True Grit - Charles Portis [51]
Rooster said nothing.
I said, “It looks like six months would be enough for you.”
LaBoeuf said, “No, it sounds boastful and foolish but it was not. I was almost sick when I heard of the surrender.”
I said, “My father said he sure was glad to get home. He nearly died on the way.”
LaBoeuf then said to Rooster, “It is hard to believe a man cannot remember where he served in the war. Do you not even remember your regiment?”
Rooster said, “I think they called it the bullet department. I was in it four years.”
“You do not think much of me, do you, Cogburn?”
“I don’t think about you at all when your mouth is closed.”
“You are making a mistake about me.”
“I don’t like this kind of talk. It is like women talking.”
“I was told in Fort Smith that you rode with Quantrill and that border gang.”
Rooster made no reply.
LaBoeuf said, “I have heard they were not soldiers at all but murdering thieves.”
Rooster said, “I have heard the same thing.”
“I heard they murdered women and children at Lawrence, Kansas.”
“I have heard that too. It is a damned lie.”
“Were you there?”
“Where?”
“The Lawrence raid.”
“There has been a lot of lies told about that.”
“Do you deny they shot down soldiers and civilians alike and burned the town?”
“We missed Jim Lane. What army was you in, mister?”
“I was at Shreveport first with Kirby-Smith—”
“Yes, I heard about all them departments. What side was you on?”
“I was in the Army of Northern Virginia, Cogburn, and I don’t have to hang my head when I say it. Now make another joke about it. You are only trying to put on a show for this girl Mattie with what you must think is a keen tongue.”
“This is like women talking.”
“Yes, that is the way. Make me out foolish in this girl’s eyes.”
“I think she has got you pretty well figured.”
“You are making a mistake about me, Cogburn, and I do not appreciate the way you make conversation.”
“That is nothing for you to worry about. That nor Captain Quantrill either.”
“Captain Quantrill!”
“You had best let this go, LaBoeuf.”
“Captain of what?”
“If you are looking for a fight I will accommodate you. If you are not you will let this alone.”
“Captain Quantrill indeed!”
I rode up between them and said, “I have been thinking about something. Listen to this. There were six bandits and two stock thieves and yet only six horses at the dugout. What is the answer to that?”
Rooster said, “Six horses was all they needed.”
I said, “Yes, but that six includes the horses belonging to Moon and Quincy. There were only four stolen horses.”
Rooster said, “They would have taken them other two as well and exchanged them later. They have done it before.”
“Then what would Moon and Quincy do for mounts?”
“They would have the six tired horses.”
“Oh. I had forgotten about them.”
“It was only a swap for a few days.”
“I was thinking that Lucky Ned Pepper might have been planning to murder the two stock thieves. It would have been a treacherous scheme but then they could not inform against him. What do you think?”
“No, Ned would not do that.”
“Why not? He and his desperate band killed a fireman and an express clerk on the Katy Flyer last night.”
“Ned does not go around killing people if he has no good reason. If he has a good reason he kills them.”
“You can think what you want to,” said I. “I think betrayal was part of his scheme.”
We reached J. J. McAlester’s store about