The Confederate 5 by Forrest A. Randolph

Author:Forrest A. Randolph
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: us civil war, george g gilman, piccadilly publishing, pulp western fiction, the searchers, best western series, mexican bandidos
Publisher: Piccadilly

Stars had barely begun to fade from the sky. After a night of passionate delights with Rosetta, Griffin Stark felt drained. He sat alone on the small balcony of his room, smoking a cigar and watching a thin band of white to the east turn to pink, then orange, and ultimately pale blue. Griff sighed as he reflected on the heated arguments that had gone on after he and Padre Hidalgo returned from the parlay.

Griff figured it had about come time to start moving on. The confrontation they had engaged in with Gonzales had revealed a damning quality in the citizens of Santo Tomas. Despite the support of Padre Hidalgo, these people expressed a willingness to compromise their rights and freedom in return for an assurance of safety. The raggedly dressed Consuela had been most vocal in the disputations.

What if they did manage to defeat Gonzales this time? Some other bandit chief would only turn up and take his place. Everything is negotiable. Why should they risk that which they did not know in place of that which they did? Gonzales had treated them well enough, Consuela insisted. At least until the gringos came. Why risk their necks for the likes of these two? Before long, many voices rose in support of her position.

Only too clearly did Griff see the subtle shift of power. In the end, it had been decided to do as Gonzales demanded. Even so, he and Temple had not been deprived of their weapons or their horses. Griff heard a scuffing sound at the door and rose from his chair as Rosetta lighted a candle.

“It’s us,” Temple Ames’s voice whispered from beyond the open portal. “Padre Hidalgo an’ me. We got something figgered out here.”

“Come on in.”

Rosetta produced charcoal for the small built-in hearth and chocolate to warm over it. While the water boiled, she joined the three men around a small table.

“We’ve been soundin’ out the men and boys,” Temple explained. “They’re mostly behind us. They ain’t even rounded up the rifles and ca’tridges yet.”

Griff brightened. “There may be a way yet. So, here’s what we do. Have a wagonload of sandbags made ready by the church. Put a few bags of gold on the top of the load. We send that out for the girls. Once they’re safe inside town, we take the fight to Gonzales. He won’t expect that. We outnumber him.”

“Yep,” Temple interrupted. “Saw that yest’day. An’ here we thought we was comin’ to give you a plan.”

“I haven’t been idle all night.”

Through a crimson blush, Rosetta agreed. “No. That is true. He certainly hasn’t.”

“Can we count on the men for sure?”

“Think we can, Griff.”

“All right. Go get things started.”

The sun hung a full hand’s span above the horizon when a lone bandit rode up close to Santo Tomas.

“¡Hola!” he called out. “During the night we have brought the girls here. They are ready to be given to you. Send out the wagon with the rifles and bullets and we will let them go.

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