It’s been awhile since I’ve had the chance to write down some of my adventures. But wanted to make sure I took the time on this one. ‘Cause to this day, I continue to be grateful to Jack, Louis, Royce and Ezra for coming to my aid in Cow Spring. If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t be writing!
Here’s what happened in Cow Spring…
I sent a letter to the boys in Dry Gulch, care of the Hard Knocks Saloon. Louis gave it to me later…
When the boys arrived, I was being kept in the jail there in Cow Spring. The Boys ended up chatting with people in town, including the local sheriff (I forget his name) and learned what had happened: there was a gunfight at the saloon during a card game and that I killed a local merchant, the fella running the store next door to the saloon. Like I told the sheriff and boys, it was an honest disagreement. And the Asian Gentleman was there! I figured this was my one chance to get him. And I didn’t mean to shoot the local man. That was unfortunate.
I learned the chinaman was gonna be there from another person of his persuasion: that pretty woman we’ve seen at the Hard Knocks in Dry Gulch. I jumped at the chance to finally get my revenge for when the Asian Gentleman cheated me years ago.
Anyways, it looked like I was pretty well guarded at the jail, so there was no way of busting me outta there. Also, there were quite a few people there in town.
So springing me might have caused a whole lot of consternation, fuss and attention, which is exactly the opposite of what The Boys want. So Louis ended up giving me something to drink with some exact directions: to drink it just before the took me out of the cell. Which I did.
So, the deputies come to get me and lead me out. Seems like the whole dang town is there. They lead me up on a platform, say a few nice words about me…put the noose on. And whammo, they pull the lever. My body fell…and…well…I didn’t die! Seemed like my body was made of stone or something.
But I went ahead and pretended to die. And put on a good show, too. Even kicked my legs a little as I made out like I was shuffling off this mortal coil.
They cut me down and was preparing to bury me behind the church there in Cow Spring. Had the grave dug and everything. But Ezra pretended to be a distant cousin of mine, suggesting that my mother wanted my body so it could be buried in the family plot. The sheriff and preacher-man didn’t seem to object, so The Boys threw my body over one of their horses and we rode out of town.
About an hour later, my body no longer felt like stone. I was free. And like I wrote before, pretty thankful to The Boys for rescuing me.
We rode for Dry Gulch. And that night, we were bushwacked by the oddest damn thing. Two men – twins – who had been keeping their eyes on The Boys as they were in Cow Spring. One wore a white hat and the other wore a black one. These men were tough. And everyone was shooting at each other in the dead of night.
But eventually, we dropped ’em. And continued on to Dry Gulch. And then, took on Father Rastus and his followers. But I’ll save that for a different time.
Dry Gulch Bugle 