Shadow of the Vulture by John J. McLaglen

Author:John J. McLaglen
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: old west, western fiction, pulp western, piccadilly publishing, herne the hunter
Publisher: Piccadilly Publishing

Chapter Seven

Two days had passed. Jed Herne had been busy. Swatting more flies. News of what had happened out at the Newman place had spread like wildfire. He didn’t have any more trouble collecting back payments or moving folk off property that was no longer theirs. Nobody else was as brave as the Newmans—or as stupid.

In Charity itself, people walked over to the other side of the street to avoid him. He still sat alone at his table in the saloon, but now nobody talked about him openly.

Rosie had made it clear that as long as he used her place he could expect to get served; but nothing more.

None of this upset Herne in the least. He was used to it.

Well, thought Herne, now my job’s done here. And tomorrow I can make my way west.

He climbed down from his horse and tied it to the hitching post outside the bank. He walked in through the doors and went over to the teller, a nervous-looking man with a green eye-shade and a stammer whenever he was agitated. He was agitated right now. It took him several minutes to ask Herne what he wanted and several more minutes to explain that Mr. Mellor was out of the bank. He had taken a good customer over to The Queen of the West for a drink.

Herne nodded and strode out. He’d finished his work. He had no intention of waiting to be paid for it.

Mellor was sitting close to the piano, talking earnestly to a cattle buyer who was wearing a long button-through coat which had once been white. Herne went over and stood a couple of feet back from their table.

The banker looked up apprehensively. ‘What is it, Herne?’

‘I finished.’

‘Well, that’s dandy. My congratulations on doing such a fine job in such little time.’

‘It ain’t your thanks I want,’ said Herne sharply, ‘it’s my money.’

‘Won’t that wait until I’ve finished?’ flustered Mellors.

‘No,’ replied Herne. ‘It won’t.’

‘But I’m conducting my business and...’

‘And nothing. You been havin’ me throw folks off their land ‘cause they didn’t pay you in time. Our agreement was that you paid me when I’d done. Well, I’ve done and here I am.’

The cattle buyer had been watching Herne closely. Now he spoke. ‘Your name’s Herne. Does that make you the feller they call Herne the Hunter?’

Herne nodded. ‘Some folks tag me that.’

‘Heard a lot about you. Been hearing it for years now. Wasn’t sure you were around anymore. Specially not round these parts.’

‘I shan’t be for long,’ Herne told him. ‘Soon as I get my money and I’ve got my supplies, I’ll be moving out.’

The cattle man stood up and offered Herne his hand. ‘I’m proud to meet a man with your reputation.’

Herne shook the offered hand.

‘And now,’ continued the man in the long coat, ‘I’ll be content to wait a while. I guess Mellor will be going over to his bank to pay you your dues.’

The banker stood up, a scowl on his face, and brushed past Herne on his way to the door.

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