Free Slip Gun by J.T. Edson

been using the privy, he
could have entered the sleeping quarters by the back door.
    ‘ Thanks
for telling me,’ Burbury grinned. ‘I was just going.’
    ‘ Rain’s
stopped,’ the undertaker remarked to Smith as Burbury returned to
the barroom.
    ‘ That’s
something to be thankful for,’ the Texan replied, realizing he had
been so fully occupied all evening that he had been unaware of the
aching which usually accompanied wet weather.
    ‘ Gilpin’s gone to tell the dudes they don’t need to be
scared anymore,’ Burbury announced, returning with a newspaper in
his hand. This’s the best old Dad in there could do.’
    ‘ If
it’s a two-holer, I’ll come with you,’ Smith offered. ‘I have to go
and there might not be any paper.’
    ‘ A two -holer?’ Burbury grinned. ‘It’s a six-holer. The pride of
Sweetwater County, I’ve been told.’
    ‘ May I
have a private word with you, Mr. Smith?’ the undertaker asked. ‘On
a matter of some importance, for your ears alone.’
    ‘ I
reckon so,’ the Texan agreed. ‘You’d best go on ahead,
Ric’
    ‘ Sure,’
the drummer replied. ‘I’ve near on waited too long now.’
    Letting Burbury get out of the
back door, the little man stared at the farmer and made sure that
he was asleep. Crossing to Smith ’s side, he dropped his voice in a
secretive, almost furtive manner.
    ‘ I have
something which might be of use to you.’
    ‘ Such
as?’ Smith asked.
    ‘ Not so
loud, I beg of you, sir,’ the undertaker hissed. ‘It is a sheet of
paper I found in the third man’s pocket.’
    ‘ I
thought you was supposed to be helping the sheriff,’ Smith said
dryly, but held his voice to little higher than a
whisper.
    ‘ In the
Good Book, sir, we are told that the laborer is worthy of his hire.
So I assume that I, Otis M. Capey, being a professional gentleman,
should be even more so.’
    ‘ Get to
the white meat.’
    ‘ Of
course, sir. When I broached the subject of payment for my
professional services, I was made certain that none would be
forthcoming. So I considered myself ethically entitled to look out
for your interests.’
    ‘ And
your own,’ Smith drawled. ‘Sure, I know. The laborer is worthy of
his hire. Well, let’s see what you’ve got.’
    ‘ Just a
sheet of paper,’ Capey replied, taking it from his left hip pocket
but not holding it out. ‘With a message on it—but we haven’t spoken
of my hire.’
    ‘ I
haven’t heard anything that’s worth money,’ Smith pointed
out.
    ‘ The
message reads, “Smith on his way from Laramie. Stop him getting
here”.’
    ‘ Is that all?’ Smith sniffed. ‘I know somebody sent them after
me.’
    ‘ There
is something more, sir,’ Capey promised, still not offering the
paper to the Texan. ‘A name. But it would not be good business to
proceed further until money has been discussed.’
    ‘ Twenty
dollars,’ Smith suggested, showing none of the interest he felt. If
the message should be genuine, it proved that somebody in Widow’s
Creek had hired the three men.
    ‘ Twen—!’ Capey began.
    ‘ That’s
a fair price and I’m too tired to bargain. ‘Specially when all I
have to do is call in the sheriff, tell him and see what you’ve got
for free.’
    ‘ I
could destroy the paper before he came,’ the undertaker
blustered.
    ‘ Not
with me this close,’ Smith pointed out. ‘And if you did, you’d be
in bad trouble. Maybe you don’t know, but Article Eleven, Section
Twenty-Three, Clause Sixty-One of the Wyoming Territorial Penal
Code, Withholding Information from a Duly Sworn Peace Officer, says
you can get five years in the pokey for doing it. Double if you
attempt to, or destroy said evidence.’
    ‘ I
don’t share your legal knowledge, Mr. Smith,’ Capey confessed. ‘But
there is small need for unpleasantness. We are both businessmen. I
accept your offer and, as evidence of my good faith, here is the
document.’
    ‘ Gracias,’ Smith said, taking out his wallet and exchanging