cranium and then a ton of blackness hit me. I felt myself falling sidewise and then a great ebony curtain descended to carry me into oblivion…
I awakened slowly. The moon was high overhead, shining directly down on the river. My head ached terrifically. Through almost closed eyes I gazed about. I didn't see anything of Jordan, but a brief glimpse showed me a small fire with a coffeepot resting on the coals. I moved my hands slightly and felt a rough blanket beneath my body. Anyway, I wasn't handcuffed. Despondency swept over me. Caught at last! Now I'd have to face—what?
I shifted my eyes and saw at the other side of the fire my saddle, and resting against it my Winchester, holstered belt and .44 Colt. A prisoner, just a lousy prisoner, that's what I was. I'd been out-foxed again. But how in the devil had Jordan got around behind me? I'd been so sure…
At that moment I heard his voice from the rear: 'How about sitting up and taking a little nourishment, Cardinal? I know you've come to, and I figure I've waited supper long enough. Got a headache, I'll bet. Mebbe some hot coffee will fix that.'
I realized now that he had a rather pleasant voice, nothing antagonistic in it; there hadn't been from the first. I came to a sitting position. A wave of dizziness swept over me and a thousand imps within my skull were using sledge hammers. After a minute my head cleared and I mumbled something about my horse.
'I took care of your hawss. It's just around that next bend of rock, where there's some grass for the animals to crop. Look here, I don't want to put the cuffs on you. Can you act sensible for a spell, until we have a mite of
'Anyway, I'll try,' I smiled weakly. He walked around in front of me then, and I saw a tall man with good features and iron-gray hair, puffing a briar. A Colt was strapped at one hip and he wore a black Stetson and flat- heeled boots, checked shirt and corduroys cuffed at the ankles. 'Right now,' I continued, 'I'm too achy to do anything but act sensible. So I reckon you can feel sure of collecting the reward.'
He directed a sharp look at me from steely eyes. 'Reward?' he growled. 'You think I'm after those piddlin' rewards. Ain't I told you—aw, hell, forget it.'
He got tin dishes from a burlap sack, produced a cup and poured coffee which he handed me. 'Watch your lip, it's boiling hot. Sugar?'
I said, 'No, thanks,' and raised the cup to my mouth. Lord, such Java! My head began to feel better almost immediately. Jordan crouched near the fire, produced a frying pan and soon frying odors mingled with that of coffee in the air.
I finished the coffee and gingerly got to my feet. Jordan's head came sharply up; he eyed me a moment, then resumed his cooking. Things were coming clearer now, and I saw he had made camp on a large flat rock overhanging the river. I glanced over the edge and spied the water swirling just below. That accounted for the rushing sounds I'd heard, which I'd blamed on my head. The moon on the leaping waters sparkled like a million diamonds. Across the Rio Grande rose high jagged bluffs. It was beautiful and for a moment I forgot the fix I was in.
'Right pretty, ain't it?' Jordan said. I agreed. He went on, 'Come time for me to retire I aim to get me a little cabin down here, this being my favorite spot. If you've guessed that I've been here before, you're right. There's almost a clear line through some of these canyons, to the river, and outlaws just naturally seem to follow 'em. It's an old trail to me.'
'I can understand that now,' I replied dryly. He chuckled and went on with his cooking. Right soon he dished it up on tin plates, fried beans, bacon, biscuits. 'Set to, Cardinal. We'll talk later.'
Lord, that food was good, tasty as the deuce. I commented on that. Jordan laughed shortly. 'I believe in traveling in comfort. Never did hold with these hombres who take pride in travelin' rough and eating cold fodder.' He reached for the coffeepot and filled my cup again.
When we had finished he scoured the dishes with a rag and loose sand, then asked me to rinse 'em off. By stretching prone on the flat rock I could just reach the water. Coming down from an elevation it was, naturally, cold as ice. More and more the moon glints reminded me of sparkling diamonds. The water looked deep at this point too. I came back with the dishes and remarked that I almost felt like taking a swim.
'Go ahead, if you like, but that current runs swift. But not for me.'
I decided against it too, thinking of how cold it was. Moonlight glinted on the gold badge on Jordan's vest as he stuffed a briar with tobacco. He waited until I had rolled a cigarette and then held the match flame for me. We puffed in silence for a few minutes, seated cross-legged on either side of the fire. He reached nearby and tossed some dried mesquite branches on the flames. They flared for a moment and then settled to a slow steady burning.
'We can have some
'I reckon so,' I gulped, jerking back to a realization that a lot of trouble lay before me. 'There's just one thing I want to know—how did you manage to work around behind me this afternoon?'
'Didn't,' he said shortly. 'Didn't dast try after hearing about you being such a fast hand with weapons.' I gave a short jeering laugh. He said, looking surprised, 'Not true?'
'Not true,' I told him.
A scowl crossed his face. He continued, 'Anyway, I wanted you alive. I don't take to killin', less'n it's real necessary. I kept shooting high all the time—high or to one side—just to keep you from closing in on me. Nope, I never did get near you for a shot. Way I figure it, one of my slugs ricocheted off that big rock behind you and came flying back at an angle toward your head, just missing a solid hit. If you'd had your hat on it might have been deflected some, but it just managed to strike enough to knock you out, without really hitting square which would sure as hell finished you. All you lost is a mite of hair and a thin slice of skin. It'll be healed in a week. I looked around and found a flattened fragment of lead, so mebbe that was the chunk after it bounced back from your barrier.'
'That clears things up—' I commenced.
'I'd waited a spell and when you didn't answer none of my yells, I took a chance. You were sprawled flat when I found you, dead to the world. I brought you back here, washed the cut and stuck on some court plaster. The whole business was just damn' convenient for me. I just never could get used to some feller throwing lead my direction. I always tote a mite of court plaster with me. It's handy for such wounds.'
'I reckon I had a close call.'
'I reckon,' Jordan said bluntly. His manner changed somewhat. 'I want to know a few things. What in the devil set you off on an outlaw trail?'
I told him the whole story, about old Pablo and Miguel and Mama Josefa, how they'd brought me up and were just like real parents and about Banker Kirby trying to practically steal their outfit. 'It was the only way I could think of to get the money,' I explained earnestly. 'I owed 'em any help I could give—'
'I know all that,' he cut in, 'but—'
'You do?' I was surprised.
'I paid a visit to the Star-Cross, talked to old Pablo and his wife. Miguel was away someplace at the time. I talked to folks in Tenango City. You got a lot of friends there. Old Pablo finally understood where you got the money. He sold some cows and took it to Banker Kirby to pay him back. Kirby took the money, but refused to withdraw charges against you, claiming robbery, extortion and bodily harm—'
'Damn it,' I half shouted, 'I never harmed a hair of his head. Didn't even touch him. I'll admit I threatened him, sure—'
'That was enough. He claims that the fright has affected his heart and he hasn't been well since.'
'A heart the size of a mustard seed—' I said furiously. 'I can't believe my actions affected his health.'
'Neither do I.' Jordan laughed shortly. 'I talked to him, you'll remember. A nasty old bastard, I'd call him.'
'He's all of that,' I said hotly. 'It wouldn't bother me much if I had—'
'Oh, yes, it would,' Jordan interrupted. 'Now you just cool down. Sure, I heard all about your hot temper. Keep a clam on it for a spell. So, we've settled that part. Now, how about all these other jobs you've been pulling
