Sudden: Plays a Hand

The man s hands were bound. From a branch overhead dangled a lariat, the end in the hands of two burly men. Someone was raising a hand as a signal when Sudden stepped forward, guns drawn. Mebbe one of you will tell me what s goin on? he suggested. We re stringing up a cattle thief, a broken-nosed man snarled. Ain t that plain enough? What s your name? Sudden asked quietly. Lanty, the man replied. What s that to you? Sudden grinned, a cold and mirthless grin. I might need it for your tombstone.