Vigilante Law by Dale Graham

Author:Dale Graham [Graham, Dale]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Robert Hale
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHT

Possession

The three newcomers had just crested a rise that overlooked the top end of the Nueces Valley. They paused to take in the sight. Ben in particular was eager to view the land of which he was now a legal half-owner. So this is what all the hassle was about, he mused.

The cluster of buildings that made up the heart of the Jaybird holding was mainly constructed from rough-hewn logs. Nothing here was remotely attractive or pleasing to the eye. Only the barn looked in good shape, being constructed from sawn timber planking with a sloping Dutch roof. The stable, crop store and various lean-tos were huddled around the main cabin and were built to serve a practical purpose. The living quarters especially looked as if they had been thrown together by some careless giant, identifiable only because one end was of stone with a wide chimneybreast.

The entire homestead was enclosed by a pitch-pine fence and backed up against rising ground from which the infant Nueces River emerged on one side. Thundering down from the heights above in a series of rocky cascades, the water had been dammed up to provide regular irrigation for the crops during the long dry season. This innovation was what had enabled the Jaybird to thrive. That was certainly a measure to strike a positive note. Chico Lafferty clearly knew his stuff when it came to farming the land.

Behind the homestead, bare stumps indicating from where the building wood had been obtained only served to emphasize the bleak aspect. Above this, a sheer cliff face of orange sandstone rose over three hundred feet piercing the azure sky. The sound of meadowlarks and bluebirds trilling in innocence helped to convey a certain homeliness to the workaday atmosphere.

‘Some spectacle, eh, you guys?’ Gus Ordway proclaimed, clearly more stimulated than Ben. ‘You can see now why old Chico is so keen to prevent a takeover.’ Both his new pals nodded dutifully, allowing Gus to lead the way down a winding track in single file to enter the corral at ground level through an open gate.

The moment of arrival was shattered by a large wolfhound emerging from the barn. A hostile growl was made all the more chilling due to the rat gripped between slavering pincer-like jaws. The dog’s sudden appearance certainly had the desired effect of keeping the unfamiliar intruders from approaching any closer. Its purpose there was clearly to act as a deterrent. And it had worked.

Once again, Ordway proved his worth by gently cajoling the snarling beast. In no time at all, softly spoken words of reassurance had persuaded the surly beast that they were here as friends. A stick of jerky helped to seal the truce. Ben couldn’t help wondering where the dog had been during the abduction of its master. Perhaps it was an easy pushover where food was involved.

With the suspect ally added to their small force, Curly Bill gave his unfettered opinion of the austere spread. ‘Lafferty sure don’t go in for the creature comforts, do he?’ he intoned, taking in the rough-hewn sprawl.

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.