bookssland.com Ā» Western Ā» 'Drag' Harlan - Charles Alden Seltzer (best ebook for manga .TXT) šŸ“—

Book online Ā«'Drag' Harlan - Charles Alden Seltzer (best ebook for manga .TXT) šŸ“—Ā». Author Charles Alden Seltzer



1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ... 35
Go to page:
enough to look into it. Anā€™ now, trustinā€™ folks so much, anā€™ not payinā€™ strict attention to what was goinā€™ on around me, Iā€™ve got to the point where Iā€™ve got to put everything into the hands of a man I never saw beforeā€”an outlaw.ā€

ā€œThere ainā€™t nobody crowdinā€™ you to put anything into his hands,ā€ sneered Harlan. ā€œI ainā€™t a heap anxious to go around buttinā€™ into trouble for you. Keep your yap shut, anā€™ die like a man!ā€

Morgan laughed, almost triumphantly. ā€œIā€™ll do my dyinā€™ like a man, all rightā€”donā€™t be afraid of that. You want to hear what Iā€™ve got to tell you?ā€

ā€œIā€™ve got to listen. Shoot!ā€

ā€œThereā€™s a gang of outlaws operatinā€™ in the Lamo country. Luke Deveny is the chief. Itā€™s generally known that Devenyā€™s the boss, but he keeps his tracks pretty well covered, anā€™ Sheriff Gage ainā€™t been able to get anything on him. Likely Gage is scared of him, anyway.

ā€œAnyway, Gage donā€™t do nothinā€™. Devenyā€™s a bad man with a gun; there ainā€™t his equal in the Territory. Heā€™s got a fellow that runs with himā€”Strom Rogersā€”whoā€™s almost as good as he is with a gun. Theyā€™re holy terrors; theyā€™ve got the cattlemen for two hundred miles around eatinā€™ out of their hands. Theyā€™re roarinā€™, rippinā€™ devils!

ā€œThere ainā€™t no man knows how big their gang isā€”seems like half the people in the Lamo country must belong to it. Thereā€™s spies all around; there ainā€™t a thing done that the outlaws donā€™t seem to know of it. They drive stock off right in front of the eyes of the owners; they rob the banks in the country; they drink anā€™ kill anā€™ riot without anyone interferinā€™.

ā€œThere ainā€™t anyone knows where their hang-out isā€”no one seems to know anything about them, except that theyā€™re on hand when thereā€™s any devilment to be done.

ā€œIā€™ve got to talk fast, for I ainā€™t got long. Iā€™ve never had any trouble with Deveny or Rogers, or any of the rest of them, because Iā€™ve always tended to my own business. Iā€™ve seen the thing gettinā€™ worse anā€™ worse, though; anā€™ I ought to have got out of there when I had a chance. Lately there ainā€™t been no chance. They watch me like a hawk. I canā€™t trust my men. The Rancho Seco is a mighty big place, anā€™ Iā€™ve got thirty men workinā€™ for me. But I canā€™t trust a damned one of them.

ā€œAbout a year ago I found some gold in the Cisco Mountains near the ranch. It was nugget goldā€”only a pocket. I packed it home, lettinā€™ nobody see me doinā€™ it; anā€™ I got it all hid in the house, except the last batch, before anybody knowed anything about it. Then, cominā€™ home with the last of it, the damned bottom had to bust out of the bag right near the corral gate, where Meeder Lawson, my foreman, was standinā€™ watchinā€™ me.

ā€œIt turned out that heā€™d been watchinā€™ me for a long time. I never liked the cuss, but heā€™s a good cowman, anā€™ I had to hold onto him. When he saw the gold droppinā€™ out anā€™ hittinā€™ the ground like big hailstones, he grinned that chessie-cat grin heā€™s got, anā€™ wanted to know if I was through totinā€™ it home.

ā€œI wanted to know how he knowed there was more of it, anā€™ he said heā€™d been keepinā€™ an eye on me, anā€™ knowed there was a heap more of it somewhere around.

ā€œI fired him on the spot. Thereā€™d have been gunplay, but I got the drop on him anā€™ he had to slope. Well, the next morninā€™ Luke Deveny rode up to where I was saddlinā€™, anā€™ told me Iā€™d have to take Lawson back.

ā€œI done so, for I knowed thereā€™d be trouble with the outlaws if I didnā€™t. I ainā€™t never been able to get any of that gold to the assayer. Theyā€™ve been watchinā€™ me like buzzards on a limb over some carrion. I donā€™t get out of their sight.

