Read Online Blood Dance by Joe R. Lansdale - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Joe R. Lansdale
Ads: Link
sonofabitch.”
“Guess it runs in the blood,” Honest Roy said, spitting his chaw on the floor. “He’s just like the rest of my brothers. For that matter, all my kin.”
“Moses is your brother? I don’t believe it.”
“Don’t like it much myself,” Roy said. “But don’t make it no less true.”
I lay wide awake to the sound of snoring and twisting and belching. The place stank too much to sleep. My mind was too full.A sort of strangeness had crept up on me like an Indian.
I had a taste of revenge and I wasn’t sure I liked it. But there didn’t seem to be anything else I could do. Eyes wide open, staring at the rough plank ceiling, I waited for daybreak.
Chapter Five
1
Come sunup, I got out of the flophouse, leaving Honest Roy asleep, and went out to find some breakfast at any place that wasn’t Pickle Nose Annie’s.
I ended up with flapjacks and buffalo rump, the meat being ripe enough to poison a creek with.
After eating, I rented a horse and saddle gear, and started for a ride. I felt like getting out of Dead wood Gulch for awhile, clear my nostrils of the stink and do a little thinking.
I had brought both rifles, and had talked Moses into the loan of a revolver. I wished right then that I had gone ahead and taken Mix’s. Some miner was probably selling it in a saloon for booze. But I didn’t spend much time harping on it.
I was about to ride out when Honest Roy came up. He was scratching obscenely and cussing. “That’s the most louse-ridden house I’ve ever slept in,” he said.
“The little buggers are all over me. Where you heading Red Spot?”
“Just doing some riding.”
“Well, I wouldn’t ride too far, or you’ll not have any hair to part. Sioux and Cheyenne are all over the place.”
“Not going far.” I scratched my beard. “Thought I might find a stream somewhere, wash up.”
“I told you about that,” Honest Roy said.
“I’ll remember that you did if I get sick.”
“Well, Red Spot, I got to get me some breakfast, the keep-down kind.”
“I certainly do not recommend Uncle Billy’s pancakes. I would just as soon eat a buffalo chip.”
“Maybe you did.”
“See you later, Roy.”
“Hey, uh, Red Spot… you wouldn’t be able to sort of loan me…”
“Yeah.” I still had a bit left over from the sale of my horse; which, bad price and all, had turned out better than boarding him. “There.” I tossed Honest Roy a coin. “You won’t eat big with that, but you’ll eat.”
“Watch your top-knot!” he yelled as I rode down the street and out of Deadwood Gulch.
2
It was beautiful country out there, and I enjoyed it. Got me away from the stench of Deadwood Gulch and the thoughts of blood and revenge that thundered through my head like a stampede of wild horses.
I don’t know what I had expected from killing Mix, Taggart and the Crow, but I sure wasn’t getting it. Can’t say as I regretted it. If I had it to do over, I’d do it again. But it left something hollow in me. But not hollow enough for me to let Carson go.
Riding around, I started to formulate an idea. Mix had been pretty much like a tick on Carson’s hide. If Mix had been in the Gulch, maybe Carson was, too. Or, most likely, they had split up and would meet up again.
Even if Mix were not incentive enough for Carson to come to Deadwood Gulch, gold would be. It was the boom spot of the country. It was like Honest Roy had said; gold fever brought them all out of the woodwork—debtors, gamblers, hardcases and double-crossers. Carson was in that group. More than once, by my figuring.
I could pound a horse all over the country looking for him, but most likely I could just wait and let Carson ride into my hands. He’d come to Deadwood Gulch, if he wasn’t there already. And if he was, I’d know soon enough.
If he didn’t show, then I’d be no worse off. I could still ride that horse all over the country, and by Bucklaw’s dead eyes, I would; ride that beast to death if I
“Guess it runs in the blood,” Honest Roy said, spitting his chaw on the floor. “He’s just like the rest of my brothers. For that matter, all my kin.”
“Moses is your brother? I don’t believe it.”
“Don’t like it much myself,” Roy said. “But don’t make it no less true.”
I lay wide awake to the sound of snoring and twisting and belching. The place stank too much to sleep. My mind was too full.A sort of strangeness had crept up on me like an Indian.
I had a taste of revenge and I wasn’t sure I liked it. But there didn’t seem to be anything else I could do. Eyes wide open, staring at the rough plank ceiling, I waited for daybreak.
Chapter Five
1
Come sunup, I got out of the flophouse, leaving Honest Roy asleep, and went out to find some breakfast at any place that wasn’t Pickle Nose Annie’s.
I ended up with flapjacks and buffalo rump, the meat being ripe enough to poison a creek with.
After eating, I rented a horse and saddle gear, and started for a ride. I felt like getting out of Dead wood Gulch for awhile, clear my nostrils of the stink and do a little thinking.
I had brought both rifles, and had talked Moses into the loan of a revolver. I wished right then that I had gone ahead and taken Mix’s. Some miner was probably selling it in a saloon for booze. But I didn’t spend much time harping on it.
I was about to ride out when Honest Roy came up. He was scratching obscenely and cussing. “That’s the most louse-ridden house I’ve ever slept in,” he said.
“The little buggers are all over me. Where you heading Red Spot?”
“Just doing some riding.”
“Well, I wouldn’t ride too far, or you’ll not have any hair to part. Sioux and Cheyenne are all over the place.”
“Not going far.” I scratched my beard. “Thought I might find a stream somewhere, wash up.”
“I told you about that,” Honest Roy said.
“I’ll remember that you did if I get sick.”
“Well, Red Spot, I got to get me some breakfast, the keep-down kind.”
“I certainly do not recommend Uncle Billy’s pancakes. I would just as soon eat a buffalo chip.”
“Maybe you did.”
“See you later, Roy.”
“Hey, uh, Red Spot… you wouldn’t be able to sort of loan me…”
“Yeah.” I still had a bit left over from the sale of my horse; which, bad price and all, had turned out better than boarding him. “There.” I tossed Honest Roy a coin. “You won’t eat big with that, but you’ll eat.”
“Watch your top-knot!” he yelled as I rode down the street and out of Deadwood Gulch.
2
It was beautiful country out there, and I enjoyed it. Got me away from the stench of Deadwood Gulch and the thoughts of blood and revenge that thundered through my head like a stampede of wild horses.
I don’t know what I had expected from killing Mix, Taggart and the Crow, but I sure wasn’t getting it. Can’t say as I regretted it. If I had it to do over, I’d do it again. But it left something hollow in me. But not hollow enough for me to let Carson go.
Riding around, I started to formulate an idea. Mix had been pretty much like a tick on Carson’s hide. If Mix had been in the Gulch, maybe Carson was, too. Or, most likely, they had split up and would meet up again.
Even if Mix were not incentive enough for Carson to come to Deadwood Gulch, gold would be. It was the boom spot of the country. It was like Honest Roy had said; gold fever brought them all out of the woodwork—debtors, gamblers, hardcases and double-crossers. Carson was in that group. More than once, by my figuring.
I could pound a horse all over the country looking for him, but most likely I could just wait and let Carson ride into my hands. He’d come to Deadwood Gulch, if he wasn’t there already. And if he was, I’d know soon enough.
If he didn’t show, then I’d be no worse off. I could still ride that horse all over the country, and by Bucklaw’s dead eyes, I would; ride that beast to death if I
Similar Books
