Free Novel 1954 - Utah Blaine (As Jim Mayo) (v5.0) by Louis L’Amour Page B

push ahead. Reluctantly, stifling his frustration and fury, Nevers followed his retreating men.
    Rip Coker walked over slowly. “It’ll never be that close again,” he said sincerely. “I had goose flesh all over me there for a minute.”
    “That shotgun remark was sheer genius, Rip,” Blaine said.
    Coker was pleased. “Just a trick idea. I sure wouldn’t want to buck a shotgun in the dark.”
    “What’s next?” Timm had walked up. “I was listenin’ for Clell, but I don’t think he was with this outfit.”
    “We wait for morning,” Blaine said, “and just before daybreak we’ll pull out.”
    “Hell!” Rip said. “We’ve got ’em stopped now, why run?”
    “The object,” Blaine said, “of any war is to destroy your enemy’s fighting force. With superior numbers and armament the British couldn’t whip Washington because they couldn’t pin him down. He always managed to pull out and leave them holding the bag. That’s what we do now.
    “They’ll never own this ranch,” he said, “or the 46 as long as we’re alive and in the country. We can let ’em have it today, an’ we can take it back when we want it!”
    Chapter 9
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    A T DAYBREAK THEY started east. Mary Blake, accompanied by the fat Maria, was to ride to the Mormon settlement. Later, they would return to Red Creek and do what might be done there toward retaining title to their land. Blaine, accompanied by Rip Coker and Timm, took to the rugged country to the south.
    The sun was hot and the three rode steadily, circling deeper into the hills. With them they had three pack animals loaded with food and ammunition.
    “Maverick Springs,” Timm told them. “That’s the best place for us. She’s ’way back in the hills in mighty rugged country.”
    Blaine mopped the sweat from his face and squinted through the sunlight toward the west. From the top of the mesa they could see a long sweep of the valley and the river. Table Mountain was slightly north of west from them and they could see riders fording the river.
    “Lee Fox,” Coker said. “Nevers won’t have it all his own way.”
    “Nevers’ place is beyond, in Bloody Basin, if I recall,” Blaine said thoughtfully. “I figure we ought to pay him a visit after we cache these supplies.”
    “Now you’re talkin’!” Coker agreed.
    “An’ we’ll make three separate caches. No use havin’ all our eggs in one basket.”
    They turned down into the canyon back of Razorback and made one cache at the base of Cypress Butte. They rode on through the tall pines, the air seeming cooler in their shade. There was the smell of heat, though, and the smell of dust. They took their time, anticipating no pursuit and not eager to tire their horses. Blaine thought several times of the stallion. He missed the fine horse and would pick him up in the next few days.
    They rode at last into a secluded glen shielded on all sides by ranks of pines and aspens. Scattered among these were a few giant walnut trees. They were now close under the Mazatzals which Blaine had observed from the faraway rim of Tule Mesa.
    At daybreak, they moved out following Tangle Creek up to the Basin where they found the Big N standing alone. The only man on the place was the cook, who came to the door with a rifle. Utah stopped. “Where’s Nevers?”
    Coker had been bringing up the rear and at the first glimpse of the cook he had turned his horse sharply left and circled behind the house while Blaine stalled.
    “Ain’t none o’ your business!” The cook retorted harshly. “Who ’re you?”
    “Blaine’s the name.” Utah saw Coker slip from his horse and start toward the back side of the house. “You tell Nevers to stay off the 46 and the B-Bar or take the consequences.”
    “Tell him yourself!” The cook retorted. He was about to amplify his remarks when the sharp prod of a gun muzzle cut him off short.
    “Lower that shotgun mighty easy,” Coker said quietly. “You might miss but I can’t.”
    The logic of