Ghost Valley Read Free

with her father. And I was framed for something I didn’t do.”
    â€œSave your words,” Conrad said, rubbing his sore wrists. “I don’t ever want to see you again the rest of my life. You mean nothing to me.”
    Frank’s heart sank, but he knew he’d done the only thing he could.
    He was distracted by the sounds of horses coming down a hill above the road. Frank reached for a pistol, then recognized Tin Pan and his mule, although someone else, a man in a derby hat, was riding with him.
    Tin Pan and the stranger rode up.
    â€œNice shootin’, Morgan,” Tin Pan said. “We saw it from up that slope when you gunned down those two toughs. Couldn’t get down in time to help you, although it didn’t appear you needed any help.”
    â€œI saw the whole thing,” the stranger said. “You’re every bit as fast as they say you are. You killed two men, and you made it look easy.”
    Tin Pan chuckled, giving Conrad a looking over before he spoke. “This here’s Mr. Louis Pettigrew from the Boston Globe, Morgan. He came all the way to Colorado Territory to get an interview with you.”
    â€œYou picked a helluva bad time, Mr. Pettigrew,” Frank said quickly. “Right now, I’m taking my son back to Durango. He’s been through a rough time and he may need to see a doctor. He has a gash on top of his head.”
    Conrad stiffened. “Don’t ever call me your son again, Mr. Frank Morgan. You never were a father to me. You ran out on me and my mother.”
    Frank shrugged. “Suit yourself, Conrad, only that isn’t exactly true. Maybe, after you’ve had time to think about it, we can talk about what happened back when you were born. It’ll take some time to explain.”
    â€œI’d rather not hear it,” Conrad said, sulking. “You weren’t there when I needed you, and that’s all that mattered to me, or my mother.”
    Tin Pan gave Frank a piercing stare. “Sounds like you oughta left this ungrateful boy tied to this horse while Ned Pine took him to Gypsum Gap.”
    Frank didn’t care to talk about it with a stranger. “What about Vic Vanbergen and his bunch? Have you seen any sign of them on this road?”
    â€œSure did,” Tin Pan replied, “only some of ‘em turned back and took off at a high lope. He ain’t got but half a dozen men with him now, but we’re liable to run into ’em on the trail back south. There could be trouble.”
    â€œI can handle trouble,” Frank remarked, stalking off to get his saddle horse and packhorse. Conrad’s harsh words were still ringing in his ears.
    â€œI never knew anyone could be so fast with a pistol,” Louis Pettigrew said. “But I saw it with my own two eyes. What a story this will make!”
    Frank ignored the newsman’s remark. There was another story that needed to be told, in detail, to his son. Apparently, Conrad didn’t know all of the truth about why Frank had had to leave his beloved Vivian.
    He mounted up and rode back to the trail. Conrad was still struggling to mount the outlaw’s horse.
    â€œLet’s head southwest,” Frank said. “I’ll ride out front to be sure this road is clear.”
    â€œWe’ll be right behind you,” Tin Pan declared.
    Conrad Browning did not say a word as they left the scene of his rescue.
    * * *
    Seven mounted men were crossing a creek at the bottom of a draw when Frank, Tin Pan, Pettigrew, and Conrad came to the crest of a rise.
    â€œThat’s Vanbergen,” Louis Pettigrew said. “He’s the one who told me all those false tales about you.”
    Frank stepped off his horse with his Winchester .44-40, levering a shell into the firing chamber. “I’ll warm them up a little bit,” he said. “You boys pull back behind this ridge. I’m gonna pump some lead at ’em.”
    â€œThe one in