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

Clay. “Is he always this uptight?” Mario gave a small laugh as he gave Ricky the answers. “Believe me my new friend. He’s not uptight. You’ll know when he is I’m telling you. It’s just the way his voice carries and the way he holds himself that makes him seem that way. No different than any other gunfighter I suppose.” Hearing that, Ricky’s look snapped from Mario to Clay. “He’s a gunfighter?” The youngster asked in amazement. “He sure is. A good one too.” Mario answered. “Aint you ever heard of Clay Allison? Well, that’s him.” He said. Ricky got pale in the face and sickly looking. “I almost drew on him under the trees yesterday. I’m glad I didn’t now. Wow! God really did want me to have a second chance.” He said. Mario and Ricky worked the rest of the day beside each other carrying on a long conversation about their task master.

Mario told Ricky of how him and Jack came to meet the famous gunfighter and how he helped them carry out their justice. “He’s really a man with good morals.” Mario said several times before the day was over.

The sun was beginning to go down and dark was closing in on the work crew. Clay had been gone a few hours now leaving Jack in charge of the boy’s and the work at hand. Jack was the only one he had told he was going into town to get some supplies for the night. Beef steaks, potatoes, some whiskey, and some sasperilla for the boy. He didn’t know if Ricky had been introduced to whiskey yet in his life or not. In Clay’s opinion though, the boy way too young to drink it. He did know however, Mario didn’t drink whiskey, so the sasperilla was for them. He planned to get enough for the both of them to have a couple each. They had both put in a full day of man’s work so Clay thought they both deserved a treat.

Clay returned from town with the goodie’s just as the sun started disappearing over the rise. The sky had become red as he looked across the prairie and it seemed all was at peace with creation. There were only a few clouds scattered in the skyline giving it majestic sort of a view.

The four of them sat around the camp fire talking after finishing off the food Clay had brought from town. Clay and Jack were drinking on the bottle of whiskey and the boys enjoying their sasperilla. “I’m not used to getting to eat like this without, well, you know.” Ricky said. “Thank you Mr. Clay. It sure was good.” Clay smiled at the youngster and told him he was welcome. “You worked hard today boy. You deserved a good meal.” He said as he finished rolling a cigarette and lit it. “I don’t mind doing for honest and hard workers.” He continued speaking to the youngster.

“Hello in the camp.” A voice called out from the darkness. “Can I come in for some of that coffee I smell?” The voice continued. “Keep your digits where I can see ‘em and come on in.” Clay called back to the voice. A single shadow came into the light of the fire. He was in his late twenties Clay guessed. Not a bad looking kid. He looked familiar even though Clay couldn’t place where he had seen him. This put Clay on his defensive. He hated when he got those feelings. The young man was about five foot five, had long black pony tails braided down each side of his head. He had on a black outfit decorated with silver and his pistol belt sported two chrome six shooters on each hip. The stranger looked to be a half breed. Half black and half Chinese. “Names Jason. Much obliged to you for sharing your fire and coffee.” He said in a low smooth voice. “I was told the McNulty spread was out this way. You wouldn’t know which way it is from here would you?” He asked. “You’re on it.” Clay answered. “What’s your business with it?” Clay asked the smooth talking stranger.

“I’ve heard they got a fella there I’ve been trying to track down for some time. Maybe y’all know where I can find him. His name’s Clay Allison. Do y’all know if he’s working out there?” Jason inquired further. Clay told him that Mr. Allison was still working there then asked him, “You gonna kill him. I noticed your iron is tied down. Are you a gunfighter looking for a reputation mister?” Jason cackled a little and replied laughingly. “Well, I only use these when I absolutely have too, and then I only aim for the hands or arms. I’m a man of God so I don’t kill. I do owe Mr. Allison a dept though and I do intend to pay him.” Clay, sizing the man up kept asking questions. “What kind of dept mister? You plan on shooting him in the hands?” The stranger continued answering, “No, not at all. I was living in Virginia a couple years back with my wife when four union soldiers came on our farm. They beat me down and put me in the barn and were fixing to have their way with my wife when this stranger rode up. My eyes were filled with blood and I could hardly see him, but he stood across from the soldiers and called for ‘em to draw on him. Craziest thing I ever saw. That stranger shot all four of them down before the first one ever cleared leather. I never did get a good look at the strangers face, but I found out later it was a man called Clay Allison. That man saved mine and my wife’s lives that day and I intend on thanking him proper. Not with some letter from a name he wouldn’t know if he read it.”

