Town Tamers Read Online Free PDF Page B

was afraid that Byron wouldn’t back down as he should. She was about to motion him away when the batwings parted. It took a bit for what the drinkers and the card players were seeing to register, and then the place fell as quiet as a cemetery at midnight.
    Asa Delaware had that effect.

11

    T he Winchester lever-action shotgun in his right hand with the barrel on his shoulder, Asa surveyed the saloon. Instead of making straight for the bar, he circled and came up on the four people in the middle so that no one was between him and them.
    The two punchers had been alerted by the sudden silence. They were more curious than anything.
    “What’s with the artillery, mister?” Crusty asked.
    “The pair of you ride for the Circle K,” Asa said. He’d been given descriptions of the hands, especially the most notorious. “You’re Crusty Wilkins and this other is Jake Bass.”
    “What’s it to you?” Jake Bass said.
    “I’m Asa Delaware,” Asa said.
    “So?” Jake responded.
    “You look part Injun,” Crusty said.
    “I am.”
    “Which tribe?”
    “Why does everyone ask that?”
    Crusty shrugged. “Probably because a lot of folks, me included, don’t like redskins much. Which tribe is it?”
    “Guess,” Asa said.
    “Comanche?”
    “No.”
    “Kiowa?”
    “No.”
    “Lipan Apache, maybe? Or Caddo?”
    “No and no.”
    “Wichita?”
    Asa shook his head.
    “You don’t look Pueblo.”
    “I’m not.”
    “Damn. You must be from one of those faraway tribes. Which is it?”
    Jake Bass growled, “What the hell difference does it make? A breed is a breed.”
    “I was only askin’,” Crusty said.
    Asa looked at Byron and Noona. “You two might want to go over by the wall. Blood tends to splatter.”
    “Blood?” Crusty said.
    Noona plucked at Byron and when he didn’t move, she grabbed him and pulled him away.
    Only when they were out of the spread of the buckshot did Asa fix his complete attention on the cowboys. “I take it you’ve never heard of me.”
    “Mister,” Jake Bass said, “we don’t know you from Adam. But I’ve commenced to take a powerful dislike to you.”
    “You shouldn’t be in here,” Crusty said. “This ain’t a breed-friendly town.”
    “Friendly enough to hire me,” Asa said.
    “How’s that again?”
    “The Circle K blew out the wick of the last lawman and they haven’t been able to hire a replacement, so they brought me in.”
    “You’re a lawman?” Jake Bass said.
    “No,” Asa said. “I tame towns.”
    “You what?” Crusty said.
    “That’s what the newspapers call it. I don’t much like being wrote about, but the important thing is that I’ve been hired to put an end to your outfit.”
    “Put an end to the Circle K?” Crusty asked, and laughed.
    “All by your lonesome?” Jake Bass said.
    “I need to send a message to your employer, Knox, and to his ramrod, Bull Cumberland.”
    “This should be good,” Jake Bass said.
    “What’s the message?” Crusty asked.
    “I’m serving notice. Every Circle K hand with sense has one week from today to pack their war-bag and light a shuck. If they’re still around after that, I put them on the list.”
    “What list?” Crusty asked.
    “I call it my Boot Hill list.”
    “Listen to you,” Jake Bass sneered. “Who in hell do you think you are?”
    “I’ve already told you.”
    “Mister, you have sand,” Crusty said. “Not much brains but a lot of sand. We’ll give Mr. Knox and Bull your message. And then you’d best be ready for when we come ridin’ in to settle your hash.”
    “You misunderstood,” Asa said. “I didn’t say I want you to deliver the message. I said I need to send one. I’ll hire a boy to ride out to the ranch for me.”
    “Why, when we can do it?” Crusty said.
    “You won’t be able to.”
    “Why in hell not?”
    Asa Delaware always liked this part. He liked the looks on their faces when it sank in. “Because,” he said matter-of-factly, “both of you will be