“White men who kill my people. Scalp men who take hair for money. Other bad men. Why people no be nice?”
“You’re asking me?”
“I just do ask.”
Evelyn chuckled. “I’ve wondered the same thing since I was knee-high to a grasshopper. The answer I came up with is that some people are naturally nice and some aren’t.”
“That all?”
“What more do you need?”
“Scalp men have hearts with no nice.”
“I couldn’t have put it better, myself. So when the time comes, don’t hold back. It will be them or us.”
Dega stared at his mother and father and sisters. “I no want it be us.” He smiled. “I no want it be you.”
Evelyn King grew warm all over.
Chapter Nine
The scalp hunters were in good spirits. The scent of prey was in the wind and the only thing they liked more than the hunt was spending the money they made from scalping the hunted.
Venom had sent Rubicon on ahead to track. As usual, his men were strung out behind him in a line. They raised less dust that way. When one of his men came up beside him he didn’t look to see who it was. He knew. “Keep this up and I’ll get good and mad.”
“It’s about the girl,” Logan said.
“Which girl? There are two red and one white.”
“The white girl,” Logan amended. He hesitated, cleared his throat, and declared, “I want her.”
“You haven’t even set eyes on her yet.”
“I still want her.”
“Do you, now?” Venom didn’t keep the scorn out of his voice. “You must be confused. The rule has always been that each of us gets to keep the scalps of the redskins we kill. When it comes to other spoils, it’s share and share alike.”
“You can make an exception if you want.”
“I don’t want,” Venom said.
Logan frowned and shifted in his saddle. “Damn it. Why not? I’ll pay the others a share of my scalp money if that’s what will persuade you.”
“You’d do that?”
“I need a woman. I need a woman bad. You wouldn’t understand because you don’t get the itch like I do.”
“What else?” Venom prompted.
“How do you mean?”
Venom almost struck him. “You must take me for a fool. What’s the real reason you want this white girl when you could have the Injun girls or their mother?”
Logan looked away. “You think you have me figured out.”
“Go annoy someone else.” Venom went to lift his reins.
“All right, all right.” Logan swore, then said, “I want her because she’s white. I don’t often get to do white girls, not how I like to do them, anyhow. It’d get me strung up faster than anything.”
“So you reckon to have this white girl all to yourself? Take your sweet time doing those awful things you do?”
“You’re a fine one to talk.”
Venom enjoyed baiting him. “The answer is still no.”
Logan scowled and opened his mouth but closed it again and visibly controlled himself. “I’m asking you nice.”
“Are you now?” Venom smirked. “Have I ever told you how I feel about
“Damn it all.”
“I’m not finished. Nice is for farmers and town folk and those who have blinders on. They think the world is a nice place to live. They think God is nice and they should be the same. Nice is stupid.”
“Rub my nose in it, why don’t you?”
Venom shook his head. “You’re not paying attention. This isn’t just about you. It’s about
“You’re no churchgoer, that’s for sure.”
“Now, now. Don’t get personal. How many times must I tell you? This is about nice. You sit there and you say that you’re asking me nice. Well, you can take your
“So your answer is still no?”
“You catch on quick.” Venom figured that was the end of it, but Logan had more to say.
“What if I pay you and just you? All the money I make this time?”
“That wouldn’t be fair to the others. Some of them are bound to want to have her.”
Logan brightened. “What if I pay you to let me have her after they’re done with her?”
Before Venom could respond, Potter called out from down the line.
“Look to the north!”
Everyone did. Coils of gray smoke were writhing skyward about a mile off. Not just one coil but three.
Venom drew rein. “Redskins wouldn’t be so stupid as to give themselves away like that.”
“It must be white men,” Logan agreed.
“Let’s go have a look-see. It could be cavalry. The army hardly ever gets out this far, but if it’s a patrol it’s best we find out which way they’re heading so we don’t run into them later.” Venom rose in the stirrups and swept his arm to the north then reined toward the smoke.
Logan stayed at his side. “You haven’t answered me about the white girl. Can I have her after the rest have a turn? I’ll pay you for the privilege.”
“I want a million dollars.”
“Be serious.”
“You just don’t know when to quit,” Venom said coldly. “My answer now is the same as it was when you first asked. Now get back in line, and send the Kyler twins up here.” When there was potential trouble or killing to be done, Venom relied on the Kylers. The pair had a natural knack for death dealing, just like some folks had a knack for arithmetic or for painting or music. Presently they joined him, each holding his rifle across his saddle with his thumb on the hammer and finger on the trigger. They were always primed, these two.
“What’s it to be then, boss?” asked the one on his right.
For the life of him, Venom couldn’t tell them apart. One was called Seph and the other was Jeph, but they were so alike it was impossible to say who was who. “I don’t know yet. If it’s the army, we play at being sociable. We’ll tell them we’re buffalo hunters.”
“Reckon they’ll believe it?” asked the twin on the left.
“They might know about those Pawnees we killed,” said the other.
“It’s not a crime to kill Injuns. But send word back down the line for everyone to keep their scalps in their saddlebags.”
“I’ll do it,” said the twin on the right, and reined around.
“What was Logan talkin’ to you about?” inquired the Kyler who was still there.
