Daily Archives: July 6, 2020

CHAPTER TWELVE

GRAND CANYON SUITE

Kemo Sabe, how many outlaws are left? Tonto asked the Ranger during a lull in the melee.

The Masked man, standing high in Silvers stirrups surveyed the battleground quickly, his dark piercing eyes catching all the important details in their scan of the cacophony.

He turned and looked towards Tonto.

About twenty or twenty five Tonto, now we outnumber them! he said enthusiastically.

Just as quickly as the battle waned, it resumed as the remaining outlaws charged once more.

Bracing themselves for the brutal onslaught, the tired ranchers formed a defensive wall. The Lone Ranger, Tonto, Monte Hale, Rex Allen, Gabby Hayes, the Harts, Tex Ritter and crew, Tim McCoy and his outriders; all lined up, their pistols still hot and smoking as they stood tall and defiant to face the bloodthirsty outlaws final surge!

The outlaws, battered, bruised and wounded stared ahead at the growing line of vengeful determined ranchers.

Fear grew within their villainous breasts as man by man, they looked to the man beside them. Left, then right, each man assessed his sideman and finally, faced front again.

By now the moon was almost mid sky, and the shadows of the ranchers were eerie dancers on the uneven beat up ground. Slowly, gun barrel reflections of white light met each outlaws gaze as they surveyed the wide line of vengeance before them.

More men joined in the ever widening swath of ranchers . Bob Nolan, Pat Brady, Dusty Rogers, and Sunset Carson had galloped up and merged with the ranchers.

The masked outlaw leader, waiting in line with the outlaws, waved the desperate men forward. Over poorly lit ground, they walked slowly at first, guns raised in preparation for a final shoot out! The masked leader walked one step behind, examining all he could see.

The Lone Ranger yelled out.

Forward men!

Like two columns of marching Roman centurions, the desperate groups moved towards a certain collision with destiny. A charged silence filled the air between the two approaching masses of men. The ground, trampled and torn, bore signs of recent violence, and the anger in the air screamed the promise of more!

Fear showed in every outlaws numbers as the ranchers neared. The masked leader, still walking a step behind, sensing certain defeat, yelled

CHARGE!!!

The outlaws, waiting for the sign to attack, ran forward desperately. Guns held high, each outlaw fired his brace of ammunition. Reloading, they fired again, and again.

The ranchers led by the Ranger and Roy, met the villainous onslaught with courage born of confidence. The outlaw bullets did little harm to the revenge driven cattlemen. A few fell back with slight wounds, then recovering from the hot stings, rejoined their comrades.

GETEM BOYS! the Ranger shouted as he lifted his pistol, and fired, and fired.

Roy Rogers, beside the Ranger, charged into the mass of fighting men, pistols held high and blazing. All around him, rancher fought outlaw, and with one sure result; death or capture for the evil doer!

The masked leader, fighting for his life with a rancher spotted Roy out of the corner of his eye. he feigned left, then punched right felling the exhausted rancher. Roy, seeing the man fall, plunged towards the mysterious leader.

Rogers! Come get me he taunted.

Roy reached the hooded man, and leaping upon the outlaw leader, pulled him to the ground.

The leader, somewhat hampered by his disguise, rolled Roy off into the moist hardback.

Give yourself up! Roy shouted.

Roy stood up, and slipped.

The masked leader, sensing that defeat was close at hand, jumped up and mounted his horse in desperation. Taking a quick look around the melee, he reined his horse around, back again and then fled!

Come back, you coward! Roy shouted.

The masked leader kicked at the lunging cowboy. Missing Roy by a couple of inches, he spurred his horse onward.

Roy Rogers, ducking to avert the outlaw leaders silver tipped boot, fell onto the trampled ground again.

The masked leader galloped desperately away from the battle scene. One thought filled his mind-ESCAPE!! Pushing his mount mercilessly, he looked back and saw Roy rising from the ground dazed somewhat. Turning frontwards, he leaned down and fled for his life!

Roy Rogers, getting up from the ground looked up to see through blurry eyes. Shaking his head to clear the cobwebs, he called out.

Here Trigger and he whistled.

