Kinsman of the Gun by Walton Young

Author:Walton Young [Young, Walton]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Robert Hale
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Curly Pike stood at the back door of the gentlemen’s club and looked about him, as if someone might be watching. All the other buildings were silent, black. The door opened and Schultz stood in the darkness of the hall. To Curly, Schultz looked old, too old to leave the comforts of the East and to establish a large cattle spread. It was not anything like Swearingen’s spread, but it was big enough. Schultz looked past Curly.

‘Don’t be so concerned,’ Curly said. ‘I ain’t been followed.’

‘Are you sure?’

‘Hell, yes, I’m sure.’

‘The others are upstairs. We’ve been waiting.’

‘I wanted to make sure all your hired help went home.’

‘No one else is here. You won’t be seen.’

‘That’s the way I like it.’

They walked down the carpeted hall and up the stairs. At the top of the stairs Schultz went to a door and knocked one time. Then he pushed it open and stepped aside so that Curly could enter. A lamp sitting on a table in the far corner did little to dispel the darkness. Palmer sat in a chair near the cold fireplace, and Lansing stood at the window. He turned and nodded briefly and then looked back at the street below. Meeting with Swearingen’s fellow cattle barons made Curly uneasy. He had told Schultz he had not been followed, but was he sure? He had to make it seem he was sure, but Rayburn was in town. You didn’t always see him coming until it was too late.

‘So young Andrew Swearingen has turned himself in,’ Lansing said.

‘How do you know?’ Curly asked.

‘Schultz, get Mr Pike something to drink. I’m sure he’s thirsty.’

‘I’ve been drinking already.’

‘Then drink some more.’

Curly sat in a plush chair in the middle of the room and took the whiskey and drank. A little smoother than what he got at the Two Rivers.

‘Can we get some more light in here?’

‘I can see just fine. After a while, you grow accustomed to the darkness. I heard a pistol shot. It sounded like a derringer.’

‘It came from the Two Rivers. Apparently one of the whores got tired of living. Maybe she wasn’t getting enough business.’

‘That’s too bad.’

Lansing left the window and took a chair across from him. Only a few feet separated them. Lansing was much younger than the other two, yet he called the shots. He gave the orders, and the others obeyed.

‘Would you like a cigar?’ Lansing asked.

‘No.’

Curly set the glass on the floor.

‘I’m sure the new sheriff was surprised to have a prisoner so soon, especially one named Swearingen.’

‘He was surprised, all right.’

‘Swearingen will come for his son,’ Lansing said. ‘He will ride into town, probably with a few of his men, a few of his hired guns, and Rayburn most certainly will accompany him. Swearingen will attempt to free his son. Cheyenne hasn’t seen such excitement in a long time.’

‘I don’t like the sound of this,’ Palmer said. ‘There’s going to be a war out there. We’re going to get caught in the middle. We should get out of town now.

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