The Nodaway Trail by David R Lewis

Author:David R Lewis
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: romance, crime, suspense, coming of age, missouri, western, saga, cowboys, old west, gunfighters, lawman, 1880s, shootist, boots saddles, u s marshal
Publisher: David R Lewis

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

After Bill went off, them deputies come outa the office an’ commenced to makin’ a fuss. Marion stood it for a minute or two, then started off toward the Victory. I fell in with him.

We had just set, an’ ordered pie an’ coffee when Homer come in, packin’ that Sharps a his, an’ took a seat.

“That was some shootin’,” he said.

“I doan understand how come that fella, with three of us standin’ there like we was, an’ more inside, woulda gone for his gun like he done,” I said. “It doan make no sense to me.”

“Bill flinched him,” Marion said.

I didn’t know what he meant an’ I told him so.

“Arkansas Bill Cole is a ol’ bull, boy,” Marion said. “That feller come up here an’ didn’t show no respect to him, settin’ there on that horse cocky like he was, smilin’ an’ all. A man like Bill Cole, skillful as he is, doan cotton to that kinda behavior from somebody. He knowed them other three warn’t slingers or nothin’. Pistoleers doan drive no wagon for a cripple or lift one up an’ down from a buckboard neither. You coulda done for them boys right smart. Plus, the dead feller was scared. That’s why he was smilin’. That’s also why he had the coach gun across his saddle. Stupid. Tryin’ to balance that shotgun like he done was just a distraction. Folks like Bill don’t let theyselves git distracted. All Bill had to do was take in a short breath, or just jerk a arm a tiny little bit, or maybe just lift his chin a mite, an’ that fool, bein’ short on confidence like he was, would try for his gun. Make no mistake, Ruben. Bill started it an’ Bill finished it. It warn’t nothin’ but murder, boy. Legal murder. Arkansas Bill Cole is harder than hickory.”

“How come he shot that cane out from under that ol’ fella?”

“’Cause he couldn’t shoot Waxler hisself. That ol’ man was no threat to him, but he had ta do somethin’, so he put him down the only way he could.”

“An’ because he was just showin’ off,” Homer said. “Ol’ man Waxler ain’t used to nobody standin’ up to him. He’s had it purty much his way for quite a spell. He come in here makin’ threats an’ shit, an’ Bill shoots his slinger an’ knocks the ol’ boy flat down in the dirt. Got the best of him. That there is whatcha call a unusual development. Waxler is gonna have to study on that some. An’ word a what happened will spread through his bunch like wildfire. With three shots, Arkansas Bill Cole has created what is knowed as unease among the opposition.”

“That was some shootin’,” I said.

Marion nodded. “It was,” he agreed.

“Could you a done it?” I asked him.

Marion smiled at me then. “Didn’t have to,” he said.

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