Molly Noble Bull Read Online Free PDF Page A

surrounded the crippled stagecoach.
    “Everybody out with your hands up,” a bandit with gray hair shouted down from his horse. “And be quick about it.”
    Jeth tucked his pistol in the waistband of his trousers. “Do whatever they tell you to do, Miss McCall,” he whispered. “This is not the time to try anything risky.”
    Honor stepped down from the stage and stood between Jeth and Annie Carr. When she raised her hands above her head, she noticed that the edge of one bill protruded from the cuff of her dress.
    Two of the robbers had dismounted. A young-looking man with a pimply face above a red bandanna held a basket that reminded Honor of the one she had discarded back in Falling Rock. Another outlaw stood beside him, aiming a gun at the hostages. The man with gray hair remained atop a big, reddish horse. He held a rifle on the group as well.
    “Put all your money and valuables in the basket there,” he ordered them. “And hurry up, or you’ll be sorry.”
    When Honor thought nobody was watching, she attempted to push the money back in the cuff of her dress. The next moment, everything went black.

Chapter Three
    L ucas awoke with a jerk. Someone was pounding on his front door.
    “All right, all right,” he shouted. “Hold on to your horses. I’m comin’!”
    He sat up. A massive headache made him wish he were still flat on his back. He pressed a hand over his forehead and looked around. He was shivering on the hard kitchen floor. Had he been there all night?
    He stumbled to his feet. His legs felt like jam. Slowly, he made his way to the door and opened it. An icy wind swept inside. His shoulders shook from the cold.
    The grave diggers he had hired stood on his porch. All three men wore dark clothing, gloves, and something furry-looking covered their ears.
    “Mr. Scythe,” the tallest one said. “Remember me? Hector Brown?” He motioned toward the other two. “And these are my brothers, Joey and Abner. We hate to botheryou at a time like this, but you forgot to pay us for burying your wife yesterday.” He handed Lucas a sheet of paper.
    “A bill?”
    Hector nodded.
    “Oh, yes. The money.” Lucas searched for something to say, to stall for time. “You’ll have to excuse me. I ain’t feelin’ well today.”
    Hector nodded again. Joey and Abner just stood behind their brother, staring at Lucas.
    Lucas shook his head. If it ain’t one thing, it’s somethin’ worse, he thought. “Wait here, and I’ll go see what I can do.”
    He started to close the door, to shut out the chill, but when he saw the hard look of warning in Hector’s eyes, he left it open.
    Lucas stormed into the kitchen and grabbed the cookie jar, one of the places Harriet liked to hide money. He removed the wooden lid of the clay pot and tossed it on the floor. Then he poured out the contents of the jar. Broken cookies, crumbs, and a sprinkling of sugar spilled onto the table. A few coins clinked together. They rolled around and stopped.
    He scooped up the money and counted it. Thirty-six cents. He winced. The diggers expected more. Well, there was nothing he could do about that now.
    Lucas pasted a smile on his face and walked back to the door. “Here’s thirty-six cents. Sorry, I know it ain’t enough. But it’s all I’ve got until I sell them calves I’ve been feedin’. This’ll have to hold you ’til then.”
    Hector Brown stepped forward, filling the doorway. “We expected to be paid in full. When will we get the rest?”
    “As soon as I can find the time to drive my calves intotown and sell ’em.” Lucas grabbed the door and began to swing it shut as he spoke. “I’ll keep in touch. And much obliged to ya.”
    “Wait, Mr. Scythe.” With the toe of his black boot, Hector prevented the door from closing all the way. “We’ll be back. You can be sure about that.”
    When Lucas finally closed the door, he leaned against it for a moment, listening to the three men depart. He felt hungry as well as cold.