The Complete Western Stories of Elmore Leonard - Elmore Leonard [139]
Another man was out of the coach. He stepped down uncertainly and moved next to Sellers. Two others came down, squinting at the glare— thin-lipped, sun-darkened men in range clothes. They stretched and looked about idly, then moved beyond the back of the stage, walking the stiffness from their legs.
Sellers had not taken his eyes from Corsen.
“I thought you might have had the politeness of staying to meet your successor.”
Corsen looked at the other man now. “Mr. Verbiest,” he said, “I hope you know what you’re doing.”
“I’ve instructed Mr. Verbiest on how the agency should be run,” Sellers said.
“Then you both ought to make a nice profit,” Billy Teachout said mildly.
Sellers stared at him narrowly. “All we want from you is a couple of horses.”
“What for?”
“None of your damn business.”
Verbiest said, smiling, “We’re riding north to the San Carlos Agency. I’d like to take a look at how a smooth-running reservation operates.”
“Sellers’ll learn you without riding way up there,” Ernie Ball said. “All you need is some spare weights to heavy your scale for when you’re passing out the ’Paches their beef.” Ernie laughed and looked at Teach- out. “Hey, Billy?”
“You’re insinuating something that could get you into a great deal of trouble in court,” Sellers told the stage driver.
“Insinuatin’!”
Sellers turned on Billy Teachout. “I said two horses. Good ones!”
“I’m not the stable hand. Wait for Delgado or get them yourself.”
Sellers’s face showed no reaction. But he said quietly, “Mr. Teach- out, you’re through here—as of the next time I get to Prescott.”
The station agent shrugged. “While I’m waiting, I’ll go inside and pour drinks for those that wants.”
Corsen relaxed, exhaling slowly, and watched them all go inside. It was a relief not to have to put up with Sellers anymore. Just seeing him had made his stomach tighten. He glanced at Katie.
“This is a poor way to say good-bye.”
“For how long, Ross?”
“Maybe a few months.”
The screen door slammed. Corsen remembered the two men in range clothes then. They must have just gone in. Then he was looking at Katie, at the expression changing on her face, eyes alive, looking at something behind him. He turned sharply.
Standing a few feet away was one of the men in range clothes. He stood with his legs spread, as if bracing himself, a short man in faded Levi’s, holding a pistol dead on Corsen’s stomach.
Chapter Three
“RAISE YOUR HANDS up.” He motioned with the pistol. “You too, honey.” He came forward slowly.
“I’m not armed,” Corsen said.
“Take your coat off and drop it.”
Corsen took off the worn buckskin and let it fall. He backed up as the man motioned with the pistol, then watched him trample on the coat to make certain there was no gun in it.
“Inside now,” the man said.
His partner stood one legged, his left boot on a chair, leaning slightly, elbow on knee, hand holding the pistol idly.
Billy Teachout was behind the bar. Ernie Ball, Sellers, and Verbiest
stood in front of it, all with their arms raised. Three pistols were on the floor, along with the business case Sellers had been carrying. Ygenia, Delgado’s wife, stood in the kitchen doorway, unable to move.
The one on the chair waved Ross and Katie toward the others. They moved across the room and stood by the front window. “Buz,” he said then, “round up that Mexican. He’s outside somewhere.”
Ernie Ball was squinting at the gunman. “Your face is starting to ring a bell, but your name don’t register.”
“How would you know my name?”
“You entered Ed Fisher in the book when you paid your fare at Thomas.”
The gunman shrugged. “That’ll do…. What’re you carrying thistrip?”
“Mail.”
“That all?”
“Swear to God. It’s on the rack if you want to look.”
The one called Buz came in through the kitchen, pushing past the Mexican woman.
“He ain’t in sight. Not anywhere.”
Corsen glanced out at the yard. Just the stage was there. The horses had been taken away, but the