So try to walk a middle course–but those who fear God will succeed either way.” –Ecclesiastes 7:18 (NLT)
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I talked with Solly briefly. He told me of the man who was asking for me–the man on the palomino. He couldn’t see him well, as he had his hat pulled down and a scarf around his face. Solly was just closing up the store when he sat there mounted on his horse. Solly did mention he wore a blue scarf, a dark brown low crowned hat, and that his hair was long sticking out from underneath his hat and dark brown. I thanked him, told him I’d be back with him, then walked Billy Blanchard up to his temporary new home courtesy of Durango.
Lucas happened to be there and was stoking the fire in the stove. “Buenos, Marshal Miles,” he said, “coffee’s hot.”
“Let me get this fellow settled, and it’s Ranger now,” I replied, moving past and opening the door to the cell room. There was no one there so Lucas was keeping the door closed to keep more heat in the office. After getting Blanchard in a cell I’d leave the door open to let heat move back to the cells.
Billy went to the cot, sat down and stared at the floor. “I said I’d tell you who I was speakin’ to when we left Doc’s office.”
He spat, the glob landing in front of my boots. Guess the walk in the cold caused him to change his mind, just when I thought he was coming around.
“I don’t want nothin’ from white man!” He laid back on the cot turning his back to me.
“Billy, there’s a good chance they’ll hang you. It would do you a heap of good to hear what I have to say.” There was no response, only a grunt. Then all of a sudden, he leaped from the cot. I was turned away, off balance, and totally unsuspecting that he would do such a thing. He had pushed me back against the bars and was trying to push my head against them. He was much shorter so he didn’t have the angle to grab my head to bang it against the bars.
I couldn’t get turned around, and had to do something as he was struggling to get my gun. Bringing my knee up, I stomped down as hard as I could. My boot landed on his foot, and I thought I might have heard a bone break. He yelled, reached down which gave me time to turn around and gain the advantage. While he was leaning over, I clobbered him in the jaw with my elbow, knocking him back. While he was off balance I used both my arms to push him back, his legs catching the cot causing him to fall back on it. While he was down I slipped on out the cell, locking the door.
He began to howl something fierce. I couldn’t make out the words, which I’m sure I’m glad I couldn’t. Going back to the office, I found Lucas sitting at one of the desks drinking coffee. “Thanks for the help,” I said, wiping across my moustache.
Grinning, he lifted his cup in a salute. “I reckon the Ranger could take care of a young buck like him. If you needed help, you would have called.”
I pointed my finger at him and shook it. “Listen, I’m goin’ down to see Molly. If he don’t hush up, close the door. There’s another one down at Doc’s; had to have his arm amputated.”
“These the ones that killed the shepherds?” he asked as I started to open the door.
I nodded my head. “Breeds who say they ride for Coloraw,” I said, then looked back at the cell room shaking my head. “To my way of thinkin’ they might have once, but they’re either renegades and on their own, or Coloraw kicked them out of the tribe.”
“I thought he was north of us, in the Montrose area. The passes are still closed so they must have come down before winter set in.”
“They’re not very savvy, but don’t take any unnecessary chances. He asked who I was prayin’ to, so I want to come back and tell him the story of Christ. Charlie Two-Face told me that they didn’t just kill the two Navaho, but mutilated them as well.”
Opening the door I went out. I wanted to see Molly. I knew she wouldn’t be worrying, but she would be a mite concerned. I smiled at the thought. If she knew I was back, perhaps there could be a piece of pie waiting at the diner for me. Anyhow, the coffee there would be better than what Lucas had brewed in the office.