastly world. Good Lord what had he done to himself? And paid money too .fer shame Ezra .fer shame.
“Dog needs destroyed.” The matter of fact statement had Standish floundering. His investment destroyed? Was Mr. Larabee in leagues with his mother?
“No it don´t,” JD spoke quickly in direct response to Larabee´s tone.
“JD it´s been trained to fight, It don´t know nuthin´ else,” Nathan tried to soothe the boy´s fear.
Dunne rubbed his sore leg, “It can learn, jist need to give it a chance.” He fixed the others with a steely gaze, “it ain´t never had a chance.”
Josiah ducked his head in wonderment. Young JD Dunne always the champion for the underdog.
“JD its all it´s ever done it knows no better,” Nathan rolled one of his bandages and stuffed it back into his saddle bag. “It´d be the humane thing to do.”
“Geez Nathan, you got a chance to change so did Chris Mean you grew up being raised a slave but you ain´t no more .and well Chris ” JD stopped when all eyes focused on him.
“Chris is a mean spirited devil ain´t he kid,” Tanner chuckled out trying to break the tension.
“You guys have no idea,” Wilmington added trying to reaffirm the change in direction of the conversation not that the direction they picked was any less volatile. The Ladies´ man lay with a hand on his forehead somehow this had to be Ezra´s fault. Buck chuckled quietly to himself. Gawd his head hurt.
“You boys got something to say?” Larabee stared at the men, keeping the dog in his peripheral vision. Since pulling his revolver the dog snarled and snapped endlessly.
“Jist sayin´ we ought to give it a chance .sides its Ezra´s dog,” JD dropped the bundle of responsibility on the one man who earned it. The one man who desperately tried to shy from it.
“You sayin´ you can train this dog Ezra?” Larabee did not hide his doubt or mocking tone. Should have sent Nathan in with Buck next time he´d keep Ezra out of the center of things.
“Ezra? heck,” Buck started pushing buttons, “I bet he couldn´t.”
“Betcha right Pard,” Tanner smiled leaning against his saddle taking comfort in the shadows, “this ain´t no spoiled horse that comes pre trained.”
The gauntlet hit the ground with a thud.
Standish felt his ire grow at the horse comment. He trained the dang beast and capitalized on all its bad habits himself. No one would take that away from him.
Josiah sighed, “Unfortunately I must agree,” Sanchez laid apologetic eyes on the gambler. The side of the fire the gambler sat on suddenly started looking more and more solitary. The dog snarled laying on its belly just to Standish´s left.
“You gentlemen really don´t think I could tame this beast?” Standish fought to contain his anger. They really think training that blasted bull headed horse was simple?
“He´s mean Ezra almost as bad tempered as Chris,” Nathan threw out the obvious. Jackson and Sanchez shared a glance. They suddenly found themselves an opportunity for the ultimate payback for the rotten eggs. Strap Ezra with a dog more bothersome than the man himself.
“And we all know how well you and Chris git along,” Buck pushed again. He blamed the drumming in his ears for his actions.
“Yes, well, Mrs. Travis seems to have prevailed,Though by questionable margins,” Ezra bit out again striking anywhere he could. Indeed to think he would fail at a bet.
“Yeah and she had less to work with,” JD added innocently fingering his bandage. His leg kind of burned. He never noticed all the eyes that swung toward him in shock. His leg felt hot.
Chris growled, but holstered his weapon.
Ezra narrowed his eyes and stared at the six faces that flickered in the fire light, “Lets get this straight you all bet that I can not tame this dog.”
“In two weeks time,” Vin added feeling that Standish would drag this out forever.
“Ya have to be able to walk it through town without it biting or eating anyone ”
“On a tether,” Nathan added, no sense killing and maiming innocent townsfolk.
“And you have to be able to pat it without getting bit,” Josiah smiled a wide toothy grin.
“Gentlemen you might as well hand over your months wagers now.”
JD stared at Buck and mouthed, “A month?”
“Don´t worry kid ole Ez will be paying us fore the two weeks are up.”
