Doctor Who: The Gunfighters by Donald Cotton Read Free Book Online Page A

but in fact to avail himself of a bracing snort, for he had been much shaken by the encounter, and bitten painfully on the thumb to boot!
    No hard feelings, of course – all in the line of professional duty, but still... a man needs a quiet moment to work out the bill after an experience like that. And he had decided that, in all fairness, it should be extortionate!
    So the Doctor was alone when the Terror of the Plains made his entrance, and prepared to speak. This was the bit Seth always dreaded – words! God, how he hated them!
    Nevertheless, he tried one for size...
    ‘Doc?’ he enquired.
     
    The Doctor leaped like a bee that has sat on its sting. He knew few people in Arizona, and could have wished to have known fewer.
    ‘Eh?’ he enquired, in his turn. ‘Yes, my good man, what is it?’
    ‘Holliday?’ pursued Seth, wanting to leave absolutely no room for the smallest doubt.
    The Doctor considered the question. ‘Well, yes – in a way, I suppose. Yes – you could say so...’
    After all, he generally took a break at this time of year...
    ‘Pleased to make your acquaintance,’ ingratiated Seth.
    ‘My name’s Harper – Seth Harper...’
    The despised name threaded its way through the key-hole of the back room, and sidled into Holliday’s ear like an earthworm. He approached the door.
    Light dawned on the Doctor – or, at any rate, he thought it did.
    ‘Oh, I see... yes, Mr Harper? I presume you have brought me a message from my friends?’
    ‘Kind of a message, sure...’
    This was going to be easy as... What was that crack of Phin’s again? Something about frogs? It was going to be as easy as that, anyway...
    ‘They’re a-waitin’ for you in the saloon. An’ also there’s this: the boys an’ me would like you to join us for a drink.’
    ‘Well, I must say, that is extremely sociable of you. But I fear I never touch alcohol... except for purely medicinal purposes, of course,’ he added, remembering his recent foul experience.
    ‘Not what I heard, Doc – but play it your way. Be there in five – no, maybe ten minutes.’ After all, they had to arrange the set-up. ‘Else we’ll come a-lookin’.’
    He left the shop backward, with a relief tempered only by his forgetting about the step. And Holliday, who had heard the whole exchange, suddenly realised exactly how the Doctor could settle his account... He entered, smiling like a coyote that has just stumbled on a beef steak in Death Valley.
    ‘Did you hear that?’ asked the Doctor. ‘A complete stranger has just invited me to join him and his friends for a drink! How very kind, to be sure!’
    ‘Jest typical Western hospitality is all,’ murmured Doc.
    ‘Goes along with tumbleweed an’ deer an’ antelope playin’
    the fool an’ such. Oh, you’ll soon learn. But forgive me for sayin’ so, friend; in my opinion, you ain’t dressed entirely right for the kind of a get-together like you’re goin’ to...’
    ‘I fail to see in what respect my clothes are unsuitable.
    In fact, they are almost identical to your own, I notice...’
    ‘Ain’t they just? But it ain’t your clothes so much, as that you do not appear to be wearing a gun. You see, round here,’ he continued, before the Doctor could embark on a pacifist diatribe, ‘it’s kind of an insult not to wear one. And you surely do not wish to go around insulting folks, do you now?’
    ‘Of course I don’t – but regrettably I have no gun to wear.’
    ‘Is that truly so? Well, in that case, friend, looks like you’ll just have to borrow one of mine...’
    And, with the lightning rapidity which had made his name such a popular epitaph, he produced a Colt .45, and extended it in the general direction of the Doctor. Who winced once – and then lowered his hands, as he realised it was being offered butt first.
    ‘Oh, but my dear fellow,’ he protested, ‘I couldn’t possibly accept...’
    ‘Come on now,’ insisted Doc. ‘You’ll notice it’s got my name right there