the Bounty Hunters (1953) (22 page)

And that's what Flynn was doing picturing the south side of Soyopa, where the rurale camp was, where the firing was coming from it was open country for miles, stretching, curving east and west. So the main threat was not here, even though the firing was coming from that direction now. No, the north side, beyond the cemetery, there it was close with brush, uneven country.

And now, running to the head of the street where most of the others were, Flynn glanced across the square and saw more people coming hurriedly along both sides of the church.

Now it's Soldado's turn it went through Flynn's mind. Something has stirred him up good.

Past the end of the street, beyond a rise a good two hundred yards off, the bleached tops of the tents were visible. There was smoke and scattered gunfire and suddenly, coming up the rise, up into the street, were the rurales, Santana with them, and as they rode into the square Santana was shouting for them to fan out in a circle, on all sides of the pueblo.

Sergeant Santana! Hilario ran close in front of the sergeant's horse as he reined in. What is it?

The Anti-Christ! What do you think!

But how did they come?

Suddenly' as they always do!

Did you lose men?

Several, Santana answered, swinging down, breathing hard, watching his men disappear down the streets on all sides of the square. They struck suddenly, riding almost directly through our camp; then they were gone, leaving some of the tents afire, moving out, away, but seeming to circle to the other side of the pueblo.

Flynn said, You're going after them?

After them! Soldado Viejo is here in force. He would like us to come out after him' so he can cut us to pieces. He is here with men! Something has happened to his thinking. Before he would raid perhaps smaller pueblos, but most of the times herders and then with never more than two dozen men. Now he has over a hundred!

See that your men are circling the entire village, Hilario told him, looking about anxiously.

I know my job!

Bowers was looking across the square toward the church where more people were entering the square. You hear them? They're yelling Apache. God, they must be close'

That's the side, Flynn said. They can come up close because of the brush' that's where most of them will be. The strike at the rurale camp was to finish them off quick, but it didn't work.

Hilario's head turned about, wide-eyed. We should go over there, then.

What about Duro? Flynn asked, turning, looking up at him. The lieutenant stood holding tight to the railing, looking, staring across the square.

Ah, Se+|or Duro, Hilario said. I remember his own words once' let me see' And then he called out, Duro! The lieutenant's gaze dropped down to Hilario, surprised, as if he had forgotten they were there. Duro! Stay in your house until we return. There will be a man here. If he sees your head come out of the door, he will shoot it!

As they passed the church, many of the people were crowding into its wide doorway which the Franciscan padre stood holding open. Flynn saw him wave to them as they passed and then they were hurrying down the side wall shadow of the church and beyond, deserted now, they could see the cemetery the rows of wooden crosses and mounds of stones and scattered here and there the remains of the fiesta which would not be finished today: mescal bottles, ollas, plates of pottery and on three or four of the crosses hung sombreros. These moved. As the faint breeze came down from the hills it stirred the wide hat brims, turning them lazily, and this was the only movement now in the deserted cemetery.

Beyond, scattered mesquite thickets began their creeping in from the wild country and beyond the brush were pi+|on and scrub oak, then jackpine as the ground rose to deep-green and brown-green hills and over all of this nothing moved.

He's smart, Flynn thought, thinking of Soldado. If a white man had the upper hand he'd stand out there showing himself, defying you to come out. Soldado's smart. He makes you think he's gone, and when you go out' then he has you.

They stood in the backyard of the adobe which was across the road from the church, looking out over a low wall. Bowers' eyes were half closed as his head swung slowly, squinting into the brush shadows, seeing nothing. They're gone, he said finally.

Hilario shook his head, disagreeing. Why should they go?

Bowers said, Dave, what do you think?

I think Hilario answered it, Flynn replied. Why should they go?

You don't see them!

When did you ever? Flynn spoke quietly, staring out at the thickets. Something has aroused Soldado' He hesitated. Maybe Lazair stumbled onto his rancheria while the men were away' whatever the reason, it must be a good one to make him throw his men at an entire village. He attacked when he was hot, and it wasn't successful, but now he's cooled off. Whatever he came for, he must still want, because he didn't get anything. There's no one here who's going to go out after him, so there's no reason for him to leave. He has all the time in the world' good cover' and he's Apache. Now you tell me what he'll do.

Bowers said, after a silence, And what are we going to do?

Wait.

For how long?

That's up to Soldado, Flynn said. Probably nothing will happen tonight, but in the morning something might. Bowers looked at him curiously and he added, That rider of Lazair's that Santana chased out of town' he's on his way to their camp now, if Soldado didn't spot him. By morning he should be rushing back here with the rest of them, yelling for rurales, but they'll find Apaches instead.

Bowers' face brightened. Then that's our chance!

Flynn shook his head. Soldado will know about them before they know about him.

They separated soon after this, stringing out in the backyards of the adobes, watching the brush and the trees and the shadows that crept toward them as the sun began to fade. Then there were the evening sounds which seemed quieter than day sounds, and the smell of wood fires. Mesquite burning. Bowers was in the next yard, a hundred feet from Flynn, Hilario was beyond him, in his own yard. And now it was getting dark quickly.

There was Nita, coming out of the back door, moving across the yard toward her father. She was carrying something and Flynn thought: Probably atole. We eat and Soldado eats, but that's all we have in common with him. He watched Nita go to Bowers next and as she came closer he could see her face more clearly. Then she was approaching him with the atole the flour gruel carrying it in a tin pot, her other hand carrying pottery bowls, and he felt an excitement inside of him. And telling himself it was silly, repeating it quickly as she drew closer, did not make it go away.

