Read Online [Texas Rangers 06] - Jericho's Road by Elmer Kelton - Free Book Online

bullet must’ve got him.”
    His first reaction was relief that his black horse had not been hit. But he realized that this would complicate the completion of their trip.
    Farley declared, “Damned if I intend to walk all the way to the river.”
    Len said, “We can borrow a horse at the McCawley ranch, a little ways south. Till then we’ll take turns walkin’.”
    Farley asked, “Who’s McCawley?”
    “ Big Jim McCawley. He married into the Chavez family.”
    The name got Andy’s attention. “Chavez?”
    “ He married Guadalupe Chavez’s sister, but don’t hold that against him. There was a time when even Lupe Chavez was considered good folks. That was before Jericho and others tried to take everything away from him and his family.”
    Farley said, “I don’t know as this is a good idea, havin’ truck with Chavez’s kinfolks.”
    Len shrugged off Farley’s objection. “Big Jim’s always been friendly to the Rangers. We’ve brought back stock of his that was run off by thieves.”
    “ I’d be friendly too if they recovered my property.”
    “You’ll be surprised how many ain’t friendly.” A smile spread across Len’s face. “Once you see Big Jim’s daughter Teresa, you’ll be glad we went there.”
    Andy said, “You sayin’ she’s pretty?”
    “ Wait till you see her eyes. Dark as coffee beans. They melt me plumb down into my boots.”
    Farley said, “But she’s Mexican, ain’t she?”
    “ One look at her and you won’t even think about that.”
    “ Mexican is Mexican.”
     

CHAPTER FOUR

    H atton and his men had galloped more than a mile when Burt Hatton shouted for a stop and reined his horse around. “Let’s see about that damned kid.”
    Jesse Wilkes held the wounded boy to prevent his falling from the saddle. “I’m afraid he ain’t goin’ to make it.”
    Hatton listened for sound of pursuit but heard none. He dismounted and raised his arms. “Lift him down to me.” He lowered the groaning youngster to the ground. “I wish to hell you’d stayed home like you was told. Let’s have a look at you.”
    He felt the warm stickiness of blood on his hands. He fished a match from his pocket and struck it for light. In the few seconds that it burned, he saw what he had feared. He heard a faint bubbling sound. “Of all the bad luck, they got him in the chest.”
    Wilkes said, “I’m afraid he’s goin’ to die.”
    Hatton made no comment.
    The boy whimpered, “Where’s Aunt Thelma? Take me to Aunt Thelma.”
    “ You’ll be all right,” Hatton said, knowing he lied. “We’ll carry you to a doctor.”
    “ It hurts. Oh God, it hurts.”
    Wilkes was always finding fault. He said, “It was a mistake to let the boy come along. Jericho told us not to.”
    Hatton retorted, “We didn’t let him come. He done that on his own.”
    The boy was a nephew of Jericho’s wife. Given the responsibility of raising him, she had spoiled him so that he took advice from nobody except her. He had begged to help Hatton and his crew drive the cattle to San Antonio. It should not have been a dangerous trip. It became so only when Hatton took a notion to bushwhack three strangers for their horses and gear. It had looked easy.
    Whose damn-fool idea was it in the first place? Hatton asked himself, though he knew it had been his own. He had not intended for Jericho to know about it. Hatton and the others would not have had to split their booty with him.
    The boy cried, complaining about the pain until his voice began to fade.
    Fearfully Wilkes said, “He’s dyin’, Burt. Do somethin’.”
    “ Damn it, shut up.”
    In a few minutes the kid shuddered and was gone. Hatton shuddered too, and cursed under his breath. “Just my luck.”
    Wilkes said, “Better it had been one of us. It’ll be hell to face Jericho. He’s been known to kill a man for bringin’ him bad news.” He looked at Hatton, making it plain he expected Hatton to be the one to carry the message. “You know how he dotes