The Apache had built their village along the river since they could not remember a time when the water had overflowed its banks. Their dwelling places were sturdy wooden hogans, a term Indigo had to define. Taza had only one word in English for all of them: house.
The Apache people had spread throughout the southwestern territories, and unlike Indigo’s people up north they had been here for a very long time.
“You know the natives were here before the white man so I don’t have to tell you that,” Indigo said.
They were sitting beside a fire pit in front of Great Hawk’s house, a hogan by definition, but an unusual one thanks to Sean. If anything it looked like a small fortress, at least that definition came from pictures Darby had seen in the library.
It was almost two stories high with small slotted windows from which a man with a rifle might defend the place. The walls were made with heavy logs and looked virtually impregnable. There was more of that building stone in the foundation walls, but as yet he had not seen the inside.
“The Apache are descendants of the early cliff dwellers who came here thousands of years ago. I don’t think anyone really knows where they came from, but perhaps someday someone will be curious enough to find out.
“Great Hawk’s ancestors lived in reed and bark huts called a wickiup and so did mine,” Indigo said. “But these houses show the evolution of a people who have been at war for a long time.”
“My ancestors lived in sod houses with grass on the roof,” Darby said.
Indigo nodded. “Cultures adapt to their surroundings and the building materials at hand. Sean definitely influenced these people to build a hogan like this. Kind of majestic, isn’t it?”
“A good defensive position,” Mobley said.
Several Apache sat with Mobley and Darby while Indigo gave his little history lesson. Taza seemed fascinated by all the talk and had interpreted what was being said in Apache for Darby’s benefit. The boy seemed a lot smarter in his use of English when there were others around and Darby wondered if he had just been shy when they were alone.
Alejandro Santana Perez had been the topic of the discussion when Darby and Taza had first arrived to sit by the fire pit. Mobley was talking and Great Hawk and Indigo were listening intently. Night was closing in and without the sun there was a chill in the air because of the nearby river.
“Perez was leading several dozen men and heading north when I left Bisbee,” Mobley said. “I went through Tombstone to warn the sheriff and he telegraphed Fort Huachuca up in Tucson for help. I guess they could load a company of men with horses on the train and send it along, but by the time they arrive Perez may have come and gone.”
“Where is he headed?” Indigo asked.
“Probably north, looking for cattle to steal…anything to steal. If they get a big enough herd they will run it all the way back to Mexico…but that presents a big problem. Cattle need water and your river is the only source for miles around.”
“If they come north from Bisbee and follow the river they will be here soon, maybe even tomorrow,” Indigo said.
Mobley nodded. “That’s why I’m here. If they follow the river then Tombstone isn’t in danger, but you are.”
“Who is this Perez?” Darby asked.
“You wouldn’t know since you just arrived,” Mobley said. “He’s one of the most dangerous criminals to come out of Mexico in a decade. They have been raiding cattle ranches all over the southern territories for several years. But if they are headed for Tucson they must have a definite target.
“So the Army won’t be much help unless they move fast. Perez will eventually head back south, and by then he could have stolen thousands of cattle and killed who knows how many…”
“Then we stop them here,” Great Hawk said.
“Twenty four heavily armed men may be more than you can handle, Chief.”
“They will cross Apache land and they will try to kill us, what choice do we have? There are many rifles, plenty of bullets…they would be foolish to challenge us.”
“Maybe they won’t if they have a larger target,” Mobley said.
“How do they expect to get away with this?” Darby asked.
Mobley smiled. “The Mexicans have been crossing our borders for a long time since this territory used to be part of their country. We have the wealth up here that Mexico can’t provide them so they come to steal what they can.
“The Rangers were formed to prevent cattle rustling and combat Indian uprisings…but times have changed. The Apache settled down and now our biggest problems are these border incursions. The Mexican government is too weak to control the criminals in their own country and so their problems have become ours.
“If Perez follows the river like I think he will I don’t see how you can avoid a fight. I will stay and help you, my friends. One more rifle to protect your women and children.”
Great Hawk nodded. “We will be grateful for your help. I will send out scouts in the night to track them. Then we will be ready.”
Darby wondered how many warriors the Apache could muster, but he didn’t ask. Having Mobley stay to help defend the village was a good thing…and then Darby realized he would have to fight as well. Two days in his new surroundings and he was already risking his life. He might be more useful if he knew how to fire a rifle.
