the Gentleman Gunfighter, C. F. Allison [best e reader for android .txt] 📗

If any man here wants to contest these charges now is the time to speak up.”

Only one of the outlaws stepped forward and spoke. He claimed he was just passing through when the gang offered him a job as a ranch hand. “I swear to you I didn’t know these here cows didn’t belong to these boys.” He proclaimed. “I’m innocent I tell you.” Mr. McNulty walked over to the old rustler and asked him if the man was telling the truth. The old thief shook his head and said, “No sir. You’re a fair man that deserves the truth. That Son bitch there is the boss and he’s lying thru his teeth.” Mr. McNulty nodded in appreciation to the old man and turned back around to face the Lead Thief. Looking him straight in the eye he called out, “Clay, I want this one hung first. After all, bosses should get to go first. Besides, I don’t want to listen to him whine.” Clay responded with a grin and a yes sir.

The cow thief was drug onto the wagon kicking, screaming, and crying like a baby. He called out for his mamma as the ranch hands fought to get him to his feet. Seeing how restless and upset he was making the rest of the rustlers, Mr. McNulty called out to Clay. “Allison, just shoot that tit baby!” Clay gladly obliged. Afterward, the ranch hands began hanging the rustlers four at a time giving each of them the option of taking the coward’s way out which was to be shot in the head instead. Some chose being shot and others fought against the ranch hands as they were drug to the ropes for their execution.
They were down to the last five outlaws when Mr. McNulty instructed the two boys to be removed from the rest and tied to a couple of nearby trees. The two boys objected as they were drug to the trees. They didn’t know about the plea their Grandfather had made for their lives and demanded to know what was happening. “You two go the distance.” Mr. McNulty told the youngsters. The younger of the two boys began to sob as he looked around at all of his dead friends hang with his Grandfather hanging from the closest tree. It was as if for the first time, he was realizing that this was no game. The oldest youngster, seeing his little brother breaking down began to crack as well. The remainders of the rustlers were loaded into the wagons as the two boys watched in horror. They got a clear look of the ropes stretching tight and strangle the life from last of the gang. They saw their feet kick in search of something to stand on and heard the choking sounds coming from them while the life drained out of their former friends.

“Now for you two.” Mr. McNulty said turning to the boys. “That old man hanging there thinks you two might be worth saving. He did some mighty tall talking on your behalf’s and I promised him I would spare your lives. You two will get a whipping though so you’re going to wish you were dead. Donny, you and Allison whip ‘em.”

The whipping that Mr. McNulty had in mind wasn’t one to be taken lightly. Donny collected two horse whips from the wagons. Each one of the boys was to receive ten lashes. This would keep their minds sharp about what had happened today. As if they would ever forget it anyway but the boys had to be punished for their part in the rustling. The lashes were administered as ordered, and when finished the boys were barely able to stand. “Cookie.” Mr. McNulty called to the outfit’s cook and trail Doctor. “Tend to these boys.” He ordered. “Yes sir.” The cook replied.

Both boys had severe cuts on their back from the horse whipping. Clay and Donny didn’t take it light on them. If anything they were more intense. They wanted to be sure these boys turned to more legal means of making a living.

Mr. McNulty walked up while Cookie was still putting the Lanolin on their wounds. “How long have you two been with your grandfather?” He asked. “Ever since we was little bitty.”
The oldest boy answered. “Our ma and pa was kilt by injuns and he took us in. We been with him ever since. Now what happens to us?” Mr. McNulty thought for a few minutes before speaking again. Then he said, “I tell you what boys. I seriously doubt you two have the know how to make an honest living. I hate to see your grandfather’s gift of a second chance for you to go to waste so I’m going to offer you both a job with my outfit. It will give you honest work for fair pay. It’s your choice though. You can work for me or go with the marshal and he’ll find a good Christian family to take you both in until your old enough to fend for yourselves. I’ll let you two talk about what y’all want to do, and you can let me know after we finish burying these men. I’d like to teach you an honest means of living though if you’ll give me a chance.” Then he turned and walked away.

