By Madison
Copyright 1999
It wasn’t that they were uncaring brutes who felt no pity for their defeated fellow rider, Lou found herself thinking. It was just that looking at a mud bathed (and very whooped) Cody- well.......It was just too much for anyone with a pin drop of humor to handle. Besides at least she covered her mouth during her fit of giggles. Jimmy Hickok did nothing of the sort. He sat upon his horse, nearly falling off a couple of times, pointing hysterically at Cody.
With what dignity remained, Cody lifted his face out of the filth the swine had buried it in, and wrenched his weary body into a sitting position. “I’m glad I could provide you all with such amusement,” he yelled after spitting out clumps of muck.
“So are we!” Jimmy barely managed to toss out before laughter crazed him again. The fastest draw in the west was so taken by joy that he never saw his unalterable fate coming. Cody ‘helped’ Jimmy off his horse so fast, he could have been famous!
“Oh my-” Lou exclaimed as her boys began wrestling around in the sloppy earth. Hardly any punches were thrown. Cody was too set on smearing Jimmy’s face with mud to care about decking him, and Jimmy was too set on blocking his attempts. Now Lou realized she should order this childish behavior to stop, but it was just too amusing. And she laughed heartily, until suddenly they stopped. For a moment, everything froze and they just sat staring at each other. A slow, frightful realization seemed to hit her. She was the only spotless rider, and by the evil shine in their eyes, Lou had a feeling things were about to change. “NO! Cody....Jimmy....”
“Sorry Lou,” Cody said gentle before the firing commenced. No screamed managed to escape her lips before she was bombarded with mud. Both fellows were excellent marksman, catching sweet Louise in her face and chest.
“Yeah, um....we’re really sorry Lou,” Jimmy concluded. Then the boys celebrated with laughter while Lou steamed up.
Seneca.......
I could hardly believe the scandalous words stumbling off Colter’s intoxicated tongue. The famous James Butler Hickok, the fastest draw and most deadly gunfighter in the west, accused of being a petty bank robber? If the wine hadn’t managed to snag me a such cozy deal, I might have cursed it. And it was a rewarding contact- for me at least. I couldn’t help but re-read it with joy as Colter back tracked through his tale to justify his actions.
I Jonathan Dean McKay, agree to pay the fee of one dollar per tale to Mr. Jake Colter for the artistic services he has agree to provide.
This tiny piece of paper was my salvation and I treasured it. Oh, but I will have to bask in my glorious intellect later. Colter has giving up trying to justify his ‘shoot ‘em in the back’ tactics, and is finally getting to the part where he confronts the Marshal of ????? Who knows. Oddly enough, the foul smelling hunter can’t remember what town he tracked Wild Bill to.
“The Marshal ‘bout ate his hat when he found out I was on Hickok’s trail,” He spit out. “Didn’t exactly get the warmest reception......”
“Colter, are you sure you can’t remember which town....”
He shrugged stupidly. “Water something or other....” He waved his hand, dismissing the question. “Anyways, eventually I caught up with him. Raised my gun....” With a child’s imagination, Colter raised his pretend weapon at Henry. Even unarmed, he had Henry very shaken. “Then BAM!” Yes Henry nearly jumped through the roof. “I dropped him dead!”
“Liar! You wouldn’t dare shoot Hickok!” I exploded with disgust.
“I’d dare,” he nonchalantly corrected. “But don’t get your drawers in a bunch. It wasn’t even him.”
“What? This makes no sense!” I should have no better than to use a drunk to scrounge up a good story.
“The man I shot wasn’t Hickok,” Jake elaborated with tested patience. “He was pretending to be so....”
“Of course!” I interrupted excitedly. “An impostor!” Well that didn’t make much sense either. Why would anyone want to tarnish a gunfighter’s reputation. They never took kindly to that, usually punish the offender with death. “I don’t understand the why.”
“The why?” Colter questioned mockingly. Then he laughed off my question and continued. “He was trying to frame Hickok, so he could kill him, and then claim to be the real Wild Bill.”
His tale was like a maddening tune that entrapped my mind in a dance of crazed circles. Over and over Colter’s words echoed through me, testing my sanity. A strong yearning was consuming me......or rather an addiction. I had to know every scrap of information Colter had on Wild Bill. Because what ever came along with Hickok would inevitably lead me to the Lady in Blue. And she was the true mystery I ached to discover.
On to The Conclusion
