[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
Together the riders bunched and rode down the valley toward the cabin, and
there was silence among them.
At daylight the riders from the Forty rode away down the valley, and only
Cain Brockman and Shorty remained with Kilkenny. There had been no sign of
Havalik, nor of his men.
Two days later, riding among the cattle near the foot of the range, Nita drew
rein beside Lance. "What now, Lance?" she asked. "Us?"
"Not yet. First there's Dee Havalik."
"I see no reason to wait, Lance. I'm not afraid."
"You never were."
They walked their horses back to the ranch. Shorty was sitting on the top
step whittling and he looked up as they drew near, then jerked his head at a
stranger who stood near a saddled horse. "Tetlow wants to see you. He sent
this gent."
Kilkenny studied the man, who was a stranger. "Heard anything from Havalik?"
"Not much," the rider admitted. "Most of the men left him. He's mighty mean.
I rode with him myself, but he ain't fit to be around. Only one can get along
with him is Andy Tetlow."
"How many men has he got?"
"Maybe six. He killed West. The others just drifted off when the chance
offered."
"What's Tetlow want?"
"Never said. That jail's mighty hard on him."
Kilkenny tied the buckskin in front of the livery stable and left
instructions for his care. Brockman did likewise, and then the two men crossed
the bridge to east town.
Leal Macy got up with a quick smile as they entered. "Glad to see you, boys!
Tetlow's been asking for you, Lance."
Page 90
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
"How's everything?"
"Couldn't be better! Haven't had a fight in town in two weeks and business
couldn't be better."
He opened the door to the cells and Kilkenny walked along until he came to
that occupied by Tetlow. There had been no attempt at rescue by either Andy or
Havalik, yet the old man was ramrod stiff. Ben had sent him tobacco despite
his rebuffs. Now Tetlow came to the bars. "Didn't figure you'd come." There
was no warmth in his voice.
Tetlow stood silent at the bars, and searching his face. Kilkenny could see
no change in the man. If anything he had grown harder, colder. Yet there was a
change. There was something cruel in his eyes, something cruel and somehow
triumphant.
"I bought some of your cows from Ben. A nice lot."
"He'd no right to sell. Not to you, leastways."
"He stood his ground, played a man's part."
Kilkenny was puzzled. Jared Tetlow made no move to introduce whatever it was
he wanted to discuss. He waited, giving the old man time.
"You'd better take care of that man Brockman," Tetlow said. "Andy figures to
kill him along with you."
"He'd better leave Cain alone. Jared, you don't know about Cain. Neither does
Andy. The man's hell on wheels." "
He hesitated a moment longer. "What did you want to see me about?"
Jared Tetlow stared at him. Then he turned away. "Changed my mind," he said
abruptly.
Kilkenny felt a little alarm bell ring in his brain. Carefully he turned his
head and looked down the hall. At the end there was a small window, but there
was no one in sight. And there was no one else around. He drew back from the
bars, studying Tetlow.
His black coat was shabby and worn. There was a stubble of beard on his jaws.
He looked mean ... like a cornered, half-starved wolf.
"Then I'll go," Kilkenny said.
He had walked three paces and had a hand on the knob when Jared Tetlow spoke.
"Maybe I just wanted to see how a man looks before he dies."
Kilkenny hesitated, his mind working swiftly. Then he stepped out and drew
the door to behind him.
Macy looked up, but after a quick glance around the office Kilkenny walked
past to the door. He stood there, looking up and down the street.
"What did he want?"
Without replying to the question, Kilkenny stepped out and then stopped
abruptly. A man stood in the center of the bridge staring across the street
Page 91
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
from Kilkenny.
The man on the bridge was Andy Tetlow and he was staring at Cain Brockman.
Brockman stood in the shadow under the awning, bulking, ominous.
And Tetlow took a step forward, then spoke, his voice ringing with arrogance.
"All right, Brockman!"
Cain Brockman stepped from under the awning. Two hundred and forty pounds of
him, his big head lowered and thrust slightly forward, his thick hands
swinging near his gun butts. He stepped into the street but he said nothing.
Kilkenny, who understood such things, saw that Tetlow was surprised.
Obviously, Havalik, who knew about Cain, had told Andy Tetlow nothing about
the big man. It was apparent from Andy's attitude that he expected an easy
kill, but there was no fear in the big man. He came out like a lion stalking
game, easy on his feet, utterly dangerous.
"I'm going to kill you, Brockman!" Andy Tetlow shouted, staring up the street
at the big silent man. The realization that all was not as expected was
revealed in that shouted statement when no statement was necessary.
Cain Brockman moved forward on cat feet and for the first time Andy Tetlow
got the full weight of the menace that faced him. He saw for the first time
that far from being frightened the big man accepted the fight with eagerness.
