The officer asked, “Should the occasion arise, do you think you could identify the thieves?”

“One or two, maybe. Most of them were too far away.” Under duress Rusty had implied a promise of silence to the thieves’ point rider, though he did not feel honor bound to respect it. With luck he might never be called upon to face that moral decision.

Though technically not a prisoner, Rusty felt like one. Should he try to escape his mixed escort he suspected he would be run down or shot. He decided to make the best of the present situation inasmuch as he was being taken where he had intended to go in the first place.

The lieutenant rode on one side of him, Harrison on the other. The lieutenant had little to say. Rusty suspected he did not like talking to inferiors more than necessary, and it was clear enough that he saw Rusty as an inferior.

Harrison interested Rusty the most. “Where’d you learn how to talk to Indians?”

“Tonkawas, mainly. The only talkin’ I ever done with the Comanches was with the business end of a gun. I ain’t no Texan, but I lived there awhile, near the Tonks. They’re good people if you overlook their eatin’ habits.”

“Like what?”

“Ain’t nothin’ pleases them more than a little barbecued Comanche. Eatin’ their enemy gives them some of his strength, the way they figure it. Of course that makes other Indians hate them. Now you Texans have moved them up into the territory and put them smack-dab in the middle of their enemies. It’ll be a wonder if the other tribes don’t kill them all.”

The lieutenant said, “They have the army’s protection.”

Rusty blurted, “Like the army’s always protected Texas?”

The lieutenant’s pained expression showed that the barb had bitten into the flesh. “I suppose you are one of those who plans to vote for secession?”

“I doubt I’ll get a chance to vote one way or the other. If I did, I’m not sure which way I’d choose.”

“Perhaps you have not heard. The vote is to be taken this coming Saturday. There are a few counties in the northern section still strongly pro-federal, and the German colonies near San Antonio. The rest of Texas seems bound and determined to charge up Fool’s Hill.”

Rusty had not realized the voting day was imminent. The news shook him a little. Daddy Mike had predicted bad trouble once the vote was taken. So had Lon Monahan. “What happens to the federal army if Texas pulls out?” he asked.

Harrison said, “The soldiers may find theirselves fightin’ Texans instead of Comanches.”

The lieutenant frowned. “No, more than likely the army will simply be ordered to withdraw all troops from the state.”