The Trail to Perdition

"Didn't think you'd like us spoiling your fun," Justin teased.

"If we'd waited another hour you'd probably been settin here waiting on us all alone," John said with a laugh. "There were about 20 men came out of that canyon after us. Looks like there's only about ten left." He sobered a little and added, "Don't reckon it pays to chase after Deputy Boone now do it?"

"I'm right glad to see you boys, I was about done in," Tom replied in a serious tone. "My horse couldn't have gone much farther."

The three friends shook hands, sort of embarrassed by their feeling for each other. It was also awkward because Etta was hanging on to Tom's right arm and didn't seem to want to let go.

"There goes Texas Jack," John said pointing toward the outlaws. "He's the one with the long hair on that buckskin."

Jack and four of his men had left the others to fight the cavalry and rode back at a gallop back toward Perdition.

"Cowardly," Justin said. "But smart. Using the others to hold off the soldiers while he gets away."

"He's not getting away, he's just delaying it," Tom said. His eyes were cold and hard. "Not this time Jack," he added as he watched the leader of the Comancheros escape. Stepping past Etta Tom mounted Cochise.

"Tom, let the Army take care of him," Etta said as she touched his leg.

"He got away after killing my Pa; he's gotten away with a lot but no more. I'm going to finish this today. You boys make sure Etta gets home, I'm going after Jack."

"Don't think so Tom; we're going with you," John said and Justin nodded in agreement. "Figure I owe that bunch too. Never did like being forced to run from a fight and now I don't have to."

McCoy came back to join them as the soldiers had surrounded the bandits and the few that were left were surrendering. "Howdy Tom. Looks like we got here in time. Now tell me son, would an extra two or three days have made that much difference?"

"Yes sir, it would have. Jack was planning on taking Etta down to Sonora today. We'd been too late to stop him if I'd waited."

"See your point. It's good that other than a few Comancheros nobody got hurt bad. Etta is as mad as a wet hen but she's fine otherwise."

"Please get her a horse and take her back with you Ted," Tom requested. "How's your horses boys?" He asked Justin and John. "They ready for some hard riding?" Both men nodded and Tom kicked Cochise into a fast lope back toward Perdition.

The sun was rising over the Alvarez Mountains when Tom, Justin, and John got to the trail head leading into the box canyon. On either side of the narrow entrance to the canyon, the rock wall of the mountains rose almost vertically over two hundred feet in some places.

They stopped their horses behind the first pile of rocks blocking the wagon trail. The rump of a horse was just disappearing behind the next obstacle. "We're a little late; they got here before us. How we gonna work this Tom?" John asked as he checked the loads in his pistol.

"Been thinkin on that as we rode. The first look out is usually bout half way down the trail there. They usually ask your business before they raise a fuss. None of the people left are Texas Jack's men so we might be able to talk our way in; considering the beatin Jack and his boys just took."

"We'd still be in the middle of a hornet's nest once we got in there," Justin said.

"May be but if we tell those left that there's a troop of cavalry following and all we want is Jack; they might just let us have him. Then it'd be Jack and his four against us. Don't like the odds none but don't know any I'd rather face them with than you boys." Tom checked his Remington and then his Winchester. "What'da you think?"

John reached over and pull Tom's 10 gauge coach gun from its scabbard. "I say if you let me use this scatter gun I'll ride in with you." He gave Justine a feeble smile. "I ain't much on fast draw but with this I don't have to be."

"That's okay John," Justin threw in. "Tom and I are used to a fast draw and fast shootin. You do what you need to and we'll take care of the rest." Turning to Tom he said, "Let's ride; we got a long trip back to Etta and Theresa."

Tom led the way as they slowly rode around the obstacles in their path. As they approached the half way point, a guard challenged them. "What do y'all want and who are you?" He yelled from his hiding place.

"I'm Deputy U.S. Marshal Tom Boone. We've come after Texas Jack and all that follow him."

The guard peeked over the rock and saw the Marshal's star on Tom's dark shirt. "I can't rightly let you in Marshal. Boss would have my hide."

"You got a way to get him out here to talk to me?"

"I got this big dinner bell here. If I bang on it, he and the others will come running."

"Bang on the bell Mister. I got a proposition for your boss and the rest of you."

The guard picked up a miner's hammer and beat on the large bell. The sound bounced off the cliffs and echoed down the canyon. It took less than three minutes for ten or so men to ride to the guard station.

