The Lone Ranger Cavendish's Revenge

Part Two - Roads to recovery and revenge

Something cool was pressed against Butch's mouth, it was refreshing but stung his cuts. He opened his eyes to a blurry vision.

"Skinny? Hasuaus?" He asked with a thoaty growl.

"I'm afraid not." Replied a sweet voice. His eyes began to clear and he threw off the delicate hand that was clearing blood from his skin.

"You the one that took my gun?" He demanded.

"Yes, I am."

"Well you should have cut my hands off. I can still throttle ya!" He snarled grabbing her throat. He could feel her pulse quicken.

"Oh account of the fact I thought you might shoot first and not ask questions later."

"Smart girl, smart girl. Now get my bloody gun." He commanded looking at the blonde. Her hair was long and wavy and her dress a pastel blue edged with cream lace. "Well darn me, you're a city girl. Did Cole send you? When I get my silver, " he let go of her, "I'll kill that damn ranger and crazy Indian!"

"Cole is dead. Killed by a Lone ranger and an indian. Mr Cole's cousin Mr Mathews is taking charge of the town." She said quietly. She put a hand gently on Butch's ripped sleeve. He flung her away.

"He know about the silver? He send y'?"

"What silver? No I-"

"You keep your mouth shut." He hissed at her. His eyes were so pure like a river but like the silver in that he was full of a cold curse. She stayed still for a moment before reaching into the draw by the bed and throwing the gun onto Butch's chest. He took it quickly and pointed it at her.

"I'll keep your secrets but you might not want to shoot me... unless you'd rather Frank was the one running into town for your medical supplies, he might draw a li'l more attention of the kind you don't want." She replied walking towards the door as he lowered the weapon. "I'll get you some water."

"Whisky!" He demanded.

^ - ^ - ^ - ^ - ^

Tonto stood upon a rock face where a destroyed bridge had once been. A carriage hung over it from a train deeply submersed in the water. He thought it would have been a happy memory but it was deathly quiet and the red streaks in the rock face seemed like blood. He may never shake the pain of what he had done for a pocket watch but that was not what disturbed him.

"Look." He said to John pointing down to the lapping waters.

"What a waste of a train. To think - without that greed it could have been used to transport food to the nation." He pondered looking at the tip of iron that jutted out from the water of a train carriage.

"No."

"Well of course it could have. Damn Lathem Cole..."

"No," Tonto gestured down again, "where is silver?"

"Why it's right-" he was cut off. There wasn't even a fleck of silver other than the odd passing trout as its scales caught the sunlight.

They made their way down to the river and over to the shore but so far nothing had washed up. It was as though the cursed silver had never existed. John knelt down with a sigh and stared blankly into the ripples and up again to the hanging cart.

"It's not been long..."

"A week or so kimosabi."

"Are there any Comanche left?"

"One, maybe two. Scattered like sand in wind."

"That's not enough people to move it so quickly."

"Mmm."

"Perhaps, bandits? No. They've been guarding the road since so that they could salvage the escaped flock from Conrad's farm..."

"Maybe something stronger." Tonto thought aloud as he began to feed his bird some seeds.they sprinkled on the floor uneaten.

"Like machinery?"

"Or Windingo."

"There's no such thing as a Windingo!"

"Then why does man eat human flesh and survive train colliding with carriage?"

"It's just not possible. Cavendish could have well had a way off."

"You said Windingo screamed like injured buffalo when seeing the train?"

"Yes but it's just not possible."

"Neither is putting nature out of balance but you saw this Kimosabi." Tonto said without humour. He meant every word. John thought for some time. Angrily he threw a stone into the water with a splash. Tonto stepped into the water.

"Tonto! What are you doing?" John shouted but he was ignored. He had no choice but to sit frustrated on the edge and wait. The indian threw his pocket watch into sand by the ranger then dived down. He sat up quickly.

"It is true." He concluded.

"What's true?"

"Rock has sunk."

"It's basic physics you can't expect it to float."

"I do not."

"It sunk into the sand?" The ranger asked raising his head. Tonto nodded wading back out of the water. "So, the sand is so fine it reburied the silver... the pressure pushed it through."

"Not all."

"No it couldn't crush it all. Someone must have taken the washed up pieces."

"We find silver, we find secrets."

^ - ^ - ^ - ^ - ^

Skinny and Frank sat at an old wooden table playing cards in the front room of the abandoned shack where Butch was recovering. They had heard him wake and growl at Annabelle for more whisky and had decided to stay downstairs. As much as they needed Butch's mind and reputation to keep them safe from the law they certainly weren't going to take their chances with him when he was in such an abysmal mood. For all that they knew he could be itching to fire his gun.

"My head hurts. Crazy indian hit me good in the mine."

"I told you he was crazy! He was gonna violate me with a duck foot!"

"Well I'm sure glad we can move on."

"You think Butch'll let us go to another state?"

"Ain't nothing for him here now Cole is dead. Here two pair." Skinny replied throwing his cards down.

"Shucks!" Frank declared laying out his King high.

"S' pose not. Another hand?"

"Sure. I would just love to have me enough money to buy me some red ribbon."

"What you want ribbon for?"

"Er nothin', nothin'"

"Your deal." Skinny replied just before they heard a deep bellow from upstairs.

"I said whisky damnit!"

"Say, Skinny d'you think he's gonna be like this at Anabelle the whole time he gets better?" Frank asked dealing.

"I'd reckon so. Her own fault for dragging him here, still keep our mouths shut and we'll be on the road in no time. Soon as he's walking we're all outta here. Gives me the creeps knowing a city girl knows where we are."