[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
Chantry was up and around in an instant. Charlie got his balance and turned,
and caught a sweeping right to the jaw that knocked him against a tent pole.
The whole tent trembled, and then the big man turned and came in, trying for
his hold again.
Chantry stabbed a left to the mouth, and as Rufflunged he side-stepped away
from him.
For a moment they faced each other. For the first time Charlie Ruff knew
fear.
He blinked through the sweat and blood at Chantry, standing there ready,
lean, hard, and dangerous, waiting for him. Charlie Ruff had strutted and
pushed and shoved all his life, smaller men had stepped away from him,
appalled not only by the sheer size of him, but by the knowledge that where he
was his father and brother were not far behind. But now they were not here,
and he was alone.
The crowd was packed tightly around him. There was no place to run. He had
felt those iron-hard fists, and he did not want to feel them again. The only
way out was to kill Chantry. He was bigger, he told himself, and Chantry had
been lucky so far. Slowly he began to circle, and Chantry turned coolly to
face him as he moved.
Suddenly he charged, head down, arms flailing.A sweeping right smashed
Chantry on the shoulder, staggering him and numbing his arm. The big man
lunged into him, grabbing and pounding. Charlie knew nothing of fighting, but
he had size and power.
His fists thudded and banged. Chantry staggered, shuddering under the power
of Charlie s blows, and Charlie tried to smother him with sheer weight and
size. Chantry went down, narrowly avoided a ponderous kick, then lunged up and
caught Charlie with an overhand right. He slipped inside of a swing and
smashed with both hands at the big body.
Pulling Charlie Ruff back, Chantry leaned into him and battered his body with
short, wicked blows to the wind. Suddenly stepping back, he whipped up an
uppercut that caught the bigger man under the chin. His head flew back and his
knees buckled. Charlie hit the floor on his knees, but in the instant before
he hit, Chantry swung a hard right to the jaw. Charlie fell forward on his
face.
For a moment, Chantry stood looking down, and then he stepped back. The
croupier held out his guns. You llbe needing those. And he added, I know
that outfit. Watch yourself.
Thanks.
Bloody, his shirt torn, Tom Chantry pushed toward the exit. He had wanted
none of this. He had not liked Charlie Ruff, but he had not wanted to fight
him; now it was done, and he had won.
Page 113
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Outside the cool wind chilled his sweaty body. He started up the street,
wanting to get under cover, to bathe, and get into a clean, fresh shirt.
Chapter Twenty-Two
HE WENT to the frame hotel. The lobby was empty except for the clerk, an
older man with a round, moon-like face.
Hello, Mr. Chantry.Looks as if you ve had trouble. Want a place to wash up?
Yes ... and a shirt if you can rustle one up.
I ll try. Come along. He led the way down a passage and into the back room
on the ground floor. There s a well out back.
I ll get you a bucket of water. You ll want some hot water for those hands.
When he returned with the bucket and began kindling a fire in the stove, he
asked, What happened?
I had a fight.With Charlie Ruff.
The clerk whistled. Ruff? You must have whipped him. You re not badly beat
up.
I did what I had to do.
A lot of people will be pleased not only here, but down inTexas too.
The clerk sat down. My name s Finlayson. We haven t met but I ve seen you
around, and you re a friend of Mr. Sparrow s. Is there anything else I can do
for you?
Chantry was about to say there was not, but changed it. One thing. What do
you know about SarahMillier ?
Enough not to be so gullible as most of the local citizens.She had visitors,
Mr. Chantry. Mostly they used the back stairs, but I saw them once or
twice theTalrims or Frank Ruff. She saw me noticing them once, and commented
that they had some information on her brother.
Chantry explained about the brother, and gave some background on Sarah and
Paul. There s some connection with French Williams, but I don t believe it s
friendly. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl rafalstec.xlx.pl
Chantry was up and around in an instant. Charlie got his balance and turned,
and caught a sweeping right to the jaw that knocked him against a tent pole.
The whole tent trembled, and then the big man turned and came in, trying for
his hold again.
Chantry stabbed a left to the mouth, and as Rufflunged he side-stepped away
from him.
For a moment they faced each other. For the first time Charlie Ruff knew
fear.
He blinked through the sweat and blood at Chantry, standing there ready,
lean, hard, and dangerous, waiting for him. Charlie Ruff had strutted and
pushed and shoved all his life, smaller men had stepped away from him,
appalled not only by the sheer size of him, but by the knowledge that where he
was his father and brother were not far behind. But now they were not here,
and he was alone.
The crowd was packed tightly around him. There was no place to run. He had
felt those iron-hard fists, and he did not want to feel them again. The only
way out was to kill Chantry. He was bigger, he told himself, and Chantry had
been lucky so far. Slowly he began to circle, and Chantry turned coolly to
face him as he moved.
Suddenly he charged, head down, arms flailing.A sweeping right smashed
Chantry on the shoulder, staggering him and numbing his arm. The big man
lunged into him, grabbing and pounding. Charlie knew nothing of fighting, but
he had size and power.
His fists thudded and banged. Chantry staggered, shuddering under the power
of Charlie s blows, and Charlie tried to smother him with sheer weight and
size. Chantry went down, narrowly avoided a ponderous kick, then lunged up and
caught Charlie with an overhand right. He slipped inside of a swing and
smashed with both hands at the big body.
Pulling Charlie Ruff back, Chantry leaned into him and battered his body with
short, wicked blows to the wind. Suddenly stepping back, he whipped up an
uppercut that caught the bigger man under the chin. His head flew back and his
knees buckled. Charlie hit the floor on his knees, but in the instant before
he hit, Chantry swung a hard right to the jaw. Charlie fell forward on his
face.
For a moment, Chantry stood looking down, and then he stepped back. The
croupier held out his guns. You llbe needing those. And he added, I know
that outfit. Watch yourself.
Thanks.
Bloody, his shirt torn, Tom Chantry pushed toward the exit. He had wanted
none of this. He had not liked Charlie Ruff, but he had not wanted to fight
him; now it was done, and he had won.
Page 113
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Outside the cool wind chilled his sweaty body. He started up the street,
wanting to get under cover, to bathe, and get into a clean, fresh shirt.
Chapter Twenty-Two
HE WENT to the frame hotel. The lobby was empty except for the clerk, an
older man with a round, moon-like face.
Hello, Mr. Chantry.Looks as if you ve had trouble. Want a place to wash up?
Yes ... and a shirt if you can rustle one up.
I ll try. Come along. He led the way down a passage and into the back room
on the ground floor. There s a well out back.
I ll get you a bucket of water. You ll want some hot water for those hands.
When he returned with the bucket and began kindling a fire in the stove, he
asked, What happened?
I had a fight.With Charlie Ruff.
The clerk whistled. Ruff? You must have whipped him. You re not badly beat
up.
I did what I had to do.
A lot of people will be pleased not only here, but down inTexas too.
The clerk sat down. My name s Finlayson. We haven t met but I ve seen you
around, and you re a friend of Mr. Sparrow s. Is there anything else I can do
for you?
Chantry was about to say there was not, but changed it. One thing. What do
you know about SarahMillier ?
Enough not to be so gullible as most of the local citizens.She had visitors,
Mr. Chantry. Mostly they used the back stairs, but I saw them once or
twice theTalrims or Frank Ruff. She saw me noticing them once, and commented
that they had some information on her brother.
Chantry explained about the brother, and gave some background on Sarah and
Paul. There s some connection with French Williams, but I don t believe it s
friendly. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]