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Author's Chapter Notes:
TONKAWA SPRINGS, TEXAS (1875)
* * * * *

From THE MEMOIRS OF "MALARKEY" JOHNSON

"It was Dooley who arrived at the Crown-Bar-C, first. He rode up to the front porch of the ranch house, bold as brass, and called out for Ezekiel Cousins, himself. And, when Cousins finally deigned to step outside?"

"It was with a double-barrel shotgun at the ready."

" 'You got a lotta nerve showin' your face around here, Injun,' he growled."

"Dooley gave him a lop-sided smile afore replyin'."

" 'Now, is that anyway to talk to your newlywed son-in-law...Pa?' "

"I wish I'd been there to see the bulgin' of Cousins' eyes when he heard that. I've no doubt it would've been the identical reaction on everyone else's faces!"

" 'That ain't funny,' Cousins finally managed to snarl: 'You call me that, again, and I'll blow your head off.' "

"Dooley's own eyes must've narrowed a lot when he heard that."

" 'You still man enough to try...cabron?' "

"It must've been one tense stand-off for them first few seconds. Especially with his boys, and all of their ranch hands, probably gatherin' around behind Dooley, by that point!"

"But, true to the plan they'd worked out aforehand, Dooley had gotten everyone so focused on him that they plum forgot about Becky!"

"Which is exactly how she wanted it."

* * * * *

"Hello, Daddy!"

The voice was naturally like thunder. But, there was no mistaking it.

"B-B-Becky?" the cattle baron nervously stammered.

In response, a bare right foot placed itself on the ground, directly between Cousins and the blue grullo Morab called Gunmetal.

"Now, Daddy," continued that sweet (yet-still-almost-deafening) voice: "Dooley's goin' to ask you a question. And, I want you to give him a Gospel-true answer. Because, if you don't? Well, watch this."

Instantly, three sets of clothes began to shower on to the ground from above the eaves trough of the porch roof. Each article of clothing followed by a high-pitched shriek of protest! And, it was only when three gun belts (containing Colt Peacemakers with gold-inlaid walnut grips) concluded that shower that Cousins knew what had just transpired.

"Shad? Shach?? Abe?!"

His triplet sons all replied in undisguised terror.

"Pa! Help!"

"Do as she says!"

"She's gonna swallow us, buck-naked, otherwise!"

Cousins immediately ran out from beneath the front porch and looked towards the gable of the roof. Sure enough; a thirty foot-tall redhead was holding her brothers aloft over her wide-open jaws! This naturally prompted the cattle baron to spin about, one hundred eighty degrees, his shotgun instinctively leveled at the San Blas Kid.

Only to find both of the latter's revolvers already trained on him.

"Tell her to let 'em go, you...!"

"You heard the terms, viejo!" the younger man interrupted him: "She lets 'em go when you answer my question."

Cousins reluctantly lowered the shotgun, so that both of its barrels pointed toward the ground.

"What do you wanna know?"

The San Blas Kid's grin was utterly shameless.

"Where's Prairie Wolf call home these days?"

Cousins struggled not to give forth with the rebuttal he truly wanted to utter.

"He's ridin' with the Valdez gang, nowadays. Out of a pueblo somewhere south of the Big Bend."

And, with that, the young pistolero re-holstered his double-action Starr, so he could use his left hand to tip the slouched brim of his gray Stetson in gratitude. All before galloping away with a loud "Hey-yah!"

To be continued
Chapter End Notes:
Sorry for the long delay, guys. As usual, I just have too many literary irons in the fire.
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