Part 40 (2/2)

'Do it fast. I think they're coming in again.'

Gambion and Ja.n.u.s slid down the slope, calling the men to them. They came reluctantly for the most part and gathered in a ragged line.

'You'd better stand this time, by G.o.d!' yelled Gambion.

The riders came on at full gallop. The guns of the defenders bellowed, echoing up into the pa.s.s, and the rolling thunder of the volleys drowned the sound of galloping hooves.

The pa.s.s was black with cordite smoke and as it cleared Gambion watched the last of the h.e.l.lborn cantering away out of range. Fewer than fifty men remained of the three hundred who launched the attack on the first day, while seven defenders were dead and two wounded.

'We'd better gather some ammunition,' said Ja.n.u.s. 'Send ten men to strip the bodies.'

Gambion did so, while the other defenders kept a wary eye on the retreating riders.

'We did well today,' said Gambion. 'You believe in G.o.d now?'

Ja.n.u.s cursed. It was the first time Gambion had heard him swear.

'What is it?'

Ja.n.u.s pointed to where, on the far side of the valley, a column of riders could be seen.

's.h.i.+t!' hissed Gambion. 'How many?'

'I don't know. Five hundred maybe.'

The scavengers returned with sacks of bullets and some extra pistols. One of them moved alongside Gambion.

They didn't have more than five sh.e.l.ls apiece. Ain't enough to hold that bunch.'

'We'll see.'

'Well I ain't staying,' said the man. 'I done my share.'

'We've all done our share, Isaac. You want to run out on G.o.d?'

'Run out on him? He ain't doing us no favours here, is he? There must be four, five hundred more of them sons of b.i.t.c.hes and we ain't even got enough sh.e.l.ls for them all.'

'He's right, Ephram,' said Ja.n.u.s. 'Send a rider to Cade -tell him he's got less than a day and he'd better speed up.'

'I'll go,' said Isaac, 'and glad to be out of it.'

The two wounded men were carried back into the pa.s.s and Ja.n.u.s touched Gambion's arm.

'We ought to move back, Ephram. We can't do any good here.'

'We can thin them a little.'

'They can afford to lose more than we can.'

'You want to run, then run!' snarled Gambion. 'I'm staying.'

'Here they come!' yelled a defender, pumping a sh.e.l.l into the breech. Gambion wiped sweat from his eyes and peered out into the canyon. Then blinked and squinted into the sunlight.

'Hold your fire!' he shouted. The lead rider came closer and Gambion waved, a broad smile breaking out on his face.

'Jesus,' whispered Isaac. They're Southerners!'

The troop cantered past the bodies of the h.e.l.lborn and the leader drew rein before Gambion. He was a short, stocky man with a red moustache.

'Well, Gambion, I swore to hang you and now I'm going to have to fight alongside you.

There's no justice left in the world!'

'I never thought to be pleased to see you, Simmonds, but I could kiss your boots.'

The man stepped down from the saddle. 'We've had refugees streaming south for a while now, telling tales like a sane man couldn't believe. Do these b.a.s.t.a.r.ds really wors.h.i.+p the Devil and drink blood?'

'They do and more,' said Gambion.

'Where are they from?'

'The Plague Lands,' Gambion replied, as if that explained everything.

'Is it true that Cade's become a prophet?'

'As true as I'm standing here. You still carrying muskets?'

'It's all we've got.'

'Not any more. We didn't have a chance to collect all the weapons from them h.e.l.lborn.

You help yourself. They carry repeating rifles - d.a.m.n good weapons. Ten shot some of them. The others is eight.'

Simmonds sent some of his men to search the dead, while the rest rode back into the pa.s.s to make camp. He himself wandered up the ridge with Gambion and Ja.n.u.s.

'This your boy?' he asked.

'No, this is our general. And don't make jokes, Simmonds - he's done us proud the last six days.'

'You shaving yet, son?'

'No, sir, but I'm two inches taller than you so I guess that makes us even.'

Simmonds' eyebrows raised. 'You a Brigand?'

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