human qualities left. She lowered her eyes and stood still.
'Miss. Stuart, you come over here and let me tie your hands,' he said.
She didn't move.
'Please ...' she murmured softly. 'Well ...' Jeremiah began.
'Well, nothing! She's taking you strictly for a fool, that's what she's
doing!' David strode over angrily and snatched the rope from Jeremiah's
hands. He walked roughly toward Tess. Seeing his face, she almost
panicked.
She almost ran.
'Try it. I'd love it if you did!' he told her, his eyes narrowing. He
meant it. He liked the chase, he liked the fight and he even liked the
smell of blood.
She held out her hands mutely. David looped the rope around them
tightly, tugging hard on the knot. Then he caught her arm and dragged
her past the horses to the center of the little clearing where they had
paused. He shoved her down to her knees and warned her, 'Sit! Just sit?
He looked over to Jeremiah.
'There's a creek down past the scrub bush over there. Nothing much. But
you can go get rid of that paint. Then I'll decide if I trust you to
keep an eye on her so I can do the same!'
Jeremiah hesitated.
'Don't you go getting' no ideas, now, David Birch.'
'I ain't going to get any ideas! I want to get this blasted paint off,
and that's all!'
Jeremiah walked to the bundles and picked up a satchel of clothing.
He stared at David, then walked toward the brush.
Tess kept her eyes on David. He smiled as he watched her in turn.
'You think you're going to get around Jeremiah, don't you? Well, you're
not going to. I'm going to see to that.
You're going to reach old Chief Nalte, and then you won't have to worry
about writing those rabble-rousing pieces in that newspaper of yours
anymore, ever again.
You'll have lots of other things to think about.' He cackled with
laughter.
'Lots and lots of other things. Like raising a whole little troop of
papooses, yeah.' ,. Tess edge~l-around in the dirt, turning her back on
him.
He laughed all the harder, then he came forward and jerked her head back
so her eyes watered as they met his.
'I'm going to enjoy knowing where you are. Just like I enjoyed hearing
Slater's skull crush this morning. I really got a kick out of that.'
She forced herself to smile.
'Maybe his skull didn't crush,' she said very softly.
David gritted his teeth and yanked harder on her hair. 'He's gone, lady.
Dead and gone. And you don't need to worry about that no more, either.'
He walked away, leaving her in peace at last. In time, Jeremiah
returned, and he became her silent guard.
She hadn't the energy to say anything to him. They sat in silence while
the darkness fell upon them. When David re.
