Tucson was being made unsafe for a while by Enrico and Amando Castillo. They had fled from Mexico where they were being wanted for murder and robberies. Not only the ordinary people became victims by them but the ranchers too had to suffer.
The owner of the High Chaparral, Big John Cannon, would do anything to protect his family and ranch. His younger brother Buck had the same opinion. Both couldn’t suspect they would get involved very close by.
Manolito Montoya came home with it. That certain evening he had spent like usual the time with one or more beautiful ladies. At a certain moment Nicky Johnson came walking in. Manolito called, “Hey Nicky, come over here for a second amigo.”
“Mano, what is the matter? Are you trying to pick up somebody again? I will tell Buck as soon as I see him”, was the reaction of the young rancher who had his tongue ready.
“Buck Cannon doesn’t have the charms that I have. Why are you looking so sad?”, asked Manolito.
“The son of widow Murray, you know Andy, has been killed. Watkins said to me that it was done the way that Amando Castillo does. Straight through the heart. The little lad wasn’t even eight years old”, Nicky said slowly.
While Nicky told the news it became deadly silent very quickly in the saloon. Everybody looked at the table where Manolito and Rosa sat. Nicky grabbed a chair and went to sit at their table too. The festive mood which was around till then had disappeared at once. Everybody knew Andy Murray. Though he was mentally handicapped but that didn’t stop him from feeding the animals at the Johnson ranch. His mother was the housekeeper at the ranch and they lived there too.
“Who found him?”, asked Jake, a hand from another ranch.
“I found him when I returned from the herd. Mrs Murray is very upset”, Nicky said worried.
“I can imagine that. Andy was such a nice lad. Why just him?”, asked Manolito.
“We don’t know that but Watkins will get the culprit. What’s that Amando Castillo for a character?”, Nicky asked curious.
“He and his brother Enrico made Mexico unsafe with murder and their robberies. Maybe they are in Arizona now”, told Manolito.
He knew the brothers. Everyone in Tucson had heard something about the notorious twosome but was never confronted with them. Now the twosome made Tucson and the area unsafe. Andy Murray was the first victim but certainly not the last one. Enrico and Amando didn’t care about a dead man one or less. Though they made sure that nobody could find their shelter.
One night the fire department had to pull out because Enrico had set fire to the ranch of Nicky Johnson. Buck Cannon and his house mate Manolito Montoya happen to be witness to it. They knew Nicky very well. Nicky had inherited the ranch from his parents and continued with the it. With trouble he always could knock on the door of the Cannons. Nicky was the youngest rancher in the area of Tucson. He was tough but fair.
Nicky sat in the saloon but when he heard the alarm he went to see where the fire was. Quite soon he noticed that the fire department was busy at his ranch. Buck saw Nicky and ran to him. Manolito ran after him. In the meantime the ranch had burned down almost totally. This to the annoying of the owner. With much difficulty Buck and Manolito could stop Nicky.
“Nicky, stay here. You can’t save anything anymore”, called Buck.
“Let me go. It is my ranch which burns down, not yours”, Nicky yelled upset.
He pulled himself loose and ran to the stables to rescue the horses. Buck ran after the young rancher to help him. Though the fire had reached the stables already. By the opening of the doors Nicky got some fire on his arms but Buck threw a blanket across it. The two horses had managed to get away. Hereby Buck and Nicky could get themselves into safety. At a safe spot Nicky lost his consciousness.
“Mano, we take him home. I am sure that John doesn’t have any objections”, Buck said when the fire was out.
At that moment Daisy Holmes came by.
She saw Nicky and asked worried, “Is he dead?”
“No, señorita Holmes. He is only out cold. We take him down to the High Chaparral. Can we borrow the wagon of your father?”, asked Manolito.
Daisy nodded and kneeled down by her fiancée. Manolito went to get the wagon which he got right away. Carefully they put Nicky upon the wagon. Daisy handled the horses and under guidance of Buck and Manolito she went to the ranch where they lived. All three knew that this was a setback for Nicky. They didn’t know how or what his reaction would be when he heard that his ranch was totally destroyed.
At the High Chaparral Nicky came round. Daisy was with him.
