The Cowboy and the Cossack (Nancy Pearl's Book Lust Rediscoveries) Read Online Free PDF Page A

take advantage of them. And Crab Smith could have been a honey to kid, because his first name, which was a subject of grouchy, secret concern to him, was Jehovah. But by the time Crab’s name came up we were all too mad at Yakolev to pretend any kind of a sense of humor.
    And then Yakolev called a name that sure as hell threw me.
    “Marvin Samuel Shapiro!”
    A bunch of us looked at each other, kind of puzzled, and then Sammy the Kid stepped forward.
    “That’s me,” he said.
    “This name is Jewish,” Yakolev said, saying it so it sounded like “Ziss name’s Hooish.” But I don’t even want to bother about the way he talked anymore.
    “You’re damn right it’s Jewish,” Sammy said. “And so am I.”
    “Then you admit it!” Yakolev seemed pleased at finally finding a name he could, in his own mind, legitimately find some fault with. He repeated it, shaking his head. “Marvin Samuel Shapiro. For your own safety, I cannot allow you into Russia.”
    Shad had been just about ready to fight for some time, and now he leaned forward, knuckles down, on the table whereYakolev was sitting. His voice was low. “These men have all been given clearance by my country and by your consulate. With these papers, you cannot refuse us entrance.”
    Yakolev raised his hands up in mock concern. “But I cannot, in my small authority, guarantee this man’s safety.”
    “I’ll take my chances with my friends,” Sammy said.
    “You can’t guarantee any safety for any of us!” Shad stood back from the table, his jaw muscles tight and hard. “We’re taking our cattle over a thousand miles into Russia, and your ‘small authority’ won’t last half a mile out of Vladivostok.”
    “But I do rule here.” Yakolev smiled his smile that looked like he was ready to bite something. “Perhaps if we talked about it privately.”
    Shad leaned on the table again. Now his voice was not only low, but deadly. “I will not pay you one goddamn penny, mister!”
    Yakolev said quickly, “I did not suggest that!”
    Shad tensed forward, like a mountain lion about to spring. “Those Sea Papers are in order.”
    “Yes.” Yakolev stood nervously, moving away from the table to where his two men were waiting near the railing. “The papers are in order. Your men and animals can enter the port of Vladivostok and go into Russia.”
    “Good,” Captain Barum said, relieved. “We’ll arrange to dock immediately.”
    Yakolev started toward the rope ladder, then turned back before he answered. “I’m afraid that’s impossible.” He looked at Shad, his eyes malicious under those two thick eyebrows. “As Harbor Master, you have my permission to enter—sometime.” Then he looked at the captain. “In my judgment, the bad seas are too heavy for you to put in tonight. Serious damage could happen in docking, to your ship and my wharf. Perhaps tomorrow—or the next day.”
    “I can’t wait until tomorrow!” Captain Barum protested.
    “It may be many days, or weeks.” Yakolev rubbed a thick eyebrow.
    “You know I can’t wait here indefinitely!”
    Yakolev raised his shoulders helplessly. “That is your decision, Captain.” Then he turned quickly and hurried down the ladder, his two men following.
    There was a long silence as Yakolev’s men rowed away from the Great Eastern Queen. Finally Shad said, “Could you dock your ship in there all right, Captain?”
    Barum nodded, his face grim. “Certainly I could. But not without his permission.”
    “What the hell we gonna do now, boss?” Slim asked.
    “There’s only one thing you can do,” Captain Barum said. “I’ll take you back to Japan on the Queen— no extra tariff. And you can make whatever plans about your cattle and getting back to America from there.”
    “Our outfit’s been paid t’ deliver a herd a’ longhorns a thousand miles into Siberia,” Shad said quietly, “and we’re gonna deliver ’em.
    “I tell you I can’t put ashore!” Captain Barum’s voice