lla.thelonelymen-第23部分

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he　Apaches　on　the　rampage。
　I　settled　down；　and　after　a　while　I　slept。　I　awoke　when　the　morning　sun　began　to　filter　through　the　leaves。　Everything　was　as　quiet　as　before。　I　watered　the　horses；　saddled　them；　and　prepared　to　move　out；　but　first　I　had　scouting　to　do。
　There　were　crude　steps　cut　from　the　rocks　at　one　side；　taking　advantage　of　natural　steps　left　by　the　erosion　of　rock　layers。　Climbing　these；　I　found　a　natural　hollow　that　had　been　shaped　by　hand　into　a　lookout　of　some　fort；　with　a　view　in　all　directions。
　For　several　minutes　I　studied　the　desert；　but　saw　nothing。　Back　down　below　again；　I　dug　into　my　saddlebags　for　the　small　packet　of　coffee　I　always　carried　for　emergencies。　Often　I　carried　some　jerky　and　flour；　but　now　there　was　only　the　coffee。
　I　built　a　small　fire；　and　rinsed　out　an　old　clay　jar　I　found。　When　I'd　made　coffee　I　filled　a　cup　and　prowled　around；　and　finding　some　chia；　I　gathered　a　handful　of　the　seeds　and　ate　them。　Then　I　went　up　for　another　look。
　Off　to　the　north　I　glimpsed　a　buzzard。　There　might　be　a　dead　steer；　or　it　might　be　one　of　my　friends；　and　buzzards　do　not　always　wait　for　a　man　to　die。
　Due　north　I　rode；　then　I　swung　wide　to　the　east；　cutting　for　a　sign。　Whatever　was　up　ahead　must　have　left　tracks　getting　there；　and　I　wished　to　find　out　what　I　was　up　against。
　〃Tell；〃　I　told　myself；　〃you　better　ride　easy　in　the　saddle。　I　think　you're　headin'　into　trouble。〃
　That　black　nicked　an　ear　at　me　as　if　to　show　he　agreed。　A　lonely　man　a…horseback　in　wild　country　gets　to　carryin'　on　conversations　with　his　horse；　and　some　horses　bee　right　knowledgeable　and　understanding。
　No　tracks。　I　rode　up　on　the　east　of　where　the　buzzard　circled；　and　swung　in　closer。　Standing　in　my　stirrups　I　looked　the　country　over；　and　at　first　I　saw　only　a　lot　of　prickly　pear　around；　and　some　clumps　of　cholla；　all　white　thorns　on　top；　brown　underneath。
　Then　I　saw　the　horse　…　a　horse　down；　a　saddled　horse。
　Circling　around　it；　rifle　in　hand；　I　taken　a　chance　and　called　out：　〃Spanish？　Is　that　you？〃
　A　couple　of　buzzards　roosting　in　a　palo　verde　tree　nearby　looked　mighty　upset　with　me；　and　one　of　them　dropped　his　wings　as　if　to　scare　me　off　or　stampede　my　horses。
　No　answer　came　back。　So　I　cut　a　little　closer；　then　drew　up　and　looked　around。　It　was　all　just　as　it　should　be；　sunlit　and　still。
　My　black　was　curious；　too。　He　could　sense　something　I　could　not；　and　though　it　made　him　curious；　it　was　something　he　shied　from。　Probably　it　was　the　dead　horse。
　I　walked　him　slowly　forward；　the　hammer　of　my　Winchester　eared　back　for　trouble。
　The　shirt　was　what　I　saw　first；　men　the　boots；　and　the　Mexican　spurs　with　the　big　rowels。　It　was　Spanish。
　I　swung　down　and；　having　tied　the　black　to　a　mesquite；　I　walked　up　to　him。
　He　was　lying　face　down　in　the　sand；　but　he　had　pulled　his　saddlebags　across　his　kidneys；　so　he'd　been　alive　and　conscious　when　he　hit　the　ground。　He　knew　that　buzzards　went　for　the　eyes　and　the　kidneys　first；　so　he'd　rolled　on　his　face　and　pulled　those　saddlebags　over　him。　They　might　not　help　much；　but　getting　them　off　him　might　bring　him　to　enough　to　fight　the　buzzards　off。
　Lifting　the　saddlebags　free；　I　rolled　him　over。
　There　was　blood　all　over　the　front　of　him；　dried　blood　that　seemed　to　e　from　a　shoulder　wound。　And　there　was　blood　lower　down　that　came　from　some　place　in　his　middle。　But　he　was　breathing。
