Outlaw Pass (9781101544785) by Charles G. West

narrow draw, he called upon the horses for more speed, anxious to emerge quickly from the confining walls of the canyon. As soon as he saw the three riders appear at the head of the draw, however, he knew his luck had run out. Just as he feared, when he looked behind him, three more riders appeared to box the stage in. “Uh-oh,” he mumbled low, “this don’t look too good.”
    Alert to the situation at the same time as Mutt, Adam reached behind him and pulled his rifle from his saddle. Cranking a cartridge into the chamber, he then put the weapon between them with the barrel resting at his feet. His actions caused Mutt to warn him. “Take it easy, man. You’re liable to get us all kilt. They’re all wearin’ masks, so they’re just after the gold under the boot. If we don’t do nothin’ foolish, they’ll just take it and go.”
    â€œHow do they know what’s in the boot?”
    â€œThey always know when any sizable amount is on the stage,” Mutt replied. “And folks is beginnin’ to figure the sheriff is the one that tips ’em off.”
    â€œWhy don’t the citizens of Virginia City and Bannack do somethin’ about it?” Adam asked, finding the situation hard to understand in spite of the explanation offered by Earl Foster the night before.
    â€œThey’ve already started doin’ somethin’,” Mutt said. “Vigilantes. There’s already been a half dozen outlaws hung, but there’s too many of ’em.” He gave Adam a warning frown and repeated, “Best thing now is to just let ’em take what they want, and leastways they won’t hurt nobody.”
    â€œAll right,” Adam replied, and sat patiently as Mutt pulled the coach to a stop several yards short of the three outlaws awaiting them in the middle of the narrow road. As Mutt had said, they were masked, two of them with full cloth hoods with eyeholes, the other with a bandanna hiding all but his eyes. Adam could already feel the anger moving rapidly throughout his body as he witnessed the casual manner in which the road agents sat their horses, as if they were tax collectors, waiting to steal from those who had worked to earn their possessions.
    â€œDon’t do nothin’ foolish,” Mutt warned again, sensing Adam’s anger. “This ain’t the first time I’ve been held up. Just do what they say and you’ll live to make it to Bannack.”
    With pistols out and aimed at Mutt and Adam, the outlaws moved up beside the driver’s box. One, a large man wearing a black hat pulled down over his cloth mask, was obviously the boss. He took a quick glance in the coach before speaking to Mutt. “Mutt Jeffries, I do believe,” he announced almost cheerfully. “It’s been a little while since I stopped you. Nice seein’ you again.”
    â€œYeah,” Mutt replied sarcastically, “it’s a real pleasure.”
    Mutt’s response brought a brief chuckle from the outlaw before he ordered, “All right, everybody out of the coach!” He kept his pistol trained on Adam and Mutt. “You two just sit right where you are.” He waited then while his other three companions rode up behind the coach and dismounted. “Get ’em outta there,” he barked at one of the two beside him when there had been some hesitation from the passengers to disembark. His men snatched the doors open and rudely herded the terrified passengers out. Black Hat returned his focus to Mutt. “What’cha got in that compartment under your feet, Mutt?”
    â€œI don’t know if there’s anythin’ in there,” Mutt lied. “That ain’t my department. I just drive the horses.”
    Again, a chuckle from Black Hat. “Now, Mutt, you know better’n tryin’ to tell me shit like that. ’Spose you unlock it and we’ll take a little look?”
    â€œI