Free the Bounty Hunters (1953) by Elmore Leonard Page B

drink?
    Fine.
    Lazair half turned and called behind him, Honey! There was no answer and he winked at Lew. She's bashful.
    Lew grinned, rubbing the back of his hand across his mouth. How is she?
    I can't even get her to smile.
    They don't have to smile.
    Honey! Lazair called again. Bring us out a bottle of something!
    Nita Esteban appeared in the cave opening, in half-shadow, the light of the fire barely reaching her. She held the ends of a red scarf that was about her shoulders tightly in front of her. Her features were small, delicate against the soft blackness of her hair. Her skin was pale in the light of the fire and her eyes were in shadow.
    Lazair glanced at her and grinned. A bottle of mescal, honey.
    She disappeared and returned in a moment with the bottle in her hand. She approached Lazair reluctantly, handed the bottle to him and turned quickly, but as she did this he reached for her. She felt his hand on her back and dodged out of reach, twisting her body away from him. But his fingers tightened on the scarf and pulled it from her shoulders as she slipped away.
    Lew grinned at his chief. That's a step toward it.
    She likes to play. Lazair felt the material between his fingers and then tore it down the middle.
    Lew said, Maybe she's upset after seeing what you did to her kin.
    Lazair folded a part of the scarf lengthwise, then tied it around his neck, sticking the ends into his shirt. Some girls are funny that way, he said.

    Chapter 8
    O God, by whose mercy the souls of the faithful find rest, vouchsafe to bless this grave, and appoint Thy holy angel to guard it; and release the souls of all those whose bodies are buried here from every bond of sin, that in Thee they may rejoice with Thy saints forever. Through Christ our Lord.
    The Franciscan made the sign of the cross in the air and sprinkled the grave with holy water.
    Flynn waited patiently, though within him there was an impatience, while the priest finished his prayer over the last grave. He was anxious to be going, but the Franciscan had moved slowly from grave to grave, reciting the burial prayers reverently, a liturgy unaffected by time. There was no need to hurry.
    Flynn's restlessness was not out of irreverence. He whispered his prayers with the priest, but his mind kept wandering to the news the vaquero had brought.
    As they were lowering the bodies into the freshly dug graves, the vaquero had ridden in, killing his mount with the urgency of his news. He had seen Apaches! Tending his herd, a dozen miles from Soyopa, he had entered a draw after a stray and there at the other end, trailing down from high country, were the Apaches. He had flown before they were able to see him, he told. But he had looked back once, and coming out of the draw they had traveled southeast in the direction of the deserted village of Valladolid. How many? Perhaps six or seven.
    Then it is not a raiding party, a man had said.
    Who knows the way of the Apache, the vaquero answered. He perspired, and the wide eyes told that he was still frightened.
    What about your cows?
    My cows must protect themselves.
    Flynn had listened with interest. Perhaps this was the opportunity. They could scour the hills for months without finding an Apache. Now, the Apaches had shown themselves. Scout them, he thought. Perhaps they would lead to Soldado Viejo, or, he could even be one of the six. He asked the vaquero to take them back to where he had seen the Apaches, but the vaquero steadfastly refused. Well, they could go alone.
    We might wait a long time for a trail as fresh as this one, he told Bowers.
    Bowers shrugged. Why not? That's why we're here.
    A few of the villagers who had heard this looked at the Americans curiously.
    They returned to the alcalde's house for their horses, then passed the cemetery again as they left Soyopa by the trail north. Hilario was still standing by the graves. He would move to the foot of a grave, recite the Hail Mary and drop a small stone, then move to the next.