Chapter 3 Border Street

A jingling piano—there must be such a jingling piano in the corner—accompanied by the crisp clinking of wine glasses and the whispering of people, the man named Ben Snow pushed away. Two-way spring door, walked into the Golden Swan Bar. "Is Ryan there?" he asked the tired bartender. "Tell him Ben Snow is here." The man nodded, still wiping the beer glass in his hand, and walked towards the bar.Across the bar, Ben saw the ten-foot-wide oil painting that gave the bar its name—a golden swan surrounded by nude bathing girls in various poses.It is said that Wren personally bought the painting back from the west, first transported it by train, and then transported it in horse-drawn carriages and wagons for the rest of the journey.Although this painting is not the work of a famous artist, cattlemen and cowboys often come from thousands of miles just to see it with their own eyes.

At this time, the smoke of cigarettes was lingering, and other things in the Golden Swan Bar could not be seen clearly.The pianist looked bored, playing old songs he hadn't heard since leaving New Mexico.Tonight, business at the Golden Swan is a little deserted—only a few regular customers, just a few bums you'd find at any West Texas bar. "Come in, Mr. Snow. I'm glad you're here!" Ben's narrow eyes were fixed on a small, smiling man standing behind a door.Ryan Antioak, the man in power on Frontier Street, the owner of the Golden Swan Bar, and his older brother, were powerful in Arizona.It is short and smiling, but it is actually a smiling tiger.

In two months on Border Street, Ben never really spoke to the man.It was also because of this that the sudden summons this morning was so unexpected.At this moment, he just shrugged and followed the man into the back office, having no clue about what was about to happen. In the room, behind the door marked "Private", Ben Snow took his seat.That chair was one of only a few comfy chairs in the small town.Facing it was an old desk that served as the base of Ryan Antioch's headquarters. "What's the matter?" he asked softly. "Drinking, Mr. Snow?" "It's too early to drink."

Rain Antioch grunted, "Then I'll cut to the chase. I know who you are, Snow. I knew that a few weeks ago." "Who am I?" Ben repeated, feigning confusion. "Don't play dumb," the smile quickly faded from his face, "I have a job. The new deputy sheriff..." "Get rid of him? You want to get rid of him?" Lane responded with a smile. "I can see it now. We're kindred spirits, Billy." "My name is Ben, remember? Ben Snow." "Of course, Ben. A thousand dollars for the deputy's head before sunset." "one thousand……"

"That's a lot of money, Ben. A lot of money, even in the East, and a lot of money here." "You can hire a killer for fifty dollars." Ben hit the nail on the head, unconsciously adjusting the position of the holster on his waist. "But there's no one like you. There's no one. I'll pay the best money and hire the best man. If the deputy dies before sunset, a thousand dollars is yours." Ben Snow stood up slowly and walked to the desk.Without changing his face, he suddenly punched out a lightning-like punch, which hit Rennes on the jaw.He staggered back, hitting the wall behind him. "Damn you!" His hand automatically reached for the desk drawer, but Ben's lightning-fast right hand had already drawn his own gun.

"You're confusing me with someone else, Mr. Andyoke. I'm not a hired killer, remember!" After that, he turned and left, Ren stared at his back with hatred in his eyes... For Ben, this town was no different from other towns, and Border Street seemed to be a road leading to the center of his life. trails.No matter where he is, such stories are being staged.Usually there are gossips first, then people whispering behind their backs, and finally a public accusation.On Frontier Street is no exception.He also remembered that all the people who were almost killed by his iron fists had said similar things.He hardly killed anyone with his Colt.

He walked out of the Golden Swan, across the muddy street, to a diner, sat down at a dirty wooden table, and greeted Gus as usual.Sometimes it seemed to him that old Gus was the only real friend he had in this small town.At least the only male friends. "Hello, Ben. How's your day?" Years ago, Gus had been a gold miner until a Cajun arrow knocked out his left arm.Now he was a cook, cooking for the stockmen who wandered into the town. "Fine, Gus. Busy?" "Just two in the morning. No one eats anymore." Ben cleared his throat and was about to answer when the door opened behind him.He never liked to sit with his back to the door, so he turned around and faced the visitor.It was Deputy Riley, the man Andy Oak wanted to get rid of.

