Quicksilver Passion (203 page)

You think I’m blind, you just try anything. I’d welcome a chance to shoot you down like a dog right here and now.” Cherokee hesitated. All this time he had planned to do just that. But now that he had the killer in his gun sights, he couldn’t do it. He’d thought he would take pleasure in it, but he knew now he’d only feel shame. Whatever the law did about it, if Cherokee took justice into his own hands, he wasn’t any better than the big man who stood before him with his hands in the air.

They’ll be looking for me,” Jake said.
If I don’t show up in the next five minutes, I’ve got partners out there on the trail who’ll come back to deal with you.”

You damned liar! I know you’re alone and heading out to scout for the Third Volunteers!”

Jake frowned.
What’s that to you? They’re Cheyenne and I can tell by lookin’ you’re not.”

Cherokee laughed.
I owe a man a debt and I gave him my word. A real man always keeps his word, Jake. I got friends in that camp, so if you don’t get there, there may be enough of a delay for Iron Knife’s clan to escape.”

Iron Knife? Is that damned ’breed there? If I’d knowed that from the first—”

It doesn’t matter, you aren’t going out there to scout for the army.”

So what are you gonna do with me? If you think they’ll take a ’breed’s word against a white man’s back in Denver, you’re mistook.”

I ought to kill you right here myself and save the cost of a judge and jury.”

Jake laughed.
I’ve shot men down like dogs before, but I’ll bet you haven’t. You don’t have the guts for it.”

Shut up or I’ll spill yours all over this ground!”

Very faintly in the darkness, Cherokee heard a horse coming down the trail he had just traveled. Who could that be? Friend or foe?

Jake turned his head.
Someone’s coming.”