Dan the Dummy, Part I
Alistar Brandt led his men up the trail,
the sun high, the sky clear of rain or hail,
across long slopes, beneath mountains rocky,
vultures soaring between the ragged peaks,
behind him rode five members of his gang,
rough-hewn men who the law would love to hang,
but today they looked for a man of old,
who was farming these lands, they had been told.
They came across a cabin on a knoll,
a barn nearby, the spot they had been told,
corral nearby held half a dozen pigs,
nearby grew potatoes you’d have to dig,
between, a well, where a big man did work,
drawing buttons of water from the earth,
his clothes weathered, but his frame just as large
upon which Alistair knew there were scars.
It was their man, named Dan Smith to the world,
was strong enough to lift a steer and hurl,
he’d rode with them until three years ago
when he’d got caught, sentenced to prison’s woes.
He once had called himself Dan the Deadly,
but all had joked, called him Dan the Dummy,
not much for brains, which any man could see,
Alistair doubted he could even read.
His sluggish thoughts had led him into jail,
missed a signal to flee back to the trail,
just stood a fought a posse on his own,
lost to numbers (Though he’d broken some bones!)
But that was why they wanted him today,
to swing big firsts if things should go astray,
and Alistar saw as the big man turned
that on his face the same dumb look was burned.
For a moment Dan just looked on blankly,
then said, “Al, did you come here seeking me?”
Alistair said, “Didn’t come for the view,
and we got a job that might interest you.”
Dan waved his big hand. “Don’t do that no more.
Got a farm and woman I can’t ignore.”
Alistair frowned. “Just hear me out them choose,
this could mean eight thousand dollars for you.
See Red Joe Hayes got himself shot last month,
the one who knocked off that army wagon.
I know ’cause his pard Bill rides with us now,
says Red hid that payroll up near the clouds.
Up in the high country, just north of here,
but others are looking too, it appears.
Near sixty thousand, and you’d get your share,
if you help us fight any fools up there.”
CONTINUES IN PART II.
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