Chapter 4
1457 Words
Little Horn and Audrey are looking out the window at the scenery. Isabell is reading to Tatanka. Qaletaqa is holding Treasure and they’re discussing the attempted robbery on the stagecoach. One thing her father has always made a point is let it be known is that Abbott's stagecoach doesn't transport any money or anything valuable besides the passengers. Treasure looks up at him. “Mail. It had to have been the mail.”
Qaletaqa rubs her little pouch, “I had Ike to send a telegram to Father and Big Horn. There will be some warriors to meet the stagecoach. We may have to go back to guarding them again. My wife, I believe those men are fools and didn’t know any better.”
“We have company,” Little Horn is looking at seven riders riding fast trying to catch up with the train. He turns to look at Qaletaqa “It's the same men that tried to rob the stagecoach."
“My wife we may have been wrong. We may be the reason since they want to get on our train.” Qaletaqa frowns sits her on the chair and then stands up. “Girls make sure you have your guns.” He looks at Treasure strapping her gun holster on.
“Before you say anything. I’m going with you.” She pecks his lips.
He nods, "I know my wife, be careful."
Tatanka looks out the window on the opposite side of the train. “Two jumped on.”
“Grandmother you and the girls’ stay here. Little Horn will stay with you three. Tatanka, you come with us.” Qaletaqa has Treasure's hand walking to the door.
When Qatelaqa walks through the door of the passenger car some of the passengers jump and scream. They thought Qaletaqa was planning to attack them. Treasure steps in front of him. "Shut up right now. This is my husband Qaletaqa, and we own this train. Now listen some men have jumped on the train and will be here any second. I suggest you all be quiet and don’t do anything stupid.” She’s looking at the porter running to Qaletaqa telling him about the six men.
"We know. Go hide or sit down." Qaletaqa looks at Tatanka and points to an empty seat. "Be careful."
Tatanka sits down on the last seat on the left looking at the door on the opposite side of the passenger car.
Treasure walks to the other end of the passenger car and sits down. The passengers are looking at her because of the color of her skin.
Qaletaqa stands until she sits down then he sits across from Tatanka looking at the door he's facing.
Darina whispered to Mason. "Those are the Abbotts."
He nods and pats her hands, “Yes dear I know. Now sit here and be quiet.”
She rolls her eyes at him thinking, “Coward.”
Treasure looks around the car and sees Mason and smiles and nods. He slightly tips his derby, smiles, and nods.
Three men burst in the door beside Treasure and three come in through the door where Qaletaqa and Tatanka are sitting. Pat's eyes go to Qaletaqa. Nat looks at Darina and winks at her.
Darina jerks her head, looking out the window. Mason is looking at the three men who are walking in his direction. But he knew something happened because of his wife’s reaction. But he keeps his attention on the three men.
Pat looks at Qaletaqa and points at Nat. “Were you the one that shot my brother earlier?”
Qaletaqa stands up folds his arms looks at him and Nat. “What if it was me? What are you going to do about it?”
"s**t," Pat mumbles looking at at Qaletaqa.
“Damn, your ass is tall and big as hell.” Wilbur’s looking Qaletaqa up and down.
Nat pats his brother's shoulder and points at Darina with his head. Pat looks at the woman. “Take care of business first then you can have the lady. This is a holdup. Wilbur, you and the others collect anything valuable.”
“Nobody is getting robbed today.” Qaletaqa gives Pat a stern look.
Pat and his men laugh until they hear. “Drop your guns.” Coming from behind the other three men. Pat and Nat look at their friends with their hands up in the air. Wilbur is still looking at Qaletaqa as if he’s in a trance.
Pat chuckles “Little woman, what are you going to do? Hell, we didn’t ask you to cook. That's about all you're good for.”
“Son of a b***h, do not talk to my wife like that.” Qaletaqa punches Pat in the face knocking him into Wilbur.
Both men are on the floor looking up at Qaletaqa and trying to get their guns out of the holster. Pat screams when Qaletaqa grabs him by his neck and starts beating the hell out of him.
Wilbur freezes looking at the barrel of Tatanka’s pistol. Then he slowly slid his hand to his gun. Tatanka shakes his head and shoots him between his eyes.
Nat pulls his gun and then falls to the floor with a bullet in his head from Treasure’s pistol. The other three men decided now was the time for them to make a move and pick their guns up. Treasure kicks one man in the butt knocking him to the floor while she shoots the other man in the back of his head. The man she kicks to the floor has his gun and points at her. She aims both pistols at him and shoots both of his eyes.
The third man had crawled beside Mason with his gun and started to stand up. Mason hits him on the stomach with a Regal Brass Knob walking stick. The man drops his gun and folds over grabbing his stomach Mason hits him on the back of his head. He fell to the floor, picked up his gun, and turned to look at Mason. But comes face to face with a Colt 1851 revolver grips and nickel plating. “Today isn’t your or your friends' day” Mason pulls the trigger shooting the man in his mouth.
Darina's eyes are bucked looking at her husband. She never thought he could kill anyone. She’s patting her chest. "My world honey."
Mason looks at her shaking his head. "Stop underestimating me."
"Okay," she kisses his cheek.
Treasure looks at Qaletaqa punching Pat in his face before he wraps one hand around Pat’s neck, choking him. He lifts the man off the floor squeezing his neck tighter and tighter. Pat was gasping for air for a few minutes before he stopped breathing. She walks to her husband as he throws Pat’s lifeless body on the floor. Treasure wraps her arms around Qaletaqa and he kisses her.
Mason stands up looking at Qaletaqa and Treasure, "Some things never change."
Qaletaqa releases Treasure's lips and looks at Mason. "It has been a long time. It's good to see you again." He shakes Mason's hand.
"Yes, my friend it has been a long time." Mason chuckles looking at Qaletaqa picking Treasure up bridal style.
Treasure looks at Tatanka. "This is Tatanka, he's married to Isabell, our oldest daughter. "
Tatanka shakes Mason's hand. "He's the scout for the U.S. Army lawman, journalist, and now Professional gambler you told us about when you two traveled to Oklahoma."
Qaletaqa looks at some of the porters removing the bodies. "Yes, but he met my wife at the camp in South Dakota."
Mason points at Treasure. "That was the last day I did any scouting for the Army. Treasure gave me two choices turn the soldiers around or die. As you can see which one I chose. That wasn't a hard decision to make when a knife is pressed against your throat and four dead men on the ground in front of you. Best decision I have ever made."
"Well, you're alive because I saw the good in you." Treasure sees the door open and Audrey running through it.
"Father, Mother" Audrey ran through the door with a pistol in her hand. Little Horn is behind her with his pistol in his hand.
Isabell hugs Tatanka, "you were taking too long."
"Sorry Bell," Tatanks kisses his forehead.
Treasure looks at Qaletaqa, "My husband I thought I said a peaceful trip to Boston. So far we haven't had any peace." She shook her head.
"I know my wife, sons of bitches seems to follow us. Maybe when we get to Boston we will have some peace." He gives her a peck on her lips.
- Writer
