Read Online The Smoking Iron by Brett Halliday - Free Book Online Page B

got the makings from his pocket and mechanically be gan to roll a cigarette. He spilled some of the flake tobacco, but eventually fashioned a thin cylinder which stayed together. He struck a match and cupped it in his hands, putting flame to the tip of his cigarette. As he drew in deeply, the tiny light flared up, briefly illuminating a face. A voice spoke hesitantly from the seat across from him: “You going to Hermosa too?”
    Dusty’s fingers twitched and the match went out. He took a deep puff of smoke before replying, “Yeh. I dang near missed the stage back yonder.”
    â€œYou live around here?” The voice sounded young and eager. Sort of strange and cityish, without the Texas drawl Dusty was accustomed to hear.
    He said, “Yeh. Near abouts,” in a gruff tone to discourage further questions.
    But the other passenger was not easily discouraged. “My name’s Ben Thurston,” he told Dusty. “From Colorado. I’ve been riding stages for five days getting here.”
    Dusty pulled on his cigarette and didn’t say anything. He listened intently for some sound of pursuit from behind, but the rumbling noise made by the stage was so loud he couldn’t have heard a posse if it was coming.
    â€œI’m headed for Hermosa,” Ben Thurston said importantly.
    â€œDodgin’ the law?”
    Ben laughed. A sort of whinnying laugh. “No me. But they do say there’s lots of outlaws here in the Big Bend. Is that so?”
    â€œI reckon.”
    There was a short silence inside the stage. But the Colorado youth was avid for conversation. “Are you acquainted with the K T ranch on the Border?”
    â€œNot personal. I’ve heard tell of the Katie.”
    â€œThere’s a girl running it now. Katie Rollins. She was named after the ranch. Katie. See? For the brand: K T.”
    Dusty had heard all about Katie Rollins and the big ranch she had inherited after her father’s death, even as far away as Pecos. He gave a noncommittal grunt and dropped his cigarette butt on the floor to toe it out. He wondered how long it would take a posse to overtake the stage rocking along behind galloping horses.
    â€œHer father and my father used to be partners,” Ben Thurston was boasting. “Then they both got married and dad moved to Colorado. We’ve got a ranch in Powder Valley that’s almost as big as the Katie, I bet.”
    His reedy voice irritated Dusty. He wished the kid would shut up and leave him alone with his thoughts. He had plenty to think about. Such as damning Rosa’s red lips. Why had he looked at them? If he’d only known she was the sheriff’s girl! But no one had told him. And he didn’t know much about girls like that. Nor much about girls of any kind, he reminded himself disgustedly.
    â€œI guess Katie Rollins has been having lots of trouble running the ranch since her father died,” Ben Thurston broke in on his bitter thoughts. “It’s too big of a job for a girl. She needs a man around to run things. Girls are only fit to get married and run a house. Don’t you think so?”
    Dusty agreed with a short, “I reckon.”
    â€œThat’s why I’m here,” Ben explained eagerly. “To take hold of things on the Katie.”
    Dusty dragged his thoughts away from what had happened in Marfa. Just as well talk to the passenger from Colorado, he thought. Might take his mind off his own troubles. He asked, “How come?” and settled back to roll another cigarette.
    â€œShe wrote a letter asking me to come and help her. That is, she wrote the letter to my father. Before he died, her father made her promise to call on dad if she ever needed help. Well, I guess she needed it bad. She didn’t say why in her letter, but she sounded pretty desperate. So I just got on the stage and started out. She’s expecting me,” he added complacently.
    Dusty Morgan said,