He was a handsome young man with bronzed skin that had been exposed to the scorching desert sun for years.The only blemish was a dark scar on his cheek, but even that scar seemed insignificant at the Frontier.Riley has a more serious "flaw" that is invisible and intangible.He takes his job seriously and is a decent guy. "You're Ben Snow, aren't you?" he asked softly. "That's the right name." "You just talked to Rain Antioch." Ben's muscles tensed. "You got it." He looked at the shiny deputy badge and saw his hand reaching for his pistol.

"Draw your gun, Snow! I know who you are." He shouted suddenly, leaning down and posing for shooting. But he was too close, and Ben was moving too fast.Gus behind the counter let out a warning scream, distracting the deputy as he wished.His huge fist landed on the side of Riley's head, and the deputy collapsed, his foot on his gun hand, and the fight ended as quickly as it had begun.He picked Riley up and brought his mouth to his ear. "Look, idiot—I didn't take Andyoke's money. I wouldn't kill you or anyone if I could. Now, get the fuck out of me." He shoved the deputy onto a chair and walked toward the door, tossing Gus a quarter for the lunch he hadn't eaten.There is no peace today on Frontier Street.There might be peace in Kathy Norris's clothing store, he decided suddenly, and crossed the street again.It should be quieter there.

Kathy was older than Ben—almost thirty-five, he guessed—but her age suited her middle-aged business sense.He liked Kathy, the best of all the women he'd met on the frontier during those few months.She opened a clothing store not far from the Golden Swan Bar. Every year, she buys popular clothing from New York and Los Angeles, and quickly sells them to women aged 40 to 50. They still have the charm and have enough capital and money to pay attention to clothing. . Casey came to the west with her parents ten years ago. Like many people, they met the Utes in the mountains of Colorado.One morning, she woke up screaming.Arrows rained down on them.When it was all over, she found her father's dead body outside the carriage.The Indians took her mother away, and somehow she escaped.It was an experience that would destroy any woman in her teens, but Kathy survived it, leaving only a little bit of ruthlessness and cynicism in her.She told Ben the story the first time she met him, and seemed proud of the tragedy.

