Busted Gulch vol 6

Hunting Buck (baileygaines)

Hunting Buck

Bruce waited, breath baited.

Shamus scowled, but Bruce wasn't cowed.

"Skirt, I want your brother dead.

Tell me how ya can help me get ahead."

"I'll get Buck in trouble; run him out of town,

Then you and your men can hunt him down."

"That's too much work," Shamus said with a smirk.

"Give me a better reason why ya shouldn't die."

Yikes! Bruce's blood started chilling.

"I'll hunt him, then you do the killing."

"No," Shamus said. "YOU kill him, Skirt.

Bring me back proof, and ya won't get hurt."

Ha! Bruce smirked and schemed inside.

Instead of killing Buck, he'd run away and hide.

Then Shamus threw a wrench in Bruce's escape plan.

"I don't trust ya. Brody, make sure he does what he said.

If he don't...well, ya can make sure he's dead."

Bruce glared at Brody and went for his horse.

It was gone - Lou had taken it, of course.

The two men rode out of Oh Aces, both wearing sullen faces.

Bruce glared daggers at Brody's back. Being a traitor had its drawbacks.

They followed Buck's trail, which was plain as day.

They picked up a second set of tracks on the way.

"It must be Lou," Bruce guessed. "He's following her."

"All the better for ya," Brody said with a smirk.

"If he proves hard to catch, you can catch Lou.

If you have her, Buck will do whatever you tell him to."

They started to ride again, Bruce in the front.

Brody rode behind to make sure Bruce didn't pull a stunt.

They sighted BG and rode in with care.

They didn't want anyone to know they were there.

They checked Tent City, but didn't see Buck.

Bruce was starting to run out of luck.

When all of a sudden, who did they see?

Lou standing outside, talking with Billy.

"If Lou's here," Bruce said, "Buck will be too.

It's only a matter of time, Buck, 'til I've got you!"

When Billy was gone, they crept around back.

And hid on the other side of Lou's shack.

Bruce's plan was to hide until his brother appeared.

"Don't keep me waiting, Buck," he said with a sneer.