Part Two - Dead-eye Sam

The Business of the Dudley’s – 

Great grandpa Will and his wife Serenity had first brought their family to Talladega County many years ago. He was the mastermind. He laid out his plan for the future of the clan they would establish. Both Will and Serenity were redheads, and this trait had been passed on to three of their four children. He was a highly educated man. He had a high teaching position at a respected institution of higher learning in the East, but he had been dismissed when it became common knowledge that he had a tendency to do things not acceptable for one placed in such a high station in life. He was forced to gather up his family and move west, out of the state. This had to be done quickly, as the rumors were spread that a farewell party was being planned for him, involving tar, feathers, and a rail.

     Once a very remote, untraveled plot of land was obtained and a cabin was built, he laid out a plan for the future of his Clan. His rules:

1.       Travel at least two days away from Taladega.  Find a lonely farm with no close neighbors to be disturbed by the clan’s activities. Using a long ranged buffalo gun, ambush the men from hiding.

2.       Quickly go in and kill any survivors;  leave no one to tell the tale.

3.       Gather up valuables and money, and take the most valuable livestock.

4.       Quickly make the pre-planned getaway back to Taladega County, using a round-about way to provide the most cover.

5.       One man of the clan was trained as a likable, good natured, traveling peddler, selling what they did not need, far away from the hapless farmer it was stolen from. (Over the years, as the clan grew, more peddlers were trained.)

     Will was a wise man. He realized that his children and future offspring would need a mate. But marrying an outsider increased the chances of clan activities being found out. But If they intermarried,  inbreeding would eventually affect the health of the entire clan. On the other hand, if they selected young children from among their victims, too young to realize what was going on, and integrated them into the clan, it would be possible to avoid inbreeding. To this end, no children over six years old were ever taken into the clan. Four years old was considered ideal. Large enough to ride a horse in the escape, yet easily brainwashed into the ways of the clan. Also, each marriage within the clan was arranged by the leader. An excess of young girls would be ideal, to reward the young men who best fitted the clan’s business needs with an extra wife. Or maybe two. It was understood that any man who rose to the position of clan leader had conjugal rights with any non-related female, married or unmarried, over the age of fourteen.

     Will was a prideful man. He desired a legacy. He and his wife were red heads. He desired to produce a clan of “Fightin,’ Flamin,’ and Fearsome" redheads,” never bothering their neighbors in Talladega
County, yet staying aloof from all around them, never accepting any visitors. “If we leave Talladega County alone, they will leave us alone.” All business of the clan would be conducted far from Talladega County. A plan born in Hell for the Dudley’s.

     To facilitate Will’s desires to produce a clan of mostly redheads, he decreed that any child of any of their victims who was fortunate (unfortunate?) enough to have red hair and was under six years old, would never be injured in any way, and treated like the treasure they were. They would be returned to the clan to be brainwashed, then integrated into the clan. Red hair is a recessive trait, Will knew, and his businessmen may have to travel far and wide to find suitable children to maintain the next generation of redheads.

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Many years later -

“Get your gear together. Doodle Bug. Just got back from a little scoutin’ trip up into th’ northwestern part uv th’ state. Found two prime customers fer ya to pay a little visit to. Both are remote farms, seem ta be doin’ well. Nice hosses, nobody livin’ near to hear or see anything. Plenty of cover to shoot from.

       “Th’ big farm by the river is uv special interest to me. Three kids, youngest about four, a purty little redhead. Brightest red hair you will ever see. Just what Dolly’s been wantin’ fer a long time. Young enough that she won’t remember much of anything. Kill all th’ others, but if you damage that chile, or touch improperly, Dolly will know. I’ll hang ya out ta dry. Take four mules an’ th’ two best wagons, gonna be a little rough gettin’ thare.  Some have new lookin’ farm equipment, should bring top dollar. Be ready to move at daylight tomorrow. Doodle Bug already has th’ getaway scouted out. It may be a little rough, but plenty of cover. Now go get everthang ready. Doodle Bug will fill ya in on th’ trail.”

      The three young men rose and headed out the door. Bo hesitated. “Kin I take that big red stallion we got in last week? I shore been wantin’ ta take that big stud our fer a ride. What a hoss he is!”

      Slim was shaking his head. “Now, you know bettern’ that. We gotta sell that hoss. He stands out too much, and anybody could recognize him. No, we only take hosses on business trips that blend in with all the other hosses out there. Ya never know when somebody might recognize him. You been on three business trips a’ready. When you gonna wise up?” Bo hung his head, said no more, and trudged on out to begin his task.

     Slim spat a long brown stream out the door, went back to his desk, and sat down. Seemed like this young man would never learn. The Dudley’s had been in business in Talladega County for generations. They had done well, though times right now were a little slow. It was getting harder and harder to hold things together, what with all the long trips there, all the killing and robbing, the long hard getaway back to Talladega, then the long sales trips by the peddlers.

      It would only take one good mess-up by one stupid kid to bring the business down. No more stupid question from Bo. Slim would have to arrange a little accident, and Bo would disappear. Can’t tolerate stupidity.

     At daylight the next day, the four men were on the trail. Jace and Darryl handled the wagons, with their horses tied behind in case the loaded wagons had to be abandoned in the getaway in favor of maximum speed. Doodle Bug led the way. Billy Boy followed behind, often dropping back to make sure nobody followed. Bo was not to be found. Slim had found a different errand for Bo at the last moment, he had said. He was replaced by Darryl. All the horses were choice animals, the pick of the Dudley herd. Once a getaway was in progress, nobody was likely to catch this crew.   To be continued -