Great and Terrible Things

I turned so that my right side was facing him. It let him see my blood-soaked shirt. That might distract him or make him overconfident, both good reasons to do it, but neither were really the main point. By showing him my profile, he was faced with a smaller target. Like I said, a soldier took every advantage available.

Alby was facing me straight on, clearly ready to draw both of his guns. I didn't quite smile. That was foolish. Sure, it meant that they're be twice as much lead flying in my direction, but it gave me a much easier target for the single round I had left.

In my opinion, two pistols were one too many for a gunfighter. If you could hit what you aimed at, then one should do the job. If you couldn't, you should be in a different line of work.

Then again, I wouldn't have minded a second revolver today, but only because I was fighting multiple men. Alby deciding to bring both his guns to bear on me in this showdown of his was a mistake that I'd do my best to make sure he paid for in the next few seconds.

"How do we start this?" I asked.

"Like this." That was all the warning I got before he drew on me. Well, that and the look in his eyes just before he said it. It was enough.

I'd like to say that I outdrew Alby, but it would have been a lie. He was younger and faster. Nothing could change that. So instead, I opted to for a different strategy. It wasn't a great one and didn't have much of a chance at success, but it was all I had. If Alby expected me to stand there and fight an impossible battle without trying something to shift the odds in my favor then he didn't know much about good soldiers. Self-inflicted last stands were for fools like Custer.

I dropped back down behind the horse as soon as I knew Alby was going for his guns. He hadn't expected it which meant it threw off his aim just enough. I hadn't been idle while he shot at me. I'd pulled my Peacemaker from its holster and fired as fast as I could. One of his bullets went flying over my head. The other hit me in my right thigh. It hurt like hell, but I called that a win.

It didn't feel like it when I jumped back up and ran toward Alby. My right thigh burned and I stumbled once on the way, more limping as fast as I could than full out running, but it's not like I had a choice. I knew my single shot had hit Alby and he was down, but I didn't know if it was for good.

Alby was still on the ground when I reached him. He was hit in his left shoulder, but fighting to stand. He gave up when he saw me closing on him. That didn't stop him from swinging his right arm with his one remaining Scofield in my direction. I launched myself at him using my left arm to knock the barrel of the weapon away from me. The gun went off and momentarily deafened me, but that was all it did.

I'd drawn my knife instinctually as I rushed Alby and buried it in his neck before he could get off another shot. In those dime novels the bad guy always had some last words for the hero. Alby, not so much. He might have tried, but it tough to talk with a cut throat. I did hear a gurgle or two as the life left his eyes.

I nearly laughed in relief. I'd been through enough battles to know it was just my mind's way of coming to grips with what happened. It was screwed up, but so was killing another person.

I groaned as I sat up. I knew that as soon as the excitement of the battle wore off the pain was going to be worse, which was saying something because it was bad enough now. It took some effort to get back to my feet, but I needed to let Robert, Abigail and the others in the hotel that they were safe. Plus, finding Doc Jenson seemed like a good idea. That's when I heard the breach of a shotgun close.

I actually sighed as I followed the noise. It led me to Luther standing in front of the building across from the hotel. He was in bad shape, but back on his feet. I doubt he'd last. Probably, just long enough to kill me with the shotgun. Great.

My mind raced as I did what any soldier would, fight to survive. I saw one of Alby's Scofields out of the corner of my eyes. There was no point in calculating the odds of me reaching it before Luther let loose. It was my only real option. I dove for the weapon, grunting as I hit ground yet again it.

I knew I was dead if Luther got his shot off before I did. He was holding a shotgun, not a rifle. He was far enough away that the spread of buckshot would be impossible to dodge. I was just bringing the Scofield around when I heard the crack of the shotgun echo.

I didn't process what actually happened until I had the pistol pointed at Luther. I didn't bother shooting. There was no point. He was a mass of blood.

That when it hit me that the sound of the shotgun going off had come from a different direction. I watched as Luther's body hit the dirt before glancing toward the hotel. Robert was standing there, his shotgun barrel smoking and still pointed in the general direction of Luther.

