Read Online Law Of the Desert Born (Ss) (1984) by Louis L'amour - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Louis L'amour
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steep mountainside through the cedar, toward that break.
A horse was what he needed most. With a good horse under him, he might make it. He had a good lead, for they must come around the mountain, a good ten miles by the quickest trail. That ten miles might get him to town before they could catch him, to town and to the lawyer who would make the bid for them, even if Eaton had him in jail by that time. Suddenly, remembering how Lisa had run out into the open, risking her life to protect him, he realized he would willingly give, his own to save her.
He stopped, mopping his face with a handkerchief. The canyon broke away before him, and he dropped into it, sliding and climbing to the bottom. When he reached the bottom, he started off toward the flat country at a swinging stride. A half hour later, his shirt dark with sweat, the canyon suddenly spread wide into the fla t country. Dust hung in the air, and he slowed down, hearing voices.
-Give 'em a blow." It was a man's voice speaking. "Hear any more shootin'?"
-Not me." The second voice was thin and nasal. "Reckon it was any ears mistakin' themselves."
-Let's go, Eaton," another voice said. It's too hot here. I'm pinin' for some o' that good XY well water!" Gatlin pushed his way forward. Hold it, sheriff! You huntin' me?"
Sheriff Eaton was a tall, gray-haired man with a handlebar mustache and keen blue eyes. If you're Gatlin, an' from the looks of you, you must be, I sure am! How come you're so all-fired anxious to get caught?"
Gatlin explained swiftly. Lisa Cochrane's back there, an' they got her," he finished. Sheriff, I'd be mighty pleased if you'd send a few men after her, or go yourself an' let the rest of them go to Tucker with me."
Eaton studied him. What you want in Tucker?"
-To bid that ranch in for Lisa Cochrane," he' said flatly. Sheriff, that girl saved my bacon back there, an' I'm a grateful man! You get me to town to get that money in Lawyer Ashton's hands, an' I'll go to jail!"
Eaten rolled his chaw in his lean jaws. Dave Butler come over the Cut-Off with me, seen this ranch, then, an' would have it no other way but that he come back here to settle. I reckon I know what he wanted." He turned. Doc, you'll git none of that XY water today! Take this man to Ashton, then put him in jail! An' make her fast!"
Doc was a lean, saturnine man with a lantern jaw and cold eyes. He glanced at Gatlin, then nodded. If you say so, sheriff. I sure was hopin' for some o' that good XY water, though. Come on, pardner."
They wheeled their horses and started for Tucker, Doc turning from the trail to cross the desert through a thick tangle of cedar and sagebrush. Mite quicke r thisaway. Ain't nobody ever rides it, an' she's some rough.
It was high noon, and the sun was blazing. Doc led off, casting only an occasional glance back at Gatlin. Jim was puzzled, for the man made no show of guarding him. Was he deliberately offering him the chance to make a break? It looked it, but Jim wasn't having any. His one idea was to get to Tucker, see Ashton, and get his money down. They rode on, pushing through the dancing heat waves, no breeze stirring the air, and the sun turning the bowl into a baking oven.
Doc slowed the pace a little. "flosses won't stand it. he commented, then glanced at Gatlin. "I reckon you're honest. You had a chance for a break an' didn't take it." He grinned wryly. "Not that you'd have got far. This here of rifle o' mine sure shoots where I aim it at.''
"I've nothin' to run from," Gatlin replied. "What I've said was true. My bein' in Tucker was strictly accidental." The next half mile they rode side by side, entering now into a devil's playground of boulders and arroyos. Doc's hand went out, and Jim drew up. Buzzards roosted in a tree not far off the trail, a half dozen of the great birds. "Somethid dead," Doc said. "Let's have a look. Two hundred yards farther and they drew up. What had been a dappled gray horse lay in a saucerlike depression among the
A horse was what he needed most. With a good horse under him, he might make it. He had a good lead, for they must come around the mountain, a good ten miles by the quickest trail. That ten miles might get him to town before they could catch him, to town and to the lawyer who would make the bid for them, even if Eaton had him in jail by that time. Suddenly, remembering how Lisa had run out into the open, risking her life to protect him, he realized he would willingly give, his own to save her.
He stopped, mopping his face with a handkerchief. The canyon broke away before him, and he dropped into it, sliding and climbing to the bottom. When he reached the bottom, he started off toward the flat country at a swinging stride. A half hour later, his shirt dark with sweat, the canyon suddenly spread wide into the fla t country. Dust hung in the air, and he slowed down, hearing voices.
-Give 'em a blow." It was a man's voice speaking. "Hear any more shootin'?"
-Not me." The second voice was thin and nasal. "Reckon it was any ears mistakin' themselves."
-Let's go, Eaton," another voice said. It's too hot here. I'm pinin' for some o' that good XY well water!" Gatlin pushed his way forward. Hold it, sheriff! You huntin' me?"
Sheriff Eaton was a tall, gray-haired man with a handlebar mustache and keen blue eyes. If you're Gatlin, an' from the looks of you, you must be, I sure am! How come you're so all-fired anxious to get caught?"
Gatlin explained swiftly. Lisa Cochrane's back there, an' they got her," he finished. Sheriff, I'd be mighty pleased if you'd send a few men after her, or go yourself an' let the rest of them go to Tucker with me."
Eaton studied him. What you want in Tucker?"
-To bid that ranch in for Lisa Cochrane," he' said flatly. Sheriff, that girl saved my bacon back there, an' I'm a grateful man! You get me to town to get that money in Lawyer Ashton's hands, an' I'll go to jail!"
Eaten rolled his chaw in his lean jaws. Dave Butler come over the Cut-Off with me, seen this ranch, then, an' would have it no other way but that he come back here to settle. I reckon I know what he wanted." He turned. Doc, you'll git none of that XY water today! Take this man to Ashton, then put him in jail! An' make her fast!"
Doc was a lean, saturnine man with a lantern jaw and cold eyes. He glanced at Gatlin, then nodded. If you say so, sheriff. I sure was hopin' for some o' that good XY water, though. Come on, pardner."
They wheeled their horses and started for Tucker, Doc turning from the trail to cross the desert through a thick tangle of cedar and sagebrush. Mite quicke r thisaway. Ain't nobody ever rides it, an' she's some rough.
It was high noon, and the sun was blazing. Doc led off, casting only an occasional glance back at Gatlin. Jim was puzzled, for the man made no show of guarding him. Was he deliberately offering him the chance to make a break? It looked it, but Jim wasn't having any. His one idea was to get to Tucker, see Ashton, and get his money down. They rode on, pushing through the dancing heat waves, no breeze stirring the air, and the sun turning the bowl into a baking oven.
Doc slowed the pace a little. "flosses won't stand it. he commented, then glanced at Gatlin. "I reckon you're honest. You had a chance for a break an' didn't take it." He grinned wryly. "Not that you'd have got far. This here of rifle o' mine sure shoots where I aim it at.''
"I've nothin' to run from," Gatlin replied. "What I've said was true. My bein' in Tucker was strictly accidental." The next half mile they rode side by side, entering now into a devil's playground of boulders and arroyos. Doc's hand went out, and Jim drew up. Buzzards roosted in a tree not far off the trail, a half dozen of the great birds. "Somethid dead," Doc said. "Let's have a look. Two hundred yards farther and they drew up. What had been a dappled gray horse lay in a saucerlike depression among the
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