The man behind the counter sends Laura with your dusty cloths. The men take a bath, no one in there but the water is warm and their are clean towels and soap. Winona can watch the street and see the town is still a bit rowdy and in celebration mode.
Once the men get done, she can slip into the room on the left, three tubs are in here as well, with warm clean water. One of the black river shooters from earlier is relaxing in the tub, she almost looks asleep, though Winona is sure she knows she is there and her gunbelt seems in easy reach om top her boots.
After his bath, Rufus, goes out to spell Winona and allows her to go take a bath.
Once we are done here, lets go get a bite and a drink
He sits down on a chair outside the bathhouse, and just watches the goings on, while just relaxing and waiting.
The baths go by with no interruption. Rufus watches the goings on as he sits in front of her bathhouse. The town seems in a good mood. Bill may have fond Luke finding new hires. Afterwards, you make your way to "Milli's". It seems a popular location, you see town folk and a few of the Black River folks enjoying meals. The food is basic, but not over priced and is both filling and tasty.
Midway though your meal a man approaches you. He is middling hight with long mutton chops, a brown suit and a bower hat. " Afternoon, Charlie's who runs the telegram said you might be looking for some of Gualts fellers that escaped? "
The spoon full of beans that Winona was about to devour clatters back to her plate and she sighs. "I told him specifically not to spread that around."
"Not every member of the gang got plugged in the shootout. I sent a telegram to the Marshal's Service to let 'em know that some of the gang got shot, but not all of 'em."
"Did you see one of 'em sneakin' back in to town or somethin', sir?"
"Huh. Why'd you send a message to the Marshals? You connected with them somehow?"
"I figure the Territorial service might wanna know that Gault's gang lost some strength but are still on the prowl and may be lookin' to recruit or get revenge," says Winona to Flying Eagle. "I can explain more after lunch."
She nods to the fellow who approached the table. "Thank you for taking the time to chat," she says politely. "Did you have more news about the remnants of the gang?"
Notably, now that she's had her bath, she's letting her trail clothes dry, and instead wears a simple brown skirt and blouse and even has a bonnet—a far cry from her usual dusty worker's outfit, an ensemble that fits in with other ladies about the town who might not be spending their days shucking animal pens and catching chickens.
"Well, mam, I heard the Gregor boys didn't seem to be among those in the ground. I reckoned they snuck on back towards their Maws place." He says rubbing his neck "I figured if you were looking to grab that bounty the location might be worth something to you."
With a quick glance at Winona due to the mention of the telegram.
Rufus comments to the fellow that showed up at their table.
Well, I be thinking I might need to get a bit more ammo. Can you direct me to the general store
Not sure if he is being talked to " Yes, its right down the street there. Next to the telegraph office, But Hamilton's is down past the Silver Dollar. He is the towns Gunsmith"
Thanks, I guess I will mosey down there, and take a look after breakfast
He then goes back to eating.
After wrapping himself around a coffee, and breakfast, he will go down to the stores and look around.
Winona dabs her lips with her napkin as she finishes up breakfast and excuses herself to join Rufus at the jaunt to the general store. She waves for Flying Eagle to come along as well.
Rummaging around in her purse (since she's wearing a skirt and, thus, no pockets), she produces a territorial marshal badge.
"Yeah, I'm working for the Marshal Service," she explains. "There have been complaints about range-busting and wragling in the region, with some tall tales thrown in, and I've been keeping an eye out. The Gault Gang was definitely one of the problems that I'm glad we've hit, though it sounds like the survivors are gonna try to regroup. Since they know the terrain locally better than we do, best we make ready for a little follow-up or ambush at some point."
She puts the badge back in her handbag and says, "Folks have a tendency to clam up when they find out you're a Marshal, but having spent time on the trail with y'all, I know we've been in the thick of it together and you're dependable folks."
When Winona starts to bring up the badge, he waves for her to keep it hidden.
That thing might still make people skittish. But that does explain your hesitation when you first joined us. But glad that you feel comfy enough to let us know now.
He continues to walk along.
Myself, I am just a cowhand that just so happens to be good with a gun.
Rufus wanders into the general store, and heads over to the leather goods.
Got any quickdraw holsters
He pulls out a set of jeans in his size, and a couple of flannel shirts in his size as well.
He then grabs a Canteen as he heads up to the front of the store to pay for it.
Flying Eagle says to Winona "Never would have guessed. I've met some Marshals in my time who didn't like my folk, but you've treated me as an equal. Thank you."
