POWDER RIVER, A PETTYGREE WESTERN ACT 2

 

PREVIOUSLY

https://generalpettygree.blogspot.com/2024/11/powder-river-pettygree-western-chp-1.html

Nathan Burdette's Gang robbed gold from Peabody's Mine Co. Trading Post and escaped. Later....

Marshall Chance later arrived at the post and sent a deputy back to town for a posse. While....

Previously and elsewhere Burdette's son Matt was taken captive by The Lakota Red Hat as we resume our story at the latter's Village in....  

ACT 2 - WARPATH

"Yip; Hip!, Hiyah, Hiyah!," exclaimed Redstick. 

"Red Hat's war party arrives bringing in...."

"Captive, Matt Burdette."

"Let me go. I ain't done nuthin'," cried Matt.

"You lie!," charged Red Hat. "Take him to my lodge."

"Wait! What are yah gunna' do with me?"

On his pony facing Matt, the father of Running Water answered, "We wait until sundown." 

All then expressed approval shouting "Hoye!, Hoye!"

LATER

"Look, the father Burdette comes," shouted Standing Bear.

"There's the village. They're comn' to parlay," said Burdette.

Red Hat rode straight to Burdette asking, "The ransom?"

"He answered, "Back on the pack horse. Where's my son?"

"Behind us," said Red Hat. "Now we trade."

 

"Snake, bring up the pack horse," ordered Burdette.

Yesss, boss," he answered.

As the ransom was taken away....

Red Hat brought Matt Burdette forward.

He exclaimed, "Pa, I sure am glad to see you!"

"Never mind the jawing. Snake has a mount for you. Git."

"What'd you do, boye? You cost me my stake fer Californy! Mount up afore I let thisss here horse go," hissed Snake. 

"Shut up Snake! Move son before the Lakotas change their minds. We'll be lucky to git outta here alive," said Burdette.

But instead, Matt turned around to face the village, walked forward a might and made an insulting and vulgar gesture at the warrior who had been his guard.

The guard was the brother of  the young woman, Running Water, whom Matt had violated. This additional insult was too much. He aimed and fired.

Instantly killing Matt with a bullet through the head.

As reactive shooting erupted, Burdette, galloped to his son seeing he was dead.

One bullet slew Snake as the Burdette gang galloped away.

"Ride!," shouted a stricken Boss Nathan Burdette.

"Where Pa?," asked the other son, Joe.

"West. Follow the tracks we seen yesterday," said his father.

C TROOP

"C-Troop, Sing Yellow Ribbon!, ordered Sergeant Quincannon.

"Around her hair she wore a yellow ribbon,
She wore it in the springtime, in the merry month of May.

And if you asked her why the heck she wore it,

She wore it for her sweetheart who was in the cavalry.

Far away. Far away.

She wore it for her sweetheart who was far, far away."

"Well done men. Now let's hear....," but he was interrupted by Bugler Daws.

"Sergeant, there's somthn' a stirring to the left."   

"Trooper, when you've been out here as long as me, one Lakota just means they want to keep an eye on our doings. Tis curious they are. Besides the war is over. Most of 'em went into Canada or back to their agencies since last year."

"But Sergeant," said Daws.

"The Lootenant' has taken notice of 'em."

"Aye Trooper, a good eye you have and now, what's this?"

"The Captain just hurried forward to the scouts. They must have something to say."

"Report," ordered Captain Brittles.

"Many Lakota," said White Cloud.

"Where?"

"There."

"Hmm. - Not too many," said the Captain. "Watch 'em and report any change without delay." 

"I'm going back to the column."

Closing Remarks

What about:

1. Marshall Chance and his posse?

and

2. Mr. Peabody who chased Burdette after the robbery and shootout at his trading Post?

COME BACK IN TWO WEEKS FOR

POWDER RIVER'S

ACT 3 - SURROUNDED

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POWDER RIVER, A PETTYGREE WESTERN ACT 1

Recently a thrilling adventure featuring profound dilemmas, cruelty and heroism came to my attention. Thinking you will find its dramatic intensity entertaining, I have the pleasure to present it in serial format during the coming weeks.

