The Bounty Hunters

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," Fly

"You don't see them!"

"When did you ever?" Fly

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

"Wait."

"For how long?"

"That's up to Soldado," Fly

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

Fly

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 Fly

There was Nita, coming out of the back door, moving across the yard toward her father. She was carrying something and Fly

"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 Fly

"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 Ramon 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.

Ramon 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."

Fly

"Yes, that was it!" Hilario whispered excitedly.

"He was telling you," Fly

"It is a ruse," Hilario whispered.

"Perhaps," Fly

Bowers said, "And maybe he's pla

He's learning fast, Fly

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, "Flin?"

Fly

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

"Come over," Fly

"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," Fly

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, Fly

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

"Joe!" Fly

"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 Fly

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

Fly

"He's out there."

Fly

"Counting Coyoteros?"

Fly

"Ten."

"Ten! How many are scouts?"

"Ten."

"No…" Fly

"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."