Ole Devil and the caplocks

by Edson, John Thomas

  "How far off are they, Chief?" Di inquired, speaking Tejas.

  "Except for their scouts, they're about two miles away," the Indian replied in the same language. "I collected Little Foot here on my way back and sent Son of the Wind to fetch in the rest of our men if there was time. I didn't figure Diablo Viejo would want them to know for sure I'd seen them and didn't wait to kill their scouts."

  "Good thinking. Chief. That way there's just a chance they might go by without coming near enough to find us, although they're probably following my trail," Ole Devil remarked, when the girl had translated the report and, as Wolf started

  * House-Indians: unlike the nomadic tribes, the Hopi, Zuni and kindred nations tended to make and live in permanent homes instead of transportable lodges or tipis.

  speaking again, he could see the next information was displeasing her. "What is it, Di?"

  "You don't need to count on 'em missing us, even if they wouldn't've seen the mule train's sign," the girl warned, anger flashing in her eyes. "That bitch de Moreau's with 'em, Tom recognized her from when they hit at Grandpappy Ew-art 'n' Joe. She'll've been able to tell 'em just smack where

  we'll be."

  "There's nothing more certain than thatV von Lowenbrau agreed, having heard of the abortive ambush and the escape of the woman in question. "It's a pity you didn't get her, Captain Hardin. She's probably the only one of them who would get a chance to tell the Mexicans what she knows."

  "Blast it. Devil did all any man could and better'n many—!" Di protested.

  "The major's right, though, they'd probably have shot any of the men they'd come across on sight," Ole Devil interrupted. "But, as she's sure to have told them, maybe we can turn it to our advantage. In fact, I think it already is!"

  "How the hell do you make that out?" Di demanded and the Prussian showed just as great a lack of comprehension. "She'll bring 'em straight here, without them even having to do a mite of work cutting for sign."

  "Yes," Ole Devil conceded. "But she doesn't know how many of us there are."

  "She knows your whole company's here—" the girl began, then understanding came as it had with von Lowenbrau if the way he was nodding his head meant anything. "But she won't be taking your fellers into account. Major."

  "Not unless they come across our tracks," the Prussian pointed out.

  "That they not do, soldier-coat," Wolf put in, having been able to follow the conversation without difficulty and using it. He could speak good English if the need arose, but preferred

  to use his native tongue particularly when addressing white strangers.* "Coming way they are, they won't see 'em until they're out on this open ground here."

  Listening to the Indian, Ole Devil had his own thoughts on the matter confirmed by an expert. While there were a fair amount of bushes, trees and other cover in the vicinity, through which even a large body of the enemy could pass undetected provided that they took precautions—which Wolf and his companion had not troubled to do—none of any consequence was available for a strip about two hundred yards wide extending from the cliffs and the rim of the bay. Having come in at a more acute angle than the Arizona Hopi Activos Regiment would be approaching, the tracks of the Red River Volunteer Dragoons were unlikely to be noticed until the more open terrain was entered. By then, if things could be arranged properly, it would be too late for the attackers to appreciate the danger.

  "Whereabouts are their scouts, Tom?" Ole Devil asked.

  "Maybe a mile back," Wolf replied, employing better English than when he had spoken to von Lowenbrau. "Not much more."

  "Will they find your sign?" the Texian wanted to know.

  "If they're any good, they will—and I think they are good," the Indian answered and, knowing that many settlers had small respect for his tribe's fighting qualities, went on, "We came back too fast to hide our tracks."

  "I know," Ole Devil said, with a grin.

  "I figured >'ow did," Wolf stated, flickering a brief glance at

  * Warrant and non-commissioned officers of the King's African Rifles also frequently had this trait. One with whom I worked for several months during the Mau Mau Uprising had been to England and taken the Drill Instructor's Course at the Brigade of Guards' Depot, Pirbright, Surrey, shortly after World War II. He could read and understand verbal instructions which were in English, but would only speak Swahili, the lingua franca of most race in Kenya, unless he knew the person he was addressing very well. J. T.E.

  the Prussian although his words had been directed at the Texian.

