Bounty Hunter Package—Gunman's Rendezvous with Death, Valley of the Gunman, Gunfight at Spanish Wells: Bounty Hunter # 4, # 5, # 6

The stage on which bounty hunter Jake Stone is traveling suffers a busted wheel coming off the peaks of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. A blizzard is imminent. There is a railway only a few miles away. Attempting to expedite their rescue, Stone strikes out in search of the railroad. Not only does he find the railroad, but he finds a train. Unfortunately, this train has been robbed and all but one of the crew is dead.
Taking a quick lesson on engineering from a wounded brakeman, with the tracks up ahead destroyed, Stone fights to move the train—backward. The trick seems to work until snowdrifts and deadfall cause the train to derail. Stranded miles from anywhere Stone discovers that the outlaws did not find what they wanted when they robbed the train… they will be back.

Art had the stage all to himself. The seats made a fairly comfortable bed as long as a man didn’t mind sleeping on his side with his feet drawn up. Of course, with the busted wheel the coach sort of set out of kilter, but what the heck, he’d slept in beds that leaned worst. The woman had left enough garments so as if a fellow could manage to sort of burrow under them; he had all the cover he needed. He would need to put all this stuff back in the trunk once help arrived.
Being a man of certain age, Art had to vent his bladder several times during the night. Despite the body heat and lady’s garments keeping it nice and warm on the inside, it was cold outside. It seemed the wind was blowing across the open plateau and from the direction his passengers had abandoned him.
Of course, Art being the improviser he was had taken a couple pair of pantaloons from the trunk. Placing the seat of the garment atop his head sort of like a bonnet, he’d tied the legs under his chin. That kept his ears warm. The other pair he’d tied around his neck like a scarf. That kept most of the wind from blowing down the neck of his shirt. Yeah, it wasn’t so bad if you had everything, including the stage to yourself.

The next morning:
With the pantaloons still tied around his head and neck, he walked back to the stage to claim the 10-guage Greener propped in the corner. Maybe down on the lower level he could spot a rabbit for breakfast. Of course, if he shot it dead-on the buckshot would probably obliterate it.
Grasping the coach gun, it dawned on him that it might be colder down in the lower area. One of the dresses lying on the pile of clothes would make a good blanket to wrap around his upper body. What would I have done without all this stuff? Without giving it much thought, he wrapped the dress around his skinny shoulders. He was ready to go rabbit hunting. Rabbit hunting with a canon. It would have been funny if he hadn’t been so darn hungry and cold.

Later, returning to his stage:
With Roberts watching, Peterson had just placed a boot on a front wheel spoke to begin his climb to the top when a distinct ratcheting sound was heard to their rear. Both slowly turn to witness, what at first sight, might have been an apparition of some nature. Appraising the individual to their rear a few seconds longer they came to the realization they were looking at a tall skinny man of indeterminate age. He looked as if he had run under a clothesline and several garment had stuck to him. However, more important, he was holding a double-barrel ten-gauge Greener shotgun directly at them. Furthermore, even from this distance it appeared both rabbit-ear hammers were resting in the cocked position.
“What is you gentlemen’s interest in my stage?” the voice resonating from this strange specter wanted to know.
Peterson cut a glance at Roberts before determining how to answer. “We really don’t have no interest. We were just curious and wondered if we could help.”
“Unless one of you is a wheelwright and got your tools and fixing with you, I don’t see much way you could help. That don’t seem to be the case since I don’t see no wagon.”
“Well, in that case, I guess we’ll just mosey along."