Rowdy Rides to Glory (1987) Read Online Free PDF Page B

knew, for Aragon. Yet when he arrived , the sheriffs office was deserted. He walked down the street, but could find him nowhere.
    Eager to be back with Vaho, and worried about her-for he realized that the dead rustler' s friends might trail them-Rowdy finally abandoned his quest for the sheriff and returne d to the Point of Rocks. Together they rode on to the Slash Bar.
    Riding into the yard, he called out, but there was no reply. Neil Rice was evidentl y away. Rowdy swung down, and wearily the girl dismounted. He stripped the saddle s and bridles from the sweat-stained horses and turned all three of them into the corral.
    He and Vaho walked toward the house, but Vaho halted suddenly.
    "Rowdy," she said, "I'm as tired as can be, but I should be going back to the Indians.
    Cleetus was to come today, and he'll be worried about me."
    "All right." He turned back and saddled a paint horse for her to ride. As she sa t in the saddle, he took her hand. "Vaho," he said, "you've been swell. I didn't kno w they made them like you."
    "It's all right. I liked doing it."
    "Look," he said. "After the rodeo there's a big dance. Will you go with me?"
    Her eyes brightened. "Oh, Rowdy! I'd love to! A dance! Why, I haven't danced sinc e I left Boston! Of course, I'll go!" When she was out of sight in the gathering dusk , he turne d back again toward the cabin. Opening the door he walked in. The place was hot an d stuffy, so he left the door open. Striking a match, he lit the coal-oil lamp, the n turned around to replace it in the bracket. With the lamp in his hand, he stopped , riveted to the spot.
    There on the floor of his cabin lay the body of a dead man. The red-shirted man h e had killed at the hideout!
    But how on earth had he come here? Rowdy did not even hear the approaching horse s until a voice spoke abruptly be hind him: "Here! What's this?"
    Turning, he found Sheriff Ben Wells staring from him to the body.
    "What's happened here?" demanded the lawman. "Who is this hombre?"
    Behind Wells was Bart Luby and Mike McNulty. "That's cold-blooded killing, Ben!"
    Luby said triumphantly. "This man was shot in the back."
    "He was not!" Horn declared hotly. "He was left side toward me, and he fired, the n started to move. My bullet went in where you see it, back of his arm."
    "It's still in his back!" Luby said. "And," he added grimly, we have only your stor y for it. You say he fired a shot. Why, his gun's still in its holster!"
    "He wasn't killed here!" Horn said angrily. "This hombre grabbed Vaho Rainey whe n we were ridin' back of the Rim. I rushed up to help and he drew and fired. He misse d and I shot and killed him!"
    Sheriff Wells knelt beside the body. Drawing the gun, he checked it, then looke d up, his face grave.
    "This gun is fully loaded," he said, "and hasn't been fired!" "What?" Rowdy was dumbfounded.
    "Why, that couldn't be.
    He-" He shrugged. "Well, I reckon the man or men who brought him here changed gun s with him."
    Wells gnawed at his gray mustache. Secretly, he had always liked Rowdy Horn as muc h as he disliked Bart Luby, but this story was out of all reason.
    "You mean to say," he demanded, that you killed this man back of the Rim? And tha t somebody packed his carcass down here and dumped him on you?"
    "That's exactly what happened!" Rowdy Horn said flatly. "It's the only way it coul d have happened."
    Luby laughed. "Give him credit for being original, Ben. But he certainly hasn't muc h respect for your intelligence, to try a story like that."
    "You'll have to come into town, son," Wells said, his voice hardening. "This wil l have to be explained."
    "But you can't put me in jail!" Rowdy pleaded. "Think, man! The rodeo's tomorrow."
    "You should have thought of that," Luby suggested, "before you killed this man. Anyway , that's no excuse. Your ropin' horse is laid up, so you can't compete!"
    On the verge of bursting out with an explanation about Silverside, he caught himsel f just in time. If he had to go to jail, and