Read Online The big gundown by J.A. Johnstone - Free Book Online

colonel’s gang, and that Black had found them wanting for some reason.
    They hadn’t been fast enough and tough enough, more than likely, and Black had sensed that somehow. The Kid hadn’t had much trouble disposing of them. Black’s men had to have more bark on them than those two.
    “You think he’s liable to take offense at what happened to Rawley and Paxton?” The Kid asked.
    “I don’t know. Like I said, they didn’t actually ride with him. They’re the reason I wanted to talk to you, though.”
    “What about?” The Kid asked warily.
    Carmichael placed his hands flat on the counter. “There’s getting to be more and more of that sort of men around here. Bisbee’s always been a pretty rugged place, but it’s getting worse. The county sheriff has always handled law and order here in town, too, but the town council and I have been thinking that it’s time to hire a city marshal. To be blunt, I’d like to offer you the job, Mr. Morgan.”
    The proposition took The Kid by surprise. “You just met me. You don’t really know anything about me.”
    “I know you’re mighty slick on the draw, and you didn’t even think about backing down when those two started to ride you. That’s the sort of man we need to keep the peace here in Bisbee.”
    The Kid’s first impulse was to laugh. Pinning on a lawman’s badge was just about the last thing he ever wanted to do. Wearing a badge meant wearing a cloak of responsibility and respectability, too. He didn’t want to be tied down, and he didn’t want anybody looking to him to solve their problems. Whenever he stepped in and took a hand in something, he did so because it was his own choice, not because it was his duty.
    He settled for shaking his head and saying, “Sorry, Mayor. I’m not looking for a job right now. Not that kind, anyway.”
    Carmichael’s eyes narrowed. “That’s right, you said you were planning to look up Colonel Black. I reckon maybe I misjudged you, Mr. Morgan.”
    “Maybe you did.” The Kid paused. “But I’m still looking for a good home for these pups.”
    “Well…I might be able to help you out there. It so happens I’ve got an eight-year-old grandson here in town, and I think he’d love to have a couple of fine little pups like these.”
    “He’ll take good care of them?”
    “I’ll see to it.” Carmichael held out his hands, and The Kid gave him the puppies. The storekeeper shook his head. “No offense, Mr. Morgan, but I never figured a man who can handle himself in a gunfight the way you did out there would be so worried about a couple of pups.”
    “Like I said, I inherited them from somebody special. I want them to have a good life.”
    “They will. You’ve got my word on it.”
    The Kid nodded and started to turn away. “I’ll probably be back before I leave town to stock up on some supplies.”
    “You’ll be welcome. And Mr. Morgan…?”
    The Kid looked at him.
    “I don’t know why I’m doing this,” Carmichael said, “but if you’re bound and determined to meet up with Colonel Black, he spends a lot of time at a place called Augustine’s when he’s in town. It’s a couple of blocks up on the right.”
    The Kid nodded. “Thanks.”
    “Don’t thank me. Maybe I’m hoping that when the colonel finds out you killed Rawley and Paxton, he’ll try to even the score for them.”
    A cold smile tugged at The Kid’s mouth. “You’re thinking that he’ll kill me?”
    “Or you’ll kill him.” Carmichael shrugged. “Either way, I think Bisbee might be better off.”
    “You could be right,” The Kid said.

Chapter 10

    The Kid scratched the pups behind the ears by way of farewell, then left Carmichael’s store and headed up the street, leading the buckskin. It didn’t take him long to spot Augustine’s. The place was big and brightly lit, obviously one of the leading saloons in Bisbee. In a mining town like this, where there were probably more saloons than all the other businesses put