Miller's Ride by Caleb Rand

Author:Caleb Rand [Caleb Rand]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780709097969
Publisher: Robert Hale
Published: 2011-07-14T16:00:00+00:00

Twenty minutes later Galt Sherman locked the rear door of his workshop. With Fewes and Pruitt he made his way along the back-alleys, parallel to the main street. When they drew near to Waddy’s Halt Sherman paused. ‘If any o’ them Smoke snakes ask about Runcton, we ain’t seen him. Am I right on that?’ he asked of his allies.

Fewes nodded. ‘Don’t worry, Galt. No cowboy I ever heard of’s goin’ to worry about their boss bein’ overdue.’

But Fewes was wrong. They’d hardly set foot in the main street when High Smoke’s top hand moved from the shadows. He came from the side-path by the hotel.

‘Hey, Sherman,’ he shouted. ‘You seen Biler Runcton? He’s supposed to be makin’ his way up to your place.’

Sherman stopped dead, cursed under his breath. ‘Runcton? Nope, ain’t seen him. What would he want at this time o’ night?’ he asked.

‘Dunno. But it was you he wanted. Maybe you ought to get back. Biler ain’t much on waitin’ an’ we’re movin’ out shortly.’

‘My shop’s locked up,’ Sherman replied, crossing towards the hotel entrance. ‘If he still wants me, he can come look here.’

With Fewes and Pruitt close behind, Sherman calmly walked up the broad steps and entered the bar of the hotel. A few cowhands, in from the ranches to the south and west, were keeping bawdy company with the ladies. Other than that the one big room was almost empty.

Marvie Setter was slouched in a chair at a corner table. He was alone, looked as though he’d plied his way through nearly a bottle of whiskey. Sunk in a flushed face, his eyes focused unsteadily on the big painting of the naked lady. Then he saw Sherman. He swayed in his chair, picked up his glass and beckoned him over.

‘Hope this town don’t get attacked by renegades, Galt,’ he slurred. ‘Couldn’t put up much of a fight. ’Cept Biler, that is.’

‘You got a drownin’ brain, Marvie?’ Sherman was momentarily lost. ‘What the hell you talkin’ about?’ he asked.

‘There’s no ammunition left in town. Ol’ Biler just bought it all up? That’s what he said he was goin’ to do.’

Sherman understood. ‘Well, I heard he was lookin’ for me earlier on, but I ain’t seen him yet,’ he said. ‘Wish I’d known about it though, Marvie … could o’ made a heap on a deal like that.’

As he spoke Sherman remembered Kit Liligh, wondered whether he’d passed on what he’d seen to anyone other than Biler Runcton.

He turned to Fewes and Pruitt. ‘You know anythin’ about this, boys?’

Both men shook their heads. ‘No, an’ I thought we were comin’ in here for a drink,’ Pruitt said, thumping the end of his crutch against the bar impatiently.

‘We are,’ Sherman said, while looking enquiringly at Setter. ‘What’s goin’ on, Marvie?’ he asked.

Setter made an effort of blinking, shook his head. He looked blearily around him, sucked a little more of his whiskey. ‘A couple o’ buckos rode up to High Smoke sometime this mornin’ … or was it yesterday mornin’? Anyways, they flamed the place.

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