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Our feud with the O’Driscolls has been going for so long that I did not think I would ever see it end. But Colm O’Driscoll is dead. In a way it was almost disappointing how small the end felt. One moment he was fixing to fire on Dutch and the next he was slipping from the saddle, a bullet hole in his head and a look of surprise on his face, killed by someone he’d never considered a threat.
The kid who shot him looked almost as surprised, staring at Lenny’s repeater like he weren’t sure how he got it –
It had been shortly after dawn when a distant explosion had been heard in the old mining town of Colter, the current residence of the van der Linde gang. Too far away to be an immediate threat, but too close to be anything other than another worry on a growing pile.Lenny and Javier had been on guard duty and were quickly joined by Dutch and Arthur. From the entrance to the town the group could see smoke rising to the south, until it was obscured by the thickly falling snow that started not long after the explosion. Between the snowfall and the already substantial covering of snow on the mountains dampening all sound it would be difficult, if not impossible, to see anyone approaching until they were practically on top of them.Which is precisely how the lone, panicked rider managed to completely blindside the four of them.It was also why the rider didn’t see Lenny, either. He pulled back on the reins but it was already too late. In less than a confusing second Lenny was laid out on the snow, stunned, the rider was on the ground and the horse, a beautiful flaxen roan Tennessee Walker, was bolting further into Colter.“Branwen! Wait, girl!” the rider yelled, managing to bring himself to his knees. From the dark coat and green scarf he was clearly an O’Driscoll. It seemed to take him a moment to realise that there were three armed men, all of whom had their weapons drawn and pointed at him. He quickly raised his hands.“Oh god, please don’t kill me. I – I can explain – “But whatever explanation he could possibly give was lost as that was when the second group of riders showed up.
- Colm must’ve been as desperate and hunted as we are because he offered us a deal. The kid who crashed into young Lenny and ‘everything he stole’ and we could pretend we all never saw each other.
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As much as I hate the thought of making any deal with Colm O’Driscoll I thought we should’ve taken the offer. We’re starving, outgunned and have more injured and women and children in the camp than we do able men.
Not that I’d trust Colm to keep to his end of the deal.
But Dutch being Dutch seemed almost delighted that one man managed to piss off Colm so badly, even if the kid is an O’Driscoll himself.
But that O’Driscoll saved Dutch’s life by killing Colm. And in the confusion that caused we managed to bring down most of the men he’d had with him.
Even after that the kid still seemed sure we was going to kill him –
“Why would I kill the man who just took down Colm O’Driscoll?” Dutch asked, helping the kid to his feet. “What’s your name, son?”The kid still looked terrified but answered quickly, “Uh, Duffy, sir. Kieran Duffy.”“Well, Kieran Duffy: thank you for saving my life.”Javier had helped Lenny to his feet in the meantime and the younger man brushed off any concerns for his health with an ‘I’m fine, I’m fine’ until Dutch ordered him inside to be checked over for injuries.It made Arthur miss being nineteen and waving off everything life could throw at him.Duffy whistled for his horse, and calmed her before checking her over for injuries. Every so often he looked back around at Colm’s body, as if he couldn’t believe the man was dead.
- Duffy claimed he weren't in the O’Driscolls by choice, that Colm killed his old gang and gave him the choice between joining or dying.
It ain’t really much of a choice far as I’m concerned but Duffy favors his own life over convictions.
He said he’d only been with them a few months, and that he’d got tired of Colm’s ways and decided to do ‘the right thing’.
The ‘right thing’ being blowing up half of their camp with the dynamite they was going to use for robbing that train and stealing the gang’s takings –
“I guess Colm must’ve been feeling the pressure from the law and Pinkertons and everything ‘cause normally he’d be stashing it at all different camps but he was carrying what looked to be the takings of the last three jobs, I think.”Duffy pronounced Colm’s name the same way Sean did, like it was two words Col-lum. Arthur had always thought that was just a Sean quirk but apparently not.Sounded stupid though.
- The bastard had nearly eight thousand stored on his horse.
Either the O’Driscolls have been pulling in some big scores or that’s a lot more than three damn jobs.
He gave it all to Dutch, to the gang. Said that’s what he was trying to find us to do.
