Sam spotted them immediately. If they hadn’t been trying so hard not to be seen, he probably wouldn’t have seen them.
At first he expected them to come riding down the hill, most likely shooting at him. When they didn’t, he figured they were just there to watch him. He didn’t mind if they watched him because he wasn’t doing anything—now. He was simply riding back to town.
Suddenly he became aware that there were eight men instead of four. That meant that they would be twice as brave as before.
He was already spurring his horse on when he heard the first shot.
The fact that Big Sam McCall was running from them and not turning to fight them made the eight men, led by Jim Priest and Dan Hitchcock, even braver than before.
This caused several of them to ride faster, leaving behind others whose horses couldn’t keep up. As they stretched out behind Sam McCall they didn’t realize that this made them somewhat less menacing.
The man in front was Len Unger. His horse, a strapping mahogany bay, was the fastest of the eight. It was even starting to cut into the distance between Unger and McCall’s dun.
Sam guessed that they would probably chase him until he was off Burkett property. However, they were so filled with false courage that he could smell it. In such a condition they might chase him to the ends of the earth. He had to do something to deflate their courage.
Without warning Sam reined his dun around to stand sideways. He drew his gun, pointed at the lead man, who by this time was far ahead of the others, and fired. The man fired just a split second before Sam did. His bullet smacked into Sam’s thigh just before Sam’s bullet hit him in the center of his chest.
The impact of the bullet almost made Sam drop his gun. He holstered the weapon and grabbed his saddle pommel with both hands. Actually, he was glad the bullet had hit his thigh. A little to the right or left and the horse would have bought it. With a dead horse he would have been at the mercy of his pursuers.
Satisfied that one dead man would deter the other seven, he turned his horse and headed back to town on the run. He had to get there before loss of blood made him fall out of his saddle.
“Jesus!” Jim Priest shouted when he saw Len Unger.
Priest was the first to reach Unger. He dismounted and checked his fallen comrade.
The others caught up and looked down at Priest.
“One shot, through the chest,” Priest said, looking up at them. “Clean.”
They all looked up at the rapidly dwindling figure of Sam McCall.
“Ah,” Hitchcock said, “let him go.”
“Yeah,” Priest said, standing up, “maybe he let us go, huh?”
Sam stopped only long enough to press his bandanna to the wound and tie it there with his belt. Either it was getting dark, or he was in danger of passing out. If he passed out he only hoped that the horse would find its way back to town.
“It’s getting dark,” Serena said, looking out the front window.
“She’s worried about Sam,” Jubal said to Dude Miller.
“You’re not?” Miller asked.
“Sam can take care of himself,” Evan said.
“Sure,” Serena said, folding her arms beneath her breasts, “we saw that earlier in the week, didn’t we?”
“Serena,” Miller said, “take it easy.”
“I’ll take it easy when he gets back,” she said, turning back to the window.
“Maybe she’s right,” Evan said to Jubal. “Maybe we should go and look for him.”
“Sam’s all right, Evan,” Jubal said. “He don’t need us to look after him. I still think he woulda handled all seven of those—”
“Someone’s coming,” Serena said, suddenly. “On a horse.”
Evan looked at Jubal and said, “Why wouldn’t he take his horse to the livery?”
Rising, Jubal said, “Why don’t we go ask him?”
The four of them went out the front door to meet whoever was approaching. Serena was the first out the door, and as the horse was reined in she ran up to it.
“Sam,” she said, putting her hand on his thigh, “we were so worried.”
She felt something wet and sticky on her hand but before she could say anything Sam suddenly started to fall toward her.
“Sam!”
“Watch out!” Evan said.
He moved Serena out of the way in time to catch Sam before he hit the ground. Jubal rushed forward and took some of his older brother’s weight.
“What’s wrong with him?” Serena asked.
“He’s been shot,” Evan said. “Jube, get the doctor.”
“Dude, help Evan,” Jubal said.
“I’ll get the doctor,” Serena said.
“No, Serena,” Evan said. “Stay here.”
Dude Miller came forward and took Sam’s legs from Jubal, who left to get help.
“Let’s get him inside and see how bad he’s hurt,” Evan said.
Serena went ahead and opened the door, and Miller and Evan carried Sam in.
“Is he all right?” she asked anxiously.
“He’s unconscious,” Evan said.
“Should we take him upstairs?” Miller asked.
“No, no, put him on the sofa,” Evan said, “on the sofa.
Serena, get some water and some clean cloths.”
Serena ran into the kitchen while Evan located the wound. When he found it he removed Sam’s belt and bandanna and tore Sam’s pants so he could look at it.
When Serena came back she said, “Shouldn’t we wait for Doc Leader?”
“At Doc’s age it could take him some time to get here,” Evan said. “I just want to see what we’ve got.”
He grabbed a cloth, wet it, and washed the area around the wound.
“How bad?” Serena asked.
“Could be worse,” Evan said. “It could have hit his horse.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Serena demanded.
Evan looked at her and said, “It means if the bullet had killed his horse he wouldn’t have been able to get away.”
Serena looked contrite and said, “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be,” Evan said.
He took another cloth, folded it, and pressed it to the wound.
“Serena, hold this here,” he said, “we’ve got to slow the bleeding until Doc arrives.”
Serena got down on her knees next to the sofa and pressed her hand to the wound. The torn pants legs was soaked in blood, and Evan tore it the rest of the way down and folded it away from Sam’s leg so he could check for breaks.
“His leg isn’t broken,” Evan said.
“Glad to hear it,” Doc Leader said, entering the room.
“Now everyone out except Serena.”
“Doc—” Serena said.
“And if you’re gonna stay, you’re gonna have to keep quiet.”
Doc hunkered down next to Serena, then looked up at the other men.
“You heard me…out!”
Evan looked at Miller and Jubal and said, “Let’s make some coffee.”
Evan, Jubal and Miller were sitting at the kitchen table when Doc Leader came in.
“He’s fine,” Doc said. He put a basin down on the table. It contained bloody water and a spent bullet. He wiped his hands on a white cloth. “The wound is clean, I got thebullet, and there’s no infection. He’ll be fine. Who’s payin’ my bill?”
“I am,” Evan said.
“I should—” Miller said, but Evan cut him off.
“He’s my brother.”
“We’ll pay the bill,” Jubal said, standing up.
Doc Leader nodded and said, “Put him upstairs in a bed and leave Serena with him. She’ll be a better nurse than any of you.”
“All right, Doc,” Evan said, “thanks.”
“Don’t thank me until I tell you how much I’m charging.”
“Doc,” Evan said, “I don’t care how much you charge.”
Doc Leader grinned and it wasn’t a pretty sight.
“You’re gonna be sorry you said that.”