〃I am Laura Pritts Sackett。〃
His face sharpened suddenly as if the skin had drawn tight。 He was very still； and with amusement she could see what was happening in his mind。 She was a woman； and she had a gun on him。 She could kill him and say he had attacked her； and she would not be blamed； but if he drew on her and killed her； he would be hung for murder。
〃Don't be frightened； Hadden。 I am not going to kill you。 In fact； I want you to kill somebody for me … for both of us。〃
〃What's that mean？〃
〃There is a man who has gone down into Mexico and I think the Apaches may have killed him； but if he should be ing back I want him killed before he reaches Tucson。〃
Hadden shook his head。 〃I've killed a few men；〃 he said； 〃but only in fights。 I ain't no paid killer； ma'am。〃
〃Not even if the man is Tell Sackett？〃
He was still wary； but interested。 〃You askin' me that？ And you a Sackett？〃
〃I am not a Sackett； Hadden。 I had the misfortune to marry one。 I married him to help my father； but they turned on him anyway。 Tell Sackett is my brother…in…law； and I want him killed； Hadden。
〃There are men in this town； Hadden； who would kill a man for fifty dollars； and there are others all along the border。 I will give you two hundred dollars if you will bring me evidence that Tell Sackett is dead。 I don't care whether you kill him or somebody else does。 All I want is proof。〃
Hadden rested his palms on the saddle horn and chewed on his mustache。 He had heard that Sackett had ridden south； but he also knew that Spanish Murphy； who had ridden with him； had told some friends in Mex town that he would be back in a few weeks。
Arch Hadden was a hard； tough man； and a bitter one。 He had ridden into Tucson hunting John J。 Battles； an old enemy。 He had decided to kill Tampico Rocca； knowing nothing about him； because Rocca was Battles' friend and it would bring Battles out of hiding。 Tell Sackett had simply been a stranger of whom he had known nothing。 Since the gun battle in which Arch Hadden had been so roughly treated and one of his men had been killed； another seriously wounded； he had heard a lot about the Sacketts。 He wanted to kill Tell Sackett； but he was no longer at all sure he could kill him in a stand…up gun fight。 On the other hand； here was an offer of two hundred dollars； representing six months' hard work on the cattle ranges； for killing him； money it would be a pleasure to earn。
Slowly； he dug out the makings and rolled a smoke。 Laura Sackett seemed in no hurry； and Arch wanted to think this thing through。
〃There would be no trouble for you； Hadden；〃 she persisted。 〃You have already had a fight with him。 If there is another fight and you kill him； nobody would be surprised。〃
〃Why'd you pick on me？〃
〃You're the obvious one。 He bested you。 You want him beaten or dead。 You are the one who can do it and no questions asked。〃
〃How you figure to pay me？〃
〃I will give you one hundred dollars now； and the other hundred will be left at the Wells…Fargo office to be delivered to you by my order。〃
〃Won't folks wonder why you're payin' me money？〃
〃No。 You will be rounding up and breaking four horses for me； to be delivered in El Paso。 The money would be in payment for that。〃
Grimly； he stared at her。 The derringer was still in her hand； and now he knew she would shoot if need be。 Not that there would be any cause for it； but this was a dangerous woman。
〃Supposin' I was to take your hundred dollars an' ride off？〃 he suggested。
She smiled。 〃Hadden； my father and I were in the land grant wars in New Mexico。 We had occasion to hire men who could use their guns。 I have told you there are plenty of men along the border who would kill for fifty dollars。 If you took my money without trying to make good on it； I would hire four separate killers and send them out with good rifles to get you … and they would； Hadden。〃
He chuckled。 〃I just wondered。 All right； ma'am； I'll take the hundred。 I been figurin' on killin' Sackett； an' this here will pay expenses while I do it。〃
She rode back to town with Hadden trailing behind； and at the livery stable； before witnesses； she said； 〃I do not like the sorrel； Hadden； but I do want four horses delivered to me in El Paso。 I will pay you one hundred dollars now； the other hundred to be paid by Wells Fargo on my authorization when the horses are delivered。〃
Arch Hadden stabled his horses and went outside。 He rolled another smoke； lit the cigarette； and drew deeply。 This was money he was going to enjoy earning。 He looked around and saw Wolf approaching。 〃Wolf； we got us a job；〃 he said。 〃We got us a good job。〃
Chapter 11
We passed a quiet night。 Until the last of the twilight was gone I could still hear the quail。 These were the Mexican blue quail that run along the ground more than they fly； oft times thirty or forty of them in a covey。 Around a small fire； we talked it over。 We had invaded Apache country and taken prisoners from them； so they would be on our trail； they would never let up。 The horses needed rest。 The deserted ranch had water and plenty of good grass； and there was a good field of fire。 We decided to stay put； and that was all right with me。 I'd seen no such beautiful place in all my life； and I said as much to Dorset。
〃It is beautiful；〃 she agreed； 〃and peaceful。 I wonder they ever left 。。。 the people who lived here。〃
〃Apaches。 They devastated this whole stretch of country。 Folks tried again and again to build homes here； but they couldn't make it。
〃When we leave here；〃 I went on； 〃we're going to have to run。 It is going to be pure hell betwixt here and the border towns。〃
〃Why did she do it； Tell？〃 Dorset asked suddenly。 〃Why did she want you killed？〃
〃I don't know that she did。〃
〃There was no Orry Sackett； Tell。 Can't you see that？ She lied to you。 All the children are accounted for。 There were the Creed youngsters and my sister。 Harry had been taken long before； and there simply were no others。〃
This idea about Orry worried me。 It was something that needed contemplating； but there was another worry in what Dorset said； for if there was no child； why send me skyhootin' into such dangerous country？ Unless she did want me dead？ And if she wanted me dead； would she stop with this？ Suppose she tried again to kill me when I showed up alive 。。。 if I did？
I never was much good at thinking plicated things out。 Mostly I studied on situations and then went ahead and did what I would have done； anyway。 When it es to work and travel or a fighting situation； I can e up with answers； but I never was any good at figuring out why folks turned to evil。
〃Dorset；〃 I said； 〃I can't think of a reason why anybody should want me killed like that。 Why； she might be the death of these men with me； too。〃
〃Maybe she wants to get back at your brother。 Maybe she hates the name of Sackett。〃
It made no kind of sense； but I had one thought a body couldn't get around。 And that was that she had sent me off to Mexico after a child who I now felt sure never existed。
You might figure I could have looked around more； but not if you knew Apaches。 If any Apaches had a white prisoner it would be known to all of them。 They had few secrets among themselves。 So I was left with the almost certain knowledge that I'd been sent down here on a wild…goose chase that would be almost sure to get me killed。
Nor was there much I could do about it if I got back。 She would simply say that I lied； that she had told me no such thing … if she was even around to be accused。
And she would know I wasn't going to beat up a woman or shoot her。 We Sacketts treated womenfolk gentle； even when they didn't deserve it。
Had it been only me； I'd have figured I'd been played for a sucker and I'd have let it go at that； though it wouldn't have been a pretty thought。 But she had risked the lives of my friends。
We laid up at that deserted ranch for three days。 It wasn't only that we needed the rest； or that our horses did。 It was because a man who doesn't travel doesn't leave any trail。 And those Apaches would be looking for a trail。 They would figure that we would naturally high…tail it for the border； and when the trail was lost they'd head for the bo