Chapter 13

It would take the caravan two weeks and two days to reach Memphis. They ran into robbers twice, once four days in to the journey, and again just two days outside Memphis. The first incident happened just after noon. As it happened, Waite was riding Ruth and Peggy Sue was driving. He had been scouting the road ahead, looking for game. He though it would be a good time to stock up on some more of that Tennessee deer that was so tasty. He'd sold all their fresh meet in Nashville, and all they had was salted meat and jerky. So it was, that he happened that to be in the woods, paralleling the wagons.

He didn't see the attack but he certainly heard it. The style of fire told him of trouble, instantly. He spurred Ruth forward. As the trees thinned he saw the same type of ambush as had been tried before. He pulled out his Winchester and took out the leader of the charge. Jesse and Peggy Sue were shooting from the wagons and they took out the next three. The last man standing turned tail to run. He was no more than fifty yards from Waite and he didn't notice Ruth standing there. Just as he crossed into the crosshairs, a bullet from the wagons knocked him off his horse.

Waite casually rode out of the woods. The shooting pair swung their weapons around and then recognized him. Fortunately, he had had his hands up, so they wouldn't shoot in case recognition took longer than normal. Jesse let out a whoop Waite knew to be his victory cry. He ran to the back of his tandem and jumped on Misty. That's what they were calling the Morgan mare Patty owned.

He rode out to the first of the dead men. There were three in a group lying on the ground. He searched the bodies and came back with some impressive loot. He had over a hundred gold coins, a presentation set of Schofield revolvers in a double holster rig, a .410 gauge shotgun, a derringer set, a ten gauge Greener shotgun, and a Winchester '73. The horses he captured were all good animals that would fetch a nice price. He'd wait to go through the saddlebags, later.

Waite checked out the ones he'd shot. The leader of the pack had about a hundred gold coins himself, and a new set of Colts in a double rig. Waite would have to clean the dirt off the one the man had dropped when he was shot. He also got two good knives. One was a Bowie and the other was a throwing knife. He would have to practice with that one. It had been awhile since he'd used one. Then came the chance for him to examine the last man. This one Peggy Sue tagged from her perch in the Conestoga. She'd used the padded backrest of the seat as a shooting stand. The man's horse had stumbled a bit just before the bullet struck and that's why the man wasn't dead, yet.

Waite toed the man's shoulder to get his attention. He made frantic motions attempting to reach his six-shooter, but didn't make it. Waite kicked the ruined shoulder again. He howled in pain. Waite picked up the 1860 conversion and stuck it in his belt after making sure the hammer was on an empty cylinder.

"Well, Sir," Waite began, "do you want to tell me about it before I end your miserable existence?"

"Please, don't kill me. I didn't want to do it, my older brother made me do it," he pleaded. "Since them damn Yankees arrived here, we gots nothing. I heard it's worse further south where they gotta have a yankee governor overseeing their reconstruction. But we still gots it bad."

"So that makes it OK to prey on innocent travelers?"

"We don't kills em iff'n they behaves. Why that couple we got tied back at camp are gonna be ok, I'll lead you to 'em, iff'n you let me go."

"I think you'll lead me to them even if you don't get set free." Waite replied. "I have taken it upon myself to enforce the laws around here. You broke the law and you have to be punished. Now get your sorry ass up and lead the way."

"I need my horse mister." He begged. "It's easier for me that way."

"Walk or die, I don't care which" Waite told the bandit. "Show me where they are, or I'll find them myself."

The bandit got up and stumbled back to where they had first appeared on the road. Waite diligently watched for any sign of trickery. He had his Colt aimed at the middle of the man's back. One shot at this range would blow a hole the size of his fist in the man's chest as the bullet exited the body. The man was getting weaker from loss of blood but Waite didn't care. The robber would not survive this day, anyway. You can't teach an old dog new tricks and this one would go back to robbing people as soon as he was healed.

Waite spotted the cutoff before the man mentioned it. He held back a little and sure enough, there was a trap set. Unbeknownst to the bandit, Waite had dismounted and was following cautiously behind. When the man sprung the trap, Waite wasn't there. He was beside the man with his Bowie knife sticking it in the gap between the 5^th and 6^th ribs. The bandit's eyes went wide in surprise, and then closed for the last time as he slumped to the ground.

Waite cautiously entered the wood and worked his way back. He came up upon a clearing with a farm wagon in it. Tied to the front wheel was a man about 40. He'd been beaten and blood was crusted on his face. He was still alive and Waite could hear his breathing. It was labored and ragged. He heard a voice talking. It was a high feminine voice. The voice was reassuring the man they would be all right.

Waite did not make his presence known yet. He moved around the clearing catlike. He made no sound as he made the circuit. When he got to the other side of the wagon, he saw a lovely creature tied to the other front wheel. Her dress was torn and her womanly charms were exposed to the elements. She too had been beaten and there was crusted blood on her head, as well. He was just about to come out when he heard another voice.

