Innocence and the Outlaw

Chapter Twenty-Seven

But that wouldn't be good enough. Chase wanted to feel Yancy's blood and make sure the man knew exactly why he was dying. Chase wanted to be looking in his eyes as his life left him.

Yancy looked up and caught sight of Chase nearing him. Chase heard the man let out a sigh and get to his feet. Yancy's eyes went behind him and he threw his hand up at Leah.

"Good to see the squaw made it." Chase felt his spine stiffened as he bristled.

"Do not look at her. Do not wave at her. Do not even think about her. She is too good to even be on your mind."

"I agree, Chief." Yancy replied as he shoved his hands into his pants.

"What are you doing here? Why would you come here knowing this is where I would head? Do you want to die?" Chase demanded, his voice low and cold. Yancy shook his head and clicked his tongue.

"Nope sure don't. But I knew that if you lived through all that with Tobias that you'd come for me eventually. I reckon I just didn't want to be lookin' over my shoulder for the rest of my life."

Chase was silent as he slipped from Blaze's back and holstered his gun. He stalked toward the other man looking very much like a predator stalking his pray.

"Do you know what Tobias nearly did to her?" Chase ground out, his hand closing around the handle of his knife. Yancy spared a glance at the deadly knife Chase was so fond of using and swallowed hard but his voice didn't waver when he replied.

"Yes I know."

"Why did you betray me?" Chase asked and then he shook his head. "No, why did you use Leah to do it? What did that woman ever do to you? Why would you want to hurt her?" Yancy shrugged.

"It wasn't personal. She was just a means to an end."

"What end?"

"Money."

"That is it?"

"What else is there?"

"Loyalty. I trusted you." Chase replied and Yancy smiled, though there was no humor in the act.

"Your mistake, not mine." he said sadly. "Now let's settle this like men. This is gonna happen sooner or later, I'd just as soon get it done now." Chase knew that Yancy wanted to have a duel with their revolvers and while Chase was more fond of killing with his knife he also knew that to be a man of honor, which is what he wanted to be for Leah, he would have to give Yancy a fighting chance.

Chase nodded and took several big steps back putting twenty paces of distance between he and Yancy. Both men assumed a wide legged stance and settled their hands just above their revolvers.

Chase watched Yancy for any sign of movement. He knew he could draw faster than Yancy and he knew his aim was better. This was only going to end one way and that was with Yancy dead and Chase's vengeful side sated.

Before either man could draw, Leah came charging down the hill on her gray mare and brought the beast between them.

"Stop this!" she exclaimed. Chase growled and grabbed her by the arm, jerking her from the horse and yanking her body behind him.

"What do you think you're doing?" he hissed, kicking out so the mare would move and no longer be blocking his view of Yancy. Chase wouldn't put it past the man to shoot him when he was unable to defend himself.

Leah yanked herself out of his hold and came around him again. She glared at Yancy and then turned to look up at Chase.

"Hasn't there been enough killing? Haven't enough people died and enough blood been spilt?" she demanded.