Triumph of the Mountain Man Read Free Page A

heart. A woman behind him began to scream. He spun on one boot heel and strode to the tellers.
    â€œAll right, Shem, grab everything they have and let’s get out of here.”
    Two minutes went by with the outlaws holding bags in one hand and tellers stuffing them. Then a loud report came from outside. Ace nodded to the door. “That’s George, let’s go.”
    Quickly they reached the door, and Shem Turnbull flung it open. They stepped out into the presence of an angry Smoke Jensen.
    * * *
    â€œHold it right there,” Smoke growled.
    Two men stood before him, crowded into the open double doors of the bank. Each held three bulging canvas bags. They also gripped identical Smith and Wesson .44 Americans. Smoke followed his command with sizzling lead. Ace Banning dropped flat as the Colt in Jensen’s hand bucked. The slug slammed into the pane of the bank door, and it shattered; shards flew inward to the chorus of screams from the three women inside. Ace fired wildly as the musical tinkle of glass sounded behind him.
    His slug flew between Smoke’s outspread legs. Already the last mountain man had moved his point of aim and triggered a shot that took Shem Turnbull in the thick meat of his side. He clapped a hand against it and discharged his Smith and Wesson. The .44 bullet cracked past Smoke’s left ear and struck the bannister post of the balcony across the street. Smoke moved then, as Ace fired again. His third shot struck the prone Ace Banning in his shoulder, snapped the collarbone, and bored down into his lung.
    At once, Ace began to gag and fight for air. His hand went slack on the revolver, and it dropped from his fingers. Smoke Jensen changed position again and fired a safety shot. Due to the small target, it gouged the back of Ace Banning. He cried out as the slug plowed along his spine and entered his right buttock. Beside him, Shem fired again.
    A hot crease burned along the outer point of Smoke’s left shoulder. Twisting with the impact, Smoke lined up on the bank robber and fired again. His bullet ripped into Shem’s middle and punched a hole in his liver. As massive shock stole over him, he sagged back against the wall and released his hold on the money bags and six-gun. Slowly, he slid down to a sitting position. Peacemaker leading the way, Smoke Jensen walked up to them and kicked the gun away from Ace, then Shem. Years of experience told him that both would die within an hour. One of the bank guards came to the door.
    â€œGo get Doc Simpson,” Smoke commanded the astonished man.
    Ace groaned and looked up at Smoke. “Th-thank you, mister. Ah—who—who are you?”
    Smoke kept it cold. “I didn’t send for the doctor to treat you. You’ll be dead before an hour’s gone by. And, I’m known as Smoke Jensen.”
    Greater misery washed over the pale face of Ace Banning. “We—ah—we didn’t think you were still alive. And a lawman at that.”
    His last sentence did not make much sense to Smoke, so he ignored it and replied to the first. “Your mistake.”
    * * *
    Dr. Hiram Simpson entered the outer treatment room of his office wiping his hands on a towel. “Let’s take a look at you, Mr. Jensen.”
    â€œFirst tell me, how is Monte?”
    Doc Simpson sighed tiredly “It was close. I had to clean the wound channel first off. Then, when I got the bullet hole plugged, and closed the two holes in his lung, the Almighty musta smiled on me, ’cause the lung reinflated. He’s healthy. he should heal that up in good time. I’ve given him enough laudanum that he will sleep through to evening. That should aid the healing process. But, the bullet is lodged in the thick muscle only a fraction of an inch from his spine. After having to open his chest to work on his lung, no one can go in there after it right now.”
    â€œWhen can you?”
    Doc Simpson read the strain in Smoke’s