Come on, Mr. Tanner said. With the rifle. And he started down the slope, hurrying and not seeming to care if he might stumble on the loose gravel.
Bob Valdez was now halfway across the pasture, the shotgun pointed down at his side, his eyes not leaving the door of the line shack. The door was probably already open enough for a rifle barrel to poke through. He guessed the Army deserter was covering him, letting him get as close as he wanted; the closer he came the easier to hit him.
Now he could see all the bullet marks in the door and the clean inner wood where the door was splintered. Two people in that little bake-oven of a place. He saw the door move.
He saw the rag doll on the ground. It was a strange thing, the woman having a doll. Valdez hardly glanced at it but was aware of the button eyes looking up and the discomforted twist of the red wool mouth. Then, just past the doll, when he was wondering if he would go right up to the door and knock on it and wouldnt that be a crazy thing, like visiting somebody, the door opened and the Negro was in the doorway filling it, standing there in pants and boots but without a shirt in that hot place, and holding a long-barreled dragoon that was already cocked.
They stood twelve feet apart looking at each other, close enough so that no one could fire from the slope.
I can kill you first, the Negro said, if you raise it.
With his free hand, the left one, Bob Valdez motioned back over his shoulder. Theres a man there said you killed somebody a year ago.
What man?
Said his name is Tanner.
The Negro shook his head, once each way.
Said your name is Johnson.
You know my name.
Im telling you what he said.
Whered I kill this man?
Huachuca.
The Negro hesitated. That was some time ago I was in the Tenth. More than a year.
You a deserter?
I served it out.
Then you got something that says so.
In the wagon, theres a bag there my things are in.
Will you talk to this man Tanner?
If I can hold from busting him.
Listen, why did you run this morning?
They come chasing. I dont know what they want. He lowered the gun a little, his brown-stained tired-looking eyes staring intently at Bob Valdez. What would you do? They come on the run. Next thing I know they firing at us.
Will you go with me and talk to him?
The Negro hesitated again. Then shook his head. I dont know him.
Then he wont know you.
He didnt know me this morning.
All right, Bob Valdez said. Ill bet your paper says you were discharged. Then well show it to this man, uh?
The Negro thought it over before he nodded, very slowly, as if still thinking.
All right. Bring him here, Ill say a few words to him.
Bob Valdez smiled a little. You can point that gun some other way.
Well the Negro said, if everybodys friends. He lowered the revolver to his side.
The wagon was in the willow trees by the creek. Off to the right. But Bob Valdez did not turn right away in that direction. He backed away, watching Orlando Rincon for no reason that he knew of. Maybe because the man was holding a gun and that was reason enough.
He had backed off six or seven feet when Orlando Rincon shoved the revolver down into his belt. Bob Valdez turned and started for the trees.
It was at this moment that he looked across the pasture. He saw Mr. Tanner and R. L. Davis at the edge of the scrub trees but wasnt sure it was them. Something tried to tell him it was them, but he did not accept it until he was off to the right, out of the line of fire, and by then the time to yell at them or run toward them was past. R. L. Davis had the Winchester up and was firing.
They say R. L. Davis was drunk or he would have pinned him square. As it was, the bullet shaved Rincon and plowed past him into the hut.
Bob Valdez saw Rincon half turn and he saw Rincons accusing eyes as Rincon pulled the long-barreled dragoon from his belt.
They werent supposed to, Bob Valdez said, holding one hand out as if to stop Rincon. Listen, they werent supposed to do that!
The revolver was free, and Rincon was cocking it. Dont! Bob Valdez said. Dont do it! Looking right into the Negros eyes and seeing it was no use, that Rincon was going to shoot him, and suddenly hurrying, he jerked the shotgun up and pulled both triggers so that the explosions came out in one blast and Orlando Rincon was spun and thrown back inside.
They came out across the pasture to have a look, some going inside where they found the woman and brought her out, everybody noticing she would have a child in about a month. Those by the doorway made room as Mr. Tanner and R. L. Davis approached.
Diego Luz came over by Bob Valdez, who had not moved. Valdez stood watching them and he saw Mr. Tanner look down at Rincon and after a moment shake his head.
It looked like him, Mr. Tanner said. It sure looked like him.
He saw R. L. Davis squint at Mr. Tanner. It aint the one you said?
Mr. Tanner shook his head again. Ive seen him before though. I know Ive seen him somewheres.
Bob Valdez saw R. L. Davis shrug. You ask me, they all look alike. He was yawning then, fooling with his hat, and then his eyes swiveled over to Bob Valdez standing with the empty shotgun.