The Last Patrol

[Scarlet Angel]

Bo ducked through the tent flap and looked over his shoulder. "I think you took some years off that boy's life."

"I think he just got his first lesson on what happens when you sneak up on an old soldier." Fritz replied curious why Bo would find his way over at this time of day. Bo was sociable but this was his first visit among the soldiers tents, Bo had kept mostly with the scouts. Fritz also noticed when Bo stepped in he positioned himself so he could watch the door.

"Then he learned how we got to be old." Bo replied.

Fritz had seen Bo tired before but there was something different about him this morning. Fritz thought about the reasons Bo would be here, he could feel a cold fear creep up his spine. He was afraid to ask but did anyway. "Have you heard any word from the posse? Is everything alright?"

"I've not heard from them, as far as I know everything is alright with them." Bo replied his tone still flat as the uneasy feeling continued to gnaw at his insides.

Fritz motioned for Bo to take a seat. "Your tone tells different." Fritz said.

Bo half smiled. "I got my own demons to contend with Fritz." He said taking the seat and positioning it so he could watch the door and most of the room. Fritz even noticed he placed it where Bo's shadow wouldn't be cast on the walls.

"You're always welcome at my fire Bo, you know that, but I find it odd you come here for the first time this early. I know you well enough to know something's bothering you."

"That's just damn rude then and I shall have to correct the situation. Soldiers seem to get nervous when I wander among their tents at night though."

"Only if they don't see you."

Bo chuckled at the comment then became serious.

"One of  Richard Kane's men died this mornin' from a horse kick. It took him a fair piece of time to pass on. I suspect some internal damage, probably bled slow inside, but I ain't no doctor."

The trooper announced himself at the door way.

Fritz stood and went to the opening .The young trooper handed him a hot pot of coffee and two cups then returned to his post. Fritz came back to the table, put the cups down and filled them then took the seat opposite of Bo.

"Wouldn't be the first time I've heard of a man dying from a horse kick." Fritz said.

"Wouldn't be the first man Lucky killed by kickin' either." Bo remarked.

Fritz's eyes met Bo's "When? Scarlet didn't mention it to me."

"I 'spect she wouldn't. She says you gotcher own worries over here and what's done is  done."

"Why would Lucky kick somebody?" Fritz asked suspecting he already knew the answer.

"Fool poked at him with a stick trying to get him out of the stall so he could get at Scarlet.  Another man was with him, tried to stop him, I saw it. That's not what bothers me. Far as I'm concerned the safest place for Scarlet is with that horse. What has me more concerned is the man that was with the one that died told Cyrus before the man went to the stables he stopped at the quarters where Ella and Scarlet stay and tried to bribe the soldier on guard. I'm concerned Dick's men might find the right price to make a guard turn his head. Cyrus thinks because we could find out easily who was on duty the soldiers wouldn't take the chance. I'm interested to know what you think." Bo said.

[Scarlet Angel]

Scarlet had not slept most of the night, when she did her dreams were filled with disturbing images. Some of the past and some of what she feared to be the near future. She kept hearing Grey Eagle's voice say "The elders say they have seen mother earth run red with blood." Scarlet didn't doubt what they saw she just wondered whose death they spoke of. The soldiers at Ft Bliss had been hunting Black Wolf and his tribe for as long as she could remember. Maybe they were seeing their own end, maybe not.

When she managed to shove those thoughts aside uneasy feelings that she was riding into trouble took over. The man Lucky kicked most likely had died. Dick's men would no doubt be trouble, Scarlet was not looking forward to returning to that. Listening to Ella and Jimmy's conversation had occupied her mind for a short time. Ella always seemed to manage to find the good in people, if there was any.

The smell of coffee was welcome, it meant she could stop trying to sleep. 

[1stSgt Fritz King]

"Well," Fritz began, "the sentries have seen me over at their quarters on a few occasions.  But they might think that Ella and I are involved, rather than Scarlet and I."

Bo grinned, then chuckled.

Fritz asked, "What's so funny?"

"Somehow," Bo said, "I just can't picture it."

Fritz sipped his coffee.  "I could see her with you though."

Bo's head jerked up.  "What do you mean?"

"Come on man," Fritz continued.  "She's a lovely, tough, talented woman who's..."

"Married is the word you're looking for."

Fritz nodded.  "To a man I've heard about, but never met.  A man that so far, hasn't come to the frontier to join his wife.  He belongs back east.  Ella belongs here."

