fright.
“Patricia?” Maria called.
“She is all right, Maria,” Antonie yelled in reply as she pinned down the attackers who were now seeking cover. “Get out of the way, for we will be coming through in a minute."
“But it's open between here and the door,” squeaked Tillis.
“That is all right, Señor Tillis. Patricia will be safe, for I will keep this scum pinned down and you will be her cover."
“Now, wait just a damned minute..."
"Señor Tillis, you will do that and take a chance at being shot, or you may stay here and be certain that I will shoot you."
“But, Antonie, what about you?” Patricia asked in a trembling voice.
“I will be all right, Patricia. I will be right behind you. Tomás is on the roof and will cover me.” Beginning a steady and deadly cover fire, Antonie hissed, “Go now."
Antonie almost smiled when Tillis scooped up Patricia and keeping her sheltered, bolted for the door. He had clearly believed her threat, for he nearly hurled himself into the house. Considering the roughness of the rescue, Antonie was not sure Patricia would be too grateful. Very carefully, Antonie edged closer to her goal, readying herself to follow the couple into the house. She just hoped that going inside would really be safer.
“Tomás,” she yelled. “I am ready."
After one last emptying of her pistol to aid Tomás in keeping the attackers pinned down, she raced for the door. It was not only the cries of the attackers that told her a few had dared to break their cover. Several shots came too close, so close she felt them pass. One even tore through her shirtsleeve as she slammed the door shut.
Maria, a weeping Rosa, a pale Patricia, and a clearly terrified Clem Tillis hovered in the parlor. It was certainly a pathetic little army, Antonie thought wryly as she moved to the window. When she smashed a window, all three squealed and she almost laughed. She forced herself to be stern, however, for she could not afford to let them be useless. They were all she had. With them she was going to have to form an adequate defense of the house that would cover all angles of attack.
“Where are Jed and Old Pete?” she demanded even as she concentrated on keeping their enemies from getting too near the house.
“Pete is across the hall and Jed is upstairs,” replied Maria.
“Good, good. Now, get me guns and ammunition. All there is in the house. And shut that Rosa up."
It took a few minutes but Maria finally got Rosa to calm down a little. Then, with the terrified girl in tow, she left to get the weapons and ammunition Antonie had asked for. Antonie noticed that Clem Tillis was firmly settled behind a very solid chair and showing no inclination to lend a hand. She was going to enjoy changing his mind.
When Maria and Rosa had collected all the weapons in the house, Antonie was impressed. The Bancrofts had collected enough to supply a small army. Antonie just wished she had the small army to use them.
“Who can handle a gun?” she demanded as she helped herself to a substantial supply of ammunition.
“I am not very good but I can use a rifle,” Maria answered. “Patricia can shoot, but Rosa, she has never learned."
Nodding, Antonie silently indicated that they should choose their weapons, then looked at Clem. “And you, señor?"
“Hell, this ain't my fight. I'm not risking my neck."
"Sí, you are.” She calmly pointed her gun at him. “You shoot them or I shoot you."
“And how can you explain that to my folks?"
“You died in the battle. So tragic.” Although he looked suitably unnerved, he made no move to pick out a weapon or use his own. She coolly shot away the cigar he was just lighting up in a show of bravado that did not fool her at all. “You will choose a weapon."
“All right, all right. I can use a rifle better'n I can a pistol,” he said, his voice a wavering falsetto.
“Patricia, you will go to one of the bedrooms and Maria will go to another. I want all sides watched.
“Patricia?” Maria called.
“She is all right, Maria,” Antonie yelled in reply as she pinned down the attackers who were now seeking cover. “Get out of the way, for we will be coming through in a minute."
“But it's open between here and the door,” squeaked Tillis.
“That is all right, Señor Tillis. Patricia will be safe, for I will keep this scum pinned down and you will be her cover."
“Now, wait just a damned minute..."
"Señor Tillis, you will do that and take a chance at being shot, or you may stay here and be certain that I will shoot you."
“But, Antonie, what about you?” Patricia asked in a trembling voice.
“I will be all right, Patricia. I will be right behind you. Tomás is on the roof and will cover me.” Beginning a steady and deadly cover fire, Antonie hissed, “Go now."
Antonie almost smiled when Tillis scooped up Patricia and keeping her sheltered, bolted for the door. He had clearly believed her threat, for he nearly hurled himself into the house. Considering the roughness of the rescue, Antonie was not sure Patricia would be too grateful. Very carefully, Antonie edged closer to her goal, readying herself to follow the couple into the house. She just hoped that going inside would really be safer.
“Tomás,” she yelled. “I am ready."
After one last emptying of her pistol to aid Tomás in keeping the attackers pinned down, she raced for the door. It was not only the cries of the attackers that told her a few had dared to break their cover. Several shots came too close, so close she felt them pass. One even tore through her shirtsleeve as she slammed the door shut.
Maria, a weeping Rosa, a pale Patricia, and a clearly terrified Clem Tillis hovered in the parlor. It was certainly a pathetic little army, Antonie thought wryly as she moved to the window. When she smashed a window, all three squealed and she almost laughed. She forced herself to be stern, however, for she could not afford to let them be useless. They were all she had. With them she was going to have to form an adequate defense of the house that would cover all angles of attack.
“Where are Jed and Old Pete?” she demanded even as she concentrated on keeping their enemies from getting too near the house.
“Pete is across the hall and Jed is upstairs,” replied Maria.
“Good, good. Now, get me guns and ammunition. All there is in the house. And shut that Rosa up."
It took a few minutes but Maria finally got Rosa to calm down a little. Then, with the terrified girl in tow, she left to get the weapons and ammunition Antonie had asked for. Antonie noticed that Clem Tillis was firmly settled behind a very solid chair and showing no inclination to lend a hand. She was going to enjoy changing his mind.
When Maria and Rosa had collected all the weapons in the house, Antonie was impressed. The Bancrofts had collected enough to supply a small army. Antonie just wished she had the small army to use them.
“Who can handle a gun?” she demanded as she helped herself to a substantial supply of ammunition.
“I am not very good but I can use a rifle,” Maria answered. “Patricia can shoot, but Rosa, she has never learned."
Nodding, Antonie silently indicated that they should choose their weapons, then looked at Clem. “And you, señor?"
“Hell, this ain't my fight. I'm not risking my neck."
"Sí, you are.” She calmly pointed her gun at him. “You shoot them or I shoot you."
“And how can you explain that to my folks?"
“You died in the battle. So tragic.” Although he looked suitably unnerved, he made no move to pick out a weapon or use his own. She coolly shot away the cigar he was just lighting up in a show of bravado that did not fool her at all. “You will choose a weapon."
“All right, all right. I can use a rifle better'n I can a pistol,” he said, his voice a wavering falsetto.
“Patricia, you will go to one of the bedrooms and Maria will go to another. I want all sides watched.
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