Read Online Reilly's Luck (1970) by Louis L'amour - Free Book Online
Authors: Louis L'amour
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men on the street pivoted sharply about and stepped in after him, seizing both his arms from behind.
Will did not struggle, but merely glanced at the man at the table, who was obviously directing the operation. "Where is the Prince? I am sure he would want to witness this."
They were somewhat taken aback by his calmness, but Val was not. He had seen Will Reilly face such situations before, although not for the same reason.
No one else had appeared in the cafe, nor was there anyone on the street. They were taken outside to a carriage that appeared from nowhere driven by the man who had arrived first. Inside the carriage were four men, one of whom held a pistol. Will and Val were put in the carriage and the two men who had held Will got up behind the carriage and the leader mounted the box beside the driver.
Val sat very stiff beside Will, trying not to show his fear. Yet in spite of his fear he found himself a little contemptuous of these men. Obviously hired for the job, they were so inept that they had not even searched Will Reilly, and they were utterly unaware of the kind of man they dealt with.
How could they know? He seemed merely a handsome, well-set-up young man, well-dressed and poised. How could they know what lay behind him?
Their destination was only a short distance beyond the limits of the town. Val glanced out of the coach window and across the fields. Just over there, not half a mile away, was the deserted barn with their two horses. The coach came to a sudden halt beside a small grove, where two saddle horses were tied.
Val saw Will give them a quick glance, and knew what he was seeing. One of the horses was the one Louise rode. Was she to be here?
They walked through the trees to a small clearing, perhaps half an acre in extent. Across the clearing, in riding clothes, stood Louise and a tall young man. She wore a gray riding habit, and looked lovely, but her eyes were wide and frightened.
The young man wore a beautiful fur-trimmed coat, which he now removed and dropped over a rock.
Louise spoke, "Pavel ...please! "
"No, my cousin, we are going to teach this American some manners. I hope you will also profit by the lesson."
"Pavel--"
"Remove his coat, if you please," he said to the men holding Will. They stripped off his coat, and he made no resistance. The soft material of his white shirt was ruffled by the breeze. He was smiling.
Val, unnoticed by the others, had edged nearer.
"Now, peasant, you are going to get a whipping. The kind of whipping we reserve for such as you."
"This is rather absurd, don't you think?" Will asked. "If you wish to call the whole thing off, Prince Pavel, I will accept your apology."
"Myapology!" Pavel's features went taut with anger.
"I must have heard about you, Prince Pavel. I have heard you do not pay your gambling debts, and that you will marry your cousin to this wealthy man so he will pay them for you."
"Stand back," Pavel said to the others, "and give me the whip."
It was a long whip, not unlike the western black-snake or bull whip.
Val was amazed, not so much that they should plan to whip his uncle, but that they were so sure they could.
"Let me do it, sir." The man who stepped forward was a husky brute, and Val saw Will glance at him, marking him for future attention. "I have some skill at such things."
"Of course not," Pavel replied shortly. "I reserve the pleasure for myself." He coiled the whip, drawing the lash almost lovingly through his fingers.
During his early years Will Reilly had made a trip over the Santa Fe Trail, working as a teamster. He had used just such a whip, and he had seen and participated in the brutal whip battles fought by teamsters, who could flick a fly from the shoulder of a bull without touching the skin.
He knew the tactics well, and when Pavel swung the whip and shot the lash at him, Will stepped an easy pace forward, blocked the whip with his forearm, and the lash coiled about it. Instantly his hand dropped, grasped
Will did not struggle, but merely glanced at the man at the table, who was obviously directing the operation. "Where is the Prince? I am sure he would want to witness this."
They were somewhat taken aback by his calmness, but Val was not. He had seen Will Reilly face such situations before, although not for the same reason.
No one else had appeared in the cafe, nor was there anyone on the street. They were taken outside to a carriage that appeared from nowhere driven by the man who had arrived first. Inside the carriage were four men, one of whom held a pistol. Will and Val were put in the carriage and the two men who had held Will got up behind the carriage and the leader mounted the box beside the driver.
Val sat very stiff beside Will, trying not to show his fear. Yet in spite of his fear he found himself a little contemptuous of these men. Obviously hired for the job, they were so inept that they had not even searched Will Reilly, and they were utterly unaware of the kind of man they dealt with.
How could they know? He seemed merely a handsome, well-set-up young man, well-dressed and poised. How could they know what lay behind him?
Their destination was only a short distance beyond the limits of the town. Val glanced out of the coach window and across the fields. Just over there, not half a mile away, was the deserted barn with their two horses. The coach came to a sudden halt beside a small grove, where two saddle horses were tied.
Val saw Will give them a quick glance, and knew what he was seeing. One of the horses was the one Louise rode. Was she to be here?
They walked through the trees to a small clearing, perhaps half an acre in extent. Across the clearing, in riding clothes, stood Louise and a tall young man. She wore a gray riding habit, and looked lovely, but her eyes were wide and frightened.
The young man wore a beautiful fur-trimmed coat, which he now removed and dropped over a rock.
Louise spoke, "Pavel ...please! "
"No, my cousin, we are going to teach this American some manners. I hope you will also profit by the lesson."
"Pavel--"
"Remove his coat, if you please," he said to the men holding Will. They stripped off his coat, and he made no resistance. The soft material of his white shirt was ruffled by the breeze. He was smiling.
Val, unnoticed by the others, had edged nearer.
"Now, peasant, you are going to get a whipping. The kind of whipping we reserve for such as you."
"This is rather absurd, don't you think?" Will asked. "If you wish to call the whole thing off, Prince Pavel, I will accept your apology."
"Myapology!" Pavel's features went taut with anger.
"I must have heard about you, Prince Pavel. I have heard you do not pay your gambling debts, and that you will marry your cousin to this wealthy man so he will pay them for you."
"Stand back," Pavel said to the others, "and give me the whip."
It was a long whip, not unlike the western black-snake or bull whip.
Val was amazed, not so much that they should plan to whip his uncle, but that they were so sure they could.
"Let me do it, sir." The man who stepped forward was a husky brute, and Val saw Will glance at him, marking him for future attention. "I have some skill at such things."
"Of course not," Pavel replied shortly. "I reserve the pleasure for myself." He coiled the whip, drawing the lash almost lovingly through his fingers.
During his early years Will Reilly had made a trip over the Santa Fe Trail, working as a teamster. He had used just such a whip, and he had seen and participated in the brutal whip battles fought by teamsters, who could flick a fly from the shoulder of a bull without touching the skin.
He knew the tactics well, and when Pavel swung the whip and shot the lash at him, Will stepped an easy pace forward, blocked the whip with his forearm, and the lash coiled about it. Instantly his hand dropped, grasped
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