The rifle felt slick in Andy’s sweaty hands. He pointed its muzzle at Bears, his finger on the trigger. One twitch and the Comanche would be dead. The battle would be on.

Bears touched a flat side of the lance point against Andy’s arm. Then he wheeled his horse around and set it into a long trot back toward the waiting warriors. As he passed them, shouting and holding the braids high, they turned and followed him away.

Andy had held his breath. Lungs burning, he gasped for air and allowed himself to wipe a sleeve across his forehead. The cuff came down over his hand.

Rusty hurried out to his side. “You all right?”

“I’m not bleedin’, if that’s what you mean.”

“I thought he meant to kill you.”

“He knew I’d take him with me. He didn’t want me that bad. So he accepted a piece of my scalp and counted coup. That was enough to patch up his pride.”

“He’s liable to keep tryin’ to get you.”

“I doubt it. Him and his wives will make medicine with those braids. They’ll try to cast spells and send dark spirits after me. But I think that’ll be all of it.”

The Indians were quickly fading from sight. Rusty looked relieved. “You afraid of dark spirits?”

“I wish I could say I’m not, but there’s still a part of me that wonders.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll sic Preacher Webb onto them.”

CHAPTER

NINETEEN

By the next day the neighbors were dispersing back to their own homes, feeling that at least for a time the Indian threat was over. A courier arrived looking for Captain Burmeister. He handed the officer an envelope. “You’re hard to find,” he said. “Been huntin’ you for a week.”

“I have been busy for a week, and much more.” Burmeister tore the edge from the envelope and unfolded the letter, frowning as he read. Finished, he called his rangers around him. “It is from the governor’s office that I have received this. The money is gone. We are to disband.”

Tanner commented, “I didn’t figure we’d get paid anyhow.”

Rusty asked, “What’ll you do now, Captain?”

“The letter says there is other work for me. I am to become a judge.”

“That’s better than ridin’ all over hell and gone chasin’ Indians and whiskey runners.”

“Perhaps.” The captain folded the letter and put it in his shirt pocket. “I am no longer so young. But I liked it, to be a ranger again even for just a little while. What will you do, Private Shannon?”

“Go back home. I’ve some unfinished business there.”

“You will be subject to arrest if you go there.”