“What you don’t know stranger is those same four soldiers raped and killed my ma and pa when I was a youngster. I saw them in one of the battles we were fighting in the war and started trailing them. I killed those bastards because of that. You don’t owe me anything. It was a pleasure all my own. But, so you don’t think me rude, your welcome. I’m Clay Allison.” The known gunslinger said. “You’re welcome to camp the night here and we can talk in the morning. We got some whiskey if you’d rather have that than coffee.” Jason reminded Clay he was a man of God with a thanks and said the coffee would do just fine.

“I don’t believe I’ve ever heard of a gun slinging parson before.” Jack interrupted. “Especially a half black and half Chinese one.” He said. “That’s half Korean and half black Jack. Mr. Allison, thank you just the same for saving me from becoming a killer. I believe God sent you to me in my biggest time of need on that farm and I’m grateful you listened to him. I’ve had you in my prayers every since that day and will continue to pray for you until I die.”

“So how is your wife doing these days Jason?” Clay asked changing the subject. Everyone around the camp was starting to relax a little now the tension was lifting. “I lost her a last year to pneumonia. The Lord took her home.” He replied. “She never forgot what you did either. She prayed for you everyday just like I did.” Clay gave a look of condolence and replied, “Sorry to hear about your loss. Get yourself some steak and taters to go with that coffee if you’re a mind too and tell me what the deal is with the gunfighter look. That is one fancy outfit you and your horse have on. You look like your in one of those rodeo shows. No offence meant. What’s the idea?”

“That’s a story all in itself Mr. Clay. After my wife passed over to the Lord, I sold off everything we had. I bought that horse and rig. Then I bought this outfit and pistol belt. I had the gunsmith special make me four of these six shooters.” Then he walked over to his saddle and untied a package that was fastened to it. He brought the package to Clay and said, “This is for you sir. It would be an honor for you to accept it from me and mine.” Clay opened the package and inside he found a two gun pistol belt and an oak box. Inside the oak box was two chrome Colt .45 caliber pistols. They were the finest pair of hog legs he’d ever seen he said as he strapped on the gun belt. The balance on them was perfect and the action was the smoothest he’d ever felt on a six shooter. He loaded the two guns up and tied the quick draw straps down. He walked over some distance from the camp fire and lined up some targets to try them out. Ricky and Jason were amazed at the lightening speed and accuracy of Clay’s deadly draw as he shot the targets into oblivion. Of course so were Jack and Mario, but they had seen Clay in action once before. “My wife said you were fast but I really had no idea you were that fast.” Jason said. “Like I said I had blood in my eyes when you killed those soldiers so I really couldn’t see that well. They never had a chance did they?” Clay didn’t answer. Ricky just sat quiet. He was awe struck by what he’d just seen the gunman do. Clay walked back toward the campfire and as he passed Ricky the young cowboy said, “My God, that’s the most unbelievable thing I ever saw.” That got a wicked looking smile from Clay as he walked up to Jason and said. “These are the nicest pistols I think I’ve ever had the pleasure of shooting. The balance is perfect and the barrels are true. I can’t accept these though. I would have done the same thing for any man, besides, I just don’t like Blue Bellies anyhow.” Everyone laughed as he said that but Jason insisted he take the guns. He told Clay that he had promised his wife on her death bed that he would give Clay something that would always protect him, and those were all he could think of to do it. “Besides, your initials are carved into the handgrips.” Jason finished. Clay pulled one of the guns out and saw a “C.A.” carved into the cherry wood grip and inlayed with pearl. He hadn’t noticed that before. “Well, I don’t suppose it would be right for me to stand