“You did what?” Erskine asked.
“We roughed the kid up a bit,” Miller said.
“But why?”
Miller shrugged. “We got bored, and we knew Stoll was mad at him.”
Erskine looked at both men, Miller and Cahill.
“You’re a couple of idiots,” he said. “Now I’ll have to tell Stoll what you did.”
“So what’s the problem?” Cahill asked.
“He doesn’t want us doin’ anythin’ he doesn’t okay,” Erskine said. “What if Tully goes to the sheriff?”
“I thought you had the sheriff under control,” Miller said.
“So did I,” Erskine said, “but maybe I don’t. We don’t need him to suddenly take his badge serious.”
“Well,” Cahill said, “we didn’t hurt the kid all that much.”
“You two tell the others not to get bored,” Erskine said. “And don’t you get bored again.”
Miller looked out the window. They were in a barracks Stoll had built for them in the compound.
“You know,” he said, “if Stoll would share some of these women—”
“Damnit, Miller!” Erskine said. “Stop bein’ so stupid. Just go and make sure nobody else does anythin’ as stupid as you two.”
Miller and Cahill walked to the door, then Cahill turned.
“When are we goin’ after Adams?”
“As soon as Dooley comes back with his cousin.”
“Better be soon,” Cahill said, “if you don’ want anyone else to get bored.”
They left.
~*~
Clint went back to the doctor’s office just as the sawbones was finishing up with Tully. He had wrapped a bandage around his head, and was setting the scissors down.
“How is he, Doc?”
Doctor Henry Klinger turned and looked at Clint. He was in his fifties, and had been finishing up with a little boy who had broken his leg when they arrived.
“He’s fine,” Klinger said. “He might be dizzy for a while, and there’s no permanent damage. It didn’t even need stitches.”
“That’s good,” Clint said. “What do I owe you?”
“A dollar,” the doctor said.
Clint paid the man, and helped Tully outside.
“I owe you a dollar,” Tully said.
“Don’t worry about it.”
They started to walk, but Tully stopped.
“Whew,” Tully said, “the doctor was right. I’m dizzy.”
Clint took hold of his arm and they waited for the dizziness to pass.
“Ready?” Clint asked.
“Sure, let’s go.”
They walked to the undertaker’s office and stopped just out front as Tully dug in his heels.
“Want me to go in first?” Clint asked.
“Maybe you better.”
There was a chair near the door, so Clint sat Tully down, then went inside to look around. He made sure to lock the back door before leaving.
“It’s empty.”
“Just gimme a minute.”
Clint sat down on the edge of the boardwalk to wait with him.
~*~
Erskine entered Stoll’s residence and told the girl who had let him in, “I need to see him.”
“I’ll tell Father.”
“He’s not with ... anybody, is he?”
“Not right now,” she said.
“Good.”
Erskine waited, and when Stoll entered the room he was fully dressed.
“What’s on your mind, Erskine?” Stoll said. “Do you have all your men rounded up?”
“All but one,” Erskine said.
“Then why are you here?”
“Two of my men did somethin’ stupid, out of boredom.”
“What did they do?”
“They roughed up the kid, Tully,” Erskine said. “Busted up a few coffins.”
“Why’d they do that?”
“Like I said, they got bored.”
“Well, get control of them,” Stoll said. “Make sure they stay in line, or they don’t get paid.”
“I’ll make them understand that.”
“Let me know when you’re at full strength,” Stoll said. “Adams is going around talking to people.”
“What harm will that do?”
“I don’t know,” Stoll said, “but I don’t want to take any chances.”
“So you want him killed.”
“Yes.”
“Why don’t I just plug him from behind at night?” Erskine asked.
“Because somebody might show up wanting to know who did it, and why,” Stoll said. “But if he’s gunned down in the street—well, that’s the kind of life he lives, isn’t it?”
“Okay,” Erskine said, “in the street. Fair and square.”
Stoll laughed.
“Ten against one? You call that fair?”
“When the one is the Gunsmith?” Erskine said. “That’s the only way it can be fair.”