Chapter 2 - Cash Dollars on the Hoof

[jemmus]

Davidson moves his jaw around and spits into the dirt of the round. It seems not as a sign of disrespect, but because he's built up some spittle in his mouth while gagged. Mister, he says, I'll take any help I kin get. I done wrong and I fell in with a bad bunch. But I grew up poor, and we didn't have two nickels to rub together. My mama died when I was little, and I guess my dad took it hard. He never could pull himself together enough to work more'n a day er two at a time.

Anyway, I'll tell the judge what he asks about. I ain't no more of coward than the next man. But these fellas wouldn't risk stretchin their necks fer me. I know that, as sure as Tuesday. If they throw in prison fer 20 years, at least I'll be alive at 42 years old. Instead a dead at 22 in the next week or so. If I look on the bright side, the way things was goin, ridin with this bunch, bullets would've got me in the next year or so, if a rope didn't. Everythang was good until Rick got made a contract with the Shepherd brothers. Them boys is mean. Run outa Kansas and inta Texas mean. Outa Rick, Phil and Mike's caliber. I guess ya seen that when ya shot Rick and Phil dead, made Mike and me drop our guns.

The mustached, bound, and gagged rustler on the old Army horse sits the mount like a statue. If their any thoughts or emotions moving behind his eyes, they can't be seen.

John Polk and posse situation: Actions about accepting control of the accused criminal? Actions about riding on toward Austin?
Mark Davidson situation: He's speaking directly to Paladin. Doos and William attentively engaged with Polk and the posse, but can peripherally get the gist of what's going on with Paladin and the younger, babyfaced rustler prisoner. Andreas is in a position to observe both, and catch the import of each interaction, if not ever word of either. While being ready to act, either as a gunman or a horseman, or both.

PCs' actions?

[Grognardsw]

...Everythang was good until Rick got made a contract with the Shepherd brothers. Them boys is mean. Run outa Kansas and inta Texas mean. Outa Rick, Phil and Mike's caliber. I guess ya seen that when ya shot Rick and Phil dead, made Mike and me drop our guns.[/dialog]

Mike being the other prisoner, am I aware of the Shepherd brothers, and who Rick and Phil are?

[ateno]

Now. You can see that me and these good men have possession the bastart’s horse’s reins. We’re gonna pass em over to ya. So you can take responsibility fer the prisoner-- and responsibility for any crimes he might commit against the women and girls of Texas in the future.

Doos takes the reins.

"Well I will do what you want, I will report on the assumed crime and that I am witness to two witness statements and was not able to talk to the third primary witness.

You see as my years on the chair taught me, that humans dont see the same things, we focus differently, a pair of boots, color of hair, when more than one person gives testimony that is specifically the same I tend to feel collusion.

Doos watches the rancher for his face,

The judge in Austin knows we are bringing these guys and they are trouble enough for him. But I'm not him. You see, the accused gave a very passionate and believable defense. You don't understand, it will be your fault if this man is a bad seed and gets off and does another wrongdoing. Believe me, I and the rest will dissuade him while we are heading to Austin. You will be know as the man who stopped a person doing the right thing and did not allow the evidence to come thru, the guards are not blamed or remebered. You might have considered, killing us all, they are all fast guns, they come looking for use and if you all are still living, you have to explain the pistol and rifle wounds on you. But I suspect the back of your head is our first shot. So last chance Texas Captian. Can I stay, or should I go?

Doos

[jemmus]

Seeing the questioning look on Paladin's face at the mention of "Rick" and "Phil," the short-ish, rather pudgy baby-faced young man says, Rick is the oldest of the Duncan brothers. Well, he was. Phil Duncan was the youngest. Mike.... he raises his tied hands to point at the mustached rustler. Is the middle one. Or I guess I should say was the middle one. Now I guess he's all three. He smiles an ingratiating smile at the joke. He takes a furtive glance toward mustached Mike Duncan's face. Which remains grimly and stonily poker-faced.

