"Well, at least that's a happy occasion."

"Not really," George said glumly. "We can't stand our daughter-in-law, and I doubt that the baby was fathered by our worthless son. He never accomplished a thing in his whole life, and it don't seem possible that he could have pulled this off either."

Longarm turned toward the window. He could already see that this was going to be a long, humorless trip. The Bueltons certainly weren't good traveling company, and he didn't care to hear all the sad details about the failure of their sons or the illegitimacy of their new grandchild.

"You look like a man that has been around some," Agnes said after the coach had left Ash Fork. "You look as if you've had some hard miles."

Longarm was becoming irritated. "Well, ma'am, you don't look that all-fired wonderful to me either."

"What do you do for a living?" George asked, his lips curling down at the corners.

"None of your business."

"You might be one of Hank Ba.s.s's men gonna pull a gun on us and help him rob this stage."

"You have a better imagination than you have a sense of humor," Longarm clipped with no small amount of sarcasm. "Now, why don't we all just shut up and enjoy the views."

"Seen *em about a hundred times before," Agnes snapped. "Never seen you before, though."

"And, after we get to Prescott, I don't expect that you ever will again," Longarm said, closing the conversation.

The coach rolled along and the ride was blessedly silent and uneventful all the rest of the way down to Prescott. When it arrived at that scenic and thriving town, Longarm jumped out and marched away, hearing Agnes say, "I still think he's up to no d.a.m.n good."

"I need a drink," Longarm told the saloon keeper as he dropped his bags and leaned his weapons up against the bar. "Whiskey, and make it a double."

"You just get off the stage from Ash Fork?"

"I did."

"No sign of that poor young woman, huh?"

"What woman?"

"Why, Miss Hathaway. She, her fiance, and their driver were attacked by Ba.s.s and his gang yesterday."

Longarm took a deep, steadying breath. "And?"

"The driver went for his gun and was shot to death. Our banker, Bernard Potter, he was wounded and ain't expected to live. And d.a.m.ned if Ba.s.s didn't take Miss Hathaway away. That poor woman hasn't been seen since!"

Longarm tossed his whiskey down. "What about a posse?"

"Ain't n.o.body willing to ride after that gang."

"Hit me again," Longarm growled.

When he'd had his second drink, Longarm said, "Has this town hired a new marshal?"

"Can't find one stupid enough to take the job," the saloon keeper answered. "Not at any price."

"So there's no law whatsoever?"

"Just the law of the gun, same as there is in most towns out west. The dying banker has offered a small dollar reward for the safe return of his fiance. But he's such a skinflint that a hundred dollars hasn't generated any takers."

"A hundred lousy dollars?"

The saloon keeper shrugged. "What the h.e.l.l does he care since he's dying?"

"Yeah," Longarm said, "I guess I see your point."

Longarm considered what should be done about Miss Victoria Hathaway. He could not just turn his back on her plight and ride down to Wickenburg to help Jimmy c.o.x. Not until he put this matter to rest and brought Ba.s.s and his men to rope justice.

"Where do you think Ba.s.s might have taken Miss Hathaway?"

"Who knows? Most think he took her for ransom. Probably waiting for Mr. Potter to offer a whole lot more than one hundred dollars in reward."

"All right," Longarm said. "Where can I buy or rent a good saddle horse?"

"You going after that reward?"

"Maybe."

"Best forget it," the bartender advised. "A dead man can't spend no piddling hundred dollars of reward money."

"Just answer my question."

"Livery is at the end of the street. Called the Circle Bar Livery. You can't miss it. The owner, Joe Blue, he won't try to skin you too bad, but he doesn't give any thing away either."

"Thanks," Longarm said, picking up his bag, the shotgun, and his Winchester.

"You a bounty hunter?" the bartender shouted as Longarm pa.s.sed outside.

"Nope."

Several minutes later he was at the livery and talking to Joe Blue, who was slender, as smelly as a billy goat, and about his own age. "Mr. Blue, I need a good horse."

"To buy, or just to rent?"

Longarm frowned, then suddenly remembered that he was almost dead broke. "Be right back," he said. "Got some funds that have been wired to the bank."

"Bank is closed," Blue said. "on account of Mr. Potter being shot up and lyin' on his deathbed."

"When will it reopen?"

"Everybody would sure as h.e.l.l like to know the answer to that question."

"But I need the money that was wired there to get a horse! And I need it now."

"Sorry," Blue said. "I'm real happy to say that I don't have nothin' to do with the bank. I'm smart enough to keep my own money hidden in a tobacco can off somewheres that n.o.body would ever find."

Longarm dragged out his billfold and counted the last of his personal funds. "I've got a thirty-eight dollars left."

"h.e.l.l, I'll rent you a horse for that."

"For how long?"

"Depends on which horse."

"I'm going after the Ba.s.s gang in order to rescue Miss Hathaway."

Blue looked pained. "In that case, you'll have to buy a horse, and I can't sell you anything worth anything for no piddling thirty-eight dollars."

