The Border Empire by Ralph Compton

Author:Ralph Compton
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group

Durango, Mexico. July 27, 1884

The ranks of the Sandlin gang had swelled to more than seven hundred men. One of the new arrivals was Black Bill Trevino, one of the lieutenants from Mexico City. Despite the criticism of some of the segundos, the massive manhunt proposed by Dolan Watts was approved by Trevino. After consulting with Watts, he and Trevino went before the gathering to explain their proposed strategy.

“Mexico City likes the plan Watts has come up with,” Trevino said, “and they agreed to the rewards he suggested. There’s a five-thousand-dollar reward on the head of each of these hombres callin’ themselves El Diablo Pistolas.”

“Alive or dead?” a dozen voices inquired.

“That’s the rub,” said Trevino. “Mexico City wants ’em alive. They want to force the bastards to talk, to find out who’s behind these killings. Watts has worked out a plan to start the manhunt.”

“One segundo to every ten men,” Watts said. “So far, these hombres have done all their hell-raisin’ to the north of here, and that’s where we’re takin’ this manhunt. We’ll fan out across Mexico, from Mazatlán to Zacatecas to Tampico. Then we’ll move north.”

The proceedings were interrupted by the arrival of a horseman. He ignored everyone else and spoke directly to Brodie Fentress. Fentress, in turn, made an announcement to the others.

“This is Swenson, from Mazatlán,” said Fentress. “Late yesterday, two men busted into Madam Izona’s house and took one of the American whores. Last night, they boarded a ship, murdered one of our men, and took two señoritas bound for California.”

One man laughed, others shouted, and somebody began firing his revolver.

“Quiet, damn it,” Black Jack Trevino bawled. “If these are the two hombres causing all the trouble, we have to box them in before they move farther south.”

“That’s what I thought,” said Dolan Watts, “but this changes things. Mexico is shaped like a big horn, the tip of it to the south. Instead of pushing north, where we’d be forced to cover three times the territory, why not drive them south? While our use of the telegraph is limited, we still might alert our outposts to the south that these hunted men are moving in that direction.”

“Hell,” somebody shouted, “that cuts down our chances of gittin’ the reward.”

“Reward be damned,” said Black Jack Trevino. “If we don’t stop these marauders, you and the rest of us may find our reward at the business end of a rope. Why were there only five men in Mazatlán?”

“After Watts sent telegrams to different outposts, six of ’em had been sent here for the manhunt,” Brodie Fentress replied.

“Then send them back to Mazatlán,” said Trevino.

“I’ll do better than that,” Fentress replied. “I’ll send ten more, with my lieutenant, Denton Rucker, as segundo. We know that pair of gunmen didn’t reach and leave Mazatlán afoot. By God, if there’s a trail, Rucker and my boys will find it.”

“Bueno,” said Trevino. “The rest of you segundos gather your men and prepare to move out.”

In a matter of minutes, Denton Rucker had his men mounted and they rode out for Mazatlán.

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