  "I hope they are good," Ole Devil declared, before the indignant von Lowenbrau could comment. "It'll be a help to us if they do cut your sign. They'll move even slower and give us more time to get ready. But we'd still better go down straightaway and get started at it, Major."

  "Little Foot says do you want us to go and deal with their scouts?" Wolf translated after the younger brave had asked a question in tones of eager anticipation.

  "Tell him I apologize for making him miss the chance to count coup, but they must be let come, see what we want them to see, then go to report," Ole Devil requested, mounting the dun. "But if they arrive before we're ready, they must be killed. Will you stay here. Chief, and attend to that for me, please?"

  "You're leading this war party with Ewart and Joe shot," the Indian replied. "You tell us what you want doing and that is what we do."

  "Gracias," Ole Devil answered, aware that he had been granted what amounted to an unqualified accolade, then he looked at the Prussian and, setting his horse moving, continued, "I hope your men see it the same way, Major."

  Without elaborating upon his cryptic utterance, the Texian sent his dun loping down the slope. The girl and the Prussian followed him. Straightaway, von Lowenbrau discovered that he had not forgotten to take what would have been a necessary precaution when dealing with the Dragoons. Obviously he had known that he could count upon Mannen Blaze to assemble and form up the men ready to be put to whatever use the situation demanded. The two companies stood in separate groups and each man had a pair of the new caplocks to supplement their own arms.

  "All right," Ole Devil said, leaping to the ground before

  his mount had stopped and looking at the Dragoons. "I want all of you in the rifle pits you dug on top of the rim."

  "Why W5?" growled the man whom von Lowenbrau had promoted to replace Sergeant Benn, and there was a mumble of agreement from the other Dragoons.

  "Because Captain Hardin has told you to do it!" the Prussian thundered, taking note of his men's reactions and seeing an opportunity to build up their resentment against the Tex-ian.

  "Yeah, but you're—" Sergeant Otis began, realizing that he and his companions would be in the forefront if—as seemed almost certain from what was happening—an enemy force was approaching.

  "The protection of the arms is Captain Hardin's responsibility," von Lowenbrau interrupted, picking his words with care. "It is he who decides how it can best be carried out."

  "Why that—!" Beauregard Rassendyll hissed and was on the point of going to support his friend.

  "Stay put, Beau!" Mannen Blaze commanded, lounging in his usual fashion at the supercargo's side.

  "Damn it, Mannen!" Rassendyll replied, glaring at the redhead. "Don't you see what he's trying to do?"

  "I do," Mannen admitted languidly. "Only I reckon that Cousin Devil's eyesight's as good—and most likely better."

  While the two young men had been speaking, another factor had entered the affair. Less perceptive than either with regard to the Prussian's motives, Di had listened to Otis's response to Ole Devil's orders. She found herself comparing their new helpers with Company "C" of the Texas Light Cavalry—and not to the former's advantage.

  "There ain't no son-of-a-bitching time to stand arguing," the giri yelled angrily, glaring around the Dragoons. "But, happen you-all too scared to go up there, 77/ come and hold your hands!"

  "There'll be no need for that, Di," Ole Devil contradicted, although he
was pleased by her spirited words. He could see that she had annoyed and, to a certain extent, shamed the Dragoons. "Mister Blaze, Tommy and I'll be with them."

  "And I, Captain," von Lowenbrau stated, having no desire to lose the slight advantage he had gained from the sergeant's objections. "They're my company and as their commanding officer, it is my place to be with them."

  "I'd agree, sir, but for one thing," Ole Devil countered politely. "You and your company aren't supposed to be here. Most of your men are wearing buckskin shirts like mine, so they'll pass as they won't be seen below the waist until it's too late. But having a strange officer could ruin everything."

  "May I know what you have in mind. Captain?" the Prussian requested, neither making agreement nor refusal to the instructions.