"d.a.m.n!" Longarm swore in frustration. "There must be some way we can work something out. I really need a horse."

"Yeah," Blue said, "but the only way he'll come back is with you draped over his saddle. And most likely, he won't come back at all."

Longarm could see that he wasn't getting anywhere so he started off down the street with his mind in turmoil. Thirty-eight dollars wasn't much but it ought to be enough to buy him some kind of horse. Enough of one to do what needed to be done.

"Hey, mister!" Blue called.

Longarm turned around. "Yeah?"

"I bought a scrub Indian pony yesterday. He's a rank, wicked little son of a b.i.t.c.h, weasel thin and ugly as a possum. But, if you can handle him, he's sound and tough as rawhide."

"What about a saddle, bridle, and blanket? I'm not paying you thirty-eight dollars to ride out of here bareback."

"He came with an Indian saddle and blanket. Ain't nothing more than a pad and some old stirrups on pieces of rope."

"No thanks." Longarm started to walk on, but Blue called out again.

"All right! You win. I'll throw in a decent saddle, bridle, and blanket. Even a pair of saddlebags, halter, lead rope, and a sack of oats." Longarm suspected that the Indian pony was a real h.e.l.lion. Then again, he doubted that he could get a better deal. It was quite likely that Joe Blue had bought the pony dirt cheap and wanted to get rid of him quick.

"Let's see the pony," Longarm growled, coming back to the livery.

"He's out back," Blue said as they walked through the barn to some rickety corrals. "Like I said, he ain't much for looks, but the Indian that sold him to me swore that he was a runnin' fool. Real fast, tough, and sound as a silver dollar."

The moment Longarm's eyes landed on the pony, he knew the horse was an ill-tempered, badly beaten, and mistreated outlaw. The bay gelding was thin, missing part of one ear, and his hide was covered with bald patches where he'd either been bitten by other horses or laid into with a board by his former owner.

"Not a chance," Longarm said, turning to leave.

"Aw, come on! At least give me a chance to show him off to you," the liveryman pleaded. "I'll ride him first. Then you can ride him and I'll make you a h.e.l.l of a deal."

"How much?"

"Thirty dollars with everything included."

"Twenty."

"h.e.l.l no! The saddle is worth near that much!"

"Then shoot the little b.u.g.g.e.r and sell the saddle to someone else," Longarm announced as he picked up his bags and prepared to walk away.

"Twenty-five for everything and I'll throw in a quirt and pair of spurs. You'll need *em."

Longarm thought, What the h.e.l.l. If he could ride the pony and leave Prescott with thirteen dollars still resting in his pockets, he'd be getting off very well indeed. It was, he decided, at least worth a try.

"Tell you what, Joe. Go ahead and saddle him up and let's see what he can do."

The liveryman gulped. "All right. But he don't much care for people so it may take a few minutes. You could come back in say a oh, an hour."

"I'll stay and watch."

It did take an entire hour for Joe Blue to rope then subdue the fighting pony and get him saddled. When he mounted the gelding, it didn't buck but instead charged out of the corral like its tail was on fire. The Indian pony raced up the street, scattering pedestrians in every direction like a flock of squawking chickens.

Longarm almost laughed out loud, but he did have to admit that the pony was very fast. Fifteen minutes later, Joe Blue came storming back down the street. Longarm was astonished to see that the pony was barely winded.

"See! I told you he was fast and sound!"

"And out of control. No thanks."

"Twenty dollars! Please!"

"All right," Longarm finally agreed. "If you will throw in a couple of rifle scabbards."

"What?!"

"Just fix me up something out of a gunnysack or a piece of canvas to carry this rifle and my big shotgun."

"d.a.m.n, you are tough to deal with! I'm losing my a.s.s on this deal."

"I doubt it," Longarm replied without a shred of sympathy. "You probably bought this pony for a jug of whiskey. Has it a name?"

"I call him an ornery son of a b.i.t.c.h. You can call him anything you want."

"I'll call him Cyclone," Longarm decided, reaching for his wallet and counting out twenty dollars. As he handed over the money, he wondered if he'd just made a very bad mistake. After tying his weapons and giving Cyclone a drink of water, he said to Joe Blue, "Were you me, where would you start to find Ba.s.s and that poor Hathaway woman?"

"I wouldn't. No use in making two bad mistakes in the same day," Blue said, pocketing Longarm's money.

"I'm serious. Someone has to rescue Miss Hathaway."

"She's worth more alive than dead," Blue reckoned aloud. "Bernard Potter has a bank full of cash and he'll pay her ransom."

"Yeah," Longarm said, "but then they might decide to keep or kill her anyway."

"Keep her for what?"

"She's a beautiful woman, or haven't you ever noticed?"

"Yeah, I noticed," Blue said. "And I expect that you are right. As for finding Ba.s.s and his boys, I know that they have a cabin southwest of town about thirty miles. There's a big lightnin' struck tree by a fork in the road leading up to that cabin. It sits under some high red rocks at the back of a little canyon."