The Man in the Wide Brimmed Hat

Julius would always see him on the edge of the farm, sitting upon a black horse, watching the land as the sun sunk past the horizon. The man was always wearing a Stetson and a mask over his face, so the boy couldn’t see his face, though it wouldn’t matter, as Julius never cared to get too close. He’d gown up seeing this man and when he was younger, he’d ask his Mama who it was. She’d glance over to where he was pointing, and every time, the figure would have disappeared altogether. His Mama probably though he was crazy, though Julius was determined to prove himself someday. It was only certain times of the year he’d see this man, though never on a given day. He’d just have to be quicker to answer the question. Who was this man in the wide brimmed hat?

While he was milking the cow before the blistering desert heat of noon could descend, Julius heard the sound of hoofbeats, quiet as a rattlesnake, but still distinct. With a jolt, he scrambled to his feet, knocking over the pail of milk as he dashed to the door. He was at once disheartened to see it was only the Law, riding up their dirt road. Curiosity replaced disappointment, as he wondered at the appearance of a man such as this. Boldly, he approached the man, who stopped upon seeing him.

“Howdy mister!”, he called out jovially, and the middle-aged man halted his horse. The lawman nodded his blonde head to the boy in greeting.

“Mornin’”, he said, before glancing around Julius. “Is your mother home?”

“Yeah, she’s inside. Want me to get her?”, Julius replied, motioning towards the house with cracking blue paint.

“Yes, thank you son.”, replied the man, not bothering to dismount. Julius turned towards the house, labored up the dusty path, and pushed the old wooden door open with a creak. His mother, who had been patching some overalls, glanced up, grey eyes flashing with confusion before he explained the presence of the lawman. Her furrowed brows widened in understanding, so she stood immediately to follow him out the door.

The lawman was still there, horse restlessly stamping at the dirt, but he kept the beast in place. He tilted his head to Julius’s mother in greeting. The wind picked up, swirling the dusty earth around them.

“Ma’am.”, began the lawman, glancing around the property. “I’m making rounds to inform folk that we’ve seen some dangerous outlaws just outside Brokenlake.”

“Outlaws on Brokenlake? But we have nothing.”, came the distressed cry of his mother. Julius had heard of such men, stealing horses and wagons from the common folk. Some of them were gunslingers, though most were cowards with little to do but rob innocent people.

“I’m ‘fraid so miss. I’d advise keeping your valuables close and a wary eye for these men.”, replied the lawman. “If you see anything, inform us this time.”

This time? thought Julius. Had there been another time where his mother had seen outlaws?

“I will sir, as I’ve always made a point to bring men like this to justice.”, came the terse response of his mother. The lawman gave them a strange look and spurred his horse forward. They watched the man leave, tension in the dry air.

“Why’d he say that Mama?”, asked Julius, turning a questioning gaze to his mother. She looked down at him and picked a piece of hay off his shoulder.

“I’ve not always had the best run-ins with outlaw’s son.”, she spoke, adverting her eyes in favor of fixing his collar. “Last outlaws that came through was before you were born, and I being naive, didn’t know they were outlaws.”

“So, we’re supposed to tell the Sheriff of their comings and goings?”, asked the boy and his Mama nodded, grim faced.

They watched the borders of their farmland for the next several weeks for any sight of these men working outside the law. Though a small property, the land beyond it was a wide expanse of desert, visibility stretching for miles. At dawn they’d take care of the animals and at dusk they’d eat dinner on their splintering porch. His mother kept her steely gaze on the horizon and stayed up late into the night after Julius had gone to bed.

One night, Julius awoke and trekked for the outhouse beyond their blue house. He was careful to watch for snakes and listen for coyotes. After he was done, he left the outhouse and took another careful glance at the property. The stars were bright in the sky and the moon giving off a silver hue.

Julius froze when he saw the outline of the man with the wide-brimmed hat. He was just watching him as Julius stared back. Then the man turned his horse away, disappearing over the rocky hill. Then, with a curiosity that diminished all other senses, Julius followed the dark rider. He kept far behind, watching as the rider grew smaller in the distance, before disappearing altogether over the hill. Julius still followed, hoping to get one glance of the mysterious figure if he got to the top of the next hill.

Once there, he didn’t see the figure, but a small glowing fire, tents and horses fixed around it. There were men sitting around it on logs, each scruffy looking, even in the darkness of the night. One was whittling a stick into a sharp spear, while another was stirring the coals. A third man, with dirty golden locks was fiddling with some sort of necklace that glittered in the firelight. This man, he could recognize, for he had hid himself behind a boulder that was closer to the camp.

It was none other than Johnny “Mad Dog” Wilson, a dangerous outlaw he often spotted on the wanted posters in town. The things they said of him was horrible, though Julius didn’t know how much was fact and was fiction. Regardless, he knew that the man was keen on knives, for he had a full set of them, strapped across his chest. Mad Dog was eyeing the pearls in his hands now, disinterested look in his eyes, and cast them to the ground.

“Where’s Ethan?”, spoke one of the dark-haired outlaws.

“He’s scouting Marlo. Did you not hear?”, asked the outlaw who’d been whittling the stick. Marlo looked decidedly put out.

