the Empty Land (1969) by L'amour Louis

Author:L'amour, Louis [L'amour, Louis]
Format: mobi, epub, pdf
Published: 2010-12-12T06:26:28.984000+00:00

Chapter 11

At Austin they were Joined by Hank Weber, and the coach rolled on, with Weber driving and Burke sleeping inside. Thunder rolled, rains lashed the coach, flash floods ripped the trail asunder, but somehow the drivers found a way around and the coach kept moving. Through it all, Matt Coburn rode the top, sleeping when stops were made if it was possible, but always alert. They reached Carson City and the gold was delivered. Madge Healy got down from the stage, Pike Sides standing near.

"Matt," she said, 'can I ride back with your He looked at her, his eyes red-rimmed and weary. "You know you can. And if you have trouble here you send for me."

"I'll handle any trouble," Pike cut in. "She won't need anybody else."

"The offer stands," Matt responded.

I'll remember," Madge said. Her eyes were soft as she looked at him. "'Thanks, Matt. I don't have many friends."

"You will have. You were loyal to that old man, the one who got your papers back. Loyalty brings friends, Madge."

He stood there on the street, a lonely man, watching her go. Tucker Dolan joined him. "I'm out of a job," he said wryly. "They didn't like the way it was handled." `They should try it themselves," Matt said. "Have you heard anything about them hiring fighters?"

Dolan gave him a quick glance. "It's trouble, Matt, real trouble. They didn't want me. I guess I wasn't bloody enough, but they've hired Kendrick and some others. I'd say they've got fifteen tough men."

"Do you know why?"

"No . . . they don't tell us anything. All I know is that Madge Healy is the center of it. Did you know she was in the mining game?"

"Up to her pretty ears," Matt replied.

"Then she'd better get out of it. They'll eat her alive." "Don't bet on it." Matt looked hard at Dolan. "Are you going back to Confusion? If you do, stick around a few days. I may have a deal for you. I may need a tough man who can stand still for trouble, and who doesn't go off half-cocked."

Matt slept that afternoon and through most of the night. When he woke before daybreak the town was quiet. A light tapping came at the door.

Madge Healy stood there when he opened it. She stepped in quickly. "Put on your pants, Matt. You look like the devil in those long johns."

"I wasn't expecting a lady."

"Thanks for the compliment. I try to be a lady, but sometimes it isn't easy. Matt, I want to go back to Confusion. I want to go now, and I want to go fast."

"We weren't figuring on making a run for it," Matt said. "We had that, remember?"

"It has to be that way, Matt. Things are getting rough, and they're going to get worse."

Briefly, he told her what he had heard from Harry Meadows, and from Tucker Dolan. She listened in silence. After a moment she walked across to the window as he hurriedly splashed water on his face, combed his hair and put on a shirt.

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