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A second man left the window where he had been keeping watch and； carrying his rifle； he went back toward the kitchen； where he began rattling pots and pans。 The first man went over to a table and carried the wooden bucket and the gourd dipper to us。 〃I'd go easy； there at first；〃 he suggested。 And that we did。 The station tender leaned on the bar。 〃Haven't seen you in years； Spanish。 Figured they'd have stretched your neck before now。〃
〃Give 'em time；〃 John J。 Battles said。 Setting there in the chair； taking occasional swallows of cool water from the bucket； I began to feel myself getting back to normal。
Spanish； he leaned back in his chair and looked over his cup at the station tender。 〃Case； how long you been with the pany？〃
〃Two 。。。 maybe two and a half years。 My wife left me。 Said this western country was no place for a woman。 She went back to her folks in Boston。 I send her money； time to time。 Afraid if I don't she'll e back on me。〃
〃Ain't never married； myself；〃 Spanish said。 He looked over at me。 〃How about you； Tell？〃
For a moment there I hadn't anything to say。 I kept thinking of Ange； the last times I saw her； and of the first times； high in those Colorado mountains。
〃My wife is dead；〃 I told him。 〃She was a rarely fine girl 。。。 rarely fine。〃
〃Tough；〃 Spanish said。 〃You； Rocca？〃
〃No； se？or。 I am not a married man。 There was a girl 。。。 but that is far away and long ago； amigos。 Her father had many cows； many horses 。。。 me； I had nothing。 And I was an Indio 。。。 my mother was an Apache；〃 he added。
My eyes were on the floor； tracing the cracks in the rough boards； often scrubbed。 My hungry flesh was soaking up the lost moisture and I felt sleepy and quiet； liking the square of sunlight that lay inside the door； even the drone of the flies 。。。 I was alive。
The blood of Apaches was still on my hands。 There had been no water in which to wash until now； but soon I would 。。。 soon。
The room was like many of its kind； differing only in the plank floor。 Most floors were of stamped earth。 There were several rough board tables； some chairs and benches。 The room was low…raftered； the walls were of adobe； the roof of poles and earth。 I could smell bacon frying in the kitchen； and coffee。
Spanish Murphy hitched around in his chair。 'Tell； we make a team； the four of us； why don't we stick together？〃
The man came in from the kitchen with tin plates and a frying pan filled with bacon。 He dumped the plates on the table； then forked bacon onto them。 He went out and returned with the coffeepot and a plate of tortillas。 Still another trip and he brought a big bowl of frijoles … those big Mexican brown beans … and a dried…apple pie cut into four pieces。
〃We'll need a couple of horses；〃 I said； looking around at Case。
〃You'll get 'em；〃 Case replied。 〃I think the p'ny would like to get them to a safer place。 We've been expectin' an attack almost any time。〃
He gestured toward the bacon。 〃You got to thank Pete Kitchen for the bacon。 He raises hogs down to his place； calls 'em his 'Pache pincushions； they're so shot full of arrows。〃
John J。 Battles； a solid chunk of a man； glanced across the table at me。 〃Sackett 。。。 that's a familiar name。〃
〃I'm familiar；〃 I agreed； 〃once you know me。〃 It wasn't in me to get him paring notes； figuring out who I was。 Once he did； he'd bring up the fight in the Mogollon country； and how Ange was murdered。 It was something I was wishful of forgetting。
〃I still figure；〃 Spanish said； 〃that we'd make a team。〃
〃If you want to risk hanging。〃 John J。 Battles grinned at us。 〃You all heard what Case said。〃
〃Me；〃 Rocca said； 〃I wasn't going nowhere； anyhow。〃
〃Later；〃 I said； 〃it will have to be later。 I've got a trip to take。〃
They looked at me； all of them。 〃My brother's kid。 I hear tell he's been taken by the Apaches。 I've got to go into the Sierra Madres after him。〃
They thought I was crazy； and I was thinking so myself。 Rocca was the first： one to speak。 〃Alone？ Se？or； an army could not do it。 That is the Apache hideout where no white man goes。〃
〃It's got to be done；〃 I said。
Case； he just looked at me。 〃You're crazy。 You're scrambled in the head。〃
〃He's just a little boy；〃 I said； 〃and he's alone down yonder。 I think he will be expectin' somebody to e for him。〃
Chapter 2
Laura Sackett was a strikingly pretty young woman； blonde and fragile。 Among the dark； sultry beauties of Spanish descent she seemed a pale； delicate flower； aloof； serene； untouchable。
To the young Army officers in the Tucson vicinity； Laura Sackett was utterly fascinating； and this feeling was not dulled by the knowledge that she was a married woman。 Her husband； it was known； was Congressman Orrin Sackett； who was in Washington； D。C。 Apparently they had separated。
But nobody seemed to know just what the status of the marriage was； and Laura offered no ment； nor did she respond to hints。
Her conduct was irreproachable； her manner ladylike； her voice was soft and pleasant。 The more discerning did notice that her mouth was a little too tight； her eyes shadowed with hardness； but these characteristics were usually lost in the quiet smiles that hovered about her lips。
Nobody in Tucson had ever known Jonathan Pritts； Laura's father； and none of them had been present in the vicinity of Mora during the land…grant fighting。
Jonathan Pritts was now dead。 A narrow； bigoted man； tight…fisted and arrogant； he had been idolized by his daughter and only child； and with his death her hatred for the Sacketts had bee a fierce； burning urge to destroy。
She had seen her father driven from Mora； his dream of empire shattered； his hired gunmen killed or imprisoned。 A vain； petty； and self…important man； he had impressed upon his daughter that he was all the things he assumed he was； and to her all other men were but shadows before the reality of her father。
Until he had e west； they had lived together in genteel poverty。 His schemes for riches had failed one by one； and with each failure his rancor and bitterness grew。 Each failure； he was positive； had e not from any mistake on his part； but always from the envy or hatred of others。
Laura Pritts had married Orrin Sackett with one thought in mind … to further her father's schemes。 Orrin； big； handsome； and genial； and fresh from the Tennessee hills； had never seen a girl like Laura。 She seemed everything he had ever dreamed of。 Tyrel had seen through her at once； and through her father as well； but Orrin would not listen。 He was seeing what he wished to see … a great lady； a princess almost … graceful； alluring； a girl of character and refinement。 But in the end he saw her； and her father； for what they were； and he had left her。 And now Laura Pritts Sackett was returning； without a plan； without anything but the desire to destroy those who had destroyed her father。
As if by magic； on the stage to Tucson； the pieces began to fall into place。 At the first stage stop east of Yuma she overheard the driver talking to the station tender。
〃Saw him in Yuma；〃 the driver was saying。 〃I'd have known him anywhere。 Those Sackett boys all look alike。〃
〃Sackett？ The gunfighter？〃
〃They're all good with th