Dutch is taking all this as a sign our luck is changing but I cannot help but be suspicious –
Dutch returned to the warmth, and to share the good news with the others, assuming Lenny hadn’t already told them. Javier took up Lenny’s post on guard. Dutch had clapped a hand to Duffy’s shoulder, making the kid flinch, and gave Arthur the instructions to find somewhere for their new friend to stay, at least for the night.“You can put your horse in the barn with the others,” Arthur said, leading the way and not waiting to see if Duffy was following.“Thanks. I – I’m real sorry about leading them O’Driscolls right to ‘ya. It weren’t my intention. I thought I had a better lead on them than I did.”Arthur pushed open the barn doors, and let them fall closed when Duffy was inside. He waited, leaning against the wall, as the kid removed his mare’s tack and brushed her down. The kid was muttering to his horse the entire time,“You be good now, Bran. They’re nice horses, you’ll see.”When he was finished Arthur spoke up.“I ain’t concerned about you leading the O’Driscolls here. What concerns me is how you knew we was here at all.”It’s only the two of them in the barn, but Duffy looks frantically around as if he’s expecting to see someone else, someone who can intervene. Arthur hopes, he really does, that it’s being alone with someone being so confrontational that is making Duffy panic, as if he doesn’t know how to answer the question.He knows this paranoia is unfounded. Duffy just killed Colm and saved Dutch’s life. But he cannot bring himself to give anyone who wears the O’Driscoll colours the benefit of the doubt, even if they have the trust of Dutch.(And there is a traitorous thought that keeps reminding him that Micah has Dutch’s trust.)“It’s a simple question, boy. You said outside you was looking for us. How did you know we was here?”“I- I-“ Duffy is backed up against the stall wall, and his horse has picked up on his fear, her eyes wide and body shaking. “I didn’t know you was here. I overheard some of the others talking. They said that – that some of Dutch’s Boys had been at the Adler ranch. That’s where I was heading, I swear.”“Dutch trusts you,” Arthur says, and Duffy relaxes slightly. The kid puts his hand on his horse’s neck, and pets her gently. “And that’ll be enough for most fellers here. But you turned on your old gang real quick, boy – ““I told you, I hated them! I hated Colm. I – I heard things here was different, that Dutch was different. I – ““Just know that I’ll be keeping an eye on you. You even think about turning on us and I will kill you.”He leaves without waiting for a response. With two deaths and two missing, and John looking more and more like he’ll be joining Davey and Jenny with each moment that passes the camp at Colter was a cheerless place.Colm’s death had changed that. Sure, they were still freezing, starving, mourning their lost family and severely low on money but the atmosphere had lightened somewhat. While most of the camp at Ewing Basin had been destroyed their scouting party had found a few bottles of something potently alcoholic that had miraculously survived. Combined with the venison from the previous day’s successful hunt it was almost a party, although one far more subdued than the average van der Linde party. The only ones not caught up in the celebratory mood were Mrs Adler and Arthur himself. And John, on account of him being either asleep or unconscious for most of the celebration.Arthur could understand Sadie Adler’s aversion to the festive mood. The woman’s grief was raw and feral, and something that seemed almost obscene for others to witness, especially people like them. Abigail had to stop her from attacking Duffy the moment she heard what gang he used to ride with, although her rage lessened when she learnt he’d been the one to kill Colm.What Arthur couldn’t understand was his own reluctance to join the raised spirits. He should be happy – he was happy – that Colm was dead, that this mad feud was finally over. And Dutch’s reckless plan to steal the O’Driscoll’s take was just as dead as the man who planned the robbery.(And that was definitely a good thing. He’d overheard Duffy telling Hosea the plan was to rob someone called Cornwall and judging from the older man’s reaction he wasn’t someone they should be messing with, especially when things were already going so badly for them.)And while eight thousand was barely a fraction of the damned Blackwater money or their abandoned stash it certainly solved all their immediate money troubles. Hopefully it meant that Strauss wouldn’t have to start up his predatory money lending the moment they left the mountains.It was perfect.But that was the problem. So many issues solved by the sudden appearance of an ex-O’Driscoll.Arthur strongly doubted in the existence of a higher power but if one did exist then it certainly wasn’t looking out for people like them.It was about an hour after the drinks started and Pearson served up the surprisingly tasty stew that Dutch slipped out of the old town hall. While Dutch had made his typical Dutch speech (all full of turning luck and new beginnings) he’d been otherwise subdued, ignoring the attention of Miss O’Shae and even avoiding Hosea’s company.After a few moments hesitation Arthur followed him. It was mostly out of concern for his mentor but also party because Mary-Beth had marched over to him and said that if he didn’t stop glaring at Kieran Duffy whenever he attempted to speak to her then all of his clothing would ‘mysteriously’ end up full of holes.Arthur definitely wasn’t happy about Duffy’s clear attraction to Mary-Beth and even less about the fact that she obviously wasn’t opposed to the idea but he’d learnt from a young age to never anger the women in charge of the laundry.On the way out he’d passed by Bill, who had been on guard duty, so he didn’t even need Dutch’s fresh prints in the snow to tell him where the man had gone. Colm’s body was exactly where it had fallen. Crows had been at it and one eye was already gone.“A part of me is almost disappointed” Dutch said, once Arthur was at his side.“Mourning for Colm?” Arthur asked.“Never. I just – after what he did –“ Dutch sighed. “I wanted him to suffer.”Dutch’s eyes were fixed on Colm’s body, but Arthur knew he was staring years into the past, at another body left to rot at the entrance to their camp.“So… are we just gonna leave it lying there?”Dutch shrugged, “Might as well. Weather will break soon so we won’t be here much longer. And with the cold it ain’t gonna stink. And I am quite fond of the idea of watching nature reclaim this bastard’s body. Almost poetic, given how much he took from the world.”That was a good point. Not the part of watching animals eat Colm’s slightly frozen corpse but the part about the cold preserving it.“We could move it into one of the huts we ain’t using.”“Arthur. You’re not suggesting we treat Colm O’Driscoll with any sort of respect are you?” Dutch’s voice was as cold as the air around them.“’Course not. It’s just… well, ain’t his bounty for dead or alive?”
