We could head for Texas,” I said to Virgil.
“We could,” Virgil said.
“I don’t owe Wolfson anything,” I said.
“Nope.”
“You haven’t even taken his money.”
“True,” Virgil said.
“Cato and Rose will probably stay,” I said.
“Probably,” Virgil said.
We were working the horses again. We’d already let them stroll. Then we’d breezed them pretty hard for a while. Now, with the reins looped over the saddle horn, we were letting them browse along, nibbling grass.
“We could head for Texas,” I said.
“Could,” Virgil said.
“Ain’t we just had this talk?” I said.
“Yep.”
“So why don’t we head for Texas,” I said.
“Ain’t time yet,” Virgil said.
“Because?”
Virgil leaned back in his saddle and looked up at an eagle circling slow and easy on the air currents in the sky.
“Don’t want Wolfson running the town,” Virgil said.
“Why not?”
“Same reason we didn’t want that mob lynching Cato and Rose,” Virgil said.
“’Cause it would be against the law?”
Virgil shook his head. The horses moseyed along, reins loose, head down, nosing at the grass.
“I ain’t a lawman,” he said.
“Good thing,” I said. “Ain’t nothing happened here since I got here had anything to do with law.”
“Had to do with us shooting better than them,” Virgil said.
“It did,” I said.
“Better than shootin’ worse,” Virgil said.
There was a stream to the right. In the late summer it would probably be dry. But for now, it came up near the bottom of the hills behind us and found its way down a shallow wash to the bigger stream that ran among the homestead ranches. The horses smelled it and veered over to it and drank from it. Virgil patted his horse’s neck quietly while he drank.
“Don’t feel bad about anything I done here,” I said.
Virgil patted his horse some more. He nodded.
“I know,” he said.
You got any money left?” I said.
“Not much,” Virgil said.
“Me either.”
“Don’t need much,” Virgil said.
“Got to have some,” I said.
“Maybe we should work for Wolfson,” Virgil said. “While we see how things develop.”
“And if they develop wrong?”
“Don’t know about wrong,” Virgil said. “But Wolfson shouldn’t run the whole town.”
“With Cato and Rose to back him.”
“So if it goes that way, we quit?”
“Probably,” Virgil said.
“And do what?” I said.
“Can’t say.”
“Might have to go against Cato and Rose,” I said.
“Might.”
“And you’re willing?”
“Yep.”
“Yesterday you was saving their lives,” I said.
“We was,” Virgil said.
“What’s the difference?”
“Don’t know,” Virgil said. “Maybe we’ll find out.” We picked up our reins and lifted the horses’ heads and pointed them back toward town.
“Virgil,” I said as the horses walked toward home, “I get killed while you figure out what you are, I’m gonna resent it.”
Virgil nodded.
“Don’t blame you,” he said.