the renegade’s feet. “Set that pistol down or I’ll pour all this water out.”
The gunman attempted to cock the pistol, trying to show he was still in the game.
As he did so, Jubal swung the canteen by its strap, easily slapping the .44 to the ground. He calmly retrieved the weapon, stuffing it into his belt while Ty slumped in defeat.
Jubal handed the canteen to his enemy. “I ought to let you die of thirst, you bastard.”
The wounded man whimpered behind him. “They did me dirt, the scoundrels. Left me for dead,” he wailed, full of self-pity. “I rode with those men near on two years, and this is how they treat me. Billy Tauson’s my cousin, for gosh sakes. Said he’d come back for me once they caught and skinned you alive, but he lied. I waited a couple hours, then struggled up on Ned here and made it this far before I slipped off.”
Jubal turned away.
“Don’t leave me. I’ll pay you whatever you need. Don’t leave. I need some fixin’.”
He couldn’t leave this person out here to die. Jubal walked to the slumping form, pulled him away from the tree, and wrapped both arms around him to drag him to the buckboard.
The cowboy screamed as Jubal hoisted him into the wagon and slid the gate back into place so the lout wouldn’t fall. “Dammit, kid, do you have to be so rough?”
Jubal didn’t answer as he tied the fellow’s horse to the back of the wagon and clicked his tongue to Frisk while pulling away.
He had to take the swine into Cerro Vista. It would have been preferable to have left him for the wolves, but Jubal knew he wouldn’t sleep if he did. But he wasn’tsleeping too well as it was, so maybe it wouldn’t have mattered.
“I didn’t harm your kinfolk back there. Nope, wasn’t me. Was Tauson, Petey, and the rest of them. There’s a pistolero for you—Pete ‘Repeat’ Wetherford. He’s another story. I tell you, you’re lucky he didn’t latch onto your butt. He’d a straightened you out, that’s for sure. Never seen anything like him. Toughest sumbitch I ever laid these weepers on, ole Pete. Can you maybe dodge a few of them potholes, pard? That little round you put into me is botherin’ my breath some, I’m gonna shut up now and rest for a bit.…”
The wheels of the wagon seemed to search out the potholes.
“Did you pick up my iron? That piece cost me a pretty penny, accurate ‘til hell wouldn’t have it. I tell you, son… no, I never touched your folks. It was the others. I kept telling them to ease up… we just came for payback. Old Billy Tauson got all embarrassed ‘cause of your pa. Tauson’s the boss of the group. The bastard said we’d just have some fun with you folks ‘cause he lost the farm to you all. Got outta hand, I reckon. But most everyone does what Billy says, even Pete Wetherford. Though in a one-on-one Petey would lick him. Except for gunplay, then it’s anybody’s guess. But old Billy Tauson is just a natural kinda leader, the devil.” He grimaced, then immediately started groaning.
They rode in silence for a few minutes before he started up again.
“I figured it were your pa who had the argument, front of the land office…” He paused. “That was him, right? He looked to be a good hand. I couldn’t hear what he told Tauson, but ole Billy was one sober sumbitch whenwe all got back together. Come to think on it, so was Petey, your pa twisted his arm right smart. No wonder he was so riled up at the farm. Kept yelling, ‘Kill ‘em all, boys!’ Tauson was running ‘round like a sissy schoolteacher. But hell, he started it. In town, I remember he told Crook Arm, the Injun, to trail you back to your ranch. Betcha didn’t know that, did you? Ha, ha. I said to them, ‘Don’t bother the womenfolk, boys. That wouldn’t be good.’ I can’t honestly say whether they did or not. I drift off when things get kinda heavy—”
Jubal gave Frisk some right-hand rein so the wagon wheel would drop into a large hole. It bounced out
The gunman attempted to cock the pistol, trying to show he was still in the game.
As he did so, Jubal swung the canteen by its strap, easily slapping the .44 to the ground. He calmly retrieved the weapon, stuffing it into his belt while Ty slumped in defeat.
Jubal handed the canteen to his enemy. “I ought to let you die of thirst, you bastard.”
The wounded man whimpered behind him. “They did me dirt, the scoundrels. Left me for dead,” he wailed, full of self-pity. “I rode with those men near on two years, and this is how they treat me. Billy Tauson’s my cousin, for gosh sakes. Said he’d come back for me once they caught and skinned you alive, but he lied. I waited a couple hours, then struggled up on Ned here and made it this far before I slipped off.”
Jubal turned away.
“Don’t leave me. I’ll pay you whatever you need. Don’t leave. I need some fixin’.”
He couldn’t leave this person out here to die. Jubal walked to the slumping form, pulled him away from the tree, and wrapped both arms around him to drag him to the buckboard.
The cowboy screamed as Jubal hoisted him into the wagon and slid the gate back into place so the lout wouldn’t fall. “Dammit, kid, do you have to be so rough?”
Jubal didn’t answer as he tied the fellow’s horse to the back of the wagon and clicked his tongue to Frisk while pulling away.
He had to take the swine into Cerro Vista. It would have been preferable to have left him for the wolves, but Jubal knew he wouldn’t sleep if he did. But he wasn’tsleeping too well as it was, so maybe it wouldn’t have mattered.
“I didn’t harm your kinfolk back there. Nope, wasn’t me. Was Tauson, Petey, and the rest of them. There’s a pistolero for you—Pete ‘Repeat’ Wetherford. He’s another story. I tell you, you’re lucky he didn’t latch onto your butt. He’d a straightened you out, that’s for sure. Never seen anything like him. Toughest sumbitch I ever laid these weepers on, ole Pete. Can you maybe dodge a few of them potholes, pard? That little round you put into me is botherin’ my breath some, I’m gonna shut up now and rest for a bit.…”
The wheels of the wagon seemed to search out the potholes.
“Did you pick up my iron? That piece cost me a pretty penny, accurate ‘til hell wouldn’t have it. I tell you, son… no, I never touched your folks. It was the others. I kept telling them to ease up… we just came for payback. Old Billy Tauson got all embarrassed ‘cause of your pa. Tauson’s the boss of the group. The bastard said we’d just have some fun with you folks ‘cause he lost the farm to you all. Got outta hand, I reckon. But most everyone does what Billy says, even Pete Wetherford. Though in a one-on-one Petey would lick him. Except for gunplay, then it’s anybody’s guess. But old Billy Tauson is just a natural kinda leader, the devil.” He grimaced, then immediately started groaning.
They rode in silence for a few minutes before he started up again.
“I figured it were your pa who had the argument, front of the land office…” He paused. “That was him, right? He looked to be a good hand. I couldn’t hear what he told Tauson, but ole Billy was one sober sumbitch whenwe all got back together. Come to think on it, so was Petey, your pa twisted his arm right smart. No wonder he was so riled up at the farm. Kept yelling, ‘Kill ‘em all, boys!’ Tauson was running ‘round like a sissy schoolteacher. But hell, he started it. In town, I remember he told Crook Arm, the Injun, to trail you back to your ranch. Betcha didn’t know that, did you? Ha, ha. I said to them, ‘Don’t bother the womenfolk, boys. That wouldn’t be good.’ I can’t honestly say whether they did or not. I drift off when things get kinda heavy—”
Jubal gave Frisk some right-hand rein so the wagon wheel would drop into a large hole. It bounced out
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