SINGLE TREE 10

back at the camp for the mine hanford kept rambling about extracting the gold from the rock. single told him in no uncertain terms that it would do him no good if he was dead! single was trying to figure a way to barracade themselves if the bandidts attacked the camp. clara was setting with ramundo and not much help. in his frieght wagon was sack s filled with different things, he could stack them around the wagon and cart . he worried about the horses and mules. there was no way to guard them walking about the camp single was haveing a hard time imagining how they would repel invaders. he was a teamster not a gun fighter. but it seems that chore had fallen to him. he moved the cart up at a angle next to the wagon and began stacking anything he could between and under them. he made sure there was nothing in the line of sight from there to the horses. they were in medioum rifle range. while he worked hanford still lamented not being able to work on the crusher. single wasnt so sure about the machine. it would require 3 people not to mention some one supplying wood for the fire chamber. . up at the mine there was still 20 sacks of ore inside the shaft. single thought that maybe if he moved them outside the bandits would see there was no free gold and possibly leave them alone. but he knew they would want something of value. he had only seen five bandits but hoped that was all there was. possibly if it came to a battle he could shorten the numbers . he didnt know if he could count on hanford or clara. he had told them not to go un armed even around the camp. but would they or could they shoot a bandit? single no longer cared about the job of driveing the fancy team and wagon, the only thing he was concerned with was perserving his own life. late in the afternoon he started to the corral to care for the horses. back in camp clara was makeing a attempt at cooking a meal. hanford sat to one side pouted. both had their pistols and rifles handy. ramundo was still down in his bed but he had a rifle close by, single put no faith in ramundos ability or willingness to shoot a bandit. half way to the corral he could see five horsemen comming through the brush. the poor wobbly little paint horse ridden by the big bandit leader was in front.single didnt wait to see what they would do. he dropped to one knee and levered a round into the fireing chamber of his rifle. he took dead aim at the leader. but before he could pull the trigger the bandit leader realised what he was doing and turned and tore off through the grease wood. when singles shot a moment later crashed into the last bandit it seemed to hurry the other 4 on their way. the loose horse following . the shot bandit hadnt moved from where he lay. single held his position and watched the group leaveing and then the down mexican when after a few moment single walked over to him. his gun lay to one side. it was a old and hard used weapon. but in picking it up single realised it wasnt loaded! he turned the dead mexican over. his pistol belt and bandolear were both empty of cartridges.were the rest of the bandits in the same shape? if so they had more brass than a kansas city fire engine! single took the empty old gun with him back to camp. when he got there hanford was gone! back to the mine clara said.the sun was going down it would be dark soon. single worried about how he would cover two areas if needed. but clara assured him she would be fine. he set off up to the mine.