Are you hungry?

He shook his head. No. But it would be best to eat something.

There was not time to prepare anything better than this. She kept her eyes down most of the time, but when she did look at Flynn, when their eyes met, they would hold and there was no other living soul on the earth.

I don't mind atole, I've had it many times before.

He said, unexpectedly then, If it were darker, I think I would kiss you.

Her eyes rose to his. If it were darker, I think I would let you. They looked at each other in silence, then she rose and moved toward the next yard with the pot of atole.

Later, after it had been dark almost an hour, a man came to him. It was Ram+|n who had been in Hilario's house with the others.

We think they are approaching.

Where?

Directly out from my yard he waved his arm in the darkness which is the other side of Hilario's. Before it was dark we saw this Apache who seemed to be showing himself purposely, making strange signs, as if tempting us to come out. Then for a while he was gone. Then, after the darkness came, we heard faint sounds. They have stopped now, but you'd better come.

Hilario and Bowers were there, crouched behind the low stone wall.

Ram+|n asked in a whisper that was nervously harsh, Has anything occurred?

Bowers nodded to them. Hilario looked up and said quickly, He is close now, but out of sight. A moment ago there was a sound, it seemed a hiss, but I'm sure it was a word.

Flynn said, Si-kisn?

Yes, that was it! Hilario whispered excitedly.

He was telling you, Flynn said, that he's a brother, a friend.

It is a ruse, Hilario whispered.

Perhaps, Flynn said. But when an Apache fights at night, it is because he has no other choice. Soldado has time. He has more of it than we have.

Bowers said, And maybe he's planning on your thinking that way.

He's learning fast, Flynn thought, and said, You never know them so well you don't have to take chances. He knelt close to the wall now and cupping his hands to his mouth he called in a low, drawn-out hiss, Si-kisnnnn.

There was dead silence. Then the word came back from not far away. Again silence, and suddenly the dim shape of an Apache was standing across the wall from them. He said, Fl+n?

Flynn rose, and hesitated so there would be no surprise in his voice that would make him speak out loud. Then he said, Three-cents. He glanced at Bowers and at Hilario. This is Three-cents, Joe Madora's head Coyotero tracker.

Bowers said, What! and clamped his mouth shut because the word was sharp in the stillness.

Come over, Flynn said to the Coyotero.

There is another with me, Three-cents said in Spanish, and almost as he said it, he was gone.

I thought they made army trackers wash, Bowers whispered. He's filthy.

The dirt's on purpose, Flynn said. He wiped saliva on his body and then sand on top of that. That's why we didn't see him.

A moment later, Three-cents was back and behind him another figure was coming, crouched low. Then he rose, and as he spoke, even before he spoke, Flynn was smiling.

The words came as a hoarse whisper David, you son of a bitch, I've got to pull you out of another one.

Joe! Flynn whispered, and grabbed the man's arm to help him over the wall.

Let go! You'll rip open the hole!

How is it?

I'm standing in front of you.

I never expected to see you again, Joe.

That's why I can't figure they sent a shortsighted bastard like you on this trip. Madora looked at Bowers then. How you doin', Red?

Self-consciously, Bowers said, All right.

Madora turned from him abruptly. David, I'm hungrier 'n a bastard. What've you got?

Hilario said, Nita will bring something.

But Flynn said, We'll go in and get it. Joe, you and your boy come along and I'll fix you up.

When they were near the house, Madora said, Those boys were dyin' for news. They won't take kindly to you rushin' me away.

Flynn ignored this, saying quickly, Where's Deneen?

He's out there.

Flynn relaxed somewhat. I had a hunch he was. With how many?

Counting Coyoteros?

Flynn nodded. Yes.

Ten.

Ten! How many are scouts?

Ten.

No' Flynn groaned, but there was a humor to this and it struck Flynn and he could not help but smile now. All right. What happened?

About the time Deneen got back to Whipple from his tour, the genral'd found out what he'd done. They had entered the adobe and now, close to the firelight, Madora was smiling. That was something. The genral dressed hell out of him and the first thing you know Deneen's got a Mexico assignment of his own.

How'd you find out?

Hell, it's all over. Some of it was overheard firsthand' a friend of mine. Anyway, your pal was relieved of his adjutant's job and the genral kicks his tail down to Sonora to find a Lieutenant Duro of the rurales' cuz the genral says, All right, goddamn it, if we're going to do it, then we're going to do it right. Get your ass down to Mexico and get some permission and if you don't get it, don't come back. Madora added, Now some say genrals don't talk like that, but my friend says it's gospel.

But why only ten men?

We ain't a war party. The genral told him no soldiers, else it'd be considered invasion of a foreign country, but he said you can take all the trackers you want cuz for cry-sake there's enough goddamn Apaches down there now that nobody's going to notice a few goddamn more.

I never heard the general talk like that.

What's that, atole? That's the only thing that's almost not better than nothing.

Where's Deneen now?

About a mile off.

Apaches spot you?

Hell no.

I'd better go talk to him.

Somebody better. He like to wet his pants when Three-cents come in and told about Soldado. Madora looked at Flynn quickly, seriously. This is the first time I've seen him in a tight spot. He can't take it, can he?

Why ask me? Flynn said.

Because you were in the war with him where there were lots of tight spots. Madora paused and half smiled. That's what's between you two. You caught him in a jackpot cryin' for his mama.