into the dirt just in front of me. I could see the black powder rising in the air about two hundred yards away; then I saw one of the brothers get slowly to his feet and walk to a clump of scrub trees. I recall thinking how disdainful that act was, as if he was convinced the three of us presented no danger to them. I wasn't sure why they would think that way. After all, I had just shot their mother.

I felt a hand on my shoulder. It was Ben. "Give me the Winchester, Billy.

This kind of thing was my job in the Union Army."

I hesitated. Then Mr. Hawes chimed in. "Give Ben the rifle, Billy."

Another round from a Sharps slammed into the dirt in front of me. I rolled down deeper into the arroyo, and as I did, I handed the rifle to Ben.

I wa...

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