The men went on talking as Taza spoke with Indigo and then gestured for Darby to join them.
“Taza will stay with you tonight since John Mobley will sleep in his place,” Indigo said. “Do not worry yourself about tomorrow…we will find something for a city boy to do. Taza will take you back to the house and I hope you can sleep.
“Tomorrow will begin when the scouts come back with news of these bandits. I will come for you early so we can secure the house and bring the animals here for safety. The village is well prepared so whatever battle happens will be over quickly…we will do whatever is necessary to win.”
“You sound very confident,” Darby said.
“In this I am because Sean designed the defenses and Great Hawk has no fear for his people. No, a smart enemy would pass by this place with haste, but I don’t think Perez is smart, just greedy.”
Darby and Taza took a lantern and headed back to the house. Mosh came out of the darkness to greet them as they approached. Yes, the animals would be safer in the village tomorrow because who knew what these bandits might do to Sean’s house.
Mosh followed the boy inside and dropped down beside the stove in what must be his favorite spot. Taza placed the lantern on the table and went to light another while Darby looked around the room. The doors looked heavy and solid with large metal brackets and drop bars that could be placed to secure them.
The bed looked comfortable but there was only the one…where would Taza sleep tonight? Along the far wall were several chests that probably held Sean’s possessions and maybe Hank’s as well. The subject of Hank was uncomfortable and he wondered if the Apache knew of the relationship.
Even with two lanterns the room was dim but Darby walked over to one of the chests and knelt down to open the lid. There on top of a pile of neatly folded clothing was a framed photograph of the O’Brien family standing in front of the workshop. His mother and father, Sean and his wife, the girls when they were still babies, and a young Darby. He recalled them posing for the photographer but the memory was dim since he was only about six at the time.
Sean’s life in those early years had been a great influence on Darby, and then something changed. It had to be more than the death of his wife that set him on a westward course. Darby wished he’d brought the letters Sean had sent home because perhaps there would be a clue there. He’d have to ask Indigo what he knew about Hank.
Taza came to stand beside him and Darby handed him the photograph. That brought a smile as he pointed at Sean.
“Your family?” Taza asked.
“And me,” Darby said, pointing at the boy in the image.
Taza laughed. “Little man, you look tough.”
“Living in the city was quite a challenge, especially if you were Irish.”
“What is Irish?” Taza asked.
It was Darby’s turn to laugh. “Irish is my tribe, I suppose. My grandfather was a poor farmer in Ireland but he was a strong man.”
“There is much I do not know,” Taza said, handing the photo back to Darby. “Will you teach me?”
“I have so much to learn myself…perhaps we can teach each other. Your English is better than I thought. Do you know how to read?”
“Words in books, Sean show me but I do not understand.”
“Sean has books?” Darby said, and he removed the clothing from the trunk and stacked them on the dirt floor. He would have to give them away, but perhaps some of the Apache would be able to use them. Under the clothing were a lot of other items he expected Sean to own. Paper and envelopes for writing letters…and some books.
In his time since leaving school Darby had managed to read a lot of things, but here were some books he had not seen before. Moby Dick, The Whale by a man named Herman Melville. That might be interesting but Darby had to smile since he could not imagine trying to explain a whale to Taza.
The rifle that lay on the bottom of the chest was accompanied by a mean looking pistol in a leather holster with a wide belt full of bullets.
“I have seen this before,” Taza said. “Sean’s rifle shoots many bullets.”
A Winchester with a cocking lever like the one Darby had seen John Mobley carrying. He would have to learn how to shoot it, but maybe Taza could show him. He picked up the pistol and with the holster it must have weighed ten pounds.
“So heavy,” Darby said. “I would not like to wear this all day long.”
Taza nodded. “Apache have no use for pistol…rifle is better. Do you have gun?”
Darby laughed and stood up, walking over to open his bag siting on the bed. He withdrew the derringer from his vest pocket and showed it to Taza.
“I have this little pistol…I don’t really know anything about guns,” He said.
Taza picked up the rifle and cocked the lever revealing an empty chamber. “This for you tomorrow. I show you how to shoot.” He placed the rifle on the table and added several boxes of cartridges. Then he had to smile. “Darby become warrior, fight bad men with Apache.”
Darby looked at the derringer and realized how silly it looked, but he slid it in his pants pocket. He looked back into his bag and saw the Jack London book he’d been reading on the train. Call of the Wild might be a book Taza could understand, he would have to find out.
