Death on Treasure Trail by Brett Halliday

Author:Brett Halliday
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781504025409
Publisher: Open Road Media

15

The rope was flung down, and the Kid climbed up hand over hand. It was good to be above ground in the bright sunlight, but the Kid was jittery because of leaving Ramona behind in the darkness of the cave.

He glanced at Pete who sat back against a rock covering him with a rifle, then turned his attention to Slim-Jim. Neither Lem Colter nor Pancho were anywhere near the spot.

Slim-Jim was squatting on the ground calmly smoking a cigarette. He said: “I think you’re trying to put something over on us, Fisher. Don’t do it.” His appraising black eyes rested on the Kid’s bruised and battered face, speculatively studying the splotch of dried blood on the front of his shirt which had not been there when he rode away this morning.

The Kid sat down stiffly near by. He managed to get a grin on his swollen face as he disclaimed:

“I ain’t tryin’ tuh put nothin’ over on yuh. That is … all I’m hopin’ for is to get out of here alive.”

“You look as though you’ve run into some difficulties since you left us this morning.”

The Kid nodded indifferently. He took tobacco and papers from his shirt pocket and made a cigarette. “A lot of things have happened. I’m gettin’ used tuh havin’ hell pop every turn I make. One of these days I’m goin’ tuh win a fight.” His eyes looked rigidly into Slim-Jim’s.

The outlaw nodded. “Maybe you will at that. What about the gold?”

“That’s the old mine of the Padres down yonduh.” The Kid gestured over the cliff. “A rich vein … plumb worked out. There ain’t a smidgen of gold left.”

“We know they had it all stored waiting for an opportunity to take it back across the Border,” Slim-Jim said impatiently. “Where is it stored?”

The Rio Kid shook his head slowly. “The only reason for me tuh keep on livin’ is that I know an’ you don’t,” he drawled. “I’d be a dang fool tuh tell you, Slim-Jim.”

“We don’t care what becomes of you if we get the gold. You’ve got my promise that you won’t be harmed.”

“Nor the Mex boy, neither?”

“So, he’s still alive, eh? I thought maybe you got rid of him, too, when you pushed the old man over the cliff there.” Slim-Jim motioned down toward Juliano’s crushed body.

The Kid didn’t bother to explain that he was not Juliano’s murderer. He wasn’t ready to tell about Joe Elliot’s presence yet. He merely said:

“Ramon’s down in the mine waitin’ tuh know whether it’s safe tuh come up. Do yuh guarantee we can both start ridin’ for the Border if I tell you where the gold is hid?”

“After I’ve seen the gold,” Slim-Jim countered coldly. “I’m taking no chances … taking no man’s word for anything.”

“Fair enough.” The Kid had counted on that. “Now about Colter an’ Pancho. Where are they at?”

“We heard some shooting down the ridge a little while ago, and they rode back to investigate. Do you know anything about that?”

“Nope,” the Kid lied cheerfully, trying to fit this new development into his plans.

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