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BRANDED
Judge Not — episode #17
Jas received a telegram of a job offer in Forth
Worth. He needed to find a ride to Fort Worth, the
stage has already left town several hours earlier.
He asked the guy at the blacksmith if he could loan
him a horse and ride
 with
him so he could catch the stage, for a fee. The
blacksmith agreed. They did catch up with the stage
and Jas asked if they had room for one more, and
that he needed to get to Fort Worth fast. The
stagecoach driver told Jas they had a full load, but
if he could squeeze in he could ride along.
As he stepped into the coach he heard a woman
say....."Jason McCord." It was Laura Rock. She was
an old flame of Jas's. She was traveling with her
husband, Major Tom Rock. The major was present at
Jas's court-martial hearing and also cast one of the
deciding votes on his discharge. There also was a
Texas Ranger by the name of Tuttle. He was taking a
prisoner, Perce Clampett, to be hung.
"Jason McCord.....yellow-belly who got kicked out of
the army and I have to set on the floor," said
Perce. Jas asked Tuttle if he was Frank Clampett. He
told Jas it was Perce, Frank was his twin brother
and that they were as much alike as two peas in a
pod. "Except in brains.....his brother is still
running around free," said Jas. "I'll get free
yellow-tail.....Frank will get me out of this," said
Perce. Tuttle told Perce that Frank was going to let
him swing so he can clear his own record. Perce told
him he can think that, but not to be surprised if
Frank was out there waiting on them.
Laura told Jas it was nice to see an old friend. She
hadn't seen Jas since Tom sat in on Jas's hearing.
She told Jas she never thought he was guilty. Perce
thought this was funny. "Well ain't this a pretty
wagon load of hate we have here," said Perce. Tuttle
told Perce to shut up. Tu ttle
didn't get those words out of his mouth right when
they heard shooting. It was Frank and his gang
coming for Perce. Jas, the major and Tuttle all
started shooting back at the cowboys. Tuttle got
shot, while the others kept fighting. Next to get
shot was the man riding shotgun. Jas told the major
he was going to go on top of the stage and to cover
him. Jas managed to get two members of the gang. The
stagecoach driver got shot next. Jas grabbed a hold
of the reins and managed to drive the stagecoach
into the relay station. Potter the station master
helped Jas get everyone off the stage. "You better
help him (referring to her husband).....he put up a
great fight!" Said Laura sarcastically. She had a
low opinion of her husband and was not afraid to
show it. Tom got off the stage and went over and
grabbed his wife by her arm. "Laura.....I did my
part." "Yes.....you shot the sky just full of
holes," said Laura sarcastically. Jas started to
take the handcuffs off of Perce, when Perce stuck a
gun in Jas's face. In all the commotion, Perce
managed to get Tuttle's gun without anyone noticing.
"Now just back out quiet," said Perce to Jas as he
took his gun. Potter was so busy telling what all he
had learned about bad men and what he would do, that
he didn't notice Perce holding a gun on Jas until it
was too late.
Perce tied the men up and gathered up all the guns
and ammunition he could fine. He took the ammunition
out of Jas's gun belt and put it in a sack and threw
it out the window. Perce then walked over to Potter
and grabbed his handkerchief that was around his
neck and started twisting it, he wanted to know what
Potter would do to bad men. Perce told
Potter he had been out here too long and that he had
been reading too many dime novels. "You turn me
loose and I'll show ya'," said Potter. Perce then
got a bottle and a glass and poured Laura a drink.
Her husband asked her not to drink with Perce. "What
makes you so pure and holy?" Laura asked her
husband. Perce chime right in and asked him the same
thing and reminded him that he had been on the stage
with them and he was a coward. Perce then forced
whiskey into Tom's mouth. Laura got upset. She kept
looking at Jas, but there was nothing he could do.
She had to do something. She ran over to Jas and
said....."Jason, you missed it.....you were on top
of the coach.....but...but...but Tom, he was scared
right out of his wits!" "He's just a desk
soldier.....never in a real gun fight." All the
while Tom was watching and listening to his wife
degrade him. "And yet he sat in judgment of you and
branded you a coward! "Do you know why Tom
voted against you?" Asked Laura. As she pushed Perce
away from her husband. "Because we once loved each
other." "And I turned my back on you because I
thought he was a man with a future." "Oh so
honorable and upright and virtuous!" "All I married
was an empty uniform!" She walked over to the table
upset. Perce walked over to her and said....."You
sure know how to pick 'em lady.....first ole
yellow-tail here and the fancy soldier boy." He then
offered her a drink. She told him she'd like to go
outside to get a breath of clean, fresh air. As they
started out the door, Perce warned no one try
anything or she would get it.
