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〃You lost two men？〃
〃Taylor and Billy Higgins。 I never knew Taylor's first name。 We didn't get a chance to pick up their bodies。 When we could pull out； we did。〃
〃About the dead ones； now。 Did one of them have a scar on his cheekbone？ That would be just too much to expect； I suppose。〃
〃No 。。。 not the dead ones。 I didn't notice any scars on the dead one。 But that one I left alive； he had a scar on his cheekbone。〃
Chapter 3
Captain Lewiston sighed。 〃You may wish you had killed him； Mr。 Sackett。 That was Kahtenny； one of the most dangerous and elusive Apaches of them all。〃
〃He was in pretty bad shape； Captain； and I'm no man to kill a fighter like that when he's down and helpless。〃
Lewiston smiled。 〃I feel the same； but I am afraid there are some who do not。 There are those who feel they all should be killed。〃
That there blonde girl across the room was sure enough listening； although she was making quite a show of doing nothing but sort of idling over her food。
〃Captain； I fought those Indians because they attacked me。 I don't blame them for that。 The Apache has made fighting his way of living for as long as his oldest people can recall。 Or as long as the oldest Pimas and Papagos recall。
〃The way I figure it； they fight because it's their way； and we fight back because it's our way。 Somebody wins； somebody loses。 Nobody in this country； or anywhere that I know of； can live in peace unless he's got somebody somewhere； protecting him。〃
Mrs。 Wallen brought the Captain some coffee； and we sat there a few minutes more； discussing the Apache and his ways。
〃You've been a soldier； Mr。 Sackett？〃
〃Yes； sir。 I served four years during the War Between the States。 I was at Shiloh and the Wilderness 。。。 and a few other places。〃
〃We could use you here。 Ever thought of joining up again？〃
〃No。 I did what I had to do when the time came to do it。 Now I'll fight when somebody can't be persuaded to leave me alone。 Seems to me I've done enough Indian fighting without joining up to hunt for it。〃
〃Are you related to Congressman Sackett？〃
〃Brother。 Fact is； I'm here to talk to his wife。〃 I glanced across the room at the blonde girl； who was now looking right at me。 〃I figure to get their son back from the Apaches。〃
〃Their son？〃 Lewiston looked puzzled； but before he could say more； Laura Sackett interrupted。 'Tell？ I am Laura Sackett。 Will you join me？〃 So I got up。 〃Excuse me； Captain；〃 I said； and taking my coffee I walked over to her table。
〃Howdy； ma'am。 Seems strange； not knowing you； but when you and Orrin married I was clean across the country。 Never heard much about it。〃
〃Sit down； Tell。 We must talk。〃 She put her hand on mine and looked at me with those wide blue eyes。 〃Let's not talk about trouble now； Tell。 I want to know about you。 After all； we must get to know each other。〃
Now； there isn't much that's more likely to make a man talk than a pretty woman who is ready to listen； so I found myself a…talking to her； mostly about Ange and how I found her high up in those far Colorado mountains where nobody lived； and then how she was murdered and how I hunted down the killer and got myself in a tight spot。
She had a pretty smile； and she gave me a lot of it。 There were a couple of things about her looks that I didn't really shape up to like； but nobody is perfect。 She had a small mouth； and it was kind of tight and hard at times； but she was a pleasure to talk to； and I talked。
Finally； she said would I walk her home； and it came to me suddenly that we'd talked the afternoon away and those Army officers were gone。 Once out of the restaurant； she told me about the boy Orry； as she called him。
〃He was taken with the Creed boys；〃 she explained； 〃and the Army can do nothing。 I know if Orrin were here he would ride right down into Mexico and bring him back； but by the time Orrin could get here it might be too late。 Then I heard you were in Yuma。 You were my only chance。〃
〃How old is the boy？〃
〃He's five 。。。 going on six。〃 She paused。 〃I must warn you； Tell； whatever you decide to do； you must not mention it around here。 The Army would not allow you to cross the border on any such mission。 Right now they are trying to arrange a working agreement with the Mexicans to join forces in stamping out the Apaches。 They want to attack them right in their stronghold in the Sierra Madre 。。。 and that's another reason we must hurry。 I have heard that if the Apaches are attacked they will kill all their captives。〃
