Wayward Wind Read Online Free PDF

ground. He grasped the branch and swung himself down. He bent swiftly,
     loosened the noose, and pulled it up over the man’s head. His knife slit the cloth that held the gag in his mouth. Almost
     at once he heard a hoarse gasp.
    He turned his ear and leaned into the breeze, listening for a sound. He heard nothing, but that was no guarantee Dunbar wouldn’t
     come back. Grasping the man by the arms, he yanked him to his feet. Bending so he could get his shoulder beneath the victim’s
     armpit, he started propelling him toward the upper bench.
    “Move your feet,” he hissed. “I can’t carry you up that bank.”
    Grasping painfully, the man stiffened his legs and with all his strength forced them to move. They staggered up the steep
     embankment. By the time they’d reached the top, the tall man was also straining for breath. Roscoe nickered softly when they
     reached the campsite and his owner whispered for him to keep quiet as he let the suffering man sink down onto his blankets.
     He reached for his canteen, uncapped it and put it in the man’s hands.
    “Can you drink?” He sank down on his haunches beside him.
    “Gawd! Oh, Gawd… I th-thought it was the end.”
    “It almost was. It was a good thing Dunbar wanted you to choke slow or you’d be dead.”
    “I’ll ki-kill ’em. I’ll kill ’em—”
    “What’s this all about?”
    “ ’Bout an ol’ sonofabitch named Clay-Clayhill who wants the whole fuckin’ territory for hisself…”
    “I heard them say you’re a horsethief. I’ve got no use for a horsethief, but if you’re to be hung the law should do it.”
    “If stealin’ back my own horses makes me one, I am.” The man drank slowly, his muscles jumping nervously, his trembling fingers
     feeling his neck gingerly.
    “Are you all right, now? We’d better move out of here. If they come back and find you gone they’ll know you had help. I pick
     my own time and place when I buck those odds.”
    “Did they take my horse? He’d a put up a fight to stay with me.”
    “I don’t know. I was too busy cutting you down to notice, but there was some commotion with a horse.”
    “I’m obliged to ya. Name’s Griffin.”
    “Cooper Parnell.”
    “How’d ya happen to be here?”
    “I’m tracking a mare that was stolen from me a couple days ago.”
    “I never thought I’d be obliged to a horsethief. I’m shore glad ya was here.”
    “So am I. That Dunbar’s a sonofabitch.”
    The man slapped his empty holster. “Bastards took my gun and my knife, but if my horse is loose, I can whistle for him and
     he’ll come. My throat feels like a hunk a raw meat.” He got to his feet and held out his hand. He was almost as tall as Cooper
     and just as thin. It was too dark to see the man clearly, but Cooper was almost sure that he was much younger than his own
     twenty-six years. “I thank ya, mister.”
    Cooper shook his hand. “I’ll saddle up. If you’ve got a pucker left, you’d better try for your horse and we’ll get back up
     in the hills and get some sleep. Come morning I’m going after my mare.”
    After the second whistle the horse came down the rocky trail, dragging his reins and nickering softly. Griffin called to him
     and the horse scrambled up the incline.
    “Damn, I’m glad to see ya, boy.” The horse nudged him. He rubbed the side of its face affectionately and felt blood where
     the bit had torn the side of its mouth. “You fought ’em when they tried to lead ya away from me, didn’t ya, old friend?” There
     was a huskiness in the whispered voice. “They caught us with our britches down, Firebird. It’ll not happen again. Are ya all
     right? Ya took a tumble when they lassoed us.” He ran his hands over the horse’s sides, rump, and down over his haunches.
     “Ya’ve got a few cuts, but nothin’ too bad for what we had done to us. An angel was sure asittin’ on our shoulder tonight.
     We owe this here gent aplenty.”
    Cooper watched. Watchfulness was no