Westward the Tide (1950) Read Online Free
Author: Louis L'amour
of all these men for his knowledge of the country and the Sioux was not lightly to be passed over, yet Bardoul was sure that Clive Massey intended to do just that, but before he could offer further objections, Brian Coyle interrupted.
"What are we waiting for?" he boomed. "Sign him up!"
Only an instant did Clive Massey hesitate, then he wrote down the name and pocketed the money Matt had placed on the barrel head.
Matt did not move.
Massey looked up impatiently, angrily. "Next man!" he said sharply.
"Not yet." Matt Bardoul smiled down at Massey. "I want a receipt."
Clive Massey's eyes narrowed and temper flamed in his face. "Listen!" he snapped. "Do you intend to...!"
"This is merely business," Matt interrupted, "no offense intended."
"Give it to him!" Coyle said, waving a hand. "Why not? Come to think of it, I'll want one myself!"
Clive Massey let the air out of his lungs slowly, but anger betrayed itself in his every movement. He wrote out the receipt, and then Buffalo Murphy followed. He demanded and got his receipt. Matt's demand had set a fashion and every man who followed asked for his receipt. Even a few of those who had gone through before Matt did, returned, and asked for them.
If ever he had seen hatred in a man's eyes it had been in Massey's when he looked up at him that last time. From now on Matt knew he could expect no friendship from at least one of the leaders of the wagon train. Yet he could not escape the impression that he had been awaited and that Massey had planned to rule him out. Only he had not expected opposition.
A hand touched his arm. "Matt, don't you remember me?"
He turned, and found himself looking into the grinning face of a sun browned young cowhand. "Ban Hardy! I haven't seen you since we came over the trail from Texas together!"
Massey's eyes were on them.He'll remember us, Matt thought,that's certain.
"Gosh, Man! It'll be like old times!" Hardy exclaimed. Then he added, "In more ways than one!"
Murphy nodded. "I'm wonderin' some my ownself. But if there's a skunk up the crick, we'll smoke him out!" He shrugged. "No matter. I was aimin' to head back into the Big Horn country an' this is as good a way to go as any!"
Already, Matt reflected, they were taking sides. Clive Massey, Logan Deane and Bat Hammer. There was more than accident in their sitting together, more than accident that Massey had been so determined to weed him out.
Why?
It was a question to which he could find no answer. One thing he did know, and that was that this was only a beginning, and that more was to come between himself and Clive Massey.
And he still had to face Colonel Orvis Pearson.
Chapter II
Why had Pearson failed to step forward during the altercation with Massey?
Bardoul puzzled over that the following morning as he sat at breakfast. He knew Pearson hated him and the man would certainly have no desire to see Matt Bardoul accompany a wagon train where he was in command.
Without doubt if he persisted in going along he would be surrounded by men with reason to dislike or hate him. Colonel Orvis Pearson would be in command, and Clive Massey was unquestionably one of the leaders, while Logan Deane and Batsell Hammer had no cause to like him. Yet on the other side of the ledger he had such friends as Buffalo Murphy and Ban Hardy.
Why had Portugee Phillips wanted him along? The two had never been particularly friendly in the past, although each knew and respected the other's ability. Did Phillips know something unknown to the others? Or did he merely suspect something?
Regardless of enemies or danger, Matt knew he was not going to drop out. Jacquine Coyle was going along, and that was reason enough for him.
The tall girl with the red gold hair and blue eyes had upset him more than he cared to admit. Yet when he thought of her now he recalled some words he had heard once: There are in a man's life certain ultimate things, and just one ultimate woman. When a man finds that woman he does not pass
"What are we waiting for?" he boomed. "Sign him up!"
Only an instant did Clive Massey hesitate, then he wrote down the name and pocketed the money Matt had placed on the barrel head.
Matt did not move.
Massey looked up impatiently, angrily. "Next man!" he said sharply.
"Not yet." Matt Bardoul smiled down at Massey. "I want a receipt."
Clive Massey's eyes narrowed and temper flamed in his face. "Listen!" he snapped. "Do you intend to...!"
"This is merely business," Matt interrupted, "no offense intended."
"Give it to him!" Coyle said, waving a hand. "Why not? Come to think of it, I'll want one myself!"
Clive Massey let the air out of his lungs slowly, but anger betrayed itself in his every movement. He wrote out the receipt, and then Buffalo Murphy followed. He demanded and got his receipt. Matt's demand had set a fashion and every man who followed asked for his receipt. Even a few of those who had gone through before Matt did, returned, and asked for them.
If ever he had seen hatred in a man's eyes it had been in Massey's when he looked up at him that last time. From now on Matt knew he could expect no friendship from at least one of the leaders of the wagon train. Yet he could not escape the impression that he had been awaited and that Massey had planned to rule him out. Only he had not expected opposition.
A hand touched his arm. "Matt, don't you remember me?"
He turned, and found himself looking into the grinning face of a sun browned young cowhand. "Ban Hardy! I haven't seen you since we came over the trail from Texas together!"
Massey's eyes were on them.He'll remember us, Matt thought,that's certain.
"Gosh, Man! It'll be like old times!" Hardy exclaimed. Then he added, "In more ways than one!"
Murphy nodded. "I'm wonderin' some my ownself. But if there's a skunk up the crick, we'll smoke him out!" He shrugged. "No matter. I was aimin' to head back into the Big Horn country an' this is as good a way to go as any!"
Already, Matt reflected, they were taking sides. Clive Massey, Logan Deane and Bat Hammer. There was more than accident in their sitting together, more than accident that Massey had been so determined to weed him out.
Why?
It was a question to which he could find no answer. One thing he did know, and that was that this was only a beginning, and that more was to come between himself and Clive Massey.
And he still had to face Colonel Orvis Pearson.
Chapter II
Why had Pearson failed to step forward during the altercation with Massey?
Bardoul puzzled over that the following morning as he sat at breakfast. He knew Pearson hated him and the man would certainly have no desire to see Matt Bardoul accompany a wagon train where he was in command.
Without doubt if he persisted in going along he would be surrounded by men with reason to dislike or hate him. Colonel Orvis Pearson would be in command, and Clive Massey was unquestionably one of the leaders, while Logan Deane and Batsell Hammer had no cause to like him. Yet on the other side of the ledger he had such friends as Buffalo Murphy and Ban Hardy.
Why had Portugee Phillips wanted him along? The two had never been particularly friendly in the past, although each knew and respected the other's ability. Did Phillips know something unknown to the others? Or did he merely suspect something?
Regardless of enemies or danger, Matt knew he was not going to drop out. Jacquine Coyle was going along, and that was reason enough for him.
The tall girl with the red gold hair and blue eyes had upset him more than he cared to admit. Yet when he thought of her now he recalled some words he had heard once: There are in a man's life certain ultimate things, and just one ultimate woman. When a man finds that woman he does not pass
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