by Tell Cotten
Cooper and Josie walked up a couple of minutes later, and I gave Cooper a questioning look.
“There was nobody there,” Cooper shook his head.
“I know I heard something,” I insisted.
“Well, whoever it was, they’re gone now.”
I nodded, and then I pointed at the fat one.
“Who shot this one?”
Josie shook her head, and Cooper looked at him and frowned.
“I never even saw him,” he admitted.
“Me neither,” I replied.
“I think I did,” Kolorado spoke up. It was silent, and he added, “Yes, I’m sure of it now.”
“You’re sure?” I frowned at him.
“Course I’m sure!” he fired back.
I glanced at Cooper, but he just shrugged.
“So now what?” Kolorado asked.
“Excitement’s over for now,” I said. “I reckon we can turn in.”
“I don’t think I could make myself sleep now,” Kolorado objected.
I smiled and nodded.
“Well, we’ve got three graves to dig,” I suggested.
“Might as well get it over with,” Cooper spoke up, and everyone nodded in agreement.
“I’ll unpack the shovels,” I said.
Chapter thirty-four
There’s nothing like hard work to make you tired.
It took us a couple of hours to get them all buried. Afterwards, Cooper and I walked out and looked for their horses, but we couldn’t find them.
“They probably broke loose when the shooting started,” Cooper figured.
“If they did, they’ll be back at Bronc by morning,” I said.
“I’m just glad our horses didn’t run off,” Cooper said.
“We probably tied ours better.”
Cooper nodded, and we trudged back to camp. Kolorado was sitting by the fire, and he looked exhausted.
“It’ll be daylight in a few hours,” I told everybody. “We might as well get some sleep.”
“Should one of us keep watch?” Cooper asked.
“We’ll be all right tonight,” I replied.
Everybody nodded, and we climbed into our bedrolls. A few minutes passed, and we all slipped off to sleep.
***
I woke to the sound of chirping. The sun was up, and I rubbed my eyes as I sat up.
A flock of birds was nestling around us. They were small, with black bodies and bright, yellow breasts.
I glanced at Cooper. He was sitting up in his bedroll, and he was frowning at them.
“Loud little fellers, ain’t they,” he said.
“They are,” I nodded.
“Them’s rain birds,” Kolorado declared from his bedroll.
“Rain birds?”
“Yep. When you see them, just know that a big rain is coming. Usually within three days.”
“How do you come up with all of this?” I frowned at him.
“Everybody knows that,” Kolorado replied.
I thought on that for a moment.
“So where do these rain birds go when it’s not raining?” I challenged.
“I reckon they go wherever it is raining,” Kolorado replied stubbornly.
I grunted, and I pulled my boots on and rolled up my bedroll.
My movements caused the birds to fly away. However, there was a slender, brown looking bird that stayed.
“Is that a rain bird too?” I gestured, and my voice was thick with sarcasm.
“No, that’s a mile-or-more bird,” Kolorado squinted at him.
“Mile-or-more bird?”
“Sure,” he nodded. “They pass a lot of gas, and you can hear it from a mile-or-more.”
I sighed, but didn’t reply.
Chapter thirty-five
While I cooked breakfast, Cooper walked out a ways and looked for tracks. He showed back up as I was making everyone a plate.
“You were right,” he told me. “There was somebody else out there last night.”
“I thought so.”
“I found his tracks behind some bushes over there. I backtracked him to where he’d tied his horse.”
“I wonder who he was?” Kolorado spoke up.
“Rocca,” I figured.
“Who?”
“He’s a feller that trades with the Injuns. He’s supposed to be our guide.”
“I thought that was my job,” Kolorado said.
“It is.”
Kolorado looked confused, but he didn’t say anything more.
“I also found this behind the bushes,” Cooper said, and he held up an empty bullet shell.
“So he’s the one who fired the first shot,” I surmised.
“I’d say so,” Cooper nodded.
I glanced at Kolorado, and he scowled.
“Well,” I said thoughtfully. “That’s good to know.”
Cooper nodded, and it fell silent as we ate.
***
We saddled up after breakfast and rode out. Cooper led the way, and Josie followed him. Kolorado was next, and I brought up the rear. Each one of us led a mule.
The morning passed smoothly. We rode towards the pass on the south side of the mountains, and we reached the foothills by midday. There was a stream there, and we stopped and watered our stock.
Cooper looked wistful as we looked up at the mountains.
“What is it?” I asked.
“Every time I go up there,” Cooper explained, “I get shot.”
“You getting superstitious?”
“No. It’s bad luck to be superstitious.”
I smiled.
“Just stick close to me,” I said. “And you’ll be fine.”
“I hope so,” Cooper replied, and we kicked up our horses and entered the pass.
Chapter thirty-six
It was a steep climb into the mountains. There was a trail that led upwards, and Cooper let his horse follow it.
