Free West Of Dodge (Ss) (1996) by Louis L'amour Page A

is any more trouble during my stay in this town, I'll burn the place to the ground, and the ones who are lucky will go to jail."
    Deliberately, he turned his back and walked out through the doors. At the wagon the girl turned. "My name is Stormy," she said, "and thanks. I guess Pa an' me ain't much, but we're grateful."
    Sutton shrugged. "I was glad to help. If you need me, scream." He pointed toward the window of the room assigned to him. "I'll be up there."
    The moon floated lazily above the serrated ridges of the scarred landscape below it. A coyote protested its troubles, and then as the moon slid down the sky, the coyote trotted off into the shadows in pursuit of food. Day edged its first skirmishing lines of light along the ridges and Rope Nose George turned over in his sleep and awakened.
    All was dark and still but the window showed the first gray that preceded the dawn. Rope Nose George was suddenly wide awake, remembering the seven thousand dollars in the safe and three thousand more, or so it was rumored, in the old man's wagon. Most of this last had been realized from the sale of cattle, the rest from the poker game. Ten thousand dollars was more money than Rope Nose had ever seen. It was also more than had ever been in Paisano at any one time.
    And then he heard the horses.
    They were walking, and there were more than two of them. With a start, he sat up, realizing on the instant that it was Pink Lucas returning. Vastly disturbed, Rope Nose swung his legs out of bed and felt knew he must inform Pink at once Ranger. He also knew that money and that meant killing sure, would put him out of busi the back of W8 brain was the to the door. Then he stopp^ \ ,, \V pants, and has-
    * a minute he stared,___. riders, thinking only of the missirv of Chiv Pontious. If the gambler He turned for the stairs t^ scrambled, panting up the stairX h pants with one hand. The Ranger^^j the rumpled bed was a note ^ ^
    "Sorry to leave like thi Got his money? But? . . . ! bled down the steps and into the and still, and the safe was close dial and opened the safe. Where t was another note.
    "You should be more carej. tion when you opened the sof^\ money and you had better The door rattled, and he found himself pushed aside by swagger t0 lhe bar md pickK) left there by The gambler stared at him, his face taut with hatred and pent-up fury.
    As the girl moved toward the door, Johnny Sutton looked the room over, letting each man feel the weight of his attention. "If that girl is bothered again, or if there is any more trouble during my stay in this town, I'll burn the place to the ground, and the ones who are lucky will go to jail."
    Deliberately, he turned his back and walked out through the doors. At the wagon the girl turned. "My name is Stormy," she said, "and thanks. I guess Pa an' me ain't much, but we're grateful."
    Sutton shrugged. "I was glad to help. If you need me, scream." He pointed toward the window of the room assigned to him. "I'll be up there."
    The moon floated lazily above the serrated ridges of the scarred landscape below it. A coyote protested its troubles, and then as the moon slid down the sky, the coyote trotted off into the shadows in pursuit of food. Day edged its first skirmishing lines of light along the ridges and Rope Nose George turned over in his sleep and awakened.
    All was dark and still but the window showed the first gray that preceded the dawn. Rope Nose George was suddenly wide awake, remembering the seven thousand dollars in the safe and three thousand more, or so it was rumored, in the old man's wagon. Most of this last had been realized from the sale of cattle, the rest from the poker game. Ten thousand dollars was more money than Rope Nose had ever seen. It was also more than had ever been in Paisano at any one time.
    And then he heard the horses.
    They were walking, and there were more than two of them. With a start, he sat up, realizing on the instant that it was Pink Lucas returning. Vastly