Gideon McLaury leans from his saddle and spits tobacco juice on the roadbed. I believe that thar is what the poets call "gallows humor." I imagine it ain't very funny to most a the time. But I guess some fellas facing upcomin imprisonment or burial manage to git off some real corkers sometimes. He thinks a second and chuckles. Well, that thar might be an unintentional other example a "gallows humor."

[redwarrior]

William sets his horse and sidles it a few steps away, physically distancing himself from the heated words. Judge, I believe the fellow handed the prisoner over to you and gave ya leave to take him to the law in Austin. It seems he's being as agreeable as the situation permits. I honestly don't know how it will work out with just our hearsay testimony, if these folks won't come along as well, but it's the hand we've got to play... His voice drops, sounding clearly doubtful at that last bit. After a few moments, he clears his throat, sits up straighter and speaks in a clear and slightly louder voice, looking directly at Polk. Captain Polk, its clear you don't see eye to eye with the judge, but I think you're both men of honor who want justice done. Ain't nobody here going to try to force you, your friend or neighbors, and definitely not your daughter to come to Austin and testify if you don't want. That said, your testimony as eye witnesses may be key to seeing that justice is done. I appeal that you and some of these men come to testify at the trial. We can speak to what we've heard y'all say, but we can't say we've seen what we haven't.

Having said his piece, William, moves his horse a bit away.

[jemmus]

Before William speaks.
At Doos's comments, Polk's face again turns beet-red and it again looks like he's about to explode. Or even do something rash. The ranchers and neighbors of the posse tense up, particularly the one we mention earlier about "shootin an ole chicken-killin dog when you have to." But Polk again gets a handle on his emotions, and just snarls, Mister, if I was a younger man I'd take ya up on that offer of gunplay. But I got responsibility for a family now. I can't let pride and offended honor git in the way of my family's welfare.

[ateno]

"So we will take him, if he gets off, and he did what you said, he will stay away and find a job somewhere. If he is not guilty and they love each other, I expect he will come back and they will run away together.

Looks at everyone else.

"We ready to get on the way to Austin?"

Doos

[Grognardsw]

Davidson... Everythang was good until Rick got made a contract with the Shepherd brothers. Them boys is mean. Run outa Kansas and inta Texas mean...

“Where are the Shepherd brothers based? How often do you deal with Harry Adler?” asked Paladin.

[jemmus]

The posse members check their prisoner's binding and use his own dusty bandana to gag him. Polk says, Safe ridin to y'all. And I'd appreciate if you'd stay alert and not that... criminal, escape.

As the group rides, Davidson replies to Paladin's questions. With at least a chance of living to see next week, he seems less dejected, almost optimistic now. He seems to be a naturally social and talkative type. It seems like they's up in Llano County mostly. From there they can go east to hit stagecoaches and riders on the Burnet to Austin road. Or south to the Fredericksburg to Austin road. They move around though. Rick Duncan would stop at a rancher's house on the Colorado River, then we'd know which way to go find em. Even then, sometimes it was hard. We'd be looking for landmarks, like a old busted windmill, or a stand a cottonwoods, or somethin like that.

I ain't actually ever seen Harvey Adler. What would happen is somebody would come ridin from Comaltown, usually the same feller, and he'd lead us south to ranch with a corral full a horses. Rick would negotiate the prices, pay him, and he'd go his way and we'd go ars. We'd move the horses that night, no matter what the weather was. We'd take em to the house, usually alter the brands, then take em north to the Shepherd brothers. If we was lucky, they'd have stock waitin at one a their stations, and in a day er two we'd take the horses back south with us to one a Adler's stations. This time it was Rick gittin paid cash dollars. It was a good operation. And a course we supplemented ar income by takin inventory directly arselves, mostly from farms, ranches, and little towns in counties to the west. That was more risky, because Comanches are kind a bold out there. We was lucky and never seen any, except once we saw a group of em far off. They didn't come after us, but later we heard about what they did. Burned a farmstead and kidnapped the wife and the kids. I ain't gonna say what they say happened to the men. But it was bad.

