Marshal of Sundown by Jackson Gregory

Author:Jackson Gregory [Gregory, Jackson]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781839740183
Barnesnoble:
Publisher: Phocion Publishing
Published: 2019-11-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER XII

WHOEVER it was trying to get in at the rear door suddenly desisted; Sam Pepper had gone to infinite pains to make sure that all doors were barred, all windows fastened. There was a brief silence while Torrance cocked an ear against the slightest sound. Then he heard quiet voices, though he could not make out the words, and after that there came a sharp rapping. “Well?” demanded Torrance then. “Who’s there?” A voice answered quickly, “That you, Torrance?” And then another voice spoke up, giving him a start, saying eagerly: “Oh, Jim! Let us in!”

Sally Dawn’s voice! And she should be safely out of all this, many a mile away. He unbarred the door and jerked it open, and Sally Dawn hurried in, and with her came a young fellow, lean and lanky, whom Torrance didn’t recognize at first but presently, in a better light, remembered as Dave Drennen, that upstanding young rancher who was neighbor and friend of the Cannons and, if the look in his eye meant anything, a pretty warm admirer of Sally Dawn.

“Jim!” she exclaimed. “Oh, I’m so glad! You’re all right then?”

“Anyone else with you two?” he asked, and when she said, “No, just Dave and me.” he shut and barred the door and led the way toward the other room. On his way he demanded, “What in thunder brings you here?”

“We got the message that Sam sent; that you and Bill Yarbo had been hurt. And did you think for one minute that I wouldn’t come to try to help?”

“Why should you?” he asked curtly.

“After all you had done for me—did you think—”

“Here’s company, boys,” said Torrance.

Sam had already popped out of his corner and came hurrying, the most relieved looking man imaginable, and Bill Yarbo, also looking glad, though his face was drawn with pain, again made his attempt to come up on his elbow.

“Howdy, Sally! Howdy!” cried Sam. And then, “Howdy, Dave! Say, this is great!”

Bill Yarbo muttered something. Sally Dawn, standing in the middle of the room, her hair wind-blown, her cheeks bright with the nip of the night air, her eyes shining, looked them all over. Longest of all did she study Jim Torrance; she saw that his dark lean face looked haggard; she saw that his eyes looked hard between their narrowed lids; but she saw too that he was not as badly hurt as she had feared. Then she hurried to Bill Yarbo and went down on her knees beside him.

“Poor old Bill,” she said gently. “I’m here to doctor you, Bill.”

“For which thank God!” said Bill Yarbo fervently. “Sam Pepper’s been trying his damnedest to kill me.”

She laughed at him and patted his hand and then held it tightly in her two. Bill Yarbo settled back with a long sigh.

Torrance turned to Dave Drennen.

“Well, what’s it all about?” he asked bluntly. “What are you two doing up here? What did you let this girl come for?”

Drennen grinned.

“You try to stop her when she makes up her mind about anything she’s got her heart set on.

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