Frontier and pioneer life -- West (U.S.) -- Fiction; Western stories
"Yes, we thought of that," said Caney. "More likely he saw Adam coming
and killed him before he got to the calf--pretending to be friendly.
Anyhow, Adam's horse went off down the cañon, and the other man went
down the cañon, and we came after him. Oh, yes! His horse lost a shoe,
as we told you before--the murderer's. Must have lost it chasing
that calf. Tracks didn't show it in the soft ground in the park,
anyhow--though we didn't look very close till we found Adam. But
after he left Adam's body his tracks showed one shoe gone. That's
all. Adam's horse bore off to the left. He had a larger foot than
the other, and we could see where the bridle dragged."
"I'll send someone to find him. You didn't hear any shots?"
"Oh, no--we just thought maybe we'd meet up with some puncher ridin'
the range, and ask him had he seen any strangers. This gang of saddle
thieves--"
"Yes, I know about them. Thankee, gentlemen. You can ride now. If you
catch your man beyond the river you might as well take him on to
Hillsboro. Be mighty sure to remember not to forget to be particular
to take this young man alive. We want to hang the man that killed Adam
Forbes. That's all."
"Here, I want some cartridges," said Hobby. He leaped off and jingled
into the store. "Hi, Sam! Get me a box of forty-fives," he called.
Then to Harkey, in a guarded voice: "Pete, this looks fishy as hell!
Those ashes were warm, they said. Look what time it is now--half past
four. The way they were riding, this bunch made it from Redgate in
half an hour. We met this stranger near two hours ago. That don't hold
together. If the stranger man built that fire, the ashes would have
been cold when Caney's bunch found them. And they say there are no
other tracks. Wrong--all wrong!"
"And all the rest of it. Son, I didn't miss a bet. Neither did Charlie
See. He looked hard at me. Save your breath. Say nothing and see
everything. You do your part and I'll do mine. I'll know more before
dark if it don't rain and rub out the tracks. Our Father which is in
Garfield hates a lie, and he's fixed up this here solar system so
there is no safe place in it for a lie. Sh-h! Here comes Caney!" He
raised his voice. "What the devil do you need of more men? Five to
one--what more do you want?"
"Well, but we may lose track of him and want to spread out to look and
ask, while some of us go on--"
"Where can I find drinking water?" asked Caney.
"Back there," said Pete, pointing. Then, to Hobby: "Well, pick up
someone in Arrey, then, or on the way. I want the men round here to go
with me and look round before it gets dark. Say, Sam--you send someone
up with a wagon to bring Adam back, will you? I'm off--me and Jerome.
Tell Jones and Barefoot to come right on. Take care of my team for
me."
He went out on the platform. Lull and Caney followed.
"Well, so long, you fellows," said Pete. "Send word back if you find
your man. Because there's going to be a lot of irritated strangers
when we start to picking them up."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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