Outlaw's Reckoning

Author:Ralph Compton
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Group US

Chapter 14

Their first order of business was to ride northwest toward the Salt River. Gus and Doyle didn’t ride as quickly as they could have because they had to be alert for an ambush. This would be the time when they would find out whether the kidnappers from Bateman Supply were organized enough to come after them right away. If they weren’t, that meant Gus and Doyle had some breathing room to plot their route a bit farther.

Gus was used to riding at a full gallop without being able to see more than a couple paces in front of him. Some folks called that a foolhardy way to go about things, but it was a simple fact of life for a man trying to stay ahead of the law. Posses, bounty hunters and all other sorts of lawmen tended to work on a schedule. Apparently, so did Abigail Swann.

“Where are we going?” she asked from behind Gus.

He shifted in his saddle, which caused her to shift behind him. She rode with her arms wrapped around his chest and her head resting upon the back of his shoulder. Although it may have seemed quaint at first, she treated Gus with as much care as she’d show a lumpy pillow. Every so often, she even poked and prodded him as if that would make his back a little softer.

“Did you hear me?” she groused.

“Yeah, I heard you.”

“Then why won’t you answer?”

“Because I already answered you,” he replied.

“That was this morning and all you said was that we were headed toward the river.”

“And we still are.”

Sighing impatiently, she asked, “Where’s the other one?”

“You mean Doyle?”

“Isn’t he the only other one?”

Gus had to grin, but was careful not to let her see. So far, she had yet to acknowledge that Doyle was anything more than an irritating pup that insisted on nipping at her heels. “He rode ahead to scout the trail.”

“Scout for what?”

“Those men who kidnapped you were hiring reinforcements, so they’re probably after us. Then there’s Indians, the law or any number of things that could cost us valuable time.”

“Wait. What did you say?”

“The trail may be washed out,” Gus explained. “There could have been a rock slide or something else that’d cause us to double back and find another way.”

“Not that,” Abigail snapped. “The part about the law. You’re worried about the law finding you?”

Gus answered that by shrugging enough for her to feel it.

“So you and the other one are both outlaws? Oh my Lord.”

“We saved your life,” Gus pointed out.

“You did, but that other one wants to ransom me off. I heard you both talking last night. I heard the tone in his voice and I see the way he looks at me. He’s no better than the men that snatched me out of the coach.”

“What coach?” Gus asked as he reined his horse to a stop.

“What do you care?” For the last few seconds, Abigail’s grip around Gus’s torso had been tightening. In fact, he could feel her entire body tensing against his back like a coiled spring.

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