to smash under the man’s jaw. The gambler’s head snapped back and he went clean over a table. Even as he landed a big bouncer lunged forward, hands reaching for Dusty. The small Texan’s hands shot out, caught the man’s wrist and jerked. The bouncer howled as his hand was twisted up behind his back. Dusty still held the wrist and moved his feet back, lifting the right to place it against the bouncer’s rump. Pushing hard Dusty sent the man staggering forward and at the same time barked out, “Mark!”
Mark stepped forward, his left fist coming up to crash under the jaw of the onrushing man. The bouncer straightened up, his arms flailing wildly as he went over on to his back. Mark grinned at Dusty and blew on his knuckles.
Across the room one of the other saloon men dropped his hand towards his gun. Doc Leroy’s hand made a white flutter and the ivory handled Army Colt came out of leather, hammer eared back. The man froze, his gun still undrawn and Bearcat Annie gave a shake of her head. The man’s hand dropped to his side and he stood fast, his original aim forgotten. Even if his boss had not ordered him to let it drop he did not intend trying conclusions with a man as fast as that pallid, studious cowhand.
“Old Cy doesn’t take to people calling down the Texas Light, ma’am,” Dusty said. “He rode in it through the war. So did I.”
“Bannock there never could learn to keep his mouth shut,” Bearcat Annie replied. “He should have known better than try it with Cy Bollinger. He might not have known about Cy being in the Texas Light though.”
Dusty held down his smile, that was like saying a man did not know Washington was the capital city of the United States. Bollinger was very proud of having served in the Texas Light Cavalry during the war and made sure everyone knew he had been in it. “Could at that, ma’am. You wanting me to charge him with anything?”
“Not unless you want to.” Bearcat Annie was looking at Dusty with even more interest now. “The Town Council were a mite over-eager to take you on. I didn’t get time to say if I approved.”
“Your man came in and got out-voted, ma’am.”
“So I heard. I sent another man down to the jail to ask you to come along and see me. He isn’t back yet.”
“Nor won’t be, ma’am,” Dusty replied. “He’s in jail.”
Bearcat Annie frowned again. Her eyes were not friendly as she looked Dusty over. “What charge?”
‘I’m calling it disturbing the peace.”
“He’s lucky to be alive now,” Mark went on. “Any man who tries to run a blazer on a lawman asks for all he gets.”
The crowd stood watching everything. Bearcat Annie’s place was not only the biggest and most garish in Quiet Town, it also was known as the toughest. Bearcat Annie herself was said to be the power behind the town and to have the ability to remove anyone who crossed her. They all waited to see how she handled these young looking Texans who now wore the badges of Quiet Town’s police force.
“You like to take a drink?” she asked.
“Not while we’re working, ma’am,” Dusty replied.
“All right. The pickings are good for a lawman in Quiet Town. If he knows how to act. How much pay are you taking in?”
“Enough, ma’am. One rule I always learned. Take pay from only one boss at a time. That way a man lives to draw it longer.”
“Dusty being brought up polite doesn’t say it, ma’am,” Mark went on, “but we don’t take bribes.”
Bearcat Annie scowled. There was real anger in her eyes although she held her temper in control. “You don’t. That is a change among lawmen. I’ll, pay the fine for my boy. From now on don’t put any man who works for me in jail. I don’t like it.”
“Ma’am, I’ll jail any man I want,” Dusty replied. “If any more of your men try to run a blazer on me they’re going to wish they hadn’t.”
The saloon owner watched the three young Texans walk from the room. She glanced at the groaning