Chapter Nine

 

‘Jimmy Two-Spoon. That’s a danged funny name,’ drawled Link from his side of the fire. ‘How’d you come by that?’

Jimmy looked up from gutting the antelope they had shot earlier and he was preparing for the pot. His bronzed skin glowed in the firelight and the flames flickered shadows across his face. ‘My father was a white trapper and my mother Apache,’ Jimmy said. ‘When I was young I was taken away from my people by white soldiers. They took me to their fort and kept me there. I was taught to speak the white man’s language but when they asked me my name I told them it was ‘Tulpsun’. The soldiers found this hard to say so they called me Two-Spoon, which they said sounded the same to them.’

‘And the ‘Jimmy’ part?’ asked Cornpone.

‘My father’s name was James, so I use that amongst the whites.’

Mortimer looked up from his Bible and frowned, ‘So, is it true you have never known the water of purification and had a proper Christian baptism?’ he asked.

Jimmy shrugged, ‘There was never a need. I was welcomed to the world and introduced to Usen, the Great Spirit with the amulets of a holy shaman, I have walked the path of new moccasins on the pollen trail to the east. I have made the four sacred raids, that is all that is needed to be a man.’

‘Not enough,’ said Mortimer, with a sad shake of his head. ‘Your immortal soul lies hidden under all that heathen nonsense and needs to be released into the light.’

‘I am content as I am,’ said Jimmy, bending again to his task.

‘I am willing to save you,’ offered Mortimer eagerly. ‘The relief you will feel in coming before the Lord is untold. Take my hand Jimmy and let me purge you of your ignorance.’

Jimmy looked at him across the flame, his face calm and steady, ‘Thank you for the offer,’ he said politely. ‘But on this we must agree to differ.’

They were camped for the night in a clear area amidst a bed of thorn scrub, hoping the spikey growth surrounding would give them some protection from any stealthy attack whilst they slept.

‘You seen any sign around here?’ Tarfay asked the half-breed, watching him expertly flay the dead animal.

Jimmy nodded affirmation, ‘There is old sign of a scouting party. Not many but The People are nearby.’

‘Best post a guard then,’ said the Ranger. ‘I’ll go first, then the rest of you on the hour. Cornpone you take the dawn watch, okay?’

Jimmy was setting slices of meat on wetted sticks before the fire and the hungry party gathered closer as if their presence would roast the meat quicker.

‘How do you feel about this?’ Tarfay asked Jimmy. ‘Going with us into Apache land.’

‘You mean,’ said Jimmy, catching the Rangers drift. ‘Going up against my own people?’

‘Must be kinda hard to decide just who your people are,’ said Cornpone watching the half-breed closely.

Jimmy shrugged, ‘No, that is not a problem for me. It is where I am at any given time and who has right to my loyalty. Here I am with you white men, so my white half stands with you.’

‘What happens when an Apache comes along?’ asked Cornpone. ‘The other half going to make an appearance.’

Jimmy looked up at him, the firelight dancing in his eyes and a grin splitting his face, ‘You will have to wait and see, won’t you? Maybe I will divide in half and one go one way the other another.’

‘That’d be a trick I’d like to see,’ chuckled Link.

‘The devil has many faces,’ leered Mortimer, raising his eyes solemnly from his Bible and fixing a baleful gaze on Jimmy. ‘He is all trickery and deceit and though he wears the guise of man he is often amongst us like a slinking beast of the desert.’

‘Well, Mortimer, you tell me when you see a one-legged Apache and a one-legged white man hopping around here and I’ll get right down on my knees and shout ‘Hallelujah’,’ grinned Link.

‘You ever been a regular preacher, Mortimer?’ asked Cornpone.

‘I was a sinner for many years, brother,’ said Mortimer, his voice rising in a quiver. ‘Oh, what a sinner! Fornication and the drink were my downfall; I lusted after the flesh of harlots and drank the rust-red and fiery waters that run down along beside Perdition’s gate. A lost soul indeed. And then, one day, it came to me. As soft and airy as a feather on the wind. The Light, such a glorious glow. I rose from my stupor and could see all with brightness and clarity through Jesus’s blessing.’

‘You never been tempted since by a fine looking woman or a golden glassful?’ asked Link with a teasing glint in his eye.

‘I keep my eyes fixed on the straight and narrow path,’ Mortimer promised. ‘Seeing only the wrongs that lie on either side and avoiding them.’

‘That why you brought fire and damnation down on that blacksmith back at Cabraville?’

‘The man was a cheat!’ spat Mortimer. ‘My pony had thrown a shoe and the scoundrel wanted to charge me over the odds for a replacement. Admittedly my punishment was a trifle excessive….’

‘Way I heard it, you laid that red hot shoe across the poor bastard’s ass.’

‘True,’ admitted Mortimer with a self-righteous glance heavenwards. ‘Like Cain in the Bible, the mark of his sin was branded upon him.’

‘How about you, Link?’ interrupted Tarfay. ‘How come a cowboy ended up doing hard time in jail.’

