Read Online Dark Canyon (1963) by Louis L'amour - Free Book Online Page B

drew out a folded sheet of paper. He spread it carefully on the bar and took up a pen that lay beside an inkwell at the corner of the bar where the bartender had been working on his accounts.
    "Write me out a bill of sale," he said, `tat your lowest price, and I'll buy your cattle right now, for cash."
    Beaman turned his head and stared at him. "Now just a minute," he said. "I've got nearly three thousand head out there, and a lot of money invested in them."
    "You've got three thousand head that you're abou t to lose," Riley replied coolly, "and I've got the money to buy them.
    "Buying them," he lied, "is an idea I've just come on. I was figuring on buying myself a place around here. I may change my mind at any minute. In fact, if my wife hears about this she'll blow up. You know how women are."
    Coker Beaman wet his lips with his tongue. The pasture where he had been holding the cattle was down to the roots now, and soon the cattle would be fighting the fences to get out. If he moved them he had to come up with three thousand dollars-which he did not have-before he could take them to fresh pasture.
    "I've got nearly twenty thousand dollars in those cattle," he said.
    "That isn't the point," Riley said mildly. "How much will you have tomorrow? Or the day after?" He straightened up from the bar and reached for the sheet of paper. Beaman put a hand on it. "Wait."
    "I'll give you three thousand dollars," Riley said, "right here-now-in gold."
    "What?" Beaman almost screamed the word. "Three thousand? Why, I'd be losing seventeen, eighteen thousand dollars! Are you crazy?"
    "No-you were, when you started this drive without checking your facts." Riley started to button his coat. "I've got to be leaving. My wife is waiting, and-"
    "Hold on-just a minute now. Let me think." "About what? If I buy your cattle you'll have three thousand dollars in gold. If I don't buy them you're going to lose them and have nothing. What's there to think about?"
    Beaman looked at him with disgust. "You're worse than those Mormons," he said. "You sure grind a man."
    "I'm not grinding you," Riley said. "I'm offerin g you a way out." He turned to Cruz. "See if my wife is out there. If she's left the store, she'll be mighty impatient."
    Cruz came back after a minute, his face grave. "I do not see her," he said, "but no doubt she is anxiously waiting?'
    "Now or never." Riley put the money belt Cruz carried on the bar. "There it is."
    Beaman moppped a hand across his face, then opened the money belt. The shining gold pieces were there. He counted them, hesitated, then scratched his name on the bill of sale.
    "You"-Riley indicated the bartender-"will you sign this as a witness?"
    The bartender did so, and Riley shoved the change from ten dollars back to him. "Buy yourself a cigar," he said.
    He thrust out a hand to Beaman. "Better luck next time," he said.
    Out on the street, Cruz looked at him. "The senor is not married."
    "You know, I thought about that, but it seemed to me I had a wife waiting for me somewhere, and the chances are she would be against this deal." "Especially," Cruz said mildly, "as two men cannot drive three thousand head of cattle." His black eyes were interested, faintly amused. "What are you going to do with them?" But Riley did not answer. At the trading post they replenished their supplies, then turned toward the pasture where the cattle were held.
    It was a large, fenced area against a bluff, and when they rode up two men awaited them. A big bearded man in a black coat rode out to meet them, and Riley rode his horse slowly toward the two, then drew up.
    "How are you, gentlemen? Something I can do for you?"
    "You're Riley? You bought these cattle?"
    "That I did."
    "My land lies to the south, and not one head of cattle will cross my land . . . do you understand?" "Sure." He smiled. "They won't come anywhere near your land. I shall be driving east."
    "East? Then you are more of a fool than I suspected. There is a Sioux outbreak in