Mountain Woman Snake River Blizzard by Johnny Fowler Read Free Book Online Page B

man and has been alone.”  She left it there.
    “I didn’t read him that way,” Kate said.  “I think he wants to see you, as in man and woman seeing each other.  I’ll leave it at that, but if you like him, give the man the ben efit of the doubt.”  She smiled. “He may be interested in courting you.”
    Kate went out the door and Lucille followed her out until she sat on Red Bird.  “I hope that’ s what he wants.”
    “Good luck,” Kate said.  “I think Cliff is a nice man from the few moments we talked.”
    When Kate rode back by Engledow’s home, she saw a police officer on horseback coming toward her.  They stopped to talk.  “Engledow is not at home,” Kate said.  “I stopped and went inside.  From the appearance, he’s gone.  His clothing is missing and there are wagon tracks by the front door.  Would you advise Chief Kincaid that he may be with Alejandro Valdez in a wagon?”
    “Will do,” the officer said.
    “Also, Cliff Landers may be visiting Lu cille this afternoon after he closes his store .  Should one of you see a horse or buggy in fron t of her home, don’t assume it’ s Bob Engledow and burst in.”
    The policeman smiled. “I understand.  I’ll advise the others.  I know Cliff well.  In my opinion, they would make a great pair.  I hope it works out for them.”
    “Me , too,” Kate said.
    She found the men busy putting the poles in the ground.  Man saw her and came to help with the packsaddle.  He put it inside the house and helped her take the things to the table.
    “I’ll put the mule and Red Bird in the barn,” he said.
    “Thanks. I’ll call you and the boys when it’s time to eat.  There were no wires from anybody on the whereabouts of Engledow .  I think he and Alejandro Valdez may be together.  Bob’s house was empty of clothing and th ere were wagon tracks in front.  I advised the police so that information could be put out to others.”
    Man nodded and hurried out the door.  “I want to get the poles in the ground so we can start putting on the sides and roof this afternoon.”
    ***
    Al and Bob stopped the wagon under a tree.
    “I don’t want those two marshals after us,” Al said.  “From what I heard they are tough.  They put down a bunch of slave traders that were abducting Indian women and selling them.  They went after Bull Blevins and his men and killed all of them.  They went to Texas after those Bright women that murdered fourteen people.  My point is, they’re experienced and are not going to ride into a simple ambush.  I suggest we attack instead of being on the run looking over our shoulder.”
    “What do you mean attack?” Bob asked.
    “We watch their house and wait until they’re separated, like when Kate goes into town alone.  Manchester is busy working on the home place.  She’ll go out shopping on her own soon.  We could be waiting on either side of the road, out of sight, let her pass and step out and gun her.  I had rather shoot her in the back then front with those two Walkers blazing at me.  All the police stations and sheriff’s offices will have a description of us.  The moment we’re spotted, those two feds will be right behind us.  They won’t give up and we’ll be looking over our shoulders from now on.  I heard they tracked Bull Blevins and his men for a month or more before catching up.  They put down from eight to a dozen of real hard cases.  I knew some of them and they weren’t pansies.”
    Bob nodded.  “If we put her down close enough to their home, Man would come charging to see the cause of the gunshots.  We could do him the same way.  We would wait until he’s bent over to examine her body when we open up.  Neither of them should be able to get off a shot at us if we do it right.”
    “And then,” Al said, “we can go south and start over with new names and nobody on our trail.  We could go all the way to Arizona where it’s warm in the winter.  Change our names and