The man behind the counter of this well stocked store seems to take a long look at you."I reckon I do, a few nice ones I had some nice embroidery and sticking added to. The Blackriver ladies like that kind of thing,' He points over to a stack of catalogs "If you're gonna be in town a bit, I can order what's in those catalogs as well.'
The catalogs are a 1880, Smith and Robards, containing all kinds of gadgets and the latest high science. The other is a 1882 Montgomery ward, covering all your needs from firearms, clothing and stoves to housewear.
Among the store are a few interesting items. De-Inebriating tonic $10,Healing Unguent 80$, Metabolic elevation tonic $50,Palliataive balm $25, revitalizing tonic $10, and boxes of Magnums Ammunitions' $5 a box for pistol sizes , $10 for rifle calibers.
To Flying Eagle, Winona says, "I've seen a few crimes and atrocities in my time, but none so great as what has befallen the people who lived here when other folks arrived. If my badge is to stand for truth and justice at all, then it has to reckon with the broken promises that were made to the many nations of people who've been displaced and distressed by greed, malice, and hunger for power."
~~~~~~~~~~
Winona browses some of the inventory in a leisurely fashion, looking at some lacy handkerchiefs and hats. She picks up one of the bottles of de-inebriating tonic and scrutinizes the label.
"Pardon me, sir, but I noticed you have a large number of expensive remedies and tonics on the shelf. Are these made locally?" she asks the shopkeeper.
The clerk shakes his head "No Mam, They are from Smith and Robards out of Denver. They seem to have been popular orders for the Black river folks. So I just keep them on hand in place or ordering them." He says pointing to the catalogs.
"Oh! Well thank you for that," says Winona. "Here, I'd like to purchase these kerchiefs." She ponies up some coins to buy a selection of kerchiefs—a few lacy ones, and a few of the more standard trail-rider's kind.
Rufus tosses 4 plain leather quickdraw holsters onto the counter.
I'll take 2 boxes of .44-10 magnum, and that box of .45 magnum please.
The Clerk rings up your purchases. "You folks staying in town?'
Rufus fishes in his jeans and counts out 80.
Thinking we are going to have to drive the cows back to our boss. But we might spend the night.
Also, I am going to grab a shirt and a pair of jeans on the way out, so another 6, just to round things out?
He pauses for a second.
Also, do you have leather oil?
The Clerk walk over and Selects a can "Just got a shipment in from Denver. Good quality Tanners leather, only 5 cents. There is a Seamstress up the way Mrs. Godwin, she does good work on getting those cloths all fit up for you.'
"Thanks for the tip," says Winona. "Flying Eagle? Anything else for you?"
You spend a few days in town, Long enough for Bill to fill out some new hands. All told Bill managed to wrangle up ten new hands and with them in tow you head back to the camp. Some of the Surviving hands had taken shifts hitting the town so everyone had some down time and were well ready to scaddale out of New Mexico.
You have a pretty easy ride north into Colorado and time to learn the new hands if you want as the nights are mostly easy with little risk to the herd and the days long and trying as you ever march northward.
After returning to the herd, Rufus takes time to change and oil his holsters.
He also takes the time to change the shells in his belts to the magnum shots.
During the nights, and during the slow times, he slowly gets to learn the new hands.
Once the team prepares to ride out, Winona switches back from her simple dress to her riding pants, coat, and gloves. She counts the ammo for her shotgun to make sure nothing has gone missing while the team was out and about.
You settle back into the rhythm of the trail. Long days, and nights of deep sleep on the ground with the new hands, everything seems to be a bit back to normal. You are just heading into Colorado when you spot the vultures. They seem to have found something to eat in the distance and there seems to be a lot of them.
Rufus rides up to bill
Looks like they found themselves a meal. Shall a couple of us meander up there to take a look
He then rides over to Flying Eagle and Winona.
Thinking we need to take a look afore we ride our cows into a mess thats ahead of us.
He then loosens his guns in their scabbards as they ride ahead at the lope to try and sort out whats dead ahead.
"I agree. Lots of vultures is never a good sign..."
"That many in one place means something got massacred," says Winona. "Could be a herd of buffalo... or a caravan. We'd best check it out."
You cover the distance across the plains , watching the flock of vultures growing closer. You see a number of wagons, three to four it seems from a distance. The vultures cover the ground and their screeches fill the air as the weed slowly blows the canvas wagon tarps. Even from a a thousand yards you know nothing but the carrion feeders lives, you even see dead horses being feasted upon.
Winona unlimbers her shotgun and looks wary.
"This is odd," she says, underselling the matter a bit. "Whole caravan left for the vultures like this?"
