The sun will be up in a few minutes, Jet. We will find a place to stop and rest for a while, I said patting him on the neck. His ears wiggled when I spoke implying to me he understood my every word.
You fellows see that smoke up ahead? Maybe it will be a place where we can stop and stretch our legs for a bit, said Scottie.
Yeah, that sounds like an idea to me. Im just about to drop out of this saddle, replied James.
We can do that and get some food and hay for the horses if there is any. The tracks we have been following lead that way. It appears to be a small settlement. There is no town between here and San Sebastian. This will be our last chance to get food and water before we reach the desert, I said.
The smoke we believed was coming from chimneys or campfires was not what we discovered when we got closer to the sight. The tragic destruction, although a frequent occurrence in this part of the country, I didnt think was an act of God.
What in hell happened here? James murmured in a sympathetic low voice.
Exactly, Scottie answered in a likewise concerned tone of voice. The work of the devil.
The people in the little village were scrambling among the rubble trying to salvage what they could from the burned buildings. Everything had burned to the ground with only chimneys left standing. A little child with her mangled rag doll hanging limp at her side, stood watching us when we rode up to what once was the village store.
The few people that were in the village slowly began gathering with sticks and clubs in their hands there started coming toward us. Only one man out of the group had a gun and from the look of the old double barrel shotgun, it wouldnt fire anyway.
As you boys can see, there aint much left of our little village, but what there is, you be welcome to. Ifin it aint more trouble you be a brangin, the man with the shotgun said.
What happened here? The last time I seen something like this, people set fire to everything to wipe out a fever, said Scottie.
I dont think so, Scottie, replied James. The only sickness I see in these people are broken dreams.
Are any of you folks hurt? asked Snake.
Only hurtin is we lost everything we had cept the good Lord saw fit to spare our lives. That we be a thankin Him fer, a woman from the group answered.
Bout fifteen to twenty of em I recollect. Rode in here two days back. The damn good fer nothin bastards. Said all they was a needin twas some vitals and water fer they horses. Took everything they could tote and burnt the rest. Nothin gain you coloreds boys, but them there fellows who done this put in mind them damn Yankees back home in Tennessee jest when the war ended. Had a little store back then pertin near same thang happened. Aint that right, ma? the man who had owned the store added.
Twas the awfulest thang I ever seen, the woman said as her husband nodded in agreement. Only difference they kilt a lot of people. Soldiers was runnin every which direction and the noise was somein terrible. Those Yankees came swarmin down on us and took everythin. Didnt leave us nothin cept our two old mules and two or three sticks of furniture.
Looted my store to the bare walls, the old man added, looking in the direction of Tennessee. They kilt every Reb they could findeven the ones who tried to give themselves up when they didnt have no more balls fer their guns. Shot em down right where they stood. Hands was raised up to surrender and they got kilt the same as them that tried to fight. Never saw such an awful thang in all my borned days.
I sat silently listening to the villagers tell their stories of the hard luck that had befallen them. I got a sour feeling in my stomach thinking of the inhumanity of the persons who would do something like this especially to folks who were incapable of defending themselves.
We are not here to do you folks any harm. We are tracking a man whose trail led us in this direction. We lost the tracks in the rocks along the creek bed north of here, I explained.
Well, you boys look like you been ridin all night. Might as well rest here fer a spell, you and them there horses. We got a little hay you can give em and coffee and salt pork for you ifin you want, the man with the shotgun offered.
Thank you, we could use a little food and a short rest, accepting the mans offer.
Stoney, I never knew Slim to be low down enough to do something like this. But, on the other hand, I wouldnt put it past him, Snake said when we sat down around a partially burned table drinking coffee.
Maybe he tied in with the wrong company. This looks like comanchero handiwork. If not, it was made to appear that way, I noted. I dont want to pour salt in these peoples wounds by laying my troubles on them. I need to find out if the men who destroyed this place are the same ones were trailing.
Yo, are you implying this man Slim would have thrown in with comancheros? The tracks weve been following up to now are regular old redneck bandits. Six mounts with one horse trailing. That is a far cry from fifteen to twenty the old storekeeper said come through here, said James.
|