trigger yourself.’
‘Well,’ Lance said. ‘That’s a mighty dandy tall tale, but I’ve got no time for this. But for the record I don’t know any men called Jim and Clay, but if there is a dead man back at the Bowen place then that concerns me. That’s my property now and as for the doc—’
Arkansas cut Lance off mid speech when he pointed a finger directly at the man.
‘Cut the hogwash,’ he said. ‘I know what you are and I know the bill of sale you have for Will’s place is a forgery.’
‘I don’t much like your tone, mister,’ Lance said, obviously having given up any attempt to hold his back his anger. ‘I bought McCord’s property fair and square. Now I’m a law-abiding man, but as from dawn tomorrow your friend will be a squatter and it’s within my rights to have the law remove him from my land. And believe me, Arkansas Smith, we do things the correct way around here. When I come to McCord’s place I will have the law right beside me. And that law will enforce my legal and proper entitlement to McCord’s place.’
‘A law you control.’
‘On the contray, Lance said. ‘A law that does what’s right. We don’t want the likes of you and your friend around here. This place is intended for good people to live, not drifters like you. Nor, for that matter, small-time sod busters like McCord.’
Arkansas allowed his eyes to scan each and every man present before settling back on John Lance. To a man they fidgeted when his eyes fell on them and the tension in the air seemed to thicken somewhat.
He shifted in his saddle and shook his head.
‘I plan to get Sheriff Hackman to arrest you for conspiracy to murder,’ Arkansas said. ‘And then I’m going to bring charges of forgery, land grabbing and attempted murder.’ Arkansas leaned forward on his horse and again pointed a finger directly at John Lance. ‘I’m going to ensure you hang, John Lance. You’ll swing from the hemp like the common thief you are.’
The men laughed at that, but the look of sheermalevolence they received from their boss stilled their hilarity. Lance’s complexion had turned redder than the approaching sunset and his eyes blazed like the fires of hell itself. He had to bite down hard on his lip to keep himself under control.
‘You’re on my land now,’ Lance said. ‘And I don’t take to saddle bums coming around with all sort of fancy accusations. Go now and take your gibberish with you or—’
Arkansas stopped him once again in mid speech. ‘Or what?’ he snarled.
Things may have progressed further at that point; it seemed that gunplay was inevitable, but then Arkansas saw a woman come out of the ranch house and stand on the boardwalk, looking puzzled at the mêlée before her.
Arkansas recognized her immediately as Rebecca.
‘Daddy?’ she said, in that drawl of hers and stepped down onto the dirt. She came closer to John Lance and then stopped dead when she saw Arkansas, their eyes locked and a look of sheer incomprehension crossed her face. For a moment it seemed as if she was about to say something, but no words came forth and the look of confusion on her face intensified.
Daddy! She was Lance’s daughter!
Arkansas felt his stomach churn. A sharp stabbing pain in his chest that he didn’t fully understand followed this. He shook his head to clear his befuddled mind but it did no good. He was stunned and felt as if a ten-pound hammer had struck him. The feelings disturbed him and the sight of Rebeccastanding there stirred up conflicting emotions.
Without saying another word he turned his horse and galloped back the way he had come.
SEVENTEEN
John Lance crossed the room and placed the oil lamp on the mantel. He rubbed his hands down his trousers and looked at Jake, his foreman.
‘Get Jim in here,’ he said. Since the man had returned earlier he had not had a chance to speak to him, what with Arkansas Smith and then having to explain the situation to his daughter.
‘Sure thing,’
‘Well,’ Lance said. ‘That’s a mighty dandy tall tale, but I’ve got no time for this. But for the record I don’t know any men called Jim and Clay, but if there is a dead man back at the Bowen place then that concerns me. That’s my property now and as for the doc—’
Arkansas cut Lance off mid speech when he pointed a finger directly at the man.
‘Cut the hogwash,’ he said. ‘I know what you are and I know the bill of sale you have for Will’s place is a forgery.’
‘I don’t much like your tone, mister,’ Lance said, obviously having given up any attempt to hold his back his anger. ‘I bought McCord’s property fair and square. Now I’m a law-abiding man, but as from dawn tomorrow your friend will be a squatter and it’s within my rights to have the law remove him from my land. And believe me, Arkansas Smith, we do things the correct way around here. When I come to McCord’s place I will have the law right beside me. And that law will enforce my legal and proper entitlement to McCord’s place.’
‘A law you control.’
‘On the contray, Lance said. ‘A law that does what’s right. We don’t want the likes of you and your friend around here. This place is intended for good people to live, not drifters like you. Nor, for that matter, small-time sod busters like McCord.’
Arkansas allowed his eyes to scan each and every man present before settling back on John Lance. To a man they fidgeted when his eyes fell on them and the tension in the air seemed to thicken somewhat.
He shifted in his saddle and shook his head.
‘I plan to get Sheriff Hackman to arrest you for conspiracy to murder,’ Arkansas said. ‘And then I’m going to bring charges of forgery, land grabbing and attempted murder.’ Arkansas leaned forward on his horse and again pointed a finger directly at John Lance. ‘I’m going to ensure you hang, John Lance. You’ll swing from the hemp like the common thief you are.’
The men laughed at that, but the look of sheermalevolence they received from their boss stilled their hilarity. Lance’s complexion had turned redder than the approaching sunset and his eyes blazed like the fires of hell itself. He had to bite down hard on his lip to keep himself under control.
‘You’re on my land now,’ Lance said. ‘And I don’t take to saddle bums coming around with all sort of fancy accusations. Go now and take your gibberish with you or—’
Arkansas stopped him once again in mid speech. ‘Or what?’ he snarled.
Things may have progressed further at that point; it seemed that gunplay was inevitable, but then Arkansas saw a woman come out of the ranch house and stand on the boardwalk, looking puzzled at the mêlée before her.
Arkansas recognized her immediately as Rebecca.
‘Daddy?’ she said, in that drawl of hers and stepped down onto the dirt. She came closer to John Lance and then stopped dead when she saw Arkansas, their eyes locked and a look of sheer incomprehension crossed her face. For a moment it seemed as if she was about to say something, but no words came forth and the look of confusion on her face intensified.
Daddy! She was Lance’s daughter!
Arkansas felt his stomach churn. A sharp stabbing pain in his chest that he didn’t fully understand followed this. He shook his head to clear his befuddled mind but it did no good. He was stunned and felt as if a ten-pound hammer had struck him. The feelings disturbed him and the sight of Rebeccastanding there stirred up conflicting emotions.
Without saying another word he turned his horse and galloped back the way he had come.
SEVENTEEN
John Lance crossed the room and placed the oil lamp on the mantel. He rubbed his hands down his trousers and looked at Jake, his foreman.
‘Get Jim in here,’ he said. Since the man had returned earlier he had not had a chance to speak to him, what with Arkansas Smith and then having to explain the situation to his daughter.
‘Sure thing,’
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