Read Online The Battle At Three-Cross by William Colt MacDonald - Free Book Online

Oscar standing at the hitch rack, but he made no move to stop.
    â€œHi yuh, Cherry-Cow,” Oscar said cheerfully. “I hear you been ridin’ across the line to Tipata to check up on Tolliver’s alibi—and incident’ly on Sheriff Lockwood’s word. He already told you where Tolliver was the night Bowman was killed.”
    Chiricahua Herrick paused, spun about and crossed the sidewalk directly to face Oscar and Lance. “Who told you I’d been to Tipata?” he growled.
    Lance took up the conversation. “I encountered your friend, Kilby, this morning. He spilled the beans.”
    Herrick’s swarthy features twisted angrily. “I heard something about that encounter, Tolliver. Taken to beating up fellers when they’ve been drinking, eh? Is that your idea? Get ’em when they ain’t steady on their pins?”
    â€œFrankly,” Lance said quietly, “I didn’t want to do it. I wasn’t looking for trouble. I wasn’t side-stepping any that was forced upon me either. I couldn’t do anything else——”
    â€œThat’s your story,” Herrick sneered, deceived by Lance’s quiet manner
    â€œHell, Cherry-Cow,” Oscar said disgustedly,

    â€œKilby’s just lucky Lance didn’t plug him. He was asking for it. Lance was decent to him just as long as he dared be——”
    â€œYaah!” Herrick said scornfully. “That’s why Tolliver hit him. He wouldn’t dare cross guns with George Kilby. Kilby would shoot rings——”
    â€œOh, cripes,” Lance said wearily, “let’s forget it. There was no powder burned and no one hurt to any extent. If Kilby’s got any sense he’ll be glad I acted as I did when he sobers up. Let’s skip it, Herrick…. I hope you learned that I spent the night at Moreles’ fonda in Tipata the night Bowman was killed.”
    Herrick laughed skeptically. “Yeah—that’s what Moreles says, but I wouldn’t believe that Mex on a stack of Bibles. You probably paid him plenty pesos for backing up your play. But we’ll get the deadwood on you yet——”
    â€œIf you’re trying to make trouble,” Lance said firmly, “I’ll do what I can to accommodate you——”
    â€œâ€¦ and square matters for the murder of our old pal, Frank Bowman,” Herrick raged on, the angry words gushing from his lips.
    â€œHerrick,” Lance asked, “you keep talking about your old pal, Bowman. Just how long has he been a pal of yours?”
    Herrick paused. “Why—why,” he finally said lamely, “me and the boys have only known him about a month or so, but we were right friendly. We all thought a heap of Frank——”
    â€œI think you’re a liar,” Lance said quietly.
    â€œYou can’t call me a liar!” Herrick flared hotly.
    â€œI’ve already done it.”
    â€œThat sounds like war talk, Tolliver,” Herrick said menacingly.

    â€œIt’s meant to be!” Lance took a step nearer Herrick. “If you don’t like that kind of war talk get out your iron and go to work.”
    Herrick eyed Lance unbelievingly. “You’re offering to cross guns with me ?” Again he laughed scornfully. “I reckon you don’t know my rep hereabouts.”
    â€œI’m not even interested in it,” Lance snapped. “I don’t like you or anybody that does. Furthermore, you’re so damned anxious to pin Bowman’s murder on me I’m commencing to wonder just who you’re shielding——”
    â€œHuh? What did you say?” A certain consternation appeared in Herrick’s beady eyes. “Where did you ever get such a crazy idea as——?”
    â€œAnd I’d also like to know,” Lance interrupted, “just why you have to report to the bank that my alibi was airtight.” This last was