Friends

by Charles Hackenberry

  In a way, I couldn't believe I was trying to catch up to Clete. Several times the next few days I stopped my horse and just sat there, thinking I would go some other direction than back towards Two Scalp. Then I'd just keep going on like I was before.

  I made good time, sleeping little and riding long. That bay was the finest animal I ever had, and I hated to trade him off to some drovers with fresh mounts, but I had to, for he was even more wore out than I was. Wasn't 'til about ten miles later it come to me I could have trailed the bay and made as good a time. I could have kicked myself for not thinking of it back there. Maybe my brain was tired too.

  The new horse was strong, though, and I was putting the miles behind me again at a good clip. What am I doing this for? I kept asking myself. Ain't I got no pride? Wasn't I right in the first place about splitting off from Clete over what he done, hanging DuShane like that and fooling me? And even though I knowed I was right, that Clete shouldn't have done like that, it made no diff'rence. For he was my friend, you see, and even if he was wrong as hell and the devil lumped together, he was still my friend. I could no more say a permanent goodbye to him than I could sprout wings and fly up to heaven. Hell, maybe he even needed me, despite himself, just like he needed Mary to smooth him out in other ways.

  Five or six days straight I rode hard, hard as I ever did in my life. Professor Marsh and his boys offered me supper at their camp in them miserable, cut-up Badlands and I didn't refuse. One of the young men had saw Clete earlier that day and though I felt like sleeping there after we ate, I pushed on.

  Toward sundown I was up on that big ledge where Clete had camped that night, and then on up where I had slept in the mud. Even that looked good to me then. About dark I was sleeping in the saddle about as much as I was awake, but I kept going. Godamighty, I felt like climbing down and sleeping 'til I couldn't sleep no more. I kept going anyway.

  I don't know how much farther it was, but coming awake once I thought I saw a fire up ahead. I looked again and then I was sure. Clete had a big fire built up for me, that's what it had to be. All those days on the trail and he was still building big fires at night for me to see, supposing I might be along. Why, that damned Clete! I snapped off three quick shots and he fired back almost right away. That horse sure didn't want to run, but after I give my whistle I hurried him along as fast as he would go.

  There stood Clete in front of a bonfire big enough for the whole Sioux Nation to see, waving his hat slow back and forth over his head, as if I couldn't see him already easy as pie, outlined as he was against them flames. Of course, I couldn't see his face, but I knowed he would be wearing a smile as broad as Texas. I just knowedit.