〃If you boys are as smart as I think you are；〃 I said； 〃you'll let that squaw loose； and the same for the young lady over yonder。 You know what will happen if you bother a white girl out here。〃
〃Nothin' 〃 That was the man with the rifle up in the rocks。 〃Ain't nobody goin' to tell。〃
〃You're forgetting about my boys；〃 I said。 〃They'll know and they'll be telling the story about now。〃
〃Not Spanish Murphy；〃 Arch Hadden said。 〃He won't tell nobody nothin'。 We found him tied on his horse and he didn't look like he was going to make it； so we shot him。 We just naturally finished him off。〃
Dorset was right behind the squaw now； and I never had any doubts about her doing what was best。 That little lady had a head on her shoulders and the chances were that right now she was unloosing the squaw。
I knew I had to stall。 I had to play for time。 〃No use you boys building up for trouble；〃 I said。 〃Turn that squaw loose； and the lot of us have got a fighting chance。 We can make it out of here if we move fast； before Kahtenny gets fifty； sixty Injuns out yonder。〃
〃You ain't got the message；〃 Wolf Hadden said。 〃We're goin' to kill you； boy。〃
Me； I smiled at him。 Somehow I had to keep those boys talking； get their mind off the moment to give myself an edge。 If I was going to do anything at all against the lot of them； I'd need all I could get。
〃Most men who try to fight Apaches only learn by losing 。。。 and when you lose a fight to an Apache you never get no chance to use what you learned。 You boys take my advice and turn loose that squaw； and Kahtenny might just ride off and leave you be。〃
〃You scared？〃 That was that one up on the rocks。 He was beginning to get kind of irritating； like a mosquito around the ear。
〃You bet I'm scared。 I've seen these boys work。 Now； I … 〃
All of a sudden one of those boys yelled； 〃Arch！ That damn squaw … 〃
She was loose and she was moving； and she was moving almighty fast。 The man up in the rocks swung his rifle and when he did I forked out that waistband gun with my left hand and my shot was a hair faster than his。
He fired at the squaw and I shot him right through the brisket； and then swung the gun to Wolf； who was ing up with a Remington Navy。
Dorset； she suddenly threw herself at the man nearest her and she hit him right behind the knees。 He was standing on a bit of a slope； and when she hit him he buckled at the knees and fell forward on the gravelly hillside。
The man who'd been alongside the fire； instead of grabbing his gun； turned to lay hold of Dorset； and at the same time that I cut loose at Wolf I jumped my horse at Arch。
He made a quick step back to get out of the way； and a rock rolled under his feet。 He fell as he drew； jolting the gun from his hand。
I swung my horse and got in another shot at Wolf； who burned me with one alongside the shoulder。 He was just setting up to take a dead shot when my second bullet caught him； and he backed up a full step。 My black was on him； and he rolled aside； and I felt bullets whipping around me。
Somehow Dorset had a gun。 She fired at one of those boys and then taken out running； the child in her arms； for the pony string。
About that time I saw an Apache up on the slope； and he was shooting down at us。 I swung my horse again and went after Dorset。
She wasn't wasting any time； and fortunately they had left a couple of horses saddled。 She pulled the drawstring on one of them and swung the child to the saddle； then she went into the saddle herself with a flying leap and we were off； running our horses across that desert like crazy folks。
Maybe we were a mite crazy。 I had an idea we weren't going to make it； but every jump we took gave us a better chance。 Behind us I could hear a fight taking place； and somebody else was running a horse off to the right。
Suddenly the desert split right open ahead of us； a deep cut maybe eight or ten feet across。 I saw Dorset jump her horse； and I slapped spurs to mine and that black took to flying as if it was second nature。 We both landed safe and swung down into a hollow； raced across it and up the other side； and into a forest of cholla where our horses swung right and left and about through that prickly stuff。
We leveled out in the open and put them to a run； and when we finally got them slowed down we had made it away 。。。 for now。
Looking back； I could see nothing behind us。 We had e several miles； and now we walked the horses under some cedars whilst I unlimbered my Winchester； checked it again； and returned it to the scabbard。 Then I reloaded both my six…shooters。 I could remember shooting four to five tunes； but eight shots had been fired； showing I'd been doubling up。 I had no recollection of having drawn the second gun； but I surely had。 When I'd reloaded； I moved alongside Dorset。 She was holding the youngster on the saddle in front of her。 〃What happened to the others？〃 I asked。 〃They got away。 Harry is like a little Apache himself。 When those men came up he just disappeared into the brush with the others。〃
〃Let's hope he made it。〃
The country was changing now。 It was much more broken； but there was also more growth。 There had been a desert shower； one of those sudden rains that sometimes deluge only a small area and then vanish。 This one had left water standing in the bottoms of the washes and in hollows atop the rocks。 It had filled the desert tanks； so we watered the horses。
My eyes felt like hot lumps in my skull； and they seemed to move with incredible slowness when I turned to look around。 My fingers felt stiff； and I worked them and tried to loosen them up。 My mouth was dry； and after I'd drunk it was dry again in a few minutes。
All of a sudden I was dead tired again。 All the days of driving ahead； running； fighting； and worrying a way out were beginning to catch up with me。 But we started on。
The horses plodded ahead； dazed with weariness。 Several times I found myself dozing in the saddle； each time I'd wake up with a start of fear； and look all around。 My mind seemed to be in a state of despair。 Spanish was dead 。。。 Tampico Rocca was dead 。。。 where was John J。？
It would soon be dark； and if we expected to make the border we had to find a place to stop for rest。 If it had to be； we ourselves could keep going； but not the horses； and without them our chances were gone。 〃Do you think they're following us？〃 Dorset asked。 〃I don't know；〃 I answered； and said no more。 The sun disappeared and shadows gathered in the folded hills。 The shadows lifted questioning fingers； stark against the yellow sky。 The quail began to talk across the silences； the wind stirred； rustling the dry leaves on the parched brush。 Our horses' hoofs whispered in the sand。
A lone coyote showed for an instant； then like a shadow was gone； leaving no more sign than an Apache。 A few stars began to appear 。。。 one bright one was low in the sky； and held steady。 Time to time I looked at it； and finally I said； 〃That there's a light。 A fire； maybe。〃 Dorset turned her head to look。 〃It's not an Indian fire；〃 she said。
We drew up； and I turned； standing in my stirrups to look back。
〃It might be the Haddens；〃 I said。 She glanced at me。 〃After you finished with them？ What you didn't get； the Apaches got。 You took two of them； I'd swear。 Maybe three。〃
Well； maybe。 I wasn't making any claims。 I never was one to file notches on a gun 。。。 a tinhorn trick。
〃Shall we try for it？〃 I said。 〃It's closer than the border。 And the border never meant anything to an Apache except that south of it he was free of the American troops。〃
〃We can scout it；〃 Dorset answered。 She swung her pony and headed toward the fire。
The yellow sky faded into gray and velvety dark。 Even before we came up to it； I could see it was an Army fire 。。。 it looked big because there were three of them in line。 It was a Cavalry troop of maybe forty men。 We pulled up and I hailed the camp。
〃Howdy； there。 Is it all right to e in？ There's a woman and a child with me。〃 Silence 。。。
It was a long moment； and I guess somebody was trying to make us out with field glasses； though now there was not much light。
〃All right；〃 came the answer。 〃Ride in。 Ride carefully。〃
I knew that voice。 It was Captain