After supper on a ranch is usually a time to sit around, swap tall tales, roll a couple of cigarettes and relax. This night on the H Bar V there was none of that casual atmosphere in evidence. It was replaced by a silent and tense air of expectation.
Most of the hands had already retired to the bunkhouse. Sam knew they would all turn in early, then lay sleepless in their bunks until the middle of the night. Then they would all saddle up and ride to what might well be the last place they would see in this world.
He, Oz, Bart, and Eduardo were already saddled. They were just getting ready to step into saddles, when the dogs announced the approach of a rider.
All four instinctively moved around behind their horses as they waited to see who would be arriving at this late hour.
The fading light caught a glint of reflection from a star on the rider’s vest as he trotted into the yard.
Hiram Spalding stepped out of the house to greet him. ‘Howdy Harm,’ he called out. ‘Ridin’ a little late in the day, ain’t you? You missed supper, but git down and come in. We’ll rustle up a bait o’ grub for you.’
Harm Denton stopped his horse half a dozen paces in front of the rancher. He stepped from the saddle. ‘Howdy, Hi,’ he responded.
Instead of answering the rancher’s invitation, he addressed the other four. ‘You boys look like you’re headin’ out kinda late.’
The four looked at each other uncertainly. As one, they turned their gazes back to Hiram, clearly seeking a cue from him about how much to entrust to the marshal.
Hiram showed no hesitation. ‘Busy night comin’,’ he confirmed the marshal’s observation. ‘Glad you just happened to show up.’
‘What’re you boys up to?’
‘Have you heard about the dam Russell’s built on Spring Crick?’
The marshal’s head jerked up. ‘Dam? On Spring Crick? That don’t even run through Russell’s place, does it?’
‘It runs through land he grazes, but you’re right. It’s government land. You know that spot where it goes through that red rock canyon?’
The marshal nodded. ‘I know the spot.’
‘He’s built a dam clear across the canyon there.’
The marshal stared at the rancher in disbelief. ‘Why, a dam across there would stop up Spring Crick for miles and miles. That’d put every outfit downstream from there plumb outa business.’
‘Not to mention it’s illegal, since it’s on government range.’
‘You gonna get an injunction?’
‘Too late. He’s already got the crick stopped up.’
‘So what are you boys aimin’ to do about it?’
Sam decided it might be best for him to offer the answer. ‘We thought maybe we’d ride over there and move that dam outa the canyon.’
The marshal stared incomprehendingly. ‘How in the world do you think you’re gonna do that?’
‘Three nights ago we laid enough dynamite in the middle of that dam to do the job. All we gotta do tonight is light it off.’
The marshal stared for a long moment, digesting the information.
‘I ain’t sure that’s entirely legal,’ he said finally.
‘Why not,’ Hiram challenged. ‘We’re just removin’ somethin’ from government range that had no legal right to be there in the first place. It’s no crime if we aren’t damagin’ anyone else’s property. It ain’t Russell’s property, ’cause it ain’t on his land.’
The marshal frowned a long moment, then slowly a grin spread out beneath his large mustache. ‘I’d have to say you’re plumb right. Mind if I ride along?’
‘Proud to have you,’ Sam responded at once.
‘That ain’t what brought you here, though,’ Hiram guessed.
‘Well, no, it ain’t. Actually, I rode over here to ask for a bit of help. I was hopin’ some of your boys would be willin’ to form up a posse to give me a hand servin’ a warrant.’
‘I found out there’s an old warrant on Russell from down in New Orleans. It seems he sorta disappeared with all the bankroll of a gamblin’ outfit an’ whorehouse that him and another fella was partners in. He killed the other fella in the process, so there’s a warrant out for him, for both robbery and murder.’
Silence settled over the group like a gossamer shroud for a full minute, as each digested the information, and its ramifications.
Sam put their thinking into words. ‘When we blow that dam, Russell will plumb certain come ridin’ hell-for-leather with that whole gang o’ gun hands he’s got hired. He’ll be real anxious to wipe out the ones he’ll figure are responsible. We’re almost as certain what way he’ll come. We got it set up to be ready for ’em, and hopefully convince ’em to give up without a fight. That’d be the perfect time to arrest him.’
The marshal considered it for a long moment. Finally he said, ‘And you got this whole party set up for tonight, I take it?’
‘Yup.’
‘Done sent out the invitations, decorated the barn, an’ hired the fiddler, huh?’
Sam grinned. ‘We sorta left the barn out of it. Hiram’s kinda tetchy about his barn.’
‘Well, if I was to deputize this bunch you got ready, I reckon that’d make it an official act of the government to restore government range to its rightful condition, and bring to justice certain nefarious criminal elements of the territory.’
Eduardo mirrored Sam’s grin. ‘Now that is what I call feeling the sunshine of the saints smiling upon us. It is a sign, my friends. This night will be wondrous.’
‘Not to mention a heap o’ fun,’ Bart echoed.
‘Don’t go gettin’ to cocky,’ Sam cautioned. ‘Russell and his men ain’t likely to roll over without a fight.’
The cold reality of his words instantly chilled the growing sense of enthusiasm. Even so, it was better than any of them could possibly have hoped. As the five rode out together, Sam couldn’t keep his own spirits from soaring.