"She sure knows her way 'round doctoring," Bo replied.

"I've seen you look at her Bo.  And you know, I've seen her look at you the same way."

Bo was more than a little uncomforatble.  "Weren't we talking about your troopers?"

"Okay...change of subject.  My men make thirteen dollars a month.  The old soldiers, the ones I rode with, they're all solid men.  The green troops, they might take an offer...but not if they know what's good for them."

"There may be a way to correct the problem," Bo said.  "You could just tell the men Scarlet is your wife."

Now Fritz jerked his head back.  "You're kidding, right?  She'd lose her standing with the scouts!"

"Cyrus and I've been talking.  They're not as dumb as you think." 

"Wait a minute...I never said..."

"Easy, Fritz.  What I'm saying is the men who ride with Cyrus know how to read sign.  And she's proven herself as an equal to any man out there.  And she could sleep with you here.  It's not uncommon for an officer to bring his wife on campaign.  And Scarlet's actually worth something out here."

"Maybe you're right," Fritz replied.  "I'll have to discuss it with her when she returns.  It'll solve one problem.  But it still leaves Ella."

"One guard should be able to guard one frontier doctor."  Bo sipped his coffee.

"Or maybe you could guard her."  Fritz smiled.       

[Scarlet Angel]

"She wouldn't be the first married woman who I've slept next to." Bo grinned mischievously then sipped his coffee. "sides if  there was somebody guarding Ella and Scarlet the scouts trust they are safe with they wouldn't be taking turns wandering around at night. Right now they go past the quarters to make sure the guard is alert then wander through the stables to make sure nothing is going on in there. They would stick closer to camp at night. I know Cyrus is concerned about Dick's men jumping them."

"I've heard rumors the Kane brothers are not on the best of terms." Fritz said.

Bo snorted and raised an eyebrow. "They are not. But Dick is no leader and why he is in charge of any one but himself is beyond me. He doesn't let them out, so they sit around and get drunk and find trouble. Some of them are ones Cyrus won't ride with which makes his scouts a good target, but they fight back."

"It's not a good situation." Fritz remarked. "From what I see Dick's men don't respect him."

"Then you are seeing the same thing the rest of us see." Bo replied.

Both men looked towards Dick's camp as they heard the voices.

" Sam yer a traitor."

"Leave me be."

"He died cuz you didn't help him."

"He died because he was up ta no good. I didn't want no part of it. I  didn't see any of you tryin' to talk sense into him."

"Traitor!"

[Elegant Ella]

Once breakfast was done and the fire buried, Black beard announced, "We've got one more night out here for sure. Let's get moving so we don't have to spend two." He led out at cavalry pace again. During one of the walking segments, Ella fell back next to Tensleep while Jimmy walked next to Scarlet.  He was busy asking questions about Lucky's breeding and training.  He already knew that Lucky was a one-rider horse, having tried to help saddle him, and was being careful to keep his distance.

"What are we doing with Jimmy once we get back to the fort?" Ella asked.

Tensleep wanted to hear whatever she had worked out, so he asked, "What did you have in mind?"

"Well, First off, Patches and Bill were supposed to get back a week or two ago.  Your authority ought to let me use the telegraph at the fort. I could wire Patches and put those two to work on contacting the various places that issued wanted posters on Jimmy to see which of them is interested enough to send someone up here to collect him, unless you were going to take him out with a supply train while Scarlet and I stay with the Army a little longer?"

"Wiring Patches is a good plan. There's no hurry about taking him anywhere."

Ella continued, "I would like to keep him with the scouts instead of locked up in the stockade.  He is responding well to kindness, and showing an appropriate level of remorse.  We can start collecting his information about the gang's membership and activities for the past two years. We might be able to clear up a few incidents where there were no surviving witnesses."

"No, he gets locked up. He's behaving now, when the only alternatives are to be tied up or shot while trying to escape. There's too much opportunity for mischief at the fort. You can visit him in the stockade to interview him." Tensleep's voice was stern, and Ella knew he wasn't going to relent. She also had to admit that he was probably right, even if she was confident about Jimmy's character.

[1stSgt Fritz King]

Fritz and Bo dashed out of the tent, guns drawn.  There were two men on foot near a long extinguished fire.  One had pulled a bowie from its scabbard, and twirled it in his hand.  The other had inched a long Colt halfway from its holster.

