Read Novel 1968 - Brionne (v5.0) for Free Online

lot.”
    “All right, I’ll take the buckskin gelding with the black mane and the little dun.”
    Brionne had been watching the horses, and his son as well. He had seen how Mat’s eyes singled out the dun, and how the boy unconsciously moved toward the horse. The dun, far from being shy, pricked up its ears at the boy and stretched an inquisitive nose toward him.
    Brionne also chose two sturdy-looking older horses for pack animals.
    “What d’you want for the roan?” Mowry asked. “The big one?”
    When they were back indoors and the deals were completed, Brionne looked across the desk at Pat. “And you forget you saw me, will you?” he said. “And anything else about me.”
    Pat gave him a surprised look. “You on the dodge? You sure don’t look it.”
    “He ain’t on the dodge,” Mowry said, “you take it from me, but there’s likely some folks comin’ in on the train tomorrow who will be askin’ questions.”
    “I don’t know anything about you,” Pat agreed. “I ain’t seen nor heard of you.”
    They started back up the street, leaving the horses at the stable. At the nearest store Brionne bought a few items—some ammunition, bacon, flour, coffee, sugar, and canned goods, enough for several days. After packing it back to the livery stable he came back and at a second store bought another order of equal size.
    He had stepped out on the street when he saw Miranda Loften. She was standing a few yards away, and two men stood in front of her. It was obvious that they had stopped her, and it was equally obvious that they had been drinking.
    Brionne swung the two heavy sacks to the boardwalk. “Watch these, Mat. I will be right back.”
    He strolled up to where the girl was confronted by the two men. “Sorry to keep you waiting,” he said gently, and taking her by the elbow, started away.
    The men automatically stepped aside, and then one of them, more belligerent than the other, suddenly seized Brionne’s arm. “Now, see here! What the—”
    “Take your hand off my arm.” Brionne spoke coolly, but the words were definite, and clearly spoken.
    “Look, I was talkin’ to that woman, an’—”
    “The
lady
of whom you speak does not know you. In your present condition she does not wish to know you. I will tell you once more, my friend, take your hand off my arm.”
    Anger flared in the drunken man’s eyes. “I’ll be damned if—”
    James Brionne, as those who knew him were aware, operated on an extremely short fuse. He brushed the arm away with his left hand, then crossed a solid right to the jaw. The punch was short, beautifully thrown, and it caught the correct angle of the man’s jaw. He hit the ground, falling forward, as a man does when knocked out by such a blow.
    Brionne looked across the fallen man, and said pleasantly, but with a cold look in his eyes, “Any comments? Would you like to make it two down?”
    Suddenly sober, the other man shook his head. “Not me, mister. But when he wakes up you’d better be wearin’ a gun.”
    “Tell him to forget it,” Brionne replied. “If he had put a hand on this lady I’d have seen him hung…and you also. I would resent it if anyone disturbed this lady in any way, now or later. Do you understand?”
    The man was flushing. “I’m sorry, ma’am. I reckon me an’ Pete made a mistake.” He gave Brionne a hard stare. “It ain’t because of you, mister. We really did make a mistake.”
    Taking Miranda by the elbow, Brionne guided her down the street. “That man…you didn’t kill him?” she asked. “He hasn’t moved.”
    “He’ll have a headache, that’s all.” He changed the subject. “Miss Loften, what are your plans? Where are you going?”
    “I’ll be all right, thank you. I—I just don’t know where to go tonight. I thought there’d be…well, the hotels aren’t like I expected.”
    He smiled. “They’re for men, ma’am, and rough men at that. We must find something else for you. Let’s go back and talk to