WILD BILL

 

WILD BILL

 

Mumbai “Wild Bill” Santorini suddenly awoke from a deep sleep. He had slept soundly, totally exhausted from a full day of wrangling cattle for Wellington Papeete Dalian, known to all as “Papa”.

Papa owned a 4000-acre cattle ranch in the Wyoming hills. He started the ranch with two pairs of steers he purchased in his home town of Vidalia, Missouri in 1843. Now, twenty years later, his herd grew to more than 2500 head of prime beef on the hoof.

Bill worked for Papa for the last ten years as his ranch foreman.

Bill sauntered out of the bunk house to the cattle trough to wash up and shave. He was all lathered up and ready to shave, when he was brutally attacked from behind.

He was able to hang on to his razor. With it, he slashed the attacker’s hand. The would-be assassin let out a violent scream, loosening his grip on Bill’s neck.

Bill quickly spun around and landed a vicious knockout punch, sending the attacker to the ground.

Bill immediately saw the unconscious man was a Piute Indian. Why this particular Indian attacked him, puzzled Bill, as there had been no trouble with the Indians as long as Bill worked on the ranch.

Bill poured a bucket of water on the Indian and pulled him to his feet.

“Why did you attack me?”

No response.

He repeated, “Why did you do it?”

Still no response.

Bill grabbed the Indian by the scuff of his neck and tossed him into the bunk house, holding the razor to the man’s neck.

“Why did you grab me? Tell me or I’ll split your enjun neck from ear to ear!”

The Indian, clearly terrified, finally responded: “You cows come my land, run through my village, kill my people. Many die. You people die now. It is Indian way!”

 

Bill tried to explain that the cows that destroyed his village were not led by any human. No one tried to attack his people.

The Piute did not understand. After trying to explain it many times, Bill gave up.

According to Papa, all enjuns were just no damn good. You could never trust the devious savages.  The only way to be safe was to kill all of them!

The Piute was placed on a horse, a noose around his neck.

Just as the horse was to be hit, Bill used his razor to cut the hanging rope. Papa was incensed.

Bill said he understood the Indian’s motive. He wanted him set free. Papa would have none of it. He pulled his six-gun. Bill attacked with his razor, killing him instantly!

Bill became the new owner of the Dalian ranch, which he re-named the “Bar- Gillette”!

The Indian became his new foreman!