Trigger, not far away, galloped enthusiastically towards Roy. Roy, running alongside Trigger, mounted him mid gallop. He quickly reined Trigger around toward the fleeing outlaw leader.

Come on boy, hes got a big lead on us! Roy shouted to Trigger.

Trigger accelerated strongly, the cool night air rushing across his face and bruising his lungs. Dust flew as his hooves beat out a tune that could only be called JUSTICE!

Roy urged Trigger on, as the outlaw ahead pushed his mount brutally. the distance between them was steadily decreasing. One hundred, ninety, eight yards and closer.

A shot from the outlaw puffed back and went wide. A second came a little closer. Roy pulled his silver handled pistol out and took careful bead, then fired once.

By now, Roy and Trigger had closed the gap down to twenty yards.

Roy pushed Trigger onward, with the outlaw this close nothing could stop them. Triggers golden mane, waving in the rushing wind shimmered ghostly in the moonlight. Like a pair of rushing gladiators smelling victory, Roy and Trigger were transformed into avenging angels.

The outlaw leader, now scant yards away, looked back with fear in his eyes. His horse, stopped short as Trigger and Roy outran the pair briefly. Turning quickly, Roy and Trigger met the outlaw pairs attack head on.

Trigger reared up in response to the chestnuts menacing hooves. Roy, balancing on Triggers back, tensed in preparation for the final battle. Trigger struck out with his left hoof, the chestnut reeled back. Striking out in retaliation, the chestnut nicked Triggers shoulder drawing blood with a sharp shoe. Trigger, lashed out with both hooves, the other horse recoiled in fear and stepped back and down again. Trigger landed on his front hooves and attacked again and again.

Silhouetted in the moonlight, the mounted riders looked like ghosts dueling eternally over some long forgotten disagreement. Triggers mane, adopting the shimmery translucence of the silvery light, whirled as if tethered to an invisible line. Roys figure, against the moon, loomed mightily over the masked leaders as the horses, tired by their exertion, planted themselves firmly on the ground. The chestnut, beaten by Triggers pummeling hooves, succumbed to the golden stallion.

Roy, sensing victory for Trigger, urged him closer to the outlaw pair. Leaping from his saddle, Roy landed on the frantic outlaw leader and pulled him to the ground.

Roy, atop the masked leader, punched once, twice. The masked evildoer, arched his back and sent Roy flying through the air.

Blood dripping out of the leaders mask minimized his vision. His fear of dying drove him on! The leader ran and jumped on Roy dazing him temporarily.

Taking his pistol out of his holster he grabbed the barrel end and swung towards Roy.

Ducking to avoid the heavy pistol end, Roy swung out with his right fist. Connecting with the outlaws blood drenched chin solidly, Roy felt a snap.

The leaders head jerked back and his body followed. The masked outlaw rolled off Roy onto the ground, his pistol falling harmlessly to the side.

Roy sat up and knelt beside the stunned outlaw. He wiped his mouth with his gloved hand.

Finding his hat in the dirt, Roy picked it up and knocked the dust off. Placing it on his head, he turned and looked at the outlaw.

In the moonlight his menace was diminished, thickening blood shone black in the silvery glow. Roy stood up and rolled the masked leader over. He reached down and pulled the mask off.

The moonlight fell upon the face of Sheriff Bill Stockton!

Roy whistled.

So, our suspicions were right he said.

Roy walked over to Trigger, took his lasso off and tied Bill up. Wrapping the outlaw sheriff tightly, Roy threw him onto his tired chestnut. Whinnying in protest, the horse struggled with the dead weigh of the sheriff/outlaw leader.

Come on boy. Well go slow Roy said soothingly.

Breathing the cool prairie air, Roy whistled a nameless tune. Trigger, nodding in response, sauntered over beside where Roy was standing. Roy placed his left foot in the stirrup, grasped the horn, and back, then swung up into the well worn saddle.

Lets go Trigger, take it easy. Weve got ourselves a tag along Roy said as he rubbed the palominos neck.

Trigger whinnied and tossed his head from left to right.

Dont worry, well get your cut washed out too. If youre lucky, the vetll have a girl patient there too. Or well get Tonto to fix you up. Roy said to comfort Trigger.