Instantly, Andy Tetlow took a step back and his hands dropped for his guns.
They dropped and they came up but even as his finger tightened on the trigger
Brockman's gun flowered with flame and a bullet struck Andy in the shoulder,
knocking him back a step and deflecting his aim. A second bullet smashed him
in the chest and two drove through his stomach. He fired again, his bullet
smashing into the bridge rail, and then Andy fell against the rail, fought for
balance and finally got his feet under him. Dying, he turned blindly to face
Cain Brockman, but the big man knew no mercy.
Guns hammering, he walked in. A bullet smashed Tetlow's knee, another ripped
into his stomach and Tetlow fell back against the bridge railing, which gave
way, and he fell heavily to the creek bed, twenty feet below.
As suddenly as the shooting had begun it was over. Leal Macy came running to
stand beside Kilkenny and Brockman, looking down at the bullet-riddled body.
Blood stained the small creek and the water washed around the body, turning
dark the dead man's clothing.
"This country," a bystander said, "is mighty hard on Tetlows. They'd better
find a different climate."
"Watch yourself." Brockman looked around. "He wouldn't have been alone."
Kilkenny had been thinking the same thing. It was all very plain now. Jared
Tetlow had sent for him to set him up in the right alley for the guns of
Havalik. Dee and Andy had divided the work between them, onlyDee had not let
Andy know what he was facing. It was just like the man.
"We'll need a couple of pack horses," Kilkenny said. "I want to take more
supplies home. I'll get Buck."
Lance turned on his heel and walked across the bridge toward the center of
Page 92
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
town. DocBlaine , drawn to his door by the shooting, stood talking to Laurie
Webster. About Dolan's there was an air of bustle and business. Men loitered
on the steps at Savory's, and Kilkenny gave them a quick glance before he
entered the big livery stable.
It was cool inside and there was a pleasant barn-like smell of hay, manure
and horses. A horse stomped in a stall and blew contentedly through his nose.
Several horses rolled their eyes back at him, showing the whites. There was no
one about as he led Buck to the trough, then went back through the barn and
into the wide corral.
Behind this corral was a wagon yard, and to the left of that, another corral.
It was in that corral where Dolan kept his stock.
Trees walled both the corral from which he had come and the wagon yard, and
the latter was rilled with huge old ore wagons. Two freight wagons stood in [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl karpacz24.htw.pl
Together the riders bunched and rode down the valley toward the cabin, and
there was silence among them.
At daylight the riders from the Forty rode away down the valley, and only
Cain Brockman and Shorty remained with Kilkenny. There had been no sign of
Havalik, nor of his men.
Two days later, riding among the cattle near the foot of the range, Nita drew
rein beside Lance. "What now, Lance?" she asked. "Us?"
"Not yet. First there's Dee Havalik."
"I see no reason to wait, Lance. I'm not afraid."
"You never were."
They walked their horses back to the ranch. Shorty was sitting on the top
step whittling and he looked up as they drew near, then jerked his head at a
stranger who stood near a saddled horse. "Tetlow wants to see you. He sent
this gent."
Kilkenny studied the man, who was a stranger. "Heard anything from Havalik?"
"Not much," the rider admitted. "Most of the men left him. He's mighty mean.
I rode with him myself, but he ain't fit to be around. Only one can get along
with him is Andy Tetlow."
"How many men has he got?"
"Maybe six. He killed West. The others just drifted off when the chance
offered."
"What's Tetlow want?"
"Never said. That jail's mighty hard on him."
Kilkenny tied the buckskin in front of the livery stable and left
instructions for his care. Brockman did likewise, and then the two men crossed
the bridge to east town.
Leal Macy got up with a quick smile as they entered. "Glad to see you, boys!
Tetlow's been asking for you, Lance."
Page 90
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
"How's everything?"
"Couldn't be better! Haven't had a fight in town in two weeks and business
couldn't be better."
He opened the door to the cells and Kilkenny walked along until he came to
that occupied by Tetlow. There had been no attempt at rescue by either Andy or
Havalik, yet the old man was ramrod stiff. Ben had sent him tobacco despite
his rebuffs. Now Tetlow came to the bars. "Didn't figure you'd come." There
was no warmth in his voice.
Tetlow stood silent at the bars, and searching his face. Kilkenny could see
no change in the man. If anything he had grown harder, colder. Yet there was a
change. There was something cruel in his eyes, something cruel and somehow
triumphant.
"I bought some of your cows from Ben. A nice lot."
"He'd no right to sell. Not to you, leastways."
"He stood his ground, played a man's part."
Kilkenny was puzzled. Jared Tetlow made no move to introduce whatever it was
he wanted to discuss. He waited, giving the old man time.
