Bull obeyed, his back against the rock, and was careful not to lower
his hands. Racey hunkered down and sat on a spurless heel. The rifle
was under his knee. He had exchanged the bowie for a sixshooter. The
firearm was trained in the general direction of Bull's stomach.
Racey smiled widely. He felt very chipper and pleased with himself. He
was managing the affair well, he thought.
"You show up right plain against that white rock," he remarked. "If
yo're figuring to gamble with me, think of that."
"Whatcha want?" demanded Bull, sullenly.
"Lots of things," replied Racey, shifting a foot an inch to the left.
"I'm the most wantin' feller you ever saw. Just now this minute I want
you to tell me where it was you met up with Bill Smith and what it was
he did so bad that you and Marie think you've got a hold on him."
"You _was_ listenin' quite a while," muttered Bull.
"Quite a while," admitted Racey Dawson. "Quite a while."
"But you didn't listen quite hard enough," suggested Bull.
"No," assented Racey, "I didn't. I'm expecting you to sort of fill in
the gaps."
Bull shook a decided head. "No," he denied. "No, you got another guess
comin'. I won't do nothin' like that a-tall."
"And why not?"
"Because I won't."
"'Won't' got his neck broke one day just because he wouldn't."
"Yeah, I guess so," sneered Bull.
"You must forget I heard all about how you tried to bushwhack me from
the second floor of the Starlight," Racey put in, gently.
"Aw, that's a damn lie," bluffed Bull. "A damn lie. All a mistake. You
heard wrong."
Racey shook a disapproving head. "When it's after the draw," he said,
"and you ain't got a thing in yore hand, and the other gents have
everything and know they have everything to yore nothing, she's poor
poker to make a bluff. Whatsa use, sport, whatsa use?"
"I dunno what yo're talkin' about," persisted Bull.
"Aw right, let it go at that. Who put you up to bushwhack me?"
"Nun-nobody," hesitated Bull.
"Yore own idea, huh?"
Bull spat disgustedly on the grass. He had seen the trap after it had
been sprung.
"You shore can't play poker," smiled Racey, his eyes shining with
pleasure under the wide brim of his hat. "I--The starlight's pretty
bright remember."
Bull's sudden movement came to naught. He settled back, his eyes
furtively busy.
"Still, alla same," pursued Racey, "I wonder was it all yore own
idea."
"Whatell didja kick me for?" snarled Bull.
"'Kick you for?'" Racey repeated, stupidly.
"Yeah, kick me," said Bull. "No damn man can kick me and me not take
notice."
"Dunno as I blame you. Dunno as I do. If any damn man kicks you, Bull,
you got a right to drill him every time. And you think I kicked you?"
"I know you did."
"You know I did, huh? Did you see me do it?"
"You kicked me after you'd knocked me silly with that bottle. Kicked
me when I was down and couldn't help myself."
"So I did all that to you after you were down, huh? Who told you?"
"Nemmine who told me. You done it, that's enough."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account