  "Certainly," Ole Devil replied. "Mister Blaze, Mister Ras-sendyll, Di, Joe, Sergeant Otis, Sergeant Dale, Corporal Smith, come and listen."

  "By cracky, it could work!" Di enthused and could see that the men shared her sentiments, after the Texian had explained what he wanted to be done.

  "You won't get no more arguments from me on that," Otis stated, although he was still aware that he and his men would be the first upon whom the attackers concentrated.

  "I'll tell you something else there ain't going to be no son-of-a-bitching argument on either," Di declared, her expressive face set in lines of grim determination. "I'm going to be up there with you. De Moreau's with the greasers and, after all she's done to us, I figure me and her've got things to settle happen she comes close enough."

  GIVE THEM THE CAPLOCKS

  Colonel Oton Eugenio Alarcon de Reuda had one advantage over the officers under his command. While a wealthy haciendero, with a vast estate in Arizona, he had been a regular soldier for ten years in his youth. So he had felt that he was eminently qualified to make the most of the information which he had received from Madeline de Moreau.

  Nor, on listening to the reports of his advance scouts, had the colonel been told anything to make him believe his summation of the situation was other than correct. Although he had had hardly any contact with the gringo rebels, few of whom had traveled so far west as his home, the stories he had heard of their traits and conduct had not left him with a high regard for their skill as fighting soldiers. Those who were guarding the consignment of arms might have taken a few precautions and they might know that the Arizona Hopi Ac-tivos Regiment were coming, but he still saw no cause for alarm.

  Advancing with care and pondering upon how much better the terrain of East Texas was adapted to such tactics—although the cold and damp weather was less pleasant—than

  J92 J. T. EDSON

  most of the land in Arizona, Alarcon studied the state of the enemies' defenses. They were obviously aware that his regiment was in the vicinity and were positioned to fight back. However, he felt sure that he could exploit their weakness. It stemmed from the climatic conditions' effect upon their weapons. It was something which would not have such repercussions upon his men. Few, apart from the Mexican officers, had firearms. Even the latter, appreciating the serious fault which inflicted such weapons under the circumstances, would be placing their reliance upon swords or sabers. Nor would the lack of discipline which his military colleagues had declared was a characteristic of the gringo rebels make them as effective as might otherwise have been the case.

  Looking through his telescope at the figures assembled in the rifle pits, the colonel made a rough estimate of their numbers. Then he picked out their officers from the descriptions he had been given by the woman who had been brought to him by Major Abrahan Phillipe Gonzales de Villena y Danvila. The tall, slim one with the face like el Diablo and the burly redhead would be the primary targets for his men, but he decided that the gringo in the well cut civilian clothing and the small, yellow-skinned foreigner holding a bow and arrows must also be regarded as of an equal priority. Possibly the red-haired girl standing alongside the civilian could be considered in a similar fashion, for Madeline de Moreau had warned that she was as dangerous as any of her male companions. While the colonel was inclined to doubt the statement, he saw no reason to take chances. Nor did he want a female prisoner, who might cause dissension among his soldiers. Whether she was taken alive or not, the four men he had selected must die as quickly as possible. Killing the leaders had always been sound strategy. With them gone, their subordinates would have no guidance and be that much easier meat.

  Satisfied with his examination, Alarcon closed the telescope and glanced at the Hopi Indian who had brought him to the point of observation. They withdrew with a care equal to that displayed as they moved in and he was confident that they had come and gone without the Texians being aware of their visit. Collecting their horses, they rode back to where the rest of the regiment was waiting. He was confident of success and pleased with the thought of the acclaim which would be forthcoming in its wake.

  Not that the colonel underestimated the fighting qualities of individual gringos, having heard of what had happened in San Antonio de Bexar the previous year.* Of course, the Texians who were involved then had been more numerous and commanded by older, more experienced leaders. However, the rebels had also appeared to have scored a number of minor victories in skirmishes during the early days of the rebellion. What was more, although they were withdrawing from the west, he could understand and even approve of Major General Samuel Houston's reluctance to meet a larger army in an open confrontation unless on favorable terms.

