The Lightning Runner by Max Brand

Author:Max Brand
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing
Published: 2016-10-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Three

Who can say what makes the hand fast and the hand slow? It is some mental stoppage in the latter instance, some dam of thinking that prevents the free flow from the subconscious brain to the muscles.

So the Mexican, looking up to the face of Grey, although set and fixed for shooting at the first intimation of movement, although he saw in the eyes of the boy a glint of the coming danger, did not pull the triggers over which his right forefinger was hooked.

The least part of a second later he pulled them, to be sure, but by that time the thrust of Grey’s hand had knocked the big double muzzle upward, and both chambers exploded so as to send a roar of shot and fumes just over the shoulder of his coat, scorching the fabric and shearing some of it away. The kick of the weapon, at the same time, almost knocked the gun out of the grasp of Cordoba and jerked him halfway around.

Grey, his left hand high above his head from the upstroke he had made, whirled on his heel as Garcias, with a wild screech of terror and surprise, grappled with him. So the boy twisted a little in the grasp and brought down the hard knuckles of his fist behind the ear of the man. As a slung shot falls, so fell the hand of Grey, and Garcias stumbled backward, his knees loosened and his body sagging, his hands thrust down to prevent his utter fall.

Cordoba, outside the window, realized the little trick of language that had unnerved him and, cursing bitterly, threw away the shotgun and snatched at a revolver. When his grip was on its handle, he saw his enemy sweeping a pair of revolvers from the table.

That was enough for Cordoba. He was a very brave fellow, but he preferred a reasonable share of good luck to what was no better than an even chance against such a foeman. His brain had worked too sluggishly the instant before. It leaped to conclusions now as a deer leaps when the silent huntsman shoots into its grazing ground. He remembered, now, in a dazzling instant, some of the grave words that had been spoken in his hearing about this same man, and how it was better to take chances with a high explosive than with him.

So Cordoba leaped to the side. He sprang as though there were water and not hard earth beneath him. He toppled head over heels, but he fell well beyond the angle of young Grey’s possible fire and, tumbling to his feet, staggered into full speed and made for his tethered mustang, behind the house of Garcias.

Garcias himself could not regain his balance. He staggered against the wall and on the recoil fell limply to his knees.

This Grey saw, and, instead of making a hostile move against the man, he stepped to the embrasure of the big window, reached through the bars, and, taking the shotgun by the muzzle, drew it inside the room.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.