Brothers of the Mountain

Blood on the Prairie

By Jeremy Perry

Copyright © 2013 Sunrise Publishing

Smashwords Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior written consent of the copyright owner.

This story herein is a work of fiction. All of the characters, places, and events portrayed in this book either are products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously.

***

Lucas could no longer ignore the flurry of insults. He laid his pair of queens on the table, pushed away, and stood up slowly.

The boisterous fellow spoke again. “That’s right, you big horse’s ass. Git up and face me like a man. Maybe you got a little sand after all.”

Henry stood relaxed. He watched from a distant corner, sipping his rum. He was certain his brother could handle the intoxicated buffoon.

Turning to his drunken assailant, Lucas narrowed his gaze.

“Jake, I was hopin’ you were gonna take your smelly skunk carcass and get the hell outta here.” The other patrons sniggered at the remark. “But it looks like you can’t keep your damn mouth shut.”

The brawny, young trapper shoved the empty chairs aside and proceeded across the makeshift saloon. Jake produced a devilish grin, displaying a set of dark, tobacco-stained teeth. The rugged trapper looked as if he hadn’t seen soap and water for some time. Behind his bloodshot eyes was the look of someone with a strong suspicion of being swindled. Earlier, Lucas had exhausted the contemptuous fellow of his seasonal earnings in a friendly game of draw poker.