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

time to feel only the wind of the punch fly past his face. Daniels had put so much power behind the blow that when it missed its mark he flew forward, turning Webb loose and struggling to keep his balance.
    To Will Summers’ surprise, Webb saw a chance and took it. His consciousness seemed to revive some; he swung just as Edmund Daniels turned to him, still off balance. Webb’s roundhouse right caught Daniels full on the chin and sent him a full flip backward. He hit the ground with a loud outburst of air. Webb staggered forward. As Daniels rose upward onto his palms, his head still lowered, Webb took a step back, cocked his boot and kicked Daniels full in the face, the force of it flipping Daniels up and backward again.
    â€œThat’s more like it,” Summers said under hisbreath, showing a faint smile. “I was beginning to wonder what kind of man you are. Now finish him off and let’s get going.”
    Abner Webb staggered toward Edmund Daniels as if having heard Summers’ instructions. Edmund, in spite of being dazed by the hard kick to his face, shook his bloody head and rose up on shaky legs. He raised his guard and advanced on Webb, swinging one blow after the other as Webb walked backward to keep them from connecting. “Don’t back away, Webb, you coward,” Daniels said in a low growl. “I’m going to take you apart!”
    â€œDamn it, Webb,” Summers said to himself, watching. “You had him. Now you’ve let him up.”
    A solid punch caught Abner Webb in the face, snapping his head back. Before he regained his footing, another punch shot in and walked him backward to the boardwalk. He stopped when his back met a wooden support post. The post creaked with his weight against it. Webb slumped there and tried to clear his throbbing head.
    â€œStand up and fight!” Daniels shouted, not about to stop. He came forward, throwing a hard right. But Abner Webb rolled away from the post just in time. From his saddle, Will Summers heard the sickening thud as Daniels’ powerful fist slammed into the wooden post so hard it dislodged the post from the boardwalk. Daniels shrieked in pain and grabbed his wounded hand. Webb saw what had happened and took advantage. As Daniels staggered in place, Webb lurched forward and caught him a hard clip on the jaw. Daniels stumbled onto the boardwalk and tried to steady himself on the loose post.
    â€œLook out!” Summers shouted, seeing the pole come free, Daniels’ big arm wrapped around it, ripping it from the wooden porch overhang.
    Abner Webb barely jumped back in time. Then a thick pine beam fell free and landed with a hard thud on Edmund Daniels’ head. Daniels fell from the boardwalk facedown into the dirt street, still hugging the post. Behind him, with no support to hold it in place, the rest of the boardwalk overhang crashed down in a cloud of dust and a spray of pine splinters.
    â€œGood Lord,” Summers said in a hushed whisper, staring at the high puff of dust where Abner Webb stood weaving back and forth, his fists still balled at his sides. Townsmen hurried forward as Will Summers slid down from his saddle and hurried over to Abner Webb. “All of you stay back!” Summers demanded. “He don’t need your help.”
    â€œI…don’t?” said Webb in a thick voice, falling to his knees. His face was bloody and battered, already swelling and turning the color of bruised fruit.
    â€œThat’s right, you don’t,” said Summers, coming to a halt and spreading his arms to keep the rest of the men from assisting Webb to his feet. “Listen to me, Deputy,” Summers whispered just between them. “You just won a lot of respect for yourself, knocking this big ape out.”
    â€œI…knocked him…out?” Webb asked, barely keeping from falling on his face.
    â€œWell, it took half the porch ceiling falling on him, but he’s out cold any way