Matters To Me

Chapter 50

Billy got his horse ready as Missie came out and handed him a sack of food for the day.

"Be careful," she said, rubbing his arm.

"Yes ma'am," he answered, kissing her cheek.

Missie nodded and stepped away as the rest of the men came out to their horses as Billy mounted his.

She watched them ride away before she went back inside.

Billy and the gang rode to Chisum's field where the cattle were gathered at the creek.

"I don't see any of Chisum's cowboys!" Jesse said as they came to a halt.

"This feels like a trap," Beckwith said.

"They're driving the herd to market tomorrow," Billy said. "So we gotta do this now. Let's go."

Billy nudged his horse onward as they crossed the creek. They started herding the cattle back, crossing back over the creek.

"Watch that side, Pat," Billy called out, pointing. "Here cattle, yup."

They continued calling and herding the cattle when gunshots started.

"It's Chisum's boys!" Jesse yelled.

"Shoot back at him!" "He's on the ridge!" The men called out.

Billy grabbed his rifle, aiming and firing at the shooter, killing him.

"Hey boys! Hey boys!" Jesse yelled as more men came riding up on them. "Shit! Boys, get ahead of the herd! Get ahead of the herd!"

"Ollinger! Get up there!" Billy shouted.

They shot at several of the men, killing some while they fired back, hitting some of their own men.

"Go, go! Let's go, boys! Yah, yah!" Jesse hollered. "Billy come on!" Jesse yelled as Billy stayed behind, continuing to fire, having their backs.

Billy stopped waiting for the dust to settle when he heard another gunshot. He shot his head back when another rang out, the bullet catching his horse's leg. The horse fell and Billy fell with it, reaching for his revolver, aiming and firing. The man fell off his horse as Billy slowly got up, approaching him.

The man raised his hand in surrender. "No need to shoot me again. I'm dying."

Billy put his gun down. "I'm not gonna shoot you."

"Why did you have to do it?" He asked. "Why do you have to rob and kill people like me?"

Billy stood there in silence. He hadn't wanted to kill those men. He didn't have a choice, it was to kill or be killed in this situation.

"Can't you speak?" The man asked.

Billy didn't answer as he turned away when he heard the man cock his gun. Billy quickly turned and shot, killing him.

~

Missie walked out of the house, seeing Billy and the men returning back to the hideout.

Missie could tell something was wrong as they all hurried to the stables. Missie slowly walked to Billy as he rode in last.

He quickly dismounted his horse and started walking. He walked past her without saying anything and she followed behind him as he walked into their room. He threw his hat down and started pacing.

"What happened?" Missie asked.

"I don't want to talk about it," Billy answered quickly.

"Alright.." Missie answered, slowly stepping in front of him, resting her hand on his arm.

He looked at her with sad eyes. "I didn't want to," Billy whispered.

Missie had seen that look on his face before when he killed the blacksmith. She filled in the gaps herself that they came back with no money and Billy being upset there had been a fight between them and Chisum's men.

He quickly wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly as he buried his head in her shoulder.

"I know," she assured, letting him hold onto her until he was ready to let go.

He slowly pulled away when he heard the men coming into the house. He grabbed her hand as he walked out of the room, Missie behind him.

The men were talking as they grabbed bottles of liquor, lighting cigarettes and cigars.

"Another time, boys!" Jesse said. "Plenty of more opportunities."

Missie wrapped her arm around Billy's as they stood there. She looked at him and rubbed his arm.

"I'll make some supper."

"I'm not hungry," Billy said.

"Just a little something, you need to eat."

Billy didn't reply as she quickly made some dinner. Billy remained silent throughout the meal as the other men talked about the fight, bragging about them being the victors.

Once dinner was done Billy grabbed the fiddle that they had and started tuning it. Missie sat at the table across from him.

"We made the papers, boys!" Pat said, returning from town and walking in with a paper.

He dropped one on the table and then started reading the one in his hand.

"A vile collection of desperados in West Texas, known as the Seven Rivers Gang, has been brazenly stealing herds from cattle king John Chisum, spreading bloodshed and terror across the state. A recent shootout between the gang and some of Chisum's cowboys resulted in the deaths of five men, including Chisum's young nephew, a lad of seventeen. Little is known about the gang or their whereabouts. But one member of the gang is reputed to be the infernal William H. Bonney."

Pat grabbed the paper from the table and handed it to Billy.

"Wanted for a murder of a blacksmith in Arizona and a card dealer in Mexico, Bonney is a desperado of the worst type. He is by nature as well as by education reckless of his own life and perfectly regardless of those of others. Thrown into often-occurring danger and adventures in an early period of his life, and his training..." Pat continued.

Billy slowly got up and walked out, not wanting to hear anymore.

"Left to the force of circumstances, it is no wonder that he is today considered one of the most dangerous and lawless individuals in the United States. Texas Rangers are hunting the scoundrels, moving relentlessly on their likely hideouts," Pat finished the article as Missie stood up and followed Billy.

She found him sitting beside the bonfire.

"Billy," she called out, kneeling down in front of him, taking his hand.

Billy didn't say anything as she looked at him.

"Don't listen to that article, they don't know you, they're going off of made up nonsense-"

"Are they?"

"You're not a cold blooded killer. We live in a world where we have to fight and defend ourselves and no one else and then you have those who think doing that makes you a criminal. If they had just listened to your side, they'd know. They didn't want to, they wanted an easy answer and that was to blame you in an act of self defense. If that didn't happen we'd still possibly be in Arizona. They're all just a bunch of crooks themselves and won't even admit it."

Billy sighed, staring at the article in his hand before he tossed it in the fire.

"I know you, Billy..." Missie whispered. "And right now, if you were what they said you are, you wouldn't be here right now, mourning the deaths of those men today."

Billy knew she was right, he wouldn't be feeling the sorrow he was if he truly was the man they made him out to be. He didn't want to be known as that.

He gently cupped her face as she rested her hand on his knee.

"Play a song of farewell for those men," Missie suggested. "And may God have mercy on their souls."

Billy listened, taking up the fiddle and playing an old farewell tune as the article burned beside him.