Lone Star 03 Read Free Page A

then,” Snag told them. He went on, “You already got your rope on him, Fletch. Take the slack outta the noose and toss the other end over that mesquite limb.”
    Fletch toed his horse up beside the prisoner, whose eyes had grown increasingly fearful as he watched and listened to the discussion that was to decide his fate. The Lazy G man pulled the noose tight and tossed the free end of the rope over the one branch of the mesquite that was sturdy enough to hold a man’s weight. He was starting back to join the others when Snag spoke.
    â€œDamn it, get his hands untied from his saddlehorn! If they’re still fastened, the rope won’t pull him off the horse! Ain’t you never strung up a rustler before, Fletch?”
    With an angry look at the strawboss, Fletch untied the pigging-string that secured the prisoner’s hands to his saddlehorn. While he was still pulling the knot of the pigging-string when retying the man’s hands, the victim struck.

Chapter 2
    With his hands bound, the accused prisoner had no weapon except his head. As Fletch was raising his head after examining the pigging-string to make sure the knot was tightly cinched, the prisoner arched his back and butted Fletch in the jaw. The unexpected impact almost sent the Lazy G man from his saddle, and the prisoner kicked frantically at his horse’s flanks, trying to get the animal to move. Belatedly the horse started off, but with no guiding hands on its reins, it ran directly toward the other men from the Lazy G.
    Ossie, Miller, and Pete closed in around the hapless prisoner and grabbed his arms. Fletch spurred up to join them. Snag did not move to help them, but kept his attention on Ki. During their long discussion, Snag had allowed the muzzle of his revolver to sag, as Ki had expected he would, but now he brought it up to threaten Ki once more. He did not give Ki his full attention, but darted his eyes away from time to time, watching his men lash the prisoner’s arms behind his back, tighten the noose of the lariat, and toss its end over the limb again.
    Ki had been waiting for an opportunity to create just such a diversion without getting shot himself. He used the moments when Snag’s attention was distracted to drop one hand to his waist and free the loose knot that held in place the surushin he wore instead of a belt. By the time Snag’s eyes were on him again, Ki was once more sitting motionless.
    â€œYou decided to give in, Chinaman?” Snag asked mockingly.
    â€œI have decided to see how far you will let your men go,” Ki replied.
    â€œDon’t make no mistake, they’ll go all the way,” Snag told Ki. “And after that rustler bastard’s kicked his last kick, them and me’s going to make up our minds what to do with you.”
    â€œI’ve done you no harm yet,” Ki pointed out.
    â€œRight enough. But it ain’t in the cards to let you go free after you seen us give that rustler what he’s got coming. Only thing we got to settle is whether to use the rope or a gun.”
    Ki did not answer, but turned his eyes pointedly to the scene under the mesquite. There, Fletch, Miller, Ossie, and Pete were having a low-voiced discussion, apparently over the part each of them was to play in the lynching.
    Whatever the subject of the discussion, it was soon over. While Fletch and Pete stationed themselves on each side of the prisoner, Miller knotted the free end of the lariat that had become a lynching rope around his saddlehorn. Ossie led Miller’s horse in a small half-circle away from the tree, backing it until the slack had been removed from the rope. The lariat now stretched tautly from the bound man’s neck, over the limb to Miller’s saddlehorn.
    Miller nodded to Fletch and Pete. They each raised one hand in the air. Ki glanced at Snag, and saw that his eyes were fixed on the victim. Fletch and Pete brought their hands down in hard slaps on the rump