by J. T. Edson
Having received Galton’s promise on the matter, Ole Devil turned his attention to the preparations which were being made for the train’s departure. While he had made use of a packhorse on more than one occasion, he had never before seen professional muleteers at work and found it interesting. There was a lot of apparently confused activity taking place, but it was all being carried out in a purposeful manner that told of long experience. Taking in all die sights, he realized that he was watching the cream of the mule-packing industry in action.
At General Houston’s request, so as to prevent such fine animals from falling into the hands of the Mexican army, Brindley had sent the majority of his stock and hired hands to Washington-on-the-Brazos. It said much for the high esteem in which the normally fiercely independent old man held the General that he had retained the pick of his packers and mules in case they should be needed.
After a few minutes Old Devil became aware of Di’s behavior. Unlike her grandfather, who appeared to stay in the background and let the men carry on, she went from one group to another. Yet the Texian could see no reason for her doing it. The men were all obviously competent and did their work in a swift, capable manner. Suddenly she swung on her heel and came to stand at Ole Devil’s side.
‘Joe and the boys’re on their way,’ the girl remarked, nodding towards the corral. ‘He says he’ll catch up with us some time tomorrow, or later.’
‘Huh huh!’ Ole Devil replied, continuing to watch the work that was going on all around him. ‘These men of yours are very good.’
‘They should be,’ Di answered, trying to sound off-handed but unable to conceal her pleasure at the compliment. ‘Grand-pappy Ewart trained each and every one of ’em. And don’t you worry none, happen that Galsworthy hombre tries to jump us, you’ll find they’re just as good at fighting.’
‘I’ve never doubted that,’ Ole Devil assured her. ‘Is there anything I can do to help?’
‘Nope,’ Di said and made as if to move away. Instead, she remained by him and went on, ‘how much do you know about mule packing?’
‘Not a whole heap,’ Ole Devil confessed.
During the three-quarters of an hour that was needed to complete the preparations, Di told Ole Devil what was being done and why. In addition, she gave him much information about various aspects of handling a mule train when it was on the move. She talked all the time with a feverish zest, but not always in a smooth flow.
Before many minutes had passed, Ole Devil guessed what lay behind the girl’s loquacity. Disturbed by the thought that she might never see her home again if the bid for independence failed or it should be destroyed by the Mexican army, she wanted something to take her mind off of leaving. So he listened and, when she showed signs of drying up, managed to find some fresh point upon which she could enlighten him.
At last everything was ready. Ole Devil noticed that Brindley’s usually emotionless face showed that he too was feeling some strain over going away from his home. There was a catch in his voice as he gave the order to mount up and move out. Then, having swung astride his big grulla xxi gelding, he gave his granddaughter a comforting smile. Having done so, he started the horse moving with the bell-mare stepping forward at its side. Hearing the tinkling of the bell, the mules surged into motion and the packers formed up about them. xxii
The day’s journey was uneventful, except that Di rode ahead for a time. When Ole Devil caught up with her, there was evidence on her face that she had been crying. Neither of them ever referred to the fact that she had been in tears. However, the girl was anything but her usual cheery self as she continued to ride between Ole Devil and her grandfather.
The pack train was travelling with a scout ahead, one on each flank and two more bringing up the rear. At nightfall, Tom Wolf came in to say that he had seen nothing to suggest Galsworthy and his men were in the vicinity. Before going to sleep,
Ole Devil had the satisfaction of knowing that he was about twenty miles closer to his destination.
Moving on soon after dawn, the party progressed without incident until shortly after midday. While the animals were being rested, the Tejas packer who had been at the rear with Tom Wolf arrived with a warning that four riders were following them. Accompanied by Di, who was still disturbed and unhappy, Ole Devil returned with the man. They found there was no cause for alarm.
‘It’s Joe and the boys,’ Di said, studying the four riders. ‘Is that your man who’s with them, Devil?’
‘It is,’ the Texian agreed, having identified the small figure who was leading a spare horse. ‘That’s Tommy Okasi. I wonder what he’s got to tell us?’
