Shadow of the Gallows Read Free Page A

didn’t say anything about that being obvious .
    ‘So you might find something to show who that was.’
    ‘I hope so.’ Prove someone else guilty would prove Steadman innocent.
    ‘I wonder if he had a fair trial.’ Neil didn’t have much faith in the law or judges.
    ‘That is something else I’ll have to try to discover. It was held before a Judge Bowyer. I can’t say I know anything about him, good or bad. Ah, looks like we’re slowing down.’
    Neil stood up, reaching for their bags stowed in the overhead rack.
    Before long some ramshackle buildings came into view. By the railroad tracks was a water-tower, a platform and a tiny office. That was all. Otherwise, the halt was slap bang in the middle of nowhere. With a wail of its whistle the train came to a shuddering stop.
    For such a small place it was surprising for Cobb and Neil to find they weren’t the only passengers getting off while several people waited to get on.
    They stepped down off the platform onto a narrow, dusty road running between a couple of saloons and a tent offering card games. Then came some empty lots before the last building which was a barn with a corral by it, in which were several horses.
    Neil rather hoped they could go into one of the saloons for a drink and, more importantly, something to eat. It seemed a long time since they’d eaten at the last train halt. But Cobb was in a hurry to reach Newberry and he walked towards the barn without pausing. It looked to Neil like it was going to be a long time before they ate again.
    In front of the barn two horses were tied to the hitching rail. They were sweating as if they had been ridden hard and quite a distance, but there was no sign of their riders, nor of anyone else. Cobb pushed open the door and he and Neil stepped out of the glare of the sunlight into the barn’s coolness. It was divided into six stalls, three on either side of a large open area, and was full of the smell of hay and horses.
    ‘Hallo,’ Cobb called. ‘Anybody here?’
    The only answer was a shot! A bullet whizzed by Cobb’s ear and embedded itself in a bale of hay.
    ‘Look out!’
    Cobb acted swiftly and instinctively. He gave Neil a violent shove that sent him sprawling towards the nearest stall. At the same time he dropped to the floor and squirmed towards the safety of the opposite stall. He was chased all the way by more shots, which kicked up little puffs of dust at his heels. Reaching the partition wall, he glanced across at Neil, thankfulto see he was unhurt, and quickly took stock of the situation. The shots were coming from the back of the barn and there were two attackers, probably the riders of the horses out front.
    He pulled out his gun and fired back, although he couldn’t see a target. More bullets kept him pinned down. This could go on forever. Looking across he saw Neil on his knees also prepared to fire if he could find someone to shoot at. Cobb signalled him to stay where he was, pointing at himself and at the barn door. Neil nodded to show he understood.
    Taking a deep breath Cobb jumped up and raced for the door. At the same time Neil fired fast and wildly, hoping to keep their assailants occupied. Cobb reached the door, leapt through it and slammed it shut behind him, feeling it shake as it was struck by several bullets. Without stopping he raced round the side of the barn, jumped the rail of the corral and flattened himself against the barn wall. The horses shifted about nervously but they took no notice of him. Listening to the shooting which was still going on, he inched his way along the wall until he reached the rear door. By his reckoning the two men should be somewhere close by on its other side.
    Slowly and carefully he pushed the door open with the barrel of his gun. No shots greeted him. Hopefully the men didn’t realize what he was doing, perhaps they thought he had run away.
    He peered inside. Yes, there they were! Still occupied. Not quite sure of what was going on. Looking