The landscape changed quickly. It became very rocky, and trees were all about. It was also a lot cooler.
The afternoon passed. We made good time, and by evening time we were high in the mountains.
“There should be a big lakebed up ahead,” I told Cooper. “That’s where Lee killed Stew’s men. Remember?”
“I wasn’t there,” Cooper reminded.
“I know, but I told you about it,” I frowned, and continued, “That would be a good place to camp.”
Cooper nodded, and we rode on.
We reached the lakebed right as it was getting dark. The lakebed was in a meadow, and there was a line of trees that surrounded it.
We rode through the trees and entered the lakebed. While everyone else made camp, I built a fire and cooked supper.
After supper, I stood and walked over to the crates of rifles.
“I reckon we should disable these,” I suggested. “We might not have the time later.”
Kolorado didn’t like that idea, but he still got to his feet and walked over.
“How do you disable them?” He asked.
I opened a crate, picked up a rifle, and showed him.
“It’s simple,” I instructed. “You unscrew the side plate, and then you unscrew this tiny screw here. That loosens the carrier spring, and you can pull the spring right out.”
“That’s it?”
“That’s it,” I nodded.
We developed a routine. Kolorado unpacked the rifles, and Cooper and I disabled them. Josie re-packed the rifles, and she made sure that she left untouched rifles at the top of each crate.
It took us a couple of hours to finish. We were thirsty afterwards, so I built the fire back up and made some coffee.
We sat around the fire and drank a few cups. Afterwards, Cooper needed to go out into the bushes, and he disappeared amongst the trees.
“Yancy,” he said after a moment.
I walked towards his voice.
“Yes?”
“What do you make of that?”
I walked up beside Cooper, and he
pointed to the south.
There, in the far distance, was a faint glow.
“Looks like a campfire,” I said thoughtfully.
“How far do you reckon it is?” Cooper said.
“Mebbe a mile,” I figured.
“We rode through there today,” Cooper said, and asked, “You reckon they’re following us?”
I scratched my jaw as I thought on that.
“Probably are,” I said.
“I wonder who it is?”
“Only one person I can think of,” I replied.
“Rocca?”
I nodded.
“What do we do?” Cooper asked.
“Let’s go find out,” I said.
Chapter thirty-seven
We left Josie and Kolorado at the lakebed. They didn’t like it, but I didn’t want Kolorado to be in the way.
We saddled our horses and took out. It was so dark that we couldn’t even see the ground, so we had to ride slow.
We pulled up when we were a few hundred yards away. We dismounted, tied our horses to some trees, and crept towards the campfire. Cooper held his rifle, and my Colt was in my holster.
We stopped and studied the campfire when we got closer.
We could only see one horse picketed out. A man sat by the fire, and he was drinking coffee.
“Recognize him?” I asked in a whisper.
“That’s the feller from the cantina,” Cooper whispered back, and added, “Rocca.”
I nodded, and it was silent as I thought on the situation.
“I’ll have a talk with him,” I finally said. “Why don’t you circle in behind and cover us with your Henry.”
Cooper nodded. He crouched down and took off.
I watched him go, and then I checked my Colt. I returned it to my holster, and I waited for Cooper to get in position.
About five minutes passed, and then I walked towards the campfire.
“Hello the camp!” I called out.
Without a word, the man dropped his coffee cup, rolled over, grabbed his rifle, and came up on his feet.
“Hold your fire!” I said tersely. “We don’t want trouble.”
He stood still as he thought on that, and then he lowered the rifle. I nodded and walked on in.
He recognized me, and a scornful smirk crossed his face.
“It is you,” he said in a thick, Spanish accent.
“That’s right.”
“I see you do not die today. That is good.”
“I’ll agree with that,” I said, and added, “My brother’s out there with a rifle. I reckon you understand what that means.”
He smiled.
“I do not wish for trouble, senor. Not yet.”
“Yet?”
“You are Morgan Gant.”
“I am,” I nodded.
“I am Rocca.”
“I figured you was,” I said.
“I am your guide.”
“We need to discuss that.”
“My father’s name was Pancho Esperanza,” he suddenly declared.
“Was?”
“He is dead now.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“You do not know of my father?” He looked at me curiously.
I thought for a moment.
“No,” I said.
“You are sure?”
“Yes,” I replied.
Rocca snorted, and it was silent for a moment.
“You were at our camp last night,” I changed the subject.
A surprised looked crossed his face.
“You saw me?”
“No, I heard you,” I said. “You shot the fat one.”
Rocca smiled.
“He was fat.”
“I appreciate the help, but why did you leave?”
“I do not like you.”
“How come?”
“My father.”
“I notice you keep mentioning him. Why?”
“You do not remember?”
“Remember what?” I frowned.
“You killed him.”
I was startled, and several seconds passed as I thought on that.
“No,” I finally said. “I did not.”
“You lie,” he said, and his eyes flashed angrily. “They told me. It was you, Morgan Gant.”
