The Killing Blow Read Free

single blast, which rolled through the air like a clap of thunder. The barrel jumped up, kicking Ordell on the shoulder as black smoke poured from one end.
    Clint could hear something that almost sounded like a hammer thumping against a wet board.
    The bear kept running toward the tree as Ordell slowly lowered his rifle. He didn’t even bother going through the motions of reloading the weapon since he and Clint would both be killed three times over before he was halfway done.
    Clint leaned back and gritted his teeth. At that moment, he saw the cold emptiness in the bear’s eyes.
    After taking one more step, the bear simply dropped down and let its own momentum drive its head into the ground. Its paws were still ripping at the dirt, but weren’t strong enough to support its own weight. After a few more kicks, the bear let out a final growl and then stopped moving.
    Only then did Clint realize his shoulders were up around his ears and that he hadn’t taken a full breath since he’d first climbed down from Eclipse’s saddle.
    Ordell, on the other hand, looked like he was posing for a photograph. With his rifle in one hand like a walking stick, he leaned forward and nodded slowly. Glancing over to Clint, he said, “That wasn’t so hard, now was it?”

THREE
    When Clint and Ordell walked back to the overturned wagon, they heard the woman yelp a bit as if she’d seen the bear return. When she spotted the two men instead of the single animal, she let out a relieved sigh.
    â€œWho’s that?” she asked.
    Clint knelt down beside the wagon and said, “He’s the man who killed that bear.”
    â€œI figure we’ll all be eating real good tonight,” Ordell said.
    â€œI can think about food once I get this wagon off of me.”
    Clint reached under the wagon and found the spot where her leg was pinned. “Can you feel that?”
    She nodded.
    â€œAnd does it hurt?”
    Ordell laughed under his breath and said, “If she ain’t hollering her lungs out, then she’s just fine.”
    Looking to Clint, she said, “It does hurt a bit, but I should be all right.”
    â€œSee? I told ya.”
    â€œAll right then, doctor,” Clint said. “Do you think you can help me lift this wagon?”
    Ordell leaned his rifle against the nearest tree and peeled the tattered coat from his shoulders. He then spat on both his callused palms, rubbed them together and took a firm grip upon the edge of the wagon. “Ready when you are.”
    Positioning himself next to Ordell, Clint took hold of the wagon and looked to the woman before lifting. “Can you pull your leg out on your own?”
    â€œIf it means getting out from under here, I’ll drag myself all the way back to Georgia,” she replied.
    Clint nodded and looked over to Ordell. “On three. One. Two. Three.”
    Even with both men straining every muscle in their arms, back and shoulders, the wagon only moved enough for the woman to pull herself out about an inch. Her eyes widened and she scooted back where she was the moment she felt the wagon coming down again.
    â€œMy knee’s stuck,” she said. “I have to get it all out or nothing.”
    â€œThink you can lift this thing any higher?” Ordell asked.
    After catching his breath, Clint looked over to the closest tree. “I’ve got a better idea.”
    The instant he saw Clint walk over and take the rifle that had been leaning against that tree, Ordell jumped to his feet. “Just what the hell do you think you’re gonna do with that?”
    â€œUse it to give us a little leverage.”
    â€œWhy don’t you use yer own damn rifle for that?”
    â€œBecause my rifle isn’t a solid iron tree trunk that’s almost as tall as I am. That gun’s strong enough to last through doomsday, so it’s strong enough to get that wagon off the lady’s knee. If you can find something