This Calder Sky (Calder Saga 3)

Part of the instructions were understood without being spelled out. The three men would be Calder men, born on the place, rather than drifters, who would travel and talk. They would be given their orders in private—orders that would never be mentioned again, not even in their own bedrooms. All would leave their respective locations on the ranch separately, without telling anyone where they were going. It all went without saying because of the nature of their mission.

Chapter XIII

The six men met in silence and rode together in silence, their faces grim and resolute. At the boundary fence with the Shamrock Ranch, Chase knocked out the rock wedging the sagging post in place, downing the fence for the riders. His father’s private explanation of their mission had been brief—a simple statement that O’Rourke was the cattle thief, and they were paying him a visit.

Chase had wondered why he wasn’t more surprised by the announcement of O’Rourke’s guilt. Perhaps because the man had always been lazy, a weak man. Although O’Rourke was Maggie’s father, he didn’t link them together in his mind. They were two separate people, entirely different in both character and values.

He had taken one look at the hand-picked riders and guessed that his role was to observe and learn. His father had not taken him into his confidence or consulted him regarding his decision or plans. That would come later—after the fact, with a step-by-step analysis of all that had transpired.

There were certain things his limited experience could infer from this show of force. They were all close-mouthed men, loyal to the brand. Nothing that happened today would go beyond these six people. It was equally obvious that Angus O’Rourke was to be taught a lesson that wouldn’t quickly be forgotten. Chase didn’t know what it would be, but it occurred to him that there was a reason his father hadn’t told him.

They climbed the slope above the fence line at a canter, slowing to a trot between the scattered trees where the terrain was rough. Chase rode at his father’s right side; that was his place. Their route was a direct line to the Shamrock ranchhouse.

Maggie ducked her head to avoid a low-hanging branch as she followed her brother on horseback through the trees. They were working their way homeward for lunch with one detour to check a salt block. Ahead of her, Culley abruptly reined his horse to a stop.

“What is—”

He silenced her question with an upraised finger to his mouth and a frowning scowl. Then she heard the creak of saddle leather and the muffled hoofbeats of several horses. She looked beyond him, her view partially obscured by the stand of trees they were in. She had a glimpse of the big yellow horse Webb Calder always rode. A cold, sharp fear started her heart thudding against her ribs. She glanced at Culley. He’d barely moved a muscle since that first signal for quiet. The riders were more than a hundred yards away, heading toward the house, but Culley waited until they were out of sight.

“We have to warn Pa,” she whispered. “He’s there alone.”

“I know,” Culley snapped impatiently and kicked his horse out of the cover of the trees. “Follow me.”

Spurring, they set their horses at a gallop. They circled wide to avoid being spotted by the Calders and to approach the ranch from the bam side, where there was more cover. But it was also longer, which lost them precious time. The Calders were walking their horses into the ranch yard when Maggie and Culley reached the back fence of the corral.

“We’re too late,” Maggie realized when she saw the riders fan out to block her father from reaching the house, trapping him in the open area in front of the dilapidated barn. Her widened eyes saw the rifles lying across the saddles. She glanced at Culley. “What are they going to do to him?”

“I don’t know.” He dismounted and tied his horse’s reins to the corral railing. Maggie did the same, following him as he crouched low to move closer.

“I warned you, Angus.” Webb sat his horse in the middle of the riders who fanned out on either side of him. “You should have believed me.”

“You warned me about what? That beef you’ve had stolen?” O’Rourke blustered, but his face was white. “You haven’t got any proof I had anything to do with it.”

“I told you before, Angus, that I don’t put much stock in the kind of proof you’re talking about. You know you’ve been stealing my beef. And I know it.” At a nod from Webb, a mustached rider dismounted and walked toward O’Rourke with a pigging string in his hands. “You should have quit when I gave you the chance, Angus.”

“What chance?” O’Rourke stole an anxious glance at the man approaching him, but didn’t run. His feet were rooted to the ground. “What chance does a little guy like me have against a big outfit like yours? You buy supplies cheaper than I can. There’s no market for my cattle ’cause you’ve glutted it with yours. You take the best graze and water and watch the rest of us try to scrape out a living on what’s left.”

His arms were pulled behind his back and O’Rourke staggered a step, but didn’t offer any resistance. With two wraps of the string, his wrists were bound and tied, and the cowboy stepped back to stand behind him. Nate reined his horse out of the semi-circle and walked it to the open doors of the barn.

“You think you’re some damned king around here.” Hatred gave O’Rourke the strength to stand and defy Calder, even though he was quaking with fear inside. “You think you can ride through the country and us peasants are supposed to bow and scrape and take care to please you, even if it means you or yours wants to screw our daughters.” His glance flashed to Chase with pure venom. “We’re supposed to take it and be grateful for the tips you give.”

The claybank stallion moved restlessly beneath Webb and pawed the ground with an impatient hoof, sensitive to the volatile undercurrents ripping the air, but Webb sat calmly in the saddle, listening to the vindictive speech. A man was entitled to his say before he died.

“I stole your cattle, Calder, and I’m glad I did!” O’Rourke drew back his head and jeered Webb with the truth. “It’s time someone started taking from you the way you’ve been taking from us all these years. It sticks in your craw, doesn’t it? So the big, brave man comes here with five of his hands to teach one little guy a lesson. What are you going to do?” he demanded. “Have them work me over? Whip me? That ain’t gonna stop me. I’m going to take every head of cattle you’ve got and destroy you. You’re going to be nothing, just like the rest of us, before I’m through with you.”

“You just put your own neck in a noose, Angus,” Webb stated.

Over by the barn, Nate stepped out of the saddle, carrying a coiled rope in his hand. O’Rourke wasn’t paying attention to anyone but Webb, but Chase saw the foreman walk into the barn. The wide doors at the opposite ends were open, leaving only the middle of the barn’s corridor in shadow. Nate stopped in the middle and tossed one end of the rope over a thick cross

beam. A white noose dangled in the air, tied in nine wraps that made a hangman’s knot. Chase shot a questioning glance at his father as his horse moved under him, reacting to the unconsciously applied pressure on the bit. There was nothing in Webb Calder’s face to reveal his intentions. There was only an unbroken hardness that covered eyes, mouth, and jaw.

Unaware that Calder’s remark was any more than a slang expression, O’Rourke responded to it. “Why? This confession isn’t going to do you any good. I’ll just deny that I ever made it, and it’ll be your word against mine. It doesn’t matter how many witnesses you’ve got. Everyone knows they’re your men and they’ll say whatever you tell them to say. I stole your cattle, but you’ll never prove it.”

“I told you before, Angus, I had all the proof I needed.” He nodded to the man behind O’Rourke.

The mustached cowboy stepped forward to take O’Rourke by the shoulders and turn him toward the barn. O’Rourke made a show of resistance and contempt by twisting his shoulders out of the grip while making the turn. The cowboy clamped a hand on the bound wrists and marched him forward.

When Angus saw the noose waiting for him, he stumbled and cast a panicked look over his shoulder. Fear ran out from him like a living thing, but it made no impression on Webb Calder. The cowboy continued to push him forward and Angus looked to the front again, mesmerized by the noose swaying in the slight breeze. Nate had pulled up a wooden crate and stood it on end directly under the rope. The riders followed Webb’s lead and closed in around the barn doors.