was, and all I had to do was let my memory take me there.
Thing was, suppose it didn't come to me right off? I'd have to stay, and I'd need explanation for that. The fast drive we'd made would help. I could let on I didn't know much about cattle; and if anybody who talked cows to me did so more than a few minutes, they'd know I didn't know anything about them.
So I'd let on like I'd driven the legs off the cattle, to say nothing of our horses, and we were laying up alongside this water to recuperate.
That much decided, the next thing was to get my memory to operating. But the difficulty with a memory is that it doesn't always operate the way a body wants. Seems contrary as all get out, and when you want to remember a particular thing, that idea is shunted off to one side.
Rousting around, I got some sticks, some dead brush, and a few pieces of driftwood left from storms, and I made a fire. Then I put water on for coffee.
All of a sudden I felt my skin prickle, and I looked over at the dun. Tired as he was, he had his head up and his ears pricked. His nostrils were spreading and narrowing as he tried the air to see what it was out there.
That old Walch Navy was right there in my belt, and I eased it out a mite so's it was ready to hand.
Something was out there.
Me, I never was one to believe in ha'nts.
Not very much, that is. Fact is, I never believed in them at all, only passing a graveyard like--well, I always walked pretty fast and felt like something was closing in on me.
No, I don't believe in ha'nts, but this here was a coast where dead men lay. Why, the crew of the gold ship must have been forty, fifty men, and all of them dead and gone.
Something was sure enough out there. That line-back dun knew it and I knew it. Trouble was, he had the best idea of what it was, and he wasn't talking. He was just scenting the air and trying to figure out for sure. Whatever it was, he didn't like it--I could tell that much. And I didn't either.
I felt like reaching over and shaking Miguel awake, only he'd think I was spooked. And you know something? I was.
This here was country where folks didn't come of a night, if at any time. It was a wild, lonely place, and there was nothing to call them.
I taken out that Walch Navy and, gripping it solid, I held it right there in my lap with the firelight shining on it. And you can just bet I felt better.
Out there beyond the fire I suddenly heard the sand scrooch. You know how sand goes under foot sometimes. Kind of a crunch, yet not quite that.
Heard it plain as day, and I lifted that .36 and waited.
Quite a spell passed by, and all of a sudden the dun, who'd gone back to feeding, upped with his head again. Only this time he was looking off toward the trail from the north, and he was all perked up like something interesting was coming. Not like before.
He had his ears up and all of a sudden he whinnied--and sure enough, from out of the darkness there came another whinny. And then I heard the sound of a horse coming, and Miguel, he sat up.
We both stayed there listening and, like fools, neither of us had sense enough to get back out of the firelight--like the Tinker had done that night when Baker, Lee, and Longley paid us the visit ... and a few dozen other times along the trail.
We both just sat there and let whoever it was ride right up to the fire.
And when that slim-legged, long-bodied horse came into the firelight and I saw who it was, I couldn't believe it. Nor could Miguel.
If we'd seen the ghost I'd been expecting, we wouldn't have been more surprised.
It was Gin Locklear.
Chapter Six.
She rode side-saddle, of course, her skirt draped in graceful folds along the side of the horse, her gloved hand holding the bridle reins just as if she hadn't ridden miles through bandit-infested country to get here. She was just as lovely as when I last saw her.
She taken my breath. Coming up on us out of the night so unexpected-like, and after all the goings-on outside of camp ... I hadn't a thought in my head, I was that rattled.
It came on me that I'd best help her from the saddle and I crossed over and took her hand, but it was not until she was actually on the ground that I saw the dark shadows under her eyes and the weariness in her face.
'Miguel,' I said, 'you handle the horse.
I'll shake up some fresh coffee.'
I dumped the pot and rinsed it, and put in fresh water from the spring. Then I stirred up the fire.
'I had to shoot a man,' Gin said suddenly.
Those big eyes of hers handed me a jolt when I looked into them. 'Did you kill him?'
'I don't think so.'
Miguel turned toward us. 'It would have been better had he been killed. Now he will speak of a beautiful se@norita riding alone to the south, and others will come.'
'There were two men with him,' she said, 'but this one held my bridle when they ordered me from the saddle. They were shouting and drinking and telling me what they were going to do.
'Of course, they did not see my gun and did not expect me to shoot, but I did shoot the man holding the horse, and then I got away. One of them had hold of my saddle and he tried to grab me. He fell, I think.'
'Where was this?'
'Outside of Matamoras. Only a few miles out.'
Then she said, 'I came to help. Jonas and the Tinker have been arrested--Jonas, at least. He was recognized.'
'Recognized? By whom?'
'They came looking for him, just as if they knew he would be there.'
My first thought was of Franklyn Deckrow. He was the one with the most to gain if Jonas was not permitted to return. Of course, he might have been seen by someone who remembered him from prison.
It was little enough I knew of the Deckrow deal, but from all I'd gathered Deckrow had run the plantation into debt and Jonas believed it had been done deliberately so Deckrow could later buy up the mortgages and gain possession. If so, he could have sent a rider on a fast horse to Matamoras.
'You shouldn't have come,' I said. 'This is no place for a woman.'
'The place for a woman,' she said, smiling at me, 'is where she is needed. I ride as well as most men, and I have a fine horse. Also, I've lived on a ranch most of my life.'
'Did you see anybody as you came along the trail?'
She looked at me curiously. 'Not for miles. I've never seen a more deserted road, and if I hadn't seen a reflection of your campfire I might have gone right on by.'
'You didn't circle the camp?'
'No.'
Miguel was looking at me now, and I noticed he had his rifle in hand.
'There was somebody around the camp. Somebody or some thing.'
Miguel stared uneasily at the blackness beyond the fire. Neither of us liked to think there was somebody or something out there whom we could not see.
'Maybe we should go, se@nor?'
'No, we'll sit right here and let the stock rest up.' That was my plan, but the arrival of Gin had put a crimp in it. If outlaws were going to come hunting her, we'd be in trouble a-plenty.
'Come daybreak,' I said, 'we'll move the herd.'
'Where, se@nor?'
'Yonder, I think we can find a place to hold the cattle. Maybe some of the other men will get through. That Tinker--he's a sly one. If he had any warning, no law is going to latch onto him.'
