The McEllis Boys

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

East Texas

 

August 1875

“This is gonna be our biggest job yet, boys.” Billy said with a whistle as he rubbed his hands together. Ian McEllis frowned as he wiped his black bandana across his stubble covered, sharp featured face.

“I don’t know, Billy. Swindling gamblers and robbing stage coaches is one thing, but banks? I ain’t too eager to get caught and go swinging if you catch my drift.”

“Well then let’s not get caught.” Billy replied with a chuckle. Ian shifted uneasily in his saddle as they sat just outside the town and he shook his head again.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea, Billy. My damn brother is a U.S. Marshall. If I get a wanted poster with my face on it then I’ll never be allowed back at home.”

“Sounds like a personal damn problem to me. Don’t it sound like a personal problem to you, boys?” Billy asked as he looked at the other five men around them. One by one they all nodded and Ian folded his arms over his saddle horn.

“I can’t do it, Billy. It’s too risky. That town has a group of damn vigilantes that have already soiled at least seven bank robbery attempts in the last year. What makes you think this one would be any different?”

“Those robberies weren’t being led by me.” Billy replied with a shrug. “You can sit this one out if you wanna but you won’t get none of the money we ride out of there with.”

“That’s fine with me. I got plenty.”

Ian watched the gang ride away and shook his head. Billy was new. Billy had killed Ted, who had led the group of men before, and taken over his place. Billy was a trigger happy, hotheaded, risk taker that was going to get every one of them killed.

Shot or swinging, dead was dead, and Ian wanted no part of that. He decided since he was so close he’d head into Windfall Texas and send his mama a letter. He tried to write her at least three times a year and he always sent his letters from Windfall since he had told the woman he had a job there.