The Black Widow by John J. McLaglen Read Free Book Online Page B

Whitey and
me’ll be doing some talking for a while yet. Shouldn’t concern
you.’
    ‘ Good night, Mister
Coburn.’
    ‘ Call me “Whitey”, Miss
Rebecca. The world’s divided into those that I’d kill to hear call
me that, and those that I really like to use the name. And it’s not
too equal a division, neither.’
    ‘ All right, Whitey, and
you must call me “Becky”, like Jed does. Now we’re friends. Good
night.’
    ‘ Good night,
Becky.’
    Herne kissed her gently on the cheek. With
the protection of the shelter, it was no longer necessary to cover
up one’s head and face against the cold, and she looked
unbelievably young and vulnerable lying there, eyes closed as his
lips brushed her cheek.
    ‘ Night, Jed.’
    ‘ Sleep tight, Becky. Wake
bright.’
    She closed her eyes, intending to lie
there and listen in to the men talking, trying to learn a little
more about life. And a little more about Jed Herne.
    Although it was only a little past
seven at night, she was asleep within a couple of
minutes.
    ‘ Spunky little bitch,’ said
Coburn, expertly making a roll-up in one hand, running his pale
tongue along the edge of the paper to seal it.
    ‘ Yeah. She’s seen a lot of
death. Worries me, Whitey. I tell you that. It’s not right a girl
just turned fifteen should be faced with all this.’
    ‘ Not right neither a girl
like her should have her Ma screwed and then butchered by a gang of
sons of bitches. Nor have her Pa gunned down in the back in the
puke and sawdust of a bar.’
    Jed had filled his friend in with what
had been happening since March, and Coburn had listened quietly,
occasionally nodding his head. A couple of times asking a
question.
    ‘ Not surprised you’re finding
the punks comin’ out the woodwork once they hear Herne the Hunter’s
back on the road spitting death around. We both been around too
long for that. Each one wanting to be the kid who laid Whitey
Coburn or Jed Herne up there in Boot Hill. I’m tired of it, I tell
you that. I’m about ready to quit and get a spread like you
did.’
    ‘ How come you never came
visitin’ me and Louise up there? I was kind of hurt.’
    ‘ Jed...’ Coburn passed him
the cigarette, thin as a straw, and paused for a moment while he
took a draw and handed it back. ‘From what I hear that young lady
married you and saved you from dyin’ in the dust. You was goin’ too
long, and takin’ too many chances. I reckon you’d sort of outlived
your life. Isn’t that right?’
    Herne nodded, poking the fire with the toe
of his boot. ‘Maybe. You see so many good men gunned down that you
begin to wonder why not you as well. And that’s just the first step
along a road. Once you lose faith in your own skill, then you’re
finished. That was when Louise came along and showed me how to live
different.’
    ‘ That’s it. That’s why I
didn’t come. I was, and still am, a gunman. I never went away like
you. Maybe I never will. But if I’d ridden by, some poor bastard’s
blood all over my hands, you reckon your little lady’d have made me
welcome? No. She’d have given me water for my horse and a bite to
eat for myself, and she’d only have been happy when my ass vanished
round the next bend in the trail. Then she’d have been able to sit
back and know that you hadn’t taken a hankerin’ to go and follow
me.’
    ‘ Guess you’re right, Whitey.
Louise could never take to violence. That’s why it was so much
worse for her ... what happened that day ... was so bad ...you
know?’
    There was a long silence, broken by
Coburn putting a few more sticks on the fire as it sank
low,
    ‘ Jed? When I caught young Becky,
and she got a touch of the vapors, first thing she said, before you
even turned up out the snow like a white Wendigo, she told me that
she was on her way to come and help you. Seems she’s got a little
derringer in her saddle. On her way to tackle Whitey Coburn and his
gang of desperadoes. And the whole Stanwyck army if