“Where am I? What happened?”, asked the rancher.
“You wanted to go into the ranch while it burned down and became unconscious by the smoke. Both your arms are lightly burnt. We are now at the High Chaparral”, told Daisy.
Nicky looked at his under arms and saw that they were wrapped up in bandages.
He tried to sit but Daisy said, “Doc said that you need to rest. And you hold yourself to that. Where else must we go to? The ranch is totally burned down.”
Nicky looked at her stupefied and said, “So we are homeless? Great? Now we can forget our wedding plans too.”
“Nicky, it doesn’t matter to me where or how we live. As long as we are just together”, said Daisy.
She went to sit by him on the bed. The young rancher nodded. He felt tired and fell asleep again. Daisy went downstairs where John and Victoria were.
“How is he?”, John asked calm.
“He sleeps now but he finds it a catastrophe that the ranch is destroyed”, told Daisy.
“I can imagine that. You stay here for the time being”, said John.
At the High Chaparral Nicky could recover again. By the second destroying of his ranch he had caught some burning wounds on his arms. He didn’t feel like and had not much courage to build up his ranch again.
“If I start again it will burn down again”, was his reason.
John and Buck looked at each other.
“You know what they say: thunder never strikes twice at the same place”, said John.
“Except when you live in Tucson”, was the reaction of Nicky.
“What do you mean with that?”, John asked him not understanding.
“Well, it is the second time that I must build up my ranch. It wouldn’t amaze me if my sister and brother-in-law are behind all this terror”, Nicky explained.
“I doubt that. They are in jail. I just think that you are exaggerating. Other ranchers have been robbed too”, said John.
Buck knew how Nicky felt. He had helped building up the ranch to one of the most beautiful ones in the area.
One night the herd of the Taylor family got slaughtered totally. They were the neighbors of the Cannons. Hereby they realized that the terror was almost waiting for their door to strike.
Out of security Nicky made sure that Mrs Murray could go to family. She did that then too after the funeral of Andy.
The women and children showed less and less on the streets out of fear to be killed by the Castillo brothers. The pressure was to be cut. Hereby Nicky began to drink heavily, something he had never done before. By the drinking he became very quickly angry which did the pressure in town no good either. By this Nicky spent one or more nights in jail. This to the annoying of Daisy. She needed him badly but the young rancher didn’t seem to realize that.
Shortly Simon Watts got attacked when he rode to the ranch. Simon worked as stable hand at the High Chaparral. Amando saw him coming and stopped the young cowboy.
“Amigo, help me”, said the outlaw.
“Why? There is nothing wrong with you, isn’t there?”, Simon asked distrusting.
“Get off!”, ordered Amando.
Simon refused but the outlaw pulled him harsh off it. The hand had no single chance at him. Amando beat up Simon quite a lot. Suddenly Simon got his knife and he stabbed the Mexican in his arm. Here after he knocked the outlaw out cold. Simon mounted on and rode to the ranch. H knew that he had escaped death at a close shave.
Buck saw him coming off his horse clumsy and walked to him.
“Simon, what happened?”, asked the rancher.
“On the way I got attacked by that lowdown Mexican of an Amando Castillo. Buck, my wrist hurts”, answered the young stable hand.
He breathed heavily and held his left wrist up supported by his right arm.
Buck took him inside and said, “John, there is another victim.”
John looked at Simon and cursed mumbling.
“Take him along to Doc and report to it to Watkins”, he said after he had calmed down.
Buck and Simon went away.
Doc set the wrist of Simon in plaster and took care of the wounds. The heal master realized that it went much further.
“Tell your brother that soon comes an emergency meeting and that he and Nicky also must come. I will pass it on to the sheriff”, Doc O’Brien said before Buck and Simon went back home.
“I will pass it on to them”, promised Buck.
During an urgent meeting it got discussed how they could fight the terror. For this meeting all important men of Tucson had come. Nicky had gotten an invitation for this urgent meeting but he was the only one who stayed away. Sheriff Watkins opened the meeting.
“Isn’t Nicky Johnson there? He also has belong in this urgent meeting”, said Watkins.
