The Long Trail (The McCabes Book 1) by Brad Dennison (microsoft ebook reader .TXT) 📗

“I didn’t know these were edible,” Josh said. “They taste almost like sweet potatoes. Let me guess – you learned this from Sam Patterson.”

“I learned almost everything I know from him.”

“I’m kind of glad he isn’t with that group anymore. I’m glad you don’t have to face him. Considering all he taught you, and that at one time he was the closest thing to a father you had.”

Dusty nodded. “Me too.”

“How far ahead of us do you think they are?”

Dusty shrugged. “They had a couple hours lead on us when we found their trail this morning. We’ve been keeping a steady pace, but they were taking their time. Probably no more than forty-five minutes, now.”

“So, when we find their camp, what next? Try to get the drop on them, and take them to a territorial marshal? There’s one in Helena. Keeps his office there.”

“That’s the plan, I guess,” Dusty said, cradling a tin cup filled with hot coffee in both hands. The night was turning off cool, and his fingers were feeling a chill. “That’s what Pa would expect, isn’t it?”

“And from what you tell me of these men, what do you think the chances are of us pulling it off?”

Dusty shook his head. “Not very good.”

“We’re not riding out of there, are we?”

“You had to figure, when you first lit out on their trail, that you probably wouldn’t be going home again.”

Josh sighed thoughtfully. “I have to admit, I really didn’t give it much thought. I was just filled with hate, and intended to go after ‘em. And being Pa’s son, I figured it was my job. I never gave much thought to what would actually happen if I found ‘em.”

“You’ve got to always think things through to the end result. Learned that from Patterson, too. Every time you do something, you set a series of events in motion.”

“What the hell was he? A gunfighter or a philosopher?”

“He was a man who lived hard and saw a little too much, but learned from all of it. Maybe, in his own way, like Pa.”

“They might have ridden a similar trail in some ways, been shot at a few times too many, and had to do a lot of killing. But Pa learned different lessons from it all.”

“That’s what sets Pa apart from a lot of the others.” Dusty took a sip of his steaming coffee. “One thing Patterson was, though, was a good teacher. You don’t just ride into a situation blind, he would say, and we’re not going to just ride into their hideout when we find it, either. They must have found a place they could defend easy. If they hadn’t, they wouldn’t be staying in this area at all. We’ll have to ride careful, and when we find it, we’re going to sit and watch a while, scout the area so we know what we’re riding into.

“Again, it’s a lot like hunting deer. We’ll have to be patient. There will be a lot of waiting. Maybe even a couple days worth. And most likely guards will be posted, so we’ll have to be watching for them.”

“You ever play chess?” Josh asked.

Dusty shook his head. “I was a fair hand at checkers, though.”

“I have a feeling you’d be pretty good at it. Remind me to teach it to you when we get back home.”

“So, you think we’ll live to ride back?”

“At first, I have to admit, I wasn’t too pleased that you invited yourself along. But I’m realizing more and more my odds of getting out of this alive have probably tripled with you being here.”

“I hope you’re right,” Dusty said, and took another sip of coffee.

The sun was not even a half hour into the morning sky and Josh and Dusty were following the trail made by the raiders. Following it deeper into the mountains, through a rocky pass, then up a steep slope heavily wooded with pines. The trail meandered its way down through a small ravine, then to the top of another ridge, then along its crest where it opened into a small canyon.

The walls of the canyon were rocky and steep, but the canyon floor was thickly wooded with maple and aspen. A chimney made of stones was visible behind the bushy branches of one maple, and smoke drifted skyward.

“I think we’ve hit paydirt,” Dusty said.

“So you have, boys,” came a voice from behind them, along with the sound of two Winchesters being jacked. “Don’t make a move for them guns, or we’ll blow you clean out’a them saddles.”

The man stepped into view. He wore no hat, and black hair fell to his shoulders. A strip of cloth, stained dark from campfire smoke and sweat, was tied about his temples. Black hair fell to his shoulders. A lightning bolt scar trailed down one cheekbone and into the side of his mouth, lifting it into a leering half-smile.

“Howdy, Kiowa,” Dusty said.

THIRTY-SIX

Kiowa Haynes broke into a smile, though there was no smile in his eyes. “Well. Look who’s come back. I’ll bet you never thought you’d ever see me again.”

“I never thought I’d be that lucky.”

Haynes snickered. It seemed to Josh this man liked being disliked.

“You always did think you were too smart for the rest of us,” Kiowa said.

“Kiowa,” Dusty said, keeping his voice conversational, “I came looking for Sam, but I’ve been told he no longer rides with you.”

However, Kiowa continued as though he hadn’t heard him. “But I got the drop on you, and I did it easy. You just remember that the next time you’re feeling so goddamned smart.”

“I said, I came looking for Sam.”

“He ain’t here.”

“That’s what I heard. Who’s in charge now? Vic??”

Kiowa simply stood his ground, his mouth twisted into a smirk, his eyes squinting. Josh had observed that men who were dangerous, or at least thought they were, often held their eyes in a perpetual squint.

“All right, boy,” he finally said. “I’ll take you down to the cabin. But first, I want you both to shuck