Arizona Mayhem by Corba Sunman

Author:Corba Sunman [Sunman, Corba]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Robert Hale
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVEN

Strafford’s voice echoed through the trees as he shouted orders to his two riders. Both men came forward with levelled guns and moved in front of Strafford to shield him.

‘He’s the man I want dead,’ Strafford shouted, pointing at Carter. ‘Nail him now: a hundred dollars to the man who puts him down.’

‘I told you who would get shot first if you started gun play,’ Carter shouted. ‘My first slug has got your name on it, Strafford.’

Carter let go his hold on Bennard and the man fell limply to the ground. Strafford turned his horse and started to ride back the way he had come. His two gun men remained where they were, guns in hand.

‘You two better get out of here before the shooting starts,’ Carter warned, ‘or you’ll be in the thick of it.’

‘Talk’s cheap,’ replied one of them.

Carter fired a shot instantly, and the man who had spoken jerked and slid out of his saddle. The second man kicked his heels into his mount’s flanks and disappeared into the trees. A moment later he began shooting at Carter from cover. Carter holstered his pistol and drew his Winchester from its saddle boot. Strafford was still retreating north along the game trail. Carter stood behind his horse. He jacked a shell into the breech of his rifle, closed the mechanism, and thrust the muzzle across his saddle to cover Strafford, who was still moving away. He aimed for Strafford’s left shoulder. The rifle cracked sharply, and Strafford’s heavy figure pitched sideways out of his saddle. Echoes of the shot faded quickly.

The rider who had fallen on the trail was unmoving, lying on his back with both hands at his sides. The second man was making a run for it through the trees, and Carter turned his attention to Strafford. He put away his rifle and drew his pistol again, swung back into his saddle and rode to where Strafford was lying on his belly, barely conscious, a bullet hole in his left shoulder. He turned his head and glared at Carter.

‘You shot me in the back!’ he exclaimed.

‘I said you’d be my first mark if you caused trouble, and here you are raising hell, so you’re down with a slug in you. Some men just can’t see trouble ahead even if they tripped over it, and you’ve got a plateful now, Strafford.’

Carter checked Strafford for weapons, removed a pistol from the big rancher’s holster and a back-up gun from an inside pocket. He turned the rancher onto his back and examined his wound. The bullet had struck high in the back, impacted on a bone and been turned upwards and out through the top of the shoulder. It looked messy, but Carter decided it was not serious. Strafford was built like a horse and would be better in a few weeks.

‘Stop the bleeding,’ Strafford rapped.

‘Mister, you can lie there and bleed to death for all I care, but I want some answers, and you are going to tell me what I want to know.

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