Chapter Thirteen – I Think She Is Their Prisoner
‘Tommy’s wig-wagging for us to catch up with him,’ Diamond-Hitch Brindley remarked, pointing to where the little Oriental was sitting his bay gelding just below the top of a slope about a quarter of a mile ahead. ‘Looks like there’s something on the other side’s he reckons we should see.’
‘But we shouldn’t let see us,’ Ole Devil Hardin supplemented, taking notice of how Tommy Okasi was carefully avoiding showing himself to whatever—or whoever—was beyond the rim. Reaching down, he eased the Browning rifle from its saddle boot and, as he made ready to load it, nodded at the flintlock across the crook of the girl’s left arm. ‘Make sure that the powder hasn’t shifted in the pan this time.’
‘Yah!’ Di scoffed, although she started to do as her companion suggested. ‘At least I can carry mine ready to be used.’
Listening to the girl’s response, Ole Devil was pleased to observe that she was more her usual cheerful self. She appeared to have thrown off the depression and gloom which had been caused by the thought of having left her home. It was clear that the decision to let her accompany Tommy and himself to Santa Cristobal Bay had been a wise one. It had come about because of the news which had been brought by Tommy and Joe Galton.
On learning that there must be a spy at his headquarters, General Houston had immediately started an investigation. However, the little Oriental had not waited to discover what had come of it. xxiii Instead, armed with a written authority from the General, he had set out to rejoin Ole Devil. Riding relay and changing horses at Guadalupe and Gonzales, but keeping his bay with him, he had made very fast time. Meeting Galton and the Tejas, he had identified himself as the man Ole Devil was expecting and had accompanied them for the remainder of the journey.
While it had not been completely successful, Galton’s mission had not proved a complete waste of time either. Without having produced definite confirmation, his findings implied that Galsworthy was not what he had pretended to be. What was more, despite his appearance, he had shown himself capable of covering his tracks along the route in which he was travelling. Even men as skilled as Galton and the two Tejas braves had had difficulty in following him. They had known that, as long as he kept moving, there was little chance of them catching up with him.
After having left the Gonzales trail about two miles from the Brindleys’ ranch, Galsworthy had ridden west and met five companions at a small, deserted cabin. From there, the party had headed south. As they were swinging clear of the town, one of their number had left them to take a westerly direction. After covering about ten miles, Galton had stopped following them. They had shown no sign of altering their direction and he had considered that he would be more usefully occupied with the pack train.
Discussing Galton’s information, Ole Devil and the Brindleys had decided that as long as Galsworthy had only four men with him he did not pose any direct threat to them. However, as he was travelling south, he might be making for a rendezvous with a force sent from the Mexican army. In which case, their position would be far more dangerous.
Taking into consideration the attempts upon his life and the fact that Galsworthy had sent a man to the west, Ole Devil had suggested that he might not have informed his employers about the shipment. If that should be so, he could be looking for assistance to deal with the situation. He was
almost certain to be in possession of an identification document similar to the one which Ole Devil had taken from Halford’s body. So he would have the means to enforce his request with any of Santa Anna’s outfits that he came across. While it could prove serious, that possibility had not unduly alarmed Ole Devil and his companions. Unless Galsworthy or his men were fortunate enough to find the Mexicans in the next two days, he would reach Santa Cristobal Bay too late to prevent the shipment from being landed.
Having already explained the need to avoid the possibility of international repercussions, Ole Devil had warned his companions that the landing was the most critical period of the collection. Once the rifles were on shore and the ship had sailed, there was no way in which the Mexicans could prove that they had come from the United States. With that in mind, Ole Devil had proposed that he and Tommy should go ahead of the pack train at their best speed. When they reached Santa Cristobal Bay, they could make sure that there were neither Mexican troops nor Galsworthy and his renegades in the vicinity. If either should be around, they would find some way to alert the captain to the danger.
