The Long Ride Out | Page 3

a cattleman, because I believe in this country. I believe in
railroads, despite the way some men are getting filthy rich off of them.
I believe in cities and progress, and I believe only a damn fool would
try to get in their way.
"When the railroad came through I had a small spread and I was doing
all right. But I realized those railroad cars could be taking cattle to
market, and I saw what a man with vision could do here. Land means
cattle, cattle means money. Enough money means power, and a chance
to make a mark. Lincoln City doesn't have to go the way of Dodge City
and Abilene. It could have an opera house instead of a gallows, schools
instead of bordellos." He looked hard at Marlin. "You have any
children?"
"Never worked out that way for me," Marlin said.
Britton nodded. "My wife took sick carrying our first child. I lost them
both. Never had the heart to marry again. But I could make this a town
where people that do have families could live in peace." He waved one
hand, as if to clear the air. "Enough of that. About the time I had my
vision, Kraamer came along, full of bright ideas and a love of money.
That was fifteen years ago.
"To make a long story short, we cut a deal. How much do you know
about homestead law?"

Marlin shook his head. "Not much."
"Well, the law has got its weak spots, like any other. It says a man can
stake a claim, wait five years, and sell it. Then he's free to move on and
do the same thing again. Between homestead, preemption, timber
grants and what have you, that comes to a lot of land. Which I have
bought and Kraamer has gladly sold to me."
Marlin shifted in the chair, which seemed to be suffocating him.
"Where is all this leading?"
"To this. The business I have with Kraamer is between us. He's no
helpless sodbuster being crushed by big cattle interests. Ask anyone in
town. The other homesteaders think Kraamer is worse than dirt.
"I don't have his daughter. He may know where she is, he may not. But
she's just an excuse to bring you into this, to stir things up. All that can
happen is that you'll get hurt or killed. Believe me, Kraamer is just not
worth it."
*
The blond cowboy from the saloon was sitting on the fence by the front
gate. Marlin reigned in and said, "I used to see you in Dodge. It's
Wallace, isn't it?"
"That's right. I heard about you too." The man's smile had a greedy
look to it.
"That's a difference between us, Wallace. I've always found enough
trouble without having to go look for it."
"You won't have to look for me," Wallace said. "I'll be around."
*
The town of Lincoln City was a street, a stable, and a few buildings on
either side. Paint was apparently in short supply. A brand-new bank sat
across from the saloon, and next to it was a diner and a rooming house.

Marlin tied up his horse and went into the diner.
The place was empty except for a red-haired boy in his early twenties.
Marlin sat at the table next to his and took off his hat. He could hear the
wind whistle through cracks in the plank wall.
A waitress came out of the back and wiped her hands on her apron.
Marlin pointed at the boy and said, "I'll have what he's having." She
was pretty in a strong, capable way, with a thick waist, small breasts,
and ribbons tied up in her yellow hair. She smelled pleasantly of
scented soap.
When she went back to the kitchen the boy said, "I hear you're working
for old man Kraamer." He didn't look up as he spoke.
"Haven't made up my mind yet," Marlin said.
The woman came back with a plate of roast beef and Marlin set to work
on it.
"It's hard," the boy said, "to tell what's what sometimes. Being in a
strange town and all."
Marlin sopped up some gravy with his cornbread. "That about says it,
all right."
"Hell, a man might not know where to start."
"I'd be grateful," Marlin said, "for any help that might be offered."
"Of course, it's hard to help somebody when you don't know what he's
looking for."
They ate in silence for another minute, then Marlin said, "This man
Kraamer might just be trying to get his daughter back."
The boy nodded and pushed his plate away. "Then again his daughter
might not want to come back."

"That thought had crossed my mind," Marlin said. "It's a shame she's
not around herself, to talk with."