"Evans, Tabor - Longarm 222 - Longarm and the Backwoods Baroness" - читать интересную книгу автора (Evans Tabor)

"Reckon not," said Longarm, disappointed that the man had decided to
stop talking about the local troubles. Longarm couldn't press him on the
matter, though, not without appearing overly curious--and that was
something he didn't want to do just yet. He changed the subject by asking,
"There a good hotel here in town?"

"Certainly. The Ponderosa House, just down the street. You can't
miss it."

"Much obliged," said Longarm as he picked up his saddle again. He
turned, then asked over his shoulder, "What about a livery stable? I might
need to rent a horse."

"Right next to the hotel. Affiliated with it, in fact. They'll take
good care of you."

"Thanks."

Longarm left the station before the clerk could start asking any
questions of his own, like who Longarm was and what he was doing there in
Timber City. Longarm planned to keep that to himself for the time being,
at least until he'd had a chance to talk to Mcentire and find out more
about the trouble that had been plaguing the timber company, costing the
lives of several loggers in the process. From what he had seen so far he
had some pretty likely culprits in those Diamond K punchers.

Those same cowhands came around the corner of the building, and
Longarm cast a quick glance around for the lumberjacks, figuring there was
going to be more trouble. The timber-cutters had disappeared, however,
forestalling another ruckus.

And being escorted by the cowboys was a mighty pretty young woman,
Longarm noted. She was well-dressed in a bottle-green traveling outfit,
and had what appeared to be long red hair tucked up and pinned in a bun
under her stylish hat. A couple of the cowboys were carrying valises, and
Longarm noticed a spring wagon parked near the depot. He wasn't surprised
when the whole bunch headed toward the wagon.

There was a footstep behind him, and he glanced around to see that the
ticket clerk had followed him out onto the porch. "Deserting your wicket,
ain't you?" asked Longarm.

"Business is slack right now," replied the clerk with a shrug.
"Besides, I wanted a look at Molly Kinsman. She's been gone to school back
East for a while, and I'd heard she had changed a heap." He let out a low
whistle of admiration as he watched the young woman being helped into the
spring wagon by one of the punchers. "Changed for the better too, she
did."

"Kinsman," Longarm mused. "Her daddy must own the Diamond K."