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Authors: Gilbert Morris
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tallest and leanest of the men, returned his grin. “That is true,” he said. “What do you want us to do?”
“Find you a place where you can’t be seen. When I knock the officer out of the saddle, get you a man apiece. I’m hoping the rest of them will turn and run. Don’t let any of them get away, or they’ll bring other soldiers back.”
Paco nodded firmly. He seemed to be the leader of the three. “Good.
We will take all their scalps.”
“You are welcome to anything they’ve got, including their guns,”
Clay said. “Now scatter.”
Clay waited until the Indians seemed to vanish from sight. He looked up at the upper windows of the house and saw nothing, and then at the bottom two windows. Everyone was hidden from sight. From the barn he could not see a sign of the two men hidden there. He walked to the middle of the yard and said, “Can you all see me clear?”
“I could blast you right where you stand,” Julie called out.
“Well, don’t do it.”
Suddenly, Jerusalem said, “I see some dust clouds, Clay. I think they’re coming.”
“All right. Remember everybody,” he shouted, “don’t let yourself be seen until you see me knock my man out of the saddle. If you do, we’re in trouble.” He moved back quickly to the smokehouse, stepped inside, and closed the door. It was dark in there, and he heard the hum of insects but ignored them. He had already found a gap between the boards, and he held his own musket up but did not insert it through the opening.
He stood there looking and found himself wishing that he could pray. It was not the first time that he had envied those who seemed to have this privilege. He discovered that his hands were trembling, and he was shocked. He looked down at them and murmured, “I didn’t think anything in the world could make me do that.” He knew, however, that it was not fear for his own life or even for the men. It was for Jerusalem and the women. He knew what would happen if his plan didn’t work, so he bowed his head for a moment, pulled his hat off, and stood there in the murky light that filtered through the cracks. “Lord,” he said, “I got no business calling on You—and I don’t for myself—but I’d appreciate it if You would take care of the womenfolk.” He finally shrugged his shoulders, put his hat back on, and then moved to watch as the Mexican soldiers drew closer to the ranch.
Lieutenant Alanso pulled the troop up, and as his horse moved restlessly, he stared at the house.
“It’s deserted, sir,” his sergeant said.
“I think so. Go take a look, Sergeant.”
The sergeant eagerly spurred his horse forward. He rode at a full gallop, raising a cloud of fine dust, until he came to the yard in front of the house. He stepped off his horse, tied him at the hitching post, and then went straight into the house. He had his rifle in his hand, and he looked around and saw no one. Quickly, he whirled and went back on the porch.
“There’s nobody here, sir,” he yelled toward the others, who had remained a distance from the house.
Alanso nodded. “All right, men. Let’s burn the place.” He brought the troop to a gallop until they were all gathered in front of the yard. Alanso laughed and said, “No women for you this time, men, but we’ll catch some for you soon enough. Take what you want from this place and then burn—”
He did not finish his sentence, for a bullet struck him directly in the mouth. As he fell from his horse, he faintly heard the fusillade of shots, and he died before he touched the earth.
Julie whispered, “That soldier’s coming in the house.”
Jerusalem said, “Quick. Hide, Julie.” She watched as Julie ran down the hall, and then quickly she ducked into the storeroom. She was breathing hard, and fear crept up on her of what would happen if Clay’s plan did not work. She stood perfectly still, the musket in her hands. As she heard the soldier’s foot strike the porch, she pulled the hammer
“Find you a place where you can’t be seen. When I knock the officer out of the saddle, get you a man apiece. I’m hoping the rest of them will turn and run. Don’t let any of them get away, or they’ll bring other soldiers back.”
Paco nodded firmly. He seemed to be the leader of the three. “Good.
We will take all their scalps.”
“You are welcome to anything they’ve got, including their guns,”
Clay said. “Now scatter.”
Clay waited until the Indians seemed to vanish from sight. He looked up at the upper windows of the house and saw nothing, and then at the bottom two windows. Everyone was hidden from sight. From the barn he could not see a sign of the two men hidden there. He walked to the middle of the yard and said, “Can you all see me clear?”
“I could blast you right where you stand,” Julie called out.
“Well, don’t do it.”
Suddenly, Jerusalem said, “I see some dust clouds, Clay. I think they’re coming.”
“All right. Remember everybody,” he shouted, “don’t let yourself be seen until you see me knock my man out of the saddle. If you do, we’re in trouble.” He moved back quickly to the smokehouse, stepped inside, and closed the door. It was dark in there, and he heard the hum of insects but ignored them. He had already found a gap between the boards, and he held his own musket up but did not insert it through the opening.
He stood there looking and found himself wishing that he could pray. It was not the first time that he had envied those who seemed to have this privilege. He discovered that his hands were trembling, and he was shocked. He looked down at them and murmured, “I didn’t think anything in the world could make me do that.” He knew, however, that it was not fear for his own life or even for the men. It was for Jerusalem and the women. He knew what would happen if his plan didn’t work, so he bowed his head for a moment, pulled his hat off, and stood there in the murky light that filtered through the cracks. “Lord,” he said, “I got no business calling on You—and I don’t for myself—but I’d appreciate it if You would take care of the womenfolk.” He finally shrugged his shoulders, put his hat back on, and then moved to watch as the Mexican soldiers drew closer to the ranch.
Lieutenant Alanso pulled the troop up, and as his horse moved restlessly, he stared at the house.
“It’s deserted, sir,” his sergeant said.
“I think so. Go take a look, Sergeant.”
The sergeant eagerly spurred his horse forward. He rode at a full gallop, raising a cloud of fine dust, until he came to the yard in front of the house. He stepped off his horse, tied him at the hitching post, and then went straight into the house. He had his rifle in his hand, and he looked around and saw no one. Quickly, he whirled and went back on the porch.
“There’s nobody here, sir,” he yelled toward the others, who had remained a distance from the house.
Alanso nodded. “All right, men. Let’s burn the place.” He brought the troop to a gallop until they were all gathered in front of the yard. Alanso laughed and said, “No women for you this time, men, but we’ll catch some for you soon enough. Take what you want from this place and then burn—”
He did not finish his sentence, for a bullet struck him directly in the mouth. As he fell from his horse, he faintly heard the fusillade of shots, and he died before he touched the earth.
Julie whispered, “That soldier’s coming in the house.”
Jerusalem said, “Quick. Hide, Julie.” She watched as Julie ran down the hall, and then quickly she ducked into the storeroom. She was breathing hard, and fear crept up on her of what would happen if Clay’s plan did not work. She stood perfectly still, the musket in her hands. As she heard the soldier’s foot strike the porch, she pulled the hammer
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