As soon as the door was shut Jas tried to break
loose. "McCord, what she said....." said the major.
"Forget what she said.....she's giving us a chance
to get loose.....use it!" Potter managed to get
free. He said it was a trick he learned from the
Indians as he untied his legs. He then headed to the
fireplace where he had a gun hidden in the stack of
wood. Jas told him to untie them, but it was too
late, Perce walke d
in. He yelled for Potter to drop the gun. He showed
Laura and said....."I thought the little lady was
being nice too fast!" Potter told him that Laura
didn't know anything about him getting loose, but it
was too late, Perce killed Potter. Perce turned to
Jas and said.....Ya know.....he talked so much that
he talked himself to death," said Perce. As Laura
kneeled down beside Potter, she saw his gun lying
next to him. She picked it up and walked over to
Perce and told him to drop his gun. She then went to
untie Jas. Just then one of the member of the gang
shot the lamp inside the house. It was Frank and the
gang, they came to get Perce. She held a gun on
Perce while the others figured out what to do.
They had to try something. They didn't have enough
ammunition to fight them off. If only they could get
to that sack of bullets that Perce threw out the
window. The major yelled out the window....."Hey out
there.....this is Major Thomas Rock.....US
Calvary.....I wanna talk to you!" Jas yelled at the
major and asked him what he was doing. Frank told
him to get rid of the gun and come out. As Tom
started out the door, Jas told him he was making a
mistake. Laura turned to Jas and said.....:Maybe he
can do it!" Just then Perce went to the window and
yelled that there was only one left. Jas hit Perce
and knocked him out. Major Rock went oldside with
his hands out to his side. Frank shot him.
"They killed him! They killed him!"
Screamed Laura. Jas looked out the window. the major
was still alive. Laura was crying, she asked Jas not
to leave her husband out there. Jas tried to comfort
her. He told her to get the gun that was on the
floor and to stay low. She gave Jas the gun, now
that left him with two guns. She was still crying
begging Jas to help Tom. Jas knew he had to get that
sack of bullets. He slowing opened the door, ran
and grabbed the sack of bullets and headed for Tom
who was now hiding behind the wagon. The bullet had
grazed Tom's head, but other then that he was
alright. "Why did you come out here?" Asked Tom. "We
needed the bullets and another gun.....if you
can use it!" stated
Jas. Tom then took the gun from Jas. "This is your
chance to even the score," said Tom. Jas told him
that Laura asked hi m
to come after him. "Now if you want to find out
why.....lets start working together," said Jas. Jas
covered Tom as he ran for the house. After he made
it, Jas ran for the house also. Now they were both
inside. Tom walked up to Laura and told
her....."That was a brave thing that you did,
picking up the old man's gun." "It was a brave thing
Jason did.....going after you," said Laura. "He said
you wanted him to," said Tom.
Just the Perce came to. He picked up an iron from
the fireplace and started for Jas. Tom saw him and
stopped him. The he hit Perce again and again and
again. The gang started to rush the house. Tom went
over to help Jas, when Jas said to him.....Any
orders major?" He smiled at Jas and said....."Fight
at will.....captain!" "McCord.....about your
court-martial....." Jas told Tom to forget it. "My
personal feelings about you and Laura.....had
nothing to do with my decision." "I voted with the
majority because I honestly believed the
evidence.....you offered no defense....." Just then
Frank yelled....."I'm coming in to get you
Perce!" As Frank ran
towards the house, the major shot him in the
shoulder. He kept running and headed for the water
trough, but before he could make it, he was shot
again, this time he was killed. When the other men
saw that Frank was dead they high tailed it out of
there.
Perce slowly started for the door when Jas stopped
him. "He's my brother....." The two men stood there
looking at each other. Without having to say another
word, Perce went out to see his brother. He cradled
his brother in his arms and cried. They buried
Potter and Frank. They had to get going if the
wanted to make Sara Blanc before sundown.
"I wonder if the old man ever did those things he
boasted about?" Asked Laura. "I don't know.....but
if he died the way he talked.....he knew one thing
that some people never learned.....you come into
this world with nothing.....and that's the way you
go out," said Tom. "And in between coming and
going.....you ought to appreciate what you've been
given," said Laura as she looked at her husband.
As the major and his wife started to get on the
stage Perce asked why he had to ride up there with
Jas when there was plenty of room for him with them
in the coach. Jas looked at the two of them and then
at Perce and said with a smile....."No there's not."
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