“He said he didn’t feel like coming because it has no use according to him”, said John.
“Is this the Nicky Johnson who we all know?”, asked Doc.
“It bothers him a lot that his ranch is the only one which burned down. He is now at the High Chaparral”, answered John.
“It is notable that just he is absent”, said Harry Taylor.
Watkins said, “Nicky came to me with the news that he had found Andy Murray Andy lived on his ranch. Though I don’t think that he has anything to do with it. But more with the Castillo brothers. Amando stabbed the little Andy and Enrico set the ranch of Nicky on fire.”
“So they are here in Arizona after all? Manolito said to suspect that already”, John said calm.
“Because Nicky has done something to them the whole town must suffer under their terror? My children don’t dare to play out on the street anymore”, answered Charles Huston, the banker of Tucson.
“When Nicky says that he has nothing to do with it, then I believe him”, was the reaction of John.
After a long and fierce discussion said the sheriff, “From now on I set up a curfew. Nobody may appear on the street from 20.00 o’clock in the evening till 8.00 o’clock in the morning. The one who doesn’t hold to that gets put in jail right away. This urgent meeting is closed.”
The rule wasn’t really fun but necessary. It got set up to prevent as less as possible victims. Everybody knew that it was needed but also that it wouldn’t help much. The Castillo brothers stroke at a moment which you it didn’t expect.
One afternoon Daisy ran into Enrico. The Mexican was straight away mad about her.
“Hello beauty. You are now mine”, the outlaw said laughing falsely.
“Leave me alone”, Daisy said irritated by him.
Enrico grabbed her but a voice said, “Leave her alone!”
The outlaw turned around and looked into the eyes of Blue.
“Who do you think you are? This señorita is mine”, screamed the outlaw.
“No way”, Daisy reacted fierce.
She bit in his hand whereby he had to let her go.
“You dirty Yankee brat”, Enrico bit at her while he looked at his wounded hand.
“You don’t speak to a lady like that. Hasn’t your mother taught you that? Get lost”, Blue said who already had drawn his revolver.
Enrico left the couple angry.
Daisy sighed deep and said to Blue, “Nice that you were here. Otherwise I would be gone.”
“It was nothing. Uncle Buck said that he has been the one who has set fire to your ranch. Shall we go home?”, Blue asked while he put his revolver back into his holster.
Daisy nodded. They grabbed their horses, mounted on and left Tucson behind them.
From what was left over from the Johnson ranch Nicky saw in that he better could build a new ranch than to rebuild his old ranch again. He had the feeling that he had failed. Daisy can better marry another that with a failure like him. Nicky was facing the choice: or he disappeared like a thief into the night or he stayed to rebuild his ranch. To think about his choice he decided to go to the saloon. He always did that. He knew that Daisy didn’t want that he spent a lot of time in the saloon but he couldn’t care less at that moment. She was safe at the High Chaparral so he could do what he wanted. By entering he saw Buck Cannon standing but he didn’t go to him. Nicky had to be alone to think. He ordered a bottle of whisky which got brought to him straight away. Nicky drank whisky like a baby drank milk. Since the terror began Nicky had spent more than one night in jail by sheriff Watkins. Everybody in Tucson knew how sensitive Nicky was with a change. Especially when violence came along with it. His whole life Nicky was against violence. But if it was needed he used his revolver and/or rifle. His parents had taught him to use the weapons only in emergencies.
A bit later on Amando came walking in.
He said to Jack (who served the bar), “Give me a tequila and quick.”
Jack gave him that and went to stand by Buck. The rancher kept an eye on him but so that it wasn’t noticed. Because the outlaw noticed that his presence wasn’t appreciated he soon left the drinking establishment. Nicky had observed the outlaw too and the distrust had woken up by him. The problem was: the evidence had to be delivered for it. Nicky first decided to enjoy his half full bottle of whisky. Though the booze had taken away is sober thoughts. Hereby the rancher wasn’t able for a normal conversation.
Nicky still sat heavily drinking. Buck saw him sitting and walked up to him.
“Do you mind if I join you?”, asked Buck.
Nicky took one look at him and said, “If you are going to nag about my drinking behavior, yes.”