"So," she greeted him with her usual smile, "any good news this morning, Ben? Clothes shopping?" "The news is all bad. I just woke up an hour ago and I punched two people." "I hope it's not the sheriff," she said, going about her business, arranging a display of fluffy clothing. "Not much better. His second in command, Riley." "No!" "And Ryan Antioch." "Are you crazy, Ben? Even if Riley doesn't put you in jail, Ryan will kill you." He sat down and rubbed his forehead with a firm and strong hand. "It's always like this, in every town." "Do you know how they talk about you?" she asked in a low voice suddenly. "I know what they say. I've been hearing the same gossip for nine years." Casey's store door was pushed open and Sergeant Vic Badley walked in.Tiny beads of sweat glistened on his iron-gray beard. "What's going on, Snow?" He asked slowly in that familiar old police officer's voice without further ado, "You hit my deputy at Gus's place." "It's just part of the truth that he pulled the gun for no reason." "He said he had a reason. Said you were working for Ryan Antioch and his brother." Ben looked the sheriff up and down, watching for any sudden movements to draw his gun.But no - the officer obviously just wanted to talk. "It's not like that, Sheriff. I spoke to Andy Oak, but that's all. I don't work for gamblers." "Then you tell me who you are. You came to town two months ago without a call and have been here since. You don't work on the farm or for Andyoke, you What work?" "I'm going to California, passing through here," Ben replied, "just stopping at the border." "Where are you from? New Mexico?" Ben tensed. "I've been there. Years ago." "Nine years ago?" Sergeant Badley's hand hung over his pistol as he spoke. "Let's go get a coffee," Kathy suggested, passing between the two of them, "Let's go get a coffee from Gus." The tense atmosphere was temporarily relieved, and Ben relaxed.In front of the ladies, he didn't want trouble, and apparently, the Sheriff felt the same way.But before they could make a move, the door was pushed open again, and Deputy Sheriff Riley entered, panting. "Quick," he gasped, "Rain Antioch's been murdered..." Ryan Antioak was indeed killed.Word had spread across Border Street.People galloped away on horseback, shouting loudly, and the running crowd flocked to the Golden Swan Bar from all directions.It was comparable to the death of a president. "Everybody out," the sheriff yelled at Riley. "Get everybody out. Give us a little room to breathe." "That means including you," Riley said, pushing Ben out the office door.Behind the large old desk, Ben glimpsed the bloody head of the corpse and a hand lying across the floor. He faced the crowd, crossed the muddy street, grabbed the oncoming Gus by the collar, "I need some coffee and food, how about it?" "Of course, of course. Did you see him? Did you see Rain's body? Who killed him?" "They don't know yet. It looks to me like someone smashed his head out with a gun butt." Old Gus snorted softly and opened the door with his uninjured hand. "Probably his wicked brother. You know Harry?" "Meet him," Ben muttered, lost in thought. He drank his coffee quietly, and twenty minutes later, the sheriff sat down at his desk, "I have a few questions for you, Snow." "Just ask." Badley smiled, "What did you talk to Ryan about this morning?" "He paid me a thousand dollars to kill Riley," Ben said truthfully. "You accepted?" "No, I knocked him to the ground and left. I'm not some hired killer, no matter what you and everyone else thinks." Badley's eyes narrowed, "You said you knocked him down..." "He was alive when I left, if that's what you're asking. I hit him with my fists, not the butt of a gun." The sheriff twirled his beard. "I'm going to talk to Ryan's brother Harry. Maybe you can come with me." "Since you said so." He paid Gus for the meal and followed the sheriff across the street. Deputy Reilly and Harry Antioak were in the small back office as the body was removed—no doubt to the funeral parlor down the street and then up the hill. cemetery.Riley lolled in a corner chair, rolling a cigarette.Harry sat behind his brother's desk, looking sullen and worried. "Tell me, Harry," asked the Inspector, "what's the matter?" Harry Antioch turned his hard, unforgiving eyes on Ben. "This is the guy who killed my brother," he said softly. "Everyone knows who he is." "He denies that he did it, Harry. And he's credible. He claims Wren tried to hire him to kill Deputy Riley." At the mention of his name, Riley stood up. "That's what I knew. And I guess this guy can do it too. I've been giving Brother Andyoke a lot of trouble lately. They must be trying to get rid of me." But at this moment, Harry also stood up. "Why don't you guys die? My brother and I didn't hurt anybody. We gave the men legitimate entertainment and it never went wrong. Being a deputy at Riley and this guy named Snow We were all happy before the guy came here." "Did you see anyone come in here after Ben Snow left?" "No, but there is a back door here. Snow or Riley can come back from there and kill my brother." "Why?" Badley adjusted the position of the pistol on his hip, and asked, "If you are doing a legitimate business, why would anyone want to kill Ryan?" "Then why would anyone want to shoot Lincoln? Even a good guy like my brother makes enemies. There are a lot of professional