Hammers came back; sights were on target.  Fritz yelled "Drop the iron now!!!"

The hand with the Colt froze.  "If I do, he'll stick me!"

"It'll be the last thing he ever does," Bo said coldly.

The mand with the knife stopped twirling.

Fritz hissed, "Last warning."

"Sam...I believe he'll do it."

The pistol and knife fell to the ground.

"FIRST SERGEANT!!!"

Scott had been making his rounds, and came in a hurry.  "Yes sir!"

Their pistols never moved.  "Clap these men in irons.  Search them carefully, and lock them up at opposite ends of the corral."

Scott smiled.  "Aye sir.  It'll be a pleasure."

Once the men were secured, Bo and Fritz lowered their hammers and holstered their iron. 

"Bo, go get Cyrus and Dick up here.  On the double, if you please."

Bo nodded.  "Okay."

"And Bo," Fritz added, "I'd like you in on this conversation."   

[Scarlet Angel]

The scouts in Cyrus's camp were just beginning to become active when Bo got back. Cyrus was still by the fire, he seemed to be enjoying his moment of silence. He looked up when Bo came back.

Cyrus knew something was wrong by the look in Bo's eyes. "You said something about sleeping under the stars with her he didn't like huh?"

"Was the blow up we heard from Dick's camp he didn't like. He wants to talk to you, me and Dick." Bo replied.

Cyrus stood "who was fightin'?"

"Sam and I think the other fella's name is Reuben."

"Dick's men fightin' among themselves again?" Cyrus snorted. "Reuben, short stocky fella, black hair, quick with a knife?"

"Yeah." Bo replied not surprised Cyrus knew who they all were.

Cyurs cursed softly. "Watch that one Bo. He'd draw and quarter his own mother for the right price. He'd be able to track her well too. Who from this camp was involved?"

"Nobody, just Reuben and Sam this morning."

Cyrus looked more than slightly irritated as he followed Bo towards Dick's camp. Bo told him what had happened along the way.

Bo and Cyrus walked into Dick's camp and to his tent unnoticed by any of his scouts. Cyrus just shook his head in disapproval as he entered his brother's tent. With one hand Cyrus took Dick's side arm and the other he dumped the cot over.

Dick jumped to his feet and reached for the missing side arm. "You snake! You dismissed me earlier now yer back. Bring the big one to do your dirty work for you?"

"No, I'm savin' that pleasure for my own self." Cyrus replied holding up Dick's pistol and emptying it. "Rest assured, I won't shoot you in the back though." He said tossing the pistol back to him. "Your people are raising enough hell the soldiers can hear them. Now Captain King wants to see me. I swear Dick I've had a belly full of problems from you and yours." 

Dick glared at Cyrus.

"Captain is waitin, get a move on." Cyrus said standing aside. "You can lead the way to the corral."

[Scarlet Angel]

When the Posse mounted back up Black beard rode next to Scarlet. He looked over at her and grinned.

Scarlet looked back at him, she half smiled thinking his grin meant he was going to tease her about some piece of information he had and had been waiting to do it. Some people suspected the man might be crazy, she knew better. Black beard by her judgment was one of the smarter men she had the privilege of knowing.

"Lawdawg King huh?" He said his grin growing wider.

Scarlet chuckled, and grinned wider. "It's U.S. Deputy Lawdawg King." She said touching the brim of her hat.

"The Yankee soldier you married, it would be the same Lieutenant King that has been hanging around our camp? The one you say yer not trying to impress?" He flashed a wicked smile and winked.

"I told you, I wasn't trying to impress him at that moment. Don't recall sayin' anything 'bout any other time." She smiled coyly. "but yes is the same Yankee soldier as you put it." 

"Does it make a difference now that you know?" She asked.

"No, not now."

"Good."

"Wouldn't have expected it to be him."

"Oh?"

"Lieutenant King seems very disciplined. You seem...Well I just wouldn't expect his wife to be fighting me with a cutlass saying 'defend yourself Sea dog.'"

Scarlet suppressed a laugh.

"Why didn't you use your married name when you came to the fort?" He asked.

"If the Army thought a man needed a wife they would issue one. Fritz has enough to deal with without his men thinking he needs to drag his wife around with him. Besides I don't think I am really what a soldiers wife is expected to be. She is expected to act and dress a certain way. Certainly not running around with scouts. I just don't think my actions at times would reflect well on him in the eyes of others. 'Specially when I'm yelling defend yourself Sea dog."