“Indigo say sleep,” Taza said. “Not easy when bad men come tomorrow.”
“We should try because Indigo said he would be here early. I slept on the ground last night and that was not comfortable. But there is only one bed for the two of us,” Darby said.
“I will sleep on floor,” Taza said.
“No, I think we can both fit on the bed…if you don’t mind.”
“It is only for sleep, we should try,” Taza said.
Darby took off his clothes and stretched out on the bed while Taza extinguished the lamps. In the sudden darkness Darby felt the boy crawl into bed.
“We become good friends, learn much from each other,” Taza said.
“I should teach you to read, but you need to teach me the skills of a warrior,” Darby replied.
“I can do this.”
It became quiet and Darby wondered if Taza had fallen asleep. He shifted on his side until they were facing one another, and even in the darkness he could see that Taza’s eyes were open. Darby was glad that he had bathed, but now they both smelled like smoke from the fire pit.
“You never told me, do you have a woman?” Darby asked.
Taza sighed. “There are many who would have me because I am son of chief. I am not happy with this.”
“You’re unhappy.”
“What is un?”
“Un means a no…unhappy is the proper way of saying you are not happy.”
Taza laughed. “You are giving me English lesson?”
“If the subject of women makes you uncomfortable….” Darby said.
“Ah, that means I am not comfortable… big word for a small thought. I may never learn to enjoy women…it makes me uncomfortable. It shames me in front of my father.”
“Don’t feel shamed…women don’t interest me either.”
“Then you are like Sean,” Taza said.
“I don’t think so,” Darby replied. “I really don’t know.”
Taza reached out a hand and placed it on Darby’s shoulder. “Sleep now…we will talk of many things when time is right.” And then Taza withdrew his touch.
Silence filled the room after that. Darby wasn’t sure he could sleep now that he had all these thoughts in his head…was he like Sean? How would he ever know? The Sean he had known as a boy was not the man who had come to this life among the Apache.
His life here must have been so different. It was obvious these people had embraced his spirit and valued his friendship. They had to know of his partnership with Hank…how could they not know. But if they did it was not to judge him a bad man because he was different.
It would be a difficult subject to broach with Indigo, and yet who else could he ask…Taza? The boy seemed to have spent a good deal of time around Sean, but that was several years ago. Would he discuss the details of that experience?
Too many questions to think about at one time, and thankfully Darby’s mind shut down so that he could sleep. Having Taza beside him was a comfort, and sometime in the night they came together.
Taza wasn’t aware that Darby was holding him in an embrace until he awoke. It had to be early in the morning but when Mosh whined Taza snapped awake. His eyes sought the dog and saw the animal was looking at the door. Taza carefully removed Darby’s arm and slid from the bed. The dog had sensed a presence outside and stood up wagging his tail. This was not a danger signal so Taza walked over and opened the door.
The stars were bright enough to illuminate Indigo standing in the yard with Branna. Mosh made a beeline for the man and the horse snorted.
“Yaa-ta-sai, Taza…good to see you alert,” Indigo said.
The conversations Taza had with Indigo were usually in English, every word a lesson to be learned. Indigo had understood long ago that this was the best way for the boy to learn the language, and he could trust Taza to ask if something was said he did not understand.
“You are here early…the sun still sleeps.”
“But the scouts have returned and the news is not good,” Indigo said. “The bad men have camped a short distance downriver and it will take them but a few hours to reach us here. Is Darby awake?”
“I am,” Darby replied, walking through the door with the rifle in his hand. “I figured you would come early if the news was bad.”
“You figured right, Perez will be here a few hours after sunrise. The village is awake and preparing so it’s time to get you over there. We should hitch up the wagon and take what we can before locking the house.”
There was little enough inside the house since Sean had left few possessions. They loaded the two chests in the wagon and all the supplies they could find in the kitchen cupboard. Indigo secured the front door and the four windows with the drop bars. It would take a strong man with an ax a good while to chop through any of those.
They exited the back door and closed it leaving Darby to wonder how they might secure it from the outside. Indigo boosted Taza up on the roof and the boy picked up two poles that had been lying there. The roof was made of those heavy logs which might have made the interior unbearably hot except it was covered with a thick sod.
