I had set my internal clock and woke well before dawn. I wanted to check on Pablo to see if he was alright and how much damage had been done to the house.

After checking on the guards around Sadie's house I hurried to mine. I almost silently approached, only softly whispering, “Pablo....Pablo,” when he answered from the stable.

“Here, senor. I have been sleeping and watching from here. They can't get a clear shot at me here. All the windows have been shot out except here in the back where the stable is in the way. At night I have moved as much as I could to inner rooms, so there isn't as much damage as they wanted.”

“You're a good man, Pablo, keep up the good work. I hope to have this cleared up by tonight or tomorrow. Keep your head down, I can replace everything but you. I gotta go now before it gets light, but I'll be back soon. Here's a box of cartridges for your rifle, do you need anything else?”

“No senor, I have plenty of food and water here in the stable. You keep your head down, too. Vaya con Dios, senor Sam.”

With that, I left. When it had reached the hour for shops to open I went to a gunsmith I knew and made some arrangements and then to see if Jack was awake. He wasn't but I changed that by cocking a pistol next to his ear. His eyes snapped open so fast I think I saw his eyelashes fly over the top of his head.

“Damn you, Sam, don't do that! You'll stop my heart one of these days. What's so important you have to scare the shit out of me so early in the morning? Let me get to the privy before it does just that.”

By the time he returned I had the coffee started. We sat and I asked him, “Jack, did you find out anything? Who's behind ventilating my house?

“Yeah, some. There's a crew of hard guys for hire bossed by some guy that goes by the name of Buster, but that's all I could find out in the time I had. Wait, I did find out where there hideout is, but its in the middle of an open field and guarded. I don't know who hired them or anything else. I'll keep checking.”

We sat and chatted around some coffee and rolls I'd brought, and I reminded Jack that I didn't wake him early in the morning 'cause it was almost noon. He retorted that that was his early morning.

I left Jack's, went to the area he'd told me where the hideout was and carefully scouted it out. I couldn't get close as It was in the middle of about four acres of pasture. It looked like a small, well built, building with both a front and rear door and only two windows. As I walked around the surrounding streets I saw quite a few hard looking men loitering. I assumed they were the guards.

There was nothing I could do then, and it was getting toward dusk, so I went to the gunsmith, picked up my packages, and headed towards home. By the time I arrived is was dark, so I had no trouble looking the house over for damage with Pablo. There was some interior damage, but nothing serious that couldn't be repaired.

After spending the night with Pablo in the stable, I again awoke well before dawn, took my packages, and went about a block to one of the many churches in the area.

This one had a tall steeple with a bell tower in it. The church wasn't locked as some of the night workers stopped after work to say a little prayer. Sure enough, there were two or three people kneeling and, I assume, praying, but they didn't notice me making my way to the choir loft. From there, I went up the ladder into the steeple and to the bell chamber. Making myself comfortable, I opened my container of coffee and waited for dawn, which wasn't far off.

After a while I could hear people entering the church for early mass. Soon after that I noticed the bell starting to swing a bit, so I hurriedly stuffed some wool in my ears. Then, GONG, GONG, GONG and on and on. Shit, I should have brought two sheep to hold against my head, the little wool pieces weren't doing what I'd hoped, that bell thing was LOUD! They finally stopped, even though for quite a while I couldn't hear a thing.

After less than an hour I did hear the people leaving the church and the sun was fully up, so my work day had started. Through the louvers on the steeple I could see quite a long distance, easily being able to check out all the street and alleys.

Then I saw three men, carrying rifles, approaching the area. When they got a little close, they separated and each went to a different destination. One climbed a tree, another got onto a barn roof, while the third found himself a windmill. There they started a slowly paced, but steady, barrage on my house.

Time for me to go to work. I opened my packages and took out a .50 caliber Sharps buffalo rifle and some cartridges for it. I also had one of the newfangled telescopic sights which I attached to the rifle.

These rifles were known to be accurate at long range as they had to stop a buffalo with one shot at hundreds of yards.

I could tell where each was by their powder smoke. They wouldn't be able to do the same with me as the louvers would break it up and the steady breeze would carry it quickly away.

I took the fella on my left first. He was the one on the roof. I could see his whole body as the ridge pointed right at me and he was using it for a rest for his arms. I sighted just below his head at the roof in front of him and fired. It worked just as I'd hoped, the splinters from those old, dry shingles peppered his face. He dropped his rifle and grabbed at his eyes. His arms over the ridge is what was holding him there. Not any more, as he slid down the roof and over the edge.