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Ezra shielded his eyes against the early morning sun, with his hand as he watched, somewhat disheartened, as the others rode out of camp. The dog had not ceased to stop snarling and lunging at anyone that ventured close to it. The morning had been spent dancing and parrying just to avoid the snapping jaws.
Buck, that morning, had moved like a man with a terrible hangover. Stooped shoulders and careful foot placements gave testament to the headache and rebellious stomach that had plagued him.
“Mr. Tanner a little help here,” Ezra had tried garnering the sharpshooters help.
“Sorry Ezra ain´t my headache sides the dog don´t like me,” Vin had chuckled rolling up his bed roll.
“Dog don´t like anyone,” JD had muttered fighting back a persistent headache.
The more the dog had lunged at the gambler the more the others laughed. This had only enraged the dog more and its new owner.
Getting to the stake that held the dog secured to the ground proved nearly impossible. The six had laughed as they packed up camp.
“Don´t forget, Ezra, ya gonna have to feed it too,” Vin had smiled as he tossed his saddle onto Peso.
Standish ground his teeth in frustration. Truth be told it never crossed his mind that the dog would have to eat. What does one feed a dog such as this? His eyes traveled to the smug tracker perhaps a wise cracking Texan. No probably be to tough.
JD had spiked a low grade fever in the night. Nathan did not want to waste any more time away from town. Even though Dunne balked at the healer´s over protective nature, JD had to admit he was feeling a bit low. Not as bad as Buck but certainly not his best. It, however, did not stop him from tossing out possible names for the dog. “Ya can´t jist call´im dog Ezra he´s got ta have a name.”
This, unfortunately, started unsolicited remarks from his fellow law men. Names from Ace to Zeus .sprang forth. JD´s fiftieth suggestion had the gambler snapping his head up. “Bo, How ‘bout Bo it ain´t too bad a name.” Dunne had a hundred more ideas in case Ezra couldn´t find one on his own.
Ezra mulled the name over, Beau, no it weren´t a bad name at all.
So with mocking ‘good lucks´ and laughing farewells, the other six had mounted up and rode out of camp.
Ezra assured them he would be following shortly, not to worry.
As soon as their silhouettes disappeared from sight, he dropped to the ground and groaned.
What had he gotten himself into?
Beau snapped at him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Any sign of Ezra?” Vin leaned against the post outside the saloon. Larabee gazed down the road toward the edge of town, just as he had done all afternoon.
“Nope.” The cigarro gave a near imperceptible bounce as his lips moved.
“Think we should ride out,” Tanner paused rubbing his injured arm against his torso. The bite wound no longer held the heat of infection like it had this morning. Nathan´s salt soaks seemed to have worked wonders.
“Figure I´ll give him a few more hours,” Chris´s gaze lingered a moment longer hoping to see the lone silhouette of horse and rider on the horizon. Like this morning and subsequence afternoon, no rider appeared. A few more hours they would give him a few more hours before going out to check on their missing seventh. Him and his damn wagering
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Buck lay beside Ms. Violet and fumbled for the nightstand. With a casual glance at his time piece he marked the number of hours left. Perhaps, later he would convince the others to go for a ride make sure everything was ok.
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JD tossed and turned and mumbled incoherently lost in the throes of a fever. Jackson sat at his desk thumbing through a journal. Occasionally he let his gaze fall to the young man on the cot. The wound had lost its angry edge. A good scrubbing and dose of tea had calmed the heat and soothed the wound. Dunne would be back on his feet by morning. The ring of sweat that traced the hair line of the boy was a testament to the breaking fever. Just needed time.
Jackson gazed out the clinic window at the long shadows of dusk. Dang gambler should have been back. He´d give it a few more hours and then see if Josiah wanted to go for a ride.
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Sanchez bent another nail. With a half hearted curse he straightened the S shape bends. Again he lined up the shake. Raising the hammer to shoulder height, he paused. Blue, grey eyes drifted over the citizens meandering down below. Shadows stretched and yawned across the darkening street. Sanchez searched the outlying ground around town. He would give it a little more time maybe the others would want to go for a circuit of the area.