Weird West 04 - The Doctor and the Dinosaurs by Mike Resnick Read Free Book Online

“you try to avoid gunfights with your friends—especially when you have as few as I do.”
    “So Jesse wasn't involved in that robbery,” said Roosevelt, still dwelling upon the Northfield, Minnesota, raid.
    “He'll never deny it—if you knew Jesse, you'd know why—but no, he wasn't there,” said Younger. “Wouldn't have helped if he'd been with us. He ain't the best shot you ever saw, and he can be damned unpleasant when you disagree with him. Frank is the James brother I like. We're talking about getting together and putting on a Wild West show once we get a grubstake together.”
    “ The James and Younger Show ,” said Roosevelt. “I like it.”
    “ The Younger and James Show ,” Younger corrected him unsmilingly. “At least it'll keep that bastard who's working for Marsh on his toes.”
    “That bastard?” repeated Roosevelt, frowning.
    “He's just a goddamned publicity hound,” replied Younger. “Hell, I'll bet his fee isn't money, but one of them twenty-foot-high leg bones.”
    “Who are you talking about?” asked Holliday.
    “Bill Cody,” answered Younger. “He left his Wild West show to work for Marsh for half a year.” He paused and snorted in contempt. “The man's no threat. I don't know how the hell he convinced Marsh he's a shootist.”
    “Well, he did kill something like a thousand buffalo,” remarked Roosevelt.
    Younger pointed a forefinger toward Roosevelt's ear and pretended to fire it with his thumb. “Riding up and sticking the muzzle of your rifle in a buff's ear when he's grazing ain't the same as shooting someone who's aiming a gun or an arrow at you,” said Younger decisively. “But I figure the real reason old man Marsh got Cody is publicity. There've been three times as many stories about him and his finds than about Mr. Cope and what he's dug up.”
    A happy smile spread across Roosevelt's face.
    “What are you grinning at, Theodore?” asked Holliday.
    “After spending time with a bunch of politicians who would even hedge their bets before declaring that night follows day, you have no idea how pleasant it is to be out here with a pair of shootists who call a spade a spade.”
    “You a politician?” asked Younger.
    “One of the best,” said Holliday before Roosevelt could answer.
    “Really?” said Younger. He paused and thought about it for a moment. “Well, I don't suppose it's much worse than being a shootist.”
    “You're going to hear a lot more about this young man if you live long enough,” said Holliday. “He's not only a successful politician, but he's one of the country's leading ornithologists and taxidermists.”
    “Whatever they are,” said Younger.
    “And when he was a volunteer deputy in the Dakota Badlands, he went out unarmed in a blizzard and brought in three armed killers.”
    Younger stared at Roosevelt. “I'm starting to get impressed.”
    “He's also written some books about the opening of the West,” continued Holliday.
    “If one of them says Jesse James was on the Northfield, Minnesota, raid, I'm less impressed,” said Younger with a smile.
    “I haven't gotten to that yet,” said Roosevelt.
    “Good,” said Younger decisively. “Now you'll write the true story.”
    “He also wrote the definitive treatise on naval warfare,” said Holliday.
    “Okay, okay, he's a good writer. I hear you.” He paused and flashed a smile at Roosevelt. “That makes two of us.”
    “He was also the lightweight boxing champion at Harvard,” concluded Holliday.
    “Lightweight? That was a few pounds ago,” noted Younger.
    “Want to go a few rounds with him?” asked Holliday with a smile.
    Younger took a good look at Roosevelt, his barrel chest, his muscular arms, the muscles in his neck, and shook his head. “No, I wouldn't want to hurt him.”
    “Oh, that's a very good answer,” laughed Holliday. “I guess I'm sitting with two politicians.”
    All three men laughed at that.
    “So what exactly are you doing here, Doc?” asked Younger