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other, so to speak. Wherever I went, even hunting rabbits, Gitty went with me, and to her credit she even became a damn good shot, and between the two of us there were more than plenty to eat and we stayed on by the creek being happy together until our bullets started running out, and then it was time to move on.
    There weren't too much left of Phoenix after all the fighting that had taken place there all those years ago, but a man we passed on the road told us there was some good trading going on at a post that had been set up where the 60 met the 10. We had plenty of jerky and rabbit hides too, and figured they'd be good for trading—not only for bullets, but maybe even for some new clothes for Gitty.
    "I hope so," Gitty told me. "I'd like to wear something nice for you, like maybe one of them pretty summer dresses I used to wear back in Georgia. Maybe we could find you some new duds too. You'd look mighty fine in a nice pair of blue jeans, I bet. Not that you don't look fine wearing just what you are right now."
    "Kind of you to say, Gitty, but how about you mind that rifle, because unless my eyes is playing tricks on me, there's someone else coming this way."
    " Are , Elgin."
    "Huh?"
    "Unless your eyes are playing tricks on you."
    "Ain't it what I said, woman?"
    We stood and watched and sure enough weren't no tricks they was playing. Neither was it an illusion conjured up by the hot sun, because there, far up the road, was a lone figure walking. He ain't seen us at first, but then suddenly he stopped and was looking at us too, though in the end weren't nothing either side could do but get on with it and keep going, worst thing a man could do out there being to show he was chicken and run. Running only said you was scared, scared being weak, weak being a dead man alongside the road.
    My neck was all sweaty and that sun kept beating down and Gitty was walking alongside me. Then he stopped, and after a couple more paces we stopped too, each one of us as astonished as the other.
    "You!" he said.
    "Well, I'll be!"
    "You'll be all right! I never thought I'd see your blasted face again. And you, Gitty! How the hell you end up with this dirty Mexican? He kidnap you?"
    "Don't you be saying my name, you bastard!"
    "Easy now everyone," I said. "Where's the old woman?"
    "The old woman? Dead. Them damn Mexicans found us as we was sleeping. They must have snuck up on Bill while he was sitting watch. They killed him, then would have done me in too if I hadn't been such a light sleeper. I smashed one of their ugly faces with my rifle, but then them other two wrestled me to the ground. Alice, she done jump on one of them but that Mexican cut her up good, though bless her soul it bought me enough time to kill his buddy before turning my rifle on him and shooting him right in the face."
    "Looks like you got lucky," I said.
    "Lucky? Hell, ain't no luck about it. Ain't no Mexican good enough to kill me. Bill and Randy maybe, Big John that dumb fella, and poor old Alice too, but here I am standing here, though the one thing I'm wondering is what the hell happened to you and how was it you was nowhere to be found after I did in them Mexicans?"
    "Don't you be asking her no questions," I said. "Ain't none of your place to be doing that no more."
    He laughed. "Is that right? So she's yours now, I see. Well I ain't gonna fight you over it, if that's what you're scared of. I reckon I've done had enough good times with her as it is."
    My pistol was out before he could even jump. I smashed him good in the face with it, feeling something break and seeing blood. He fell and I kicked him hard in the head, then again, maybe more, so much wrath just pouring out of me with no way of shutting it off. When it was over, he laid there not moving. I wondered if he were dead, Gitty staring at him with cold eyes, though her hands were shaking as she pointed the rifle.
    "Gitty," I said.
    I jumped back as that rifle cracked. Then she fired one more time, just to