Wanted! Belle Starr! by J.T. Edson

good
looking young jasper, you can likely take ’em one at a time and
come through it alive. Was I you though, for all you’ll be wanting
to put Winnie down without gunplay if you can, I’d have that
sawed-off scattergun ready to use was you able to bust in on her.
Don’t take chances, or it’ll be you and not her’s winds up
dead.”
    “ How do you know—?” Icke
began, but was unable to prevent himself from glancing at the
bundle he was carrying.
    “ Mister,” the Oklahoman
drawled, having come to a halt on indicating he had brought the
receiver to their destination. “You might get away with toting the
scatter like you’re doing it now back east, but it shows real plain
to anybody’s‘s been raised west of the Big Muddy. Which I don’t
blame you one lil mite for having it. Fact being, I wouldn’t want
to go up against them two good ole gals, not even one at a time,
any other way myself. Well, I reckon I’ve earned my money and it’s
time for me to be on my way.”
    “ Aren’t you going to wait
until I’ve made sure they’re there?”
    “ Nope!”
    “ No?”
    “ Mister,” the Oklahoman
drawled, his manner warning he would not change his mind. “I know
they’re there and reckon whatever comes off’s between you and them.
Which being, I’m going about my own doings and leaving you to
your’n!”
    While the final part of the
conversation was taking place, never being willing to part with
money unnecessarily, Icke was tempted to fell his guide the moment
their separation was commenced. Then he concluded that such a
course might prove to be most ill-advised. Struck from behind, the
way in which the attack was to be carried out, the hat worn by the
Oklahoman would offer some protection for his head. Unless he was
rendered hors de combat by the first blow, the shack was not more than
thirty yards away and the commotion which would almost certainly
ensue might be heard inside. The same would also apply if the
assault was successful. Furthermore, should his intentions be
discovered, the receiver felt sure a painful retribution would be
forthcoming immediately and his intended victim had weapons far
more readily accessible than his own. Having taken the
contingencies into account, therefore, he put the idea from his
thoughts.
    Even if Icke had elected to go ahead with
his proposed attack, he would not have had the chance. Clearly
having anticipated something of the kind, or possessing a natural
disinclination to be trusting, the Oklahoman stepped backwards
until well beyond reaching distance as he was making his final
declaration. Then, nodding in farewell, he swung around and strode
rapidly away in the direction from which they had come.
    Putting aside thoughts of trying to regain
possession of the money paid for the information, the receiver told
himself that he must have his bodyguard find and kill its donor.
Although he had been seen to be on good terms with the beautiful
blonde at the hotel, nobody else could connect him directly with
the double murder he was hoping to commit. And, if the man had
tricked him, he would want to have him killed as punishment.
    While reaching his conclusions, Icke was
unrolling the cloak from around the whip gun. Donning the garment
he found, much to his satisfaction, that it was sufficiently
voluminous to cover him from head to foot and completely hide his
masculine attire. Then, although he was hoping to use it as a club
rather than a firearm against at least Winnie O’Toole, he cocked
both hammers before concealing the weapon by drawing the cloak
around it.
    On stepping forward, the receiver discovered
that his informant had not lied where one point was concerned.
Passing through the gate in the rickety picket fence, although
there was no tree anywhere in the immediate vicinity, he found the
ground was coated with dried leaves which made a noticeable
crackling sound as he took a step on to them. The Oklahoman had
claimed that refusing to help gather and spread them