‘Well,’ drawled Link. ‘Tell the truth, I don’t reckon it were too righteous a claim on my time either. I always been kind of tangle-toed off the back of a pony. Give me a good mustang and I’ll ride to kingdom come and back neater than a seamstress in a sewing school but walking ain’t my forté, if you get my meaning? I was in there buying me some beans and eggs when I tripped over this display of ladies hosiery. Fellow in there starts in on me and saying all kinds of insulting things ‘cos I holed his ladies-wear. But then he started in on my ma, as you fellow’s will appreciate, there ain’t nothing I hold more sacred that my ma’s memory. She was a wonderful creature and I loved that woman.’

‘So you showed him the error of his ways?’ smiled Cornpone.

‘Surely did. Broke his damned nose for him.’

‘Well, you is one warlike bunch alright,’ laughed Cornpone. ‘Reckon the whole Apache nation best watch their step. We got us a branding preacher and storekeep-buster and one goddamned breed who don’t know white from red. Hellfire! If we come out of this with our hair still on it’ll be a damned miracle.’

‘Trust in the Lord,’ intoned Mortimer. ‘It is the blessed that shall prosper.’

‘I’ll check in on that one when this is all over,’ said Cornpone dolefully. ‘Right now we need a plan. You got something in mind, Bayou?’

Tarfay shook his head, ‘No sir, I ain’t. Least nothing definite, I just want those children returned.’

‘We can buy them,’ offered Jimmy, reaching forward and plucking a piece of cooked meat from the fire.

‘That the best way?’

‘For horses the Apache will trade, that is what they value.’

‘Trouble is I don’t have none,’ said Tarfay.

‘I heard tell of a thing whilst in Cabraville,’ said Jimmy, chewing off a piece of cooked meat. ‘There is a railroad they are planning through this territory.’

‘That’s right,’ Cornpone agreed. ‘The Pacific Railroad. They reckon it will come down from Memphis, Tennessee clear across to California and the southern route heads right along through Arizona to Yuma City and then up by the Gila River. Only thing is, its just a plan right now and them folks investing in it can’t get their business together yet.’

‘No, but they are preparing the way. There are teams of surveyors planning the route now,’ said Jimmy. ‘And they have horses.’

‘Are you recommending we rustle us some ponies?’ asked Tarfay in surprise.

‘How else will you get them?’

‘To steal is a sin in the eyes of the Lord,’ warned Mortimer.

‘Maybe, but ponies I can handle,’ promised Link excitedly. ‘I ain’t adverse to such an idea.’

Tarfay narrowed his eyes and sunk back down considering the proposal.

‘We can’t, Bayou,’ said Cornpone. ‘We’re Texas Rangers, for Christ’s sake.’

‘Not right now, we’re not,’ said Tarfay harshly. ‘Right now, we’re off-duty. We don’t have no rights as Rangers and I’m thinking this deserves consideration unless you’ve got a better scheme.’

‘Hell! I never thought I’d hear the day,’ complained Cornpone in open disgust.

‘But it’s also true that you are outside of the State of Texas just now, isn’t it?’ added Mortimer a little slyly.

‘Where are these surveyors and how many horses we talking about?’ asked Tarfay.

‘I heard they have a base at Dona Anna along the Rio Grande,’ supplied Jimmy. ‘They keep maybe forty head there for use by their people.’

‘That’s along the river down from Fort Thorne ain’t it?’ asked Link. ‘That ain’t too far from here.’

Jimmy nodded silent agreement, his eyes fixed on Tarfay. He could see the Ranger was struggling with the notion of turning his hand against the law and the half-breed wondered which the Ranger held highest, his sworn duty to uphold the law or the lives of the two children.

‘We’ll do it,’ said Tarfay, suddenly decisive.

‘No!’ roared Cornpone. ‘It goes against all we stand for, Bayou.’

‘It’s a practical decision we need to expedite right away,’ said Tarfay. ‘When we get back to Rio Charro I’ll sell my place and pay back the full value for the ponies in cash money. That’s the best I can do, Cornpone. I aim to get back those kids one way or the other.’

‘Well,’ smiled Link. ‘Never thought I’d get to do a bit of rustling under the auspices of the Texas Rangers, that’s for sure.’

‘You with me in this?’ Tarfay pressed Cornpone. ‘You can quit if you’re against it, I’ll understand.’

Cornpone looked down at his feet silently for a long moment.

‘It goes against my better judgment,’ he said finally. ‘But I signed up for this little escapade outside Ranger law anyway so I guess I’ll see it through.’

‘Thanks, partner,’ said Tarfay. ‘I need you in this.’

There was a collective silence as they all thought it through, then Tarfay asked, ‘How about you, Mortimer? Might be the notion offends your moral principles some.’

‘I have thought on it,’ said Mortimer solemnly. ‘And I see in it the cause of greater good. This suggested act is not merely for selfish gain but for the procurement of innocents, sweet souls that would be lost unless we sally forth and save them. I see no sacrilege in that.’

‘Right,’ said Tarfay. ‘Y’all better get some sleep. Tomorrow we ride for Dona Anna.’