A Lone Star Christmas by William W. Johnstone Read Free Book Online Page B

going, and he would have to get out and untie it. I didn’t have any idea that it would actually jerk the axle out.” Dalton laughed. “But it was funny, Clay. You should have seen it. Wooee! Ole Ebersole whipped his horse and it dashed out, and the next thing you know, Ebersole is lyin’ in the dirt and his horse is galloping off down Main Street, dragging half a buggy behind him.”
    â€œSon, you need to grow up,” Marshal Courtright said.
    â€œI’m not your son,” Dalton said harshly.
    â€œThank God for that,” Marshal Courtright said. “Get him out of here, Clay, before I change my mind.”
    â€œCome on, Dalton. Let’s go,” Clay said.
    When they stepped out front, Clay was glad to see that Tom was there with Dalton’s horse.
    â€œDoes Pa know about it?” Dalton asked as he mounted his horse.
    â€œI don’t know if he knows or not,” Clay said. “If he does, neither one of us told him.”
    â€œClay, will you go with me when I tell him?” Dalton asked.
    â€œDalton, if you are man enough to get yourself in trouble, you ought to be man enough to face up to it,” Clay said.
    â€œPlease? Just this one more time?”
    Clay sighed audibly. “All right,” he said. “But one of these days, Dalton, I’m not going to be around to bail you out of trouble. You are going to be on your own. What will you do then?”
    â€œThanks,” Dalton said. He slapped his reins against his horse’s neck, and the animal burst forward as if being fired from a cannon.
    Denver, Colorado, May 5
    From the Rocky Mountain News

    Train Robbery Foiled!
    Six desperados made an attempt to rob the Denver and Rio Grande train on Monday, May 1st, attacking it during its transit to Big Rock. Piling stones and other debris on the track, they forced Engineer Green Vaughan to stop his train. Then, constructing another barrier behind the train to prevent any escape by putting the engine in reverse, the robbers accessed the train in order to carry out their nefarious scheme.
    Upon learning that the train was not carrying a money shipment, they abandoned the express car and continued their thievery by leaving one of their number in the cab of the engine, and sending the other five through the cars, extracting at the point of their guns the hard-earned money and valuables of the honest passengers, thereon aboard.
    Their evil scheme was foiled, however, when Smoke Jensen arrived. Smoke Jensen is a name which most readers will recognize, for he has gained much fame throughout the West, and indeed all of America, by his derring-do in a fight against evil. Activated by his commission as a deputy sheriff, armed by right and a Colt .44, Smoke Jensen singlehandedly took on the gang of train robbers, using his pistol with deadly effect. Porter Jones took care of a fourth robber, but two of the brigands escaped.
    They got nothing for their efforts as they abandoned all their booty in their dash for freedom.

    After he finished reading the newspaper, Red Coleman put it down with a snort of disgust. The source of Red’s nickname was quickly obvious in the shock of red hair that fell to his shoulders. He had a three-corner scar on his left cheek and he rubbed it subconsciously as he read the article.
    â€œWhat is it? What does the paper say?” McDill asked.
    Red slid the paper across the table to him. “Read it for yourself.”
    â€œI can’t read, Red, you know that,” McDill said.
    â€œIt says the name of the man who rousted us from the train was Smoke Jensen.”
    â€œSmoke Jensen? Yeah, I’ve heard of him. He is one tough hombre.”
    â€œIs he now?” Red asked.
    â€œYeah, he is. You mean you ain’t never heard of him?”
    â€œI’ve heard of him,” Red said. “It’s just that this is the first time I’ve ever run across him.”
    â€œYeah, me too.”
    â€œIt won’t be