　We　were　right　out　in　the　open；　and　those　buzzards　could　attract　more　than　me；　so；　good　for　him　or　not；　we　had　to　move。
　He　muttered　something；　so　I　tried　to　let　him　know　who　was　with　him。　〃It's　all　right；　Spanish；〃　I　said。　〃You'll　see　that　girl　in　Tucson　yet。〃
　There　was　no　time　for　fixing　him　up　at　all。　Gathering　him　into　my　arms；　I　went　with　him　to　the　spare　horse　and　put　him　in　the　saddle；　then　I　lashed　his　wrists　to　the　pommel　and　his　boots　into　the　stirrups。　I　taken　his　saddlebags；　although　what　was　in　them　I　didn't　know。　Then　I　checked　his　horse；　but　the　animal　was　dead。　There　was　a　rifle　in　the　saddle　scabbard；　so　I　took　it　along。　There　was　no　canteen。
　We　rode　out　of　there　at　a　good　clip。　The　country　ahead　promised　nothing。　We　had　two；　three　days　to　cross　the　border；　but　we'd　not　be　safe　until　we　got　to　Pete　Kitchen's　or　to　the　settlement　on　the　border。
　Taking　advantage　of　every　chance　to　mask　my　trail；　and　trying　to　keep　down　the　dust；　I　rode　north；　leading　Spanish　on　Rocca's　horse。　The　wind　was　picking　up　a　mite；　which　might　drift　enough　sand　to　cover　my　tracks；　but　there　was　small　chance　it　would　be　in　time。　Several　times　I　slowed　down；　checking　animal　tracks；　and　watching　for　any　sign　that　might　indicate　water。
　The　trail　behind　was　empty；　and　the　trail　ahead　looked　clear。　I　rode　in　my　own　small　world　of　sunlight；　the　movement　of　horses；　and　the　smell　of　dust　and　sweat。　Ahead　of　me；　on　the　right；　a　sawtooth　range　showed　itself　above　the　flatter　country　around　us。
　I　slowed　my　horse　to　a　walk；　for　there　were　dark　streaks　of　sweat　along　his　flanks。　An　arroyo　opened　ahead　of　me；　and　I　rode　into　it　and　found　a　way　up　the　opposite　bank。　A　towering　butte　was　ahead　for　destination。
　The　bullet　smashed　against　the　pommel　of　my　saddle；　then　ricocheted　away　with　a　nasty　whine；　and　the　heavy　report　of　the　rifle　followed。　Slapping　spurs　to　my　horse；　I　started　to　run　him　as　three　Apaches　broke　from　cover　to　my　right。　They　had　waited　in　ambush；　but　my　dip　into　the　arroyo　had　fooled　them　and　now　they　came　running。
　Turning　in　the　saddle；　I　taken　aim　as　best　I　might　and　fired　。。。　once；　twice　。。。　three　times。　I　saw　a　horse　stagger　and　go　down；　spilling　head　over　heels　in　the　sand。
　Ahead　of　me　three　more　Apaches　had　e　from　right　out　of　the　desert；　it　seemed。　I　turned　my　mount　a　little　away　from　them　and　raced　on；　holding　my　fire。　Behind　me　Spanish　rode　like　a　sack　of　grain　in　the　saddle；　his　body　lurching　with　every　jump；　yet　somehow　he　remained　upright。
　They　came　at　me；　and　suddenly　I　wheeled　the　black　and　charged　into　them；　firing　my　Winchester　with　one　hand　as　if　it　was　a　pistol。
　The　sudden　switch　surprised　them　and　one　of　them　turned　so　sharply　his　horse　spilled　into　the　sand。　Another　was　right　ahead　of　my　rifle　barrel　and　not　thirty　feet　away　when　I　shot　into　his　chest；　dusting　him　on　both　sides。　He　went　down；　and　then　we　were　through　and　riding　for　that　butte。
　Behind　me　there　was　a　shot　and　something　brushed　at　my　shoulder；　but　we　were　off　and　away。　Sliding　my　Winchester　into　its　scabbard；　I　drew　a　six…gun　and　fired；　slowly　and　deliberately；　trying　for　a　score。　The　first　shot　missed；　so　did　the　second。　Then　an　Apache　elected　to　swing　his　horse　around　a　small　cedar　just　as　I　thumbed　back　the　hammer。　He　was　broadside　to　me　and　I　let　go；　heard　the　slam　of　the　shot；　and　saw　the　Apache　lurch　in　the　saddle；　then　swing　off　to　one　side；　barely　clinging　to　his　horse。
