The Shadow of a Noose by Ralph Cotton & Ralph Compton

Author:Ralph Cotton & Ralph Compton [Cotton, Ralph & Compton, Ralph]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2000-03-02T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

Indian Territory, July 23, 1871

At a remote spot along a nameless creek, Danielle Strange and Duncan Grago had spent a day in the shade of a tarpaulin lean-to, where an old horse thief named Uhl Hobbs kept a fresh string of stolen horses. Hobbs had welcomed them into his camp only after recognizing Duncan Grago. While Danielle rested and grained Sundown, Duncan Grago picked out a copper-colored Spanish barb that had gone a long time without a rider on its back. Danielle and Hobbs stood at the rail of a makeshift corral and watched Duncan get the barb used to a saddle. After a moment of studying Danielle with a guarded gaze, Hobbs asked, “Don’t suppose you caught sight of any lawmen along the Red, did you?”

“Nope,” Danielle answered, keeping her attention on Duncan as he wrestled with the headstrong copper barb. Hobbs looked her up and down again, and asked, “That’s a powerfully good-looking Colt you’re carrying, Danny Duggin. Don’t expect you’d be willing to trade it out for some riding stock?”

“Not at all interested,” Danielle replied, her hand resting instinctively on the butt of her Colt. She knew Hobbs was more interested in finding out everything he could about this newcomer, Danny Duggin, than he was in trading for a gun or a horse.

“Being a trader, I always like to ask,” Hobbs said. Then after a moment of silence he asked in a bolder tone, “How come I’ve never seen you before, Danny Duggin? Dunc says you’ve been around Fort Smith, and down in Texas for a while. I go to both places quite often.”

Danielle dealt him a level stare, saying, “I guess you just weren’t looking where I was standing, Hobbs. Now if you’ve got any more questions to ask about me, get it done. You’re starting to rub against my grain.”

Hobbs jerked back a step and kept his grimy hands chest-high in a show of peace. “No offense, Mr. Duggin. You can’t blame me for being a little cautious. Hell, it ain’t even legal for me being here, let alone holding a string of horses with no paperwork on them.”

Danielle allowed a faint smile. “No offense taken, Hobbs. Dunc and I will be moving on once he gets the air out from under that saddle. Until then, you might just as well settle down and stop wondering who I am or where I’ve been. You ought to know I’m not going to tell you anything I don’t want you to know.”

Hobbs cackled across broken yellowed teeth and shook his head. “Reckon I’m just curious by nature.” He raised a crooked finger for emphasis. “But I want to tell you this, for your own good. I heard there’s a whole posse of deputies from Parker’s court getting ready to make a sweep through here. So the two of you best keep an eye turned back to your trail. Be sure and mention it to Dunc first chance you get.”

“I will. Much obliged for the information,” Danielle said, seeing Duncan Grago wrestle the barb over closer to them.

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