"Figured you could use some help," the ebony skinned man offered. "Sorry it took so long, but we were just about to escape out the back door when the shooting started. I'd barricaded the front door and it took a bit of doing to unblock it."

"No worries. You were there when I needed you to be, just like a cavalryman is supposed to be." That made him smile as he glanced around as the other bodies. I'm sure, like me he was making sure there was no surprised.

My ribs burned and my thigh throbbed, but I forced myself to stand. It hurt like hell and I was mostly standing on the other leg, but I was too good of a solder to let that stop me. I was wounded, but not that badly. I put the Scofield down on a nearby barrel because I didn't have a reload for it. I could have taking the cartridges from Alby's corpse, but that would have entailed bending over and I wasn't sure I'd be able to straighten again afterward. I started removing the cartridges from my Peacemaker, reloading it as quickly as possible.

"Think this is over?" I asked. Robert shrugged.

"Josiah!" The relief in Abigail voice as she came running out of the hotel made the pain of the hug she gave me as soon as she reached me worth it. Hell, it was worth it all on its own. I glanced down at her and she was staring into my eyes.

I was sorely tempted to kiss her right then and there despite the impropriety of it. I think she might have even let me based on her expression. I was in pain from my gunshot wounds and from hitting the ground multiple times, but the feel of Abigail's body against mine made it fade into the background.

"I don't see the youngest Murphy boy here." Robert's words brought me back to reality. I don't think he did it intentionally, but I appreciated it just the same, especially when William came limping out of the hotel after Abigail. The man gave me an unreadable look as I let my arms drop from his niece and stepped back.

"Thomas is out behind that building." I pointed toward the shop across the street. "He was with the horses. I expect he'll have one hell of a headache when he wakes up, but he should be okay, eventually."

"Well, that's something," William frowned as he glanced at all the bodies. He was wearing a sling and the blood from his wound was starting to seep through the bandage on his shoulder, but he ignored it. I'm sure he was in a lot of pain. He ignored that too.

"I knocked another one unconscious behind hotel." Now that I was no longer holding Abigail and the fighting was over, at least for the moment, my wounds were making their presence known.

"We already found him." Robert began walking around and check to see if any of the men I'd shot were still alive. He didn't even bother checking Alby or Luther. "We were just about to chance moving Miles out the back when you made your move."

"Looks like the fighting is done for the moment," William said as he limped over to Luther and took the dead man's shotgun and passed it to Abigail. He wouldn't be able to use it with one hand. The old man quickly rifles Luther's pockets for shells and handed what he found to his niece.

"We need to get you both back inside and off your feet." Abigail was frowning in concern as she looked at me and her uncle. William's shoulder looked pretty bad despite the bandage. I doubt they'd taken the time to get the bullet out. My leg was in pretty bad shape too. "And find Doc Jenson."

"Oh, I expect the doc will be around on his own soon enough, but you're right about getting back inside. I don't like being out in the open, especially with the coming darkness." William limped back to the hotel entrance, but not before stopping and grabbing one of Alby's Scofields, obviously feeling better now that he was armed again.

"Here, let me help you." Abigail stepped to my left side and slipped under my arm so that she could help me inside. I didn't fight her help even though I could have made it on my own. I liked having her close. The smell of her hair and the feel of her body pressed again mine made the pain less noticeable.

As soon as we got inside she started tending my wounds. The leg first since it was obviously in worse shape. I had no intention of dropping my britches right there in the hotel lobby in mixed company, and thankfully, she didn't ask. Abigail just ripped the hole in my pants that the bullet made a bit wider.

She prodded the wound for a few minutes as I did my best to keep silent. I succeeded, but that didn't mean I didn't wince once or twice. It quickly became obvious that the bullet was still in there that it needed to come out. The wound was bleeding pretty badly, but not enough to mean Alby had hit a vein or artery. That meant it could wait for the doctor.

"Just wrap it for now." She frowned at my demand, but now wasn't the time to start digging in my leg to remove the lead. I might need it shortly.

Robert came in while she was working and dropped one of the men I'd shot on an empty couch. The man was unconscious and bleeding. "This one is still alive, though I'm not sure for how much longer. I'm going back out to get Thomas." I noticed Robert had a pistol in his belt now as well as his scattergun. He'd obviously taken the former from one of the dead men.

