Max Brand

Black Jack Max Brand

As if to mock him, he had no sooner spoken than a dozen voices yelled down thestreet in a wailing chorus cut short by the rapid chattering of revolvers. Vance ranto the window. Just below the hotel the street made an elbow-turn for no particularreason except that the original cattle- trail had made exactly the same turn beforeGarrison City was built. Toward the corner ran the hubbub at the pace of a runninghorse. Shouts, shrill, trailing curses, and the muffled beat of hoofs in the dust. Arider plunged into view now, his horse leaning far in to take the sharp angle, andthe dust skidding out and away from his sliding hoofs. The rider gave easily andgracefully to the wrench of his mount. And he seemed to have a perfect trust in his horse, for he rode with the reinshanging over the horns of his saddle. His hands were occupied by a pair ofrevolvers, and he was turned in the saddle.