按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃I'll do what I can。〃 Standing there on the step； with her a…looking at me from those big blue eyes； it made me wish I was three men； so as I could do more。 〃Don't you forget； ma'am； there's no accounting for Apaches。 They're mighty notional when it es to prisoners。 You mustn't be hoping for muck。〃
〃He's such a little boy。〃
It came on me to wonder if she'd any notion what she was letting me in for； but I pushed the thought away。 I had no call to be thinking of myself。 How could she know what that trail into Sonora was like？ A trail like a walk through hell； with ugly death waiting on every side； at every moment。 You had to travel trails like that to know them。 In my mind's eye I could see the faint thread of it winding across the hot desert under a brassy sky； with the sand underfoot and all lands of cactus and thorny bush around； with rattlers and Gila monsters and all 。。。 to say nothing of outlaws and Indians。
A thought came to me suddenly。 〃I was wondering how Orrin ever let you get so far from him？ You and the boy？〃
She smiled quickly； sadly。 〃It was my father； Tell。 He died in California and I had to go there for the funeral。 There was no one else。 When I found how dangerous it was； I left Orry here 。。。 I thought he'd be safe here。〃
That made sense； all right。 Still； there was a lot that puzzled me； but a man could waste any amount of time quibbling and fussing over details； which was never my way。 If anything was to be done it had to be done fast。 With her description of the boy and his clothing； I decided I'd best get together an outfit and pull out。
She stood there； her white dress like a light against the adobe walls。 I looked back once as I walked away； and she was still standing there； looking after me。
It worried me some because this whole thing had e on me so sudden that I'd no chance to sort of think things through。 Out there on the trail with those Apaches around there'd been no time； and now it seemed there was no time either。 Nevertheless； there was some thinking I had to do。
The worst of it was I was almighty short of money； and no matter what a man sets out to do； it seems it costs him something。 This here was going to cost money as well as sweat； and maybe blood。
All I had to my name was about two hundred saved…up dollars； the most I'd had in months； and I'd lost my saddle back yonder； and needed a horse。 We'd e into Tucson on horses just borrowed from the stage outfit； and they'd be going back soon。
So I needed a horse and an outfit； and a pack horse if I had enough to handle it。
What I wanted was a good used saddle； and there was a reason。 I was of no mind to ride into Apache country with a squeaky new saddle。 Now； any saddle will squeak a mite； and it's a forting sort of sound； most times； but when there are Apaches around any sound more than your breathing is liable to get you killed。
I needed not only a saddle； but also； a pair of saddlebags； a canteen； a poncho； a blanket； a spare cartridge belt and a small amount of grub。 I'd have to live off the country； on food I could get without shooting。 From the time I crossed the border I was going to have to move like a ghost。
Tampico Rocca was in the Quartz Rock Saloon when I came in； and I went to his table and sat down。 He leaned across the table。 〃John J。； he rides out tonight。 There is trouble； I think。〃
'Trouble？〃
〃There was difficulty in Texas。 Battles won out。 Two of the dead man's brothers are in town； with some friends。 Battles wants no more trouble。〃
〃He's broke； isn't he？〃 Me； I dug down in my jeans。 〃I'm outfitting for Mexico； but I can let him have twenty dollars。〃
Rocca shook his head。 〃This is not what I mean； amigo。 He will meet us outside of town。 He wished me to tell you this so you would not think he rode off alone。 We are ing with you； se？or。〃
〃Now； you see here。 This is my affair； and you boys got no call to ride along。 It's going to be rough。〃
Tampico chuckled。 〃Amigo； you talk to Rocca； not to some pilgrim。 I am Rocca； who is half Apache and who has lived with them。 I know where they go。 I know how they live。 You will need me； amigo。〃
Well； I just sat there； finding nothing to say。 Words just don't e easy to me； and at such times I find myself ing up empty。 So I just looked at him and he grinned and waved for another beer。
The place was filling up； and it was a tough place。 Nobody ever said the Quartz Rock was gentle。 Over at the Congress Hall Saloon you'd find the gentry。 You'd find the solid men； the good men； and mixed with them some of the drifters； but the Quartz Rock was rough。 At least when Foster ran it。
You drank their liquor and you took your chances at the games； and the men who hung out there were hard cases； men with the bark on； men who had been born with the bark on。 There were men came into that place so rough they wore their clothes out from the inside first。 When you saw a man walk into the Quartz Rock wearing a six…shooter or a bowie knife he wasn't wearing it for show。
We were finishing our second beer when four men came into the place。
Rocca sat up easily and moved on the chair to keep his gun hand free。 This was beginning to shape up like grief of some kind； and I was in no mood for it。
They were four of a kind； raw and ragged； just in off the trail and they looked it。 Like uncurried wolves they bellied up to the bar； and when they had had a drink； they looked around。
〃It is those who seek for John J。； amigo。 I think they know I am his friend。〃
They crossed the room； the four of them； and every man…jack in the room could smell the trouble they brought with them。
They came to our table and ranged themselves in front of it。 All of them were armed； and they wore guns as if they knew how to use them。
Me； I just sort of shifted one foot。 The other foot was propped up on a chair's edge； resting easy。
〃You！〃 The one with the handle…bar mustache stabbed a finger at Rocca。 〃You； greaser。 They tell me you are a friend of the man named Battles。〃
Rocca was like a coiled snake。 He looked at them； and he smiled。 Now no Mex likes to be called a greaser。 Me； I've been called a gringo many times and couldn't see that it left any scars； but some folks are almighty touchy； and Rocca was that way now。 Not that I blamed him。 It is all very easy to say trouble can be avoided； but these men were not going to be avoided。 They were looking for trouble； they wanted it。
〃Si； se？or。〃Rocca said gently； 〃I am honored to call John J。 Battles my friend。〃
〃Then I guess we'll just kill you； Mex； seem' as how we can't find him。〃
Well； I just looked up at the man and I said； 〃I'm a friend of his； too；〃 and I said it sort of off…hand as if it didn't matter much； but they knew it did。
They turned their eyes on me； and I just sat there； a tall； lonely man in a wore…out buckskin shirt and a beat…up hat。
〃You want part of this？〃 Walrus…mustache was speaking again。
〃A man can ride many a long mile in Texas；〃 I said； 〃and see nothing but grass and sky。 There's streams down there； and a man could raise some cows。 Here in Arizona there's timber country with fine； beautiful meadows and cold mountain streams … 〃
〃What're you talkin' about？〃 Handle…ba