Code of the Mountain Man by William W. Johnstone Page B

silver and Luttie was goin’ to handle the gettin’ rid of the boodle end of it.
    How many in the gang?
    The kid reckoned they was about fifty or sixty. He didn’t rightly know since they wasn’t camped all together. But it was a big gang.
    How many people had the kid robbed and raped and murdered?
    Bunches. Used to be fun, but now it was sort of borin’. All them people did was blubber and slobber and beg and cry and carry on somethin’ awful. It was a relief just to shoot them in the head to shut them up.
    â€œDisgusting!” Mills said, tossing the signed confession onto Smoke’s desk. “I have never in my life heard of such depravity as that which came out of Parsons’ mouth.”
    â€œYou relaxing your stand on hanging now, Mills?” Smoke asked.
    He received a dirty look, but Mills chose not to respond to the question.
    â€œWhat are you doing to do with the kid?”
    Mills shook his head. “I don’t know. I can’t allow the return of that vicious little thug back to a free society. That would be a grave injustice. The judge is going to have to decide that issue.”
    â€œHe’s never going to change.”
    â€œI know that,” Mills said. “It’s a dreadful time we live in, Smoke.”
    â€œIt’s going to get worse, Mills. Count on it. Now, then, what about Luttie?”
    â€œWe can’t move against him on just the word of a common hoodlum. We’ve got to have some proof that he is, indeed, a part of this conspiracy. How about Greeny and Lebert and Augie? Have they agreed to talk?”
    â€œYou have to be kidding. Those are hardened criminals. They’ll go to the grave with their mouths closed. They’re not going to assist the hangman in their own executions.”
    â€œWhen will the deputies and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police come for them?”
    â€œThey said as soon as possible. Probably in a week or so.”
    â€œI’ve got to move the kid out of here and up to Sheriff Silva’s jail. For safekeeping.”
    â€œAll right. Why not do that now and as soon as the kid is gone, I’ll pull those three scumbags in from the tree.”
    â€œI would hate for a supervisor to ride by and see them chained out there,” Winston said.
    Smoke shook his head. “I’ll be sure to take them some tea and cookies the first chance I get.”
    * * *
    At Smoke’s insistence Mills sent four of his men out early the next morning, taking the kid to the county seat and to a better and more secure jail. They would be gone at least three days and possibly four.
    Smoke took down all the sawed off double-barreled shotguns from the rack and passed them around. “Clean them up, boys, and load them up. Don’t ever be too far away from one.”
    â€œAre you expecting trouble?” Mills asked. “From whom and why?”
    â€œYes, I’m expecting trouble. From whom? Either Lee Slater or his brother ...”
    â€œHis assumed brother,” Mills corrected. “Yes. I see. They could not want the three we have here talking and implicating either of them. Now I see why you insisted on sending more men than I thought necessary to the county seat with Parsons. I thank you for your insistence, Smoke. Parsons would be the more likely of the four to crack – as he did.”
    Smoke nodded his agreement as he loaded up the sawed-off with buckshot.
    Winston hefted the shotgun shells in his hands. “These are heavy, too heavy for factory loads.”
    â€œI had the gunsmith across the street load them for me. They’re filled with broken nails and ball-bearings and whatever else he had on hand.” He looked first at Mills, then at Winston and Moss. “Any of you ever shot a man with a Greener?”
    They shook their heads.
    â€œClose in they’ll cut a man in two. Makes a real mess. Fastest man in the world won’t buck the odds of a sawed-off pointed at his