Preacher's Assault by William W. Johnstone & J. A. Johnstone

Author:William W. Johnstone & J. A. Johnstone [Johnstone, William W. & Johnstone, J. A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, General, Westerns
ISBN: 9781410440884
Publisher: Pinnacle
Published: 2011-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 17

Preacher wheeled around and broke into a run toward the source of the commotion. He heard growling and snarling and recognized the sounds of Dog fighting with something or someone. A man screamed, making Preacher think the big cur had gotten hold of someone.

He realized a second later the cries were coming from the wagon where he had been talking to Leeman Bartlett a few minutes earlier. Since he couldn’t think of any reason why Dog would attack Bartlett, he decided something else must be going on.

Horror washed through him a moment later when he rounded the back of the wagon and saw a towering figure. The grizzly bear was back, and it had Bartlett.

The man shrieked in agony as claws and teeth tore into him. Dog was trying to help Bartlett by darting around and snapping at the bear, but the grizzly ignored him. The creature seemed intent on mauling Bartlett to the exclusion of everything else.

Preacher jerked his rifle to his shoulder. Bartlett was in the line of fire, but it didn’t matter. He was doomed unless somebody did something fast. It might already be too late.

The light from the campfire that penetrated between the wagons was uncertain, but Preacher lined his sights on the bear’s head and pulled the trigger.

The grizzly roared as its head jerked back, so Preacher knew his shot had found its mark. The brute didn’t fall, but continued to savage Leeman Bartlett. Preacher suspected the ball from his rifle had struck the bear a glancing blow and bounced off the thick skull under the fur.

More men ran up in response to the screams and growls and gunshots. Roland shouted, “Pa!” and tried to rush past Preacher.

Preacher grabbed the young man’s arm and dragged him back. “You’ll just get yourself killed!” he said as he shoved Roland into the arms of several of the bullwhackers. “Hold onto him!”

Preacher dropped his empty rifle and pulled his pistols. He was going to have to get closer to the bear so he could fire a shot directly into one of the beast’s eyes, to reach its brain and stop it.

He feared it was too late to help Leeman Bartlett. Bartlett’s head lolled loosely on his neck, and his clothes, shredded by the grizzly’s teeth and claws, were soaked with blood.

Holding the pistols ready, Preacher moved closer to the bear. Suddenly, the grizzly threw Bartlett’s limp body aside like a child discarding a rag doll, its beady eyes focused on Preacher instead. With a thunderous roar, the monster charged.

“Everybody scatter!” Preacher shouted as he flung himself out of the way of the charging bear. The creature barreled past him with Dog still nipping at its heels. Yelling frightened curses, the other members of the party scrambled to get away from the grizzly.

The bear slapped at one of the bullwhackers who was too slow getting out of the way. The big paw smashed into the man’s back and lifted him off his feet. The bullwhacker yelled in pain and flew through the air for a short distance before crashing to the ground.

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