Dead-Eye Darling

by totallynotabrony

Chapter 11

Rarity stayed far enough behind the gang that she could easily lose herself among the scrub alongside the trail or in the twisting arroyos.

The shallow water courses were dry most of the year and provided a little bit of cover. Still, the dust cloud from several horses moving together was easy to spot. Rarity did what she could to mitigate her own dust, adding a few spells that could be somewhat modified for the purpose. It wasn’t a perfect solution, but she felt confident that she could remain undetected.

The sun shifted across the sky as she kept trotting. More than an hour had passed since leaving town by the time Rarity noticed some change in her quarry’s status. Their dust was starting to drift away and the last time she had seen the cloud it was closer than before. Slowing her pace, Rarity continued on more carefully.

She came upon the circle of horses in just a few minutes. The men had dismounted and appeared to be taking a break up on the rim of the arroyo. Dropping to her belly, Rarity crawled the last few feet, keeping out of sight behind some larger rocks and cacti.

“I’m glad we’re finally leaving him behind,” one man said. “I would never have believed he was capable of what he did, chasing us out here and killing Clay and Tom.”

“Sounds like you’re lucky to be alive, Tex,” commented another.

Rarity did not know who Tex was, but based on the muttering, she decided that he must have run into Frank.

“At least I took care of him,” muttered a voice. “Now the magistrate’s locked him up for murder and they’re going to hang him in an hour or two.”

It was all Rarity could do not to gasp. Was that what had happened to Frank?

“Tell me again how you managed that,” one of the voices went on.

“Well, it was pretty simple to grab that waitress I saw him talking to. Pretty simple to get her over to his hotel room and cut her throat, too.”

Dread began to pool in Rarity’s stomach. If the authorities thought Frank had done that, he was clearly in serious trouble. Had they really framed him for murder? And the execution was going to be so soon?

“Hey, what’s that?” asked one of the bandits, and Rarity tensed, thinking she had been found.

“Just the purse. That waitress didn’t need it anymore. Got some makeup inside, but not much money.”

“Idiot! Get rid of that! Part of throwing suspicion off is not keeping evidence!”

The men talked for a few more minutes before mounting up and leaving again. Rarity came out of hiding. She picked up the purse and stowed it in her saddlebags. It seemed wrong to just let it lie there.

Going after the gang was more dangerous than before. Not only had they left the system of arroyos to head for flatter country, but clearly they were not above killing a female in cold blood. Rarity gritted her teeth. But they still have to be stopped.

However, what about Frank? Rarity had evidence that he had been wrongly convicted of murder. She couldn’t just let him be executed.

But what about going after the gang? She had never been so close to them, and before they got too far away, Rarity could easily catch up.

And do what? Face so many men by myself? Rarity realized that perhaps her plan to follow the gang deep into the desert had not been thoroughly thought out.

And if what they said about Frank was true, then she’d need to hurry to get back to Roswell. Not knowing exactly how much time she had before the hanging motivated Rarity to move quickly. She galloped back in the direction she’d come.

If she’d paused to think about it, Rarity might have found it strange that she was rushing to save the life of someone she’d known for only about a week and didn’t really like. However, would she have let injustice stand even if she detested Frank? No, it simply wouldn’t be right. And, if he knew she’d done him the most supreme of favors, maybe he would be a little nicer to her.

It was a long, hard run but Rarity reached the town within a few dozen minutes. There was a gallows set up in the center of town. She initially feared that she was too late, but a man appeared to be putting a rope up, not taking it down.

The logical place to find Frank would be the local prison. Rarity located it within a few minutes. She determined that at least one deputy was on duty. Even talking to Frank through the barred window would probably attract attention.

Rarity frowned, considering the problem. She didn’t want to reveal herself by just walking in and demanding that Frank be released. She had the dead woman’s purse, but wasn’t sure what that would prove by itself. With a little more time, she might be able to come up with enough evidence to get the trail reopened.

But, as a few men approached the jail, Rarity realized her time had run out. The group entered the building and came out in a few minutes with Frank shackled and walking between them.

From across the street, Rarity made sure she caught Frank’s eye. He looked for a moment and a brief smile came to his face before turning his eyes forward and feigning sullenness.

Now that he thinks I have a plan, Rarity thought, I actually have to come up with one. She stood and watched the group of men as they took Frank to the gallows. A few people had showed up, and as Rarity watched more appeared.

Rarity glanced at the jail and crossed the street, sidling up to the door. If any of Frank’s personal effects were still inside, he would want them. She opened the door and stuck her head in, making a quick sweep with her eyes. There was a pistol and gunbelt lying on the blotter table. It looked like Frank’s Schofield, so she grabbed the weapon and holster, stowing them in a saddlebag.

Now all Rarity had to do was actually figure out how to rescue Frank before he was hung. She took a few steps closer to the gathering crowd, nervously attempting to come up with a plan. By now, there was no way to be subtle about it. Whatever she did, it had to work the first time.

The noose was made and placed over Frank’s head. He stood squinting, the afternoon sun in his eyes. Rarity sized up the platform, noting how it appeared to function by dropping the victim through a trapdoor, presumably to break his neck.

“This man was tried for murder. Death was the sentence given to the accused.” The last few people gathered around Frank stepped to opposite sides of the platform. The sheriff reached for the trapdoor lever.

Rarity yanked one of her long-barreled Colts and rushed forward. The crowd had packed tightly around the platform and she knocked a few of them aside, lining up what had to be her most precise shot to date.

The pistol fired just as Frank began to fall, the bullet splitting the rope perfectly. Rarity ducked beneath the platform and caught him on her back without stopping.

Frank sat still for a moment, as if in disbelief that he was still alive. Rarity ran hard, intending to leave the town behind before anyone could organize an effort to go after them.

Frank took a deep breath and turned his head. “That was some very good timing, Rarity.”

She may have had to save his life in order to get it, but the compliment was clearly heartfelt. Rarity winked. “Of course, darling.”

Author's Note:

Akumokagetsu and maskedferret have nothing to say.

Comments

[BlueNinja]

I was just looking at my list of favorites, and thinking, "Dead-Eye Darling should be updating today, shouldn't it?" And lo, soon as I finished looking at the FAQ updates, here it was!

Not sure how Frank's going to get out of this one, and the jig may be up for Rarity as well - glowing, floating pistols surely must grab the attention of the local lawmen. Now if they're only smart enough to lead the local posse towards the gang ... though in that case, Rarity should have left the purse alone.

[DJ TR33]

And now it has come full circle. The question is, where has it yet to go?

...
I'm not great at speaking like that...

[Lag Incarnate]

Yes, ride off into the sunrise or something, I dunno.

[Mysterious Stranger]

And now everyone there knows Rarity is no ordinary horse. Having that purse probably won't help things any, though I can understand why she felt why she had to take it.

Chase sequence next chapter?

[Christs Disciple]

Nice chapter. We now have come back to the beginning. And we know how it came to this.

[metallusionsismagic]

Full circle!
...Or, rather, since there's still a ways to go, a partial Q?

[Gyro Pony]

Reading this at the bus stop at night....
You just made my wait SOOOO much better!!!

[Ninjahzzzz]

And you shall remember this day,as the day you ALMOST captured Captain Jack Sparrow!

[Admiral Biscuit]

Frank before he was hung

I believe this should be "hanged."