Death Waits at Sundown by L. Ron Hubbard Read Free Book Online

Everywhere men were running with saddles or harassing
snorting, stamping mustangs into various places in the arena.
    The announcer blared through the speakers, “Laaadies and
genulmen, there are two additions, two startling additions, to the wild horse
race! The last event on the program and the last event of the rodeo. The young
lady in white whom you have seeeen taking events for three days against all
comers, one of the world’s greatest riders, Miss Vicky Stuart!”
    A roar of sound swept through the stands. More than one
gentleman up there had lost his heart during the last three days, though Vicky
might be a dozen worlds away from them and would never even know their names,
much less ever see them.
    The announcer went on. “And over there to your right is
a tall young fellow with hair pants and tan Stetson. He looks pretty gaudy
around the middle. That glitter you see is a belt studded with diamonds and
worked with gold and on it is written, ‘World’s Champion Buckeroo.’ Ladies and
genulmen, Mr. Long Tom Branner!”
    There was another roar and Long Tom blushed and got busy
with the saddle.
    Wild Bill was forced up. He had his ears laid back and
his eyes were wilder than his name. His nostrils were flaring and he tried to
strike out with his front feet. A puncher tried to hold his head down but was
sometimes lifted clear off the earth.
    The other puncher finally got hold on the head and began
to bite Wild Bill’s ear to distract his attention.
    Vicky’s Thunder was striking out with vicious hoofs and
screaming vengeance while her two punchers fought to make him stand still.
    All over the arena men were fighting twenty broncs in
separate groups and more than one shin was being scarred. Punchers were
fighting and swearing and horses were fighting and swearing.
    At last all was at least as calm as the Battle of the Marne . Saddle, mount, ride and the first one to make a complete circuit of the track was
the winner.
    Vicky looked across the surging field at Long Tom. Her
jaw was set and she blazed with determination. Once and for all she would show
him.
    And Long Tom also blazed. Here was the chance he had
prayed for and no punches would be pulled this time.
    A gun banged. Twenty mounts were startled into furious
activity by the unaccustomed slap of saddles on their backs. Mounts and men
went down in mad, muddy fights.
    Long Tom’s helpers threw the saddle on Wild Bill and the
old bronc had never shown such deadly fury. Wrenching a tormentor clear of the
earth, Wild Bill tried to plunge away. He was held down by sheer strength.
    Hurriedly Long Tom reached under for the cinch and
brought it back. As he fastened it, Wild Bill surged away from him.
    Vicky had her saddle in place but Thunder was not going
to let any more weight be put upon him. She thrust her foot into the stirrup
and tried to swing up, holding the reins so that Thunder had to curve in toward
her. But Thunder exploded.
    Wild Bill reared and struck down, missing. A puncher got
the blind back on him and for an instant the outlaw stood still in fright.
    Long Tom leaped into the saddle. But before he could
find the other stirrup, Wild Bill began to explode.
    The flapping stirrup banged into Long Tom’s shin. He
kicked at it, on his way to the zenith. He found it when Wild Bill came down
stiff-legged and roaring with rage.
    Wild Bill was not to be beaten so easily. He began to
buckjump, short vicious stabs at earth with straight hoofs. He sailed upward
again and came down the other way around.
    Long Tom rode and rode gracefully. But it was one thing
to stick and quite another to get this screaming half ton of fighting horse
headed out for the track.
    Vicky had no eyes for anything but the saddle. Thunder
was going round and round as she strove to mount.
    Abruptly she reversed the tug on the reins and, for an
instant, the mount was still. She sprang up. Thunder leaped skyward. Holding
with her knees alone, she got the