War Of The Mountain Man by William W. Johnstone

Author:William W. Johnstone [Johnstone, William W.]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Pinnacle
Published: 2001-02-01T07:00:00+00:00

14

Over coffee the next morning in his office, Smoke told Jim and Sal and Judge Garrison what had brought on Max Huggins’s sudden departure the night before.

“Let me start canvasing various law enforcement agencies, Smoke,” Judge Garrison said. “I have many more contacts than you. I should have something within a week, probably in less time than that.”

“Good, Judge. Get right on it, will you?”

“Immediately.” The judge left the room and walked over to the telegraph office. He would be very busy for the next several days. Judge Garrison did not set a bond for Melvin Malone. He said the attempted murder charge meant he did not have to set a bond. Melvin would stay in jail.

“You’re dead, Jensen,” Melvin hollered from his cell. He rattled the barred door. “You’re a dead man walking around and you’re just too stupid to know that.”

“Shut up, boy,” Smoke called. “You’re only making things more difficult for yourself.”

“Son of a bitch!” Melvin yelled. “That’s you, Jensen. Low-life, no-good ...”

Smoke tuned him out.

“You know Red is gonna try to bust him out,” Sal said.

“Sure. Once he hears no bond was set, he’ll try force. Maybe as soon as tonight.”

“You want us to set up cots and sleep here?” Jim asked.

“No.” Smoke’s reply was quick. “Red, so I’m told, likes to use dynamite. That’s how he drove all those small farmers out that were settling around his holdings. He might decide to use explosives here. Too risky for us to sleep in.”

“Hell, Smoke!” Sal said. “He uses dynamite, he might blow up Melvin tryin’ to get him out.”

Smoke shook his head. “We won’t be that lucky, Sal.” Smoke cut his eyes to the window in time to see John Steele riding up, the point man for several wagons, coming into town for supplies. They pulled up in front of Marbly’s General Store.

“Oh, boy,” Jim said. “Here it comes.”

Smoke stood up and reached for his hat. “Yep,” he said, heading for the door. “Storm clouds are gathering and it’s about to rain trouble all over us. Let’s go, boys. I wouldn’t want to miss this.”

The three men crossed the street just as John Steele was entering Marbly’s store. They stepped up onto the boardwalk in time to hear John’s shout of disbelief.

“What the hell do you mean, you little worm?” John roared. “My money is no good? My money is as good as anybody’s, and by the Lord, you’re going to sell me what I want.”

“Get out of my store,” Marbly stood his ground. “I don’t want you or any of your scummy crew in my place of business. Get out, I say!”

John reached across the counter and grabbed Marbly by the shirtfront. Mrs. Marbly jerked an axe handle out of a barrel and bonked it across the top of John’s Stetson-covered head. John’s eyes rolled back in his head and he sank to the floor, out cold. One of the Lightning hands jerked out a gun and aimed it at the woman. Smoke dusted him through and through with a .

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.