The other two hesitated at the boom of the Sharps, but it must have been muffled by the louvers as they soon started shooting again. I think the downed man had then shouted a warning because just as I was about to unload at the guy in the tree he ducked behind the trunk. The damn fool left his leg out where he had his foot on a branch. A .50 caliber slug went through his thigh and probably a pretty good chunk of him with it. He hit the ground, laid there a while, and using his rifle for a crutch, hobbled away.

The one on the windmill had reached the ground by now and started walking away. He must have thought I couldn't see him anymore as he wasn't hurrying none. I disabused him of that notion when I pinked him in the shoulder and knocked him rolling. Did hurry him up though, as he took off running behind a house when he got up.

I waited a while, just to make sure there weren't any more, then packed up, climbed down and into the church where the priest stood, befuddled at all the gunshots. I handed him a gold piece and left.

I stopped at the house and told Pablo I thought it was over, but don't take any chances. We spent the next couple hours cleaning up and throwing out what was ruined. I gave Pablo some money and told him to get the place repaired and replace what was needed and left.

I stopped at the gunsmith, paid him what I owed for the rifle rental and the three cartridges I'd used, and went to Jack's place. I told him what I'd been doing, we had some coffee and I asked, “Did you find out anything else?”

“Sam, this is some weird shit. Everyone says that Buster runs the gang, but no one can describe him or has ever seen him, everything goes through his girlfriend and not many people will admit they've seen her or tell what she looks like. I don't know what's going on.”

“Well, I'll just have to try and find out. I'm going over there now and see if I can get some answers.”

Jack grinned and said, “Okay, Sam, if you don't come back, can I have your horse?”

I left Jack with my dirtiest look and a one finger salute and proceeded to Buster's place. As I started to walk across the field I was approached by two big men, they indicated I wasn't going anywhere while wearing my pistol. I unbuckled my belt and after handing it to them they waved me on. They didn't search me though, which I thought was pretty poor security.

As I approached the shack I could hear yelling inside but couldn't make out any words when suddenly the door flew open and a man came flying out, upside down. Damned if it wasn't that little bastard that was trying to get a shot at me a couple days ago. As he got up he presented me with a clear shot at his butt. My kick lifted him some inches from the ground. While up there he saw who had just adjusted his ass and he lit running. I heard some laughs from the men who'd stopped me.

It's a good thing the door was on leather hinges and could open either way or it would have taken the jamb with it. It did take the door stop with it. I pulled the door back to where it should be as I entered.

There stood whom I assumed was Buster's girlfriend. I now knew why no one could describe her.

I'll try but it won't bring across the pure wild animal aura she had.

She was dressed in all black, from her calf high boots to her tight leather riding pants, then up to a buttoned, leather vest, straining to hold in her magnificent breasts but failing somewhat as there was an abundance overflowing its grip. Her unkempt coal black hair, with just a slight curl, was one of her most striking features, quite long, and forming a shoulder wide halo around her frowning face with brilliant, almost glowing cobalt eyes.

Even with her eyes I'd have guessed she was at least part Indian as she had a slight tinge of the red complexion associated with them. But the Indians girls from around here don't stand a good six feet tall. I'd estimate her weight at upwards of 165. It's hard to tell, you could see her muscles move under her smooth skin, and I'll bet that she was fit, the way she threw that mutt through the door.

“Well, do you want to know my hat size, too? Or are you done looking me over?” she sarcastically quipped.

I took my hat off and said, “I apologize if I was staring, but I haven't run across a lady like you before.
You've got to admit, You're unique.”

“Yea, I guess I am,” she said with a small smile. “That little weasel I threw out of here had me a little worked up and I guess I wasn't over it yet. I saw you give him a good boot. What was that about?” she asked as she walked behind the small desk.”

“He tried to collect bounty on me a while back,” I answered.

She looked at me doubtfully and said, “And he's still alive? You must be a very forgiving person.”

“Not really, the neighborhood doesn't appreciate corpses in their back yards. If I'd had a gun he'd be laying out there now, but your boys took it.”