gunmen in this town." He said, casting a meaningful glance at Ben. "But Lane was not shot," the sheriff pointed out. "He was hit on the head several times. This is not the technique of a professional killer." "It's like brother killing," Ben said. "Like Cain and Abel." "Like who?" Harry asked, not understanding the meaning of the words. But Sheriff Badley was more interested in Ben. "No matter what you say, Snow, you're prime suspect. You probably killed him before you left, or you came back later." "Are you going to arrest me, Sheriff?" "maybe." "Well, you know where to find me," he said, "I'm going first." "Where will you be?" "Maybe it's Kathy's clothing store, look there first." He walked out the back door, could feel their eyes on him, and returned to the street again. The sky overhead is cloudy again, and it seems that another heavy rain is coming.He cursed his boots, which had just gotten muddy behind the golden swan, and wondered when the fabled Arizona dry weather would come.Apparently there has been too much rain this month. "Meet you again, Stranger," Casey said. "Did the sheriff catch the suspect?" "If caught, I'm not here. I'm still prime suspect." She looked away from him, trying to avoid his sight, "Ben..." "what?" "It's like that... what they told me about you... is it true?" "Even you, huh? Even you believe it." "No, Ben," she replied, unpacking the other dress. "Do you like this one? It just arrived from New York this morning." "Not bad. You believe it, don't you?" She looked down at him in the chair, at the gun slung loosely by his side in a holster—a gun she had never seen him draw. "Are you?" she murmured. "Are you Billy the Kid?" He sighed and looked away. "Billy the Kid has been dead for nine years. Everyone knows it." "There's a guy... who came into town a few weeks after you got here. He knew Billy from New Mexico. He swore you looked exactly like him, and you were both in your thirties..." "My name is Ben Snow," he replied softly, "and I'm from New Mexico, as it stands." "But the guy was pretty sure, he... he said he met you in Denver a few months ago, said you shot and killed two of the best gunmen in the area, and he said you shot like Billy the Kid same." "I know. I've heard these things a thousand times, and that's why I'm homeless." "Did you kill those two in Denver?" "They didn't just hate me, they hated each other. While they were busy killing each other, I took advantage of it." "Where were you before Denver?" "Before Denver? Served in Ondini. Massacred Indians." "And before that? Nine years ago?" "You really believed those words, didn't you? What do you think I am, Ghost?" "No, you're a man, Ben Snow. Always human. But there's always rumors. Some say Billy the Kid never died in that woman's bedroom nine years ago." Ben nodded. "Such rumors are the curse of my life. Because of this, as long as I can deal with it with two fists, I will not draw a gun." "Does he...really look like you?" "That's what they say. And when people see what I do with the gun, rumors spread. It's been especially bad this year. Everyone in this place seems to have a personal relationship with Billy." She walked up to him, and he stood up, and she said, "I believe you, really, but you didn't tell me anything. You could still be...him." "I might be." "A man like Billy the Kid would, under certain circumstances, have killed Ryan Endyoke." "He might." "Why don't you get off, Ben? Why don't you get on your horse and get off the border?" "Because that way, the sheriff will be more convinced of his speculation. They will come after me, and even if they don't catch me, there will be new rumors to follow me to the next place." "Then what are you going to do now?" "Well, I think I'll go back to Brother Andyoke's office now and have a look. Might find something of interest." "If Harry Antioch did it, he'll kill you," she said simply. "Someone tried to kill me before," he said to her, "see you later." As he returned to the street, the clouds darkened and heralded heavy rain.A rider galloping by, muddying his trousers with a splash of mud, could have been the provocation to a duel in some towns.But the people on the frontier are friendlier.For two months he had not heard a single shot, and it was much quieter to use the butt of the gun as the murder weapon. Deputy Riley stood by a door that the Golden Swan had opened in the alley, checking the cartridges in the revolver. "Thinking about killing someone, Riley?" he asked. "Could be you, smart-ass. I'd probably be famous if I shot Billy..." "My name is Ben Snow, remember. Get out of the way now, I'm going in." "I'm on guard here and no one can get in, sir." "Then go tell your boss I'm in." Ben pushed him away and walked into the office.Riley, gun in hand, followed closely behind. Ben wasted no time.He had dealt with more cunning and sophisticated gamblers than the Andyoke brothers, and knew where to look for what he needed.After a quick, fruitless search of the three usual desk drawers, he drew the gun from its holster. "I'm one step ahead of you." Riley pulled out his weapon quickly and said. "Don't worry, I haven't fired a gun since I've been here, have I? It's just that I happen to know the construction of this table. I saw it once in Kansas City. Look here." The side of a massive desk, ornately decorated with wooden panels. "What are you doing, Snow?" "Here, if