Gideon McLaury says, I've rode this section road once before, but goin the other way. Got almost as far as San Marcos before gittin robbed of everthing but my pants, shirt, socks and hat. And then gittin thrown in the calaboose in San Marcos. Anyway, I'd say we got about a two-and-a-half-hour ride ahead a us. Includin restin that accused rascal's horse in the shade fer an hour, so it don't drop dead on us. He takes out a pocket watch. Which looks a lot like one with engraved initials that was examined at the rustler's hideout. I'd say we'll git thar around 5:30, post meridian. Unless that feller has to walk in his boots. Better rest that horse. I'd hate to have ta shoot the fella, but I'll be goldurned if I'll ride slow all the way back to Austin with a walkin, maybe or maybe not attemted defiler.

Mustached Mike Duncan still sits his old horse stoically, his face immobile.
The bound and gagged accused attempted abductor seems to have a lot on his mind and many things to consider all at once.

The rules for mounted travel are on p. 93. All horses have to rest for an hour after 5 hours of travel. If you have any actions before riding on toward Austin, please say.

[Grognardsw]

…Davidson replies to Paladin's questions…Rick Duncan would stop at a rancher's house on the Colorado River… we'd take the horses back south with us to one a Adler's stations…”[/dialog]

Paladin listened to Davidson’s story.

“I’ll need the location of that rancher’s house Rick stopped at, and Adler’s stations,” replied Paladin. He was building a file of evidence and leads for prosecution by the Austin marshal. If the marshal was short staffed, maybe Paladin and the others could get the job.

“Yeah, let’s rest the horse then be on our way.”

[ateno]

"Agreed."

On the way Doos will speak to they young man in question, but first takes off the bandanna.

He will do a total interrogation to get a idea of him and his veracity. Having him tell his story form different points of view and try to catch inconsistencies.

Using his skill as a lawyer to get a picture of where there is facts and not, using the story of the other two interrogations as a basis.

I will roll a luck(?) roll for the 4 hour talk if that's alright?

Interrogation [1d20]=3

[jemmus]

Davidson replies to Paladin, The ranch is on the south side of the Guadalupe, around five miles west of the road from Fredericksburg to Burnet. Just an ordinary ranch with a wire fence, longhorn cattle, a house, a barn and a windmill. Last time I was there the windmill was spinnin... off-kilter, I guess ya could say, cause it was missin half a blade.
But that ain't very uncommon for an ole ranch windmill. You know that.

The station down in Comal County is just a little rundown ole house with a corral and a barn. It's I s'pose around 10, 12 miles southwest a Comaltown, in a place some people call Bear Creek Hills. It's sittin off by itself. Once we seen cowboys driving a big herd a longhorns north not far from it. I s'pose that's about all a the traffic that place gits.
There's hardly even a trail to it. I don't think them horse traders live there year-round. Not from the looks of that house. Looks like they'd have to run off all kind a critters before throwin down a blanket.

[jemmus]

Doos could use his Law skill to examine the "witness." That good roll would succeed vs. his skill of 17. However....
The man refuses to talk. He says in a low voice, Mister, I ain't in court. So I don't have ta answer yer questions. I don't see nothin that I'd git outa that. Unless yer offering to be my lawyer against the judge. I could use one, and I sure can't afford to pay one.

[ateno]

Doos could use his Law skill to examine the "witness." That good roll would succeed vs. his skill of 17. However....
The man refuses to talk. He says in a low voice, Mister, I ain't in court. So I don't have ta answer yer questions. I don't see nothin that I'd git outa that. Unless yer offering to be my lawyer against the judge. I could use one, and I sure can't afford to pay one.

