The Valley

I rode into Sunset Valley in the fall of 83 looking for a place to winter. The horse I had under me was the best I had ever owned and my gear was top notch. I had been south and had seen some troubles. I wanted some quiet and a slow easy pace for a while. I liked the look of the quiet valley in the high country of Colorado. I rode down to the ranch house and pulled up near the man sitting on the porch.

"Lite and set young man. Go ahead and water your horse and take a breather."

I grinned at the man. As I stepped down from my horse, he saw the tired in me as I eased my body from the saddle. He looked me over more closely as I took the horse over to the water. I wear two shooters. One high on my right hip and a second in a belly holster with the butt to my left side. I could be faster with the left hand gun. But not much. The guns how lots of wear.

"Ease your saddle and come set with an old man a while."

I joined him in the chair next to his and we chatted there in the shade. He was a well set up man, I guessed to be in his fifties with a long handle bar and graying hair. His hat hung on the back of his chair. This old man as he called himself was maybe ten years my senior and in very good shape at his age.

A very well put together young woman came from the back of the house and entered a huge garden beside house. She began to pick stuff I guessed for the evening meal.

"My wife Lori Anne. She has just come from the bunk house where she was fucking my foreman Bradley Jessup. They don't think I know about them fucking. He is way younger that either of us and his cock is ready for her anytime. He is good for Lori, and I don't mind him enjoying her all he wants."

"Young woman he's not hurting much."

"But I am sure he is also running my cows off. Now I got lots of cows and I could loose a few now and then, but he seems to be greedy. I have six hands working for me and I know he has help. I think I know which are in with it and which are not but I'd like to be sure. I need a man to watch and tell me. All I want is that. I will brace him when the time comes. He is likely going to try to take her, my ranch and all when he kills me."

"Bad choices."

"I would rather just fire him and end it but the boy has a big ego and well it won't end well. She's not in it with him, but she thinks she loves him. Not askin you to use them guns. You look tired and could use some time. Know who you are and you'd know me if I told you who I was back some. Don't know I was quite up to you in the day, but I was close."

"Know who you are or were long time ago saw you once in Logan, Montana."

"Oh, the Parker brothers, you was there that day?"

"Ya, saw it. You did the right thing they were killers and woman killers. I come to Logan after them. They raped and killed my wife couple hundred miles south few days before."

"Oh sorry, I didn't know."

"Never you mind, just wanted them dead. You did that and it was fine. to late to help my wife I just didn't want it to happen again. I killed the other two a day before. They was running from me."

"Never saw you that day. I'd have remembered your rig."

"I didn't wear it back then and no one knew Nathan Bly back then. You were much more famous."

"No now I am just Old Ben Hopkins. and not Ben Hobbs any more."

"Maybe you could save lots by him knowing?"

"Too big an ego I'd still have to kill him."

"Maybe it would be easier if Nathan Bly does it. I owe you for the Parker Brothers anyway."

"I always wondered why the other two never showed up. No I stomp my own snakes Nathan."

"It's Calvin now. I am Nathan Calvin Bly. And Calvin sort of makes people more at ease."

"Don't we know it. Hopkins has made life much better. Come join us for supper and think about working here for me this winter?"

"I will join you Ben and we can see what you need."

I met his young pretty wife who put on a very good meal with the help of an older Mexican lady. The hands joined us for the meal as well. And I was unarmed at the table which was the way meals were taken at their table. Now I am never unarmed but it never shows if I don't want it to. Nor would I guess is Ben ever without one either. Ever.

Young mister Jessup calmly stated he didn't feel they needed another hand for the winter but didn't make a large point about it. The young man had a smug way that was not covered very well and his cocky way was hard to miss. But when his eyes caught mine he quickly looked away. He was smart enough to not want me to feel he had reason to not want me around, but that he simply didn't feel I was needed.

I agreed to work for Ben through the winter and to find out who all in his crew was stealing from him. His young foreman didn't trust me, but he was careful around me. He tried hard not to lock horns with me so for the most part I was free to look around as I wished.

I caught the bosses young wife meeting his foreman several times. And there was some thing going on at times with another young woman that I hadn't quite figured out. It took nearly three weeks before I met Lori's sister who lived on the ranch to the south several miles. Her sister was even better looking than Lori and every bit as curvy. I found out she lived with an older guy on the other ranch.

I didn't really meet her sister. I saw her sister coming out of the bunk house one evening and I ask Lori who the lady was. I could figure out for myself what she was doing in the bunk house. I would guess there is a connection between The man on the ranch to the south and our foreman. I figured I might just ride on over south to that ranch and take a long look around.

I saddled up the next morning and rode out and then I circled around and headed south. It was about 17 miles south where I found the small ranch tucked into a pretty valley surrounded by a grove of huge old oak trees. The ranch house was small but well set up and made to add on. Who ever had built it had planned well. By looking at how it was being managed not I could see that who had owned it did not still have it now.

