The Last Good Day, стр. 44
B.W. and Rance dropped the pistols, raised their hands and stepped out into the open.
The man on the appaloosa had his rifle lying across the pommel of his saddle with a Remington in his holster. He was tall in the saddle with a wrinkled weathered face, a droopy black mustache and a white Stetson covering his long, smoky gray shoulder-length hair.
A rider came galloping up to him.
“All of them are dead. What you want to do with the horses, captain?”
“Form a picket line and have two men lead them to the fort when we pull out,” the captain said.
“Yes sir.” The ranger spurred his horse and galloped back to the hill.
“I’m Captain John Unger,” he said, looking at B.W. and Rance. “You can put your hands down. These are my men, the best guns in Texas.”
“Don’t doubt that,” Rance said.
“Saw the shooting,” Unger said. “What’re you two doing out here?”
“Had a score to settle with two men, but those bandits got to them first and then came after us,” B.W. said.
“You speak good English.”
“Missionary school,” B.W. said.
“What were ya’ll chasing after the men for?” Unger asked.
“Kind of like to keep it to ourselves if you don’t mind,” B.W. said.
“Don’t have a need to know now. You got a name?”
“Black Wind. Most people call me B.W.”
“What tribe?”
“Cherokee.”
“A bit out of your element, no?”
“Somewhat,” B.W. said.
Unger turned to Rance. “And you?”
“Rance Allison. Thanks for savin’ our asses.”
“Truth is, we didn’t know you were here. We’re the only law around and don’t get out here too often. That gang we just annihilated was some of the worst, mostly Mexican and Apaches. We been after them for months. You just happened to be here when we caught up with them. Guess I should thank you for slowing them down.”
“We saw some of their work,” B.W. said. “Caught the men we were chasing. When we found ‘em they had plucked out their eyes, tied ‘em to a tree and burned ‘em alive.”
“When was that?”
“Yesterday” B.W. said.
“You boys must not be Texan,” Unger said. “Mostly nothing but renegades, Indians and snakes out in these parts. Most people just don’t wander out this far.”
“We’re from Virginia,” Rance said.
“You boys right with the law?”
“Hope so,” Rance said.
“Maybe you better ride along with us to the fort,” Unger said. “You can keep your guns.”
“Out of ammo anyway,” B.W. said.
“Mount up and stay close,” Unger said.
Rance and B.W. gathered their guns and untied the horses. Rance climbed on the roan and B.W. on his black.
“How far we got to go, Captain?” Rance asked.
“About a day’s ride to Fort Apache. We’ll make camp when we get out of harm’s way and ride on in tomorrow.” He dropped his rifle in the sleeve and waved his hand for everyone to ride.
Before anyone moved they saw a rider come out of a thicket, riding like hell toward them.
“I got a bead on him, captain,” one of the rangers said.
“Hold it till we know his intentions,” Unger said.
The rider was closer now. “Don’t shoot, he’s with us,” Rance said. “He’s just a boy. We sent him away when we thought we were done for.”
”Why in hell would you bring a boy out here?” Unger asked.
“An orphan we picked up on our way from Virginia.”
“Still a dumb thing to do.”
“We know that now,” B.W. said.
Tommy rode up beside Rance, smiling, and pulled Buck to a stop and jumped off. “You’re alive, major!”
“I think so,” Rance said.
“Didn’t know where to go. Hid in the brush over yonder and used your spyglass. Saw all the shootin’ and spotted the Texas Ranger badges. You and B.W. ridin’ with ‘em, figured I better come back.”
“Give me my tomahawk,” B.W. said. Tommy handed him the tomahawk and hugged him.
“You a major?” Unger said, looking at Rance.
“Rebel major,” Rance said.
“He went to West Point,” Tommy said.
“Could use a well-trained officer if you’re interested,” Unger said.
“Got one hand, captain,” Rance said.
“Can see that, but looks like it doesn’t get in your way,” he said and smiled. “What about you, B.W.?”
“Just plain old Indian,” B.W. said.
“He’s a lawyer,” Tommy said.
“You’re just full of information, ain’t you,” B.W. said to Tommy.
“That’s a hard pill to swallow,” Unger said and all the rangers in hearing distance laughed.
“My papers are in my saddle bags. Just don’t use ‘em much,” B.W. said.
“We’ll talk again later,” Unger said. “Better get a move on now before we all get bushwhacked.”
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Rance and B.W. rode along side by side, their horses shaking their heads and stepping away from any of the ranger horses when they got too close.
“Guess it wasn’t meant for us to have that money,” B.W. said.
“Never did feel right about it anyway,” Rance said.
“Didn’t bother me.”
“Kind of puts us back on track to take care of Tommy’s problem.”
“Don’t think Travers is bluffin,’ might have to kill him.”
“What’re we goin’ to do if they try to put us in jail?” Tommy said.
“Run like hell if we get the chance,” B.W. said. “I don’t plan on spendin’ the rest of my life in prison. Take off for California, won’t matter out there.”
“You talkin’ bout me and the major, too?”
“If you want to come,” B.W. said.
“Have to think on it,” Tommy said. “Think the major might go back to Virginia. He keeps bringin’ up Miss Julie a lot.”
“That he does. Somethin’ goin’ on there, but none of our business,” B.W. said.
Captain Unger rode up beside B.W. and Tommy. “You really a lawyer?” he said to B.W.
“I am,” B.W. said. “Was supposed to represent the Cherokee nation but we had a misunderstanding about the war. I fought for the north, wasn’t welcome back after that.”
“Can see that happening,” Unger said and let the appaloosa slow