Fair Blows the Wind (Louis L'Amour's Lost Treasures) by Louis L'Amour

Author:Louis L'Amour
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: 2018-07-02T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 20

NOW THAT I had come upon a means of earning a bit I did not neglect the pen, but my next two attempts failed of acceptance. These had neither the wit nor the novelty of my first successes. Yet it was about this time that the Leckenbie piece was published abroad.

In a day it became the talk of the town. When I went to the tavern below, the place was a-buzz with it, and not knowing who might be the author, they were of one mind: that he had but a short life left to him, once Leckenbie saw the piece.

Cutting Ball came hurriedly to the tavern. “What, Tatton Chantry! Is it you who have done this thing? You have destroyed him!”

“That was my purpose, but we do not know yet what may happen. We can but wait and see.”

“All London will be about his ears,” Ball insisted. “And to think that you have done this! A mere lad! And with a pen, too, and with no sword or mob or soldiers!”

Yet that day went slowly by and nothing happened, nor were any of Leckenbie’s men seen about, nor on the second day. There was no move against him by the Queen’s men: there was only talk. On the third day, well armed and with Ball’s men about, I ventured into the street.

This time I was bound for Blackfriars with another tale of The Merry Damber, which had proved successful. I sold the piece to Master Field for a pound, and turned about, planning to go at once to my own tavern.

Suddenly I found myself face to face with Leckenbie!

He stopped upon the street before me. My hand went to my sword. “If it is to be, let it be here,” I said.

He laughed. “You mean then to fight me?” he roared, laughing the while. “Do not be a fool! You have done me only the greatest service! Why, had I ordered the piece written it could not have been better!”

He was chuckling and cheerful. I stared at him incredulously. “Take your hand from your sword!” he said. “I shall certainly kill you one day, be sure of that. But not today, when you have just done for me what I could not do for myself!”

“What do you mean?”

He chuckled again. “Come! I’ll split a bottle with you, and a haunch of beef as well! Don’t you see? You have made me sound so powerful, so evil, so revengeful that my enemies are trembling! A dozen thieves have come to my stalling kens whom I never laid eyes on before, although I knew them well by reputation. Suddenly I have gained respect in quarters where there was little before! At one fell swoop you have made me the strongest man in London! And to think that was all it needed! I am a fool, Chantry, a double-dyed fool! Now I have no need to destroy enemies who believed themselves o’ermatched and have come to me, pleading the wish

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