The plains spread out around you with tall grass, limiting what you can see on the ground near the caravan, but you can see the flapping of feathers and the screeches of vultures. You might be able to circle around and see if you can pick of a trail going to or from the wagons, you don't move four wagons across a plain without leaving some kind of trail.
Rufus pauses while we are still a ways out.
Not liking the looks of this, how about we do a loop to see what we can see.
After all, its not like we can help them right now
He starts on a loop around where the wagons are, looking to see what he can see.
Rufus spends some time getting the lay of the land. The weather has been pretty constant with little rain and the wind not to fierce. He spots the tracks, running back east. You don't move that many wagons, or even one really, across the plains without leaving a trail of bent and broken grass behind you. He would guess this caravan passed this way about 5 days ago, a week at best.
He doesnt see any other trails moving toward the camp, but then Rufus knows a good scout and many predators' wouldn't leave much in the way of a trail as they moved though the tall native grasses.
So to Rufus it looked like about a week about, four wagons and a passel of horses, and maybe a mule or two he thinks, rambled across the plains. Made camp it looked like and something happened. Without getting closer to the camp itself he can't be sure, but he saw no sign of anyone running away from the camp.
"Rufus, we should check it out. Look for signs of what befell these people, maybe tracks. Otherwise we could get caught out by surprise too."
"I agree. But let's approach cautiously and quietly."
Winona, I also agree. But from what I can see, what happened to them, happened 'bout a week ago.
However, I aint going in there, until I had a full look from all angles.
He waves his hand in the direction of the wagons. As he continues his circuit of camp.
After he makes the full circle, he dismounts, ground hitches Abacus, and grabs his mares leg from the saddlebag.
All right, we want to go look, lets go look
Winona likewise dismounts and pulls her shotgun from the holster on her saddle.
"I'm gonna check the tall grass for remains or body parts," she says. "See if this was a massacre, or something else."
Be careful, this may have happened about a week ago, but I did not see any tracks out. Just in, so I am not expecting to see anyone alive in there.
He continues to walk towards the wagons, with his mares leg now slung over his shoulder so he can have his hands free.
Some of the vultures take the the sky as you near while other, who have eaten far to much to take flight, hop away as you near, but staying close and wait for you to leave so they can consume more dead flesh. The smell hits you first, week dead but something more, sickly and thick with flies blowing across the dead.
And death is all yo see here, the horses well picked over lay dead but not as many as you think should pull four covered wagons. Around the camp the dead lay on the ground, laying against the wagons or inside. You make out 15 bodies, all badly worn by time, insects and the vultures. Nine adults and the rest children of varying ages.
Inside the wagons you find some of the bodies, the ruins of decay and house goods, travel supplies and other goods needed by pioneers looking to settle new lands. You would guess this was four families on there way from the east to new homesteads they would never see. You can likely find a good bit of valuables in here if you are willing to move the bodies and root though the wagons, there are four families worth of supplies, memories and possessions.
You don't see any signs of violence.
"... what could kill all these people and just leave 'em here like this? Poison? But that should affect the vultures eating 'em, too... disease, they would've hunkered down and died in beds, not just all over the camp."
Winona sees no real clues as to why they just sit here and died, some are in their beds and others just sitting near the wagons or kneeled over. They are simply to badly damaged for her to get anything.
"I for one will not loot this place. Enemies killed in battle, sure, but we should let these families rest in peace. And as much as I want to, since we don't know what killed them, I would suggest we don't bury them either."
Walking around, Rufus looks kind of sad.
Damn, whatever it was, killed kids.
Whatever, it was, it was not poison, as that would have killed the birds
He keeps walking through, keeping an eye out, while looking in the wagons.
Rufus Notices some legions and sores across the bodies of the dead, its a bit had to make out with most of the exposed flesh picked over, but he sees it. Maybe some kind of illness, but as Winona said, why are they not all hunkered down. To Rufus it seems like they died fast, some folks just sitting. The layout of the bodies looks very much like an evening camp. Some kettles still lay with rotted food sitting on a long dead cold firepits.
It does look like a few bodies are all looking in the same direction, to the north west. But what ever happened here was a week gone or there abouts.
"I think maybe you're right, we just leave this as-is," says Winona. She temporarily stows her shotgun and pulls out a tiny notebook and scribbles some notes into it with a stubby pencil.
"Take too long to inter everyone and, as much as I hate to say it, the elements have already done half the work anyway. We shouldn't stick around. This is... ominous."
Ominous, I think those might have had something to do with it.
Rufus points out the Lesion, but does not touch them.
As for leaving it as it sits, I agree. This took them fast, but about a week ago.