Black Valley Riders by Ralph Cotton

Author:Ralph Cotton
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2010-10-14T04:00:00+00:00

When two lookout men saw the gambler and the two riflemen step down onto the rock shelf, they moved to one side and gave them room to look around. Tinnis noted the Gatling gun sitting on its iron tripod frame aimed down at the trail below.

“My, but isn’t this just the latest thing in fine armament?” he said, the Winchester cradled in the crook of his arm. To Lasko and Barnes he said, “Would you prefer if I used this and shoot all three of them when they show up?”

“You take care of the bounty hunter, Lucas,” said Barnes. “Metcalf and Neely here will kill the other two quick enough.”

The gambler smiled and shrugged. “I just thought I’d ask.”

Metcalf, a big, burly gunman from Kansas, stepped over beside Tinnis and pointed out at a lower jutting cliff across the canyon. “Look down the scope over there and search until you see a round of dynamite.” He paused and asked, “You have used a scope before, haven’t you?”

“I have dabbled with it. It has been a while since I’ve even held a rifle, I’ll admit,” the gambler said, raising the scoped Winchester to his shoulder. He wouldn’t mention that yes, he could use a scope, but his preference, his precision style of shooting had been with ladder sights, the gauging of wind, yardage adjustment—shooting with the naked eye. “But I shall try not to disappoint.”

Lasko and Barnes gave each other a guarded grin, watching the gambler adjust the rifle into place and look down through the brass-trimmed scope. He searched the steep rocky hillside across the canyon from them until he saw the round of dynamite—eight sticks bound together—with a fuse leading off and disappearing into the rocks.

“Have you got it?” Metcalf asked.

“Got it,” said Tinnis, his hand trembling a little, causing the scope to serve up an unsteady target.

“Good,” said Metcalf. “Now you’re seeing what’s going to happen just as soon as you make your killing. We’ve got a man up there just itching to push a plunger and blow this canyon trail all to hell. He’ll seal this canyon off. So if you miss, don’t worry about it. Anybody down there is dead anyway. If the rocks don’t kill them, we’ve got men down there who’ll take care of them.” He looked at Tinnis and added, “You’ll find that Big Aces is always on top of his business.”

Tinnis gave him a sincere look. “Thanks for telling me that. It makes me feel less pressed.” He gave Barnes and Lasko a dark look.

“Pressed . . . ?” Lasko chuckled. “You don’t think Big Aces would actually put all his stock on a drunk like you making a shot like this, do you?”

“Damn, gambler,” said Barnes, “take it easy. Like he told you, it’s a test. He just wants to know that your heart is in it.”

Tinnis ignored the two and asked Metcalf, “How long before you figure the ranger and the bounty hunters will show up?”

“If they found the empty cabin last night, they should have already been here by now,” said Metcalf.

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