Part 53 (1/2)
I'd shot us a jackrabbit that afternoon, so we hadn't needed to gnaw on mule jerky for our supper. We'd just finished eating it when the man called out.
It startled us both considerable.
I s.n.a.t.c.hed out my Colt. Jesse put a hand on my knee to settle me down.
”Tell him to come on in,” she whispered.
”Step along into the light where we can see you,” I called. ”Don't let me see any iron in your hands.”
”If you're fixing to plug me, I'll just go on my way and leave you be. I ain't looking for no trouble.”
Jesse called, ”You're welcome to come in and set.”
”Thank you kindly, miss.”
With that, Barney Dire led his horse into the glow of the firelight. He held his reins in one hand. He held the other hand up, open to show it was empty. That one was short two fingers, the ring finger and pinkie.
”I seen your light,” he said. ”Hope you don't mind me joining you.”
”Long as you behave,” Jesse told him.
”I most generally do,” he said. ”I ain't the violent sort, Lord knows-though I run up against it now and again, much as I hate such doings.” He tied his reins to a tall cactus over near General, then sauntered closer.
Though he had a voice that made him sound like quite a large fellow, he was so pint-sized that he appeared half-lost inside his duds. Everything he wore looked too big for him. The brim of his hat was as wide as his shoulders. The bandanna hanging around his neck looked the size of a tablecloth. His vest hung down so low it draped the b.u.t.t of his six-gun. His chaps flapped about his legs like a couple of sails.
Even his thick, dark mustache looked like it belonged on the face of a man twice his size.
He was all creaking leather and jingling spurs as he stepped to the other side of the fire and sat down.
With a sigh, he said, ”Much obliged. Name's Dire. Barney Dire.” He touched the brim of his hat.
”I'm Trevor,” I said. ”This is Jesse.”
”Pleased to make your acquaintance, folks.”
He had a rather calm, friendly manner about him. His eyes, s.h.i.+ny in the firelight, had a bit of humor or mischief that put me in mind of Jesse. Though it seemed smart to remain cautious, I went on ahead and holstered my Colt.
”I'm afraid we haven't any food to offer you,” I said. ”We just now finished eating all we had.”
”Less you've got a hankering for some mule jerky,” Jesse told him.
Barney laughed and shook his head. ”Nope, reckon I'll pa.s.s on the offer. Much obliged, anyhow. Just figured to set awhile and jaw with you folks. My old horse, Joey, ain't much for conversation.”
”It can get lonely, traveling alone,” I said.
”Well, there's worse things than lonely. I'd a sight rather run on my own than get saddled with a sourpuss. Or with a gal, if you'll beg my pardon, Miss Jesse.”
I gave Jesse a glance, and saw she was smiling. ”What's your problem with gals?” she asked.
”Why, they're generally a sorry lot. All the time bossing and whining. Not as I'm saying you're you're any such nuisance.” He tipped a wink at me. any such nuisance.” He tipped a wink at me.
”Jesse's quite all right, actually,” I said.
She laughed.
”First thing you know, they're after you to settle down. Don't want you having no fun, seems as how they look at things. Why, they raise a fit if you have yourself a drink or a chaw, and they treat your friends ornery. If they could, I reckon they'd lock you up and never let you out, 'cept when it suited them, and that'd only just be to work ch.o.r.es.”
”I say,” said I, ”you do have a rather low opinion of them.”
”Been married to two of the critters. They was both fine gals till we got us. .h.i.tched. First thing you know, they up and changed on me. Seems like they was both of 'em cut out to be penitentiary guards.”
Jesse laughed.
”Not as I'm saying you're you're any such,” Barney told her. any such,” Barney told her.
”Thanks kindly.”
”You gonna hitch up with Trevor here?” he asked.
”Why, I don't reckon he's likely to ask, now that you've filled his ear with such manure.”
That got Barney to chuckling softly. ”Well, you're both mighty young yet. Not more than children by much. There ain't no call to rush into such a tricky game as marriage. How'd you two throw in together, if you don't mind me asking?”
”Jesse had a go at stealing my horse.”
She blurted, ”Tell the whole world, why don't you!”
”Well, you didn't get it, did you?”
”Only just because I took it easy on you.”
”I got the drop on you!”
”I kept my knife to myself.”
”Settle down, folks,” Barney said. ”Lord alive, I didn't aim to start up a war between you. We don't want no bloodshed here.”
”He started it,” Jesse said.
”I did not.”
”Did too.”
”This is what comes,” Barney broke in, ”of poking my nose into matters that don't concern me. I'm right sorry I asked. Somebody oughta cut it off for me so's I'll stop sticking it where it don't belong. Already missing enough parts, though.” He held up his hand to show us which parts he meant. ”Got 'em shot clean off in Phoenix back in eighty-four. Minding my own business, too. Just having myself a beer when a couple of hotheads down the other end of the bar took to throwing lead and a stray slug found me. Took off both my fingers clean as a whistle.”
”I had it figured,” Jesse said, ”that one of your wives took a knife to you.”
”Ain't how it happened. Not that you're far off the track, though. My first wife, she took after me with a knife every time I came home with a snootful. Got me some scars to show for it, but she never got off a piece of me. Not for lack of trying. I'm small, but quick.” He held what was left of his hand close to the fire and studied it. ”Nope, it wasn't Aggie carried off my fingers. Just a dang bullet.”
”Does it cause you much trouble, being without them?” I asked.