The Two Devils Read Online Free PDF Page A

black carriage rode up next to me. The door opened. Though I didn't recognize the driver, I certainly did know the passenger in back. I climbed on board. It felt so good to sit down. “Boy am I glad to see you."
    "You know, Miles, I don't recall anyone ever telling me that before,” Nick said.
    "I had it.” I pointed my thumb back toward town. “In the dry goods store. I had it. Then Clyde shows up with a gun."
    "Who is this Clyde?” Nick asked.
    "The miner that busted through the wall of hell."
    Nick nodded. “Tall fellow."
    "That's him.” I eased back into the quite comfortable seat.
    "Miles, I really need that chest back, before fools like this Clyde get it opened,” Nick said. “I think, perhaps, you need some help in your task."
    "Help?"
    "Well, I think you need an equal footing, so to speak. Walking around the desolate sites of the Great Basin Desert, well it's too time consuming, Miles. We need results.” Nick snapped his fingers, and the carriage stopped.
    I noticed there was a tall black stallion grazing next to the road. It had a black and silver saddle on its back. A new rifle stuck out of the saddlebags.
    "Miles, there's money in those saddlebags. Now, I do expect a receipt for all expenditures."
    "Did I mention I'm afraid of horses?"
    Nick buried his hands in his face. Then he let out a sigh. He opened his door and climbed out. “This horse is named Paul."
    "Paul?"
    "Yes, Paul. That's his name.” Nick snapped his fingers, and the horse came right over to him. “Paul, this is Miles. Serve him well."
    The horse scraped its front hooves on the ground and nodded its head. Then he looked me over and shook his head from side to side.
    "Make the best of it.” I wasn't sure if he was addressing me or the horse. Nick climbed back inside the carriage. “And, there's a six-gun in the saddle bag."
    "I don't really know how to shoot."
    He sort of groaned when he closed the door. He rapped on the roof, and the carriage took off, leaving me standing there with this really big horse.
    "Well, here we are.” I approached the horse named Paul and climbed up on the saddle. “Well, get up then.” The horse started off down the road. I wanted him to know he could go where he wanted. I didn't have any idea where to go anyhow. And I sure wasn't one to argue with him.
    So, we headed off toward Reno. Reno was becoming more of a regular town, with real buildings that had walls made from wood instead of the canvas tents I was getting used to in mining camps. Paul strolled down Virginia Avenue like he knew what he was doing. “Let's put you in the livery stable and I'll find a real, honest-to-goodness hotel for the night.” I decided to splurge. I doubted they had an otel. I figured you only found them in rundown little towns.
    I found myself a hotel room and stretched out on the bed. The room afforded a nice view of the street. I would've liked to have gone to a café to get something to eat. Since I was out of my money, I just laid there gazing out the window. If Nick had left money in the saddlebag, I sure couldn't find it. After a few hours of this, I noticed my horse mosey by. He was by himself, with saddle. That got my attention. I raced down the stairs and out the front door. The horse was way down the street, peering through a window of a gambling saloon. I was out of breath when I caught up.
    I noticed a saloon girl was taking a large tray of drinks upstairs. Most of the time, most folks don't go upstairs with saloon girls to do a lot of drinking. Either there was a private poker game, or something sinister was going on. “I'll check it out; be out back,” I told the horse.
    Folks never paid me no mind when I entered a place. But I did get some suspicious looks when I started up the stairs. I figured I'd just look like I knew what I was doing, and no one would bother me. There were five rooms up there. The question was, which room? I didn't want to interrupt a fellow enjoying the fruits of his hard work in some