That wasn't all he carried. The sergeant major handed me a different shotgun. It didn't take long to recognize the weapon. It was Thomas's, the same one I'd used earlier. He also dropped Alby's cartridge belt next to William. Robert left through the front door again, but not without checking the street first from the window.

William reloaded Alby's Scofield with some difficulty before limping over to the couch to see what could be done for the wounded man. Abigail never spared the Murphy ranch hand a glance as she continued to work on my leg.

"The one you knocked unconscious behind the hotel is already tied up in the back room." Abigail offered as she finished wrapping the wound to her satisfaction. I might have enjoy having her touch me like she was if it hadn't hurt so damned much.

Abigail made me take off my shirt to get to my ribs after dealing with my leg. I tried to tell her it was only a graze, but Abigail insisted on checking it for herself. I noticed her eyes grown a little big when I finally gave in.

I had plenty of scars for her to notice, but it didn't feel like she was focused on them. No, it felt like...well, like she appreciating the sight of me half naked. I wasn't embarrassed by her interest, just unsettled because there was nothing I could do about it. The Lord knowns I wanted to. It's not like the attraction was one sided. Thankfully, her uncle was tending the wounded man so he didn't notice what was going on.

We shared a brief smile in recognition of what we were feeling before I forced myself to turn away. Abigail went back to patching me up.

Like I'd said, it was just a graze, but that didn't mean cleaning the wound didn't hurt. The pain helped distract me from my interest in the woman. That's when I noticed that somewhere along the line, she'd ended up with Alby's other Scofield. I smiled in appreciation. Abigail was something else.

"We need to get that reloaded." I was just making conversation. Basically, anything to ignore both the pain and the feel of her hands against my naked flesh.

"Just as soon as you're patched up enough so that you don't bleed out before the doc finally gets here." Her tone let me know that she'd already had the reload planned. I wasn't surprised. Frankly, not much about Abigail surprised me anymore.

Robert came back in with Thomas. The boy was awake, but not making a lot of sense. I figured it was a concussion. Maybe I shouldn't have hit him that second time, but I couldn't regret it when I thought about Miles.

"I'll go find a bucket or pot," the ebony sergeant major frowned, moving toward the hotel kitchen. "Boy's going to need it sooner or later with a bump like that."

"How are Clementine and Miles doing?" I hadn't seen either of them since coming back into the hotel.

"Well enough," William grumped for some reason.

"Don't let him bother you," Abigail smiled. "He's just worried about leaving his granddaughter alone in the room with a young man who's clearly interested in her." Her smile turned into a grin when she added more softly, "Frankly, I would be too if Miles wasn't hurt."

"I heard that!" William snapped, fighting to his feet. "I'm going upstairs. I stopped the worst of the bleeding on this one, but he's not going to last long if the doc doesn't come soon. See what you can do once you're done with Josiah."

"I'm done now," Abigail said, giving my naked torso one more glance of appreciation and smiling at me before stepping away and turning toward her uncle. Damn, the woman's looks were going to kill me! "I'll go check on them. You stay down here. You shouldn't be climbing the stairs with that wound." The fact that William didn't argue was probably more telling about how bad his shoulder was hurting than anything else.

Abigail stopped at her uncle side, gave him a kiss on the cheek and swapped the Scofield she had for the one he'd just loaded. "Don't worry, I'll make sure the children are behaving." William smiled at her teasing, but it quickly faded as she turned toward the stairs. He was rightfully worried. That didn't stop him from starting reloading the revolver she left behind.

I put back on my shirt. It was a mess, but all I had. I also took the time to check out the shotgun Robert brought in with the ranch hand. It hadn't taken any real damage and I still have a few shells for it in my pockets, two of which I loaded into the breach once I was sure it would work without any problems. Having the scattergun made me feel better, but I sure missed my Centennial. "Wish I had my Winchester."

"I wouldn't mind having my Spenser either, not that I could use it right now anyway," William frowned briefly, but then grinned and added, "What we really need is my old cavalry company."

"Amen to that," I laughed, thinking of my old regiment.

