From their place of concealment Rusty and the others watched the horseman ride up to the cabin and draw a bucket of water from the well. After a fast drink he moved on. Andy was the first to identify him. “Farley Brackett.”

Tanner said, “He’s sure pushin’ on them bridle reins.”

Andy pointed. “He’s got reason. Looky yonder.”

Half a dozen horsemen followed along in Brackett’s tracks. Rusty asked, “Do they look like soldiers?”

Andy squinted. “State police would be my guess. They’re after Farley.”

Tanner observed, “Don’t look like they’re really wantin’ to get close to him. They’re probably thinkin’ about the last time they did it.”

Andy said, “The Oldham brothers must be with them. I see a man with just one arm.”

Rusty pulled the skin at the corners of his eyes to sharpen his vision. “That’s Buddy, all right, and Clyde just behind him.”

Tanner said, “Sounds like Clyde. If there’s to be any shootin’, he’ll be behind somebody.” He looked down at his rifle but did not reach for it. “I believe I could pick off both of them from here. Nobody would ever know who done it.”

Rusty replied, “Somebody else would take up the warrant they put out against me. And I need them alive if I’m ever to get my farm back. Dead men don’t sign deeds.”

Tanner shrugged. “If Farley had any brains, he’d be halfway to California by now instead of wearin’ out posses around here. And that’s what you ought to do, Rusty, get away ‘til Texas has a new government.”

“No tellin’ how long that’ll be.”

They remained hidden in the timber by the river until dusk, then made their way back to Shanty’s farm. The dog greeted them two hundred yards from the cabin and barked at them the rest of the way in.

Rusty did not want to cause anxiety to Shanty. He shouted, “It’s just us. We’re comin’ in.”

The rising moon revealed that the roof had been added during the day and partially shingled. Rusty felt a fleeting guilt for not having remained here to help with the work.

Shanty emerged from the darkness of the log walls. “You-all come on in. I’ll stir up the fire and fix you somethin’ to eat.”

“We brought venison.” Rusty had decided to take a chance and shoot a deer so they would not burden Shanty’s food supply. He dismounted and eased the carcass down from Alamo’s back.

The dog sniffed eagerly at it. Shanty shooed him away. “You’ll get your share by and by. Git!” He carried the deer to a crude bench set beside what would be the front door when the cabin was finished. He fetched a butcher knife and cut a generous portion of backstrap.

He asked Rusty, “Get a look at your farm?”