Chapter 17

Resisting the urge to check on Cowboy and Juniper, Malik followed Healy down the steps on the right side of the train. Olsen and O’Sullivan were already atop the tender’s water tank, Olsen reaching for the large spigot on the tower while O’Sullivan removed the heavy lid that covered the tender’s fill opening. Healy and Malik both climbed into the locomotive cab, where Murphy turned to them.

Malik said, “Let’s look toward the coal pile, so we can seem to be discussing it.” The three men stood just under the roof of the cab and Malik gestured toward the coal pile as he quietly described the plan to Murphy.

The tender’s tank was quickly filled and Olsen came down into the cab. Malik asked, “Which of you has the sharpest eyes?”

Murphy said, “Reckon the laddie, there.”

“Then I want him lookin’ over your shoulder, Mister Murphy, while you point out to me the coal pile on the wye. Mister Olsen, I want you keepin’ your eyes peeled for anything that might indicate a man in hiding. Don’t point or yell out, and don’t keep looking that way. Just tell me what you see and where you see it. Got that?”

“Ja, boss. You want me to alert you but not show we see anyting.”

“Exactly. Now Mister Murphy, why don’t we step over and you can show me the coal in the tender. Keep talking, just do it quietly. Now let’s go back and look toward the wye. If you see anything, you can mention it, too.”

Malik and the engineer stepped over to the ladder access opening and Murphy raised his arm to point. He said, in a quiet voice, “The coal is just there, beyond those trees. You can’t really see it from--Laddie, did you see those bushes move?” Murphy said, with suppressed excitement.

“Ja, boss, right behind dose trees you were pointin’ at.”

“Fine men. We can’t stay here too long, but let’s make as if I’m asking a question. Mister Olsen, keep watching, Mister Murphy, glance at me for a second, then start pointing that way again, answering my pretend question.”

The men went through the pantomime, but nothing else noticeable was seen.

“That will have to do,” Malik said. “Let’s take one more look at our coal, as if we’re deciding we won’t go after the coal pile, then let’s get underway as quickly as possible.”

They finished up the play-acting and Healy and Malik climbed down from the locomotive as Murphy went about setting levers and valves. The engineer looked out his side window, forward and back, noting the two men mounting the caboose ladder. Healy paused to give him the wave, and Murphy blew the whistle twice, then put the train in motion.

Malik and Healy entered the now crowded caboose, what with four colliers and three brakemen in residence. The two men stopped and Healy said, “Listen up, boyos. We believe Doyle had set an ambush for us back at the wye, where there’s a pile o’ coal. In a minute, once we’re out a’ sight a’ the siding, we’ll be droppin’ off Mister Malik, Sage Tsosie, and the marshal, along with their horses. Cowboy and Juniper Tsosie have already slipped off into the brush when we stopped for water, don’t you know.

“The rest of us are goin’ to take the locomotive and caboose down the line a dozen miles, ‘til it looks like we’ve gone on our way, an’ give the laddies we’ve dropped off a chance to spring their own trap, they will. Then we’ll reverse, come back here, but cautious.

“Mister Wittier, up to the locomotive, if you please. Mister Walsh, come with me, there’s a good lad. The rest of can move about, now.”

Wittier, with a “Yes, sir,” had already climbed down from the cupola and headed for the front door. Walsh stood from the bunk on which he’d been sitting and he, Malik, and Healy went out the back and crossed into Malik’s car.

“Donnie, me lad, there are two shotguns and two boxes of shells in Mister Malik’s bunk room. An’ would you please fetch them?”

“Right away, Mister Healy. Excuse me, Mister Malik.”

Lonegan and Sage were both standing ready. Lonegan said, “Figured you could hand me the rifles after I cross to the top of the stock car.”

“Yeah. Unless you want Sage to handle it.”

Lonegan shook his head. “Nah. I’ve done my share a’ crawlin’ around movin’ stock cars.”

Malik said, “We need to ride out far enough west we can come up from the opposite end of the wye, opposite Cowboy and Juniper.”

Lonegan shrugged. “Makes sense,” he said.

Sage added, “Whatever you say, Shadow.”

Walsh came back with the guns and Healy told him to take them to the caboose. Then the conductor said, “Time to go, laddies. I’ll watch for a spot to cut your stock car.”

