The Long Dim TrailHooker, Forrestine C. (Forrestine Cooper)
General
The Long Dim Trail
Hooker, Forrestine C. (Forrestine Cooper)
Arizona -- Fiction; Cowboys -- Fiction; Ranch life -- Fiction; Western stories
"Thar's a heap of gold coins in the saddle bags that was on Fox," Limber
went on. "Looks like it was Paddy's money that every one was hunting
for. We all knowed that he had thirty-five thousand dollars in gold
buried some place around. Thar was twenty-five thousand in that
flower-box he guv to Jamie and the Little Lady; and this makes ten more.
Paddy scattered it around."
"I wonder how Glendon happened to locate it?" mused the doctor.
Limber whirled about. "He located that money before he killed old Paddy!
That's why he done it, and Alpaugh stood in with him! Glendon was too
much of a coward to do anythin' exceptin' shoot old men and bully his
wife. He was too rotten to live and too damn rotten to die! But, now
what I want to know, Doc, is what are we goin' to do about that saddle
and money? The posse will be here soon as the creek falls."
"Suppose I take charge of it and consult an attorney," suggested Powell
after a few minutes' thought. "We have no absolute proof that it
belonged to Paddy. As he had no heirs I am rather at sea about the
proper procedure."
"All right. I'm goin' to take that saddle of King's and bury it,"
asserted Limber. "Thar ain't no use shoutin' about it now. Glen's dead
and 'twon't do King no good, and Mrs. Glendon's got enough trouble to
pack without havin' this extra bunch."
Powell returned to the house and told Chappo to go to bed. Out where the
brush grew most thickly, Limber dug a deep hole like a small grave, and
Doctor King's saddle was covered, while the steadily pouring rain
obliterated all tell-tale marks of disturbed earth.
As the hours passed, the thunder grew faint and fainter; the lightning
ceased; the rain fell in a soft patter, like children's voices
whispering in the night. A dim, grey light mingled with the darkness of
the sky, sleepy chirps and twitters sounded from rain-soaked nests, the
pink fingers of Morning reached out and caressed the tips of the
mountains.
Down the canyon near the crossing a man stood waiting to guard the woman
he loved from knowledge of what had happened in the night. The rushing
torrent was fast subsiding.
He lifted his head at the sound of galloping hoofs and men's voices,
then he turned and looked down at the posse from Willcox. They reached
the opposite bank of the stream and let the reins fall loosely on their
ponies' necks as they recognized Limber.
"Hello, Limber! You was lucky to get here last night," called the
leader. "We all were stuck at the mouth of the canyon till this morning.
Seen any signs of Glendon?"
Limber was among them now. "Yep. He's on the road between here and the
Circle Cross," was the answer.
"All right. Much obliged. Hurry up boys;" but Limber's upheld hand made
them pause.
"You all don't need to hurry. Glen's dead. Lightnin' hit him and his
horse. Mrs. Glendon's up here. She's sick and don't know nothin' about
it yet. Doctor Powell is goin' to take her over to the Diamond H Ranch
this mornin' to Mrs. Traynor."
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