ā€œAnā€™ now theyā€™ve finally got me. Iā€™ve got a little of the gold in my pocket nowā€”here it is.ā€ He drew out a small buckskin bag and passed it to Harlan, who took it and held it loosely in his hands, not taking his gaze from Morgan.

ā€œKeep a-goinā€™,ā€ suggested Harlan.

ā€œInterested, eh?ā€ grinned Morgan; ā€œI knowed youā€™d be. Well, here I amā€”I didnā€™t get to the assay office at Pardo; anā€™ Iā€™ll never get there now.ā€ He paused and then went on:

ā€œNow theyā€™re after Barbara, my daughter. Devenyā€”anā€™ Strom Rogers, anā€™ some moreā€”all of them, I reckon. I ought to have got out long ago. But itā€™s too late now, I reckon.

ā€œThat damned Devenyā€”heā€™s a wolf with women. Handsome as hell, with ways that take with most any woman that meets him. Anā€™ heā€™s as smooth anā€™ cold anā€™ heartless as the devil himself. He ainā€™t got no pity for nobody or nothinā€™. Anā€™ Strom Rogers runs him a close second. Anā€™ thereā€™s more of them almost as bad.

ā€œThey watch every trail that runs from the Rancho Seco toā€”to anywhere. If I ride north thereā€™s someone watchinā€™ me. If I ride south thereā€™s a man on my trail. If I go east or west I run into a man or two whoā€™s takinā€™ interest in me. When I go to Lamo, thereā€™ll be half a dozen men strike town about the same time.

ā€œI canā€™t prove they are Devenyā€™s menā€”but I know it, for theyā€™re always around. Anā€™ itā€™s the same way with Barbaraā€”she canā€™t go anywhere without Deveny, or Rogersā€”or some of themā€”ainā€™t trailinā€™ her.

ā€œAs I said, the sheriff canā€™t do anythingā€”or he wonā€™t. He looks worried when I meet him, anā€™ gets out of my way, for fear Iā€™ll ask him to do somethinā€™.

ā€œThatā€™s the way it stands. Anā€™ now Barbara will have to play it a lone hand against them. Bill Morganā€”thatā€™s my sonā€”ainā€™t home. Heā€™s gallivantinā€™ around the country, doinā€™ some secret work for the governor. Somethinā€™ about rustlers anā€™ outlaws. He ought to be home now, to protect Barbara. But instead heā€™s wastinā€™ his time somewheres else when he ought to be hereā€”in Lamoā€”whereā€™s thereā€™s plenty of the kind of guys heā€™s lookinā€™ for.

ā€œThereā€™s only one man in the country I trust. Heā€™s John Haydon, of the Star ranchā€”about fifteen miles west of the Rancho Seco. Seems to me that Haydonā€™s square. Heā€™s an upstandinā€™ man of about thirty, anā€™ heā€™s dead stuck on Barbara. Seems to me that if it wasnā€™t for Haydon, Deveny, or Lawson, or Rogers, or some of them scum would have run off with Barbara long ago.

ā€œYou see how she shapes up?ā€ he queried as he watched Harlanā€™s face.

ā€œLooks bad for Barbara,ā€ said Harlan slowly.

Morgan writhed and was silent for a time.

ā€œLook here, Harlan,ā€ he finally said; ā€œyouā€™re considered to be a hell-raiser yourself, but I can see in your eyes that you ainā€™t takinā€™ advantage of women. Anā€™ Harlanā€ā€”Morganā€™s voice quaveredā€”ā€œthereā€™s my little Barbara all alone to take care of herself with that gang of wolves around. Iā€™m wantinā€™ you to go to the Rancho Seco anā€™ look around. My wife died last year. Thereā€™s mebbe two or three guys around the ranch would stick to Barbara, but thatā€™s all. Take a look at John Haydon, anā€™ if you think heā€™s on the levelā€”anā€™ you want to drift onā€”turn things over to him.ā€

Morgan shuddered, and was silent for a time, his lips tight-shut, his face whitening in the dusk as he fought the pain that racked him. When he at last spoke again his voice was so weak that Harlan had to kneel and lean close to him to hear the low-spoken words that issued from between his quavering lips:

