Minutes later, after the firing had stopped, Deneen appeared. He said it once. "Goddamn it they all look alike. How did I know who it was?" That, by way of an apology.
Flynn could still feel the hot anger and he thought: Now that he's said that, he can forget about it. He's explained and apologized in one. Life is very simple. Why do you let it get so complicated-just look at it the way Deneen does. And within the first few minutes he also thought: Take your anger and use it now against these Mimbrenos. But he felt the closeness of the trees. No, it would be all right if you were fighting them in the open, with fists; but there's no place for anger here. They'll come at dawn and if you're still excited, two minutes later you'll be dead.
They moved a few yards to where there was more protection-the brush was heavier and a fallen tree formed a natural barrier on the side that faced deeper into the trees, and out from it there was a fifteen foot clearing to help some. The other side looked out on the open meadow they had started to cross. Flynn remembered that the next trees were about two hundred yards off, with Soyopa's cemetery beyond them. The threat was not from the open side.
Madora moved next to Flynn.
"They'll come soon as there's a hint of light."
Flynn nodded.
"How would you figure it?" Madora said.
"Come from the inside, through the trees. If they can count to five three times they've got us."
"Be all over before we could reload."
"Did you take Three-cents' gun?" When Madora nodded he said, "That'll help some. How many rounds you got?"
"About thirty, plus the loads in Three-cents' gun."
Flynn patted his coat pocket. "That's about what I got. Will they count shots?"
"Hell yes. What side do you want?"
Flynn was closest to the fallen tree. He said, "Well, now that I'm here." He glanced at Deneen who looked away quickly.
"Then you get this," Madora said, handing him the extra pistol.
"If you want to use it sometime, it's all right."
"Maybe next week," Madora said.
Now Flynn was looking out past the fallen tree, his eyes probing the darkness and the trees. There! Did you hear it? There must be a lot of them if they make a noise. The Coyoteros will be pinned down; there aren't enough of them to do anything. Twice he thought he saw movements, but he held his fire. Wait for the real thing, that will come soon enough. The time was passing and he knew it would not be very long and he was as certain as he could be that he would die within the next hour. You have to have time to reload. O my God I'm heartily sorry for having offended Thee. I detest all my sins because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell; but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, Who art all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve with the help of Thy graceThere!
His left pistol came up and fired. Count them! One. Another shape coming across the clearing, stumbling with the report. Two. A Mimbre darted from one tree to another and he missed him. Three. Don't throw them away! The same one came on, in view for a longer time, and he knocked him flat. Four. Madora's firing the other way. Don't look around. There…off left! The slamming report and powder smell. Five. Now wait…you're starting to reload…here they come!
He stood up suddenly, pointing the other pistol, firing, seeing them go down…four blasts from the pistol and two Mimbres dropped, one hit twice. Others were coming out of the trees! No…split-second indecision and they were going back in. Hurry up, reload! He inserted two cartridges, looked up, and when there was no movement he loaded three more; then the other gun.
The firing had stopped on both sides. "What did you have, Joe?"
"Ponies. Didn't you hear them?"
Flynn shook his head.
"They were for attention," Madora said. "Your side's the one."
"Don't tell me."
"You want to trade off?"
"I'm used to it now."
Turning toward Deneen, Madora said, "You want to help out next time?" He stopped, his eyes narrowing into a frown. "You feel all right?"
Flynn looked over. Deneen was crouched with his back against the base of a pine, half hidden by the branches, clutching the pistol in a tight-knuckled, close-to-chest, protecting way as if it were the only thing that stood between him and the end of his world. And the picture of that night at Chancellorsville flashed through Flynn's mind-the darkness and the dripping pines and almost the same tight-jawed wide-eyed expression frozen on his face-and Flynn looked away, back to Madora.
"We're not going to get any help from him," the scout said. He looked out over the meadow in the dawn light. Flynn moved back to the fallen tree, but as he did Madora called, "David, look-at over there."
His eyes followed Madora's outstretched arm through the early morning haze, out across the meadow. There, at the edge of the trees two hundred yards off, stood three Mimbrenos. They were looking toward the pines; then one of them motioned and others appeared, carrying something.
"David…that's a man."
Flynn studied them, watching two warriors drag the limp form of a man between them. They held him upright then while another Mimbre threw a line over a tree limb above them. Flynn saw now that one end was fastened to the man's wrists and as the Mimbrenos walked off holding the free end, the line tightened, drawing the man's arms up over his head and the next moment he was hanging above the ground.
Madora said, "Do you recognize him?"
Flynn shook his head. "His head's down."
"Get Deneen's glasses."
Deneen was staring at Flynn as he turned toward him. "What is it!"
"Take it easy. Let me have your glasses."
Deneen's left hand felt the case hanging at his side. "I'll look first!"
Flynn shrugged. "You won't like it." And he thought: He's not as bad as at Chancellorsville. Maybe he thinks there's still a way out.
Deneen looked through the glasses. When he brought them down his face was drawn tighter than before and for a moment Flynn thought he was going to be sick. Madora jerked the field glasses from his hands without ceremony. "He told you," the scout said, and handed the glasses to Flynn; and after he had given Flynn time to study the man he asked, "Who is he?"
Flynn lowered the glasses, handing them back to Madora. "I don't know. His head's still down…what's left of it."
Looking through the glasses Madora said, "Scalped. And nekked as a jaybird." He was silent. Then, "He's alive, David."
"You're sure?"
"Positive."
"What's that?" Flynn watched the Mimbres nearing the man again.
"They got knives," Madora said. He grunted. "You see that?"
"Enough," Flynn said quietly.
"They cut the tendons in his arms." Madora waited, and winced holding the glasses to his eyes. "Now both his legs."
Deneen turned away.
Flynn said, "That's for our benefit."
"You bet it is." Madora lowered the glasses. "They're telling us what's coming up about an hour from now."
"Next time they'll rush until they get us," Flynn said.
Madora nodded up and down. "The first time they found out what they wanted to know…though it cost them more than they figured. Your side was the natural, cuz of the cover, just fooled around mine. Next time they'll come mounted, all of them…like a twister and run right through us."
Flynn didn't know what to say, but he said, "Well…" and in his mind, rapidly:…but most of all for having offended Thee, my God, who art all good and deserving of…"Joe, what if we run?"
"Which way?"
"Back." He nodded into the trees.
"We wouldn't get ten feet." Mildly, Madora said, "David, the only thing we can do now is think about all the things we shouldn't of done before."
Flynn half smiled now, thinking of Nita. "And all the things you'd like to have done."
"What would you do, David, besides kick his francis from here to Prescott?" He nodded toward Deneen.
Flynn said vaguely, "Maybe stay around here."