The Gila Wars: A Josiah Wolfe, Texas Ranger Novel by Sweazy Larry D

Author:Sweazy, Larry D.
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: WordWise Publishing Services, LLC
Published: 2024-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 27

Another round of gunfire crackled in the distance, soft thunder that barely had any energy at all. Josiah was certain the gunfire was from a pistol, not a rifle.

It was hard to tell if they’d stumbled on another scout, or if they’d managed to ride straight into Cortina’s men, set on delivering the herd of cattle. If so, it was sixteen against two. Not good odds in any circumstance. Even worse when a horse had been lost. There would be no quick escape, no fast run back to the camp. Returning alive would be difficult at best, and impossible if they were as outnumbered as Josiah thought they were. Cortina would not take kindly to prisoners, if it came to that, like Captain McNelly had.

Pip crawled to his mare and hugged her bloody neck.

A murky, forked river of blood oozed out from the horse’s body. The flies celebrated their remarkable stroke of luck, of being in the right place at the right time, and made their way to the red feast in swarms. The mare’s smooth chestnut hair looked black, black as the horse’s terrified eyes as she struggled with all of her might to stand and flee. Her heart would not allow such a thing, weakness had set in—death was near, but not near enough. The shots would have been more humane if they would have struck the horse in the heart and killed her outright. As it was, she foamed at the mouth, gasped for air, all the while fighting to run one last time.

Shock had worn off Pip’s mousy face. His cheeks were twisted in fear and anguish. His eyes were as dark as the horse’s, and his entire face was as white as the salty ground they laid on.

The grass gave them cover, but the shooter knew where they had fallen, and was methodically firing into it. A gunshot exploded about every ten seconds. Bullets ripped across the top of the grass, thumping into the ground five or six feet away from where the horse struggled to live, as Josiah and Pip watched in horror.

Their own luck wouldn’t last long, Josiah was certain of it. He had no idea if Clipper had made his way to safety, or if the Appaloosa lay dying, like the mare, close by, only alone.

The ambush had come amazingly quick, and though they shouldn’t have been surprised by it, it was obvious that they were. One minute all was right with the world, they were riding along talking, and the next they were lying in a growing pool of blood, trapped with no way out.

Pip stared at Josiah, then rolled to his side, looked up to the sky, then back to the dying horse just as quickly. He had pulled his gun from the holster, a long-barreled Colt Dragoon, and without hesitation, settled the cold metal barrel behind the mare’s ear, and pulled the trigger.

For a moment, all Josiah could see was the bright orange flash. He was immediately deafened by the shot.

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