Collection 1989 - Long Ride Home (v5.0) Read Online Free PDF Page B

and back again. “I knew it must be you. Nobody else gets around so early.”
    â€œ
You
seem to,” Kim said, smiling. “Are you the cook?”
    â€œSometimes. I usually get breakfast. Are…are you leaving today?”
    â€œNo.” Kim watched her movements. She was a slim, lovely girl with a trim figure and a soft, charming face. “We’re staying around.”
    For an instant she was still, listening. Then low-voiced, she said, “I wouldn’t. I would ride on, quickly. Today.”
    Both of the cowhands watched her now. “Why?” Kim asked. “Tell us.”
    â€œI can’t. But…but it…it’s dangerous here. They don’t like strangers stopping here. Especially now.”
    â€œWhat are you doing here? You don’t seem to fit in.”
    She hesitated again, listening. “I have to stay. My father died owing them money. I have to work it out, and then I can go. If I tried to leave now, they would bring me back. Besides, it wouldn’t be honest.”
    Kim Sartain looked surprised. “You think we should leave? I think
you
should leave. At once—by the next stage.”
    â€œI cannot. I…,” she hesitated, listening again.
    Kim looked up at her. “What about Johnny Farrow? Was he in love with Hazel, and she with him?”
    â€œHe may have been, but Hazel? She loves no one but herself, unless it is Matty. I doubt even that. She would do anything for money.”
    She went out to the kitchen and they heard the sound of frying eggs. Kim glanced around, reached for the coffee pot, and then filled his cup. As he did so, he heard footsteps crossing the road, and then the door opened and Matty Brown came in, followed by Verne Stecher. They dropped onto the bench across the table.
    Matty looked at Kim. “Up early, ain’t you? Figure on pullin’ out?”
    â€œWe’re going to stick around. We’re writin’ to Carson, maybe we, can get jobs ridin’ with the mail or express. Sounds like it might be interesting.”
    â€œYou seen Farrow. That look interesting?”
    Before Kim could reply, Ollie Morse came in with his father. They looked sharply at Kim and Bud and then sat down at the table. Finishing their meal, the two cowhands arose and went outside, drifting toward the stable.
    â€œJohnny Farrow,” Kim said suddenly, “started his ride ten miles west of here. He swapped horses here, and then again ten miles east, and as the next stretch was all up and down hill, rough mountain country, he finished his ride in just five miles on the third horse.
    â€œAll this route was mapped out and timed. They know those messages had to be read while in his possession, yet they couldn’t have been. Nobody had time to open those pouches, open a message and then seal both of them again in the time allowed. It just couldn’t be done. Unless…”
    â€œUnless what?”
    â€œUnless Johnny found a way to cut his time. All the way out here I’ve been studying this thing. He had to find some way to cut his time. Now he swapped horses here, an’ we know that everybody here is in the one family, so to speak. We know that Johnny was sweet on Hazel. No man likes to just wave at a girl; he likes to set over, coffee with her, talk a mite.
    â€œSuppose he found a way or somebody showed him a way he could cut his time? Suppose while he sat talkin’ to Hazel, these other hombres found a way to open the mail pouch?”
    Bud nodded and lit his cigarette. “Yeah,” he agreed, “it could have been done that way. Whatever was done, Johnny must have got wise. Then they killed him.”
    CHAPTER 4
    T HEY SADDLED UP and, mounting their horses, started down the trail to the west. Glancing back, Kim saw Ollie Morse standing on the porch shading his eyes after them. All morning there had been an idea in the back of Kim’s mind and now it came to the fore. He swung left into an