Without that trust, men were no different from animals.
At any rate, if Preacher thought that he’d be betraying the trust of these members of his flock by sharing too much about them, then so be it.Caleb could live with that.He’d still find them.All that aside, if the minister wanted to talk, he was willing to listen.
What he wanted most was to bring back Doc Burnett.There was no point in explaining.Doc meant nothing to the preacher.But if Caleb’s friend was with them outlaws and he was hurt…or dead…then the gates of Hell would be swinging wide to welcome a few more residents.
And if Sheila’s father never came home, Caleb knew he’d have to look into her eyes and carry that failure too.
“I won’t lie to you,” Preacher began.“Knowing you’re going after that particular band of road agents, I’m struggling a bit.But there are a few things that sit heavy on my heart.Things that you should know.”
“You say what you want to say.I ain’t pushing you.”
The minister nodded.“I won’t tell you how to find their camp.But seeing what I saw last night, you saving the lives of those two fellows, and this morning with this…this…” His gaze drifted down the trail before coming back to Caleb’s face.“You have a strong relationship with the land.I know you’ll find where they’re hiding.”
It was good to know he had this man’s confidence.
“But once you find them, you should know this.They’re not the people you think they are.”
“You have to speak plainer than that, Reverend.”
“They are not murderous dogs, like a few others living out here.”
“There are two dead stagecoach men they left behind this week.I’m afraid that contradicts your opinion of them.Aside from that, two other men are missing, and I fear for their lives as well.”
“I don’t know anything about that robbery.I wasn’t there, so I don’t know what caused the bloodshed.But for all I know, it might not have been them.It might have been some other gang.”The preacher dabbed at the blood still oozing from the wounds on his arms.“I can only speak of the men I have met.They welcomed me to their fire.They shared their story with me.I’m telling you it’s not their way to kill in cold blood.”
“Go on.”
“They do target the Wells Fargo strongboxes.That’s all they want.Their grudge is against the company itself.That’s who they want to hurt.”
“Why?”
“Revenge.”
Caleb’s face must have reflected his doubts.He’d known plenty of fellas who justified their misdeeds in their own minds with exactly that excuse.
“Do you want to hear the story?”
“It depends who told it to you,” Caleb replied.“Was it the leader of this outfit?Cuz I’ve heard more tales that go from mouth to mouth, getting embellished every time another fella tells it.Did you know Pecos Bill lassoed a twister and dug the Rio Grande?”
“This ain’t one of those stories.”The minister glared at him.“I sat around the fire with five members of the gang.The leader doesn’t hold with showing himself.He keeps to his cabin when I’ve been there.But he was that far away.”He motioned to the far side of the creek.
That information alone was helpful.If the preacher was right—and there was no reason to think otherwise—there were six men in that outfit.
“When was this?”
“Maybe a month ago.No more than that.”He pulled his vest on gingerly.
“How about if we get ourselves back to the camp and get a coat on you.This story can wait.”
Preacher shook his head.“No, I’m fine.I want to tell you about them, but I only want to share it with you.”
“Okay.I’m listening.”
“The leader of this gang wasn’t always an outlaw.He was a respectable man.”
“That’s often the case, Preacher.”
“Some fifteen years ago, when the war broke out, he left his wife and children to do his duty.He enlisted in the Illinois Regiment.From the account I heard, he was a good soldier, got promoted, then was seriously wounded at Vicksburg.”