The story began in June 1877, one year after The Battle of The Little Big Horn in The Dakota Territory with two men atop a ridge near....

PEABODY'S MINE COMPANY

"Even with only one good eye, there she finally be Boss, Peabody's Mine Trad'n Post. Looksss quiet," said Snake.

"No varmints or competition for our trade goods then," grinned Burdette. "Good!"

"Alright, Snake, let's go."

"Two riders are com'n in slow with a pack horse," said Polly. 

"Howdy strangers. My name's Hank, son of the owner. This here's my sister, Polly. What can we do for you?"

"Ma' name's Nathan Burdette. We got goods to trade and a powerful thirst." 

"You've come to the right place, the only place hereabouts anyway. Take yer horses around to your right, tie 'em up and come in. Polly go fetch dad, will you?" inquired Hank.

"Any trouble with the Lakota?," wondered Burdette.

"Most have quieted down after The Little Big Horn last year and what with the Army chasing 'em afterwards. There are one or two renegade bands still off their reservation hunt'n buffalo but there ain't none within two hundred miles," reckoned Hank.

"C'mon in men. Whiskey?," asked Hank.

"Whisssskey'll do and a bath," said Snake.

"Sure thing! Coming right up."

"Nicccce place," stated Snake.

"Much obliged," said Hank.

As three cowboys quietly appeared riding toward the post.

Moments later a gunshot came from within the building  and a woman screamed.

Burdette's son Joe, shouted, "Pa and Snake are running out of the building. Fire through the doorway. Cover 'em!"

Hank fell hard struck by a bullet as Snake laughed and hissed.

 

The two robbers jogged to their horses, mounted, spurred them hard and joined the others. Boss Burdette shouted, "We got the gold. Let's get out 'a here!"

"Californy, here we come," shouted Snake.

Then from around the right....

A Winchester 73 and Colt 45 fired wildly at the fugitives.

"Did we hit them while we was a runnin' Frank?" 

"Hard to say, sir, with all the dust and we couldn't stop to take better aim," said Frank.

"Duck!," bellowed, Mr. Peabody.

"Hey Pa," said Joe, "I'll fire a shot to keep 'em back."

"Joe, ferget it. You'll get killed," yelled Boss Burdette. "Ride!"

LATER THAT DAY

"Miss Polly, what happened?," asked Marshall John Chance.

"A robbery Marshall. My brother Hank is near death and our gold was stolen," said Polly. "Dad and Frank rode west pursuing the gang but they're outnumbered five to two!"

"We'll get 'em, Miss Polly," said Chance. "Ryan, ride back to town. Get back here fast with a posse, a week's rations and plenty of cartridges."

"Right away Marshall." He doffed his hat to Polly stylishly turned about and galloped away raising a cloud of dust. "Heyahh!"

"Oh Marshall!, exclaimed Polly. "My brother, dad... What's to become of...."

"We'll make things right Polly. Burdette and his gang won't escape forever. Some of the Army is still in Wyoming and Montana. I'll wire Forts Phil Kearney and Fetterman to be on the lookout for the scoundrels. If we don't get them, maybe some scattered Lakotas still hot and not reporting back to the agencies will." 

MEANWHILE, TWENTY MILES AWAY 

A war party of Lakota Sioux had indeed not yet reported back to The Spotted Tail Agency.

To the captive, Red Hat sneered, "Do not fall or your fate will be decided now instead of later." Matt, the terrified son of Nathan Burdette increased his speed.

"Hoppo!," [Let us go/hurry], shouted Red Hat.

The other warriors loudly exclaimed approval saying, "Hoye!" 

COME BACK IN TWO WEEKS FOR

WARPATH!

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CLOSING REMARKS

Decades ago USA movie theatre patrons viewed serial westerns. Powder River is my first installment homage to that celebrated tradition. Respectfully, Bill P.

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