Bury Them Deep in War Smoke by Michael D George

Author:Michael D George [George, Michael D.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Robert Hale
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TEN

Moonlight danced across the shotgun resting on the marshal’s shoulder as he slowly walked up the slight rise to the livery stable. The tall figure of Matt Fallen sensed that something was wrong in War Smoke and yet he still could not work out what. The years of wearing a tin star had taught Fallen many things, and the biggest of those lessons was that you always trusted your guts.

For a long time Matt Fallen had felt that War Smoke was like a volcano about to erupt. It had happened on many occasions during his time as a marshal, and he imagined that it would continue to do so for as long as the vast settlement continued to exist. All that men like Fallen could ever do was to ride the rampaging fortunes of fate and hope that they survived the tempestuous trouble when it eventually raised its head.

Fallen eyed the area as he approached the livery stable and walked towards the distinctive mule tethered to the coral fencing. The lawman lowered the hefty scattergun off his shoulder and strode along the fragrant wooden structure. He paused beside the mule and patted the animal as his eyes searched the shadows which surrounded him. The relative calm was shattered within seconds as Heck came rushing out of the livery like a squirrel with its tail on fire.

‘Matthew,’ Heck repeatedly called out to the towering figure as he ran with his left hand holding up his oversized pants.

Fallen shook his head. ‘Easy, Heck. You don’t wanna bust nothing. Calm down.’

Heck stopped beside Fallen and rested a hand on the far taller man to steady himself as he caught his breath.

‘There you are, Matthew,’ he gasped. ‘I just found that real tall horse I was telling you about.’

Fallen narrowed his eyes.

‘It’s in the livery?’ he asked in surprise.

Heck nodded and caught his battered old hat in his hands before returning it to his head of wayward hair.

‘It sure is,’ he replied. ‘As big as life. I asked Jed who it belongs to but all he could say was that it belongs to a stranger.’

Fallen raised his eyebrows. ‘We figured that already, Heck. The thing is, what’s the name of the stranger?’

Heck looked bemused.

‘Jed didn’t get no name, Matthew,’ he explained. ‘All he could tell me was the fella that owns that nag was dressed all in black.’

Marshal Fallen tilted his head as a chilling thought came to him. He leaned closer to Heck.

‘Like an undertaker?’ he asked.

Heck’s eyes widened.

‘Yeah, like an undertaker.’ He nodded nervously. ‘I never thought about that, Matthew. Just like an undertaker dresses. Goddamn.’

Fallen exhaled and rubbed his chin with his knuckles.

‘Is that gelded grey ready?’ he asked his deputy.

Heck was still nodding. ‘Yep, I’ll go fetch it for you.’

The marshal paced out into the middle of the rough track leading into the livery stable as Heck vanished into the building. Fallen glanced around the structures that flanked the tall livery, searching for a glimpse of the mysterious stranger he had just been informed about.

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