The Defiant Agents

been ridden hard, going lame. There was a rest here, maybe shortly after dawn."

d and listened as if the coyotes as wel

ce left by the unknown rider, an impression blurr

e rider is both. Als

ow?" Tso

o do, thought out his message. This trail was the one to be followed. When the

nt; the coyotes simply vanis

he and Travis began their return to the fo

s head. "There was no provision in th

y have alway

f beasts. But we shall know the truth wh

them. Travis thought that the horse might well be seeking water if allowed hi

ndrance from the man with him. Travis spotted a soft patch of ground with a deep-set impression. This time there had been no

s a bundle still covered with smears of soft earth, and behind her were drag marks from a hole under the overhang of a bu

hair which had been left in a simple decorative fringe along the bottom. The sides had been laced together

dors-the hide itself, horse, wood smoke, and other scents-stran

highly colorful embroidery, and there was no mistaking the design-a heavy antlered Terran deer in mortal combat with what might be a puma. It was bordered with a geometric pattern of beautiful, oddly familiar work.

nging above them. A small case of leather, with silhouetted designs cut from hide and affixed to it, designs as intricate and complex as the embroidery on the jacket-art of a

t they were hidden with some hope of recovery. Travis slowly repacked them, trying to

the jacket with one finger, his

But it is of

Tsoay agreed. "And the puma is very well don

ce. Instead, he made it a part of his own pack. If they did not succeed in running down the fugitive, he

uarry found the ground harder to cover. The second discard lay in open sight-again a leather bag whi

side, brought it out wet; yet this was neither water bag nor canteen. And he was completely mystified when he turned it i

surface, though Travis could see no deposit which might attract

" Tsoay said. "Not

e terrain and then made his own plans. They would leave the plainly marked trace of the fugitive, strike out upslope t

to survey the country before them. At last she trotted on, her buff coat melting into the vegetation.

fight. Then he cached his pack and Tsoay's. As they began the stiff climb they carried only their bows, the quivers slung on their shoulders, and the

their quarry had grown. The unknown might have been driven by fear, but he held to a good pace and headed intelligently for just the kind of country wh

of bush limbs. Both were working their way south, using the peak ahead as an agreed la

t on his bare shoulders and back, his chin propped on his forearm. In the band holding back his hair he ha

ght was very close, it was right down there. Both animals were in ambush, awaiting orders. And wha

notch. In time either he or Tsoay might have sighted that hideaway without the aid of the animal scouts; on the other ha

knew where to look. Odd, Travis began to puzzle over what he saw. It was almost as if whatever pursuit the stranger feared would come n

it be that at some time during the day's journeying the fugitive had doubled back, having seen his trackers? But there had been no traces of any such scouting,

one or something which would come upon him from the heights. The heights.... Travis rol

roam there. There had been some paw marks, one such trail the coyotes had warned against. But the type of precautions the s

each feature of the hillside, setting in his mind a picture of every inch of ground they must cross. Jus

s lips, made a small angry chittering, three times repeated. One of the species inhabiting these heights, as they had noted earlier, was a creature about as big as the palm of a man's hand, resembling nothing so much as a round ball o

the younger man had taken position beh

," Tsoay

above." Travis added

t us, I

adows. That would be the first time for their move. He said as much, and Tsoay nodded eagerly. They sat with their backs to a boulder, the tree trunk serving as a screen, and chewed metho

avis judged the shadows cover enough. He had no way of knowing how the stranger was armed. Though h

owever, Travis wanted to take the fugitive unharmed if he could. There was inf

gly. Travis signaled with his hand and thought out what would be the coyotes' part in this surprise attack.

d forward. He heard the nicker of a frightened horse, a clicking which could have marked the pawi

coyotes gave tongue for the second time, the eerie wailing rising to a y

g head plainly marked against the sky. A blurred figure weaved back and forth before it, tryin

he Apache's hold, to face his attacker. But Travis bore them both on, rolling almost under the feet of the horse, sliding downhill, the

the stranger was not that of an unconscious man. They lay so, the unknown still tight in Travis' hold but no

wry twist of amusement. He shifted his hold, and got the lightning-quick response he had expected. But it was not q

cord!" he ca

onds on the struggling captive. Travis rolled their catch over, reaching

to the stranger's face. Dust marks were streaked now with tear runnels, but the gray

nly a woman, but a very young and attractive one. Also, at the present moment, an exceedingly angry one. And behind that anger

of him. Her tongue touched her lips, moistening them, and now the fear in her was

in English, for he had no

r breath with a gasp

tion in a marked accent. English was

to twist and then realized he was merely pulling her up to a sitting positi

lue Wolf," she stated in h

s fingers at the shadows, and the two animals came noiselessly into sight. Her gaze widened even more a

in Apache, looking over their prisoner with f

broidery designs on the jacket. Who had called themse

Daughter of the B

e button activating terror. She flung back he

arry to the stars just coming into brilliance above them. "They wi

found that he, too, was searching the sky, not knowing what he looked