Gone to Texas Read Free Page A

hunters had returned. The pack ponies were loaded with huge pieces of dripping red meat. Dogs followed the pack ponies of their masters, snatching hungrily at their loads. The women drove the dogs away, immediately unloaded the ponies, and began slicing the meat into thin strips to put on racks for drying in the sun. The hunters came to see Nolan and his men, but Ellis didn’t see the chief. I bet he doesn’t want to see Nolan now, he thought.
    The powerful Caesar walked up behind One Eye and pinioned his arms, while Fero bound him hand and foot. The other Comanches ignored them, and they left the thief tied up all night.
    In the morning One Eye’s wife led the stolen horses to Nolan two at a time and handed him the lead ropes without looking him in the face. She was obviously fearful for her husband’s life.
    After mounting his horse, Nolan warned One Eye and all who were listening that although his men were few they were well armed, and they could defeat many times their number. Then pushing hard, they reached the fort in four days. The horses were worn down and had to recover their strength before they could run mustangs.
    At dawn a few days later Ellis heard the hoofbeats of many horses. “Injuns!” he shouted, leaping to his feet, and grabbing his rifle. Wondering why the five guards at the corrals had given no warning, he peered over the log walls of the fort and gasped. In front of him were Spanish cavalrymen, militia, and Indians; he looked over the other walls. They were completely surrounded and the five guards were prisoners, their hands tied behind their backs. All of Nolan’s men hurried to the walls, rubbing their eyes and cursing when they saw they were badly outnumbered.
    Seeing the fear in their eyes, Nolan shouted, “We must fight to the death or they’ll make us prisoners for life!" Ellis stared at the Spaniards training their weapons on the fort, and his clammy hands trembled as he put fresh priming in his rifle. It looked like everyone in Texas must be after them. He glanced at Nolan but saw no fear in his eyes. It’s him they’re really after, Ellis thought, not us.
    The Spanish officer, accompanied by a bearded, middle-aged, heavy-set civilian who didn’t look Spanish, rode toward the fort with forty cavalrymen following. “That’s the son-of-a-bitch William Barr,” Nolan growled. “He’s a trader at Nacogdoches. He’s wanted to get me ever since I refused to do some smuggling for him.” He and Fero and a few others walked out to meet them, while Ellis held his breath and stared open-mouthed.
    Nolan held up his hand. “That’s far enough,” he called.“Come no closer or some of us may be killed.” The soldiers stopped. Ellis looked around for some place to hide. The Spanish officer, Captain Miguel de Musquiz, rode forward, with William Barr at his side.
    â€œOur only hope is for Nolan to get them to let us go,” Ellis whispered. “Against so many we haven’t a chance. There must be three hundred of them.” Duncan nodded and licked his lips, glancing anxiously from Nolan to the officers. Joel Pierce and Blackburn stared at the soldiers, their faces white with fear.
    Ellis listened as Músquiz spoke and Barr translated. “You must lay down your arms and surrender,” Barr said in an Irish accent. Ellis listened for Nolan’s reply, almost afraid to hear what he might say. He must know now they’re onto him, Ellis thought, but the rest of us didn’t know about that. He should explain why we’re here so they’ll let us go.
    â€œNo!” was Nolan’s curt reply as he spun about and stalked back to the fort, Fero and the others at his heels. Ellis saw one of the militiamen raise his carbine and aim it at Nolan’s back. Instinctively Ellis aimed and dropped the man. With a sense of unreality, he bent down to reload and saw two of Nolan’s Tejano mustangers