Snake Vengeance by Philip Harbottle

Author:Philip Harbottle [Harbottle, Philip]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Endeavour Frontier
Published: 2017-01-31T05:00:00+00:00

6. Duel Of Death

The edge of the desert was not reached until nightfall, and here Larry called for their third halt, stopping at the first water hole on the trail that led across country to Buzzard’s Bend.

Val, who seemed to have recovered slightly with the coming of the night, was lifted down by Larry and laid so that her head and shoulders were propped by rockery. He held the water barrel for her whilst she drank.

‘Any better, Val?’ Larry murmured.

‘I guess so.’ Her voice was weak. ‘At least I don’t feel as if my head’s about to fall off any more. But I still can’t see anything.’

‘Not much to see if you could.’ Larry sat alongside, his arm around her. ‘Night’s come. There’s only the stars and … ’ He paused, so abruptly that he felt the girl tense in his grip.

‘What is it?’ she asked quickly.

‘I dunno … ’ Larry turned to where King was half-lying beside him, grateful for the brief rest. ‘Say, Mr King, what do you suppose that glow is over there? Flickering in the distance?’

‘Fire of some sort, I reckon.’

‘Doesn’t it occur to you it’s in the same direction as the Bar-6?’

‘Huh?’ King scrambled to his feet and watched the distant flickering intently. ‘Sweet juniper, you’re right,’ he breathed. ‘Don’t tell me that two-bit sheriff has set fire to our spread!’

‘Sooner we ride out and see the better,’ Larry said, helping Val to her feet. ‘The horses have had their drink at the water hole, so let’s move. Hang on to me, Val, you’ll be OK.’

Larry guided her into the saddle of his horse. Then he was behind her almost immediately and started the horse forward. Behind him, trailing Val’s horse, King followed quickly.

Tired though the animals were, Larry did not spare the pace. He kept his eyes on the distant glow as he thundered his horse along the night trail, Val clinging tightly to him. She could not bring herself to say anything. The blindness afflicting her made her begin to fear that perhaps she would never again see the beauty of the country in which she had been raised.

Gradually, lulled by the rocking motion of the horse, and having nothing but blackness around her, she fell asleep. She only awoke again as Larry’s voice immediately above startled her.

‘It’s the Bar-6 all right. Come on!’

He goaded his horse forward down the long slope of pastureland that led to the Bar-6, King thundering behind him. Both men could now see that the ranch house itself seemed as yet untouched, but the barns were afire and several of the outhouses. At the yard gate Larry dismounted swiftly and lowered Val to her feet. He put her fingers in contact with the saddle.

‘Wait here a moment, Val,’ he said briefly. ‘I’ll come back and get you.’

‘Yes — all right,’ she assented, and listened intently. She heard her father speed past her, and could also hear the shouts of men and the crackle of flames. Furiously she blinked

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