Silverado by Paul Lederer

Author:Paul Lederer
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781497694040
Publisher: Open Road Media

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Ben Goswick was watching the far trail to Julesburg, yet he had noticed, from the corner of his eye, Montak helping the doctor into his wagon. Then the mute giant sat on the steps, arms hung across his knees, whistling a little tune.

After a time there was an odd smell from the interior of the black wagon, and he walked closer. Montak glanced up at him.

“Smells like fire.”

Montak shrugged.

“Sure the old man’s all right?”

Montak nodded, smiled, and began the little tune once more. Ben Goswick started to say something, shut his mouth and walked away. It was an odd smell, like sulphur, or maybe lime. Well, Montak didn’t seem concerned. Funny the way the giant sat that step like a big St. Bernard on guard.

Dr. Spectros watched the fire burning in the copper stove. He walked nearer to the packets of powders he had placed on the glass table. Sighing, he reached for the big, silver-inlaid Colts hanging on the wall, and he strapped them on. The powders he sprinkled into the fire.

The doctor felt especially weary. He sat in the chair, the heavy pistols bothering him. Slowly he closed his eyes. A light green mist had begun to fill the wagon interior. He touched the huge emerald ring on his hand with two fingers and waited.

“What time you figuring on starting out?” Ben Goswick asked. “It’s nearly noon already.”

Montak simply gazed back, amiably. Goswick shrugged, turned to walk away and heard the wagon door open. He swung his eyes back to the wagon.

The tall man was dressed in black. Two big Colts swung from his belt. He had a black hat pulled low over cold, gray eyes and a chiseled face. His hands looked deadly and he had a pair of shoulders a prize fighter would have envied.

“Hello, Ben.”

“Kid …” Goswick’s face was ashen, his hands trembled. He started to smile, changed his mind and backed off a step. “You remember me?”

“I do,” Kid Soledad answered. He stepped down from the wagon easily, moving like a graceful cat. “How are you?”

Kid Soledad stretched out a hand to Ben Goswick and he took it. “Kid, I—am I crazy? It was near fifteen years ago we met in Santa Fe, wasn’t it? Kid—you ain’t changed a bit. While I …” Ben Goswick stepped back, studying Kid Soledad. It was true. The man had not aged. Not a bit.

Goswick’s hair had fallen out, arthritis had made his acquaintance, his eyesight had dimmed, a tooth here and there had gone bad. But the Kid had somehow avoided the stroke of time’s brush.

“Ready, Montak?” Kid Soledad asked. The giant nodded and stood.

“You going to the mine, Kid?” Goswick asked.

“I figure to,” the Kid answered.

“What about the doctor?” Goswick asked, his eyes flickering to the locked wagon door.

“He’s resting, Ben. He’s not so young any more. It takes a little more rest at his age.”

“Ben—” Mary Bettenhauser had come around the corner of the house. She stopped now, eyes wide, mouth frozen in mid-sentence.

The tall man in black turned cool eyes to her and she felt herself shudder as with a chill.

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