Silver City Massacre Read Free

high enough to give out much light.”
    â€œI expect we’d better lead these horses on up the river a ways and tie ’em up in the bushes while we go after the packhorses,” Joel said.
    â€œYou plannin’ on strikin’ that tent?” Riley asked.
    â€œNo. The sentry’s already passed by here once, and I reckon he’d wonder what was goin’ on if it was gone the next time he came around,” Joel replied as he looked hurriedly around him in case he might have overlooked anything. “And it’s damn near time he showed up again, so let’s get goin’.”
    No more time was wasted as the new partners led their horses down a gentle slope toward the line of trees and shrubs that bordered the river, picking their way carefully to avoid any holes that might cause the horses to stumble and create a noise.
    â€œThis oughta do,” Riley said when they came to a bunch of tall bushes. “How we gonna do this thing?” he asked when their mounts were secured. “Damn!” It suddenly occurred to him. “I got the packsaddles, but I didn’t get no bridle.”
    â€œI didn’t get an extra one myself,” Joel replied, unconcerned. “I’ve got rope, though, so we’ll make bridles.”
    â€œGood thing,” Riley said, “’cause I didn’t even think about bringin’ rope.” He shook his head and joked, “I guess that’s why you’re an officer and I’m just a sergeant.”
    Carrying nothing but the coil of rope, they went back down the river for a hundred yards before leaving it at a spot that put them even with the herd of extra horses standing peacefully in the treeless valley. They paused there waiting to locate the guards, before moving on in toward the horses. The sentries were not obvious against the dark background of the milling horses, but after a few minutes, Joel spotted a solitary figure slowly pacing his post. They continued to watch until the figure met up with another figure near a large clump of sagebrush. The two sentries paused there for a short while to exchange conversation before parting to reverse their steps. “That’s where to catch ’em,” Riley said. He turned to Joel. “Who’s gonna do the stealin’, and who’s gonna do the talkin’?”
    â€œI expect I’ll steal the horses,” Joel said. “You’ve got a better chance of distractin’ the guards. They’re more likely to chew the fat with you. If I did it, they’d be tryin’ to act real alert and watch everything goin’ on.”
    Riley agreed, so they waited until the guards completed another circuit of their posts and met again at the sagebrush, before scurrying out across the narrow valley.
    â€œHello, the horse guard,” Riley called out as he approached the two soldiers.
    â€œWho goes there?” one of the guards demanded, and both men reacted alertly.
    â€œNobody but ol’ Tarver,” Riley answered, “just takin’ a look around the camp—makin’ sure everything’s all right.”
    Both men relaxed when they recognized the stumpy, bowlegged sergeant. “Evening, Sarge,” one of the men greeted him. “What are you doing, wandering around out here in the dark?”
    â€œLike I said, just keepin’ an eye on things, makin’ sure you boys ain’t takin’ a little nap out here. Anything goin’ on?”
    â€œNary a thing,” the other guard replied. “Quiet as a whore in church.”
    â€œThat’s always good, ain’t it?” Riley said. “Maybe one of you boys has got a match, so’s I can light my pipe.”
    The two sentries were content to pass a little time with the sergeant, giving his accomplice ample time to select two stout horses and fashion bridles with his rope. Happily distracted, they took no notice of the lone figure leading two horses away from