Valley Of the Sun (Ss) (1995) (26 page)

He hesitated, briefly. The scarred ground
. h
eld his eyes and he scowled, as if trying to read some message in the marks of the battle. Then he turned and walked toward his horse
.

All of them avoided glancing toward the steeldust, and if anyone saw the sheriff's canteen slip from his hand and lie on the sand forgotten, they said nothing
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Eckles glanced once at the horse that dozed by the mesquite, but before he could speak his eyes met Ollie Weedin's and he gulped and looked hastily away. They moved off then, and no man turned to look back. Eckles forced a chuckle
.

"Well, kid," he said to the boy, "yuh've killed yuh some Injuns, so I reckon youh'll be carvin' a notch or two on your rifle now."
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The boy shook his head stiffly. "Not me," he said scornfully. "That's a tinhorn's trick!"
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Gleason looked over at Ollie and smiled
.

"Yuh got a chaw, Ollie?"
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"Shore haven't, Bill. Reckon I must have lost mine, back yonder."
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