"Well you see now, that does not bode well, if you were innocent, then you would be willing to talk, if you were guilty, you would do that to.
Nothings stopping me from turning around and letting you have dinner with those fine folk. Or me tying you flat and cover your naked nether in gunpowder and light it either. Now do you want on my good side and I talk on your side to the sheriff or you gonna stay shut up and I do my best to see justice follow through?"

then can you use my last roll for this part of the conversation?

[jemmus]

NPCs have a Bravery attribute that they have to roll under when there's danger. The average Bravery score is 10 or 11. In this situation, -1 for Outnumbered and -4 for Unarmed [vs. armed Doos]. The NPC didn't make his roll. Nobody expects a saddle bum to be especially brave.

The man replies to Doos, Alright, mister, I'll tell ya my story. I'll admit, I didn't tell the story right the first time. I just wanted to buy a horse off a ya, and I didn't figure it was any of y'all's business any way. When yer a traveler, ya learn not to just tell everything ya know to whatever stranger ya happen to meet on the road. It ain't safe. Ya never know who yer talkin to, and why they're askin.

Well, I stopped at that John Polk's house asking to stay in the family's barn for the night. But they invited me in for supper. The daughter right off started makin eyes at me. It was noticeable, and her ma and pa didn't like it. Especially her pa, that John Polk fella. She was an attractive girl, and I took a likin to her too. The ma and Edna asked me to tell them stories from my adventures on the road, so I did. I entertained em well enough I reckon. I'm as good a storyteller as the next man, I'd say. The young man smiles with some pride. When dinner finished, the ma made a sleepin pallet for me on the floor and everybody went to bed. I was layin there wonderin if the girl Edna would come pay me a visit durin the night. But she didn't. It was real quiet in that little ranch house, so there was no way she coulda moved around any without everbody hearin it.

In the mornin they fed me breakfast, and that girl Edna was makin eyes at me all the more. I was gitting pretty dirty looks from the pa, so I figured it was time to git out on my way. Anyway, I thanked everone for the hospitality and went to the barn to saddle my horse and git back on the road. I hadn't gone far down it before I run into that Edna, pretendin to be gatherin kindlin. Now she was more bold. "If you want to kiss me, ya can." she said. Just like that. Then she said, "But not right here. Over there, by the creek. So I took her up on the back a my horse and took her to where she was pointin at.

We was just startin to pet and kiss when we heard men approaching from a ways off speaking Spanish. From the voices, it seemed like they was gonna come right up on us. That Edna got a wild-eyed panicky look on her face with her eyes dartin. I put my finger to my lips to sign to her to keep quiet, but she didn't. She hollered out, "Help me!" That's when I put my hand over her mouth and she fell to the ground." Then them Texican fellas ya talked to come in with guns in their hands. So I just jumped up and ran for my horse. I figured that Edna girl would falsely accuse me of forcing her, after the way she called out for help to them men. And I figured her pa would believe her and come after me. The way he'd been lookin at me that mornin, I knowed he would shoot me if he caught me. So I rode like the devil, and about killed this horse. It turns out I was dead right about that John Polk. The rest ya already know.

[ateno]

A roll to tell truth from fiction.

law [1d20]=1

well Doos has the knack, that's been proven...

Truth:
"I believe you, this is why I wanted to talk to the girl, the father did not want strangers know her daughter might be anything but a angel., so to speak. So here's the deal, there's no case, so as long my fellows are ok with it, We will release you in Austin, give you back your horse and money and stuff. You head back for the girl, that's on you. Get a job, be a man."

False:
"Ah, no, I've heard lots of lies and yours was great, let's try again, last chance or I will do my best to get you in jail for rape.

I'm good with 'arriving' in Austin.

Doos

[jemmus]

Posting to Doos in his private thread. Others can also roll on their Law skill (if any) or on Observation, -3.