“Of course, I heard Elliot! I just meant, he’s been gone a while is all.”, replied Marlo, going back to poking the fire.

“There’s a farm just over yonder.”, came the rough voice of Mad Dog. Julius listened in horror and fascination as the notorious outlaw discussed his home. “I think a good place to lie low, though he believes otherwise.”

“He’s full of it, I say.”, chimed in Elliot, waving his sharp stick around. “Last raid he claimed would earn us three hundred dollars! And what did we get? A measly fifty!”

“So, he’s made mistakes. Who among us hasn’t?”, asked Marlow, dropping his poker. Julius leaned in a little closer, trying to get a better look, but accidentally rustled the dry bushes. The gang stiffened, alerted to the noise.

“Who’s there?”, cried Elliot, standing with his sharpened wood.

Panicked, Julius turned a heel and ran, knowing that these were dangerous men. He heard their footsteps behind them, and they were gaining. He listened as their footsteps got louder even as his heavy breathing filled his ears. Something heavy tackled him and all the air rushed from his lungs. Julius panicked and wheezing was brought to his feet, arms behind his back. Then he was marched back into the glow of the fire, the horrible face of Mad Dog watching him with a calculating expression in his soulless eyes.

“I see we’ve got a little mouse spyin’ on us.”, spoke the outlaw, watching as Julius struggled in the grip of the other man. “Enough! The jig is up.”

Julius stopped struggling, though he watched the dangerous man, not sure what to do.

“I see you’re fast, though not enough to avoid being caught.”, menaced the knife-wielding outlaw. “Do you know what happens to unfortunates that wonder into the lion’s den?”

“I suppose they get used as target practice?”, asked Julius, acting braver than he felt. Mad Dog laughed unpleasantly.

“So, you do read my wanted posters? Good. I like them afraid.”, the outlaw growled out, raising his knife to the young boy’s face.

“Just what… is going on here?”, came a new voice, a figure appearing behind Mad Dog. Julius looked up, seeing the same dark figure he’d been chasing before. He was dismounted from his horse, though his face still covered. Mad Dog let out an impatient huff and pointed a knife towards Julius.

“We caught him spyin’ on us Ethan. Could be a hire by the law.”, remarked Mad Dog, giving the boy a sneer.

“A hire by the law? Look at him Johnny, he’s far too young.”, retorted man eyes seeming to smile, almost laughing at the notion.

“So, what if he is? He’s still seen too much.”, growled out Mad Dog, bringing the knife closer to Julius.

“Perhaps, but maybe we can find compromise.”, came the soothing voice of the darkly dressed outlaw.

“He’s not to be trusted.”, replied Mad Dog, still making his case.

“Have you tried speaking to him?”, asked the masked man named Ethan. Mad Dog growled and dropped the knife from the boy’s neck.

“Have it your way.”, grumbled the blonde outlaw, before stomping to the side. Julius watched as the mysterious stranger approached him quietly as he was being held.

“I’ve seen you around kid. Name’s Julius Colbert. Am I correct?”, spoke the man gently and Julius nodded, surprised at someone knowing him. “My friend here thinks you’ll go tellin’ the law of our presence, but I see someone smart enough to keep his mouth shut.”

Julius said nothing.

“Are you smart?”, asked the man, narrowing his eyes and suddenly Julius nodded fervently. “Good, and for your silence, have this.”

The man flicked a silver dollar to Julius who barely caught it, having only just been released. He gazed down at the coin with awe, never having been paid this much before. He glanced up to the dark outlaw, gaze lingering on the somehow familiar dark eyes.

“Now go on, get back on home to your Mama.”, stated the man, motioning to the direction of their farm.

The boy nodded once and ran from the camp to get home. Over two hills he sprinted, though he knew not why when no one was chasing him. Then over the last hill he saw his home, all aglow with lanterns. His mama was standing on the old porch, seeming to have just woken from her sleep. She had a wild, disheveled look upon her face as she cried out his name.

“Julius!”, she yelled when she saw him, covered in dirt but sprinting towards her. She quickly wrapped him in a hug, clasping him tightly. It lasted only a few moments, for she stiffened while she had her arms around him. Then in a voice hardened with tension she spoke. “Julius. Get inside.”

He obeyed though looked over his shoulder to see the mysterious man with the wide-brimmed hat at the edge of their farm, closer than he’d ever been before. His mother was finally seeing him, though her expression turned angry instead afraid as he’d thought she’d be. He hurried into his room, though cracked his bedroom window open to listen to the conversation.

“You stay away from my son, you hear!”, she shouted, pointing an accusatory finger at the man. Julius balked at her bravery, though grew concerned. The man, however, didn’t do anything but speak.

“I will, in the name of our past, though you best warn him from wondering into a camp full of outlaws.”, snapped back the man, his horse shuffling restlessly. Julius wondered at this statement. “I can only protect him if he exercises common sense.”

“Just stay away! It’s the least you can do.”, his mama spat before turning away from him. Julius watched from the open window as the man stayed on his horse, watching as his mama entered the house. The man lingered by the house before his eyes found Julius watching him from the safety of his room. A moment of profound silence filled the night air before he said his last words to Julius.

“Goodbye, son.”