Read Online Son Of a Wanted Man (1984) by Louis L'amour - Free Book Online
Authors: Louis L'amour
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waiting fort" "The sheriff in Weaver," Mike said, "is a good man, a tough man, and a smart one. I talked our way out of it, but he may do some checking. He struck me as a careful man." "To hell with him!" Perrin said.
When Perrin and Molina had gone, Mike left for his own room and Doe Sawyer turned to Ben.
"It would have done your heart good! He had a run-in with Corbus and Fletcher, tool He flattened Corbus with a punch and backed Fletcher down.
He'll do, that boy of yours!" "I knew he had it," Ben said, with satisfaction. "He met a girl, too," Doc added.
"Good for him! It's about time." "This was a very particular girl, Chief. If I am any judge of such things he fell and fell hard, and I'm not sure it didn't happen both ways." Something in his tone caught Curry's attention. "Who was she?" "A girl who came in on the stage. Mike got her and her family a rig and a driver to take them to their ranch.
Out to the V-Bar." Ben Curry turned on him. For a moment their eyes held. So Doe Sawyer knew! The one secret he had been determined to keep, the one he wanted none of them to know! How many others knew?
How many had guessed? Or discovered some clue? And he had believed his tracks had been covered. For the first time Ben Curry knew fear, real fear.
"The girl's name is Drusilla Ragan.
She's a beautiful girl, Ben." "I won't have it! " Ben slammed his glass down. "I'll be damned if-I" Doc Sawyer's tone was ironic.
"You mean the foster son you raised isn't good enough for your daughter?" "Don't use that word here! Who knows besides you?" "Nobody of whom I know. It is only accident that I know. Remember the time you were laid up with that bullet wound, and I took care of you myself? You were delirious, and you talked too much." Doc lighted his pipe. "They made a nice-looking couple," he added, "and I believe she invited him to Red Wall Canyon." "He won't go! I'll not have any of this crowd there! If you think I want my daughter associating with outlaws-to " "He isn't yet." Doc puffed on his pipe.
"He could be, and he might be, but if he does, the crime will be on your shoulders because I don't think he wants to be." Curry went to the window and looked down the canyon. "Chief, the boy has it in him. He could be all of it, believe me ! He's quick! You should have seen him throw that gun on Fernandez ! And when that sheriff walked up to him he handled it like a veteran!" Ben Curry was silent. Doc glanced at the broad back and went over to the sideboard and took up a cup and filled it with coffee. "He may be deciding he doesn't want to take over. That boy's smart, Ben, smart!" "He'll do what I tell him." "Maybe. He's got a mind of his own, Ben." Ben swore under his breath. All his plans, all of it falling apart after all the thinking, all the years!
A small voice of doubt was whispering within him, a voice that made him remember that quiet, determined little boy whom he brought home with him, that boy who would not cry, a boy who listened and obeyed and who tried very hard to do what was expected of him. Yet despite that Ben had always been aware the boy had a mind of his own, that he listened and weighed everything in some balance of his own.
Long after Doc Sawyer was gone, Ben Curry sat alone, thinking. If Doc knew, somebody else might know, yet he thought not. Doc was canny, and Doc always had his ear to the ground. Doc would know if anybody else knew.
His thoughts reverted to the discussion over what had taken place in Weaver. What were Ducrow and Fernandez doing there, anyway? It had always been the policy for none of the gang to show up in the town where a job was to be pulled off except the scouts who went in, got the lay of the land, then rode out as unobtrusively as possible.
Now there had been trouble, attention had been drawn to them, and Ducrow had been drunk and shooting off his mouth. Mike warned that the sheriff was a canny man, and he would remember their faces. So none of them could be used. The boy was out of
When Perrin and Molina had gone, Mike left for his own room and Doe Sawyer turned to Ben.
"It would have done your heart good! He had a run-in with Corbus and Fletcher, tool He flattened Corbus with a punch and backed Fletcher down.
He'll do, that boy of yours!" "I knew he had it," Ben said, with satisfaction. "He met a girl, too," Doc added.
"Good for him! It's about time." "This was a very particular girl, Chief. If I am any judge of such things he fell and fell hard, and I'm not sure it didn't happen both ways." Something in his tone caught Curry's attention. "Who was she?" "A girl who came in on the stage. Mike got her and her family a rig and a driver to take them to their ranch.
Out to the V-Bar." Ben Curry turned on him. For a moment their eyes held. So Doe Sawyer knew! The one secret he had been determined to keep, the one he wanted none of them to know! How many others knew?
How many had guessed? Or discovered some clue? And he had believed his tracks had been covered. For the first time Ben Curry knew fear, real fear.
"The girl's name is Drusilla Ragan.
She's a beautiful girl, Ben." "I won't have it! " Ben slammed his glass down. "I'll be damned if-I" Doc Sawyer's tone was ironic.
"You mean the foster son you raised isn't good enough for your daughter?" "Don't use that word here! Who knows besides you?" "Nobody of whom I know. It is only accident that I know. Remember the time you were laid up with that bullet wound, and I took care of you myself? You were delirious, and you talked too much." Doc lighted his pipe. "They made a nice-looking couple," he added, "and I believe she invited him to Red Wall Canyon." "He won't go! I'll not have any of this crowd there! If you think I want my daughter associating with outlaws-to " "He isn't yet." Doc puffed on his pipe.
"He could be, and he might be, but if he does, the crime will be on your shoulders because I don't think he wants to be." Curry went to the window and looked down the canyon. "Chief, the boy has it in him. He could be all of it, believe me ! He's quick! You should have seen him throw that gun on Fernandez ! And when that sheriff walked up to him he handled it like a veteran!" Ben Curry was silent. Doc glanced at the broad back and went over to the sideboard and took up a cup and filled it with coffee. "He may be deciding he doesn't want to take over. That boy's smart, Ben, smart!" "He'll do what I tell him." "Maybe. He's got a mind of his own, Ben." Ben swore under his breath. All his plans, all of it falling apart after all the thinking, all the years!
A small voice of doubt was whispering within him, a voice that made him remember that quiet, determined little boy whom he brought home with him, that boy who would not cry, a boy who listened and obeyed and who tried very hard to do what was expected of him. Yet despite that Ben had always been aware the boy had a mind of his own, that he listened and weighed everything in some balance of his own.
Long after Doc Sawyer was gone, Ben Curry sat alone, thinking. If Doc knew, somebody else might know, yet he thought not. Doc was canny, and Doc always had his ear to the ground. Doc would know if anybody else knew.
His thoughts reverted to the discussion over what had taken place in Weaver. What were Ducrow and Fernandez doing there, anyway? It had always been the policy for none of the gang to show up in the town where a job was to be pulled off except the scouts who went in, got the lay of the land, then rode out as unobtrusively as possible.
Now there had been trouble, attention had been drawn to them, and Ducrow had been drunk and shooting off his mouth. Mike warned that the sheriff was a canny man, and he would remember their faces. So none of them could be used. The boy was out of
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