Collection 1986 - The Trail To Crazy Man (v5.0) by Louis L’Amour Page A
Authors: Louis L’Amour
Tags: Usenet
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learnin’ a few things. When we get answers to some of the messages you sent, and some I sent, we should know more. Borger wouldn’t let Caradec off that ship willingly after he knew Rodney. I think he deserted. I think we can get something on him for mutiny, and that means hangin’.”
“Maybe you can,” Gomer agreed. “You show me you’re holdin’ good cards, and I’ll back you to the limit.”
Bruce Barkow walked out on the street and watched Pod Gomer’s retreating back. Gomer, at least, he understood. He knew the man had no use for him, but if he could show evidence that he was to win, then Gomer would be a powerful ally. Judge Gargan would go as Gomer went and would always adopt the less violent means.
The cards were on the table now. Dan Shute was running things. What he would do, Barkow was not sure. He realized suddenly, with no little trepidation, that after all his association with Shute he knew little of what went on behind the hard brutality of the rancher’s face. Yet he was not a man to lag or linger. What he did would be sudden, brutal, and thorough, but it would make a perfect shield under which he, Barkow, could operate and carry to fulfillment his own plans.
Dan Shute’s abrupt statement of his purpose in regard to Ann Rodney had jolted Barkow. Somehow, he had taken Ann for granted. He had always planned a marriage. That he wanted her land was true. Perhaps better than Shute he knew what oil might mean in the future, and Barkow was a farsighted man. But Ann Rodney was lovely and interesting. She would be a good wife for him.
There was one way he could defeat Dan Shute on that score—to marry Ann at once.
True, it might precipitate a killing, but already Bruce Barkow was getting ideas on that score. He was suddenly less disturbed about Rafe Caradec than about Dan Shute. The rancher loomed large and formidable in his mind. He knew the brutality of the man, had seen him kill, and knew with what coldness he regarded people and animals.
Bruce Barkow made up his mind. Come what may, he was going to marry Ann Rodney.
He could, he realized, marry her and get her clear away from here. His mind leaped ahead. Flight to the northwest to the gold camps would be foolhardy, and to the Utah country would be as bad. In either case, Shute might and probably would overtake him. There remained another way out, and one that Shute probably would never suspect—he could strike for Fort Phil Kearney not far distant and then, with or without a scouting party for escort, could head across country and reach the Yellowstone. Or he might even try the nearer Powder River.
A steamer had ascended the Yellowstone earlier that year, and there was every chance that another would come. If not, with a canoe or barge they could head downstream until they encountered such a boat and buy passage to St. Louis.
Ann and full title to the lands would be in his hands then, and he could negotiate a sale or leasing of the land from a safe distance. The more he thought of this, the more he was positive it remained the only solution for him.
____________
L ET GOMER THINK what he would. Let Dan Shute believe him content with a minor role. He would go ahead with his plans, then strike suddenly and swiftly, and be well on his way before Shute realized what had happened. Once he made the fort, he would be in the clear. Knowing the officers as well as he did, he was sure he could get an escort to the river.
He had never seen the Yellowstone, nor did he know much about either that river or the Powder River. But they had been used by many men as a high road to the West, and he could use a river as an escape to the East.
Carefully he considered the plan. There were preparations to be made. Every angle must be considered. At his ranch were horses enough. He would borrow Baker’s buckboard to take Ann for a ride. Then, at his ranch, they would mount and be off. With luck they would be well on their way before anyone so much as guessed
“Maybe you can,” Gomer agreed. “You show me you’re holdin’ good cards, and I’ll back you to the limit.”
Bruce Barkow walked out on the street and watched Pod Gomer’s retreating back. Gomer, at least, he understood. He knew the man had no use for him, but if he could show evidence that he was to win, then Gomer would be a powerful ally. Judge Gargan would go as Gomer went and would always adopt the less violent means.
The cards were on the table now. Dan Shute was running things. What he would do, Barkow was not sure. He realized suddenly, with no little trepidation, that after all his association with Shute he knew little of what went on behind the hard brutality of the rancher’s face. Yet he was not a man to lag or linger. What he did would be sudden, brutal, and thorough, but it would make a perfect shield under which he, Barkow, could operate and carry to fulfillment his own plans.
Dan Shute’s abrupt statement of his purpose in regard to Ann Rodney had jolted Barkow. Somehow, he had taken Ann for granted. He had always planned a marriage. That he wanted her land was true. Perhaps better than Shute he knew what oil might mean in the future, and Barkow was a farsighted man. But Ann Rodney was lovely and interesting. She would be a good wife for him.
There was one way he could defeat Dan Shute on that score—to marry Ann at once.
True, it might precipitate a killing, but already Bruce Barkow was getting ideas on that score. He was suddenly less disturbed about Rafe Caradec than about Dan Shute. The rancher loomed large and formidable in his mind. He knew the brutality of the man, had seen him kill, and knew with what coldness he regarded people and animals.
Bruce Barkow made up his mind. Come what may, he was going to marry Ann Rodney.
He could, he realized, marry her and get her clear away from here. His mind leaped ahead. Flight to the northwest to the gold camps would be foolhardy, and to the Utah country would be as bad. In either case, Shute might and probably would overtake him. There remained another way out, and one that Shute probably would never suspect—he could strike for Fort Phil Kearney not far distant and then, with or without a scouting party for escort, could head across country and reach the Yellowstone. Or he might even try the nearer Powder River.
A steamer had ascended the Yellowstone earlier that year, and there was every chance that another would come. If not, with a canoe or barge they could head downstream until they encountered such a boat and buy passage to St. Louis.
Ann and full title to the lands would be in his hands then, and he could negotiate a sale or leasing of the land from a safe distance. The more he thought of this, the more he was positive it remained the only solution for him.
____________
L ET GOMER THINK what he would. Let Dan Shute believe him content with a minor role. He would go ahead with his plans, then strike suddenly and swiftly, and be well on his way before Shute realized what had happened. Once he made the fort, he would be in the clear. Knowing the officers as well as he did, he was sure he could get an escort to the river.
He had never seen the Yellowstone, nor did he know much about either that river or the Powder River. But they had been used by many men as a high road to the West, and he could use a river as an escape to the East.
Carefully he considered the plan. There were preparations to be made. Every angle must be considered. At his ranch were horses enough. He would borrow Baker’s buckboard to take Ann for a ride. Then, at his ranch, they would mount and be off. With luck they would be well on their way before anyone so much as guessed
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