41 - Samantha

     The plan worked perfectly. Sam stayed hidden in the bushes, while Ross approached. As luck would have it, Slim himself walked out to talk to Ross.

     “Look like you folks gotta lot of work goin’ on here. I could sure use a job.”

     Slim was cautious. “Well, right now, we’re jest settin’ up. Ya might check back later, couple of weeks. Might have a place fer ya.’”

     “I’ll do that. Shore am obliged.”

                                                 

     Two days later, a plan was in place. LaFayette explained carefully.

     “These folks at Atkins don’t know me well yet. They would argue that they hired me to police the city of Atkins. So, a large posse is out of the question. I really have no authority up in those hills. But if we could hit them at daylight, make them think we do have a large posse, maybe we can handle this ourselves. Only you and I, Samantha, realize the danger if we let them get established. No telling how many men they will have in a month. We have to hit them now.”

      “Ross, we’ll both carry two pistols, an our repeater rifles. Sam will have two repeaters, locked an loaded.”

     “We’ll move in before daylight. They have no reason to think anyone up here knows them yet, so I doubt they will have guards out, but they might. I’ll be on the left, Ross on th’ right. Close enough to shoot well. Sam will be out front, 100 yards out, but good shootin’ range for her. Sam only shoots to scare. A ball through a hat, or bouncing off their rifle barrel, has a way of takin’ the fight right out of a man. Only Sam has the ability to do that.”  

     “Ross, our job will be to get Slim, capture if possible, which is unlikely. Hit him if we have to.  Sam will kick th’ party off at daylight. Hopefully, most will still be asleep. Kick up a big fuss with that repeater, Sam, close enough to scare um up good.  We watch for Slim. Once he’s out of th’ picture, th’ others will likely head back in th’ hills, with us shootin’ from three sides. Pour in a constant stream of lead. They won’t know but what we have fifty men surrounding em’. Watch out fer th’ kids and women, don’t shoot close ta’ them. But remember, everybody big enough can handle a buffalo gun. Then, we high-tail it back ta’ th’ hosses, an get back ta Atkins fast. We’ll have an extra horse, in case we capture Slim. I’ll leave um a note, tellin’ um ta’ git out of Arkansas fast, cause we’ll be back, and nobody will be spared. If they decide to stay and fight, I’ll have to round up a posse, or however much of one that I can, and try to clean um out. Not sure I can get much of one. Anyway, that’s th’ plan. Now let’s ride.”