Read Online Webb's Posse by Ralph Cotton - Free Book Online

minute’s peace knowing he was riding behind me.”
    â€œThen you best straighten things out right now,” Summers said, keeping his voice quiet. “Looks like he’s got in his head he’s going.”
    â€œYou’re right, Will. I can’t keep putting it off.” Abner Webb had already taken up the reins from the hitch rail. But now he respun them, then stepped away from his horse and out into the dirt street, facing Edmund Daniels. “All right, Daniels, that’s close enough,” he said. He kept his thumbs hooked in his belt rather than let his hand poise near his pistol. “You’re not going on this posse.”
    â€œI’ve got as much right to go as the next man,” Daniels replied. He looked at the mounted possemen for support. “Isn’t that right, men?”
    Ike Stevens looked at Wild Joe Duvall, who in turn looked at Carl Margood. Eyes exchanged glances back and forth until Louis Collingsworth spoke up. “He’s got a horse and a gun. There’s no need turning down an able-bodied man just because there’s dirt between you, Deputy.”
    â€œThat’s right,” one voice agreed, followed by others.
    â€œThere you are, Deputy,” said Daniels. “The town agrees with me. I’m going.”
    â€œNo, you’re not,” said Webb, loosening his gunbelt and letting it fall to the ground. “Not as long as I’m standing on two feet and able to say otherwise.”
    â€œFair enough,” said Daniels. “I plan on changing all that.” He dropped the reins to the big gray and took a step forward.
    â€œWhere did you get a horse anyway?” Webb took the big knife in its sheath from behind his back and pitched it to one side.
    â€œNone of your business where I got it. I didn’t sneak up and steal it away from somebody…. It ain’t
another man’s
horse, you can count on that.” The accusation in his voice was too clear to be missed. He raised the pistol from his belt with two fingers, pitched it to the dirt, unbuttoned his shirtsleeves and began rolling them up.
    â€œAll right, Daniels,” said Abner Webb, the two of them coming to a halt with less than four feet between them. “I reckon it’s just as well we do this now and get it over with. Before we start, I want to tell you one thing. I never meant to cause you any—”
    Edmund Daniels’ big left fist snapped out into Abner Webb’s jaw so quick even the spectators had no time to see it. Webb’s head jerked back with a sound like raw meat slapped against an iron door. He staggered back a step. Daniels stepped forward. “All right,” said Webb. “I figure I deserved that…so I’m letting you take the first lick. But now we’re even. Now it’s no-holds—”
    Daniels’ big left stabbed another hard punch to his jaw. “Lord God!” Will Summers whispered. “Stop talking, Webb,” he said aloud to himself.
    â€œThat’s it then, Daniels!” Abner Webb quickly wiped a hand across his already swelling jaw. “Now we’re going to—”
    Twice more Abner Webb tried to speak; each time, the big left fist stopped him.
    â€œLord!” said Will Summers aloud, still speaking to himself. “Why don’t he shut up and fight?”
    Abner Webb staggered in place, a trickle of blood running from a gash on his cheekbone. “Well, he’s dead,” Will Summers whispered, seeing Edmund Daniels take his time, letting his guard down, stepping in and grabbing the half-conscious deputy by the front of his shirt.
    Edmund Daniels drew back his big right fist for what Summers decided would be a killing blow. But before swinging, Daniels stopped and held Webb out at arm’s length. “Nobody has their way with my wife, Deputy…and lives to talk about it!” He let the big right fist fly. But Webb staggered to one side just in