Collection 1986 - The Trail To Crazy Man (v5.0) by Louis L’Amour Read Free Book Online

“Johnny,” he said quietly, “suppose these hombres start smokin’ it, you take that fat one. Leave the redhead and this Boyne for me.”
    The fat cowhand shifted in his saddle uncomfortably. He was unpleasantly aware that he had turned his horse so he was sideward to Gill, and while presenting a fair target himself, would have to turn half around in the saddle to fire.
    Boyne’s eyes were hard and reckless. Rafe knew he was the one to watch. He wore his gun slung low, and that he fancied himself as a gunhand was obvious. Suddenly Rafe knew the man was going to draw.
    “Hold it!” The voice cut sharply across the air like the crack of a whip. “Boyne, keep your hand shoulder high! You, too, Red! Now turn your horses with your knees and start down the trail. If one of you even looks like you want to use a gun, I’ll open up with this Henry and cut you into little pieces.”
    Boyne cursed wickedly. “You’re gettin’ out of it easy this time!” he said viciously. “I’ll see you again!”
    Rafe smiled. “Why, sure, Boyne! Only next time you’d better take the rawhide lashin’ off the butt of your Colt. Mighty handy when ridin’ over rough country, but mighty unhandy when you need your gun in a hurry!”
    CHAPTER VI
    Horse Trade
    With a startled gasp, Boyne glanced down. The rawhide thong was tied over his gun to hold it in place. His face two shades whiter than a snake’s belly, he turned his horse with his knees and started the trek down trail.
    Bo Marsh stepped out of the brush with his rifle in his hands. He was grinning.
    “Hey, Boss! If I’d known that six-gun was tied down, I’d have let you mow him down! That skunk needs it. That’s Lem Boyne. He’s a gunslinger for Dan Shute.”
    Gill laughed. “Man! Will our ears burn tonight! Rafe’s run two of Shute’s boys into the ground today!”
    Marsh grinned. “Figgered you’d be headed home soon, and I was out after a deer.” He glanced at the squaw with the broken leg. “Got more trouble?”
    “No,” Rafe said. “Those hombres had been runnin’ this girl down. She busted her leg gettin’ away, so we fixed it up. Let’s ride.”
    The trail was smoother now and drifted casually from one canyon to another. Obviously it had been a game trail that had been found and used by Indians, trappers, and wandering buffalo hunters before the coming of the cowhands and trail drivers.
    When they were still several miles from the cabin on the Crazy Man, the squaw spoke suddenly. Gill looked over at Rafe.
    “Her camp’s just over that rise in a draw,” he said.
    Caradec nodded. Then he turned to the girl. She was looking at him, expecting him to speak.
    “Tell her,” he said, “that we share the land Rodney bought from Red Cloud. That we share it with the daughter of Rodney. Get her to tell Red Cloud we will live on the Crazy Man, and we are a friend to the Sioux, that their women are safe with us, that their horses will not be stolen, and that we are a friend to the warriors of Red Cloud and the great chiefs of the Sioux people.”
    Gill spoke slowly, emphatically, and the girl nodded. Then she turned her horse and rode up through the trees.
    “Boss,” Johnny said, “she’s got our best horse. That’s the one I give the most money for!”
    Rafe grinned. “Forget it. The girl was scared silly but wouldn’t show it for anything. It’s a cheap price to pay to get her home safe. Like I said, the Sioux make better friends than enemies.”
    When the three men rode up, Tex Brisco was carrying two buckets of water to the house. He grinned at them.
    “That grub looks good!” he told them. “I’ve eaten so much antelope meat, the next thing you know I’ll be boundin’ along over the prairie myself!”
    While Marsh got busy with the grub, Johnny told Tex about the events of the trip.
    “Nobody been around here,” Brisco said. “Yesterday I seen three Injuns, but they was off a couple of miles and didn’t come this way. Today there hasn’t