Black beard laughed. "I can see your point, one may get the impression if a man can't control the actions of his wild woman he wouldn't be able to control his men."

"Wild woman." Scarlet laughed again. "It would have made a difference to the scouts too. You would all be to busy calling me ma'am and avoiding me instead of challenging me to a sword fight."

"Aye."

Black beard moved his horse close as his eyes danced and his smile turned to a impish grin. "Is it Mr. Frisky or Lieutenant Frisky."

Scarlet's eyes danced playfully. "It's Mr. I generally don't call him that when he's in uniform. And if you pass that information round I will flog you."

Black beard laughed touched the brim of his hat and said. "Yes ma'am. I will take it to me grave. I gotta say though, if he can handle livin' with you he can probably handle just 'bout anything the army can throw at 'im." He chuckled again then his voice became serious "Scarlet if you don't mind my sayin' I think Lieutenant King has some kind of wife. She may not act and dress within the expectations of a soldier's wife but I think she knows how to treat his men and they would admire that. I've met a lot of soldier's wives some of them I'd like to forget along with their husbands, but you, I hope to stay acquainted with for along time."

Scarlet smiled and slightly blushed at the compliment. "Thank you. I hope after this is over you will not be a stranger to my fire."

He smiled back. "No lass I will not. Maybe if there were more like you and Ella the Army would issue wives." He winked.

"Ella maybe, me I'm trouble." She laughed softly.

[Elegant Ella]

Ella enjoyed listening to Black beard and Scarlet banter. It sounded like Scarlet didn't mind that Ella had let her last name slip.

"The restrictions on an officer's wife shouldn't be any worse than those on a Boston surgeon's wife. The life of an Army wife would be rougher, with fewer of the luxuries available in the city, like maids and stores," she told them.  "I almost am an officer's wife. Alan had the rank of First Lieutenant while he served during the War. My uncle was a Major."

[1stSgt Fritz King]

You could tell alot about a man by what he carried.  Fritz looked at the small arsenal on his desk.  He'd empited two pistols, a derringer, and pulled the caps off a '49 pocket's cylinder.  There were also more than a few knives in the collection.  Whether for skinning game or men, Fritz didn't know.  Scott had indeed been thorough.  Both men were stripped to union suits and socks.  They weren't happy, but neither was he.

"Captain, Mr. Corbin has returned with those 'gentlemen.'  Shall I let them in sir?"

"Yes Pirvate," Fritz replied.  "But keep your carbine ready."

Bo supressed the urge to laugh.

Dick had seen his men on the way in.  He entered the tent in a foul mood.

"Just what the hell gives you the right..."

Fritz stood and slammed his hands down hard on his field desk.  The pistols jumped.

"THIS!!!  Your men can't control themselves!  Now shut your damned mouth!"

Cyrus shook his head.

Dick shrunk back.  He wasn't used to being told to shut up, but in this crowd, he figured it was the better part of valor.

"So far, I've had no problems with your men, Cyrus.  You're the senior man.  So I'm putting you in charge.  You can keep Dick here as your second if you desire, or you can select anyone you prefer."

Dick glared.

"Bo will be my liaison with the scouts.  If I have a problem, I'll send for him.  Anything he says, assume it comes from me."

Cyrus spoke up.  "I know we're billeted with you, but these men aren't soldiers...at least, not anymore."

"Then you discipline them as you see fit.  But if anyone shows their ass in my presence again, they'll be treated like soldiers."

Bo said, "Is there anything else, Cap'n?"

"No...that's all.  Dismissed, gentlemen...and I use that term loosely in this crowd."

Dick said "I'll take them guns," as he reached forward.

"No," Fritz replied.  They'll get their guns after they've calmed down.  One of your scouts has already died under suspicious circumstances.  I won't have any more deaths.  We've got enemies enough outside the wire."

"Just 'cuz you wear them straps don't make you right."

"No Dick...they just make me in charge.  Cyrus, take your second away before he joins his men in the corral.  Get with me after the noon meal to collect your men, and their property."   



   
   
   

         

[Scarlet Angel]

"Second to his younger brother." Dick just didn't like the thought of it. He still couldn't figure out how Cyrus could have some of the roughest men but he had few problems. There was a number of the men that rode for Cyrus that could easily take him if they chose too, yet he wasn't afraid of them, he slept soundly in their presence and demanded respect from them.