Taza brushed back a bit of the soil and stood the poles upright. Each of them slid down until they were barely visible among the grass on the roof.
“The poles engage the frame of the roof and are seated behind that stone sill,” Indigo said. “If you don’t know they are there you’ll never figure out how to open that door from the outside.”
They loaded the saddles and all the spare tack they could find in the barn leaving nothing behind for the bandits to steal. Darby figured they probably wouldn’t steal small things like that but would certainly burn the barn in their frustration at not finding anyone home.
The sky was just beginning to grey when they arrived at the village. The area had been swept clean as families removed anything valuable to the security of their homes. The hogans were shut tight and looked like small outposts for the larger complex of Great Hawk’s dwelling.
Without all the people moving about and with the sunrise Darby could see how the defenses were laid out. The hogans faced an open square and were hemmed in by two lines of defense.
The first obstacle for any attacker was comprised of randomly placed wagons and the short wooden fences that enclosed the village’s vegetable gardens. A horseman could not ride straight at the walls of the hogans but would have to zig zag and expose himself to rifle fire from the upper floors. Darby wasn’t sure if this was Apache thinking or Sean’s, but it would be effective.
A wall enclosed the area around the well and joined another beside the large hogan creating an enclosure. All that would serve to direct an attacker towards the front of the building and a clear line of fire from the defenders. Darby almost laughed aloud when he looked over the wall and saw the courtyard was filled with sheep.
Indigo saw him looking and pointed. “Sheep make it impossible for a man to run at the building. Horses don’t like sheep underfoot…this is a good Apache trick.”
“I agree,” Darby said. “What shall we do with Branna and Mosh?”
“They come inside. Apache war horses corralled on lower floor, men fight above.”
Since the night before, the Apache had erected a wooden barricade comprised of several wagons around the corral where the Apache kept their mules and work horses. Darby led Branna past the corral to the heavy wooden door of the fortress.
They unhitched the mules and led them into the enclosure with the others. Indigo unloaded Darby’s possessions and left the rest, at least here it couldn’t be burned. They carried the two chests and Darby’s bags to the building and Taza opened the door.
There were already a half dozen horses inside tied to a rope stretched between the support pillars. Mosh avoided the horses while Branna went and stood beside several of them. The large room had been cleared of furniture which was stacked against the walls leaving only a ladder leading up to the second level. They added Darby’s possessions to the pile.
“My father will be there,” Taza said, pointing up the ladder. Indigo pointed at the rifle Darby was carrying. “When the time comes I hope you let Taza show you how that works. We haven’t had any time to teach you so without a doubt this will be one intense lesson.
“I don’t know what to tell you about shooting another person. It’s always easier when they’re trying to kill you or someone you care about. For the Apache it will be a necessity, but perhaps you feel this is your home as well and worth defending.”
“Will you fight beside us?” Darby asked.
“I will and my only word of advice is don’t stand in the window opening to watch the fight. Shooting a moving target is hard, and men on horseback move quickly. This is why the defenses are designed to make them dismount and attack on foot. Now we go up and see what the scouts have to say.”
Darby handed Taza the rifle and grasped the rungs of the ladder to climb. Looking around the room as he did so Darby noticed every nook and cranny was filled with buckets and pots of water. That made sense since this was a wooden building and fire was a real hazard.
The upper loft held a dozen of Great Hawk’s men and included John Mobley. Darby knew there were others out in the smaller hogans but he didn’t know how many.
“Morning,” Mobley said and gave Darby a hand as he reached the top of the ladder. Taza handed up the rifle and climbed up followed by Indigo. The loft held several barrels of water and boxes of bread and dried meat. It looked like they could hold out for several days if necessary.
Chappo, the old medicine man, sat against the wall in the corner surrounded by spare rifles and a large box of ammunition. He slid the bolt back on a rifle and inspected the chamber, wiping away any dust with a rag. The rifle looked old, a single action, and Darby saw that most of the Apache rifles were the same.
Mobley saw him looking and nodded. “Their rifles are old, but accurate. How well do you know that Winchester?”
“I have never fired a rifle in my life,” Darby said.
Mobley grinned. “Hell of a time to learn.”
Great Hawk said something in the Apache language and Mobley walked over to one of the windows. Darby and Taza joined him in time to see an Apache warrior galloping up the road and leaping from the back of the horse before it had come to a full halt. A moment later the man was climbing the ladder and giving his report.
