The Bride

Chapter 17 - The Piper's Fee

Trace opened the window and looked at the narrow ledge, too narrow he figured but he left the window open. They might think he went out that way; instead he backed into the corner beside a wardrobe and focused. He could hear talking but he couldn't make out the words then one voice stood out and he smiled - the Sheriff.

Nathan inched up to the doorway and risked a look across to the open window opposite. Would he go out that way? He didn't think so; somebody would have noticed and raised an alarm. He crouched down in a squat.

"Come on out, Banner. Toss the gun and live to fight another day." He waited. "I know you're in there, I can hear your yellow heart beating."

A shot boomed and a piece of the door frame above his head splintered away. Another shot and the thwack of a bullet burying itself chest high in the hallway wall.

Nathan dove through the door, rolling into an upright position and fired. Trace yelped in surprise then grunted as bullets pierced his shirt front and he twisted out of the corner and crashed through the open window. Shouts and screams could be heard as the newly arrived stage stuttered to a stop with horses neighing and the driver yelling.

Nathan stood and looked down for a minute then reloaded his gun and left the room. In the hallway, Amos was bent over Bates, tearing away his shirt and poking away at his side. Behind them stood Dora with her carbine and Jennie Christie with her little Derringer, both looking concerned and equally formidable.

"Sheriff?" Dora cocked an eyebrow.

"All done. You'll find him out on the street."

More shouts came from outside and Maggie's voice screamed a warning. Running steps could be heard in the saloon below and then shots.

Nathan ran back into the room and looked down at the street. Playford was holding Maggie around the neck from behind, backing away from the street crowd. He saw Walter lying next to the stage and then more shots from inside. Back in the hallway, Jennie was standing between Amos and the Marshal and the stairs, her arm outstretched holding her tiny gun.

Dora was punching a scruffy looking black man and firing her six gun at a second who was trying to take cover. She knocked the one man down and fired point blank into his chest as Nathan ran toward them. He wanted to get to the street and Maggie so he cleared the rail and dove for the stairs. The balustrade smashed under his weight and he tumbled painfully to the saloon floor.

Donnie Iwai stood from behind a table, aimed at Nathan and pulled the trigger but several loud booms from Dora's carbine spoiled his aim, ripped into his chest and neck and sent him careening over tables and chairs in a rag doll ballet. Nathan dragged himself to his feet and staggered to the street. Across the road, Ansen had backed himself into Ledger's doorway, using Maggie as a shield and Nathan cursed angrily at the fact that he might have broken something in his fall and found it hard to manoeuvre.

The stage driver had moved further down and Banner's twisted a trampled body helped fill the rutted roadway. Nathan propped himself against the hitching rail and shouted for Ansen to give it up, that all his men were dead and he had nowhere to run.

"We'll see about that!" He hollered back. "Somebody saddle and fetch me a horse or this little lady won't see another sunrise."

Dora came out and propped her rifle against the door. "I can nail him from here, Sheriff."

"No! No . . . I don't want to take a chance with Maggie- get him his horse; we can pick him up later, he won't get far."

"Not the way I do business, Nathan."