Buck sat down and said calm, “I thought you were a fighter. But if you look up the saloon with one disappointment and you get yourself filled up with booze I have made a big mistake in you. I thought that you were different.”
“Just go away Buck. It ain’t your ranch that they torched, is it? Go hold your sermon in church and leave me alone”, raved Nicky.
Buck saw in that talking wasn’t helping so he went over to action. He grabbed the glass of the boy and emptied it on the floor. Nicky first looked indignant and hit then Buck through the saloon. Buck went to fight with Nicky until they got separated by John and Sheriff Watkins.
“He started”, Nicky said angry pointing at Buck.
“I only tried to help. That ain’t too much to ask, is it?”, asked Buck.
“I really didn’t ask for your sermon”, reacted the young rancher.
“You go and spend once again the night in jail. Come along Johnson”, said Watkins.
He dragged Nicky off to the jail.
“I will get you Buck Cannon. You haven’t got rid of me yet”, said Nicky.
He gave another kick to a chair.
While Nicky was arrested by the sheriff got brought to prison
John said to Buck, “Was that now really necessary? You know what Nicky is like since his ranch burned down.”
“First I tried it with talking but he was already so far gone that he wouldn’t listen. So then I went over to action. According to me he doesn’t care about his ranch anymore”, reacted Buck.
“I must admit that he has changed a whole lot since the terror has begun”, said his brother.
“Would he has something to do with it?”, Buck asked unbelievable.
“I don’t dare to say yes and no to say about it. But it might be possible”, said John.
“Mano said that he had found Andy Murray. I find Nicky very suspicious though”, was the reaction of Buck.
“We can hardly suspect him now when he says that he has nothing to do with it. Stay away from him for the time being. That is the only advice I can give you at this moment”, advised his older brother.
Buck nodded agreeing.
Both brothers decided to make the journey to the ranch and tried to keep silent about the arrest of Nicky to Daisy. She was already so sensitive lately. Who knows how she would react at his arrest.
In the night that Nicky sat in jail for public drinking and fighting in the saloon Enrico and Amando stroke again. This time the Holmes family would be the victims.
Outside of town Enrico said to his brother, “That gal of Glen Holmes will die this time. I will get her.”
“How do you want to do that? You said that cowboy took her along to his ranch”, said Amando.
“First we kill her family. Then she comes on her own back to town”, answered his brother laughing false.
Around one o’clock the brothers sneaked out of their shelter and they rode per horse to Tucson. In a dark part of the town they dismounted. They left the horses behind. Soon they had reached the house of the Holmes family. There was everything in deep quietness. Unnoticed the brothers could come in. They stroke at once. All members of the Holmes family found the death at the usual way of the outlaws. A stab by the knife through the heart. After the assassin the brothers had satisfaction and they went away the same way.
On the way to their shelter said Enrico, “Now that gal is forced to choose for me. I love her and she will going to love me as well. I can offer much more than all those rancher together.”
Amando fully agreed with him.
At the High Chaparral Buck said to his brother, “I am curious where the Castillo brothers will strike tonight. Nicky is in jail. So he hardly can do it.”
“Nicky in jail? Why? What has he done?”, Daisy asked who heard his words.
“He was drunk and went to fight with Buck in the saloon. We might think that he is behind the terror”, John said calm.
“Nicky behind the terror? He would never do that. He is even against violent”, Daisy said a bit fiercer than she meant.
“That sounds very strange to me pa. Nicky is not the kind of person for that”, was the in bringing of Blue.
“He has changed a lot since the destroying of his ranch. Maybe it is the cause of that”, the rancher reasoned.
“I do not think that Nicky is behind it, John. Enrico and Amando never let themselves in with Americans”, reacted Manolito who had kept quiet the whole time.
Suddenly everybody looked at him.
Buck asked, “Mano, do you want to say that those two outlaws are behind it?”
“Si amigo”, was his answer.
“I believe that Manolito is right. Enrico already bothered me once too. Fortunately Blue was there in time to help me”, reacted Daisy.
John looked at his son and Blue confirmed that.
