Read Online Buck and the Widow Rancher (2006) by Carlton Youngblood - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Carlton Youngblood
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head, the blacksmith grinned.
‘Is that the best you can do, little man?’
Buck didn’t waste time answering but started to circle again. If he could get a couple more like that, maybe he had a chance. Slow to react, the big man might be, but he was quicker when he needed to be. Buck flinched to the right when he saw the man’s left coming at him, only to run into a clenched right fist. Once again he found himself on his back in the street’s dust.
‘Stop it!’ he heard a woman’s cry. ‘Calvin, you stop fighting right now! You’ll kill him.’ Now on his knees, Buck shook his head, trying to stop the ringing.
‘Aw, Sis, this is the hardcase that ambushed Jose’s pa. Let Calvin have some fun with him,’ young Cooder protested.
‘I ain’t through with him yet,’ Calvin growled, standing with his legs firmly planted, waiting for Buck to get up.
Taking a quick glance around, Buck saw that quite a crowd had gathered to watch. Slowly he came to his feet and with his fists up circled his opponent, looking for an opening . Staying out of the smithy’s range, Buck knew if he took another wallop like the last one he wouldn’t get up. Jabbing as he circled, he kept his feet moving, ready for any strike. A couple of his jabs landed on the side of Calvin’s chin, one slamming against the side of the big man’s ear when he ducked. None of the punches seemed to bother the blacksmith .
Calvin’s grin grew as he turned, watching as the cowboy circled around. ‘Dammit, stand still,’ he snarled, hurling his fist once more at Buck’s head. Seeing it coming, Buck danced back and then reversed and, moving inside, slammed first his left fist and then his right, landing both on the unshaven chin knocking the blacksmith on his back.
Buck moved back and used the time to catch his breath, watching as the smithy rolled over and got his feet under him. Standing and shaking his head, neither man was ready to continue when Buck was pushed from behind. Off balance, he fell toward Calvin who reacted with a backhandthat smacked Buck’s head around.
On his hands and knees, Buck let his head hang down and barely heard the yells and roars of the crowd aimed at whoever had pushed him. Slower than ever, he stood up. Putting up his fists once more and ignoring the sounds of the crowd, he started his circling. Almost stumbling as he moved, Buck knew he’d have only one more chance before it’d be all over.
Calvin simply batted the jabs at his face away. Standing solidly he could see that Buck was on his last legs. He could wait. Turning slowly as Buck circled he smiled and let one work-hardened fist fall a bit, enticing the other man to swing. Buck’s left fist snaked out and as the smithy’s dropped hand came up, Buck saw the opening and launched his right. Bringing it up from the ground and throwing all his weight behind it, his knuckles contacted fully on Calvin’s chin. Falling back from the blow the smithy’s head struck the iron anvil. Sprawled out, he didn’t move.
CHAPTER 11
Buck stood for a moment, catching his breath before turning to the now quiet crowd. Looking directly at young Cooder, he smiled. ‘Now who was it that pushed me?’ he asked, as evilly as he could.
Cooder, his face white with fear, turned and, pushing through the mob, disappeared.
‘Mister?’ Buck turned to find a young woman, no more than a girl, looking up at him. ‘He didn’t mean to push you,’ she said, letting her eyes drop in embarrassment.
Buck glanced beyond the girl at others who had watched the fight. Slowly, with the excitement over, the citizens began to go about their business leaving only a few anxious to see what would happen next. Standing beside Matilda Randle was Hugh Hightower. Matilda’s face was flushed and strained.
‘He didn’t?’ Buck asked quizzically, looking closely at the girl and seeing the family resemblance. ‘Is this the same fellow who stood behind me with a pitchfork forcing the
‘Is that the best you can do, little man?’
Buck didn’t waste time answering but started to circle again. If he could get a couple more like that, maybe he had a chance. Slow to react, the big man might be, but he was quicker when he needed to be. Buck flinched to the right when he saw the man’s left coming at him, only to run into a clenched right fist. Once again he found himself on his back in the street’s dust.
‘Stop it!’ he heard a woman’s cry. ‘Calvin, you stop fighting right now! You’ll kill him.’ Now on his knees, Buck shook his head, trying to stop the ringing.
‘Aw, Sis, this is the hardcase that ambushed Jose’s pa. Let Calvin have some fun with him,’ young Cooder protested.
‘I ain’t through with him yet,’ Calvin growled, standing with his legs firmly planted, waiting for Buck to get up.
Taking a quick glance around, Buck saw that quite a crowd had gathered to watch. Slowly he came to his feet and with his fists up circled his opponent, looking for an opening . Staying out of the smithy’s range, Buck knew if he took another wallop like the last one he wouldn’t get up. Jabbing as he circled, he kept his feet moving, ready for any strike. A couple of his jabs landed on the side of Calvin’s chin, one slamming against the side of the big man’s ear when he ducked. None of the punches seemed to bother the blacksmith .
Calvin’s grin grew as he turned, watching as the cowboy circled around. ‘Dammit, stand still,’ he snarled, hurling his fist once more at Buck’s head. Seeing it coming, Buck danced back and then reversed and, moving inside, slammed first his left fist and then his right, landing both on the unshaven chin knocking the blacksmith on his back.
Buck moved back and used the time to catch his breath, watching as the smithy rolled over and got his feet under him. Standing and shaking his head, neither man was ready to continue when Buck was pushed from behind. Off balance, he fell toward Calvin who reacted with a backhandthat smacked Buck’s head around.
On his hands and knees, Buck let his head hang down and barely heard the yells and roars of the crowd aimed at whoever had pushed him. Slower than ever, he stood up. Putting up his fists once more and ignoring the sounds of the crowd, he started his circling. Almost stumbling as he moved, Buck knew he’d have only one more chance before it’d be all over.
Calvin simply batted the jabs at his face away. Standing solidly he could see that Buck was on his last legs. He could wait. Turning slowly as Buck circled he smiled and let one work-hardened fist fall a bit, enticing the other man to swing. Buck’s left fist snaked out and as the smithy’s dropped hand came up, Buck saw the opening and launched his right. Bringing it up from the ground and throwing all his weight behind it, his knuckles contacted fully on Calvin’s chin. Falling back from the blow the smithy’s head struck the iron anvil. Sprawled out, he didn’t move.
CHAPTER 11
Buck stood for a moment, catching his breath before turning to the now quiet crowd. Looking directly at young Cooder, he smiled. ‘Now who was it that pushed me?’ he asked, as evilly as he could.
Cooder, his face white with fear, turned and, pushing through the mob, disappeared.
‘Mister?’ Buck turned to find a young woman, no more than a girl, looking up at him. ‘He didn’t mean to push you,’ she said, letting her eyes drop in embarrassment.
Buck glanced beyond the girl at others who had watched the fight. Slowly, with the excitement over, the citizens began to go about their business leaving only a few anxious to see what would happen next. Standing beside Matilda Randle was Hugh Hightower. Matilda’s face was flushed and strained.
‘He didn’t?’ Buck asked quizzically, looking closely at the girl and seeing the family resemblance. ‘Is this the same fellow who stood behind me with a pitchfork forcing the
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