the Broken Gun (1967)

by L'amour, Louis

  We stood together under the stars then, and I was thinking of the last words that John Toomey had written.

  The directions had been there, of course, telling where to find the papers recording the sale of the ranch property to John and Clyde Toomey.

  But there was more, the last words written by John Toomey before he stuffed the papers into the gun barrel.

  It is my request that whoever will come upon these pages will seek out those who have done this crime and show their guilt that the evil may not profit from evil, and that my sons and grandsons may grow tall upon the land I came so far to find."

  I'll say one thing for John Toomey: When he loaded that Bisley Colt for the last time, it was really loaded.