Quicksilver Passion (114 page)

Shawn looked at him a long moment and Cherokee wondered suddenly if the older man could possibly know what a tramp his young wife was, that she and Cherokee had betrayed him. It didn’t matter. He owed Shawn. He might have to pay the debt of honor with his life.

They shook hands solemnly and then Shawn crept away through the mud toward where the horses were tied on the other side of the hedge.

Cherokee crawled to Wilson, and told the raw-boned farmer what was at stake.

The other nodded.
For Captain O’Bannion, anything! We’ll hold them off, Cherokee, at least until the patrol gets away.”

He wished he could count on Pettigrew the same way. Cherokee had chosen to keep Petty because he was the one Shawn needed the least, but he was afraid the chunky redneck was liable to be an undependable coward. He found the man in the darkness.

The bursting shells reflected off the big drops of sweat on Pettigrew’s face.
Nagnab it! Not me!” he drawled.
I don’t care nothin’ about bein’ no dead hero!”

Petty, that’s an order! I’m the sergeant! Now grab your rifle and come with me! There’s a path through the trees that the Yankees will have to take. Right at that point, I think we can hold them off awhile.

And then what?” Petty demanded.

Cherokee shrugged.
When we run out of ammunition, we do the best we can to get away under cover of darkness. At least the patrol will manage to get back to headquarters with the information we gathered!”

Petty swore.
That may be important to you, but not to me. Nagnab it! I came to kill Yankees, but not at the cost of my own life so some fancy plantation owner like O’Bannion can escape back behind the front!”

By damn! I got no time to argue with you, come on!” Cherokee crawled away through the brush. Curse Petty anyway! The man was a good shot, but like most backwoods rednecks, he liked moonshine too much, and he was a coward—not the kind of backup any man wanted to depend on.

With the shells bursting and men shouting and screaming, it seemed a million miles back to where he’d left Wilson holding that high spot overlooking the path through the orchard. Funny, he was probably going to die in the next few minutes and all he could think about was a cup of hot coffee, some clean clothes, and Silver.

Wilson? How’s it going?”

No answer. Cherokee crawled through the darkness to the man’s side.
Wilson? I brought Petty back with me. I think the three of us can hold this spot long enough . . .”

It dawned on him slowly that the shoulder he touched didn’t move.
Wilson?”

No answer. A shell hit the ground a few hundred feet away, exploded with an acrid scent of powder, and set the brush on fire. In the new light, Cherokee suddenly realized that the top half of Wilson’s head was gone.

Oh my God
. He swallowed hard to keep from getting sick. There was no time to be queasy, he and Petty had to hold off the Yankees until the patrol got away in the darkness. Cherokee pushed the body to one side and took Wilson’s rifle and cartridges. At least with two weapons, he and Petty could still hold this spot a long time. He was glad Shawn had taken Dowdy with him. The big, redheaded blacksmith was dependable and fiercely loyal. He’d get Shawn to headquarters if he had to carry him on his broad back.

Where the hell was Pettigrew?
The Yankees were out there, Cherokee could hear them moving up.
Petty, you watch that curve of the path over there and I’ll pick them off here.” No answer.
Petty?”