BLOODBATH
APACHE ATTACK Clay Taggart rode in front of the other members of the band, a
soldier's cap pulled low over his brow. It had been his idea to don the uniforms of
slain troopers. He counted on the ruse fooling the Mexicans long enough to get in
close to their camp, and in this he was proven right.
Slowing so that Delgadito and Cuchillo Negro could draw even with him, he
said softly in their tongue, "I will take the smaller woman. Which one of you
wants the other one?"
"We should just take the young one," Delgadito advised.
"Later we can find more like her."
"Very well," Clay said, pulling ahead. "At my
signal." His Winchester was balanced across his thighs. he gripped it and
slowly pulled back the hammer so the click would not be loud. Then he let out with a
bloodcurdling screech at the same instant he opened fire, levering off four shots so
swiftly that two vaqueros were down and another wounded before the remainder awakened to
their peril.
Delgadito and the rest took that action as their cue to cut loose, fanning
out as they did. Their fierce war whoops were like the yipping of a frenzied pack of
wolves. |
BLOOD
TREACHERY
BLOOD TREACHERY "Now then, White Hair," Palacio said.
"To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"
"Desperation," Col. Reynolds said. "I want
to stop the White Apache once and for all."
"We share the same dream," Palacio said, his countenance
clouding. "But we have tried many times and he is still alive."
"Rich?"
"Yes. Do you think any of them would like to own eight new
horses, forty new blankets, six new knives and ax, and all the tabacco he can carry?"
The vision of so much wealth made Palacio's head spin. "Who
would not?"
"Excellent. All those things will be given to the warrior
who tells me where White Apache and Degadito are hiding."
Palacio had to bite his lip to keep from howling for sheer joy.
"Never fear, White Hair. The renegades are as good as dead." |