　Suddenly；　from　ahead　there　was　the　hard　bark　of　a　rifle；　and　glancing　back；　I　saw　another　Indian　falling。　I　raced　forward；　scarcely　daring　to　believe　it　could　be　help；　but　the　Apaches；　wily　fighters　always；　were　swinging　away。　And　Spanish　was　still　riding　behind　me。
　The　desert　fell　away　in　a　long　slope　ahead　of　us；　and　on　the　rim　stood　John　J。　Battles；　dusty；　bloody；　his　hat　gone；　his　shirt　torn。　He　got　up　from　the　ground　as　we　approached　and　swung　into　the　saddle　。。。　and　he　had　the　pack　horse。
　〃She　found　me；〃　he　said。　〃Came　trailing　along　the　desert；　part　of　her　pack　gone；　the　rest　hanging　under　her　belly。〃
　〃Did　you　see　anything　of　the　youngsters？〃　I　asked。
　〃No；　not　a　sign。〃　He　looked　back　at　Spanish。　〃He　hurt　bad？〃
　〃I　haven't　had　time　to　look。　I　think　so。〃
　We　pushed　on；　praying　for　the　night　to　hurry；　and　finally　it　came。　Our　horses　slowed　to　a　walk；　and　Battles　and　me；　we　swung　down　to　save　them　as　much　as　we　might。
　〃How　far　d'you　think　to　the　border？〃　Battles　asked。　〃Maybe　sixty　miles；〃　I　said。　〃Might　be　less。〃　He　stopped　to　work　his　toes　around　in　his　boots。　I　knew　the　signs；　for　I　was　doing　the　same　thing。　We　were；　both　almighty　tired。　I　figured　I　was　stronger　than　him；　and　I'd　been　running　on　nerve。　I　seemed　to　have　been　hot；　tired；　and　sore　as　long　as　I　could　remember。　My　muscles　ached；　my　eyes　hurt　from　the　glare；　and　felt　all　the　time　as　if　they　had　sand　in　them。　I　was　wanting　to　stop　with　every　step；　and　I　knew　the　horses　didn't　feel　any　better。
　But　we　kept　on；　because　neither　of　us　was　smart　enough　to　quit。　Finally　Battles　stumbled　and　went　to　his　knees；　and　he　was　slow　getting　up。
　〃You　better　get　on　your　horse　and　ride　for　it；〃　he　said。　〃Ride　that　horse　to　death　if　need　be；　but　get　to　safety。　We　just　ain't　a…going　to　make　it　like　this。〃
　I　didn't　answer；　but　kept　on　going。　Every　time　I　put　one　foot　ahead　of　the　other　I　figured　I'd　gained　just　that　much。　Then　when　I　had　stumbled　a　couple　of　times　myself；　I　realized　the　black　horse　was　tugging　at　the　bridle。　He　wanted　to　go　off　to　the　east。
　〃Mount　up；　John　J。；〃　I　said。　〃Maybe　we've　found　something；　but　you　hold　ready　to　shoot；　because　we　may　find　trouble。〃　I　was　so　dry　I　had　to　try　twice　before　I　could　make　the　words　e。
　Once　in　the　saddle；　I　just　let　the　black　have　his　head；　and　that　horse　started　off　at　a　good　clip；　considering　the　shape　he　was　in。　And　the　others　came　on　behind；　Spanish　Murphy　still　a…setting　up　there　like　a　preacher　pronouncing　sentence　on　Satan；　his　head　bowed　but　his　shoulders　hunched　as　if　he　figured　maybe　Satan　was　aiming　to　get　in　one　more　blow。
　It　wasn't　long　before　we　felt　a　coolness；　and　the　horses　lurched　down　into　an　arroyo　and　all　of　a　sudden　we　came　up　to　a　small　fire　where　there　were　four　or　five　Apaches　gathered　around；　eating　a　fresh…killed　horse。
　No　telling　who　was　the　most　surprised；　but　Battles　got　off　the　first　shot　and　he　drilled　one　of　those　Injuns　with　meat　in　his　teeth；　and　the　rest　of　them　fell　away　into　the　shadows　like　so　many　ghosts。　I　slammed　spurs　to　my　black　and　jumped　him　across　the　fire　in　time　to　see　one　Apache　snaking　into　the　brush；　and　I　cut　down　on　him。　Something　slammed　alongside　my　head　and　I　felt　myself　hit　ground；　bounce；　and　fall　free；　losing　a　boot　in　the　stirrup。
　I　rolled　over；　my　Winchester　gone　in　the　brush；　and　I　clawed　for　a　six…shooter。　And　then　I　froze　right　where　I　lay；　because　an　Apache　was　standing　astride　of　me　and　he　had　the　ra