The Devil's Boneyard by William W. Johnstone

Author:William W. Johnstone [Johnstone, William W.; Johnsto]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pinnacle Books
Published: 2020-07-21T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 13

“Tore a page right outta your book, Malcolm, ol’ buddy,” Pete Russell gloated to himself as he held the gray gelding to a spirited pace after leaving the Dallas road and heading west. When he had hightailed it out of Madisonville, he stayed on the Dallas road for about thirty-five miles before he left it to ride cross-country in the general direction of Waco. If they were quick enough to get up a posse, he figured he had stayed on the northbound road long enough to make them think he was heading to Dallas.

He thought of Malcolm Hazzard’s long charade as a religious convert that resulted in his early release from prison. It might have been a greater challenge to pull the wool over the judge and the warden’s eyes, and Malcolm had won his freedom as a result. But Pete had to give himself credit for causing two deputy marshals to become careless enough to get themselves killed. And the biggest difference between Malcolm’s hoax and his was the fact that he was leading a packhorse carrying over twenty thousand dollars, give or take a dollar or two. Too bad about Ormond, he thought. “Man,” he blurted, “he worked up one helluva stink!” He was afraid the sight of the big man’s body as it passed through the stages of putrefaction was a picture that might come to revisit him. It bothered him some that he had finally broken down and surrendered the handgun he had held them at bay with. But, he allowed, he was weak from lack of food, water, and sleep. As it turned out, it had been a good thing, for it caused his pitiful state, which, in turn, inspired his charade as a repenting soul, sorry for his crimes. And they bought it, lock, stock, and barrel, even the big stud Ben Savage. “Sorry I ain’t gonna get a chance to have another little visit with you, Savage, but I expect I’d best make myself pretty scarce around these parts.”

The thought of Ben Savage triggered thoughts of other things he had to consider. He was almost to the eastern end of the road to Waco, the road that went right by the church. Ben Savage knew about the church. He had come there and ambushed him and Ormond, resulting in their capture. Pete thought it might be risky going back to the church now, but it was a place for him to recover his packhorse and trade the gray he was riding. There was also some personal property he left behind when Savage snatched him and Ormond right out from under Reuben Drum and Walt Murphy’s noses. Other than the need to ride a different horse, he had to admit that he wanted to plant a seed in Reuben’s and Walt’s minds that he no longer had the money. It might seem dangerous to return to the church, even for the short time he planned. But there was no reason to suspect that Savage would show up there again.

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