Chapter 7

I was late getting to the bank to cash my first check working at Randy Palmer’s ranch. I was pretty excited about this for this was a bigger check than I ever received from my Pa. Randy paid all his help with a slip and they had to go into the bank to receive their money. It was a Saturday afternoon late, with me being held up working at gentling a horse. I worked longer at it than I knew. Realizing how late it was, I beat it for town.

I slid the horse to a stop in front of the bank and headed up the steps, elbowing a puncher out of the way as I went through the door. I hesitated right in the middle of three men with guns drawn, realizing the bank was being robbed. I didn’t really stop and dove for the big island along the right wall.

This was what customers used to make out their papers for putting money in or taking it out at the teller’s window built along the back of the lobby. The man I had elbowed aside, fired at me and tagged me in the leg. I unlimbered my colt and shot the robber who was waiting on Banker Simpson who was filling a sack from the teller’s trays. Two tellers were also huddled behind the counter at the far end.

The outlaw who shot me in the leg, was nervous. He was shouting they should get out, now! I turned around and peeked around the end of the counter he had dodged behind. I had a good shot while this robber who had shot me was arguing they should leave. I plugged him and turned my attention to the three bank staff including Banker Simpson. I hadn’t had time to observe anyone else. The one I had shot at the teller’s window gave a death rattle. That was two dead. I could hear some shuffling around and heard a woman whimper.

“Hey, you, cowboy, come out of there where I can see you. I’ve got a woman here in my arms and I’ll kill her if you don’t show yourself.”

“You’ll kill me if I do. I’m happy right here. The whole town will be up in arms after hearing the gunfire. Why don’t you give up, you haven’t killed anyone?” I again peeked around the corner. I could see the woman being held tight with some arms around her. I couldn’t see the man’s face because he kept the woman in front of him. The woman was rolling her eyes, violently. From this, I realized one outlaw was sneaking up on the other side of the counter I was behind.

Probably the robber was going to shoot blindly over the top and hope he hit me. I watched and I could see the barrel of a gun ease into sight over the top edge. When I could see the pistol grip and fingers around it, I took careful aim and fired. The pistol went flying and a finger dropped down onto the floor next to me. The outlaw fell to the floor on the far side, holding what was left of his hand. His head came around and looked at me.

I spoke, “Fella, you had enough? You need a doctor. Leave by the door and I won’t shoot you.” The robber struggled to his feet and was almost to the door when the outlaw holding the woman shot the wounded man in the back.

I spoke, again, “You’re a cold-blooded bastard.”

“Yeah, so they say. Nothing has changed, I still have the woman. Who are you anyway?”

“Just a cow hand. I just went to work for a new outfit and came in to get my first month’s pay.”

“Well, you’ve raised hell with my plans for the day. You do know that the first person through that door is going to get killed, don’t you?”

“Guess it’s up to me to stop you. How many shells do you have?”

“Enough to kill you, and anyone else I want to. Maybe I’ll start with the banker, but I can get him anytime. Maybe I should figure how to take this woman I’m holding with me. She’s a nice armful. She looks Mexican, though. Do you know her?”

“What’s her name?”

“What’s your name, girl?”

“Teresa is my name. I’m a school teacher.”

“I’ll bet there are a lot of little kiddies who are going to miss you if I kill you.”

“I’m sure they will. I’ll bet they remember me a lot longer than they will you, if you do shoot me.”

I eased out just enough to where I could see Teresa. The robber was still not in my sight. He was shielded behind her. She could see my face, though. I hoped she could read lips. I kept mouthing, “Faint,” until I was sure she got the message when I held my hand thumb down and quickly slapped the floor. I braced my good leg against the edge of one of the panels and got ready.

Teresa made a little sighing sound. I pushed as hard as possible against the panel edge and slid out beyond the counter. The robber didn’t let Teresa drop and he leaned forward and followed her down. The top of his head made a nice round target. He toppled over backward.

“I don’t know who you are, but you can come out now.”

“The name is Dave Ferris. I think I’ve seen you out at the Palmer ranch. I just signed on.”

“I was told Randy had a new hand.” I didn’t rise because I didn’t know if I could. Simpson came over. There was a pool of blood that had leaked from my leg and the strain from pushing out where I could see it was bleeding heavily again. “Oh my goodness, you are injured, someone bring a chair.”

Sheriff Brodeur came in and spoke to Simpson, while surveying the lobby. There were four dead outlaws, and me, wounded. There was blood everywhere.

I was a bit dizzy when Simpson and the sheriff lifted me into a chair.

The sheriff concentrated on talking with Simpson for answers. “I don’t know how that man did it? He got wounded first off. Guess, it isn’t too bad, but all the same. I could see him lying on the floor and he kept staring at Miss Gonezalas. All she could do was roll her eyes.”

Just then the doctor came in and looked at me. Teresa was hovering around after binding up my wound with her shawl. “Nice job, Teresa, you must have learned that from your mother. You, young man, certainly can be congratulated for wiping out this gang.”

“Doc, it wasn’t me, Miss Gonezalas was warning me by rolling her eyes telling me what was going on, otherwise I would be dead and she would have had to deal with the robber all by herself.”

“That isn’t the way it happened at all. He told me to faint so he could get a shot at the last one. I wouldn’t have thought of it by myself.”

“That’s just details. I’ll order a buggy and have you delivered where ever you are living.”

“That would be at the Palmer Ranch.”

“I thought your name was Ferris? Don’t you want to go out home?”

“No, but you could send someone out to tell my Ma that I’m going to be fine and the wound is minor.”

Teresa spoke, “Tell her also that Mr. Ferris has a nurse and is being looked after. I’ll ride in the buggy with him. The Palmer ranch is my home too.”

The sheriff had been taking this all in. “I guess I got the story straight. You killed three of this gang and wounded one before he was shot by his own leader.”

“I guess, but the real hero is Miss Gonezalas.”

“You two can figure out who did the most. It all came out right, anyway.”

“Sheriff, could you lend me four shells for my gun. There is only one bullet left in it and my shell belt is empty. I was going to buy a box with my first paycheck.”

“Sure, I’ll give you a box. Pull around by my office as you are leaving town and tell the jailer to give you a box.”

Teresa declined having a driver when I wouldn’t lie down on a blanket in the back, and she insisted I sit on the buggy seat. Not much was said on the hour and half drive. A couple of times I got dizzy and she held me from tipping out. I was thankful when they pulled into the ranch yard.