the Daybreakers (1960) by Louis - Sackett's 06 L'amour
Authors: Louis - Sackett's 06 L'amour
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too." He indicated the door. The house surrounded a patio, and stood itself within an adobe wall fifteen feet high. There was a walk ran around the inside near the top of the wall, and there were firing positions for at least thirty men on that wall.
Don Luis sat working at a desk. He arose. "Good afternoon, senor. It is good to see you. Was your venture a success?"
So I sat down and told him of our trip. A few of the cattle had carried his brand and we had kept the money for him and this I now paid.
"There is much trouble here," Don Luis said. "I fear it is only the beginning."
It seemed to me he had aged a lot in the short time since I'd last seen him.
Suddenly, I realized how much I liked that stern, stiff old man with his white mustache.
Sitting back in his chair, he told me how Pritts' men made their first move.
Forty in the group had moved on some flat land well within the Grant and had staked claims there, then they had dug in for a fight. Knowing the manner of men he faced, Don Luis held back his vaqueros.
"There are, senor, many ways to victory, and not all of them through violence.
And if there was a pitched battle, some of my men would be hurt. This I wished to avoid."
The invaders were watched, and it was noted when Pritts and Fetterson returned to Santa Fe on business that several bottles appeared and by midnight half the camp was drunk. Don Luis was close by, but he held back his vaqueros who were eager for a fight.
By three in the morning when all were in a drunken sleep, Don Luis' vaqueros moved in swiftly. The invaders were tied to their horses and started back down the road toward Santa Fe. Their tents and equipment were burned or confiscated, their weapons unloaded and returned to them. They were well down the trail when several riders returning from Mora engaged in a running gun battle with the vaqueros. Four of the invaders were killed, several wounded. Don Luis had two men wounded, none seriously.
"The advantage was ours," Don Luis explained, "but Jonathan Pritts is a very shrewd man and he is making friends, nor is he a man to suffer defeat without retaliation. It is difficult," he added, "to carry out a project with the sort of men he uses. They are toughs and evil men."
"Don Luis," I said, "have I your permission to see Miss Drusilla?"
He arose. "Of course, senor. I fear if the privilege were denied that I should have another war, and one which I am much less suited to handle.
"We in New Mexico," he added, "have been closer to your people than our own. It is far to Mexico City, so our trade has been with you, our customs affected by yours. My family would disapprove of our ways, but on the frontier there is small time for formality."
Standing in the living room of the lovely old Spanish home, I felt stiff in my new clothes. Abilene had given me time to get used to them, but the awkwardness returned now that I was to see Drusilla again. I could hear the click of her heels on the stone flags, and turned to face the door, my heart pounding, my mouth suddenly so dry I could scarcely swallow.
She paused in the doorway, looking at me. She was taller than I had remembered, and her eyes were larger. She was beautiful, too beautiful for a man like me.
"I thought you had forgotten us," she said, "you didn't answer my letter."
I shifted my hat in my hands. "It looked like I'd get here as fast as the letter, and I'm not much hand at writing."
An Indian woman came in with some coffee and some little cakes and we both sat down. Drusilla sat very erect in her chair, her hands in her lap, and I decided she was almost as embarrassed as I was.
"Ma'am, I never called on a girl before. I guess I'm almighty awkward."
Suddenly, she giggled. "And I never received a young man before," she said.
After that we didn't have much trouble. We both relaxed and I told her about our trip, about founding up wild cattle and my fight with the Indians.
"You must be very brave."
Well, now. I liked her thinking that
Don Luis sat working at a desk. He arose. "Good afternoon, senor. It is good to see you. Was your venture a success?"
So I sat down and told him of our trip. A few of the cattle had carried his brand and we had kept the money for him and this I now paid.
"There is much trouble here," Don Luis said. "I fear it is only the beginning."
It seemed to me he had aged a lot in the short time since I'd last seen him.
Suddenly, I realized how much I liked that stern, stiff old man with his white mustache.
Sitting back in his chair, he told me how Pritts' men made their first move.
Forty in the group had moved on some flat land well within the Grant and had staked claims there, then they had dug in for a fight. Knowing the manner of men he faced, Don Luis held back his vaqueros.
"There are, senor, many ways to victory, and not all of them through violence.
And if there was a pitched battle, some of my men would be hurt. This I wished to avoid."
The invaders were watched, and it was noted when Pritts and Fetterson returned to Santa Fe on business that several bottles appeared and by midnight half the camp was drunk. Don Luis was close by, but he held back his vaqueros who were eager for a fight.
By three in the morning when all were in a drunken sleep, Don Luis' vaqueros moved in swiftly. The invaders were tied to their horses and started back down the road toward Santa Fe. Their tents and equipment were burned or confiscated, their weapons unloaded and returned to them. They were well down the trail when several riders returning from Mora engaged in a running gun battle with the vaqueros. Four of the invaders were killed, several wounded. Don Luis had two men wounded, none seriously.
"The advantage was ours," Don Luis explained, "but Jonathan Pritts is a very shrewd man and he is making friends, nor is he a man to suffer defeat without retaliation. It is difficult," he added, "to carry out a project with the sort of men he uses. They are toughs and evil men."
"Don Luis," I said, "have I your permission to see Miss Drusilla?"
He arose. "Of course, senor. I fear if the privilege were denied that I should have another war, and one which I am much less suited to handle.
"We in New Mexico," he added, "have been closer to your people than our own. It is far to Mexico City, so our trade has been with you, our customs affected by yours. My family would disapprove of our ways, but on the frontier there is small time for formality."
Standing in the living room of the lovely old Spanish home, I felt stiff in my new clothes. Abilene had given me time to get used to them, but the awkwardness returned now that I was to see Drusilla again. I could hear the click of her heels on the stone flags, and turned to face the door, my heart pounding, my mouth suddenly so dry I could scarcely swallow.
She paused in the doorway, looking at me. She was taller than I had remembered, and her eyes were larger. She was beautiful, too beautiful for a man like me.
"I thought you had forgotten us," she said, "you didn't answer my letter."
I shifted my hat in my hands. "It looked like I'd get here as fast as the letter, and I'm not much hand at writing."
An Indian woman came in with some coffee and some little cakes and we both sat down. Drusilla sat very erect in her chair, her hands in her lap, and I decided she was almost as embarrassed as I was.
"Ma'am, I never called on a girl before. I guess I'm almighty awkward."
Suddenly, she giggled. "And I never received a young man before," she said.
After that we didn't have much trouble. We both relaxed and I told her about our trip, about founding up wild cattle and my fight with the Indians.
"You must be very brave."
Well, now. I liked her thinking that
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