“Well, sit down and tell me what you want.” She sat behind the desk, put her left elbow on the desktop but kept one hand in her lap as she motioned to the chair directly in front of the desk. I didn't like the idea of a shotgun under the desk pointing at my groin, so I pulled the chair over to the side wall, sat down and leaned it back against the wall.

She gave a short grin and a nod, telling me she knew why and what I'd done. She then turned her chair towards me, put both hands in her lap and said, “Alright, now that the dance is over, what do you want?”

I smiled and said, “I want to talk to Buster.”

“Nobody talks to Buster without talking to me first so speak up or get out.”

I leaned forward and replied, “I want to know why someone's been shooting up my house.”

She shot forward on her chair and yelled, “That was you? You son of a bitch, you put three of my boys out for weeks, if not months. One'll be lucky if he doesn't lose a leg, and even then he'll limp for the rest of his life. I ought to call the boys and have you taken out back and beat to death. Buster will never talk to you.”

“Pretty lady, knock off the bullshit. I've been talking to Buster for the last five minutes, you just admitted they were yours, and as for calling your boys, if you did reach the door, by the time they got here you'd be a gorgeous corpse.” and pulled out my little hideout gun. “ You're just pissed because you probably have to pay them while they're getting better. They all knew that when you start shooting sometimes somebody's gonna shoot back.” I put my gun away.

She leaned back in her chair and studied me for at least a minute, then said, “Now what? I guess you'd get away, but you didn't come here to kill me, so where do we go from here?”

I replied, “Just what I said, I don't blame you, you were hired by someone and I'd like to know who and why. You were just doing a job, but they wanted something.”

She looked away, took a real deep breath, and thought for a couple minutes. When she took the deep breath I knew where the Bust part of her name came from. That vest between the buttons was gaping and I expected the buttons to be ricocheting around the room any second. She finally exhaled and I realized I'd been holding mine, too.

“If I tell you, what's in it for me?” she asked “If they find out I told you, the best thing for me is I'm out of business. The worst, I'd be dead.”

“Do you know who the Marquessa Montemayor is? She's part of this too. With her connections she could put you out of business immediately. She wouldn't have you killed but you'd sure have to leave town, probably penniless. If you helped I know she'd feel kindly toward you.”
 
She erupted, “Good god, I knew this was too good.

Shooting up some old fart's house is what I was told. And the Marquessa's in it? My own relatives would skin me, she's like a saint in my part of town. I've got a nephew that would have died except for her medical clinics. Whats your name? Never mind, I'm going to the door and motion for one of them to bring your gun. Is that alright? Then you and I are going someplace to have a drink and talk about this, Okay?”

At my nod she did just that and we left by the back door. Some of her boys followed for a while 'til they saw we were clear and then left us. She suddenly stopped and looked around and said, “ Shit, I just realized I can't be seen with you until this over. We can't go to the taverna, just follow me as far back as you can and still see me. We'll go to my house and we'll be safe. I'm surrounded by relatives and no one comes there that's not invited”

We did this little parade until we reached a really rough part of town. I suddenly realized these people were all Indians that were around me. If I wasn't mistaken most were Apache and some Yaquis. No wonder people didn't come here uninvited. She finally stopped, turned, and beckoned me to her side.

“This is my house and we're safe here. Come in.” The house we entered was considerably larger than the neighbors but still looked like a thrown together hovel, but inside was beautifully done with native rugs and decorations. There were beautiful bead work hangings and paintings. Here and there were Anglo pieces but the arrangement of these blended perfectly with the native. In one corner of the main room there was a large clay fireplace.

Shortly after we entered we were followed by two others. What a combination. The first was an older, wizened woman, she must have been under five feet tall. The second was a completely different story. He must have been almost seven feet tall and more than a doors width. This must be where Buster got her size. They both glared at me. Oh oh, was I in trouble? The little lady and Buster had a smiling hug and a long conversation in some language I didn't understand, with an occasional icy look from the little lady. I could see that Buster was getting a little uncomfortable.

She turned to me, and was actually blushing some. “Uh, this is my aunt and uncle. They insist I tell you that if you don't treat me right, you'll pay. They made me say that.”

This I understood and asked, “Buster, how do I show respect to them?”

She countered, “Among my people you should lower your head below their's and state your intentions.”

I sure wouldn't have any trouble doing that with him. I almost could have stood on a chair and accomplished it. With her, it was a different story, but I did it by kneeling on one knee an bowing my head. I asked Buster to translate for me.

