Seasons of the Prairie by Kelvin Bueckert - HTML preview

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12

A Violent Winter 11

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Jefferson’s harsh laugh followed the report of the rifle. The muscles of the horse beneath the two humans flexed as they moved into a gallop.

Star had always been a good horse.

Selena clung to the body of the man before her even as she swiveled her head.

There was a black form silhouetted against the white snow. Jefferson’s aim had been true. Walter was no longer a threat.

“One less German to stink up the world!” Jefferson crowed, his long air flowing in the wind. “Let the Mounties pick over the body if the vultures don’t get’em first.”

Rage filled Selena’s mind even as she gripped the body of the murderer before her. Oh how she hated him, but she couldn’t afford to let him go. Not now.

At their rate of speed, the town was soon behind them.

A crossroad lay ahead.

To the left, the main road continued on to the next town, only a few miles away. To the right, a narrow trail led into the depths of a forest.

They went right.

Larry slowed his horse to a halt and then leaped to the ground. It didn’t take him long to wrap a thin line of razor wire around the trunk of one tree and run it to the other side of the road. He pulled the line tight and then tied it off. With that done, he remounted his horse and followed the rest of the gang into the woods.

The invisible wire remained. A surprise for the Mounties.

A group of men riding into the wire at full speed would be cut to pieces.

Selena knew what she had to do. She couldn’t let other innocent people die.

The horse was still galloping ahead when she released her grip on Jefferson. Together the two sisters tumbled toward the snow-covered earth.

Pain exploded in her head like a sky full of fireworks.

Jefferson and the rest of his gang carried on into the forest, intent on escaping with their good fortune. The two sisters had served their purpose. Let them die.

The sound of pounding hooves and shouting men filled the air. The Mounties were swarming out from the town. It wouldn’t take long before they arrived at the trap.

Selena forced the pain from her mind as she struggled to her feet.

She’d never live with herself if she let them be cut down like wheat at threshing time.

Jamie was screaming out her pain but she couldn’t deal with that right now.

She had to loosen the razor wire before the policemen arrived.