Moontrap - Don Berry Read Online Free PDF Page B

which it came: half a dozen men, standing around
nervously. One of them, small and wiry, shook his fist
indiscriminately at everyone who passed—Indians, military and
militia alike—while he shouted curses. Monday leaned over in the
saddle and spat on the ground.
    The man continued, raising himself to a peak of
obscenity as the wagonload of prisoners passed. Around him the other
men were muttering and shuffling their feet in the dusty street.
Occasionally the man would glance at them slyly, with a half-grin,
looking for their approval. It was absurd. But it could get worse.
    Monday looked over at Devaux, tilted his head toward
the frenzied shouter ahead. Devaux nodded and they kicked up their
horses and rode ahead along the line to the little group, and reined
up in front of them. Devaux leaned out of the saddle.
    "Eh, my friend," he said, his voice
lilting, a wide smile on his face. "Not so loud wi' the noise,
eh? You waking up the bébé "
    The man scowled at him, his fists clenched. "Dirty
murderin' red swine!" he snarled, looking at the line. "Kill
'em, the murderers!"
    " Eh, but my friend. Do not derange yourself—"
    " Hangin's nothin', they ought t' be drawn and
quartered," the man said to Devaux. He raised his voice to a
shout again, shaking his fist in the air. "Hang 'em, hang 'em."
    Monday eased his horse up between Devaux and the
standing man, so the animal's shoulder was almost pressing against
the other's chest, making him step back. The man looked angrily up at
Monday Monday said coldly, "Just what the hell do you think we're going t' do with 'em?"
    The man looked down at the ground, muttering, then
turned to his friends for support. They were mostly interested in
something else. A voice said vaguely "Ah, hell. It's gettin'
late .... "
    Monday and Devaux set their horses into a walk again,
moving up the line. When they had gone fifty feet they heard the
man's voice raised again behind them.
    "An' you goddam mountain men are no better!
Bunch o' dirty Indians your own selves! Hang the lot o' you an' be
done with it! "
    Neither of them turned.
    A sergeant riding down the line wheeled his horse and
came alongside. "Where's your cap, mister?"
    " I lost it," Monday told him.
    "Mister, that's United States property. You'll
have to pay for that cap."
    Monday closed his eyes and his fists tightened on the
reins. "See my lawyer."
    " Real funny," the sergeant said. "Don't
get—"
    Devaux took off his cap and placed it on Monday's
head. " Voila ,"
he said. "The chapeau ,
he is found. Ver' simple." He smiled ingratiatingly
    " All right, you smart bastard. Where's yours?"
    Devaux reached over again and took the cap from
Monday and put it on his own dark head. He spread his hands. " Le
voila ."
    The sergeant was genuinely angry now. "Both of
you wise bastards better come with—"
    Through clenched teeth Monday said, "Move on,
sojer. just move on is all." His eyes were still closed.
    The sergeant looked at the sharp ridges of muscle
standing out on Monday's jaw, and the white-knuckled fists clutching
the reins. He frowned, puzzled by the violence. "Mister, you're
going to pay for that cap, I'll guarantee you," he said, but he
turned his horse and rode down the line.
    Slowly Monday relaxed, letting out his breath in a
long ragged sigh.
    " I'm goin' home, Rainy," he said finally.
"I got a bellyful o' this shit. I can't take any more."
    Devaux shrugged. "Is ver' late, you arrive,"
he said.
    "I want to see Mary."
    He yanked viciously on the reins, turning the animal
back down the street. The horse had been broken Indian-style and had
only two gaits, walk and full gallop. Monday kicked him up into a
thundering gallop, tearing past the last of the slow-moving line and
maintaining the frantic pace until he had passed out of the end of
town and was once again on the moonlit road.
    Devaux watched him go, then turned back to follow the
procession up to the jail, where he was interested in watching the
prisoners come down.
    " Is all