- We’ll be leaving this godforsaken mountain the moment the snow lets up. Taking Colm O’Driscoll with us, too. Not a sentence I ever thought I’d write or say. I just hope he’s kept fresh enough to claim that bounty. Last I heard he was nearing seven thousand.
Might be something to this bounty hunting business. Could be good to be hunter and not the hunted for once.
Never thought we’d be riding with a living O’Driscoll, either. But that Kieran kid is sticking with us.
We’re set for Horseshoe Overlook near a livestock town called Valentine. It’s further east than I ever wanted to go but Hosea knows the country, says it’s a good place to lie low.
We shall see.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Hosea was right.The Heartlands, and Horseshoe Overlook, were beautiful. True, the air was damper and colder than Arthur liked and he longed for the endless west, but it was safe and quiet and with the money stolen from the O’Driscolls and Colm’s bounty they were in a good place to start rebuilding. Without the pressing need for money, they could even stick to lower paying but legal work. And if Strauss did engage in any of his ‘business’, well, they could take their time before collecting on the debts. While Dutch was clearly angry at losing out on the Cornwall bonds Arthur was pleased the robbery hadn’t gone ahead. If Cornwall was as powerful as Hosea said he was then drawing his attention would’ve been the same as drawing the attention of every Pinkerton and bounty hunter in New Hanover and West Elizabeth.Not that he’d tell Dutch that, of course.Hosea had managed to diplomatically sooth Dutch’s feelings, pointing out that the bonds would be hard to shift, and would likely have to be sold at a fraction of their worth. Their newfound cash, the majority of which was legally earned, was far less conspicuous.But the best part of the new camp wasn’t the safety it represented or the fresh start it promised but the fact that Micah Bell spent as little time there as he possibly could, apparently holed up near Strawberry instead.The man was clearly seething over the fact that he wasn’t Dutch’s favourite anymore. While Arthur wasn’t happy about Dutch’s immediate trust of the ex-O’Driscoll, even if the man had killed Colm, as his sudden and fortuitous appearenece in their lives was too convenient, he had to admit that it was funny watching Micah’s pathetic attempts to get Dutch’s attention after the man called on Lenny and Kieran to ride ahead and check for surprises at their new home. As for Kieran. Well, Arthur had to admit he seemed nice enough. Harmless, but a bit odd. He was eager to do any chore around camp that needed doing, he was good was horses, a decent shot with a repeater and Mary-Beth seemed taken by him.But he was odd. He was skilled with the gang’s horses in a way a newcomer shouldn’t be. He knew what treats were loved by which horse, he pre-empted Taima’s trick of unhitching herself and avoided The Count when the stallion tried to bite him. When Arthur had questioned him about this he’d just shrugged and said he was good with horses. He switched between a strange confidence and jumping at his own shadow. He slept less than anyone else in the camp. And he constantly had his nose buried in a notebook, scribbling away and muttering to himself.And on their first day in the new camp, while everyone was setting up the tents and wagons and unpacking, Dutch had told Kieran and Lenny to take Colm’s body into town and claim on the bounty.(“It’s your kill, son. Just remember that the gang gets its share”)But despite the urgency of getting that body out of their camp as soon as possible Kieran had instead wandered over to small tree behind where Pearson had set up the chuckwagon, an axe over his shoulder and started working on chopping it down.“What are you doing? Didn’t Dutch tell you to get into town?”“Firewood,” was Duffy’s one word response, not even looking around at Arthur, or pausing in his mission."We got enough firewood for now. This ain’t a vital task, Duffy.”“Well.” chop “Maybe this tree.” chop “Offended me.” chop “Personally.” The axe got stuck and Duffy braced a foot against the trunk and pulled the axe out, the effort making him stagger. “You ever think of that? Huh, Arthur?” He swung the axe again but Arthur caught it and twisted it out of his hands.“Just get to town and claim the damn bounty. It weren’t a suggestion and this tree ain’t going anywhere.”“Don’t I know it,” Duffy replied, kicking the trunk before spitting on the ground near it and storming off. Arthur was relived to see him load the unpleasant package onto the back of Branwen before he and Lenny rode out of camp.Arthur leant the axe against the partially chopped trunk and walked around the tree, curious. Aside from being a bit shorter than the surrounding trees it looked no different to any other tree near the camp.What the hell had this thing done to hurt him? Kieran and Lenny returned a few days later, ten thousand dollars richer. The delay had been because the sheriff had difficulty in getting the money, not because they were recognised, thankfully. For the second time Kieran handed over a fortune to Dutch and the gang, keeping under a thousand for himself. And half of that he gave to Lenny to apologise for hitting him with his horse.And then he’d gone straight back to chopping down the damn tree, and hadn’t stopped until the entire thing was in the pile of ready to use firewood.Odd guy.