I didn’t know how to answer that, so I was silent.
“That is why I take this job,” Rocca declared. “To meet you.”
“So you can kill me?”
“Maybe,” Rocca said. “Or, maybe I steal your business. You cannot trade with the Apache. But Rocca can.”
“You’re wrong there. I can trade with the Apaches,” I said, and added, “It is you that’s not needed. I told Brock that, but he said for me to tell you.”
The scornful look returned to Rocca’s face.
“You wish me to go?”
“That is correct.”
“No one tells Rocca to go.”
“Well, I’m telling you now.”
Rocca frowned, and it fell silent as we studied each other.
“I understand,” Rocca finally said.
“That is good,” I said. “We’ll be leaving now, and don’t try to follow us.”
Rocca didn’t reply, and his face remained blank.
“And I don’t care what you heard,” I said. “I didn’t kill your father.”
A stubborn look crossed Rocca’s face.
“I have nothing else to say,” he said.
“Neither do I,” I said.
Rocca nodded. I backed up some, and then I turned and disappeared into the darkness.
Chapter thirty-eight
I walked back to the horses and waited for Cooper. Soon as he got there, we mounted up and rode north.
“Did you hear everything?” I asked him.
“I sure did.”
“He thinks I killed his father.”
“Why didn’t you tell him you weren’t Morgan?”
“I couldn’t,” I replied.
“Why not?”
“A feller like Rocca will do anything for money,” I said. “If he found out who I really was, he’d run to Ike.”
“I’m a little surprised you didn’t shoot him.”
“It did cross my mind,” I admitted.
“What stopped you?”
“After what he did for us last night, I figured I ought to give him a chance,” I explained.
“Give him a chance to do what? Kill you?”
“No. Give him a chance to leave.”
“I reckon he did save us.”
“I wouldn’t go that far,” I frowned. “He helped us. That’s all.”
“He probably wanted to save you for himself.”
“It’s possible.”
“Do you think he’ll leave now?”
“No,” I said.
Cooper frowned thoughtfully, but he didn’t say anything else.
It didn’t take us long to get back to our camp. Kolorado was full of questions, and Cooper explained what happened.
“What happens next?” Kolorado wanted to know.
“We go to bed,” I said.
“That’s not what I meant,” Kolorado frowned.
“Well, in the morning we’ll head north,” I said.
“What about this Rocca feller?” Kolorado asked.
“What about him?” I asked.
“Shouldn’t we do something?”
“No,” I replied, and added, “Go ahead and turn in. I’ll keep watch for a while.”
Kolorado grumbled something as he rolled out his bedroll and crawled in. Cooper and Josie did the same, and soon all three were asleep.
My watch went smoothly, and Cooper relieved me a few hours later. I rolled out my bedroll, pulled my boots off, and crawled in. I was tired, and I went right to sleep.
***
A buzzing sound woke me the next morning. I stirred, but then the sound went away. I yawned, rubbed my eyes, and turned over.
The buzzing sound came b
ack, only it sounded more irritable this time.
I was suddenly wide-awake. I looked sideways and spotted a rattlesnake a few feet from me. He was coiled and ready to strike.
“Don’t move,” a calm, stern voice said.
Cooper stood behind the snake, and he held a long, thick branch. In one move, he swept the snake away from me. The snake struck at Cooper, but he delivered a deathblow to the back of his head with the branch. He hit him a few more times for good measure, and then he looked at me.
My hands shook as I crawled out of my bedroll.
“Thanks,” I managed to say.
“That was a close one,” Cooper said.
“Too close,” I agreed.
“What’d I tell you?” Kolorado exclaimed from his bedroll.
I glared at Kolorado.
“Don’t say a word,” I warned.
Kolorado tried to look hurt while I looked at Cooper and Josie. I could tell that they were trying not to grin.
“This could have happened to any of us,” I said irritably.
“But it didn’t,” Cooper replied. “It happened to you.”
“It was just a coincidence,” I retorted.
Nobody said anything. Instead, they just glanced at each other.
“Having a rope around my bed would have made no difference,” I declared.
They were silent.
“It makes no sense,” I tried again. “And, if you think I’m going to start putting a rope around my bed, you are mistaken.”
Nobody replied. Instead, they all looked down at the ground.
“I’m disappointed in you, Coop. Every time Kolorado tells us some far-fetched yarn, you cleave to it for solemn fact.”
Cooper nodded and smiled.
“Why isn’t anybody saying anything?” I demanded to know.
“You told me not to,” Kolorado spoke up.
I scowled at him, but didn’t say anything.
Chapter thirty-nine
It took a while for the nerves to settle, but I finally got around to cooking breakfast. We ate, and afterwards we packed up camp. Next, we saddled our horses and packed the mules.
We climbed into the saddle, and Kolorado pointed at the snake.
“Look at that,” he said.
“Look at what?” I frowned.