A Texan Rides the Trouble Trail by Harrington Strong (best short books to read .TXT) 📕

“They’re all dead except Ed Foster and Sid Jarles,” he reported. “Foster won’t last long, but Jarles will live. These men he brought to town were his fighters. The rest of his outfit won’t give us any trouble.”

“How about our boys?” Houston asked.

“We got off pretty well. They wasn’t expectin’ us to take a hand. I’ve got a burn on one arm, and the saloon man’s wife will have to ‘tend bar for a few days. Bullet got her husband in the leg.”

They carried Sid Jarles to the walk and propped him up against an awning post. Houston looked at him.

“Mr. Jarles, yore bossin’ hereabouts is at an end.” Houston said. “If yuh’re a wise man, yuh’ll understand that. The whole town’s agin yuh, and the whole range will be, soon as the truth of all this is known. Yuh can stay on and behave yourself, far as I’m concerned, personally, or yuh can sell out and ride. I’ll be around here to see that yuh behave.”

“Then you’re going to stay here?” somebody asked.

Houston glanced up to find Clara Brandell standing near him, smiling, and with glowing eyes.

“Yeah, I think I’ll stay, now that this is a right peaceful place,” Houston said. “Me, I like peace and calm. And I’ve got an investment here that’s got to be protected.”

“And even that ain’t all. I want to get better acquainted with you.”