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I pushed myself up off the bed, my hands trembling with weakness. At the
cupboard, I got out a tin plate, a knife, fork and spoon.
In a covered kettle, I found some cold broth Ann had fixed for me, and I
moved the kettle to the fire, stirring the broth a little as it grew warm.
Again I looked from the windows, careful not to show my head.
What I needed more than anything was rest, yet to rest might be to die. Had I
my usual speed of movement and agility, I would have gone outside and tried to
hunt down whoever was trying to kill me, but my movements were too slow, I was
too tired, and too weak.
Suddenly, I heardhoofbeats . A rider was approaching. Gun in hand, I moved
cautiously toward the door, and peered beyond it. A moment later the rider
appeared.
It wasBarby Ann.
She rode right up to the door and swung down, trailing her reins.
She walked right in,then stopped, seeing me and the gun in my hand. "What's
the matter?"
"Somebody took a shot at me. A little while back.Right through a crack in the
wall."
When I showed her, she frowned. "Did you see him?"
"No," I said, "but it's likely the same one who tried to kill me twice
before, and he'll try again. You'd better not stay."
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"Joe Hinge said you were hurt. You'd better get back into bed."
"Thatbed?"
"You've covered the hole, so why not? He can't shoot through that wall. You
need some rest."
"Look," I said, "would you stay here for an hour or so? I do need the rest,
need it the worst way. If you'll stay, I'll try to sleep."
"Of course I'll stay. Go to bed."
She turned her back on me and walked outside the door, leading her horse to
the corral trough for water. Sitting on the edge of the bunk, I watched her
go. She had a neat, if too thin figure, and she carried herself proudly. It
was in me to ask her about RogerBalch , but it would not do. After all, it was
none of my business. I was only a cowhand working for her father.
She tied her horse to the gate,then turned to come back to the line-cabin.
Inside the door, she looked at me, sitting there. "You'd better lay down," she
said. "I can't stay too long."
Easing back on the bunk, I stretched out with a great sigh of relief. Slowly,
I felt the tension ease from my muscles. I let go then, letting myself sink
into the bed, just giving myself up to the utter exhaustion I felt.
The last I remembered was her sitting by the door staring out into the
afternoon.
It was shadowed and still when I opened my eyes, but even before they opened
I heard the low murmur of voices of more than one voice. Danny Rolf and
Fuentes were in the room. There was no sign ofBarby Ann.
Fuentes heard me move. "You sleep," he said, chuckling. "You sleepver ' hard,
amigo."
"Where'sBarby Ann?"
"She rode back when we came.Or rather, when Danny got here. Then I came in.
You've really slept. It is two hours since I came."
I lay still for a few minutes,then sat up. "You wish to eat? I have some stew
... very good ... and some tortillas. You like tortillas?"
"Sure.Ate them for months, downMexico way."
"Not me," Danny said. "I'll take hot biscuits!"
Fuentes waved at the fireplace. "There it is. Make them."
Danny grinned. "I'll eat tortillas." He looked over at me. "BarbyAnn said
you'd been shot at?"
Indicating the chunk of stove wood I'd laid over the crack, I told them about
it. Fuentes listened, but had no comment to offer.
"I'll not ride with you!" Danny said. "He might shoot the wrong man."
"Finding any cattle?" I asked.
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"We rounded up sixteen head today, mostly older stuff. We got one
two-year-old heifer, almost the color ofOl ' Brindle."
"Seen him?"
"He's around. We saw his tracks along the bottom. He stays to the brush
during the day, feeds mostly at night, I think."
We talked of horses, cattle and range conditions, of women and cards and
roping styles, of riders we had known, mean steers and unruly cows. And after
a while, I slept again, pursued through an endless dream by a faceless
creature, neither man nor woman, who wished to kill me.
I awakened suddenly in a cold sweat. Danny and Fuentes were asleep, but the
night was still and the door was open to the cool breeze. A horse moved near
the corner of the corral, and I started to turn over. Then like a dash of icy
water I knew.That was no horse!
I'd started to turn over and I did, right off the bed and onto the floor. And
for the second time that day a bullet smashed into the bed where I'd just
been.
Fuentes came off the floor with a gun in his hand. Rolf rolled over against
the wall, grabbing around in the darkness for his rifle. I lay flat on the
floor, my side hurting like the very devil, with a bruised elbow that made me
want to swear, but I didn't. This was one time when a single cuss word might
get a man killed.
All was still, and then there was a pound of hoofs from some distance off, a
horse running, and then the night was still.
"If I was you," Danny said, "I'd quit."
"Maybe that is it," Fuentes said. "Maybe they want you to quit. Maybe they
want all of us to quit, starting with you."
He struck a match and lighted the lamp, then replaced the chimney. I pointed
to the rolled-up blanket I'd been using for a pillow. There was a
neatbullethole there, neat and round and perfect, despite the fuzzy material.
"He doesn't want me to quit," I said, "hewants me dead."
Chapter 13
HEADQUARTERS RANCH LAY warm in the sunlight when I came down the slope,
walking my horse. Fuentes and Danny rode with me, because three men can watch
the country easier than one, and I was almighty tired when we reached the
bunkhouse. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]