The Floating Outfit 21: The Fast Gun (A Floating Outfit Western) by J. T. Edson

Author:J. T. Edson [Edson, J. T.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Piccadilly Publishing
Published: 2018-03-01T08:00:00+00:00

Eight – Captain Fog Speeds Departing Guests

The last thing Dusty wanted to do was kill either Coop or Lanny. During his time as a lawman, [iii] Dusty had seen many young men like the pair on the trail. They were products of their times, living in a hard land, fed on stories of the escapades of the gun-fighting breed. Some instinct told Dusty that the two young men were more likely to follow than be leaders; and he could understand Coop’s feeling, so knew why the other made that reckless challenge.

“You can have it that way if you want,” the small Texan said calmly. “Just say the word and let loose your wolf.”

“No!” screamed Gartree, just as Dusty figured he would. “Don’t do it!”

Raw, unadulterated panic filled the politician’s voice and bit like a knife into Lanny. Less affected by the failure of Turkey than Coop had been, Lanny saw only the gravity of their situation and realized the futility of challenging a man armed with a Winchester—which he could obviously use with skill and precision—when carrying only a revolver. At that moment Lanny remembered the number of times both he and Coop missed their mark when shooting their guns. He doubted if the Texan lacked skill; in fact, seeing that the other came through a fight against a professional killer and a shotgun-armed marshal, had no doubts in the matter at all. True the Texan’s weapon sounded like a carbine, but that gave Lanny little or no comfort. While the carbine version of the “Old Yellowboy” carried only thirteen bullets in its magazine, plus one in the chamber, as opposed to the rifle’s sixteen, a skilled man could fire it at a rate of two shots a second. The Texan was skilled, and his carbine held enough bullets, even after disposing of Turkey, to make things mighty exciting should he come out in answer to Coop’s challenge.

“Don’t be crazy, Coop!” the youngster hissed. “We wouldn’t have a chance.”

“Best listen to him,” Dusty warned, staying in cover. “He’s speaking the best sense you’re ever likely to hear.”

Slowly the fighting madness ebbed out of Coop and sense returned. Not until then did he realize how foolish his challenge had been and see what Lanny already knew. Yet he felt reluctant to back down without making some token resistance.

“How about it?” asked Dusty, timing his words just right so that they came before Coop reached a second stage of defiance. “Do we make a fight?”

“No!” howled Gartree and Lanny echoed the words.

“That’s only two of you,” Dusty commented.

“I don’t want a fight,” admitted Coop bitterly.

“Then throw your gunbelts this way.”

“Like hell!” Coop snarled.

“It’s your choice. But I aim to have the gunbelts and if you give me fuss, I’ll take your pants—and boots too.”

Probably the last threat, more than any other, decided the issue. Hearing the cold, deadly purpose underlying the easy drawl and knowing the Texan possessed the means to enforce his demands—not one of the trio doubted that Dusty intended to carry out his words.

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