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.Then he mounted Ulysses and, kicking him into a gallop, rode out ofthe yard and set out for Willow Bend along Dog Creek, six miles southeast from the house,where he was to inspect a bunch of cattle Artemus Blackwell planned to sell in Crockett County.Two hours later he arrived to find that a number of DC cattle, cows with calves and a handful ofmavericks, had crossed the creek and mingled with the Blackwater beeves.Sean pulled up at the hill overlooking the creek.Holden and Joey couldn t watch every stretchof the creek or keep an eye on every unbranded calf, even in the diminished herd.He kickedUlysses down the slope and joined the hands who d been waiting for him. We was just waitin on your word to cut them out, Mr.McCarrick, Gus said, shifting nervouslyin his saddle. You want us to drive them Dog Creek beeves back over the creek? Now, why should you do that? We will take the mavericks.El, you will drive the Dog Creekbeeves north away from the creek.Let Renshaw come and find them.The hands exchanged quick glances. Yessir, El said, and started in one direction, while Guscircled in the other, crooning to keep the animals calm.They cut out the DC beeves, and Eldrove them away from the creek.Sean briefly inspected the Blackwater cattle and instructedGus to bring them in the next morning.Sean was about to head back to the ranch house when he heard hoofbeats across the creek.Ulysses jerked his head up and snorted.Sean reined him around.Bride of the Wolf  19th Century Werewolf 06 Page 68 of 236The rider was coming fast, bent low over his roan s neck like a monkey.Sean recognized thestraw-colored hair stuffed under the oversize hat and the frayed blue bandanna as the boybrought his mount to a skidding halt on the opposite bank. Damn thief! Joey Ackerman yelled, his hand hovering over his rifle scabbard. Those are ourbeeves!Sean leaned back in his saddle. You d best watch what you say, boy.Wild accusations are likelyto make you plenty of enemies. I m right proud to call you my enemy, McCarrick, Joey said, glaring at Sean as if he had thenerve to back up his words.Yawning widely, Sean let his hand rest on his thigh near his holster. You overestimate yourown significance.Run on back to the nursery before I lose my patience. You ain t goin anywhere with our beeves! They happen to be mavericks, boy.You re a little too late.Joey s prominent ears turned red, and he reached for the rifle. I seen you stealin more thanmavericks.Holden s comin after me.He ll teach you to regret your thievin ways.Sean felt his hands growing moist inside his gloves.Holden was on his way, was he? He glancedwith feigned indifference at Joey s hand on the rifle butt, sighed and turned Ulysses around.Gus and El were watching, frozen and useless, from the top of the rise. You stop right where you are! Joey shouted. You damn yellow belly!For an instant Sean considered shooting the boy.He could certainly make sure that Gus and Elbacked up his story of self-defense, and no one in Pecos County, least of all Renshaw, knewhow skilled he had become or how eager he was to try his Remington revolver on somethingother than coyotes and rabbits.But Joey was small fry.Sean had only begun to consider a way of ruining Holden Renshaw bymore deliberate means, but it involved considerable risk to himself and rested on the mostfragile tissue of possibilities.The temptation to finish it now was great.If Renshaw really was onhis way& if he could be goaded into a rash attack&Ignoring Joey s curses, Sean rode on up the hill. Do you have your whip, Gus? he asked. Yes, Mr.McCarrick, but& what re you fixin to do? Give me the whip.Bride of the Wolf  19th Century Werewolf 06 Page 69 of 236Gus unwound the bullwhip from around his saddle horn.He handed it to Sean without anotherword. You wait here, Sean said. And whistle if another rider comes this way.He didn t wait for Gus s answer but rode back down the hill, removing his gloves.Joey wasaiming his rifle right at Sean s chest, but his hands were shaking.He d never shot at a manbefore, and he clearly wasn t eager to begin now. Put that down, boy, Sean said softly. You don t really want to start any trouble. You& you back off, McCarrick, Joey stammered. Just put the rifle away and we ll talk. I don t got nothin to Joey yelped as Sean uncoiled the whip and snapped it at the boy s horse, startling the roan intoa sudden hop.Joey lost his balance for a critical moment and was bumped out of the saddle.The rifle spun away and landed out of his reach.Sean dismounted and walked casually toward Joey as the boy clambered to his knees. We llhave that talk now, he said.Though he wasn t pleased to admit it, Sean could almost admire the way Joey took hispunishment.He bore it stoically for the first few lashes, covering his face with his arms to makehimself as small as possible.But by the eighth blow, he d begin to whimper like the pup he was. Mr.McCarrick!Gus pulled up beside him and jumped off his mount, sweating so profusely that his bandannawas soaked through. You could kill him! Wouldn t that be a pity.The man made a grab for his arm. The kid s taken enough.Let him go. I ll stop when I m ready.Or would you prefer that I tell the sheriff who broke into that lawyer soffice in Heywood?Gus backed off, rubbing his hand over his mouth and twitching like a bug on a pin.Joey haduncurled enough to look, tears streaming over his cheeks and hatred burning in his eyes. When& when Holden gets here  he croaked.Sean raised the whip again just as something dark and low raced toward him, and he caught aflash of white teeth before they clamped down on his right arm.Bride of the Wolf  19th Century Werewolf 06 Page 70 of 236He screamed in pain and instinctively tried to loosen the animal s hold.Gus scrambled away, hisface pinched in fear.The wolf s jaws ground through cloth and flesh until its teeth found bone.Sean felt his bladder loosen as the wolf began to pull him down. Shoot it! he cried.If Gus answered, Sean didn t hear it.He was fighting for his life, and the wolf was winning.Itseyes were glaring red slits, its rangy body so powerful that no one man could hope to overcomeit.It pinned Sean underneath its heavily furred chest and snarled in his face [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]