Monument Rock (Ss) (1998) by Louis L'amour Read Free Book Online Page A

but an Eastern girl or one who had lately been east. Disturbed , he walked outside and went to the stable, where the mules that pulled the stage ove r this rough stretch were kept. There were twelve of them, and walking past the stalls , he suddenly glimpsed a gun, half-concealed by the hay on the barn floor.
    He picked it up, a worn Remington pistol, but well kept and oiled ... the man wh o owned a gun so well kept would not be one to leave it lying carelessly on the dir t floor. Curious, aware of a mystery here, he looked slowly around the long building.
    The fallen gun was directly behind a stall, and at that point the dirt of the floo r was stirred up by boot marks ... he tried to work out the sign but could make nothin g of it, although it looked like a scuffle had taken place. Whatever it was, it ha d made the owner forget his pistol.
    Walking outside, he looked carefully around, and there was little to see. The mules , the barn, the corrals, and several haystacks aside from what hay was in the bar n itself. A couple of poles leaned against the side of the house with two coats buttone d around them to make a crude stretcher. So that was it... somebody had been hurt.
    Strolling across the yard, he stopped to light a cigarette and glanced out of th e corner of his eyes at the stretcher. He was close to it now, but he could see n o signs of blood, such as would be visible if the man had been shot or injured so tha t he would bleed.
    Jones stepped outside. "Woman in there is Kate Breslin ," he said. "Dan's off i n the hills rounding up a beef."
    "Dan a friend of yours?"
    "Sure ... that is, we talk friendly, and we feel friendly. I don't know Dan the best , but I've stopped by here six, eight times."
    "Doesn't make much sense, rounding up a beef when they've plenty of supplies in th e station . . . not with the Utes running wild over the country."
    "Could be, though." Jones glanced at Talon. "What's wrong? You got something in mind?"
    "They're hiding something." Talon jerked his head to indicate the women. "There' s something wrong aroun d here." He slid the Remington from his belt. "You ever see this before?"
    "Sure. That's Dan's gun. I'd know it anywhere."
    "Think he'd be apt to go into the mountains without it? I found it lying in the barn , half-covered with hay."
    "Dan's hurt.. . got to be. He was a careful man with a gun, cared for 'em well, an d he never left one lyin' around careless."
    Kate Breslin appeared in the door, staring at them suspiciously. "You can eat," sh e said. "I don't want to hold you up any longer'n I have to."
    The food was good, the usual beef, beans, and biscuits of the frontier, but potatoe s had been added, and beside each plate was a healthy slab of apple pie. Dried apples , Talon reflected, but pie, anyway.
    He glanced again at the carefully closed door. Ruth was pouring coffee, and he said , "Burnett should be getting back. What time's the stage due?"
    The hands pouring the coffee trembled a little and the girl straightened. "There' s plenty of time. Dan will be back, all right."
    He took out the gun. "Better give this to him. I found it in the barn."
    She picked up the gun quickly, almost snatched it from him, and Talon glimpsed Kat e listening in the door to the kitchen. "It's all right... he has another."
    Talon refilled his cup from the coffeepot and began to build a smoke. Were they worrie d because they were two women alone? It might be, but he doubted it. Maybe Ruth migh t worry, although she looked like a girl who could take care of herself, but Kate Bresli n wouldn't. She had been in such positions too many times to be daunted by the presenc e of men, and she would know what to do. So what, then, was wrong?
    His thoughts returned suddenly to the gunman on the trail behind them. Odd, whe n a man came to think of it. "I wonder what became of our friends?" he asked mildly.
    Jones looked up from his pie. "On their way, prob'ly."
    "They were riding west when we met them."
    Jones tore off