  For all that, unlike their fellow rebels in the earlier victories—^who were fighting hit-and-run on the offensive—the men he had been studying were outnumbered and acting in a defensive capacity. Alarcon felt sure that the rank and file of the company would appreciate that their inexperienced commanding officer had not even left them with the means for rapid flight if their position should prove untenable. There had been no sign of their horses, which therefore could not be closer than fifty yards away and below the rim overlooking Santa Cristobal Bay. The officer might even have arranged it that way, as the colonel knew he personally would in similar

  * This is the incident referred to in the footnote on page 38.

  circumstances, to ensure that the men stood their ground to the bitter end.

  "Very well, gentlemen—and you, Senora de Moreau," Alarcon announced, looking at the three majors and nine lieutenants who were gathered about the woman. His gaze went next to the leaders of the Hopi Indians who were serving as non-commissioned officers over the rest of the braves. "All is as Chief Jesust told us. We can follow the kind of action which I outlined when I heard our first scouts' reports."

  There was a brief rumble of interest and delight at the colonel's news. The commanding officers of the three companies who were present had approved of the tentative plan which he had made, provided that it should be workable. Nor could the Hopi war leaders, who were practical and experienced tacticians, find fault with the reasoning behind it. However, none of the lieutenants gave the tactics a great deal of thought. Each was more interested in the prospect of going into action, with the attendant possibility of outdoing the others and winning Madeline de Moreau's approbation.

  The one person who might have shown the main flaws in the scheme failed to do so.

  Having been admitted into the councils of war which were caused by her arrival and news, although noticing that she had been kept under observation at all times, the woman had approved of all she had heard. She had warned that the Mexicans should not take the Texians' leader too lightly, without being too determined in stressing just how competent he had proved to be. While the regiment consisted of ten fifty-strong companies, a useful system in that it allowed a greater number of promotions, seven had been left three days' ride to the south. So she had not wished to have her revenge delayed

  tPronounced "Hey-Soos."

  while reinforcements could be summoned because Alarcon decided the enemy was too dangerous for his force to handle.

  "You were correct about the mule train hav
ing been brought here, senora, " the colonel went on, causing the junior officers to scatter like flies frightened from a pool of honey. "Or at least, the number of men in the rifle pits indicates that it is."

  On telling how her ambush had failed, laying all the blame on her now scattered or dead associates, Madeline had warned that there was a possibility that the two sections of the enemies' party were reunited. Although she had not lingered in the vicinity of San Phillipe, she had felt sure that the bell-mare had been replaced. In which case, she could count upon Ole Devil Hardin and Diamond-Hitch Brindley to waste no time in putting the new animal to use. For all that, it rankled to learn that the young couple had once again proved to be so capable and efficient. However, the woman found some consolation in considering that both of them would be at Santa Cristobal Bay, and the full strength of Company "C" of the Texas Light Cavalry and the Brindleys' Tejas mule packers were less than half the number of the Arizona Hopi Activos Regiment.

  "That will save us going looking for them," Villena called out and the other officers mumbled their agreement.

  "The time has come for us to ride, gentlemen," Alarcon stated. "But I don't need to warn any of you to use cold steel and not to fall into their error."

  "May I accompany you. Colonel?" Madeline inquired.

  "It won't be any place for a lady, senora," Alarcon pointed out.

  "Nor do I expect it to be," the woman declared and her emotions turned her face ugly. "But they murdered my husband and I have a score to settle with them."

  For a few seconds, Alarcon did not offer to reply. While he

  J. T. EDSON

  had read the woman's identification pass, he was not familiar with Presidente Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna's signature. So he could not tell whether the document was genuine or not. However, he was aware of what his fate would be if it should be authentic and he had not honored it. Nor would his future career be improved if he allowed a friend of el Presidente to be harmed.