The Floating Outfit 63: Arizona Range War (A Floating Outfit Western) by J. T. Edson

Author:J. T. Edson
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Piccadilly Publishing
Published: 2021-08-31T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten – You Try to Stop Him

“WELL, THIS IS where it happened, but there’s nothing close by to say who did it,” Dusty Fog remarked as he stood with his recently appointed female and two male deputies near the place where Sheriff Amon Reeves had been found lying seriously wounded. “Do you reckon Tumac would do some looking around and see if he can find any sign to help, Calam?”

Counselor Edward Sutherland had had the outline of the injured man marked with what appeared to be the blue chalk used on pool cues before he was moved, a precaution showing considerable foresight, as such a technique was not yet much practiced, especially by Western peace officers. This had allowed the position where he fell to be easily located. However, there was nothing in the immediate vicinity to suggest the point at which the shot was fired. Accepting his own limitations where carrying out such a task was concerned and lacking the skill that either the Ysabel Kid or Kiowa Cotton could have provided, the small Texan had no hesitation before requesting that the search for a sign be performed by somebody better qualified than himself. Moreover, aware of their own shortcomings in that direction, he knew his three companions would have no objections to his proposal.

“If he says he won’t,” Calamity Jane replied, “I’ll talk to him all sweet, polite, ’n’ reasonable, while I’m telling him to get to doing it afore I whomp his li’l ole pumpkin head with a shovel.”

“That’s sweet, polite, ’n’ reasonable?” Thorny Bush inquired, looking the redhead over with frank and open admiration as he wondered, not for the first time, if there could possibly be another woman like her.

“You should meet Dusty’s cousin Betty,” Rusty Willis stated. He had done so at one of General Ole Devil Hardin’s famous Christmas Turkey Shoots and concluded that the members of the OD Connected ranch crew had not exaggerated when they described the way she had ruled their lives by wielding a hand they cheerfully affirmed made steel feel softer than melting butter. [xxii] “Why, they do say she can come close to being unsweet, less’n polite, and nowheres near close to reasonable when she’s so minded. Fact being, I did hear tell as how she got grabbed by a bunch of owlhoots to be held for ransom ’n’ they was so plumb discouraged by the way she treated ’em, they sent her back with one.” [xxiii]

“Don’t you believe him, Thorny,” Calamity advised. “Steffie hasn’t got him out of spinning windies yet. Anyways, Betty’s just as sweet ’n’ kindhearted as I am.”

“Which being,” the youngster stated vehemently, tensing and ready to take whatever steps necessary to avoid the consequences over what he meant to say next, “I surely hope as how I never run across her.”

“If you three don’t stop wasting the good taxpaying citizens of Spanish Grant County’s happily-parted-with money,” Dusty growled with mock severity, knowing the remarks were a way his companions were working

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