Roy turned Trigger. The chestnut caboose followed and headed off towards Rexs place.

As the masked outlaw leader fled from Roy, the remaining villains were battling viciously. Like trapped wolves they used every weapon at their disposal; teeth, knives, boots, even mud. The sounds of hand to hand combat intermingled with the echoes of gunfire drifted over to the ranch where Mary Sterling waited for the battle to end and peace to begin once more.

Now and then, Gabbys voice could be heard over the lull.

Got ya varmint of Drop it polecat. Ive got you covered.

As the outlaw numbers diminished, strength and resolve of the ranchers increased.

Twisting his head quickly y from side to side and scanning as well as he could in the moonlight, Aces sharp vision caught the lunar sparkle from the masked leaders disguise. Much to his surprise, the leader glanced back, kicked out at a flying Roy Rogers, then turned and galloped off!

Above the din, he yelled to the surviving outlaws.

Men- Scatter!

Each man found his horse, then fled as well as he could. The ranchers, led by the Lone Ranger and Tonto, fell upon the fleeing outlaws.

Quick men! Theyre leaving! he shouted.

Silver responded to the masked mans gentle commands- left here to cut a retreat, right to block an outlaw. Tonto found the fleeing Ace Parker and gave chase. Within a few hundred yards, Tonto and Scout overtook the villainous gunman. The Indian flung Ace to the ground, Aces head ricocheting off a rock. With savage fury Tonto swung once, twice, three, and out Ace Parker went. Collapsing into a heap on the ground and bleeding from half a dozen wounds, he whispered.

You got me Indian. You got me.

All around the melee, whoops of victory filled the air. Triumphant ranchers pulled back fleeing outlaws. Some men gathered the fallen together in a line. The outlaws, some bound, some not, all bore signs of battle weariness. and failure. The grinning ranchers, their faces battered but jubilant, slapped got down to the business of securing the prisoners.

Rex Allen found Koko, and pursued Trig Larson. Trig Larson, too scared and confused to find a horse, bolted desperately. Rex, in a couple of Kokos strides caught up him. He lept upon the fleeing outlaw. They went down. Rex, landing squarely on Trigs back heard a crack. Trig Larson let out a yell of pain.

Ya broke my arm Allen! I give up he howled.

Rex Allen stepped off Larson, and lifted him up by his good arm. A surge of anger came over Rex. He wanted to beat Trig Larson within an inch of his life, but he couldnt. They had won.

Lets go Larson. You walk, I ride Rex said grimly.

Trig Larson, downcast, started back towards Rexs place. Rex, atop Koko, held back tears of gratitude.

Somehow tonight, the deaths of his friends and fellow ranchers had been avenged, and the dead now knew.

One by one, the escaping outlaws found their retreat blocked by the inspired ranchers. The Corrigans, Haydens, Ritters and Pierce Lyden all found their targets and bore down. Some fights were quick, some long, but the prospect of peace drove the ranchers to a feverish pace. In the end, not one outlaw was left standing. Some got killed in the battle, some just got shot escaping.

Rex the Lone Ranger said to the exhausted ranch owner as he sauntered into the corral area, Its all over now.

Rex , took his dirty hat off, and brushed his hand against the crest and sides. He put his hat back on and smiled a tired smile.

Lone Ranger, I hope youre right he said, his hand on the Rangers shoulder.

The Ranger stood atop Silver and yelled.

Men-bring the outlaws here. Well tie them to the fence,

The men grumbled. One man spoke up.

Lets lynchem!

They killed my pa!

They killed my uncle!

The Ranger and Tonto looked around. The men were poised to finish the night with more violence. Rex looked at the pair, concern showing on his face.

Men, we have to hold them for the law. If we dont, were not better than

Roy Rogers came around the corner. Reining Trigger back he dismounted and walked over to where the Ranger, Rex and Tonto stood. The flickering light evidenced Roys battle scars. His dungarees and shirt, were now stained brown and red.

What took so long Roy? Rex asked.

Roy pointed to the chestnut behind Trigger where the masked leader/Bill Stockton lay gagged and unmoving.

He did Roy said smiling. But we took care of the both of them, didnt we Trigger.

Trigger whinnied in response to Roys praise.

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