The Savage Curse Read Online Free PDF Page A

the town all riled up,” John said. “Hell, I didn’t see that he was totin’ a Bible. I thought it was a box of jewelry, or maybe cash.”
    Cruddy doubled over in laughter then. All but the breed laughed with him.
    The shadows grew long as the sun descended into the mountain-edged sky. The gunmen seemed to be in no hurry, but bound to make sport with their captives before killing and robbing them. John had no doubt he could pull his pistol and drop at least one or two of the men up on the bank, but he didn’t know if Ben could react fast enough to protect himself. He decided he’d better not risk it. Just play out the hand, he thought. At least the drygulchers seemed to be amused at his playacting. Maybe their sense of humor would prevail over their killer instincts. It was a long shot, but so far, none of the men had cocked a hammer or squeezed a trigger.
    â€œYou ever hear anything like that, Jubal?” Cruddy asked the man next to him.
    â€œDumber’n a sack full of rocks,” Jubal said.
    The men all chuckled.
    John’s palms began to sweat. He wanted his pistol in his hand so bad, he had to force himself to smile back at the men up on the bank. The two horses switched their tails and swatted at flies. One of them pawed the ground, impatient to get away from the darkening gully.
    Ben crinkled his nose, trying to relieve an itch without using his hand. He shifted the weight on his feet as one of them began to grow numb.
    â€œYou better get serious, Cruddy,” the breed said. He was sitting on a steeldust gray with cropped mane.
    â€œHell, Horky, I was just havin’ a little fun.”
    â€œWell, ask them if they seen Bud. He warn’t nowhere up on that mesa. Just his tracks.” This from the man on the buckskin, the one called Jubal.
    â€œI was getting to that. But . . .”
    John was trying to figure out who the leader of the bunch was. He couldn’t tell from the way they acted. Cruddy did all the talking. The breed didn’t say much, the one called Horky, and Jubal hadn’t taken charge. He was just watching, like the others.
    â€œBut what?” Jubal said.
    â€œI got a better question to ask.”
    â€œWell, go ahead and ask it then,” Jubal said.
    â€œYou boys got any money? Any greenbacks, silver, or gold?”
    â€œA little,” John said. “We were running short in Lordsburg and thought we’d pick up some cash. If it wasn’t for bad luck back there, we would have had no luck at all. We’re pretty broke.”
    John hoped he sounded convincing. He could almost hear Ben groan inwardly at the lies he was spewing. But he knew Ben was smart enough not to say a word. His arms were getting tired, holding them up like that. He wished one of the men holding guns on them would make some kind of move. Give him an excuse to go for his pistol. It would probably be the last thing he’d ever do, he thought.
    Then, to his surprise, Ben spoke.
    â€œWe ain’t et in two, three days,” Ben said.
    John could have kissed him.
    With those words, Ben had probably saved both their lives.

5
    SHADOWS BEGAN TO CRAWL UP THE EAST SIDE OF THE GULLY.
    â€œYou boys want something to eat?” Cruddy said. “Maybe get acquainted?”
    â€œThat would be better than standing here like a couple of scarecrows,” John said.
    â€œWe might have somethin’ in common,” Cruddy said. “What do you think, Jubal?”
    â€œIt’s okay by me, Cruddy.”
    â€œHorky?”
    â€œI could use some grub myself.”
    â€œMaybe we better lighten them up some before we let ’em ride with us,” the other man said, the quiet one on the buckskin.
    â€œYeah,” Cruddy said. “Set your rifles up here on the bank and unbuckle your gunbelts. Just until we know you better.”
    John hesitated. It could be a trick, he thought. If he let himself and Ben be disarmed, they wouldn’t have a