Quicksilver Passion (192 page)

He sighed, knowing he had no alternative.
I’m a man, Keso, and a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do, no matter what it costs him personally. This is a debt of honor, and I’m sworn to repay Iron Knife for what he’s done for me!”

He started walking at a brisk clip, the boy almost running to keep up with him.
But, boss, the army may find the Cheyenne anyway.”

They may, but I can lessen the chances by putting Dallinger out of action—or at least slow them down. Besides, I owe him justice because he killed my partners.”

They went to the barn and he saddled quickly. Although it was late Saturday night, there was a more boisterous crowd than usual on the streets and most of them looked drunk.

Keso, I may not be back.” He strapped on his pistol.
He may get me first, and by morning, she’ll know about my sight when she realizes I’m gone, so that’s over.”

Won’t she be glad you can see?”

Oh sure, but even if I beat Jake and come back for her, I think she’ll run away and hide herself. I won’t be able to convince her I love her. She’ll call it pity.” He swung up on the horse, the saddle leather creaking.

The boy looked up at him hopefully.
You’re not coming back?”

There’s a little matter of gold in the Palace safe that rightly belongs to me, but I don’t know how I could reclaim it. If I get killed, Keso, you tell the governess what happened and tell her I loved her more than she knew.”

Why don’t you come back and tell her yourself?”

Cherokee shook his head.
I hate to say it, but I think she may be too vain to understand, but maybe that’s not her fault. Her looks meant more to her than I ever did, I reckon.”

He hesitated, wanting to take the lonely boy with him, but he wouldn’t expose Keso to danger. He nodded good-bye and put his spurs to his horse. If he could overtake Dallinger and kill him, he might save the Cheyenne, or at least give them a little more time to escape the cavalry. Cherokee didn’t look back as he rode through the rowdy crowds in the streets.

Keso stared after the big man riding off to the east. Somehow he had dared hope the half-breed might want a stray kid. Keso would manage alone; he had for a long time. But he would like to be part of a family. With a sigh, he curled back up in the hay and went to sleep.

Lon Brett was more than a little drunk. He knew it because he couldn’t focus well on his watch when he pulled it out and looked at it. The Saturday night crowd around him at the Progressive was as drunk as he was.

He leaned back in his chair and tried to keep his thoughts on the poker game at his table and all the laughing people, but his mind was on the girl at the Palace. Damn her to hell, she had had some part in the murder of his brother. He was sure of it, even though the police had that confession from Al Trovato. The Italian was trying to shield her, that was all. There was no legal way Lon could bring her to justice. Hell, he didn’t want justice, he wanted revenge!

Lon had a sudden idea and went looking for Big Ed.
You still wanting an excuse to get rid of the Duchess and her saloon?”