"Who are you?" A heavy set man with an eye patch yelled.

"He's a Deputy Marshal," the guard said before Tom could answer. "Says he's after Texas Jack. Says he's got a proposition for us."

"Shut up Zeb." Turning back to Tom the boss man asked, "That right? You the law?"

"Deputy U.S. Marshal Tom Boone. Like your man said, we're here for Texas Jack. And any of his men that come back with him."

"I've heard of you Boone. I'm Ned Stevens." Ned scratched at his beard for a few seconds. "Jack and his boys looked rite beat up when the rode in. You do that to em?"

"Me, these two, and 30 or so U.S. Calvary. The soldiers are an hour or two behind us headed this way."

"What's your proposition Marshal?"

"Let us come in and get Jack or you send him out. If you don't interfere y'all can go on your way. Makes no difference to me but I aim to have him before the day is over."

"What about those Army boys?"

"There's enough of them to root you out but once I get Jack and his men, they won't come after you. At least not this time. I give you my word. After that, quien sabe...You're on your own."

"Not wishin anything bad on you Boone but what happens to your word if Jack kills you. Where would I be then?"

"Marshal McCoy is ridin with the Calvary. I'll write a short letter to him explaining your part in this. He'll honor my word."

"Could you write that letter before the shootin starts Boone," Stevens asked.

"Get me some paper and something to write with and I'll do her right now."

Stevens turned to one of his men. "You still writin in that journal of yourn?" The man nodded. "Give the Marshal a page out of your book." The man rode over and handed Tom his journal and the stub of a pencil.

Tom crossed his right leg across his saddle forward of the horn and rested the book on his leg. He picked a blank page and wrote a short message to McCoy. Tom motioned and the owner of the journal took it back to Stevens. Ned read the note and nodded.

"Give us a few minutes to get Jack on his way Boone," Stevens said. "And good luck; never did cotton much to Jack and his orders." Stevens turned his horse and with his men following him he rode back toward the village. The guard was now sitting on the rock he'd hid behind watching with wide eyes.

"It's been fifteen minutes Tom," John said. They'd been sitting almost motionless on their horses.

"I think Jack is trying to talk his way out of this." Tom looked up at the sounds of horses coming their way. He pointed with his chin beyond the last pile of rocks. Texas Jack and his four men were being herded at gun point toward the trail. "Don't look like he won the argument."

Stevens called a halt in the last open area before the obstructions on the wagon trail. "Don't come back," he instructed. "Jack, if you and your boys get past the Marshal, don't come back."

"Damn you Stevens. I've brought a lot of money and supplies to this town," Jack protested. "Hell I shared everything we'd get from our raids and such. You'll just dry up and die without me."

"You also brought a lot of attention to us and now you've brought the Army down on us. Perdition was here before you came and it'll be here after you go." Stevens pulled his pistol and pointed at Jack. "Ride out Jack, while you still can," he ordered.

Jack turned his horse back toward where Tom and his friends waited. His men spread out with two on either side of their boss. For the first time Tom got a close look at the infamous Texas Jack Billings.

He was a big man standing well over 6 feet. Jack's horse was a big animal because at 250 pounds a smaller horse couldn't carry Jack's weight. He had dark, almost beady eyes and wore his dirty, greasy, black hair long down to his shoulders. On his head he wore a flat crowned wide brimmed hat. Jack carried two pistols; the one on his right was worn low and tied down, the left pistol was at his waist with the butt facing forward.

"Jack Billings, you're under arrest," Tom called across the space separating the two factions. "Drop your pistols."

"I like the name Texas Jack a bit better sonny," Jack replied. "Whose gonna take me in? You?"

"I'm Deputy Marshal Tom Boone and that is my intention. You and you're men are coming with us; on your saddles or face down across them. It doesn't make a difference to me but you are coming with us."

"You're out numbered Marshal," Jack's voice was full of scorn. "We'll shoot you down and ride over your bodies on our way out."

"I'm done talkin Billings. One last time drop your guns and surrender."

"To hell with you," Jack screamed and pulled at his pistol. His men went for their guns at the same time.

On Tom's left, John fired one barrel of the coach gun knocking the man across from him out of the saddle. On the right Justin drew and fired. He hit the man on the end of the line in the chest and quickly turned toward the next man. Before that man could fire, Justin put a bullet through his head.

