Guns Death and Honor

By John J. Law

The bank is being robbed!" cried a panicked townsman running into Sheriff Bean´s office.
"Time to go to work, Sam," Bean said, with a grin. He grabbed two shotguns off the wall, threw one to his deputy and they hurried out of the office to the bank.
As they arrived at the bank, Bean and Sam were confronted by three armed men - faces covered by black bandanas – running towards their horses. Seeing the lawman, they immediately opened fire, wildly shooting at the two lawmen.
Bean and Sam returned fire from their shotguns. Bean killed one bank robber outright, blowing him across the wooden sidewalk back into the bank – coins and currency flying from his saddlebag.
Bean fired and blew a gory, somewhat round, hole in the gut of another and he collapsed in the street. His face contwith Bean and Sam firing at him.
"Damn it," Sam cursed. "He done got away."orted in a mix of pain, anguish and fear.
During the melee, the third outlaw made it to his horse with a saddlebag of loot, jumped on his stead and rode away
The bank manager cautiously stuck his head out from the bank door and asked in a shaky voice, "Is it over?"
"Yes," Bean replied. "But he got away with some of your money." He kicked the dirt and nodded to Sam. "Get our horses from the stable."
Sam nodded and took off for the stable.
"Will you get our money back?" the manager asked.
"We're gonna try."
The bank manager nodded and the two lawmen headed for the trail.

• Language: English
• Publisher: J.C. Hulsey Books
• Release date: Dec 8, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223601685

Book preview

Prologue

The bank is being robbed!" cried a panicked townsman running into Sheriff Bean´s office.

Time to go to work, Sam, Bean said, with a grin. He grabbed two shotguns off the wall, threw one to his deputy and they hurried out of the office to the bank.

As they arrived at the bank, Bean and Sam were confronted by three armed men - faces covered by black bandanas – running towards their horses. Seeing the lawman, they immediately opened fire, wildly shooting at the two lawmen.

Bean and Sam returned fire from their shotguns. Bean killed one bank robber outright, blowing him across the wooden sidewalk back into the bank – coins and currency flying from his saddlebag.

Bean fired and blew a gory, somewhat round, hole in the gut of another and he collapsed in the street. His face contorted in a mix of pain, anguish and fear.

During the melee, the third outlaw made it to his horse with a saddlebag of loot, jumped on his stead and rode away with Bean and Sam firing at him.

Damn it, Sam cursed. He done got away.

The bank manager cautiously stuck his head out from the bank door and asked in a shaky voice, Is it over?

Yes, Bean replied. But he got away with some of your money. He kicked the dirt and nodded to Sam. Get our horses from the stable.

Sam nodded and took off for the stable.

Will you get our money back? the manager asked.

We’re gonna try.

The bank manager nodded and the two lawmen headed for the trail.

Chapter One

Three months later, Brent Howards returned to Black Foot from his trip to the Territorial Governor.

What did the Governor say? Bean asked.  What did he want?

Brent didn´t like Bean since the Confederate charge on Black Foot Township, but he had to be civilized.

He wanted to talk about the spate of local stages being robbed. Another one just today.

What is he going to do about it?

Howards smiled. He dropped it in my lap. He’s given me absolute power to do whatever it takes to catch the robbers.

Bean whistled. Whatever it takes!

Yep. Howards confirmed. You’ll be leaving Black Rock to investigate this latest stage robbery. I’m headed home.

You, my man, Bean said looking at Sam, will be acting Sheriff while I’m gone."

Sam laughed. Well, what do ya know? A black sheriff! Will the West survive?!

Cut the satire and just do your job. He slapped Sam on the back. You’ll do fine. Make me proud.

Will do, Sam replied with a grin.

Sheriff Bean walked out knowing that the town would be safe while he was gone. 

Chapter Two

The raging sun beat down on Sheriff Bean as he and his horse treaded slowly along the trail that led from Black Foot to Black Rock. This portion of Devil´s Pass wandered through a valley that was little more than desert, between two very steep mountains that formed a natural gap that allowed travelers to move east and west through the rugged mountains in this part of the territory. The valley was a two-day ordeal of blistering heat during the day and bitter cold at night.

Sheriff Bean was down to the last couple of hours of the crossing and about four hours from the Town of Black Rock Township. At the end of the valley was the next water source, the Little Copperhead River. The trail transitioned at the river from desert to grasslands and then high plains from there.

Easy boy. Easy Old Timer, he said to his horse. He could have been through the valley already if he had been willing to push his horse harder and test the level of its endurance. But he wasn’t willing to do that, being Old Timer was close to ten years old and his useful years were behind him. So he dismounted to give the mare a break.