Dick had never ridden with Cyrus, he'd only heard of his younger brother's reputation. If he wasn't so irked by the thought he would have found it a good opportunity to see just how Cyrus ran things. 

Cyrus gritted his teeth together, his upper lip slightly quivering, as they left Fritz's tent. Being saddled with Dick and his group of polecats left a rotten taste in his mouth. Cyrus had enjoyed being able to pick his 'family'. He'd left home because of his brother's jealously but he would be damned if he let Dick ruin his reputation and life he'd chosen.

Cyrus stopped not far from Fritz's tent and turned to his brother. "Get this straight. I'm not happy about this at all. This is no game Dick. It's people's lives yer playing with. You are responsible for the men that ride with you. If they screw up you will be answering for them."

Dick glared at him. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Cyrus narrowed his eyes back. "It means if the men that ride for you do it you might as well join in because I'm gonna come lookin' for you as if you did."

Dick couldn't believe his little brother was talking to him like this. "You can't.."

"Don't press your luck Dick." Cyrus growled. "I want a list of names of who you have over there. Then we'll talk about what to do with the two that are cooling their heels."

Dick wondered if he could really take this as he stalked off.

Cyrus watched him go.

"You and your brother were close weren't you?" Cyrus commented looking from Dick's back to Bo.

"Yeah we were when we got older, fought some when we were kids."

"I think we are beyond kids and I still don't like him." Cyrus snorted.

[Scarlet Angel]

"I can never catch a break when he's around." Dick thought as he jerked his tent flap back. "Not with his family, not with non family. Where did Captain King get off making him a second to Cyrus...AND IF Cyrus wanted him. Dick highly doubted that would happen. Cyrus was closer to those men he rode with than his own blood kin. Unfortunately making Cyrus disappear would be difficult; those men watched each others backs. King said Cyrus's men never gave him problems, maybe they should. Maybe if he started rumors about them they would start fighting amongst themselves, once that started they would no doubt fight with anyone. Dick half grinned. In fact he could start some dirty rumor about how those two women were spending time with the Marshal and Black beard on the trail. The grin widened.


Cyrus walked towards the corral where the two men were shackled. He stopped where he could see them but not be heard.

"Bo."

Bo was looking at the two men making a mental note not to make Fritz mad while they were in the fort. "Yeah."

Cyrus looked at him again. Bo was amused.

"I'm glad yer entertained."

"Admit it Cyrus. You couldn't have done better yerself."

"I'd really like to have Dick out there with them." Cyrus chuckled. "We've never gotten along, but right now I think he's plotting against me."

"Keep your friends close and your enemies closer." Bo replied.

[Scarlet Angel]

Cyrus walked to the corral. "Tell me what happened Sam." He said.

Sam looked at him. "I'm here because I tried to be a decent man. Look what it got me." He growled. "I told you the truth and the men I ride with brand me as a traitor, try and cut me up and then I am stripped to my long johns and shackled to a fence. I don't need this. I should have shot 'im when I had the chance." Sam pointed at the other man.

"Why didn't you stand by the others? You sold yer friend up the river." Cyrus said.

Sam raised an eyebrow. "He wasn't my friend. If I kept my mouth shut the others in camp would be out hunting that horse for being a killer. They don't care if there was a reason or not all they want is to raise hell and get paid for it."

Reuben yelled obscenities from across the corral only to be ignored by Cyrus.

"How'd you end up riding for Dick?"

"He was in a saloon asking for men who had skills scouting and knew this area. I grew up in this country, done some scouting, figured why not...now I know why I shouldn't have."

"What's yer last name Sam?"

"Meriwether"

Cyrus made a mental note to ask around about this one. He noticed Sam was taking this in stride, keeping his head. He wasn't happy about it but he wasn't acting like a trapped animal and cursing like Reuben.

"Mr. Kane, how long we gonna be like this and what is Captain King going to do with us?"

Cyrus looked at him. "Captain King has seen fit to make you my problem."

"What are you going to do with us then?"

"To start with I will be back to collect you this afternoon, we'll talk more. Him, I think he's gonna stay out here a while longer. Maybe telling the truth over in Dick's camp does you no good but it's the way you gain respect with me. I'm going to check around about you. Am I gonna find out anything I don't like?"

"No sir." Sam replied.

Cyrus turned and left continuing to ignore the yelling from Reuben's side of the corral.

[Scarlet Angel]

"Maybe I should go back and stuff a gag in Reuben's mouth." Bo said falling in next to Cyrus.