Sitting between John and Justin, Tom drew his Remington and shot Texas Jack twice; once in the chest and the other in the head. He fired at the next man and hit him just as John's second blast from the scatter gun also hit him. The man crumpled and fell off his horse; dead before he left his saddle.

"Everybody okay?" Tom asked. "Anyone get hit?"

"Think I'm nominated," John replied. He was holding his off hand over a wound in his side. "Ain't bad though. Nothing that a little whiskey wouldn't cure."

Tom turned to Justin and his friend smiled and nodded. "Can we go home now Tom? My wife is waiting for me. She was really mad when I decided to come with you and I'd like to start makin it up to her."

Stevens and his men had sat on their horses and watched the small battle from behind a big pile of rocks about a hundred feet away. He rode closer to Tom. "Reckon I'm glad it was Jack facin you and not me Marshal. I think y'all might be a hand full." He laughed a little and asked, "You gonna keep you word about those Army boys?"

"Yes sir, I will," Tom answered. "But I heard that the Arizona Rangers were thinkin of coming to see about Perdition." Pointing at Texas Jack and his men Tom said, "With the Comancheros gone, they could figure taming this town might be worth the effort. Were I you, I'd be thinking about movin on."

"Fair enough Marshal. Maybe it is time for Perdition to die. Maybe time for us to move down into Old Mexico." Stevens tipped his hat at Tom. "Good luck to you Boone. Nothin personal but I hope I never see you again."

"Could I get you to bury these men before you go?"

"You kilt em; you bury em if you want. Makes no never mind to me," Stevens replied. "If you leave em we'll just ride around em. Adios Marshal."

Stevens and his men, including Zeb the guard, rode back to Perdition.

"Looks like all the funs over with," John said with a grin. "Guess it's time for us to head home. He had made a bandage out of his bandana and used a piece of rawhide to tie it against his wound. "I'll have that old Mexican women back in Agua Fria tend to it."

"You want to bury those men?" Justin asked Tom. "They never stopped to bury any of the people they robbed and killed. Heard tell they even burned some of the bodies. Far as I'm concerned they can lay where they are." He spit on the ground near Texas Jack.

Tom heard the sound of a horse and looked back toward Perdition. The guard they knew as Zeb was trotting his horse back toward them. He was carrying a large burlap sack.

"Ned said to give you these oats for your horses. Said you could water your animals at the spring branch yonder. Said it was a thank you for keepin your word." Zeb dropped the sack, turned his horse and returned to the village.

"Looks like you made a friend" Justin joked to Tom.

"Not his friend," Tom replied not liking the joke. "I see him or his men tomorrow and I'll arrest them."

"Take it easy Tom," John said. "Justin was only joshin you."

Tom hung his head a little and his face got red. "Sorry Justin; must be more wore out than I thought. Let's water the horses and head out.

They rode to the stream flowing along the rock bluff to their right. There was a small pool where the water collected before the stream went under the wall. As they watered and fed the horses, Tom looked back at Perdition. It was a bee hive of activity. Stevens and his men were loading everything of value onto wagons, on to pack horses, and filling up some two wheel carts. A dozen horses and twice that many cattle were being gathered for a drive.

"Looks like Stevens decided to heed your warnin," John remarked.

"Never saw so many people makin such a fuss," Justine said.

"Let's get back to Tucson," Tom suggested. "I've had about enough of the Alvarez Mountains."

The three friends mounted and made their way along the meandering trail back to the mouth of the box canyon. Tom looked at the bodies of Jack and his men as he rode past. "Guess we'll just leave em here. It's all they deserve," Tom said and rode on.

They rode at a slow lope for a half an hour and then slowed to a walk to rest their horses. About an hour from the mouth of the canyon they saw McCoy and the soldiers coming their way; riding hard. In the middle of the soldier's two by two formation, Etta rode with a grizzled old sergeant.

"I tried to send her with a couple of soldiers back to Tucson," McCoy said in greeting and pointed his chin at Etta. "She wouldn't go. Said she wanted to wait for you." He chuckled. "She's almost as stubborn as my wife."

"Sounds just like Theresa," Justin offered. Turning toward Tom he said, "Y'all gonna have your hands full with that one."

Tom grinned and replied, "Maybe so, but it'll be worth it. Don't you think?"

Etta rode her horse out of the protective formation and came over to Tom. "Are you alright?"