I'm not drunk, these are the books and records of the Andyoke Brothers' casino in town. You go and notify Sheriff Badley that I've found them." Riley hesitated only a moment. "He won't be happy to see you here." "He'll be even more upset if you don't tell him now." At this, the deputy holstered the gun and left.Ben flipped through the first thick account book he found in a hidden compartment.Every page is a list of symbols and abbreviations, one of which appears much more frequently than the others. Just then he took his eyes off the other door - the one leading to the bar - for half a second before it opened and Harry Antioch entered the room .Quick as a fox caught in a trap, his hand reached for the Delinger under his arm. "Stay still, Snow." "Well, glad to do it." "Throw the gun on the ground. Quick! You may be a quick shooter, but not fast enough." "I know it all, Harry. It's all in these books." His upper lip curled into a mocking smile, "Then you have to die, don't you?" Still holding the gun, Ben charged down, looking for the moment, the moment he needed.At this moment, the back door opened, and Deputy Sheriff Riley hurried in. "The Sheriff said—" It was too late when he saw Harry Antioch and the pistol.Reflexively, he quickly reached for the gun, but Harry moved faster.He spun, and the light Delinger roared, and Riley fell backward, blood gushing from his right eye. Ben saw the moment, knowing he had been waiting for this moment for a long time.He raised the gun, calculating the angle in his head, as he had done a thousand times before.Harry Antioch put his gun down and stared at Riley, who fell backward, as if he had never seen such a scene before. "I didn't intend to kill him." He muttered. Ben held the gun firmly, but did not fire.Now, he can't kill this man.Maybe in a while, but not now. "He's just a conscientious deputy, Harry," Ben whispered. "He doesn't deserve to die." "What should I do now?" he asked, half asking himself. Ben shook the gun. "I'll give you five seconds, Harry. Then I'll chase you." Harry Antioch looked into his eyes--saw he meant it.He opened the door behind him and ran away.Ben counted to five, then ran after him. Harry stood behind the bar, pushing cartridges into a shiny silver revolver.Seeing Ben appearing at the door, he immediately ducked and hid under the bar. "We can make a deal, Snow," he cried, "and I'll let you in." Ben glanced around to make sure no one had been accidentally injured by stray bullets.However, the Golden Swan Bar has been suspended.Through the front window, all he could see was Sheriff Vic Badley hurrying out of his office and heading his way.He has at most a minute. "A deal, Snow! This town is enough for the two of us." "What about Badley?" Ben asked softly. "I'll send him off." "Impossible, Harry." "Go to hell then, damn it!" yelled Harry Antioch.Frantically, he fired a shot over the bar.Ben knew that he could subdue him without firing a single shot, but the scene of the deputy sheriff's sudden death in the next room flashed clearly in his mind. He got down on one knee, and fired five discreet shots at the wooden bar, aiming at the spot where Harry had poked his head.There was only a muffled growl and a few coughs, and then Harry Antioch appeared from behind the bar again.Ben saw how badly he was hurt. "Damn it," he coughed, "lucky shot... damn good." "Drop the gun, Harry. Maybe the doctor can save your life." However, the gambler has gone further and further, following his brother. "Tell... me one thing, Snow... are you really Billy... Billy the Kid?" Ben looked at him with eyes full of sadness and silence.He took a step toward the staggering man, but it was too late.Harry Antioch died standing up.Meanwhile, Sheriff Badley pushed open the swing door and walked in... Moments later, they were sitting around Gus's diner, eating lunch—Ben, Kathy, and Sheriff Badley.The sheriff frowned at his soup, as if thinking of the deputy sheriff who died in Huangquan, and the three corpses that would be transported to the hilltop cemetery soon. "So Andyoke killed his brother, didn't he?" he said, as if for confirmation in himself. Looking at Kathy, who was smiling and enjoying the food quietly, Ben hated what he had to do.If you turn a blind eye and close your eyes, everyone will live in peace. "No, I don't think so, Sheriff," he answered, turning away. "You don't think so? What the hell do you mean?" "Harry Andyoke was a gambler, not a murderous maniac, and you didn't see the look on his face when he shot Riley, but I did. It was the first time he actually killed, I think. , It must not be him who killed his brother." "Okay, hell, so who did it?" Ben slowly looked away, met Badley's, and locked on. "I think you did it, Sheriff..." "Full of nonsense!" Ben heard Kathy gasp behind him, "I found their secret ledger, Sheriff. They paid you a lot of dividends from the money they made from gambling. Obviously, you've been a golden swan since the beginning." a secret partner." "Even if I am. That doesn't prove that I killed the person." "Yeah, but there's plenty of other evidence for that. Lane tried to hire me to kill Riley, but he doesn't seem to care about you. I guess he thinks he can handle you. But you two got into an argument about something - probably about the deputy - so you hit him on the head with your pistol. Later, you made a mistake. You