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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