trampled in the stampede.
'Damn?'
High atop a cliff where the mountain range began its craggy rise to the
sky, Jamie threw himself against a rock near his perch overlooking the
broad, dusty plain below. He closed his eyes in pain, then opened them
to stare across at Jon, who was still squatting on the flats of his
feet, stating down at the riders who were racing away in a cloud of
dust.
They had ridden hard and long, and they had nearly caught up with Tess
before David and Jeremiah had come upon the Comancheros. Nearly. Not
quite. They had come in time to watch the Comancbero kill yon He, usen's
men in cold blood, and in time to see Tess hit the mustachioed Mexican
bandit.
And they had come in time to watch the men ride away with her.
'There was nothing to be done. Not now,' Jon said unhappily.
Jamie nodded bitterly.
'Tonight. We have to catch up with them tonight.' He was silent for a
moment, then he pulled off the low-brimmed hat he was wearing and
slammed it against the dirt.
'What the hell is the matter with that woman? Doesn't she realize that
Chavez is a cold- blooded killer? He's going to rip her to shreds if she
keeps that up! I could rip her to shreds myself right at this moment.' ~
'She can hardly know that we're sitting up here watching her,' Jon
reminded him.
Jamie stood up, retrieved his hat and set his hands on his hips as he
stared at the sun. Twilight was coming soon enough. He didn't want to
follow so closely that they stood a chance of the Comancheros doubling
back on them, but he didn't want to be very far behind.
'She's getting closer and closer to Nalte's territory. I have to get her
back before she winds up in Apache hands.' He paused.
'Before Nalte discovers that he hasn't been brought ...'
'A virgin bride?' Jori suggested.
Jamie scowled. He was staring down where the dust still rose in the wake
of the horses.
'I met Cochise once,' he murmured.
'I admired the man. He was willing to meet with me under a flag of truce
in spite of the number of times the cavalry betrayed his trust. He is
our enemy, he is dangerous, but I would not hesitate to go to him. I
wonder if this Nalte is a man like Cochise.'
'Nalte is powerful,' Jon said.
'He is the head of his family, and the chief of many families. He
usually makes war with the Mexicans because of the war they have made
upon him, but he will deal with the Comancheros because they bring him
the arms he needs to fight his battles. He is fiercely against the
reservation life, and will battle for his land to the bitter end. But
from what I have heard, he is still a man with ethics and honor.'
Jamie inhaled and exhaled.
'I just don't know. I'm going to try to get her back tonight,' he said.
'I daren't risk waiting to deal with Nalte.'
He turned and started sliding down the cliff toward the small clearing