The following morning Buck and Daisy went to Tucson to pick up Nicky from jail. Daisy was very tensed which Buck noticed very well. She hardly said a word and it looked like Daisy could burst into tears any moment.
“I know for sure that Nicky will be pleased to see you again”, Buck said to cheer her up.
“Or not He knows how I think about his drinking”, reacted Daisy.
From her voice Buck made up that she was scared to lose Nicky. Or by booze or by death.
Quite soon they got the first few houses in sight. Once arrived in town they rode straight to jail where Nicky waited for Buck and Daisy. The young rancher looked quite well slept despite is hangover and was in a cheerful mood. The sheriff let him free. Outside Nicky saw his fiancée coming. A grin came on his face and he walked to her. Daisy dismounted off her horse and ran to him. She flew into his arms and he kissed her passionately. It looked like if the young couple hadn’t seen each other in a thousand years. Buck sat on his horse and watched smiling.
“I am sorry honey”, Nicky apologized.
“For this time I forgive you, Nick Johnson. On condition that if this nasty history is over we get married”, said Daisy.
Nicky looked sideways at Buck with a look of: ‘Help me out of this!’ But the rancher stayed on his horse and kept silent. Nicky gave Daisy again a French kiss.
“Come turtledoves. There is more to do than to lick each other”, Buck said after a while.
“We come. Take it easy Buck Cannon”, said Nicky.
He helped Daisy on her horse and mounted ten on his. Riding next to each other they held each other’s hand. Although Buck rode in front he noticed what Nicky and Daisy did.
Arrived at her house Daisy dismounted. She opened the door. Buck and Nicky watched until they heard an awful scream. The ranchers looked at each other, dismounted and ran inside. Nicky had to swallow a few times when he saw the bodies of his family-in-law. Daisy cursed out loud and began to cry in the arms of Nicky.
“I go and get the sheriff”, was the only comment of Buck.
He went on his way to the office of the sheriff. The rancher knew that it was really serious now.
The sheriff went along with Buck to take up the damage. Nicky and Daisy sat outside in front of the house. Daisy had red eyes from crying.
She said, “Why them? They have never done anyone wrong.”
“We really will get them. The Cannons shall help us”, Nicky comforted her.
“The sooner the better”, said Daisy.
She wiped her eyes dry when Buck and the sheriff came. To what Buck had told him Watkins knew that the situation had gone quite out of hand now and that it couldn’t go on any longer. But he was powerless and inhabitants of Tucson too.
Back at the ranch asked Nicky, “It starts to make sense to me. Two, three months ago Enrico paid me a visit at the ranch to ask for work. I refused that. Would that have to do with all this terror?”
“I almost think so. Enrico didn’t burn down your ranch for nothing. I assume that we can count on your cooperation, Nick?”, John asked looking at him seriously.
The young rancher nodded and said, “If it was only to revenge my family-in-law.”
“That ain’t exactly a good reason”, said Buck.
“They just can’t go and kill a whole family? Soon they will get us here too”, Nicky said a bit fierce.
His voice sounded rather helpless. John looked at his brother and gave him a look from: ‘That was not very tactful too.’ Buck cast down his eyes and kept silent.
“What are we going to do John?”, Manolito asked excited.
He was longing for some action. But he wasn’t the only one. Blue and Buck too hardly could wait to deal with the Castillo brothers.
John looked at the others and said, “We decoy them out of their shelter. Then we fire at them.”
“Is that all? Piece of cake”, was the reaction of Nicky.
“Do you happen to know then where their shelter is, John? It would be handy if we knew that”, said Buck.
“Daisy, would you like to help with this?”, asked John.
Daisy looked up and asked, “What must I do then?”
“You and Nicky argue. Make sure that Enrico hears it. As soon as he takes you along we come into action”, John explained the plan.
The eyes of Nicky began to glister by the thought to blow Enrico away.
“Where are we waiting for?”, asked Blue, who shared the enthusiasm with Nicky.
“Alright. We go”, said John.
“John, be careful”, Victoria said worried.
“I promise”, answered the rancher.
The men went away with Daisy who wasn’t very relaxed.