William went back to working on the wounded man. Robert returned and left a large pot near Thomas before moving to one of the windows and watching the street.

"So, what happens next?" I had a few guesses, but both William and Robert knew the men involved and probably had a better idea what to expect.

"Depends on Murphy senior." Robert wore a thoughtful expression. "Thomas is still alive which is good. If one of his boys had been killed Michael Murphy would have come for blood, no question about it."

"There's still a decent chance he will," William added. "I doubt there was any love lost between him and his nephew, but the danged fool was family."

"And then there's Mile's involvement." Robert continued to watch the street as we talked. "His father is just as protective of his kin as Murphy. I expect he'll feel obligated to take our side."

"And the townsfolk?"

"They'll be on our side," William answered. "But that won't amount to much unless we stay alive until the county sheriff arrives. They'll testify to what happen, but won't get involved if the fighting starts up again." I wasn't really surprised by his answer. These were family men who ran businesses, not heroes or even soldiers.

Oh, they'd fight if threatened, but we'd already killed the men who attacked their town councilmen and Murphy was one of their biggest customers. They'd lay low until it was over. It was the smart thing to do.

"Might as well get comfortable," Robert said, finally looking away from the window if only briefly. "I don't expect much to happen any time soon."

The next couple of hours passed slowly as the sun set and we waited for whatever came next. The wound on my ribs was a mere annoyance, but the bullet in my leg gave me some problems. It wasn't too bad as long as I didn't move, but sitting and waiting were never my strengths.

I was exhausted, but couldn't sleep for some reason. William and Robert talked on and off, sometimes about local stuff, sometimes about their days in the service and sometimes about Murphy and how he'd react to his nephew's death. I mostly stayed quiet.

"Riders coming!" The cry startled me. It was Clementine from the balcony. "Abigail's been watching from the window. They're still a ways off, but she said to tell you that there are a lot of them, at least a score." Twenty men riding into town. I didn't like the sound of that.

"Is that all she said?" William was frowning, obviously feeling the same as me about the news.

"Yes," the teenager replied, but then added, "Well, that and to send up a rifle if you've got one, preferably her Henry. She says the shotgun she'd got isn't going to be enough with so many men."

"No such luck," I replied, not really surprised by the request. "We've got plenty of pistols, but only two sawed off shotguns and not enough shells to go around." Sawed off shotguns were great up close, but not much use at a distance. The girl frowned before nodding and going back into the room to deliver the news.

"Maybe someone should go up there," Robert frowned from the window. "This could get ugly, fast."

"I'll go," William insisted. "I can use the Scofield if the get close enough. I'm sure I can make myself useful from one of the windows." He was almost to the stairway when Clementine came running out of the room again. Her face was flush and she as grinning.

"It's Mile's father and a bunch of his men!" The girl cried excitedly. I didn't blame her. That was great news for obvious reasons. A few moments later we heard the sound of horses riding up. I wasn't sure how many, but certain enough to make a statement. Mr. Phillips, and a bunch of ranch hands came through the door shortly after. They were all armed, although no one had a drawn weapon.

Mile's father was on the short side, but had a presence about him that made him seem much bigger up close. He was the type that you noticed when he walked into a room. I didn't know the man and he was rumored to be a bit prickly so I let Robert and William do the talking. Of course, before he was willing to listen to much the man insisted on seeing his son.

Robert brought him and two of the young men with him who I was betting were Mile's brothers upstairs because frankly, William and I shouldn't be climbing the steps with our wounds. Things got confusing right about then because the doctor finally showed up with a couple of townsfolk. I was guessing they were the surviving town council members.

"Took you long enough," William grumped as Doc Jenson immediately went to the wounded man on the couch. Another went to see how the Thomas was doing. I guess we weren't the only ones hoping that Murphy wouldn't go to war over Alby death if his son was still kicking.

"I was working on Jeb Williams and one of Murphy's men." The doctor frowned as he worked. "You left a trail of bodies to the hotel."

"How's old Jeb doing?" William asked as he shifted out of Doc Jenson's way. "I thought for sure he was dead when I saw him go down at the saloon." I was guessing Jeb was one of the councilmen who'd been shot.