LONGARM AND THE HANGMAN’S VENGEANCE [066-066-5.0]
By Tabor Evans
Synopsis:
Walking some sorry varmint up the gallows steps to the wrong end of a rope wasn’t Marshal Long’s ideal way to start the day. But the Great Costello wasn’t just any outlaw. As a train robber he was a washout—but as an escape artist he was a whirling wonder! And sure enough, when the dust settled, Costello had escaped, leaving the hangman swinging on his own rope. Now it’s up to Longarm to track the slippery son of Satan on a bloody trail that leads him over the border and up against savage Mex rebels, vicious rurales … and a hot-blooded assortment of wicked and willing women! 110th novel in the “Longarm” series, 1988.
Jove Books New York Copyright (C) 1988 by Jove Publications, Inc. All rights reserved.
This book may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by mimeograph or any other means, without permission. For information address: The Berkley Publishing Group, 200 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10016.
ISBN: 0-515-09445-5
Jove Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group, 200 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10016.
JOVE and the “J” design are trademarks belonging to Jove Publications, Inc.
A Jove Book / published by arrangement with the author
Printing history Jove edition / February 1988
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
If you purchased this book without a cover, you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the publisher, and neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment for this “stripped book.”
ALSO IN THE LONGARM SERIES FROM JOVE
Longarm Longarm on the Border Longarm and the Avenging Angels Longarm and the Wendigo Longarm in the Indian Nation Longarm and the Loggers Longarm and the Highgraders Longarm and the Nesters Longarm in the Big Bend Longarm and the Desert Spirits Longarm and the Lone Star Vengeance Longarm and the Cattle Baron Longarm and the Steer Swindlers Longarm and the Hangman’s Noose Longarm and the Omaha Tinhorns Longarm and the Desert Duchess Longarm on the Painted Desert Longarm on the Arkansas Divide Longarm and the Blindman’s Vengeance Longarm at Fort Reno Longarm and the Durango Payroll Longarm West of the Pecos Longarm on the Nevada Line Longarm and the Blackfoot Guns Longarm on the Santa Cruz Longarm and the Lone Star Revenge Longarm on the Goodnight Trail Longarm and the Frontier Duchess Longarm in the Bitteroots Longarm and the Tenderfoot Longarm and the Stagecoach Bandits Longarm and the Big Shoot-Out Longarm and the Lone Star Deliverence Longarm in the Hard Rock Country Longarm in the Texas Panhandle Longarm and the Rancher’s Shodown Longarm on the Inland Passage Longarm in the Ruby Range Country Longarm and the Greate Cattle Kill Longarm and the Crooked Railman Longarm on the Siwash Trail Longarm and the Runaway Thieves Longarm and the Escape Artist Longarm and the Bone Skinners Longarm and the Mexican Line-Up Longarm and the Lone Star Mission Longarm and the Trail Drive Sham Longarm on Death Mountain Longarm and the Cottonwood Curse Longarm and the Desperate Manhunt Longarm and the Rocky Mountain Chase Longarm on the Overland Trail Longarm and the Big Posse Longarm on Deadman’s Trail Longarm in the Bighorn Basin Longarm and the Blood Harvest Longarm and the Bloody Trackdown Longarm and the Hangman’s Vengeance Longarm on the Thunderbird Run Longarm and the Utah Killers
Chapter 1
The Denver sky was blushing a handsome shade of dusty rose as the neighbor kids were enjoying a cheerful-sounding game of kick the can. U.S. Marshal William Vail, taking in the sights of the summer evening, let his belt out a couple of notches and lowered his considerable behind to the steps of his veranda, hoping to light his after-supper cigar without getting fussed at.
The freshly lit smoke tasted just right after chicken, dumplings, and cherry pie, no matter what his old woman thought of his favorite brand; she was always fussing at him for sitting out on the step in his shirt sleeves, as well. But he figured he was just as sedate as that fool neighbor lady who let her daughters play with boys right out in the middle of Sherman Avenue. Gals hadn’t been allowed to behave so freely back when he was young.
The pudgy, middle-aged lawman’s evening reverie didn’t last as long as he’d hoped it might. For sure enough, coming along the sandstone walk at a grim pace was his senior deputy, Custis Long from West-by-God- Virginia, and anyone could see he was mighty pissed about something.
Vail was all too sure he knew what it was, as the somewhat younger and considerably taller and leaner figure wearing a pancaked Stetson and tweed suit of matching tobacco-brown bore down on him. But all Vail said was, “Evening, Longarm. We can’t chicken and dumpling you no more, but there’s plenty of coffee and at least a couple of slices of pie left inside.”
Longarm said he’d just eaten, sat down beside his boss, and got out a three-for-a-nickel cheroot as he said, “I just read the duty roster. You’d left for the day before that prissy clerk of yours dared to post it.”
One of the kids out front kicked the can galley-west, and as it rattled and tinkled along the tree-shaded avenue Billy Vail said, “They didn’t have tin cans when I was that age. You?”
Longarm shook his head and replied, “There was an old lady over in another hollow, back home, who preserved apples and such in jars. She was rumored to be a witch. But nobody went in for tin cans much before the war, and after it I was a mite old for the game them kids is playing.” After a pause, he said, “I noticed some damn fool assigned me to a deathwatch at the House of Detention, Billy.”
Vail took a drag on his cigar and recited, “A canner, exceedingly canny, one day did remark to his granny, a canner can can anything that one can, but a canner can’t can a can, can he?”
Longarm didn’t even smile. “Deathwatch is a mighty chicken-shit detail for a deputy with six or eight years seniority, ain’t it?”
Vail nodded soberly and replied, “It ain’t the sort of chore any deputy would volunteer for. I picked you and Guilfoyle because the only others I can spare would be Smiley and Dutch, and the U.S. Constitution forbids cruel and unusual punishment.”
“Damn it, Billy, you know they cleared old Dutch for gunning that prisoner.”
Vail shrugged. “I promised the boys down at the Federal House of Detention that the execution of the Great Costello was all theirs, come morning. I know I can count on you and Deputy Guilfoyle to see the rascal to the gallows alive and well. Considering the Great Costello’s rep, it ain’t the sort of chore I’d pick less than the best for.”