Tom reined Cochise so he was standing shoulder to shoulder with Etta's horse. He took Etta's hand. "I'm fine, John got nicked but not bad. I'm just glad that you're safe."

Etta grabbed Tom's shoulder and pulled herself onto Cochise, sitting on the saddle in front of him. "You rescued me, in spite of all those men in that horrible village, you rescued me," Etta said. She put her arms around Tom and hugged him.

Tom returned the hug and then pulled back a little. "Best get on your horse; we need to head back to Tucson."

The young Lieutenant, one Miles Purdue, leading the troops turned to his men. "Sergeant, we're going to destroy Perdition and rid the countryside of those murdering scum. Column of twos, rifles at the ready. When we get into that canyon, we'll spread out into a skirmish line and charge."

"Hold on Lieutenant Purdue," Tom requested. He pulled the Lieutenant aside then explained what had happened in the box canyon and the help that Ned Stevens had been. "You boys chewed up those Comancheros pretty good out on the desert flats the other day. And me and my friends took care of the rest. Texas Jack and what was left of his Comancheros are dead."

Tom paused for a few seconds and continued. "I gave Stevens my word that he and his men could ride on. I'd appreciate you honoring my promise."

"But this is a chance to clean out that hell hole," the Lieutenant protested.

"Stevens and his men are headed down to old Mexico right now. By the time you get back they'll be mostly gone and you'll end up watchin em ride across the border. Let em be Miles." Tom smiled and added, "There'll be other chances for you to make a name for yourself."

"Remember if it hadn't a been for you and your men Lieutenant, we'd a never been able to rescue Miss Bronson," McCoy said. "That should be a satisfying feeling and folks will hear about it. You mark my words."

Purdue thought for a little while. "New orders Sergeant. Let's get these people safely back to Tucson."

They made camp at Agua Fria that evening; they would make the final push back to Tucson the next day. John had his wound tended to by the old lady who worked in the cantina.

"C'mon boys, I'm buyin," he said as he walked to the makeshift bar. Tom and Justine accepted a glass of tequila and they toasted each other.

"Must be gettin old," Justin said. "These shoot outs aren't as much fun as they were ten, fifteen years ago."

"Not gettin old Justin," Tom replied. "You've just got someone at home to care about and who cares about you. Wish I did."

"You know this village ain't exactly a paradise," John said to lighten the conversation up. "It's in the middle of miles and miles of nothin and it's got bad water. If I owned Hell and Agua Fria, I'd live in Hell and rent this place out to the Devil."

"Maybe so, but the tequila's good," Justin replied. "Think I'll have another before I turn in."

The men returned to the camp and turned in for the night; they would be getting an early start the next morning. Tom spread his bedroll a little away from the others, using his saddle to rest his head. Be the first night in a while that we don't have to stand watch, he thought. Got a whole troop of soldier boys to take care of that.

He was almost asleep when he sensed someone coming toward him. Tom had put his pistol belt near at hand and he slowly reached over to his Remington.

"Tom, you awake?" Etta asked in a whisper.

"Am now."

"Could I sit with you a spell? I had nightmare that I was still with Texas Jack and his bunch."

"Sure you can." Tom replied and sat up.

Etta quick stepped to Tom's side and dropped down on his bedroll. She pulled his arm around her and laid down, bringing Tom down with her. Putting her head on his chest she snuggled up against him and went to sleep.

The next morning Tom woke at dawn and looked at Etta sleeping on and next to him. He gently pulled his arm from under her and stood up. Damn, he thought, arm's asleep. Tom rubbed and shook his arm as he went to check on Cochise.

The troop got organized and shortly after sun up they started on the trail. It would take the soldiers over a day to make it back to Tucson. McCoy had left a couple of the townspeople in charge but he didn't want to leave the town unguarded any longer than necessary. Tom and his little group along with McCoy pushed their horses a little harder. They would arrive just before dusk.

They were at a walk to rest the horses and Tom had to smile at Cochise. The big horse had made a hard run to Agua Fria and on to Perdition. Then he carried Etta back to meet McCoy and the soldiers. Tom had pushed the horse trying to catch Texas Jack before he returned to Perdition. In spite of the hard riding and difficult trails Cochise didn't like being held at the slower pace of the other horses.

"I know you want to streak up the trail and show everybody how fast you are," Tom said in a low voice as he leaned over Cochise's neck. "But take it easy. When we get back and get everyone settled I'll take you out for a run."