Reilly's Luck (1970) Read Online Free

was afraid of that thick, bearded man, but when he looked at Will he saw his friend was smiling. Will Reilly was not afraid. "We're staying, Henry."
    Sonnenberg started to rise, but Tensleep's voice cut the movement short. "Let him stay, Hank. We'd put no man out on a night like this, would we, Tom?"
    The third man was tall and lank. He looked around lazily, "No, we wouldn't. Forget it, Hank."
    Sonnenberg swore. "How do we know he ain't a spy?"
    "Reilly?" Tensleep chuckled. "Reilly's a gambler."
    There were bunks enough. The outlaws had added bunks when they chose the place, and Ebbens had had several in the beginning. He had always planned to hire help.
    "We'll leave when the storm is over," Reilly said. "I'll make some runners for the buckboard."
    "I don't like you, Reilly," Sonnenberg said again. "I never did."
    "Nobody asked you to, Henry. I'll try to keep out of your way, and you keep out of mine."
    "Or ... ?"
    Will Reilly smiled. "I can shoot as quick and as accurately as any man in this room ... and it's a small room."
    "He's right, Hank," Tensleep said. "I've seen him shoot. I've also seen him use a bowie. I saw him carve three men into ribbons before they could get off a shot ... and they were sent to the table to get him."
    Henry Sonnenberg looked thoughtfully at Reilly. "Well, now, maybe I underrated you. Maybe you're better than I thought."
    "It's kind of close in here," Reilly said. "I think we'd both get hurt, Henry."
    The heavy man stared at him with reluctant admiration. "All right. You got nerve. Only don't cross me."
    Val had edged close to the fire. He was beginning to get warm all the way through. Though he had not admitted it to Will Reilly, he had been cold for hours. He was still afraid of these men, although Tensleep smiled at him.
    "I didn't know Myra had a kid," Tom said suddenly.
    "Nobody did. She kept still about it and the Schmitts cared for him until Emma died. Then Myra told Van to get rid of him."
    They were shocked, and showed it.
    "That's right," Reilly continued, "only Van wasn't up to it. So he brought him to me to keep overnight, then they skipped out."
    "I knew Myra had a streak of mean," Tensleep said, "but akid ! She'd do that to a kid?"
    "She's a strange one," Tom said, and added, surprisingly, "I knew her family."
    Reilly glanced at him. "Where was this?"
    "Back east. She came of good people ... well-off. But she was always a mean one. She skipped out and never did go back."
    When Val woke up the cabin was light and he was lying on a bunk with blankets tucked around him. Tensleep was sitting by the fire with his feet propped up on a stump that did duty for a chair. He glanced over when Val moved. "Mornin', boy. When you get right down to it you're an almighty good sleeper, you know that?"
    "Yes, sir."
    "Sir. Now that's right nice. Who taught you manners, boy?"
    "Mr. Van did, sir."
    "Well, I reckon he was good for something, after all. But a pleasant man, too, a right pleasant man. I never did talk to anyone who was easier with words ... unless it was Will Reilly. You got a friend there, boy. You stick to him. A man never has many friends in this life and he had better hold onto them."
    "You have friends."
    Tensleep chuckled dryly, and gave Val a quick, sidelong glance tinged with ironic humor. "Yeah? You might call 'em that. We work together, boy, and they're good at what they do, but I was talkin' of friends you can turn your back on."
    "Mr. Reilly likes you."
    "Reilly does? Now, why do you say that, boy?"
    "I can tell by the way he talks to you and looks at you. He likes you, all right."
    "I'm honored. Will Reilly is a man sparing of his likes. And what about you, boy?"
    "Yes, sir. I like you."
    "How about Hank? An' Tom?"
    "I don't like Hank ... Henry. I don't think he likes me, either. I don't know about Tom."
    "Nobody knows about Tom. Not even Tom." He got up and added wood to the fire. "You keep shut about your likes an' dislikes, boy. Though I don't s'pose it will make much