On her grandfather agreeing, Di had suggested that she should accompany Ole Devil and Tommy. Her argument had been that, if the ship arrived and there were no enemies present, she could help to prepare the rifles for being transported on the mules. They could, she had pointed out, remove the weapons from the crates and, using canvas and rope supplied by the captain of the ship, make them into bundles of a suitable size to be packed on the aparejos. xxiv
While conceding that the idea had merit, Brindley had suggested Galton or one of the men should go instead of his granddaughter. She had countered by reminding him that the cargador’s secondary, but equally important, duties as farrier made him indispensable. If there should be fighting, any of the packers would be of more use than herself. Lastly, capable as he was in other directions, Ole Devil lacked the technical knowledge required to make up the bundles.
Intelligent and logical as the girl’s reasoning had been, Ole Devil and her grandfather had realized that it had had a secondary motive. Ever since they had set off from the ranch, she had been growing increasingly restless, moody and irritable. The cause of the change in her normally merry, happy-go-lucky disposition had not been difficult to surmise. While the train was travelling, due to the capability of the Tejas packers and the excellent training which the mules had received, there had been far too little requiring her attention and occupying her active mind. So she had had very little to divert her thoughts from the possible loss of the only home she had ever known. With that in mind, Brindley had acceded to her wishes.
Once again Ole Devil had considered that he was being given evidence of Brindley’s faith in him. Having made the decision, apart from requesting that he took very good care of the girl, the old man had not shown the slightest apprehension or hesitation over letting her accompany him. Even though they would be travelling alone—apart from having his very loyal servant with them—for at least two and probably three days and nights, the latter being spent of necessity under the stars and far from other human beings, Brindley had obviously accepted that the young Texian would not attempt to take advantage of the situation.
Ole Devil had fully Justified the old man’s faith and trust While possessing an eye for the ladies and being far from being a monk xxv (although he was not a promiscuous libertine) his sense of honor and duty had been effective barriers against him making advances to the girl. While aware of her physical charms, he had treated her as he would have a well-liked tomboy cousin.
Nor had Di given her companion cause to behave differently. Despite having grown up on the ranch, she was anything but innocent and naive where sexual matters were concerned. Accompanying her grandfather on his packing trips had allowed her to travel extensively in and around Texas. Knowing the dangers, Brindley had considered it advisable to acquaint her with the facts of life. So, although she had been aware that Ole Devil was a virile, good-looking young man, she had shown no indication of it. In fact, her behavior towards him was almost identical to his own with regards to her.
Riding a two-horse relay required too much attention and effort for Di to be able to find time to brood about the possible fate of her home. She, Ole Devil and Tommy were covering between thirty and thirty-five miles a day as opposed to the twenty-five maximum of the pack train. Although only the cook’s and farrier’s mules had been carrying a full load, Brindley had wanted to conserve the animals’ strength for transporting the shipment. So he was maintaining an economical pace.
Apart from when answering the calls of nature, Di, Ole Devil and Tommy had made only one concession to her sex. On reaching the Navidad River about two miles south of the town of Edna, they had found the ford over which they had planned to make their crossing was far deeper than usual due to recent heavy rain. Wanting to save their clothing from being soaked, they had decided to go over wearing as little as possible. Without debating the matter, the girl had waited behind a clump of bushes while her companions undressed and made their way to the other side. Then, after they had gone out of sight, she had disrobed and followed them.
On making their plans for the journey, Ole Devil and the Brindleys had taken into consideration that Santa Anna had spies, or supporters, in most Texas communities. So they had decided to avoid such towns as lay between the ranch and their destination. As Di, Ole Devil and Tommy had by-passed Edna, so they swung around Matagorda. They were about five miles from Santa Cristobal Bay and had not seen any other human beings since leaving the pack train. Being so close to the rendezvous, Tommy had been ranging ahead as scout and now his actions suggested that there might be some kind of danger ahead.
Advancing cautiously, after having prepared their weapons, Di and Ole Devil joined Tommy who had withdrawn a little way below the top of the slope.
