Blaze 1 by J.W. Baron

Author:J.W. Baron
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: western series, western ebook, wild west fiction, outlaws and lawmen, piccadilly publishing westerns, frontier west usa, steven krauzer
Publisher: Piccadilly

Eight

Blaze was about a mile downstream from Rune Lassiter’s camp, following the river’s course atop the bluff, when he saw the dust of another rider coming toward him along the opposite bank. He slipped out of the saddle, then punched the roan gelding hard in the rump. The horse cantered down the slope away from the river, dipped his nose and started to graze. Blaze took off his Stetson, dropped to his stomach, and edged up to the bluffs rim.

The rider was coming at a hard trot, and as the horse approached Blaze could see it was sorely used. There was a broad wash of foam down its neck and its eyes were too wide. Blaze heard its labored breathing from where he lay.

The rider wore a big-brimmed black sombrero against the sun, secured by a thong under the chin. Then Blaze saw the long wavy dark hair and the rounded shape of the linen blouse below, and made out it was Jewel. She was in one hell of a hurry to get wherever she was headed. Blaze had an idea where that might be.

He whistled softly and the gelding perked up its head and looked at him, although the horse went on chewing on his mouthful of grass. Once remounted, Blaze turned the gelding downstream, but he sat without moving for several moments. Then, frowning slightly, he turned the horse back around and trotted him in the direction Jewel had ridden.

At the top of the next rise he saw her, several hundred yards ahead. The cutbank dipped down to within a few feet of the water there, and Jewel was walking her horse across the wide shallow river. Blaze reined up until she came up on the bank and spurred to a trot again. Her horse half stumbled before falling into the gait.

A ways farther on Blaze dismounted again. He moved up the rise on foot, crouching low as he neared the top.

The grassy slope leading up to Lassiter’s camp was maybe a hundred yards farther on. Kiyo was riding the perimeter guard trail now.

Jewel had dismounted and was walking her horse up toward him, saying something, judging by the listening attitude in which the Mexican’s head was cocked. He had his riata in his hands and he was playing out loops in the rope.

Jewel was maybe ten feet from him when Kiyo’s hands came up. He gave a quick flip and the loop of the lasso floated out, to settle over Jewel’s trunk.

Blaze heard her scream. She dropped the reins and her foam-flecked horse stood still, a little unsteady from fatigue. Kiyo took two loops around his saddle horn, then backed his horse a few steps as if he had just hind footed a maverick calf. Jewel stumbled and went down. The dark man backed his horse a few steps more, dragging Jewel face down through the dry grass.

Jewel staggered to her feet, pulling at the rope with both hands. There was a dark smear of dirt across the front of her linen blouse.

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