Shortening my pace； I walked beside her。 There was small chance the boy was alive； but I could not tell her that。 Not that I even gave thought to not going to hunt for him。 We Sacketts stand by one another； e hell or high water。 The boy was a Sackett； and he was my brother's son。
My mind went down that trail into Mexico； and I had a cold feeling along my spine。 Every inch of that trail would be trouble； and not only from the Apaches。 Water was scarce； and whilst the folks were friendly； the Rurales and the Army were not。 They'd likely shoot a man out of hand。
Somewhere along the trail I'd heard about Dan Creed's two boys and another youngster being taken； but I hadn't any details； and they weren't important now。
A body would have to be almighty cautious。 If the Army got wind of anyone going into Mexico with any such notion that would be the end of it。 They'd surely stop him。
With negotiations going on between the two governments that would be all it would take to end them 。。。 they'd never believe he'd e into Mexico on his own。
My name being Sackett； and all； they might be suspicious。 I mean the Army might。
And Laura made me uneasy。 I'd no knowledge of womenfolks； and never had been able to talk to any but Ange。 Other women left me tongue…tied and restless； and Laura； she was all white lace； blonde hair； and those dainty little lacy gloves with no fingers in them。 And that parasol she carried 。。。 I was a raw country boy from the hills； not used to such fixings。
〃You will try； then？〃 We had stopped at her door； and she rested her hand on my arm。 〃Tell； you're my only hope。 There is no one else。〃
〃I'll do what I can。〃 Standing there on the step； with her a…looking at me from those big blue eyes； it made me wish I was three men； so as I could do more。 〃Don't you forget； ma'am； there's no accounting for Apaches。 They're mighty notional when it es to prisoners。 You mustn't be hoping for muck。〃
〃He's such a little boy。〃
It came on me to wonder if she'd any notion what she was letting me in for； but I pushed the thought away。 I had no call to be thinking of myself。 How could she know what that trail into Sonora was like？ A trail like a walk through hell； with ugly death waiting on every side； at every moment。 You had to travel trails like that to know them。 In my mind's eye I could see the faint thread of it winding across the hot desert under a brassy sky； with the sand underfoot and all lands of cactus and thorny bush around； with rattlers and Gila monsters and all 。。。 to say nothing of outlaws and Indians。
A thought came to me suddenly。 〃I was wondering how Orrin ever let you get so far from him？ You and the boy？〃
She smiled quickly； sadly。 〃It was my father； Tell。 He died in California and I had to go there for the funeral。 There was no one else。 When I found how dangerous it was； I left Orry here 。。。 I thought he'd be safe here。〃
That made sense； all right。 Still； there was a lot that puzzled me； but a man could waste any amount of time quibbling and fussing over details； which was never my way。 If anything was to be done it had to be done fast。 With her description of the boy and his clothing； I decided I'd best get together an outfit and pull out。
She stood there； her white dress like a light against the adobe walls。 I looked back once as I walked away； and she was still standing there； looking after me。
It worried me some because this whole thing had e on me so sudden that I'd no chance to sort of think things through。 Out there on the trail with those Apaches around there'd been no time； and now it seemed there was no time either。 Nevertheless； there was some thinking I had to do。
The worst of it was I was almighty short of money； and no matter what a man sets out to do； it seems it costs him something。 This here was going to cost money as well as sweat； and maybe blood。
All I had to my name was about two hundred saved…up dollars； the most I'd had in months； and I'd lost my saddle back yonder； and needed a horse。 We'd e into Tucson on horses just borrowed from the stage outfit； and they'd be going back soon。
So I needed a horse and an outfit； and a pack horse if I had enough to handle it。
What I wanted was a good used saddle； and there was a reason。 I was of no mind to ride into Apache country with a squeaky new saddle。 Now； any saddle will squeak a mite； and it's a forting sort of sound； most times； but when there are Apaches around any sound more than your breathing is liable to get you killed。
I needed not only a saddle； but also； a pair of saddlebags； a canteen； a poncho； a blanket； a spare cartridge belt and a small amount of grub。 I'd have to live off the country； on food I could get without shooting。 From the tim