Free Raw Land by Luke; Short

other side. He drew his own gun and, softly swearing, started back up the slope.
    And then he realized that he couldn’t kill Milt. He needed Milt, and Milt didn’t need him; in fact, Milt wanted him dead.
    He saw Milt’s head sky-lined, and then Pres ran. Another shot roared out in the night, and he felt the passing of the bullet over his head. He dived into the nearest brush, lost his hat, and started running again, bent over. Another and yet another shot hammered out, but they were farther away now. And then he achieved the next ridge, and he paused to listen.
    He heard a high, wild cursing off in the direction from which he had run.
    He raised his voice and yelled, “Remember what I said, Barron!”
    For answer, he got more of Milt’s vicious cursing. Afterward Milt rammed his gun in his waistband and slid down to the arroyo. A wicked and savage anger had its way with him for a while. He had almost done it, almost killed the only man beside Will who knew his real identity. One second longer there on the slope and his slug would have caught Pres in the back, silencing him forever.
    As he tramped down the arroyo again, he became calm. He wasn’t afraid of Pres turning him up; the man wouldn’t lose his last chance of getting Will’s place just for revenge. But it left Milt with the other alternative, that of persuading Will to get rid of the place. And deep down within him, Milt, knowing Will’s bottomless stubbornness, figured it might not be so easy.
    He heard the sound of horses approaching down the arroyo. That would be Will, who couldn’t have helped but hear the shots.
    Out of the darkness, a horseman suddenly appeared, and Will called harshly, “That you, Milt?”
    â€œWill!” Milt called.
    Will rode up, holstering his gun. “What were those shots?”
    â€œI don’t know,” Milt said, his voice spuriously excited. “Somebody took a shot at me, Will!”
    Just then Pinky and Ollie rode up, too. Will told them everything was all right, and they headed down the arroyo again. Will dismounted and led his horse over to Milt.
    â€œWhat happened, now?”
    â€œI walked as far as the drift fence and had a smoke! All of a sudden, somebody shot at me from the arroyo bank! Who was it, Will?” His voice was tense with excitement.
    Will said slowly, “I dunno. Likely somebody hangin’ around watchin’ our beef, and they thought you had ’em spotted.”
    There was a short silence, and then Milt burst out, “No! You’re just sayin’ that, Will. I tell you, somebody knows me here! They knew it was me! They were tryin’ to kill me!”
    Will said gently, “Easy, fella. Nobody knows you here.”
    Milt came closer to him, and his voice was low and strained. “Look, Will. Let’s pull out of here! I tell you, somebody knows who I am! It isn’t safe!”
    â€œYou’re excited,” Will said calmly. “Hell, it was some of Pres Milo’s crew prowlin’ around, and they figured to scare you off.”
    But Milt shook his head violently and grabbed Will’s arm. “I tell you, Will, they know me here! I’ve felt it! Look.” His voice was pleading now. “You don’t own the place yet, Will! Don’t buy it! Tell Chap Hale you’ve changed your mind, and let’s pull out of here!”
    â€œAnd leave Chap stuck with this place he can’t use? I couldn’t, Milt.”
    â€œPres Milo wants it, Becky Case said! Let Chap sell it to him!”
    â€œI couldn’t,” Will said gently, patiently. “Look fella. You’re spooky. Somewhere else looks better now. But they’re all the same, Milt—not so good as this. They’ll let us alone here. And if they crowd us, we can live back there in the Sevier Brakes for a year. We can’t do better, Milt.”
    Milt said desperately, “But they’ll kill me, Will. I tell you,