Twin Guns by Wick Evans Read Free Book Online

when a shot took them by complete surprise. They were crossing a ridge thickly covered by brush and jack pine. At the crack of the rifle, Josh's horse stumbled and went to his knees. Josh went over his head but landed on his feet, still holding the reins. The horse stood trembling, blood spurting from a hole just behind the shoulder. Kirby's gelding reared, spooked by the commotion. As he fought to keep his seat, a second shot rang out and something plucked at his sleeve. He hit the ground, jerked his Winchester from the boot, and ran in the direction from which he thought the shot had come. Catching a movement in the brush above him, he levered three quick ones, but the sound of a running horse told him he had missed. He ran up on the ridge but found only the sign where the ambusher had waited. There had been one man there, but there were no distinguishing marks to identify tracks of horse or man.
    He returned to the trail just as another shot rang out. He found Josh with a smoking Colt in his fist, his horse stretched out at the side of the trail. "Had to do it," he said grimly. "Couldn't stand to see him suffer. My best mount, too! See anything?"
    Kirby told him what he had found. "Saw where the bushwhacker was sitting. Looks like he might have seen us coming across the flats and waited for us. No use trying to run him down now." He paused thoughtfully. "If he crosses the Clear, and that's the way he's heading, he's on Lazy B now. But who would take a pot shot at us, anyway?"
    "Hub Dawes," Josh growled. "Looks like he shot at me, hittin' my horse like that. Mighty poor shot, though."
    "Made a big hole clean through my new jacket sleeve," said Kirby. He kicked loose one stirrup. "Crawl on," he said. "This boy can pay now for all the grain he's been getting. You can borrow a bronc in town."
    They tried to recapture the light mood of the early part of their ride, but failed. They were silent as they rode into the livery in Streeter, each aware that trouble had not gone away… it had only been hiding behind a snowdrift.
    "I'll see what Lon thinks about the drygulching," said Josh. Kirby tied up in front of the barbershop.
    Kirby was glad of the board sidewalk. The street was a muddy sea, churned to a brown froth by hoof and wheel. Taking a deep breath, he knocked on the cottage door. Maria pretended to scold. "It's about time," she said. "She's been getting so fidgety I thought I'd have to go looking for you." He followed her through the little parlor. Jen was sitting up in bed, her cheeks faintly pink, her eyes aglow with life. Kirby stopped, drinking in the picture she made. She gave a little cry as she looked up and saw his big frame in the door.
    Kirby crossed quickly to the bed and sat down, taking her in his arms, feeling shock at the thinness of her shoulders through the nightgown.
    "I thought it was all a dream," she whispered against his lips. "Maria had to tell me over and over again that you really had been here. I thought you were never coming back."
    "I'll not leave you again," he told her sternly. "Look what happened when I did."
    She pushed him away and studied his face, then tilted her eyes to his as she relaxed in his arms.
     

CHAPTER SIX
    Maria served their supper on a tray. So engrossed were they with one another that neither knew what she served, and for once, Maria did not scold when her most tempting dishes were untouched. She hustled Kirby out of the house soon after supper was over. Jen had been sitting up all day and was tired, she said. He reluctantly let her put him out, but decided to stay all night in town.
    Jen's good night kiss was sweet on his lips as he pushed open the white gate and went in search of Josh. He found his crew at the livery. The night was crisply cold, and there were no clouds to foretell a drastic weather change, so he ordered the inseparables, Curly and Ringo, to put up the team and other horses for the night.
    "How are you fixed for poker money?" he asked, and laughed at