"Well, it won't be long now. My boys ought to be back any minute with more loot. I heard them a shootin' a bit ago and I ain't heard any sound of wagons. They musta kilt the drivers. When they get back you'll be taken care of, that's for sure. Now, let's go see about your pretty little bride. We gotta make sure she's open for you on your wedding night, don't we."

"You leave your filthy han..."

SMACK. The sickly sound of metal striking flesh and bone resounded in the clearing. A big ugly man came around the wagon. He was unbuckling his belt as he did so.

"Looks like your husband won't be able to take care of you tonight, so I volunteered. He said it was ok. You don't mind now do ya, missy?" he said with a sneer.

The woman screamed. He didn't pay her any mind. He just dropped his trousers and advanced toward her. She began screaming at the top of her lungs.

Suddenly, a gunshot rang in the air. The man was now missing his manly equipment, and was hollering like there was no tomorrow. That's how he would end up, dickless, in the end. Blood was gushing from his ruined genitals. Waite stepped into the clearing and slit his throat from ear to ear. Seconds later the man keeled over, dead.

Waite tried to sooth the woman. He grabbed a blanket and covered her nakedness. She flinched as he brought his knife up to her restraints. Presently he had her freed from the wheel. She still pulled away from him. Waite told her he was going to check on her husband.

He went around the wagon and lost his lunch. When he finished heaving, he grabbed a blanket from the wagon and covered the body of the man. The butcher had taken a shovel and lopped the top of the man's head off. His brain was bulging out from the calvarium, and part of the man's frontal lobe was in his lap.

When he could stand it, Waite took the shovel, and dug a shallow grave. He placed the man's body in it and carefully arranged the blanket so the damaged skull wouldn't show. His face was visible and Waite needed to be able to show the man's wife, that he was dead.

Waite went back to her and she had calmed down somewhat. She had the presence of mind to realize Waite was helping. She had rearranged her top so her assets were covered. He told the woman her husband had been killed. She said she realized that when it happened. She just wanted to see the body. Waite told her he'd prepared the man for burial and he offered to help her. She gratefully accepted his assistance. She paid her last respects and Waite covered the body, piling stones on the soft dirt to keep the animals away. He offered to take her to the next town. She agreed because that was where her family was. She didn't want anything from the wagon, so they headed out. Waite delivered her that afternoon to her family and continued on his way.

The second incident, near Memphis, was more insidious. They were riding along the road when they met two men on horseback riding the other way. They had seen them from a ways off and the women were in the back. Patty was nursing David on the seat, while Waite was driving. Lisa Marie had a Greener pointed out underneath the seat. It was partially hidden by Patty's dress, a lovely green calico dress special made by Lisa Marie to allow Patty to nurse David whenever and wherever she wanted.

The men called the wagons to halt. Waite and Jesse pulled up. Jesse pulled up slightly out of line with an offset so he could see what was going on up front. This is what Waite had taught him to do so he could act as backup. The leader of the two reined in his horse but the other walked back towards Jesse.

Waite was just about to call out to the rider when the other drew his weapon.

"OK, hands up, this is a holdup." The man shouted.

The other rider had his gun out before Jesse could move.

"You too lady, hand's up."

"But the baby..." She started to say.

"Put it down and hands up." He demanded.

She placed David on the floor and raised her hands. Her breast was still sticking out from the dress and it was spraying milk all over the place. She squeezed her elbows together to force more milk out. The bandit just stared. It was the last thing he saw as Peggy Sue let loose with the Greener. The front and top part of his head hit the ground before the rest of his body. The explosion of the Greener startled the other rider, and Betsy's shot with another Greener killed the man and his horse.

Well ... the horse didn't die outright. Waite had to put a bullet in it. They ransacked the riders and took all the valuables. The man in front had a rather nice money belt loaded with double eagles and fifty-dollar Federal greenbacks. Waite took that and strapped it on. He covered it with his shirt, and you couldn't tell he had it on.

The horse that was spared was a keeper. It was a Morgan stallion. Waite led him back to the second in line and tied him next to Ruth. Waite figured he could raise some horses when he got back to Waco. The men dragged the bodies of the robbers off into the woods. They used the spare mules to drag the horse's carcass off, too. Then they continued on their way. That night Waite and the rest got a surprise.

They were camped out in a little pullout in the road. The wagons were providing a shield from the woods and the road. Jesse had used a little too much green wood on the cook fire. At any rate it was smoking to beat the band. Fortunately the smoke was mostly blowing away from the group, over towards the Conestoga from the judge's farm. During a lull in the conversation Waite's ears perked up. He though he heard something. He signaled to Jesse. He put his finger to his lips signaling quiet. He heard the sound again.

It was coming from the vicinity of the Conestoga. It was really shrouded in smoke. As Waite approached it sounded like coughing. As he neared the wagon, suddenly Darlene ran up in front of him with her arms outstretched.

"Please." She said. "Don't be mad. We didn't know what to do."