mentioned that he took several blows to the head - it's hard for you to just look His skull. Maybe some good Eastern doctor could estimate the number of blows, but you can't. Sheriff—unless you were there." "No jury will ever hear you, Snow." "Also. I bet the mud on your boots matches the mud on the back door of Ryan's office..." "I passed by there several times, so what?" "Before Harry died, he said he'd get you and make sure you wouldn't bother him. What do you think he meant? Blackmail, probably, because he guessed you were the murderer of his brother. " The sheriff's fingers twirled his beard nervously. "But there's no evidence. There's no evidence to present to the jury." "What about those ledgers?" "This is Arizona. Do you think people are going to send me to jail just because I own a stake in a gambling bar?" "We can try it." But the Sheriff has nowhere to go, "If I say you killed Brother Andyoke and the Deputy, they'll lynch you in no time. They're convinced you're the ghost of Billy the Kid , and people here don't like things they don't understand." "Then what shall we do?" "You've got until tomorrow to get out of town and we're even. This woman has to go with you too, because she knows too much." Kathy gasped and turned to Ben. "Don't get me involved," she said. "I've got a business on Frontier Street, a good business. I'm not going anywhere!" The sheriff shrugged. "There's no other way, is there?" "I have one," Ben said softly. "You leave town. Before you go, sign a paper transferring the Golden Swan to me. You're the sole shareholder now, you know." Badley laughed loudly, "To you? To you?" "That's right." "Do you think I'm crazy?" "Then what shall we do?" "you left." Ben frowned at his coffee, "What if I don't go?" "I'll just shoot you and say you killed everyone. Maybe I'll kill this woman too, just to be on the safe side." He lowered his voice so it wouldn't reach the counter where Gus worked. Ben finally sighed and stood up. "If we can't agree, we'll get it over with now. Outside, on the street." "Oh no! You're a good shot. I couldn't have won... Billy the Kid." Ben pulled out his Colt and set it on the table. "There's one round in the chamber. I used the other five on Harry. You can check." Badley frowned and hesitated for a moment, then checked the chamber of the pistol, "That's right, so what?" "I'll rotate the chamber so I don't know where the rest of the round is. Then we draw the gun at the same time, and I have to pull the trigger once or six times to fire the round. It takes you all the way. All the advantages you need." Badley smiled for the first time of the day. "Sounds fair," he said. "Of course, you know, even if you kill me, the townspeople won't let you out of here alive. They'll jump on my body before it's down, tear you to shreds." "Then I'll try it too," said Ben. "Outside, in five minutes?" Sergeant Badley nodded, "Five minutes, just outside." He stood up slowly, went out to the street and waited, and Kathy reached out and grabbed Ben's arm. "You fool! What kind of a duel is this? Maybe you can fire a shot before he fires. You have only one chance in five to win." "Maybe," said Ben, "wish me luck." "You crazy idiot." That was all she could say. He waited another moment, then holstered the gun and stood up.Outside the door, a cool breeze blew across Border Street, and Sheriff Vic Badley stood alone at the door of the Golden Swan Bar. "I'm here, Snow." "I saw you." "Rotary chamber." Ben carefully pulled out his gun, held it up to the sky, and turned the magazine, which contained only one bullet.Six to one.He then holstered the gun. "Count to ten, Sheriff?" "Count to ten, yes." Ben starts counting: "One...two...three...four...five...six..." Badley counted the last four with him: "...seven...eight...nine..." Pause. "……ten……" Before the last number could be said, Ben had already drawn out his gun.His finger pulled the trigger. once. twice. Badley's gun fired fast, and his eyes were like tigers, shining brightly. Ben's fingers clenched for the third time, but there was only a soft click. Badley smiled slyly, stopped for a moment, and aimed carefully. Ben's gun roared a fourth time. Badley took the impact of the bullet, spun and fell in the dust.His finger still squeezed the trigger convulsively, and then he died. Ben sighed and holstered the gun.He didn't look at the sheriff again, but walked back to the gate where Kathy was waiting. "Ben! What?..." "I've done that before, in New Mexico," he said softly. "I could always fire five shots before they fired, so I was the one who was really sure of winning. They thought it was a win, so instead will slow down." "Oh my God, Ben!" "However, Badley miscalculated one thing. These people don't care whether he is dead or alive." He indicated the place where the dead body was laid, and the crowd gathered around quietly. "Are you leaving now, Ben?" "Probably so. Let the others fight for the golden swan." "Ben... you're a good shot with a gun, aren't you?" "You can say that." She lowered her voice and whispered, "Are you... Billy the Kid?" "Is it a man?" he replied. "Is he just a man, or is it a collection of legends?" "Are you?" "My name is Ben Snow," he replied with a smile, "remember." Soon, he rode away from this small town called Borderlands, and everything was calm again...

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