Read Online Doctor Who: The Gunfighters by Donald Cotton - Free Book Online

hear it,’ sympathised the Doctor. ‘What can I say? At a time like this, it is sometimes difficult to find the right words...’
    ‘No, it ain’t!’ contradicted Ike, rudely. ‘Not if a man’s prepared to crawl, and say as he’s truly sorry...’
    ‘I believe I’ve already said so? But as to crawling... Oh, dear me, no! I can only venture to add, that perhaps his name will continue to live?’
    ‘Surely will,’ breathed Ike, ‘on account it’s Clanton!’
    ‘We’re the Clanton boys,’ explained Phineas, justifying their interest.
    ‘Oh dear!’ said the Doctor.
    ‘So you got it straight now?’ asked Seth.
    ‘You’ve heard of us, maybe?’ asked Billy.
    ‘Oh, indeed I have,’ admitted the Doctor. ‘And of course of your father, the popular mayoral candidate. Yes, you are extremely well known... Ahem! Steven, my boy, I really think we should be going...’
    Steven was the first to agree. But, on the other hand...
    ‘But you ain’t even drunk your nice milk yet,’ Ike pointed out. ‘An’ Charlie’s put himself out to go an’ find some. Now, that ain’t friendly... Also, it is inconsiderate!’
    ‘Nevertheless, I can only suggest that you put the matter of your brother’s untimely decease in the hands of the proper authorities. I fail to see how I can assist you...’
    ‘You mean, like your friend, Wyatt Earp?’ said Ike, nastily. ‘Yes, I bet you’d like that jest fine!’
    ‘Oh, I’d hardly say he was a friend – just a casual acquaintance, you know.’
    ‘That ain’t the way I heard it,’ said Billy.
    ‘Nor me neither,’ said Phineas. ‘The way we heard it, you an’ him’s closer than... than fleas on a hound-dog.’ He grinned round for approval. Another good one!
    ‘Wyatt Earp an’ Doc Holliday,’ sneered Billy. ‘The bible-punchin’ law-man, an’ the drunken, good-fernothin’
    gambler! Now, ain’t that somethin’?’
    ‘Steady, boy,’ cautioned Ike; ‘let Seth handle it, like we arranged.’
    Seth looked at them, plaintively. This wasn’t like they’d arranged at all...
    But the Doctor had seen the light – and about damn’
     
    time, too!
    ‘Now, wait a moment,’ he said. ‘I think I begin to realise your mistake...’
    ‘It’s your mistake Seth’s thinkin’ of,’ said Ike.
    No, it wasn’t. Seth was thinking something entirely different; like, how in hell he’d got himself buffaloed into this in the first place.
    ‘But I am not Doc Holliday! No – goodness me! – the man you wish to interview is the local dentist! You’ll find him in his shop; and I am confident he will give you an appointment, if you approach him in a civil manner...’
    ‘That’s where I found you, ain’t it?’ grumbled Seth. ‘And if that ain’t enough, I declare, your name’s right there on your gun-butt – so don’t give us no argument!’
    ‘But Holliday lent me this gun! Look here...’
    And incautiously he drew the weapon, to show them.
    You shouldn’t do a thing like that. Not in the West.
    Well now, the Clantons couldn’t draw, of course, because Kate was behind them, and she already had. And Steven was at least wondering whether to draw. But Seth, seeing no way out compatible with honour – which he’d heard about, some place – did draw... And a shot rang out, in that staccato way they have! And Seth’s gun rocketed from his fist, spinning across the room to a well-earned rest in a cobwebbed corner, by the eventual-grill...
    For a moment nobody moved – and it ain’t hardly surprising! Because Kate hadn’t fired; and Steven thought he hadn’t; and the Clantons knew they hadn’t.
    But you, if you have been following closely, will realise that the bullet came by courtesy of Doc Holliday –
    concealed, you may remember, on the landing.
    However, the rest of the assembly did not have your advantages; and so assumed that the Doctor was responsible – well, the light was bad, Kate having damaged, you’ll recall, the chandelier – and he didn’t