Free Crossfire Trail (1953) by Louis L'amour

prodded. His eyes were ugly and he was itching for a fight. It showed in every line of him. "Want me to make it expensive?"
    Bruce Barkow was no fool. He had not seen Tex Brisco in action, yet there was something chill and deadly about the tall Texan. Barkow shrugged.
    "We came here to enforce the law. Is this resistance, Caradec?"
    "No," Rafe said. "Let's go."
    The three men turned their horses and walked them down the trail toward Long Valley. Tex Brisco threw a saddle on his horse, and mounted. Glancing back, Pod Gomer saw the Texan turn his horse up a trail into the trees. He swore viciously.
    Caradec sat his horse easily. The trouble would not come now. He was quite sure the plan had been to get him away, then claim the Shute riders had taken him from the law. Yet he was as sure it would not come to that now. Pod Gomer would know that Brisco's Winchester was within range. Also, Rafe was still wearing his guns.
    Rafe rode warily, lagging a trifle behind the sheriff. He glanced at Barkow, but the rancher's face was expressionless. Ahead of them, in a tight bunch, waited the Shute riders.
    The first he recognized were the Blazers. There was another man, known as Joe Gorman, whom he also recognized. Red Blazer started forward abruptly.
    "He come, did he?" he shouted. "Now we'll show him!"
    "Get back!" Gomer ordered sharply.
    "Huh?" Red glared at Gomer. "Who says I'll get back! I'm stringin' this hombre to the first tree we get to!"
    "You stay back!" Gomer ordered. "We're takin' this man in for trial!"
    Red Blazer laughed. "Come on, boys!" he yelled. "Let's hang the skunk!"
    "I wouldn't, Red," Rafe Caradec said calmly. "You've overlooked somethin'. I'm wearin' my guns. Are you faster than Trigger Boyne?"
    Blazer jerked his horse's head around, his face pale but furious.
    "Hey!" he yelled. "What the devil is this? I thought--"
    "That you'd have an easy time of it?" Rafe shoved the black horse between Gomer and Barkow, pushing ahead of them. He rode right up to Blazer and let the big black shove into the other horse. "Well, get this Blazer! Any time you kill me, you'll do it with a gun in your hand, savvy? You're nothin' but a lot of lynch-crazy coyotes! Try it, damn it! Try it now, and I'll blow you out of that saddle so full of lead you'll sink a foot into the ground!"
    Rafe's eyes swept the crowd.
    "Think this is a joke? That goes for any of you! And as for Gomer, he knows, that if you hombres want any trouble he gets it too! There's a man up in the hills with a Winchester, and if you don't think he can empty saddles, start somethin'. That Winchester carries sixteen shots and I've seen him empty it and get that many rabbits! I'm packing two guns. I'm askin' you now so if you want any of what I've got, start the ball rollin'. Mebbe you'd get me but I'm tellin' you there'll be more dead men around there than you can shake a stick at!"
    Joe German spoke quickly. "Watch it, boys! There is a hombre up on the mountain with a rifle! I seen him!"
    "What the blue blazes is this?" Red Blazer repeated.
    "The fun's over," Rafe replied shortly. "You might as well head for home and tell Dan Shute to kill his own wolves. I'm wearin' my guns and I'm goin' to keep 'em. I'll stand trial, but you know and I know that Bonaro got what he was askin' for." Caradec turned his eyes on Blazer. "As for you, stay out of my sight! You're too blasted willin' to throw your hemp over a man you think is helpless! I don't like skunks and never did!"
    "You can't call me a skunk!" Blazer bellowed.
    Rafe stared at him. "I just did," he said calmly.

    Chapter VII
    FOR A full minute their eyes held. Rafe's hand was on his thigh within inches of his gun. If it came to gun play now, he would be killed, but Blazer and Barkow would go down, too, and there would be others. He had not exaggerated when he spoke of Tex Brisco's rifle shooting. The man was a wizard with the gun.
    Red Blazer was trapped. White to the lips, he stared at Rafe, and could see cold, certain