[redwarrior]

William listens in with interest


Law 12 [1d20]=10

[jemmus]

Gideon leans from the saddle and spits grasshopper juice into the dust. Either way, seems like ya was ready to have yer way with a 17-year-old country girl. If not a innocent one, probably a ignorant one. Young. Whether you was ready to buy the whole farm later for the dairy cream now, that only you kin know.

The train from San Antonio approaches from behind, to the south on the line of tracks 15 yards away from the road, to the right. As it gets closer, the engineer lets steam through the whistle, so as to alert the horses and not spook them as it passes. They riders see a rifle barrel emerge from from dark window at the caboose at the back of the train of cars. And then, they long barrels of a double-barreled shotgun do the same from a rearward caboose window. And another rifle barrel from the steel window of the locomotive in front. They locomotive passes by with the mixed sound of heavy steam-driven pistons, steel wheels on imperfect steel rail, the smell of coal smoke and steam, a trembling of the earth, and they blued barrel of a single-cylinder rifle with a gray eye and a St. Louis derby hat behind it. Passengers in carriages peer out of open windows, the ladies waving fans to cool off in the hot coaches. And as is the custom in Texas, the men passengers stoically don't look or appraise the riders on they road. They raise an index finger in greeting. Wild children excited by the train ride wave their hands at the riders, excited and proud about the fast and run train ride. Across various coaches, mothers see, note the bound mounted men, gape, and swiftly pull children away from windows and onto benches or laps.

Nobody looks at the riders. Except for some hard-faced, steely-eyed men from the locomotive and caboose. Men with with rifles and shotguns and wearing St. Louis or Chicago derbies. City betting horse racing hats. The locomotive goes past and onward toward Austin, the bolts, screws and wheels of the carriages squeaking.

passes by with the mixed sound of heavy steam-driven pistons, steel wheels on imperfect steel rail, the smell of coal smoke and steam, and a trembling of the earth. Followed by the squeaks and noises of the train of drawn steel, wood, and upholstery coaches, as the train chug on and disappears toward Austin in the distance.

The group rides on up the road, leading their accused horse rustler and rapist prisoners northeast toward Austin. In the later afternoon, wire-fenced prairie ranches start turning into cotton and wheat fields. Ranch house go to whitewashed clapboard walled farm houses with neat shingles and and blooming flowers. At a clear vantage point on the road, Austin City proper can be seen. A domed stone roof with a figure or spire at its peak stands high above the single-story and two-story wooden buildings sprawling around. It can only be the recently-completed Capitol Building. For the riders*, it's hard to fit this image into the Texas they know. Mostly it's just open prairie, sawn-plank houses, lonely saloons, cowboys, and cow patties and horse droppings. And longhorn cattle. Maybe twenty-thirty for every man. So many since they got loose on the great prairie that the Comanche shoot them and let them rot in the grass, because they're crowding out the bison.

Gideon takes out his brass pocket watch, flips the cover open, and notes the time. 5:18, Post Meridian. I thought we'd be into the city itself by now. Seem I underestimated the power of the slowness of them ole Army horses. "Quick er smart can always be overcome. Slow er dumb cain't never." That's Plato, if any a y'all ever heard of him. Ancient Roman philosopher. Weren't neither Protestant or Catholic, I don't believe, but that may not have been his fault. He might have been born before the Lord or Methodism come along.

A half hour later, the riders and their bound captives enter the city of Austin itself. It is indeed a true modern city.


*Except for Paladin and Gideon, who have been to Austin before.

[Grognardsw]

…Others can also roll on their Law skill (if any) or on Observation, -3.

Paladin keenly eyed the accused rapist during his conversation with Doos.

Observation 13 [1d20]=5

Later, in Austin…

Paladin looked forward to a bath to get the dust of the road off. But first to business.

“The marshal’s probably still in. I’ll take in our prisoners. If anyone want to join me. Then to a saloon to wet our whistles.”