Back Alley

Snake walked his horse to the livery stable. After making arrangement with the blacksmith for care of the horse, Snake carried his belongings back up the main street headed for the Cattlemen’s Hotel. As he passed an alley next to a small white church he heard a muffled cry. Looking down the alley he saw three men in the shadows. Snake entered the alley carefully.

As he approached the men Snake saw what was happening. A young woman lay on the ground, struggling against a fourth man, who lay over her. The girl’s gingham dress was torn and tattered. Her straw-colored hair was in disarray. The man on top of her held one hand over her mouth while he torn more of the girl’s dress away. Snake saw that one small, pointed breast had been exposed. The man was spreading the girl’s legs with his knees.

“Do her, Roy!” one of the standing men urged.

“Yeah, fuck her good!” another encouraged.

“Can’t wait to stick my dick into that sweet pussy,” the third stated.

Roy, the man lying over the young woman, grunted and panted as he ripped away more of her dress. He reached down and began unbuttoning his pants.

“I don’t think the lady appreciates your attention, gentlemen.” Snake’s voice stopped the action.

“Shit, boy, go mind your own business!” the man closest to Snake threatened.

“I think you better let the lady go, now!” Snake replied.

As he spoke, one of the men drew his revolver. Snake was faster – a lot faster. A single shot rang out. One of the men dropped into the dirt, a 44 slug in the heart. A second man made a move toward his gun.

“You want to end up like your buddy?” Snake pointed his smoking pistol at the man. He moved his gun toward Roy, who now lay still over the girl. “You! Get up off of the lady!”

Roy struggled to his feet. “Don’t shoot, son, we were only having some fun,” he cowered toward the back of the alley. The woman, sobbing, sat up in the dust. She tried to wrap part of her tattered dress around her small, firm tits.

The shot had attracted attention. Five or six men came running down the alley. Snake saw that the man in the lead was wearing a star. He had his pistol drawn “What the hell’s going on here?” the lawman demanded. He saw the man lying in the dirt and pointed his pistol at Snake. “Put that gun down, son!”

“No, Marshall,” the girl, still sobbing, spoke up. “These men, they were…they were going to…and then he tried to stop them. That one,” she pointed toward the dead man, “was going to shoot him. He had to shoot.”

The Marshall surveyed the scene for a moment. He turned to the other men who had come down the alley with him. “Take the guns from these pigs and drag them down to the jail. Get Emmet to come pick up the body.” He then bent over and helped the girl to her feet. “Come on, Miss Reilly, we’ll get you home quietly.” The Marshall turned to Snake, “I want to talk with you, young man. Follow us!”

The Marshall escorted the young woman down a side street and around the corner. They stopped in front of a brick house. “You go on in, Miss Reilly. I’ll go speak with your Paw.” The girl walked up the steps and entered the house.

The Marshall turned to Snake. “What’s your name, young man?”

“Robert Lee Jackson, sir. I really did try to get them to stop. That one pulled his gun…”

“Robert,” the Marshall interrupted, “those drifters were no good scum. You did us a favor. Since you seemed to save the only daughter of our mayor, I expect you’re going to be pretty popular around here.”

Snake followed the Marshall down the street. “You showed some grit facing four men. Would you be interested in serving as a deputy?”

Snake smiled.