"You'd better take care of that man Brockman," Tetlow said. "Andy figures to
kill him along with you."
"He'd better leave Cain alone. Jared, you don't know about Cain. Neither does
Andy. The man's hell on wheels." "
He hesitated a moment longer. "What did you want to see me about?"
Jared Tetlow stared at him. Then he turned away. "Changed my mind," he said
abruptly.
Kilkenny felt a little alarm bell ring in his brain. Carefully he turned his
head and looked down the hall. At the end there was a small window, but there
was no one in sight. And there was no one else around. He drew back from the
bars, studying Tetlow.
His black coat was shabby and worn. There was a stubble of beard on his jaws.
He looked mean ... like a cornered, half-starved wolf.
"Then I'll go," Kilkenny said.
He had walked three paces and had a hand on the knob when Jared Tetlow spoke.
"Maybe I just wanted to see how a man looks before he dies."
Kilkenny hesitated, his mind working swiftly. Then he stepped out and drew
the door to behind him.
Macy looked up, but after a quick glance around the office Kilkenny walked
past to the door. He stood there, looking up and down the street.
"What did he want?"
Without replying to the question, Kilkenny stepped out and then stopped
abruptly. A man stood in the center of the bridge staring across the street
Page 91
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
from Kilkenny.
The man on the bridge was Andy Tetlow and he was staring at Cain Brockman.
Brockman stood in the shadow under the awning, bulking, ominous.
And Tetlow took a step forward, then spoke, his voice ringing with arrogance.
"All right, Brockman!"
Cain Brockman stepped from under the awning. Two hundred and forty pounds of
him, his big head lowered and thrust slightly forward, his thick hands
swinging near his gun butts. He stepped into the street but he said nothing.
Kilkenny, who understood such things, saw that Tetlow was surprised.
Obviously, Havalik, who knew about Cain, had told Andy Tetlow nothing about
the big man. It was apparent from Andy's attitude that he expected an easy
kill, but there was no fear in the big man. He came out like a lion stalking
game, easy on his feet, utterly dangerous.
"I'm going to kill you, Brockman!" Andy Tetlow shouted, staring up the street
at the big silent man. The realization that all was not as expected was
revealed in that shouted statement when no statement was necessary.
Cain Brockman moved forward on cat feet and for the first time Andy Tetlow
got the full weight of the menace that faced him. He saw for the first time
that far from being frightened the big man accepted the fight with eagerness.
Instantly, Andy Tetlow took a step back and his hands dropped for his guns.
They dropped and they came up but even as his finger tightened on the trigger
Brockman's gun flowered with flame and a bullet struck Andy in the shoulder,
knocking him back a step and deflecting his aim. A second bullet smashed him
in the chest and two drove through his stomach. He fired again, his bullet
smashing into the bridge rail, and then Andy fell against the rail, fought for
balance and finally got his feet under him. Dying, he turned blindly to face
Cain Brockman, but the big man knew no mercy.
Guns hammering, he walked in. A bullet smashed Tetlow's knee, another ripped
into his stomach and Tetlow fell back against the bridge railing, which gave
way, and he fell heavily to the creek bed, twenty feet below.
As suddenly as the shooting had begun it was over. Leal Macy came running to
stand beside Kilkenny and Brockman, looking down at the bullet-riddled body.
Blood stained the small creek and the water washed around the body, turning
dark the dead man's clothing.
"This country," a bystander said, "is mighty hard on Tetlows. They'd better
find a different climate."
"Watch yourself." Brockman looked around. "He wouldn't have been alone."
Kilkenny had been thinking the same thing. It was all very plain now. Jared
Tetlow had sent for him to set him up in the right alley for the guns of
Havalik. Dee and Andy had divided the work between them, onlyDee had not let
Andy know what he was facing. It was just like the man.
"We'll need a couple of pack horses," Kilkenny said. "I want to take more
supplies home. I'll get Buck."
Lance turned on his heel and walked across the bridge toward the center of
Page 92
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
town. DocBlaine , drawn to his door by the shooting, stood talking to Laurie
Webster. About Dolan's there was an air of bustle and business. Men loitered
on the steps at Savory's, and Kilkenny gave them a quick glance before he
entered the big livery stable.
It was cool inside and there was a pleasant barn-like smell of hay, manure
and horses. A horse stomped in a stall and blew contentedly through his nose.
Several horses rolled their eyes back at him, showing the whites. There was no
one about as he led Buck to the trough, then went back through the barn and
into the wide corral.
Behind this corral was a wagon yard, and to the left of that, another corral.
It was in that corral where Dolan kept his stock.
Trees walled both the corral from which he had come and the wagon yard, and
the latter was rilled with huge old ore wagons. Two freight wagons stood in [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]