The Andre Norton Megapack - 15 Classic Novels and Short Stories

mouth again to say more’n ‘yes’ or ‘no’!”
    The Texan laughed. “You ain’t never been one to color up a story redder’n a Navajo blanket! An’ don’t take on th’ whole pack of this when only ’bout th’ salt bag is of your buyin’. You ain’t responsible for Kitchell, nor Johnny Shannon, nor Bayliss’ wantin’ to down th’ Old Man. Can’t see as how much of this is your doin’, after all.”
    Rennie had set his ambush at the pass with care. At first sight there was no evidence of men lying in wait, but from the heights over which the Pimas brought their charges, Drew caught glimpses of men crouched behind sheltering rocks. The bulk of the Range posse was gathered in a hollow on the south side of the pass and it was there that Greyfeather delivered his catch.
    Don Cazar surveyed them almost without interest. “Bayliss released you then,” he said to Drew.
    “No. Reese Topham and the Trinfans broke me out.” Drew kept to his recent vow of truth-telling. And, he noticed with a spark of something approaching satisfaction, the truth seemed able to shake Rennie a little.
    “Reese Topham broke you out! Why?” The demand was quick and to the point.
    “He wanted me to play fox for the army’s hounds…bring the troopers south…here,” Drew replied. “Bayliss wouldn’t march out and Topham thought that you needed some support—with Kitchell apparently on the move.” Telling the truth did not mean you had to tell all of it. There was no reason to bring Shannon into this now and antagonize Rennie all over again.
    “He what—?” His father was staring at him now with pure amazement. “But that doesn’t make sense,” he added as if to himself.
    “No? I think it does, suh. Kitchell wouldn’t have dared to raid the Range if he were goin’ to stay in this country, would he? And after such a raid he’d head south. You believe that much or you wouldn’t be here waitin’ for him now. Nobody knows how many men ride with that gang—and maybe he can pull in the Apaches, too. They wouldn’t pass up a good chance to get back at you. You have the reputation of being about the only white man in this territory to make them turn tail and give up a fight. Now—supposin’ you do get Kitchell stopped here at the pass—and the army patrol comes in behind him. Then together you can finish him, and perhaps some bronco Apaches into the bargain. It could work.”
    Drew paused and then went on. “Of course, I have a good reason of my own for being here, apart from not wantin’ to swallow Captain Bayliss’ brand of justice. Kitchell’s men took Shiloh. And nobody, nobody at all, suh, is goin’ to run off that horse—not while I’m able to do something about it!”
    “Seems to me, suh,” Anse cut in now, “that three more guns is gonna be healthy for you to have ’round here, does th’ fight work out th’ way it can. Me, I don’t make no big brag on my shootin’—but I never did wear no six-gun, nor tote no carbine, jus’ for show.”
    “Of course, if you think we’re Kitchell’s plants,” Drew added, “then keep us under guard. Only we’re not and never were.”
    “Topham, Topham planned this?” Rennie still showed surprise. “I don’t—”
    A bird called flutingly. Rennie stiffened. Men moved, up slope, into cover, without direction.
    “You two…get up there, behind those pointed rocks,” Don Cazar directed with a stab of his finger. “I’ll be right behind you.”
    “We ain’t about to give you no trouble,” Anse said as he obeyed, and Drew agreed as he followed the Texan into hiding.
    “I’d like a rifle jus’ ’bout now,” Anse remarked. “Only thing I’ve ever held ’gainst a six-gun is that itdon’t throw lead as far as a fella could sometimes want it to. But I think we’ve sorta been ruled outta this here fight—’less th’ enemy gits close ’nough to spit at.”
    Now they could see down the cut of the pass. The narrow passage wound between rocks and Drew, though he could not spot them, did not doubt that Rennie’s forces were snuggled in where a surprise volley could do the most good.
    “Somethin’ sure is comin’.” Anse had one hand flat on the ground. “Feels like th’ whole danged army hoofin’ it an’ fast!”
    Drew was aware of it, too—the vibration carrying through stone and soil. The drumming of hoofs, horses coming at a run. Now it was more than vibration, a distinct roll of sound magnified and echoed. And he caught a