Zaragosa tried to smile, but the effort did not succeed. His pain was obvious. “I have been shot once before in this same arm. Always it has been stiff. This will heal.”

Isaac had not shaved since they had left the Colorado. He had regained much of the rough backwoodsman look James remembered best. Zaragosa remembered him, too, for he had encountered the Blackwoods before. He gave Isaac a look that said he did not trust him, even though they had fought on the same side. He did not know Isaac well enough to see any difference between him and his two brothers.

Nor did Isaac know Zaragosa well enough to differentiate between him and the soldiers they had fought against. They were all of a dark skin, speaking an alien language. He stood back distrustingly while James visited with the man who had long been a friend to Michael and Andrew.

The smell of smoke still clung heavily over the town. James’s eyes burned from it, and he had to rub them. In doing so, he rubbed in dirt from his sleeve and made matters worse. “They say Cós has agreed to take all the soldiers out of Texas and never come back. I guess the fightin’ is over.”

Zaragosa frowned darkly. “Cós can agree, but will Santa Anna?” He shook his head. “I think not. He does not give up Texas so easily. I think he will be back. I think we must watch and be ready.” He rubbed the arm gingerly, flinching a little. “I must go home now. Elvira will know how to treat my arm. Do you go home, too, Jaime?”

James nodded. “I don’t see no reason to stay.”

“Would you please tell my son that he can come back to his family? We are safe, for now.”

For now. James felt much of victory’s glow go out of him. Zaragosa’s pessimism was contagious. “You really think we’ll have to fight again?”

“We have beaten only a little of Santa Anna’s army. When the grass comes in the spring and his horses can graze, I think Santa Anna will come. I think he will bring more army. We will watch, and we will wait. I hope we will be ready.” He reached out with his good hand. “Buena suerte, Jaime. I think we will see you and your rifle again in the spring.”

Walking away from Zaragosa’s camp, Isaac said, “He’s liable to be right. We’re liable to have to do the whole thing over again when the grass rises.”

“Maybe not,” James said, trying to show more confidence than he felt. “I’ve sure had enough of this. Maybe the Mexicans have, too.”

The Reverend Fairweather held a prayer service for those who wanted to express thanksgiving. James and Isaac bowed their heads. When the meeting was done, Isaac said, “I expect you’ll be goin’ home now?”

“I don’t see any need to stay. We’d just as well ride together if you want to.”