Cyrus stopped short of the camp. The men were in a good mood, talking and funnin' with one another. It looked like Teddy was getting a group ready to go on a hunting trip again. Some of them had even picked up around camp."Having Ella and Scarlet ride with us has been good for the boys. What are the odds of them stayin' on with us when this is over?"

Bo could hear the seriousness in Cyrus's voice.

"Ella is waiting for her husband to return Cyrus. I don't know what she might do. What I know is she, like Scarlet, are currently riding with people she calls family. Prying them away from the Marshal and the other posse members would be a trick. But one never knows until one asks, and as with everything time changes situations."

"Speaking of family." Cyrus continued. "That brother of Scarlet's, er whatever she calls him."

"Jimmy. She calls him her brother." Bo chuckled.

"Yeah Bradbury. He still got that nasty temper and quick knife?"

"Yeah." Bo chuckled again.

"I wish ya'd brought him along."

"Yer kidding me."

"I would have loved turning him lose in Dick's camp." Cyrus laughed wickedly. 

"Problem would be collecting him back Cyrus. Be like turnin' a fox lose in a hen house."

Bo could tell Cyrus was envisioning the entire thing. "Solve most my problems right there it would. What I kin never figure out is how he does it. Ya never see the man. I swear you could have guards at his tent, he'd welcome them as alibis too, but still something would happen you know he was behind. Just as bad as Scarlet's father. Her husband is nuts for getting himself involved in that family." Cyrus shook his head in amusement.

"Ya got to give 'em this Cyrus. You take on one of them you might as well offer yourself to the whole crazy bunch. Kind of the like what you have with your group except worse, I'm proud to be part of it." Bo smiled.

"I hate to tell the men we will have to put up with Dick's crew now. Should make the hand to hand training interesting though. What would Jimmy do about Reuben?"

"Thing that separates you and me from Jimmy is you know what you'd like to do. Jimmy wouldn't discuss it he'd just do it. Reuben is an enemy and a threat."

"What about yer brother. What would he have done about Reuben.?"

Bo half smiled. "Depends on if you want him out of the game until we ride out of here or out of the game permanently. I'm thinking an accident of some kind that would keep him in the infirmary a good long time."

"I'll have to figure something out 'fore I put the men in the same camp. They are gonna have to learn to get along but not that one. I wouldn't sleep at night. Dick's just to ignorant to know what he's got over there I think."

[Elegant Ella]

Bo said, "Ella gave me an assignment if the supply wagon got here before she got back. Looks like I have better go take care of that."

Cyrus laughed, "Probably shopping of some kind. Why do women have to go shopping even in the middle of nowhere?"

Bo laughed with him, then said, "If what she ordered arrived, can I borrow three or four men for carrying?"

"What did she order? And how much? Sure, you can borrow some men." Cyrus raised his voice and called, "Dolph, Hiram, Cole, Davis!"

The four men, who had been contentedly sitting around a game of cards, came on over.

"Go with Bo, and do what he asks."

Bo led them to the supply train, and found the man that Ella had negotiated with.

"Have you got the supplies Mrs. Coatsworth ordered?"

"Almost everything but the tomatoes," Jesse replied. "I think I'll be able to get those on the next run.  There weren't enough cans at the depot to fill the fort quartermaster's order. I couldn't get all the potatoes or carrots she wanted, either, but I got extra turnips for her. Her order is all in the last wagon. If you'll help unload the other orders from that wagon, you can borrow the wagon and team for a little while."

Food was always a good incentive to get the scouts to work. Soon enough, they were riding in the wagon while Bo drove it to Cyrus's camp.  There, everyone who was still in camp pitched in to unload the supplies and get them covered with canvas.

Bo returned the wagon, and paid off Jesse. He wasn't sure why Ella had spent her own money to buy enough supplies for 150 men that the Army was responsible for feeding, but he was always happy to eat whatever she cooked. Maybe she had bought so much as the easiest way to make it possible for her to eat the same food as the others. The religious restrictions on her diet had never made any sense to him, seeming to serve no purpose except to isolate her.

[Scarlet Angel]

"Which life would you prefer Ella?" Black beard asked looking over his shoulder at her.

