The Loner 20 by Sheldon B. Cole

Author:Sheldon B. Cole [Cole, Sheldon B.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: action hero, American Frontier, Colt.45, ebook, fiction, Gunfighters, Piccadilly cowboys, Pulp fiction writing, the Old West, Western series
Publisher: Piccadilly
Published: 2022-12-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Six

Friendly Persuasion

JUD KETCHELL WAS waiting. The day’s heat worked into him and made him restless. There didn’t seem to be enough air in the building for the three of them and he kept wiping sweat from his face and the back of his neck, irritably. Since having a meal, he had done some steady drinking and his face was blotched from the raw whisky and the heat. His temper, as Blake Durant realized, was becoming increasingly sour.

It was mid-afternoon when a rider appeared on the slope a quarter of a mile away. For the first time in hours, Jud Ketchell showed an interest in life. He crossed to the door and peered out, careful to keep his body flattened against the timber and out of sight. Blake Durant was back in his chair, arms aching under the tight bonds on his wrists. Sue Ketchell, looking completely spent, was lying on the bunk, seemingly indifferent to what was going on.

Ketchell lifted his gun and aimed carefully but after a time thought better of firing off a shot. Instead, he checked his gun, as he had done many times during the hot afternoon. A hint of uncertainty showed in his coal-black eyes.

The rider moved through the timber and went off at an angle, as if undecided whether to approach or not. Blake, who had glimpsed the rider beyond the doorway, knew he must be aware people were down here waiting for him, and none he could call friend.

Ketchell was crouched against the doorframe. “Come on down, Ty,” he said in a voice nowhere loud enough to reach the rider. “You come on down, Ty, and talk to me. We got plenty to talk about; how you ran out, and bucked me, and double-crossed me. Only you was always a fool, Ty, like Ace and Ben. You come and get what’s due to you.”

“What ... what are you going to do, Jud?” Sue Ketchell suddenly called across the room. “Surely you’ve done enough killing.”

Ketchell shook his head and looked over his shoulder at her. “Nope, I ain’t done enough settlin’ yet, Sue. Not while that kind of scum rides free, figurin’ to cheat me.”

“Then for God’s, sake go out and fight him and leave me alone. I can’t stand anymore.”

“He’ll come,” Ketchell cut her short. “Ty Rorke was never a man who could ride away from five thousand dollars, nor the kind to wait for another man to make a break, either. Ace now, he’s different. Ace’ll have argued all day, sayin’ to wait for night. But not Ty. He knows Hamer’ll be back and that he ain’t got much time.”

“Lee Hamer will bring help,” Sue urged him. “What will you do then, Jud? Kill us all and get killed yourself?”

Ketchell grinned wickedly at her. “Hamer didn’t ride for help, Sue. Hell, you got everything wrong, ain’t you? Hamer was my partner and he’s waitin’ for the right time.”

“Your partner?” the words came incredulously from Sue Ketchell.

Jud Ketchell nodded. “Yeah, Sue, my trail partner.

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