buck drove him away with his quirt. Then the Indians walked back to the old man and squatted in a semi-circle around him. Not once did any of them offer McAllister so much as a glance. He felt a great fool sitting tied there and, he admitted frankly to himself, not a little scared. Any minute now, he thought, he could have his throat cut.
The old man offered the jug around and all the Indians drank. Then they smoked and exchanged a few guttural words. Islop looked at McAllister and cackled with laughter. McAllister only wanted to get his hands on the old villain for two minutes. Eagle Man started to talk. He talked for what seemed a long time. McAllister sat and sweated. Islop made a lengthy reply and the jug was passed around again.
âAll I want now,â McAllister thought, âis for them Indians to get liquored up and Iâm dead.â
The women brought food from the house and they ate. They drank again and talked some more. Islop turned to McAllister and said: âItâs the Bourn woman Iron Hand has, all right. The old man is real proud of her and itâs goinâ to take an awful lot of presents and persuadinâ to make him change his mind. The way I see it, he ainât goinâ to change his mind.â
âTell âem the soldier chief will be very angry if she is not returned and will come with many soldiers.â
The old man snarled: âYou want to make ole Iron Hand laugh? He ainât afeerd of no soldiers. Youâll have to think of somethinâ betterân that.â
McAllister tried again.
âI have many fine presents for his wives. I have a fine rifle for him and much ammunition.â
âWhat kind of a rifle?â
âA Remington.â
âSingle-shot?â
âYes, but itâs good.â
âIron Hand has a Spencer repeater. You canât tempt him, son. You should know that a Comanche chief donât set no store by worldly goods. He gives everything away. All he frets about is reputation.â
âI have a pair of glasses. Tell Eagle Man, the chief will be able to see from a long way off.â
âHe already has a pair he took from an army captain. Youâll have to do betterân that.â The old man seemed highly amused.
âTell him if he donât give her up Iâll come and cut his fool throat personally.â
That set the old man off with cackles of delight. He slapped his bony thigh and cried out: âJest like your ole man.â He talked to the Indians some more. They grunted. Eagle Man made a cutting motion with the edge of his hand. The talk was finished. He rose, blanket hunched around him and waddled close to McAllister, stared hard into his face for a moment, then waddled away. The other Indians rose and went to their horses. They wheeled them away from the corral and went riding off into the trees. The old man rose and said:âThat didnât get us very damned far did it. But at least they didnât finish you off, boy, which could be a good sign.â
McAllister said: âTake these damned ropes offân me, Islop.â
âNot yet. Later maybe.â
âIf later why not now?â
âYouâll see.â
Islop went to fixing the trap again, contentedly smoking his pipe in the sun. McAllister sat and fumed for an hour then, exhausted by the riding and lack of sleep for the past few days, thought he might as well make the best of a bad job and fell into a doze. He was awakened by the sound of gunfire.
He sat upright and stared around him.
The old man was on his feet, staring off into the trees.
âWhatâs happening?â McAllister demanded.
âMy guess is,â Islop said, âNewbyâs meetinâ his comeuppance.â There seemed to be some satisfaction in his voice. McAllister struggled vainly with his bonds. Every instinct in him made him want to be with the Texans.
âGet this goddam rope offân me,â he roared. The old