‘Two Mexicans with a white woman, Devil-san,’ the little Oriental reported. ‘I think she is their prisoner.’
‘Let’s take a look,’ Ole Devil suggested, slipping from his saddle and allowing the dun’s reins to fall free.
Joining the young Texian on the ground, Di eased back the hammer of her flintlock and Tommy nocked an arrow to his bow’s string. With the girl in the centre, they edged their way towards the rim. Crouching low, they peered over the top at the riders who had attracted Tommy’s attention.
Even at a distance of something over a quarter of a mile, it seemed that the small Oriental’s summation was correct. The woman, who was approaching from the direction of a large post oak grove, did not appear to be a free agent. Riding sidesaddle on a good-looking black horse, she wore an expensive black riding habit that was somewhat dirty and disheveled and a frilly bosomed white blouse. The brim of her head-dress—a masculine ‘planter’s’ instead of the more usual top hat—prevented the watchers from making out the details of her face. However, they could see that her hands were either held or tied behind her back and that the horse was being led by a man at her right side. Well-mounted, clad in the fashion of working vaqueros, he and his companion were hard-looking Mexicans. In addition to a pistol and a knife on their belts, each of them had a rifle cradled across his knees.
Taking in the scene, Di let out an angry sniff. Always impulsive, she started to rise.
‘Let’s—!’ she began.
‘Keep down!’ Ole Devil snapped, taking his left hand from the Browning rifle to catch her by the shoulder and enforce the command
‘What the—’ Di protested, but the very urgency of the Texian’s behavior caused her to obey.
‘Old Nipponese saying, which I’ve just made up,’ Tommy said quietly, bringing the girl’s attention to him. ‘Is foolish to try to rescue lady in distress if the way you do it gets her killed.’
‘Hell, yes!’ Di ejaculated and swung her gaze back to Ole Devil. ‘I could have hit my man at that range, but you—’
‘I don’t think they saw you,’ the Texian interrupted. ‘So let’s-’
Whatever Ole Devil in
tended to suggest would never be known. Even as he started speaking, they heard a feminine yell such as was used to encourage a horse to go faster. Next there came a shouted exclamation in Spanish, followed by the crack of a rifle shot.
Realizing that something must be happening to preclude the need for remaining concealed, Di and her companions rose. They found that, in some way, the woman had pulled the lead rope from the Mexican’s hand and was galloping away from her captors. Smoke was drifting from the muzzle of the rifle in the hands of the man at the left. Clearly her actions had taken him by surprise. Despite being fired at what must have been very close range, the bullet had missed. At least, she was showing no sign of having been struck by it. She was not, however, out of danger. The other man was already raising his weapon.
Whipping the butt of the Browning to his shoulder, Ole Devil was conscious of the girl duplicating his actions. He sighted fast, knowing that he had a more distant mark at which to aim than the vaquero. Even as his finger tightened on the trigger, Di’s flintlock roared. Ole Devil’s shot sounded an instant after the girl’s. One of them came very close to making a hit. The man’s sombrero was torn from his head. Startled, he jerked the barrel of his rifle out of alignment and sent his bullet into the air.
Taking her right hand from the rifle and sending it flashing towards the powder horn and bullet pouch which were hanging at her left hip, Di allowed the butt to sink to the ground so as to reload. She saw that the Mexicans were staring in their direction and thought of the surprise that Ole Devil’s repeating-fire weapon would hand them if they should attack or go after the woman. They did neither.
‘Vamos, amigo!’ yelled the man who had lost his hat, reining his horse around and putting his spurs to work, an example which his companion followed.
Watching the vaqueros racing off in the direction from which they had come, Ole Devil thumbed down the Browning’s loading lever without requiring to think. He doubted whether there would be any need for the loaded cylinder which was moving into position. There was, however, something far more urgent requiring his attention. Turning his gaze from the fleeting pair, Ole Devil looked at the woman. Her horse was galloping at an angle in front of his party’s position. Riding sidesaddle, with her hands tied behind her back, she had no way of controlling or halting the fast-moving animal.