[Elegant Ella]

"I am a midwife at heart, and army life would be very short on opportunities to exercise those skills, so I would have to prefer the life of a city doctor's wife. But I wouldn't be happy for long in either of those roles. I like better the life I have in El Paso, part-time deputy for excitement, and midwife-doctor the rest of the time. When Alan joins me, I'll probably stop being a deputy in order to have time for medicine and homemaking." Ella's tone was a little wistful, and Scarlet wondered whether Ella was thinking, "If Alan joins me."

[Scarlet Angel]

It didn't take Dick to long to compose his list. Next to Carl's name he put KILLED under suspicious circumstances. He found Cyrus headed for the mess hall. He fell in next to him and handed over the list and fell in next to him.

Cyrus scanned the list and shook his head disapprovingly at some of the names.

"I see you have a few shave tails." Cyrus said. "I've never even heard of  Columbus Foster or Franklin Simmons."

"Just cuz you've never heard of them doesn't mean they are green Cyrus."

"True, they may just keep their noses clean. I see you have a hand full of drunks too. What were you thinking?"

Dick scowled. "What makes you such an authority and the ones you ride with so great?" He spat.

"They may be crazy and hard, have bad reputations but I know the men. They drink but they don't spend all their waking hours swimming in a bottle. I know the ones I have riding well enough to know what to expect from them in a given situation. You had a sign up list in a saloon from what I hear."  Cyrus replied.  "Hell I'm surprised Maxwell Bennett has been sober enough to realize where he's at."

Dick rolled his eyes at the comment. Cyrus found a seat in the mess hall and sat down still looking over the list.

[Scarlet Angel]

Bo made his way to the stables. He had promised to make sure Dancer was not cooped up in a stall all day. Dancer pawed the air and bobbed his head when he saw Bo. Bo's own horse nickered. He stopped at Thunder's stall and brushed him then went to Dancer. Scarlet always brushed the horses enough to make their coats shine, so Bo took the time to do the same. When he was finished he figured both the horses would pass Scarlet's approval. She always said a long ride helped clear your mind and put the world into a better perspective or on a good horse you could just plain out run your thoughts for awhile. He wasn't sure why he was having the dreams he was. The feeling the posse was in danger had passed for the most part but they wouldn't be gone until the group was back at the fort. Maybe he would ride out and meet them, they were due back today and it would get Dancer out.

Cyrus looked up from his list to see the dapple bay horse prancing past, it sent a chill down his spine every time he saw Bo on that horse. For not being a twin he sure resembled his older brother, Cyrus was glad the man normally rode the paint. He looked back down at his list wondering how long it would be before Reuben would get into some kind of trouble again after they turned him loose.

[Scarlet Angel]

Cyrus figured he'd have to tell his crew they had new members then go over to Dick's camp and meet some of these people whose names he didn't know. He'd be clear to let them know they would be answering to him now too. Cyrus would take Chris and Frank along with him since Teddy and Black beard were both gone right now. They would do well if there was trouble.

Ella and Scarlet had polished what Cyrus referred to as Chris's rough edges and he was turning out to be one hell of a man to have stand with ya in a fight.

Frank Russell reminded Cyrus of one of those little Spanish fighting bulls he'd seen. Not as big as most of the others but fight like nuthin' he'd ever seen if he was challenged.

Cyrus sighed, he had a good well rounded crew, different men with different backgrounds and temperaments, different skills but when you put them all together they worked well together.  Now he had to pull in Dick's mob. Oh well, the men would straighten each other out he guessed, they had before he'd just have to keep a close eye on them.

Cyrus looked up when Fritz approached. Dick wanted to leave he didn't care for Captain King. He shifted his weight only to feel Cyrus's boot planted firmly on his. Cyrus shot him an irritated look. "I don't tolerate deserters and you are in this up to your eyeballs."
Dick said nothing but didn't attempt to leave.

Cyrus knew Sam would be easy to deal with. From what he could tell Sam had had enough of Dick's crew and was ready to leave. He would most likely welcome the fact he was going to be riding with Cyrus's crew now. Some of his men knew of Sam Meriwether, a couple had even asked why he was shackled in the corral. Which told Cyrus the man was not lying about who he was unless he'd been doing it along time. He'd found out Sam had worked for the army before and he'd done some private work for wagon trains. A quiet man who didn't like trouble.

Reuben on the other hand he didn't have to ask around about. Cyrus knew him well enough. He was going to be like unleashing a rabid dog. It wouldn't matter if they turned him loose now or in two days from now, the result would be the same. He'd go after somebody and either end up in the stockade or the infirmary.