Beyond the Green

33

Bullets shrieked past Tyler's ear, but he was mad clear through, stubborn enough to not care. Narrowing his eyes, he urged the dun faster. They had spotted Gaines out on the mesa, surprising them all. When he turned to run, they had jumped into hot pursuit. Counting Gaines' shots Tyler knew he only had one left. It was enough to do the job, but the big man was on edge, panicking, his shots without accuracy.

Racing into the yard in front of the small shack, Nolan leaped from the saddle before the horse stopped. Shoulder slamming into Gaines as he left the shack, the force drove the bigger man backward. They landed heavily in the dust and rolled to a stop. Tyler's pistol cleared leather a fraction faster than Chess', but not enough. Stalemate.

Gaines was sweating. The barrel of his Remington wavered just slightly as he stared down the black mouth of Tyler's colt revolver. The two men were face to face, neither willing to back away.

"I left you dead, you should be buzzard food!" His voice shook, staring at what he thought was a ghost. Tyler only lifted his lips in a chilling half snarl.

"You get some two-bit cattle thief to do your dirty work; you best make sure I'm dead!"

"I took you down once, I can do it again." Gaines was beginning to recover from his shock, his hand steadying. "You ain't bullet proof, and I don't miss from this distance."

"It's over the second you pull that trigger, Gaines. You ain't walkin' away, not this time!" Hatred had thickened Tyler's voice. "Where's my wife!"

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

The loud click of a metal chamber turned Gaines' head a fraction of an inch. The Indian was standing by, loaded and ready, a rifle pointed straight at him.

"Shuck it! Now!" Tyler was almost trembling with the desire to pull the trigger, but he had to find Molly. He could see the open door of the shack, but she was nowhere to be seen.

"Molly!" His shout went unanswered. "Molly, you hear me?"

"Hidin' behind your Injun?" Gaines let the gun swivel from his grip, hanging it by the trigger guard around his finger. He spat into the dust at Tyler's feet, contempt on his face. "You always was yella, I knew you was." With that he let his gun drop.

Ignoring him Tyler moved to the door dropping his .44 back into the scabbard, eager but afraid. He wasn't sure he wanted to see what he was assuming he'd find. Inside on the dirty floor, her hair covering her face, Molly lay out flat, limp and unmoving. Moving slowly, his stomach lurched at the grim possibility she was beyond his aid. He knelt.

Sickly gray, pale and bruised, her clothing was filthy and threadbare. He went mad with rage when his eyes fell on the heavy metal shackles, seeing the raw bloody skin under them. Abruptly blinded by savage rage, Tyler launched himself through the doorway at Gaines. An animalistic roar erupted from him, features twisted into hate.

Gaines turned in time to see him coming and braced himself. Driven back by the force of Tyler's momentum, still he was no tinhorn when it came to fist fighting. Swiveling his body on impact, his fist slammed down on Tyler's back as they collided. Nolan hit the dirt hard, then he was up. Gaines walked up swinging a meaty fist hardened by practice.

The blow caught Tyler in the mouth, staggering him. Gathering himself, he came in swinging. Though shorter and trimmer, he was no lightweight when it came to scrapping. He never hesitated. Catching a brutal left to the jaw, he wobbled and took a straight right in the mouth.

Stumbling he dropped to one knee. spitting blood from his mouth. They were both gasping.

"If it's a whuppin' you want, I'll oblige you. I ain't never been beat with bare hands," Gaines smiled and held out one hand, signaling Tyler to get to his feet. "And you ain't man enough to do it."