But Roland didn’t. His mind was alight with ideas. All at once he saw their course with perfect clarity. Their course on this side, at least. “Where’s the robot?” he asked the rancher.

“Andy? Went in the kitchen with the boys, I think.”

“Good. Do you have a stockline office in there?” He nodded toward the barn.

“Aye.”

“Let’s go there, then. You, me, and your missus.”

“I’d like to take her into the house a bit,” Eisenhart said. I’d like to take her anywhere that’s away from you, Roland read in his eyes.

“Our palaver won’t be long,” Roland said, and with perfect honesty. He’d already seen everything he needed.

Six

The stockline office only had a single chair, the one behind the desk. Margaret took it. Eisenhart sat on a footstool. Roland squatted on his hunkers with his back to the wall and his purse open before him. He had shown them the twins’ map. Eisenhart hadn’t immediately grasped what Roland had pointed out (might not grasp it even now), but the woman did. Roland thought it no wonder she hadn’t been able to stay with the Manni. The Manni were peaceful. Margaret Eisenhart was not. Not once you got below her surface, at any rate.

“You’ll keep this to yourselves,” he said.

“Or thee’ll kill us, like our cowpokes?” she asked.

Roland gave her a patient look, and she colored beneath it.

“I’m sorry, Roland. I’m upset. It comes of throwing the plate in hot blood.”

Eisenhart put an arm around her. This time she accepted it gladly, and laid her head on his shoulder.

“Who else in your group can throw as well as that?” Roland asked. “Any?”

“Zalia Jaffords,” she said at once.

“Say true?”

She nodded emphatically. “Zalia could have cut that tater in two ten-for-ten, at twenty paces farther back.”

“Others?”

“Sarey Adams, wife of Diego. And Rosalita Munoz.”

Roland raised his eyebrows at that.

“Aye,” she said. “Other than Zalia, Rosie’s best.” A brief pause. “And me, I suppose.”

Roland felt as if a huge weight had rolled off his back. He’d been convinced they’d somehow have to bring back weapons from New York or find them on the east side of the river. Now it looked as if that might not be necessary. Good. They had other business in New York—business involving Calvin Tower. He didn’t want to mix the two unless he absolutely had to.

“I’d see you four women at the Old Fella’s rectory-house. And just you four.” His eyes flicked briefly to Eisenhart, then back to Eisenhart’s sai. “No husbands.”

“Now wait just a damn minute,” Eisenhart said.

Roland held up his hand. “Nothing’s been decided yet.”

“It’s the way it’s not been decided I don’t care for,” Eisenhart said.

“Hush a minute,” Margaret said. “When would you see us?”