“Please tell your relatives I have no intention to do any harm to you. Instead, I am here to try to get both of us out of a bad situation, and will try to protect you throughout our dilemma.” I must have done something right as the man effortlessly pulled me to my feet and I received a dazzling smile from the little lady. I realized that I had really meant what I'd said.

After the aunt and uncle left Buster said, “Sit down. I have tequila, rye, and pulque, what's your poison? And what the hell is your name?”

“I'm Sam. What's yours? I'll take tequila.”

“You don't like Buster? I'd rather not tell you my real name, you'd laugh.”

“Me! Laugh at someone's name? Let me tell you about …...never mind. I promise I won't laugh. I can't call you Buster in front of other people.”

“Okay, but if you laugh I'll shoot you in the ass. It's Sarafina.”

I think that's a pretty name, but if you don't like it, I'll call you Sara, okay? That's a Spanish name, how'd you get that?”

“I don't really know. My mother was raped by a soldier when he found her hiding after a raid by them. He only lived about five minutes after that. He fell asleep and she cut his head off. He thought he'd beaten her into unconsciousness. Wrong move for him. Some one must have heard the name somewhere and seeing I was half white gave it to me. I've an Apache name too, but you'd probably mess it up.”

“Okay Sara, lets get down to business. What can you tell me? What's going on and who's behind it? It's gotta be someone with money. Your boys don't work cheap, I figure.”

“You're sure right about that, they want to be paid even when they're laying around. That little bastard I threw out was the only one I ever met with. He brought the money and orders. Fortunately he was dumb as a flock of chickens and I could pump him for some information until he tried to grab my tits and you saw what I did. All I got out of him was that there's a group that don't like you.”

Don't cry on my shoulder about your boys being greedy. You're not running a charity organization, I know. You must have gotten more from him. By the way, if I touched your breasts, would you try to throw me out, too?”

“Let's worry about that later, you're pretty big.” She said with a coy smile. “ Yeah, I did find out they're planning something big around something you're planning. I think shooting your house up was either trying to scare you or distracting you from their plans. That's about all I could get out of the little shitbird.”

“I know at least one of the members of the group. That's Umberto Garza, he's the boss of the shitbird. Can I figure you're done with shooting up my house? I'd hate to put any more guys on sick break. I think we'll need them. You'll get paid, don't worry. Can you check around and see if you can find out more of the conspirators?”

“You don't have to worry about any more shooting. I couldn't get anyone to do it, even if I wanted to, after what you did to those guys. I'll have them checking around tomorrow, they know a lot of other boys that hire out and I'd bet someone knows something. Any more questions?”

“Yes, I do. Do you own a comb?”

She was startled and asked, “A comb? What the hell do you want a comb for?”

I looked into her enticing eyes and said, “If you wouldn't object, I'd like to comb out that rat's nest you have. You'd be even more beautiful, if that's possible.”

“Wow, you sure have a way to compliment a girl with some crappy words. Rat's nest, huh. I don't have time to take care of it sometimes and nobody else has complained. You're going to pay for that by doing what you said you wanted. If you don't finish you'll pay for it.”

“Nobody else complained 'cause you'd have thrown them through a door. Get the comb.”

I settled back on a couch. She sat on a stool in front of me and leaned back between my knees. I realized what a chore I had ahead of me as I started on the snarls and knots in her disarrayed shining tresses. As I worked, with an occasional ouch or yelp from her, we discussed our lives, our dreams and future plans and hopes. I told her about Tom and my business dealings with the mine owners, and she told about how she'd been drawn into her business.

She had posed as the girlfriend of the fictional Buster as no one would have taken her serious as a gang leader, but with the occasional deadly “accident” of her rivals, supposedly by Buster, she grew in power and influence in her circle, and was quite successful. She had never implicated herself in any of the day to day dealings but ran things completely from the background.

While I sat there, concentrating on her hair, I became more and more aware of her scent. It wasn't a sweet odor as you would expect from perfume, but slightly musky, almost animalistic, without the harsh aspects of that smell. Whatever it was, if you could bottle it you'd make a fortune selling it to old men. It would raise their libido and probably parts of their body, too. I know it was doing incredible things to mine. My pants were getting very uncomfortable.

And then, she decided to lean her head back into my spread legs and and taking one of those deep breaths again, followed by a sigh of contentment.

