Tykota's eyes were troubled. "I do not know where the future will take me."
"You want the white woman for your wife."
"Yes. But she is gone, and I do not know where to find her."
Mangas stood up. "I am an old man. I am going to my-"
A rifle shot rang out, and Tykota watched Mangas lurch backward as if some unseen hand had jerked him against the cliff wall. Tykota ran to him and knelt beside him. He had been shot in the chest!
Mangas spoke in a whisper. "You cannot save me." He grasped Tykota's arm with a bloodstained hand. "Save yourself."
Tykota fell to his stomach and crawled toward his rifle. Grasping the weapon in one hand, he cocked it and glanced back toward Mangas. Fighting to contain his rage, he inched away from the campfire and into the shadows just as a bullet whizzed past his head.
"Santo!" he called out, knowing who the shooter was. "Do you hide like a woman, or will you face me like a warrior?"
He was met by silence.
"Show yourself!"
This time his answer was a bullet ricocheting off the side of the stone cliff. From the direction of the bullets, Tykota gauged that Santo was hidden in the clump of sage bushes to the left of the mesa.
Cradling his rifle, he crawled back to Mangas. Blood had spread over his chest and onto the rock face of the mesa. "Mangas, I believe it is Santo. I am going after him. I will come back for you."
The old man raised a hand and let it fall limply by his side. "Go from me. Save yourself, Tykota."
Tykota felt grief rip through his heart. Anger coiled within him, and his gaze went to the horses. Touching Mangas's limp hand, he crawled toward his horse. He slid onto the mare's back and, keeping to the shadows, rode quietly down the slope.
When he was clear of the mesa, he urged his horse into a gallop. Bending low over the animal's neck, he headed for the place he was sure Santo was hiding.
Tykota did not hear the bullet that tore through him, knocking him off his horse. He landed hard on the ground and rolled down a small hill. Pain made it hard for him to breathe, and he felt warm, sticky blood run down his shoulder.
He raised his head in time to see Santo standing at the rise, his rifle aimed at him. "If only the Perdenelas could see their great chief now, Tykota. They would know that I am greater than you, because I have slain the dog, Mangas, who trails after you, and I have killed you."
Tykota clutched his own rifle and fired. The bullet struck true. Santo tumbled down the hill and lay beside him.
He jerked Santo up, cursing, "You are not fit to lie even with dogs. You hide in the darkness like some wild animal."
But Santo did not hear Tykota's words. He was already dead.
Tykota managed to stand, and, using his rifle to lean on, he made his way up the hill and pulled himself onto his horse.
Each step the horse took caused Tykota's wound to throb and bleed. He wanted to go to Mangas but he knew he could not make it. Nor could he lift his old friend's body. He pointed his mount in the direction of the cavern and slumped forward into unconsciousness.
The moon was low in the sky when Tykota woke. He groaned and sat up straight on his horse. His mouth tasted like metal, and his shoulder hurt so fiercely that he gritted his teeth to keep from crying out. The bullet was still in him, and there was no one to remove it. Even his food and waterskin were back at the campsite. Struggling to stay upright, he urged his horse forward. He had to make it to the cave.
Then he shook his head at his own befuddlement. Coloradous would not be at the cave until the full moon, and that was three weeks away.
No one else knew where to find the cave.
He slumped forward, not afraid to die-death had no sting for him. But he would have liked to see Makinna just once more.
Makinna stepped down from the stage, surprised to see John Kincaid. He offered her his arm and smiled. "Didn't your sister come with you?"
Makinna nodded, turning to watch as Adelaide stepped to the ground. She glanced back at John and saw the warmth creep up his face. She had little doubt John was in love with her sister, or certainly well on the road to it.
"Can you tell me how Mrs. Silverhorn is?"
"I saw her just this morning, and she was doing fine."
Makinna drew a relieved breath. "When I got the telegram, I was afraid she might be ill."
"No, ma'am. She's fit as ever."
"Then I wonder why she asked me to come."
"She didn't tell me, ma'am. You'll have to ask her when you get to Biquera."
Makinna was puzzled and a little frightened.
What if something was wrong with Tykota?
John held out his other arm to Adelaide, and she blushed prettily as she placed her hand there. "You look as pretty as a summer rose, Mrs. Johnson," he said, smiling. He glanced over at Makinna. "And so do you, Miss Hillyard."