Read Online Showdown at Yellow Butte (1983) by Louis L'amour - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Louis L'amour
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to withdraw now might mean plenty of it. This was especially so if he remained in the country, which he had every reason to do. He would try to talk the company out of withdrawing, but he knew that would fail.
Just where, in all this, did Connie Duane actually stand? Was she involved more deeply than he believed? Or was it only what had been implied, that her uncle had invested her money in the land speculation? If such was the case, it might be difficult or impossible to get out at this stage even if they would allow it.
Burwick puzzled him. Obviously the controlling power, he gave no evidence of where that power came from aside from some native shrewdness. There might be much more to the man, and evidently there was. That Keith and Gunter deferred to him was obvious.
Purposely, Kedrick had said nothing of his hideaway near Yellow Butte when talking to Sue. Tha t young lady already knew more than was good for her, and that spot might again become useful. It was something to know.
Mustang was asleep when he rode into the town and headed for the stable. He put his horse up and rubbed it thoroughly, gave it a good bait of corn and forked down some hay. Then he made his way quietly to the St. James. As he neared the hotel a tall, lean figure arose from the chair where he himself had been sitting a few days before. The build and the broad hat; the very hang of the guns left no mistake. It was Laredo Shad.
"Cap'n?" The voice was low. "You all right?" "Yes, and you?"
Shad chuckled. "Don't worry none about Shad! I stay healthy." He motioned to a chair. "You better sit down. I've been hopin' you'd show up."
"What's the talk? Did they think I was dead, or skipped the country?"
"Some o' both, I reckon. Keith was fit to be tied. He wants to see you as soon as you show no matter when."
"He'll wait. I'm tired."
Shad nodded, then lighted his cigarette, which had gone out. 'You know, I ain't right sure about this business."
Kedrick nodded. "I know what you mean. I'm not the man to run folks out of their homes."
"You quittin'?"
"Not yet. I'll talk to 'em first."
"Won't do no good. They are mighty bloodthirsty. It was Poinsett shot that messenger. Donnie put him up to it. Poinsett killed him, an' then four, five of those rannies shot up the body. I don't think Fessenden shot any, an' maybe Goff didn't. You ca n lay your last peso I didn't shoot none. It was mighty raw, Cap'n, mighty raw!" m id?"
"They'll pay for it. Were you on the Yellow Butt e "Uh huh, but I didn't shoot nobody. I'm no Bible packer, Cap'n, but I do figure a fightin' man shouldn't tackle folks who cain't fight back, an' I ain't the man to be firin' on no women or kids."
"What are they talkin' up now? Any plans you know of?"
Shad hesitated, then shrugged. "Reckon you'd better talk that out with them, Cap'n. I may know somethin' but I ain't tellin', not yet."
The Texan sat silent for a few minutes while both men smoked, and then he waved an impatient hand. "Cap'n, I hired on as a gunhand , an' such I am, but I didn't figure on this sort o' thing. Some of those hombres on the other side o' this shindig look a durned sight more human than some on our own side. I'm gettin' shut o' the whole shebang."
"Uh huh " surprisingly, Kedrick found resolution coming to him "I know how you feel, but my own way will be different. I think if I can't talk Gunter an' the rest of them out of that I'll change sides."
Shad nodded. "I've thought of it. I sure have." Kedrick turned suddenly and found Dornie Shaw standing not twenty feet behind them. Slowly, he got to his feet, and Laredo Shad did likewise. Shaw's eyes avoided Kedrick. "If you figure on leavin' us, Shad, you better figure on killin' me first."
"If I have to," Laredo said quietly, "then I reckon you can die as simple as any other man. Want to try it now?"
"That's enough, Shad!" Kedrick's voice was sharp.
I've said there would be no more fighting! Not in this outfit!"
Dornie Shaw turned his head slowly and smiled
Just where, in all this, did Connie Duane actually stand? Was she involved more deeply than he believed? Or was it only what had been implied, that her uncle had invested her money in the land speculation? If such was the case, it might be difficult or impossible to get out at this stage even if they would allow it.
Burwick puzzled him. Obviously the controlling power, he gave no evidence of where that power came from aside from some native shrewdness. There might be much more to the man, and evidently there was. That Keith and Gunter deferred to him was obvious.
Purposely, Kedrick had said nothing of his hideaway near Yellow Butte when talking to Sue. Tha t young lady already knew more than was good for her, and that spot might again become useful. It was something to know.
Mustang was asleep when he rode into the town and headed for the stable. He put his horse up and rubbed it thoroughly, gave it a good bait of corn and forked down some hay. Then he made his way quietly to the St. James. As he neared the hotel a tall, lean figure arose from the chair where he himself had been sitting a few days before. The build and the broad hat; the very hang of the guns left no mistake. It was Laredo Shad.
"Cap'n?" The voice was low. "You all right?" "Yes, and you?"
Shad chuckled. "Don't worry none about Shad! I stay healthy." He motioned to a chair. "You better sit down. I've been hopin' you'd show up."
"What's the talk? Did they think I was dead, or skipped the country?"
"Some o' both, I reckon. Keith was fit to be tied. He wants to see you as soon as you show no matter when."
"He'll wait. I'm tired."
Shad nodded, then lighted his cigarette, which had gone out. 'You know, I ain't right sure about this business."
Kedrick nodded. "I know what you mean. I'm not the man to run folks out of their homes."
"You quittin'?"
"Not yet. I'll talk to 'em first."
"Won't do no good. They are mighty bloodthirsty. It was Poinsett shot that messenger. Donnie put him up to it. Poinsett killed him, an' then four, five of those rannies shot up the body. I don't think Fessenden shot any, an' maybe Goff didn't. You ca n lay your last peso I didn't shoot none. It was mighty raw, Cap'n, mighty raw!" m id?"
"They'll pay for it. Were you on the Yellow Butt e "Uh huh, but I didn't shoot nobody. I'm no Bible packer, Cap'n, but I do figure a fightin' man shouldn't tackle folks who cain't fight back, an' I ain't the man to be firin' on no women or kids."
"What are they talkin' up now? Any plans you know of?"
Shad hesitated, then shrugged. "Reckon you'd better talk that out with them, Cap'n. I may know somethin' but I ain't tellin', not yet."
The Texan sat silent for a few minutes while both men smoked, and then he waved an impatient hand. "Cap'n, I hired on as a gunhand , an' such I am, but I didn't figure on this sort o' thing. Some of those hombres on the other side o' this shindig look a durned sight more human than some on our own side. I'm gettin' shut o' the whole shebang."
"Uh huh " surprisingly, Kedrick found resolution coming to him "I know how you feel, but my own way will be different. I think if I can't talk Gunter an' the rest of them out of that I'll change sides."
Shad nodded. "I've thought of it. I sure have." Kedrick turned suddenly and found Dornie Shaw standing not twenty feet behind them. Slowly, he got to his feet, and Laredo Shad did likewise. Shaw's eyes avoided Kedrick. "If you figure on leavin' us, Shad, you better figure on killin' me first."
"If I have to," Laredo said quietly, "then I reckon you can die as simple as any other man. Want to try it now?"
"That's enough, Shad!" Kedrick's voice was sharp.
I've said there would be no more fighting! Not in this outfit!"
Dornie Shaw turned his head slowly and smiled
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