I fell in love with the place at first sight, but my heart went out to it for the way it was being taken care of now. Who was running the place now had no love for it. I settled down to watch and learn as much as I could.

About the middle of the afternoon I watched as a big man drug a nude woman from the house and tied her to the rail fence out by the old barn. He took his wide belt off and he began to strike her bare back and buttocks with it. I was too far from them to tell for sure but my guess was it was the sister of the wife of my boss.

Over the next hour I watched several different men come from behind the barn and sexually mount the woman from behind and enjoy her. I staked my horse out on good grass and circled the ranch on foot. As I moved around I could see a newer building that sits in behind the old barn.

A bunk house not of the same building as the rest of the ranch. This building was very shabby and constructed very quickly. I looked big enough to house maybe up to 20 men. My guess was it was less than 2 years old and would still be there not more than 2 more unless someone did major work on it.

But I figured it was much more in being out of site, than for good use. Some one was hiding the fact that a crew was being used on a ranch that from what I was seeing could be run by 3 or4 cowboys. So did this give me my answers. Was young Mr. Jessup being helped to steal the boss blind by this crew? Maybe Ben's men were all honest?

I watched for three days and nights and my count was 12 of them and I finally saw the boss. Andy Bowers is a back shooting outlaw from Montana the last time I'd seen him. I was sure Ben knew him too. But he was very fast. Good enough to run a very bad crew. I had no idea how the young woman fit in the deal? I did finally see Jessup come and go on the last day I watched.

I rode back into my home ranch and turned my horse into the corral. I was walking up to the house when young Jessup came from it down to meet me.

"Don't believe we will be needing you anymore Calvin. The boss just told me to let you go."

"Is that so, well I think maybe I will just walk on up and visit with him a bit."

"No I don't think you will."

He turned and settled his feet ready to draw.

"Sonny before you do what you are about to do, you need to ride over and see Andy. Ask him who as fast as he is that he would not want to pull against."

"Not that I have any idea who Andy is but who would he say?"

"Well you been figuring on killing the guy you are fucking's wife and you never saw the day you could handle him. And he is trying hard not to have to kill you. I on the other hand have nothing against killing you, but to be fair you need to know Calvin is my middle name."

"Is that so? And just what do I put on your marker after we settle this?"

I could see it in his eyes he was about to pull.

"Why Sonny I will put on your marker killed by Nathan Bly."

I saw the color leave his face but his mind was set and he pulled. He was fast. Very fast and his shooter was coming up went the lead hit the corners of his left pocket on each side. I left him there on his face as I walked on up the path.

Ben was standing outside the door.

"I told you I would handle it when it needed done Nathan."

"He wouldn't have it Ben. Tried to fire me said you told him. I was fair as I could be I told him who I am. He had his mind set and pulled anyway."

"I saw it and he was quick. But you are maybe the best with either hand I ever saw. Might not have been that close with your other hand?"

"Maybe, maybe not? Andy Bowers has a crew over south at the ranch. They were in cahoots with Jessup stealing your cows. Lots of them down there. I think your boys are all ok, Ben."

"The ranch down there is sweet Nathan. Belonged to my brother-in- law married to April, Lori's sister. He was a brother of Andy's. I should have figured it when she had a man move in down there. But I didn't."

"Took me some time to figure him out. He has gained some pounds. He beats her with his belt and the use her like a whore. I fell in love with the place Ben. Recon she might sell it?"

"She needs someone who cares to run it for her. She needs a good man Nathan. I could use a good Neighbor."

We rode over to her ranch. I wore both guns. Andy and his crew met us in the yard. April was tied naked to the fence and they had been enjoying her. Andy looked at us sitting our horses there.

"Well, well, well, Nathan Bly I didn't expect you. Figured Hobbs would be my boys big one."

"If you are talking about young Jessup, Andy? He wasn't up to it. But I told him who I was before he pulled."

He looked stunned and then fire flew into him and he pulled. I shot him with my left hand gun right above his left eye. No one else moved.

"Be a nice day for a ride boys?"

Still no one said a word they just mounted up and rode out. We walked over to the fence where April was tied.

"Don't believe I have seen you look more pretty, April."

"Dam it, Ben untie me."

"Before I do that April, seems to me you need a good man to run this place like it needs. Nathan here loves the place and will make it like you always wanted. And you could use a good partner."

"Partner, What the fuck you think I am some kind of a whore now? I am just going to give some man half my ranch?"

"Don't look now April but it seems you been treated like some kind a whore lately and Mr. Bly just killed the skunk was doing it."

"Bly, Nathan Bly? He just killed Andy? The no good son of a bitch?"

He cut her loose and she stood there completely nude and very beautiful. She stood there looking at me.

"You could be right Ben. I maybe could use a partner."

She turned and walked slowly toward the house. Ben winked at me and I followed her.