“All right now. We will most likely be
invaded by the dern Militia any day now. I have a sheet of special directions
for each family. Ever body, pack all yer belongin’s. We’re leavin’ Alabama. Day
after tomorrow. We won’t be leavin’ together. Each family has their own special
directions fer getting’ outta here. We’re goin’ to more fertile money and riches
huntin’ grounds. We split up like this, who they gonna chase, Huh? Once yer
clear of this area, make your way to th’ big river, go upriver to the mouth of
th’ Arkansas river. I got a map in there fer ya. Three months from today, all
meet up near Little Rock at th’ place I tell ya in th’directions. We will have
at least a section of Homestead Land secured by then. We’ve got a lotta money
now from our business we did so profitably and so well during th’ war. We’ll
live well on our new land, while we get organized to start business as usual up
there, with a lot less problems facin’ us that we have here. Yer share of th’
money will be passed out ta’ each family when you arrive. You don’t wanta come,
that’s fine with me. You can start over on your own, if that’s what you want,
no skin off my back. Up ta’ you. Jest means, more money for th’ rest of us.”
Slim then passed out a small travel
allowance for each family.
That’s all. Now git ta’ packin’!”
When the Governor’s Militia arrived at the
Clan’s compound four days later, they found, to their surprise, absolutely no
resistance. The place was deserted. The Militia celebrated. Most had expected
that at least half their number would die there, because everybody knew the
clan were all experts with their buffalo guns. Even the kids. Scouts reported
twenty or more fresh sets of wagon tracks, all going in different directions.
“Ever which way,” as one scout reported. Not really much way to follow them.
So, they camped that night and had a big party.
The Dudley’s shacks made a great bonfire. They were going to get home
alive, after all. Then they went home. Quickly. The Governor was happy, telling
all who would listen that he had run the Dudley Clan out of Alabama. And, he
still had all of his Militia, intact. A win-win situation.
But on the down side, the Dudley Clan
would live to kill another day. In Arkansas. Another plan made in Hell, for all
their Arkansas victims-to-be.
So I guess, after everything is said and
done, it could be said;
Samantha ran the Dudley Clan clean
out of Alabama.
*
Samantha had
proven in Little Rock what a fine waitress she was. She worked for some time at
an upscale restaurant in Little Rock. Though word had spread slowly across the
South of her prowness with the big gun, she was not as well known here as she
was in Nashville. She never forgot the success brought to her when her skill
became well known in Nashville, and Samantha dreamed of owning her own
restaurant. She worked hard to maintain her skill in her spare time. Word of
her skill soon spread among those who spent time at the shooting range, and she
was approached about entering a local shoot. Sam did, and won easily, and she
slowly saw an increase in her tips at the restaurant, and more people
requesting her as their waitress. But it was not like Nashville.
Samantha reasoned that surely, Slim was
not still looking for her, after all this time, and so far away. So, for the
next shooting contest coming up, well down the line, she let her red hair grow,
and worked at washing out all the black. So, at the next event, she again blew
away all comers. But this time, she had
allowed her hair to blossom; Long, bright red curls fell across her shoulders.
There just seemed to be something magical about hair such as Samantha’s, along
with her beautiful dimples. The fact that it was common knowledge now that she
could outshoot any man in Little Rock, hands down, didn’t hurt any, either.
Almost immediately following the second
contest, the tips and increased business from the restaurant began to once
again roll in. Over time, she was getting rich. Now, her dream was beginning to
seem reachable.
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