Dalton's Treasure by Ed Law

Author:Ed Law
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Culbin Press
Published: 2022-06-27T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

With Lawrence hurrying off to check the back door, Dalton risked going to the nearest window to check outside. A stick of dynamite had been propped up against a corner post, but it hadn’t been lit and neither had the two other sticks along the front of the saloon.

Walsh and his two deputies were scurrying for cover beside the station house. The position they’d chosen suggested to Dalton that Cyrus had launched his assault from the abandoned mercantile beside the station house.

Cyrus had gone to ground there prior to scavenging from the train and, sure enough, two of his men were moving to the corner of the building. Although they were too far away for Dalton to be confident of hitting them, they were clearly visible from the main drag, suggesting that they were unaware that Dalton and Lawrence were hiding in the saloon.

Dalton resolved to still his fire until he could take full advantage of the element of surprise. He slipped across the room and informed Lawrence of the situation, and then took up a position behind the window that was nearest to Cyrus’s men.

In the short time that he’d been away, more of Cyrus’s men had revealed their positions and they were now scattered around the mercantile. As he’d feared, they were all armed. Walsh’s two deputies hunkered down at the corners of the station house while Walsh slipped into the derelict building. Dalton figured he was aiming to take up a position by the door.

“There’s no sign of anyone at the back,” Lawrence called as he came into the saloon room. “I figure I can be more use in here.”

Dalton beckoned him to take the window on the other side of the door and, after some darting around, Lawrence found a position where he could fire through a gap while monitoring the scene.

“Wait until Cyrus’s men get overconfident and make their move,” Dalton said.

Lawrence grunted his agreement. Then they set in to await developments. They didn’t have to wait long. Cyrus came into view for the first time when he led three men in running for side of the station house.

They moved quickly out of sight, but Cyrus’s other men edged forward, confirming they were preparing to attack. The deputies were aware of the growing danger as they made the first move in edging around their respective corners.

Then they loosed off a couple of shots, making Cyrus’s men throw themselves to the ground. That action appeared to be all the encouragement Cyrus needed as rapid gunfire tore out. Unfortunately, the shots were fired on the other side of the station house and Dalton could only judge what was happening from the nervous reaction of the deputy at the far corner who beckoned the other deputy to join him.

That man checked nobody was making a move on his side of the house, and then hurried off. He had covered only half the distance along the wall when the other deputy cried out and keeled over clutching his chest.

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