Miles was escorting the prisoner, Ben Hendricks, to the penitentiary in Canon City while the Chapmans were with the newly wedded, Ballesteros. As the train was filling up with water, there was an attack. Marshal Forrest had shot the two men who attacked, but his prisoner had been severely wounded by glass which was broken by a shot from one of the assailants. Join with me with another exciting tale from those days of yore.
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I had bent over Hendricks who was bleeding profusely from his neck. In his last gasp of breath on this earth, he muttered something. If I willed strong enough, I thought I heard “Martin.”
“Did you hear what he said?” I asked turning to look at the conductor.
Shaking his head, “I heard him mutter something, a name perhaps, but I couldn’t make it out.”
“Was it Martin?”
He shook his head again. “I couldn’t say for sure. Far as I know he was asking for ‘water.'”
I stood up to stare at him. I knew he was right, but I wanted so much for it to be “Martin.” Turning I glanced out the broken window and found that I could see the man I shot by the tower.
“Marshal, I’ve got to settle these people down. I’ve got to get this train rolling.”
I nodded, “You do your work here, the preacher’ll help you. I need to check on that man I shot outside.”
“Well, don’t be long. We’re behind as it is now.”
Leaving him, I went out the door closest to me and hurried on over to where I saw the man fall. There was blood, but the man was gone. One of the workers was nearby, so I accosted him. “Did you see a man fall from that tower?”
He looked briefly at me, then towards the water tower for a few seconds. Taking a couple of steps towards me, he uttered, “There was a man lying there on the ground, but he’s gone now.”
“Brilliant,” I thought to myself. “Did you see where he went?”
“No,” came his quick reply, “but he did stumble off to the back of the shack then rode off on a horse, but I didn’t see where he went, he just rode off.”
I put my hand to my face and wiped it down my chin. Where did they get this guy? “What direction?”
“That way I think,” he muttered, but didn’t point. “I wasn’t watching him, my attention was turned to all that commotion in the car. What in blazes happened?”
Without bothering to answer, I went to the other entrance to the car and entered. Folks were in their seats, and I knew they were ready to be on their way. A few looked at the body laying in the aisle. I looked at Javier and Agatha. “Recognize him?” I inquired. They both shook their heads. “Parson, help me drag this body outside.”
The conductor followed us out, then questioned, “Do you want to put him in the baggage car?”
I pulled on my moustache for a few moments, then found the worker nearby. I beckoned him over. “Think you could bury this man? I’ll give you a couple of dollars.”
His eyes widened, “for sure,” he replied reaching out his hand.
Reaching in my vest pocket to the little pouch I carried, I pulled out two silver dollars. “I’ll be back in a day or so. I better find a grave with a marker.”
“What’s his name?”
“Just put on it the date and John Doe,” I told him. I glanced at the preacher. “Shame to bury a man an’ don’t know his name.” He gave a big sigh.
The conductor had joined us, and Rev. Chapman inquired, “What about Hendricks?”
I looked at the conductor and asked, “Would it be all right to place him on the platform outside the car. We’re almost to Taos, and I’ll take him to the undertaker there. I want to inform the sheriff, and then fill out the paperwork.”
Within a few minutes the steam was up and we were ready to be on our way. The conductor told me that the train from Taos back to Durango would be in two days. There could be a worse town than Taos to stay for a couple of days. There might not be any apple pie, but I reckoned I could find myself something good to eat.
I placed my hand on Javier’s shoulder as I went by. “I don’t think there’s anything to worry about,” I said casually, then thought of something and asked. “Did either of you say to Agatha’s father where you would be working?”
They looked at each other, eyes searching, then Javier brought his attention back to me giving me a shrug.
I nodded, saying, “I hope not…”