Chapter 8

A week later we were a good ways down the trail. I eased up on Zeke. “Seen ‘em yet?”

“Maybe five of them, tryin’ to stay out of sight. They don’t look too salty.”

“The four riders on the ridge do. They look like they mean business.”

“Yep, those boys act serious. Maybe we need to let the fools catch up with us get lost in the crowd a bit.”

An hour later we found what we wanted, a little draw just off the trail. We eased into it and waited. We heard them for a good while before we saw them, five riders on pretty poor horses with no pack mules. They lost our tracks and drew up confused.

“Where’d they go?”

One youngster was off his horse casting about. “Don’t worry. I’ll find them directly.”

Another snorted and the voice was definitely female. “Gal, you couldn’t find your ass with both hands if you had a map and a detailed list of instructions even if it was on your shoulders.”

“Sissy, I’m about tired of your mouth. Think you can do any better?”

She swung down off her horse and we could hear the laughter in her voice. “Couldn’t do no worse.” The woman cast around for a little while before she found some tracks. “I think they went this way. Hold on and let me look.”

We sat and watched her approach. She rounded the brush we were sitting behind and froze. The muzzles of a rifle and a shotgun will make you go still. The youngsters’ voice called out. “You see any sign?”

To her credit, she didn’t faint or start screaming. Her voice was none too steady though when she answered. “I found them.”

They came pounding around the bend, drawing up short when they saw us. None had weapons out and we had them cold.

“Howdy.” Zeke said, trying not to laugh.

“How do you do? Please, allow me to introduce myself and my companions. I’m Elsa Monahan. The older gentleman is my Pa, Eion. The two to the right are my brothers Murphy and Gallison. The man on the gray horse is my intended, William Munford. You have us at a disadvantage, sir.”

Zeke grinned. “Under normal circumstances I’d be pleased to meet you. However I don’t much cotton to people follerin’ us. It makes us unsure of their intentions.”

Elsa was a tall woman with long auburn hair and green eyes. She had too much character in her face to be beautiful but she was a damned handsome woman with a figure that left no doubt that she was all woman. Her father was a bit shorter with long silver hair and an enormous mustache. Gallison must have been the youngest of the group, standing about 5’5” and if he weighed over a hundred pounds I’d be surprised. His gun looked full growed though and he looked like he’d stand hitched if it got rough. Murphy was almost as tall as Elsa, a little thick around the middle, and had a shifty cast on his face. I had a feeling he’d bear watching.

Munford was the one that got a second look. He was taller than I was and I was almost six feet in socks. He was thick but it didn’t look like lard and he had a cold calculating look in his eyes. I think Zeke shared my opinion of him and it was not good. Mr. Munford was slowly easing his horse away, his right hand very near the big Colt in the saddle holster. I spoke up for the first time. “I’m Bradley Walters and this is my brother Zeke. Mr. Munford it appears you have a restless animal there. Why don’t you gentle him down some?”

Miss Elsa spoke up. “Willie, do not be foolish! It would not be good if these men believed we mean them harm. I will freely admit we were following you. Word has it you made a pretty big strike. We thought we might follow along and stake claims near you. As you can see,” she said, pointing to their wornout clothes, “our ventures thus far have not been too successful.”

Zeke spoke. “You hooked up with the riders on the ridge?”

The surprise was evident on their faces, all but Mr. Munford. He just looked uncomfortable.

“I didn’t even know there were others in the area.”

“How about you Mr. Munford?”

All eyes turned to him and he shifted uncomfortably. “I seen some sign but figgered if they left us alone we wouldn’t bother with them.”

Elsa’s Pa spoke for the first time. “You didn’t think that would have been good information to share?”

“It won’t be no matter if they leave us alone. If they looked like they were gettin’ close I’da told you.”

It was pretty plain they were havin’ a hard time believin’ him. Zeke spoke again. “We’ll be ridin’ on now. You want to follow it’s a free country. Just don’t crowd us. We would be very unappreciative if you do. Why don’t you turn those mounts around and ride back to the trail. We’ll be right behind you.”