Dark Thicket by Elmer Kelton

Author:Elmer Kelton
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tom Doherty Associates
Published: 2011-03-16T00:00:00+00:00

He realized he should have told his father goodbye in a proper manner, but they had only stared at one another. The ghosts of two dead young Danforths stood between them, even at parting.

As Owen expected in view of the early start, they reached the eastern edge of the thicket while the sun was still two hours high. Owen and Tyson dismounted and led their horses cautiously to the fringe, studying the rolling, mostly open country beyond.

Tyson said impatiently, “I don’t see nobody out there. We could sure use the daylight for travelin’.”

“So can the heel flies. For all we know, there could be twenty of them just over that rise.”

“Or there might not be any for twenty miles. I feel like a coward brushin’ up this way, waitin’ for dark so we can go sneakin’ out.”

“Your brother must’ve spent a lot of time brushed up, waitin’. I never heard anybody call him a coward.”

Tyson said no more about his impatience, though he continued flexing his hands nervously.

Tyson’s dun horse had a temperament to match his rider’s. Baring its teeth, it stretched its neck and attempted to take a bite out of the big bay horse’s hide. The bay squealed and whipped around to defend itself, almost jerking the reins from Owen’s hand.

Owen asked irritably, “Is that the best horse you could pick?”

“Nothin’ wrong with him. He’s a good judge of character.”

Owen pulled aside to keep the bay out of the dun’s reach. “We ought to rest awhile. We’ll likely ride all night.”

“I ain’t rested since the night Vance was shot.”

“Then at least quiet down so your mother and sister can.” Owen was surprised by the command he put into his voice.

Tyson said resentfully, “Now you’re givin’ orders like your daddy. But at least he’s on our side.”

“I’m on the side of not gettin’ caught. You stay here if it suits you. I’m goin’ back to tell the women they’d ought to rest. And I figure on doin’ the same.”

He left Tyson by himself. In a little while Tyson came to where the others’ horses were tied. The women lay on blankets. Owen had stretched out on the ground beneath a big hackberry tree. He opened his eyes just enough to see Tyson without betraying that he was watching. Tyson looked around irritably, as if tempted to voice his objections, then seated himself near his mother. He did not lie down. He took out a pocketknife and began whittling on a long stick, taking out his frustrations with the blade. By dusk the stick had been reduced to a toothpick, and he was surrounded by a pile of curled shavings.

Owen pushed to a sitting position and said, “It’ll be dark pretty soon. I favor us eatin’ a bite.”

They ate jerky and cold bread brought from the camp. Poor fixings, Owen thought, but he had done worse many a time, back where the real war was. They saddled. Figuring Tyson would disapprove of any choice he made, he said, “One of us had better ride out in front and the other stay close by the women.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.