Just outside of Tucson they saw the Mexican outlaws. The Cannons and Manolito hid themselves while Nicky and Daisy argued in public.
“Nick, I have to tell you something. I am pregnant with your child”, Daisy said slowly.
“How do you mean, my child? Do you know for sure?”, Nicky asked indignant.
“You are the only one I sleep with”, Daisy said fierce.
Nicky realized that it was true but pretended that it wasn’t so.
“You can sort it out yourself with your child”, said the young rancher.
He left her alone.
Then Enrico came closer and he asked, “You do not leave such a beautiful señorita alone, do you?”
“I do. Do you want to have her? Then you get her child with her for free”, Nicky reacted fierce.
Suddenly Daisy got grabbed by Manolito.
He said whispering, “You are now safe with us.”
Enrico missed her at once and turned around to Nicky. This one sat on his horse in the meantime. John ordered Manolito and Blue to bring Daisy back to the High Chaparral. They did that while John and Buck went to help Nicky to deal with Enrico and Amando.
In a second Nicky got shot off his horse. He kept remaining lying moving less on the ground after he had fallen off his horse. The shooter laughed from his horse.
“He is a goner”, said Enrico.
At least he thought that. But a moment later he came into the eye of Buck Cannon. The rancher didn’t rethink for a minute and gave the Mexican a meal of blue bones coming from his revolver. Nicky kept quiet until Amando bent over him. Nicky drew his revolver and blew the outlaw away. He jumped up and fell then down dead. When both outlaws were dead Buck came to Nicky.
“Nicky, are you injured?”, asked the rancher.
“Not really badly. I just injured my left ankle when I got shot off my horse. Just help me to get up”, Nicky said sober.
In the meantime John had gone to the sheriff and brought him up to date about what had happened.
Watkins said, “I already had a suspicion that you would end it.”
“Well, actually all the honor comes to Nicky. The terror was pointed at him in fact”, said John.
“I want to see him. Where is he?”, asked the sheriff.
“Buck is with him. Perhaps they are already on their way to here”, answered the rancher.
Slowly Buck and Nicky rode to Tucson. Nicky was very absent. It seemed like he didn’t realize what had happened.
“Nicky, first we go to Doc to treat your ankle. After that we bring the sheriff a visit”, Buck said with a cheerful voice.
Nicky gave no reply. Although Buck kept on talking to him Nicky didn’t give a reaction at all.
When Doc had treated Nicky he said, “Take it easy for a while with that ankle. Otherwise you keep struggling with it.”
“Okay Doc”, said the young rancher who had come to his positives again.
Half limping Nicky went with Buck to the office of the sheriff.
“Ah, there is the savior of Tucson. Sit down Nick Johnson”, said the lawman.
“Buck, this is one of your jokes for sure, isn’t it?”, Nicky asked suspicious.
Though he sat down.
“Me? What gave you that idea? I was the whole time with you”, Buck reacted fierce.
“Nick, I have understood from John that you don’t feel like building up your ranch again. Would you like to become deputy sheriff here?”, Watkins asked looking at him seriously.
First Nicky looked ahead of him and said then, “I will have to discuss it first with Daisy. If she wants to marry a rancher instead of a deputy then the party is over. But I think that you won’t have to look much further.”
“Let’s go home then. Then you can ask her”, suggested John.
In the living room Nicky asked serious, “Daisy, do you mind to have to get married to a deputy sheriff instead of a rancher?”
“How do you mean?”, Daisy asked amazed.
“Watkins offered me the job of deputy. So…….?”, Nicky asked on is turn.
“I don’t care what you do to get a living. As long as are together”, answered Daisy.
She flew to is neck. Nicky began to kiss her passionately.
“That ain’t possible for a deputy”, said Buck.
Nicky stopped and reacted with the remark, “I am not a deputy yet but the first thing that I do in that function is to arrest Buck Cannon for insulting a deputy in function.”
Everyone except Buck laughed about this remark.
“You won’t be getting it easy in Tucson with this deputy here”, said Manolito.
“That same goes for you as well señor Montoya”, warned Nicky.
“Mano, I think we better can be friends with his dep”, Buck finally decided.
His housemate agreed fully with him.