Suddenly she gave a little jerk, sat up, and asked, “Sam, have you got that little hideout gun of yours in your pants?”

“Ah, no, not exactly.”

She scooted around and stared at my crotch and said, “Well you sure have something hard in there, is that all you?” and she reached out and grasped me through the leather. That made me let out a heartfelt long groan and I leaned forward, captured her head with both hands and kissed her with all the passion I was able to transmit my feelings with.

The next couple minutes had me more and more confused. It was very obvious, by her actions, as she attacked me that she wasn't a virgin, but is was also evident she was either inexperienced or had only been with very boorish partners, or both. I finally took her arms and held her away from me.

She opened her eyes, looking puzzled, and said, “ What's the matter, don't you want to fuck?”

I gathered her in my arms and held her close, whispering in her ear, “Oh, so very much, but I don't want it to be over in five minutes, I want us to pleasure each other for hours.”

Then she pushed away from me, and with a puzzled look questioned, “Hours? What the hell are you talking about, Sam? Once you squirt, it's over. That's never taken more than ten or so minutes.”

“Honey, there's a whole lot I can tell you, but I'd rather show you. Can we get off this little couch and go to a bed, preferably, a big bed?”

“Okay, but you better not be screwing around with me. My uncle and cousins are within calling distance and they haven't took a scalp in a long time.” I think she was screwing with me now as I didn't think the Apache took scalps. At least up to then I was pretty sure of that.

She took my arm and led me into the bedroom where I saw a large, low to the ground, frame strung with narrow leather cords running side to side and head to foot. On that was thick feather bed and on that was a blanket of furs. I gathered Sara in my arms, kissed her gently and while still kissing, lowered to the bed. As we kissed I carefully licked her lips and after a bit she returned the caress. And after a bit slid my tongue between her lips. She was surprised, but again, after a bit, copied my actions. All the while I was caressing her breasts, and then, button by button, opened her vest and removed it from her shoulders.

Her breasts were magnificent, large, with the combination of soft and yet firm, the combination I have only found in a womans breasts. The nipples were rosy, silver dollar sized, with now hardened, red nipples. My teasing them with my tongue tip quickened her already accelerated breathing into a panting series of moans. Soon I suckled one while gently fondled and massaged the other, switching between them repeatedly.

As I was enjoying her breasts she had been rubbing and squeezing my disk through my pants but now was trying to get closer contact by sticking her hand down the front. My leather riding pants were very tight and she could only reach the head and a bit more. I quickly removed them and my shirt, and while I was at it hers, too. We were now both completely naked.

I doubt that she had ever been fully aroused so I continued kissing her lips and stimulating her breasts while running a finger through her slit and massaging her inner lips while lightly rubbing her clit with my thumb. Sara was panting very fast, humping against my hand and giving little cries of delight when suddenly she stiffened, held her breath for a moment and then cried out, “Oh, oh, aghh, what's happening?” and started to shudder and shake into her possibly first orgasm. Her juices had thoroughly wet my hand and I licked them off and then kissed her with my damp lips and tongue. She readily accepted them and licked my face for more.

Before she had recovered from her cumming I kissed and licked my way down her luscious body and licked the remaining juices from her pussy which caused her to orgasm again. Sliding up her I finally entered her, slowly at first and then more quickly stroked until I felt my cum starting to rise when I stopped for a while, repeating that cadence as she came time after time, until finally I couldn't hold back any longer and shot stream after stream into her warm, damp, chamber of joy.

As we cuddled during the after sex lethargy, she talked about her previous experiences, “I've never experienced anything like that before, Sam, can we do it again sometime?

“Sara honey, give me a just a little time and we'll do it again, right soon.”

Turns out I was right, she had only been with a couple of other fellas and they had never tried to give her pleasure, just their own. She'd enjoyed it but never realized what it could really be as she'd never cum with them. She had orgasmed by herself but had never been aroused to the peak she had reached tonight.

After a little while we did repeat, and during the night a few times, and once more in the morning. When I finally left in the morning she walked me outside and threw her arms around my neck and soundly kissed me. When I turned to leave there stood her aunt and uncle. Oh, oh, now what, but her aunt gave me a big smile and hugged my waist, which about as far up me she could reach, Even her uncle grasped my wrist as I grasped his and nodded at me. I tell you, I felt like I won the rodeo. After last night my whole body felt like it too. I never did finish her hair.