Say it, Tanner said.
The segundos hand remained on the horse, patting the firm flesh. I was thinking to myself, we got eighteen men here. We got six at Mimbreno. We could send eight or ten back and they could start south with the drive. Then when we finish with him we catch up, maybe lose only two days.
Tanner waited. You through?
I mean we dont need so many, the segundo said, but he knew by the way the man was looking at him his words had been wasted.
Im going up the mountain, Tanner said. Youre going up the mountain, and all my men are going up the mountain. My men, segundo. You savvy that?
If you say it.
I say it, Tanner said.
Through the field glasses he watched them come up the slope: small dots that he could not count yet, spread in a line, all of them moving this way, one dot ahead of the others, far in front, the only one that he could identify through the field glasses as a mounted rider.
It wasnt happening the way it was supposed to happen. There was open country behind him and he needed more time, a bigger space between them, if he expected to reach the twin peaks. But they were driving him now, running him and making sure he wasnt going to move around them.
It was late afternoon, three hours and a little more until sunset. Three hours to hold them here if he could hold them before he could take his two people and slip out. He lay on the ground with good rock cover in front of him and all along the ridge. Next to him were his guns and Daviss Winchester. Looking at the dots coming up he thought, The Winchester or the Sharps? And said to himself, The Sharps. You know it better. You know what it can do.
Well, he had better let them know. Pretty soon now.
He rolled slightly to look at the Erin woman and R. L. Davis. Gay Erin, he said in his mind. Aloud he said, Mr. R. L. Davis, I would like you to come over here, please, and go down there about fifty feet. You see where those rocks are?
Davis stood up awkwardly, his wrists tied to his belt with pieces of rope. His elbows pointed out and he looked as though he was holding his stomach. There was dried blood on the side of his face and in his hair and
down the arm of his jacket, which was torn and shredded.
What do you want me down there for?
I want you in front of me, Valdez said. So I can see you.
What if they come?
Theyre already coming.
Davis gazed down the slope, squinting. I dont see nothing.
Take my word, Valdez said.
Well listen now, if they start shooting Im going to be in the line of fire.
Behind the rocks, youll be all right.
Davis stood his ground. You still dont believe me, do you? I can prove it by my canteen.
I dont have your canteen.
You had it. Its somewhere.
And were here, Valdez said. Lets talk some other time.
If I didnt cut you loose, who did?
You can walk down or I can throw you down, Valdez said.
He looked toward the woman. Say it, he thought. He said, Gay Erin. Gay. Thats your name? Come over here. He watched Davis moving hunch-shouldered down the slope to the cover of low rocks. He felt the woman near him. As she sank to the ground, he handed her the field glasses. Count them for me.
He raised up to take Daviss Colt out of his belt. The barrel was cutting into his hip. He placed it on the ground next to him and took the heavy Sharps, the Big Fifty, and laid it on the flat surface of the rock in front of him. He would load from the cartridge belt across his chest. With the stock against his cheek, aware of the oiled metal smell of the gun, he sighted down the barrel. Nothing. Not without the glasses.
Seventeen, the Erin woman said.
He took the glasses from her. Putting them to his eyes the lower part of the slope came up to him.
They were still far enough away that he could see all of them without sweeping the glasses. He estimated the distance, the first man, the point rider, at six hundred yards, the rest of them at least two hundred yards behind him. The brave one, Valdez thought. Maybe the segundo. Maybe Tanner. He held the glasses on the man until he knew it was not Tanner. Nor the segundo, because of the mans dark hat.
Valdez lowered the glasses. He said, Nineteen. You missed two of them, but thats very good. He looked at her, at her hair in the afternoon sunlight, the bandana pulled down from her face, loose around her neck now. He reached over and touched the bandana, feeling the cotton cloth between his fingers. Put this on your head.
The sun doesnt bother me, she said. She had not spoken since they left the arroyo.
Im not thinking of the sun. Im thinking how far you can see yellow hair.
As she untied the knot behind her neck she said, You believed I cut you loose. I didnt tell you I did.
But you let me believe it.
How do you know he did?
Because he told me. Because if someone else did it, he would think I knew who did it and he wouldnt bother to lie. I think I was dreaming of a woman giving me water, Valdez said. So when I tried to remember what happened, I thought it was a woman.
I didnt mean to lie to you, she said. I was afraid.