Lone Star 03 by Ellis Wesley

Author:Ellis, Wesley
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: PENGUIN group
Published: 2010-02-28T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

“You can use your Colt, if you can’t handle a rifle,” Jessie reminded Farnam.

He looked chagrined. “I suppose I’m a pretty bad example of a cavalry trooper,” he said. “Sooner or later, I’m sure I’d have remembered I’ve got a pistol, but thanks for reminding me.” He started to get to his feet. Jessie moved to help him, but he waved her away. “Let me get up alone, Jessie. I want to show myself that I don’t need a nursemaid.”

“Nobody’s suggested that you do,” she said a bit tartly.

“I didn’t mean to sound ungrateful,” Farnam apologized. “I’m just angry with myself, and it spilled out on you.”

“It’s all right, Joe,” she assured him. “Now we’d better get out where we can keep an eye on the rustlers. I don’t think they’ll let this one setback keep them from trying to kill us.”

Cautiously they edged to the front of the cleft and peered toward the river. The rustlers had just started riding in their direction. In spite of the long range and their need to conserve ammunition, Jessie let off two closely spaced shots at them. The rifle fire did not discourage the outlaws. The only effect of the two shots was to cause them to begin galloping sooner than might have been the case if Jessie had not fired.

Jessie and Farnam dropped flat inside the cleft as the rustlers spurred their mounts. The riders did not swing behind the bodies of their horses this time. Erect in the saddle, they poured rifle slugs into the cleft as they galloped past. The best the two defenders could do was to let off a quickly aimed shot or two as the last of the attackers came abreast. By that time, though, the members of the gang who’d been the first to ride by had wheeled and were coming back.

“If they keep us under a steady fire, we’re done for!” Farnam said, raising his voice to make himself heard over the constant barking of the rustlers’ guns.

“All we can do is fight back!” Jessie replied, her eyes at her rifle sights as she swung the gun, trying to get in an aimed shot. She squeezed the trigger, but too late, the man at whom she’d been aiming swerved just as she fired.

Then, as the last of the riders swept past the cleft and the rustlers’ fire slackened, the distant crack of a rifle sounded from the mouth of the valley. The last rider’s horse stumbled and broke stride, but managed to continue toward the river, limping badly. Another shot from the distance followed the first, and hard on the heels of that one, a third report rang out.

“It’s Ki!” Jessie cried. “He must’ve heard the shooting as he was coming through the arroyo, and hurried to help us!”

“Whether it’s your man Ki or somebody else, they got here just in time,” Farnam said.

Jessie leaped to her feet and stepped outside the fissure. The outlaws were not waiting to find out who fired the shots from the mouth of the valley.

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