Mistaking Identity

Chapter.....1


Josiah Kemp banked his campfire against the rocks making up the ridge he stopped behind for the night. Bone weary from the day's ride, he drifted off trusting his horse to wake him in case of an emergency. Three hours into his sleep his horse stomped his hoofs and neighed loudly. Immediately he woke and moved his eyes only to see if the trouble was near.

He did not see anything, but the glow of the campfire's coals. Then he heard the clop-clop of hoofs striking hard ground coming closer and closer. Reaching down he slid his six-shooter out from under his blanket, but still kept it hiding from view.

The walking horse stopped and Josiah stayed still, not knowing what to expect. He was new to this part of the country and as far as he knew, everyone would be a stranger. The sounds of more than one hammer being clicked to full cock told him there were others besides the one on the horse.

A gruff voice called out, "Throw out your weapons, Johnny Valentine. We have enough guns trained on you to blow you to Hell and back. Pete, since you are closer, throw some wood on that fire, and let's get a good look at our prisoner."

I slowly inched my way back away from the coals and by the time Pete threw some wood on the fire I had moved fifteen feet. They were surprised when the fire flared up and I was not in my bedroll near to it. I now had Pete covered with my forty-four and would not hesitate to shoot should he lift his gun in my direction.

"Where did he go?" Pete asked into the night behind him.

"Close enough to blow your head off, Pete," I whispered to him and he froze in place.

Another man came into the firelight to stand beside Pete. Middle-aged with a droopy walrus-style mustache. He carried a shotgun, double barrel. "What the heck's the matter with you? Look like you have seen a ghost, Boy."

"Johnny's got a gun trained on my head and will shoot if I move, Vinny. He said so."
'Bull pucky!"

"He's not lying to you, Vinny," I whispered to them both. "And now, you are covered as well."

"CRAP!" Vinny said out loud. Then he added, "Watch out you all. Johnny's got us covered with his gun." And dove away from the campfire, rolling as he hit the ground.

Gunfire lit up the night as I hugged the ground behind the small pile of rocks I had been hiding behind. I did not move until it stopped a few seconds later. But, I still stayed behind them rocks. Finally, after catching me wits about me I called out. "Who is this Johnny Valentine you are looking for? My name is Josiah Kemp and I am new to these parts."

The same first gruff voice replied back, " Nice try Johnny. We all know your voice and know you lie like Hell. Come out and take your medicine. Where you got that Money hidden you stole from the Mercantile store back in town?"

"I never stole anything in my life from anyone. You have me mixed up with this Johnny Valentine fellow. Any more shooting and I will begin to shoot back. Shoot to kill."

Dawn began to color the Eastern sky and the shapes started to get clear. Damn fools did not realize they could not hide worth Bull crap. I had them all pegged out in two minutes had I wanted to start firing. I waited another fifteen minutes before I rose from my hiding place and took a couple of steps toward my camp. In that time no one had moved from their spot for which I was thankful. With the coming of the new day, I no longer needed the campfire other than to make my morning coffee, if these Jaspers would let me.

I came up until I was a few feet from Pete who lay hugging the ground and whimpering softly. "Get up," I whispered to him poking him with my six-shooter in the back. He stood slowly and turned to face me.

"You changed your looks, Johnny. Nice disguise. I almost can not tell it is you."

"I am not Johnny Valentine!" I stated once again and he rolled his eyes at me. Round about that time something hit me in the back of the head and I dropped to the ground out cold.

The next time I woke up, there were bars around me on three sides and a brick wall behind me. I lay on a metal cot with thin padding under me. The so-called blanket was so thin I could see through it and it would not stop anything from passing through it. Wind, rain, cold. I looked around and did not even see a slop bucket, so I pissed on the floor in the next cell. Good thing no one was sleeping in there, of course, some drunks would not have been able to tell the difference.

I had to get out of this place. I am innocent of any crime. "Hey!" I yelled out and rattled the cell door. I got no response, so I yelled even louder, and this time I heard a chair scrape across the floor in the outer office, then keys in the door's lock. The door swung open a couple of inches only and a stranger's face peered in at me.

"What do you want? Whew..did you piss yourself?"

"I want to talk with whoever is in charge and I don't believe it could be you. You don't look smart enough to come in out of the rain."

"Maybe I am only the jail keeper now and then, but look who is there and whose out here. I'll tell the Marshal you want to jaw with him the next time I see him. Now, Shut up!"

I responded to his attitude the only way I knew how. I threw yesterday's slop bucket in his face. He went to the floor sputtering and gagging.
I would have as well, as I believe the jailer had forgotten to empty it a few days back and it reeked worse than a dead skunk. He fell next to the bars and I could barely reach him. As gross as it was I grabbed him and pulled him closer. Lucky for me he had the keys on his belt.

I unlocked the door and had a little trouble pushing his fat butt away to allow me to open the cell. Once open, I hauled him into the cell, hog-tied him, and gagged him then locked him inside. I shut the door between the cells and the office, locking that one as well. I found my gunbelt and rifle and plenty of extra ammunition for both. I filled a sack with the ammunition and extra six guns, a shotgun, and another rifle.
I was going hunting.

The safe stood unlocked and partway open I noticed as I was about to leave. What the hell I thought to myself, looking inside. To my surprise, I found over a hundred dollars in coins and bills. I grabbed it all without counting and stuck it in my pocket, then beat a hasty retreat out the back door, making sure to lock it behind me.

The looked around to make sure the alley is clear. I walked as fast as I could without attracting any unwanted attention. The stable was empty. I saddled my horse and threw a bridle on two others, the best I could find. Leading them all to the back I pushed the door open cautiously. The yard was clear, so I stepped into the saddle and rode out of town, not looking back. The next town, if I recalled correctly was a day and a half ride away toward the East. Of course, I headed in the opposite direction.

Three hours later I spied a ranch from a low hill. I rode toward it hoping to get some supplies or at least a meal. An old man pumping water into a horse trough near the corral must have seen me coming. He stopped and walked slowly to the porch. Reaching inside the door he turned with a rifle in his hands. I did not slow down but continued my pace. I was in range before too long and he could have shot me, but he stood there waiting to see what I wanted.

"Howdy.'" he nodded. "Looks like you have come a far way. What can I do for you?" He moved a might and the rifle pointed in my general direction.

I nodded back at him. "I have come a bit and have more miles to travel. I am hoping I can buy some supplies from you or get a meal before I continue on. I mean you or your woman no harm." I sat in the saddle waiting to see IF I get the invite to step down. He waited five minutes looking me over, before the invite.

"Step down stranger. I suppose I can always shoot you later if need be."

I chuckled at that. For some reason, I liked this man. A gentle, polite, simple man who didn't put up with shit from anybody. I climbed down out of the saddle and tied off the horses to the hitching rail, making sure to keep my hands far from my guns. I brushed the dust off with my hat, before sticking out my hand. "I.m Josiah Kemp."

Shaking my hand he said, " Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Kemp. My name is Able Green and my wife is Mary. Come in for some coffee. We can discuss the supplies after we eat. Mary makes a fine stew and she has freshly baked bread as well."

"Sounds good to me." I replied steppin up on the porch and taking a look around the yard before following Able into the house.