picket line out of sight of the house. While he appreciated the military nature of the plan, he was not happy about the limited role he and his men were going to play.

Coker climbed aboard his horse and looked squarely at me. "Those bastards attacked my ranch, killed my men, and kidnapped women who worked for me, and I'll be damned if I can understand why I am consigned to such a minor role. Why, I'm the only one of you who has experience in the Great Rebellion."

I explained that his role wasn't minor, that a lot could go wrong, and that he and his men, including Chan and the Makepeace brothers, would be critical in keeping Bledsoe and his men from getting away.

Twenty minutes later, we arrived at the spot in the arroyo where Ignacio's horse was still hobbled. As we...

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