ā€œHarlanā€”youā€™re white; youā€™ve got to be whiteā€”to Barbara! That paper I was tryinā€™ to stuff into my gunā€”when you come around the rock. You take it. Itā€™ll tell you where the gold is. Youā€™ll find my willā€”in my desk in my officeā€”off the patio. Everything goes to Barbara. Everybody knows that. Haydon knows itā€”Devenyā€™s found it out. You canā€™t get me backā€”itā€™s too far. Plant me hereā€”anā€™ tell Barbara.ā€ He laughed hollowly. ā€œI reckon thatā€™s all.ā€ He felt for one of Harlanā€™s hands, found it, and gripped it with all his remaining strength. His voice was hoarse, quavering:

ā€œYou wonā€™t refuse, Harlan? You canā€™t refuse! Why, my little Barbara will be all alone, man! What a damned fool Iā€™ve been not to look out for her!ā€

Night had come, and Morgan could not see Harlanā€™s face. But he was conscious of the firm grip of Harlanā€™s hands, and he laughed lowly and thankfully.

ā€œYouā€™ll do itā€”for Barbaraā€”wonā€™t you? Say you will, man! Let me hear you say itā€”now!ā€

ā€œIā€™m givinā€™ you my word,ā€ returned Harlan slowly. And now he leaned still closer to the dying man and whispered long to him.

When he concluded Morgan fought hard to raise himself to a sitting posture; he strained, dragging himself in the sand in an effort to see Harlanā€™s face. But the black desert night had settled over them, and all Morgan could see of Harlan was the dim outlines of his head.

ā€œSay it again, man! Say it again, anā€™ light a match soā€™s I can see you while youā€™re sayinā€™ it!ā€

There was a pause. Then a match flared its light revealing Harlanā€™s face, set in serious lines.

ā€œI wouldnā€™t lie to youā€”nowā€”Morgan,ā€ he said; ā€œIā€™m goinā€™ to the Lamo country to bust up Devenyā€™s gang.ā€

Morgan stared hard at the other while the flickering light lasted with a strained intensity that transfigured his face, suffusing it with a glow that could not have been more eloquent with happiness had the supreme Master of the universe drawn back the mysterious veil of life to permit him to look upon the great secret.

When the match flickered and went out, and the darkness of the desert reigned again, Morgan sank back with a tremulous, satisfied sigh.

ā€œIā€™m goinā€™ now,ā€ he said; ā€œIā€™m goinā€™ā€”knowinā€™ God has been good to me.ā€ He breathed fast, gaspingly. And for a moment he spoke hurriedly, as though fearful he would not be given time to say what he wanted to say:

ā€œSomeone plugged meā€”last night while I was sleepinā€™. Shot me in the chestā€”here. Didnā€™t give me no chance. There was three of them. My fire had gone out anā€™ I couldnā€™t see their faces. Likely Laskar anā€™ Dolver was two. The other one must have sloped. It was him shot me. Tried to knife me, too; but I fought him, anā€™ he broke away. It happened behind a rockā€”off to the leftā€”a red boulder.

ā€œI grabbed at him anā€™ caught somethinā€™. What it was busted. I couldnā€™t wait to find out what it was. Iā€™m hopinā€™ itā€™s somethinā€™ thatā€™ll help you to find out who the man was. I ainā€™t goinā€™ to be meanā€”just when Iā€™m dyinā€™; but if you was to look for that thing, find it, anā€™ could tell who the man is, mebbe some day youā€™d find it agreeable to pay him for what he done to me.ā€

He became silent; no sound except his fast, labored breathing broke the dead calm of the desert night.

ā€œSomethinā€™ more than the gold anā€™ Barbara back of it all,ā€ he muttered thickly, seeming to lapse into a state of semiconsciousness in which the burden that was upon his mind took the form of involuntary speech: ā€œSomethinā€™ big back of itā€”somethinā€™ they ainā€™t sayinā€™ nothinā€™ about. But Harlanā€”heā€™ll take care ofā€”ā€ He paused; then his voice leaped. ā€œWhy, thereā€™s Barbara now! Why, honey, I thoughtā€”Iā€”whyā€”ā€”ā€

His voice broke, trailing off into incoherence.

After a while Harlan rose to his feet. An hour later he found the red rock Morgan had spoken ofā€”and with a flaming bunch of mesquite in hand he searched the vicinity.

In a little depression caused by the heel of a boot he

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ... 35
Go to page:

Free e-book Ā«'Drag' Harlan - Charles Alden Seltzer (best ebook for manga .TXT) šŸ“—Ā» - read online now

Comments (0)

There are no comments yet. You can be the first!
Add a comment