“He said Mexican scouts were seen at the lower river crossing we used the other day,” Indigo said. “We don’t know their plans, but if they cross the water then they will be here soon enough.”
“And if they don’t cross?’ Darby asked.
“Then the next thing they will encounter upriver is the smelter. Not much to look at there, just some copper. Great Hawk ordered all traces of the silver to be hidden…anything that might attract attention. I doubt if these bandits know about the mine…”
Great Hawk said something and several warriors stood beside the windows and looked out. “They have crossed…a man on horseback is moving through the trees,” Indigo said.
A few minutes later they heard rifle fire in the distance followed by silence. Then over the course of time smoke began to billow up beyond the trees and Darby knew the bandits had fired the barn. They would be coming here next.
The bulk of Perez’s force appeared through the trees and clustered in the distance to observe the village.
“Looks like all of them made it this far,” Mobley said.
Darby managed a look and saw what appeared to be several dozen men on horseback, but even as he watched they split apart and some of them disappeared from view. The remaining men rode forward and stopped to figure out the difficulty they would have with the Apache defenses.
One of the warriors across the room said something and Great Hawk turned to reply.
“They are circling behind us,” Taza said, and all hell broke loose.
The crack of rifles was followed by the thunk of bullets hitting the logs of the walls around them. Darby looked at Indigo and saw him smile.
“They will waste ammunition if they keep that up,” He said.
The warriors waited with their rifles at the ready until Great Hawk gave the command to return fire. Darby looked at the rifle in his hand and knew he would have to shoot. He cocked the rifle and approached a window. Just beyond the walls encircling the sheep a man rode close with a rope in hand. It looked like he was planning to pull down the wall when Darby aimed and pulled the trigger.
The man dropped his rope and slid from the saddle to the ground. Oh, I shot him, Darby thought, and then bullets hit the walls beside the window and he ducked.
“Good shot,” Indigo said above the noise of rifle fire. “But don’t stand in the window.”
Those at the front were firing just as hard as those at the back and the crack of rifles became deafening. One of the warriors at the back shouted something and Taza hurried over. They both aimed through the window and fired, pulling back as bullets smacked into the walls around them.
“Man come close to house,” Taza said. “Shot in chest. He will bleed and then die.”
It was a cold and cruel thing to say, but probably accurate. By this point two of the Apache had minor wounds and Chappo was tending to them. The rifle fire from outside tapered off and then stopped.
“What happened?” Darby asked.
“They pulled back, but I don’t know why,” Indigo said.
Great Hawk spoke to two of his warriors who quickly descended the ladder. Taza nodded as they departed and gave Darby a smile.
“Scouts go find bandits, see why they run away,” He said.
Mobley was standing at a window and suddenly laughed. “I see why they ran, the Army has arrived.”
Everyone ran to a window and there in the distance was a small group of horsemen in blue uniforms. Away in the distance from across the river there was the sound of rifle fire which went on for a good ten minutes before it stopped. By then a small group of soldiers had approached the village.
Darby joined the men hustling down the ladder and stepped outside to view the carnage. There were two bodies in the courtyard and several more near one of the outlying hogans. Great Hawk and Mobley approached the Army riders who slowly dismounted and stood by their horses.
There was a good deal of hand shaking and discussion to which Darby was not privy so he walked around the building to see what damage had been done. There at the rear door was the dead Mexican shot from above.
Taza joined him and they looked down at the man together. “You were right, he’s dead,” Darby said.
“Never good to kill man unless he try to kill you,” Taza said. “Maybe man have woman and children in Mexico. I shoot but he make choice to come here and die.”
Darby looked up as a group of men rounded the corner of the building. Great Hawk, Mobley, Indigo and an Army officer. They walked over and looked down at the dead man.
“Taza shot him,” Darby said.
“I saw that,” Indigo said. “The one you shot is still on the ground in front.”
“Looks like you have two new warriors, Chief,” Mobley said.
Great Hawk nodded. “My son already known as warrior, but he never face test of blood until today.” Taza blushed at the praise, and then the Chief turned to Darby. “I see the courage of Sean in you, young O’Brien. This will make you good warrior.”
Darby didn’t know what to think. He had never considered himself a warrior. The only fights he had ever been in were with the other boys in his neighborhood back home. But he was here now and he had just shot a man, who like Taza said was trying to kill him. This was now his home and these were his friends.