Cookie had finished doctoring the boys long before the burial work was done. The boys talked over Mr. McNulty’s proposal and decided to sign on with him. They walked over to Mr. McNulty and the oldest boy spoke. “Mr. McNulty sir, we would be much obliged to you if you would give us a chance to work for you.” He said. “The jobs are yours.” Mr. McNulty replied. Then he called Donny over. “This is your new boss boys. Do what he tells you and you’ll work out just fine.” The ranch owner instructed. The boys acknowledged their instructions and followed Donny off to help with the work. They, of course were a little slow about moving. The twang of the whipping still burning in to them. Mr. McNulty told Donny to take it easy on them until they recovered.

The first thing Donny assigned them to do was to fill in their grandpa’s grave. The old timer was the only one that Mr. McNulty had authorized a marker for with his name on it. The rest of them just had “Cattle Rustler” on them. The only reason he did for him was for the boy’s benefit. Mr. McNulty let the boys have their grandfather’s belongings as well. The ranch hands got to divide the rest of the gang’s property.

Donny approached the boys after he saw they were through with putting their grandfather to rest. “You boys got names?” He asked them. Again, the oldest was the one to speak. “Yes sir, mine is Ricky, and this is my little brother Joey.” Then Donny asked. “I suppose y’all know how to rope and ride?” The boy responded with a yes sir and told Donny to just let them know where he wanted them. The foreman thought about it for a few minutes then he shouted, “Hey Clay.” Clay started walking over to them and he continued. “I want Ricky here to work with you, and Joey can ride with me for now. Until we see what you boys can do anyway.” The boys acknowledged their instructions and got ready to mount up. Clay, Jack, Mario, and now Ricky set back about the business of riding the fence line beginning at the large breach.

By the time they finished repairing the fence where the now dead outlaw gang had came onto the property, it was almost sunset. Clay, keeping in mind the boy now with them had taken a man’s whipping earlier that day. He decided to go ahead make camp for the night right there.

“I aint never ate with no niggers before.” Ricky said as Mario handed him a plate of beans and Ham Hocks. “That’s alright boy.” Jack replied. “We aint never ate with a cattle thief before either. I guess it’s a first time for both of us aint it?” He finished. “Do me a favor though if you would please. Don’t call us niggers. We’re men just like any other man and we have names. Or do you have a problem sharing a fire with a black man?” He asked the youngster. “If you do your more than welcome to go sit your skinny little ass on that rock over there and eat by yourself in the dark.” The boy, with a look of surprise on his face explained to Jack he had no problem with black men. “That’s all I’ve ever heard ‘em called sir. I won’t call that word again. Powerful sorry if I made you mad.” Clay interrupted by saying, “No harm done boy. Finish eating your beans. We got a long day ahead of us tomorrow.” Everyone finished eating in silence.

The sun rose the next morning and Ricky woke to the smell of coffee and bacon cooking. It seemed to him as if any direction he moved he could feel the flesh being torn from off his back. “Oh Jesus!” He cried out when he tried to get up from where he had been sleeping. Mario went over to him and offered to help him up for which he was grateful. “I know how it feels the day after a whipping from when I was a slave.” Mario told him as he extended his hand. “No one is going to think you’re a baby for needing help.” Clay told Ricky to ride in the wagon with Mario for the day so it wouldn’t be so ruff on him. Mario doctored his wounds again after breakfast and they loaded up the wagon to continue on their work.

The day progressed without incident or episode. The minor breaches in the fence line were easily repaired. Ricky and Mario seemed to be getting along real well as they worked together. Clay noted that Ricky was a hard worker even though he tended to talk the whole time he was doing his job. Mostly about his grandfather and his past. He did his job well enough though Clay thought.

“How long you been riding with this outfit?” Ricky asked Mario. “We’ve been with Mr. McNulty about a month,” Mario replied. “But me and Jack have been riding with Clay and his brother almost six months.” Ricky was surprised at his answer. He told Mario that he did his job like he had been doing it a long time. Mario explained to him, “You get the hang of it after a couple of days. Fixing fences aint that hard.”

“Well, what’s his story?” Ricky asked Mario turning his attention toward