The Rustlers of West Fork by Louis L'Amour

Author:Louis L'Amour [L'Amour, Louis]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Usenet, Western Stories, Westerns, Fiction, Cassidy; Hopalong (Fictitious Character), West (U.S.), C429, Kat, Exratorrents
ISBN: 9780553295399
Publisher: Random House Digital, Inc.
Published: 1988-01-02T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

CASSIDY SETS A TRAP

* * *

FIRELIGHT FLICKERED ON the rock wall and on the trees whose limbs arched above them. A night wind whispered among the leaves, stirring the silvery grass in long, moonlit billows. On the far edge of the firelit area lay Dick Jordan, his face gaunt now and sagging with weariness. Sleep had robbed him of the bold face with which he had accepted his sufferings and the vitality-sapping effort of riding.

Hopalong spoke to Pamela. “He’s about all in. I don’t know whether we dare risk the ride out of here or not.”

“Will it be bad?”

“Worse than we’ve had it so far, an’ today was rough for a healthy man.”

“Could we hold out here for a day? Long enough to rest him from the saddle?”

“We may have to,” Hopalong admitted, “but I’d rather not. Anyway, he won’t get any rest here. He’ll be wrought up an’ worried. Moreover, a few hours won’t help him much. Some way or other we’ve got to get to a safer place. Worst of it is, if we run they’ve got us.”

“What about Sparr? How far behind do you think he is?”

“Not far.” Hopalong edged the unburned ends of the sticks deeper into the coals. “Our trail will puzzle ’em some but it won’t lose ’em. Anyway, I’d not mind seein’ him show up tomorrow.”

“You don’t mean it!” Pamela shuddered. “Now that I’m away, the thought of falling into their hands again frightens me. I’d kill myself first.”

“No, I mean it. I sure do! You see, if Sparr rides into this valley now he’ll run into those Apaches. That means they’ll fight. Whatever happens then will be good for us, an’ I’ve a plan in mind if it does happen. Fact is,” he added, “I’ve an idea where he is right now. I could guess it within a mile or two!” He scowled. “I wished I knew for shore that was Mesquite an’ Johnny back yonder.”

“I remember Johnny. He liked a fight.”

“He ain’t changed. An’ Mesquite, he reads sign like an Injun.” Hopalong chuckled. “That’s a trick you learn livin’ in Apache country. It’s a school where the Apaches conduct the examinations an’ if you flunk you lose your hair.”

“Dad used to say they were like brown ghosts. You saw them and then you didn’t, for they just seemed to merge into the land-scape.”

“It’s true. It’s gospel, b’lieve me. They know every trick in the books an’ if they need more they invent more. I’ve known of fifteen or sixteen of ’em lyin’ not a dozen yards from a man, and him never knowin’ they were near until too late. Moreover,” he continued, “this is their country. They know it an’ we don’t.”

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