Mac saw the campfire when he was still a good mile away. He shook his head. These men must be awfully brave or the most stupid criminals he’d ever encountered. Though they were camped near a patch of scrubby cottonwoods, they hadn’t bothered to try to hide. He wondered if the idiots knew there were Indians about. If they did, they either didn’t know the danger or they didn’t care. He figured it was the first.
As he approached he dismounted and led his stallion. The horse was well trained and made hardly a sound as they got closer to the campsite.
Mac could see two men sitting near a fire and as he got closer he frowned. No wonder the damn fools don’t realize the danger. They’re easterners, he thought as he shook his head again. What ever possessed them to follow the wagon train with only a couple of horses? But more important, why did they kidnap a little girl?
He dropped his hand to the colt hanging on his right side and said in a loud voice, “Got a cup of coffee you can spare?”
The fat man let out a little squeal. It reminded Mac of a pig.
The thinner man looked frightened, but he said, “If you’re friendly, we’ll be glad to share our coffee with you.”
Mac ground hitched his horse and ambled over to the campfire. “I have to admit, I’m surprised to find two men who seem so out of place out here without a wagon or any of the comforts of home.”
“I never dreamed the west was as wild as it is. I can’t wait to get back to Baltimore.” Not only did the fat man squeal, he whined.
The thinner man held a cup toward Mac. “My name’s Wade Fillmore and I’m out here because I think my daughter is on the wagon train up ahead.”
“Mac Barnett.” He took the coffee and said, “Much obliged.”
“Have you seen the people on the wagon train?” Leo Carver asked without giving Mac his name.
“Yeah. I’ve seen them.” He didn’t elaborate. He was still wondering why these two men wanted a little girl. Maybe it was to cook for them. They sure needed help. The coffee was awful. His Aunt Ida in San Francisco drank her fancy tea stronger than this stuff.
“Did you get acquainted with anyone on the wagon train?” Wade asked.
“Why do you ask?”
Wade took a deep breath. “I thought you might know my daughter.”
“Oh?”
Leo put in, “We came all the way from Baltimore to get his beautiful daughter and take her back home.”
Mac looked the two men over. They seemed harmless enough, but you could never tell about people. You had to be on guard. One or both of them had kidnapped a little girl and that wasn’t in anyway harmless, according to his way of thinking. He drew a long breath, set the coffee down, took a paper from his vest pocket and rolled a smoke. “If you’re here to get your daughter, why are you three miles behind the wagon train? Why aren’t you riding up to it and asking your daughter to come home?”
Leo puffed out his chest. “Mr. Markin said...”
“Shut-up, Leo.” Wade looked at Mac. “I think you’re right. We need to get on our horses and ride up to the wagon train before the night is over. They should be camped by now.”
“They’re camped all right.” Mac puffed on his cigarette. “Had a little excitement tonight.”
“Oh? What happened?”
He looked at both men. The one called Wade looked as if he didn’t know what was being talked about. The fat man looked guilty as hell. “Somebody rode off with one of the little girls in camp.”
Wade frowned. “Who would do such a thing?”
“Yeah, who would?” Leo asked as he began to sweat.
Mac made a quick decision. He stood and whipped out his gun. “You would, you dirty bastard.” He pointed it at Leo Carver.
“That’s crazy.” Wade frowned. “Leo wouldn’t do anything that stupid. He’s my business partner.”
“Well, your business partner tried to kidnap a little girl. Thank God, we got her back.” He eyed Leo. “Did you rape the little girl?”
“Rape!” Wade became angry. “There’s no way he’d do something like that.”
Mac turned to the angry man. “Maybe you don’t know your business partner as well as you think you do.”
“I didn’t rape anybody.” Leo was shaking.
“Then we’ll mosey on back to the wagon train and see what the little girl has to say.” He waved his gun at the two men. “Saddle your horses and let’s ride.”
“What about Mr. Markin?” Leo cried.
“I don’t give a damn about Mr. Markin. I only want the devil who took the little girl.”
Leo’s beady eyes turned to the colt in Mac’s hand. He gulped and said, “Then you better wait for Mr. Markin. He’s the one who took her.”
“Leo, how do you know that?” Wade stared at him.
“I was with him. I know what he did.”
“Where is this Mr. Markin?” Mac asked.
“I don’t know.” Wade looked around. “He must have wandered off.”
Mac heard a twig snap behind him and whirled around. He was too late. A shot rang out and he crumpled to the ground.
* * * *
Leo’s scream was high pitched. He then began to babble, “Oh, my god, you shot the man. I’ve heard of men in this unholy land shooting each other, but I never dreamed it would happen. Oh, my heavens, we need to find Rose and get back to Baltimore.”
“Shut the hell up, you fat fool!” Luther Markin bellowed. “This man was about to take us all in because of the little girl you snatched. I had to shoot him.”
Leo’s mouth snapped shut, but his eyes continued to dart around the man with the gun.
Wade Fillmore moved toward the man on the ground. He knelt beside him. “He’s still breathing.”
Luther spit tobacco and chuckled. “He won’t be for long. Look at the blood pouring out of him.”
“We need to stop the bleeding.” Wade looked at the man’s side. “Maybe we can save his life.”
“I got no interest in saving his life. He’s gonna make trouble for us if he lives.” He pointed his gun at Leo. “Your partner there decided he wanted to play footsy with a kid and if this man lives, he’ll see that we all hang for his foolishness.”
“When the man accused you of taking a little girl, Leo, you said Mr. Markin took her. But now I wonder. Did you do it?” Wade looked at him.
“I didn’t hurt the kid. I dropped her as soon as I heard the gunfire and came racing back here.” Leo looked as if he was going to cry.
“Why did you tell this man I took the girl, tenderfoot?” Luther waved his gun at Leo.
“I didn’t.”
“I heard you as I was slipping up behind him.” He continued to wave his gun back and forth. “For two cents I’d put a bullet in you, too.”
“No!” Leo screeched.
Luther let out a deep laugh. “Scared, huh?”
“Of course. I don’t want to die.”
“Please, Mr. Markin,” Wade said, “this man needs help. Forget Leo and give me a hand.”
“Hell, let him die. If he gets back to the train, we’re done for.” Luther pulled out a plug of tobacco and bit off a chew as he eyed the eastern men. “I’ve got some thinking to do. Right now I’ve got to decide if it’d be better to keep hanging with the two of you or to shoot you now and get it over with.”
“Please don’t shoot me,” Leo begged.
“I can’t ignore this bleeding man, Mr. Markin. I don’t care much about him either, but somebody does and we don’t want them to come looking for him.”
Luther glared at him as Leo stood by wringing his hands.
Finally the farmer said, “You do as you please. I’m going for a ride.” He moved to his horse.
“You’re not going to leave us here alone with this dying man, are you?” Leo whined.
Luther ignored him and threw the saddle on his steed’s back. “I may be back, but if I choose not to return, the wagon train behind us will come along in two or three days. They’ll pick you up. Good luck, gentlemen.”
“Wait...” Leo cried.
It was too late. Markin was riding away.