Blue-Eyed Devil (2010) by Parker Robert B - Appaloosa 04

Author:Parker, Robert B - Appaloosa 04 [04, Parker, Robert B - Appaloosa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2011-03-15T17:29:46.984000+00:00

Chapter 36

HOW IS CHIQUITA?" Pony said. "She's fine," Virgil said.

"She talk yet?" Pony said.

"Just to me," Virgil said.

Pony nodded.

"Kah-to-nay has gone to fight Blue-Eyed Devil," he said.

Virgil nodded.

"Never could abide us," Virgil said.

Pony shook his head.

"Kha-to-nay think you betray him," Pony said.

"You know we didn't," I said.

"I know," Pony said. "Kah-to-nay not know."

"Kha-to-nay fighting white men by himself?" Virgil said.

"No, go back to reservation, get others. Maybe fifteen, they leave reservation, keep moving."

"Raiding?" Virgil said.

"Si."

"Live off what they take in a raid?"

"Si."

"So they got to keep raiding."

Pony nodded.

"Where?" Virgil said.

"Come this way," Pony said. "Appaloosa."

"He'd attack the town?" I said.

"Maybe not," Pony said. "Maybe small ranch, maybe homesteader. Maybe posse come out after them; maybe they attack town."

"While the posse's out roaming the plains," I said.

"Si."

"He ask you to join him?" I said.

"Si."

"And you didn't," I said.

Pony shook his head.

"How'd he take that?" I said.

"He say I am traitor to Chiricahua people," Pony said. "I say I go with him, I am traitor to myself."

"So, how you want to handle this," Virgil said.

"I cannot kill my brother," Pony said.

Virgil nodded.

"He kill you?" Virgil said.

"No," Pony said.

"So, we stop him and don't kill him," Virgil said.

"Cannot go to jail," Pony said.

"Stop him, don't kill him, turn him loose," Virgil said.

"Won't he go right back to it?" I said.

"Maybe will," Pony said.

"What do we do 'bout that?" I said.

"Be Pony's call," Virgil said.

"How bad is the raiding?" I said.

"Burn, torture," Pony said. "Scare white men."

"Don't abide no torture," Virgil said.

The sun had set. But the western sky was still light, and it was still darker in the shadow of the rock than it was on the prairie. We sat silently in our saddles. The horses were cropping the meager grass near the rock.

"You with them for any raids?" Virgil said.

"With them, not raid," Pony said.

"Army after them?" Virgil said.

"Yes, but not close," Pony said.

The horses moved slowly, looking for grass. We let them move. The sky to the west continued to darken very slowly.

After a time Virgil said, "How soon you figure they'll get here?"

"I left them two days ago," Pony said.

Again we were quiet. The only sound was the movement of the horses as they grazed.

"We can't let them do it," Virgil said.

"What about Kah-to-nay?" I said.

"We do what we can for him," Virgil said. "But we need to stop him."

Neither Pony nor I said anything.

"You okay with that, Pony?" Virgil said.

"Si."

"You gonna be involved?" Virgil said.

"Spring in hollow near rock," Pony said. "I stay here. See them come, I ride in, tell you."

"You gonna be with us when the balloon goes up?" Virgil said.

"Be with you," Pony said. "Not kill Chiricahua."

"So, what will you do?" I said.

"Maybe keep Chiricahua from kill you," Pony said.

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