The group headed through the bunk room to the narrow rear door, where there was no outside platform. On the exterior, next to the door, there was a ladder to the top of the car. Sage opened the door and swung onto the ladder. Lonegan followed. They stepped from the running board atop the business car across the gap to the running board on the stock car. Next to that running board was a hatch that gave access to a ladder leading down into the stock car.

On the stock car roof, Lonegan lay down on his belly and Malik handed the three rifles to him, one at a time. Lonegan, in turn, passed them through the hatch to Sage. Then Malik climbed to the roof.

Healy stuck his head out the back door of the business car and called, “It’s time. I’ll pull this pin and your speed will gradually slow. You’ll roll for a good long way, you will, but this is a slight upgrade, so it won’t be as long as it might. Don’t apply the brake until you stop, else the squeal might give you away. But do apply it, or the car will roll back to the sidin’.”

“See you in a while, Mister Healy. Keep your guard up,” Malik said.

“May the good lord watch over you boyos.” Healy climbed out on the ladder, then reached down, and closed the valve on the air brake line. He crossed to the stock car and closed that valve. Then it was back to the business car where he reached down to take hold of the coupler’s pin rod. He pulled up on it, but nothing happened. He pulled again. The pin wouldn’t budge, he couldn’t get it out.

Malik, who had replaced Lonegan on the stock car roof called, “Is it stuck? Can I help?”

“No, Emil, an’ that won’t help. Stick your arm out where Mister Murphy can see it.”

Malik slid to the edge of the car roof and held out his hand. A moment later, there was a clanking sound from the connecting gear and the pin came free. Healy held it up until the coupler slowly opened as the trailing car very gradually decelerated. After it was fully open, Healy dropped the lifting rod and stood up. Healy watched from the back of Malik’s car as the gap widened. He called, “Set the brake as soon as you stop, laddie. Crank it down tight.”

Malik waved and climbed down into the horse car where Sage and Lonegan were checking their horses

Malik said, “We’ll ride over together, then split up so we come at them from a wide front. I’ll take the center, Connor you go in on the right, Sage, left.”

“How far apart?” Sage asked.

“It’ll depend on the lay of the land, but I’m thinking maybe a hundred feet. If we don’t make contact, we’ll stop about a hundred fifty feet short of the coal pile. Then I’ll move forward, see what I can scare up. You two watch my back.”

Lonegan just looked at him.

“What?” Malik demanded. “One of us has to do it. I elected me.”

Lonegan let out a heavy breath along with a brief shake of his head.

Sage began, “Shadow, I can--”

“Forget it, Sage. I’ve hunted with you, remember? You couldn’t sneak up on a rock.”

“I know, Shadow, it’s just...”

“Don’t worry about it, little brother.”

Then Malik asked, “Sage, would you see to bringing Tsela out? I’ll go get the brake.” As Malik popped his head out and looked back the way they had come, he could see a small, scrub-covered hill blocking any direct line of sight back to the Micah Spring siding.

A quarter hour later, they’d circled around behind that hill to come up on the wye from its tail end, which was still a hundred yards off, behind a line of trees.

Malik said, “Walk slow from here. Connor, this looks like as good a spot as any. Give us a minute to get in position, then start forward.”

At that moment, a rifle shot rang out toward the front end of the wye. The three riders held in place, trying to see through the few cottonwoods that screened the view. As Malik was about to speak, three more shots shattered the silence, at least one from much closer and on their right.

Malik said, “Let’s go!” and he tapped Tsela’s flanks with his boot heels. The horse dug in and practically sprang into a run.

Malik drew his pistol and led the way past the trees that separated them from the tracks and the coal piles. Sage and Lonegan followed closely behind.

As he cleared the trees he could see a man running toward them, coming from the direction of the water tower, but he couldn’t make out features.

Malik shouted over his shoulder to his companions, “Watch your flanks!” as he set Tsela flat out toward the spot where another man lay in the grass, apparently the same place that was the running man’s goal.

Tsela rapidly outpaced the other two horses and Malik was by himself as he bent along Tsela’s neck, urging the stallion to greater speed.

The running man dropped to his knees next to the fallen man. Malik arrived mere seconds later. He heaved on Tsela’s reins and leapt from the back of the skidding horse, just as Cowboy raised up on an elbow, and then fell back, the front of his buckskins soaked in blood.

Malik dropped to his knees next to his friend. Cowboy’s eyes were closed, his face contorted. He asked, gasping, “Get ‘im?”