All the Pretty Horses

  He pulled the horse around and they rode out of the camp and into the road south. Rawlins looked back and put his horse into a trot and John Grady came up and they rode side by side down the narrow rutted track. No one spoke. When they were clear of the camp a mile or so Blevins asked what it was that the man in the vest had wanted but John Grady didnt answer. When Blevins asked again Rawlins looked back at him.

  He wanted to buy you, he said. That's what he wanted.

  John Grady didnt look at Blevins.

  They rode on in silence.

  What did you go and tell him that for? said John Grady. There wasnt no call to do that.

  They camped that night in the low range of hills under the Sierra de la Encantada and the three of them sat about the fire in silence. The boy's bony legs were pale in the firelight and coated with road dust and bits of chaff that had stuck to the lard. The drawers he wore were baggy and dirty and he did indeed look like some sad and ill used serf or worse. John Grady parceled out to him the bottom blanket from his bedroll and he wrapped himself in it and lay by the fire and was soon asleep. Rawlins shook his head and spat.

  Goddamn pitiful, he said. You thought any more about what I said?

  Yeah, said John Grady. I thought about it.

  Rawlins stared long into the red heart of the fire. I'll tell you somethin, he said.

  Tell me.

  Somethin bad is goin to happen.

  John Grady smoked slowly, his arms around his updrawn knees.

  This is just a jackpot, said Rawlins. What this is.

  At noon the next day they rode into the pueblo of Encantada at the foot of the low range of pollarded mountains they'd been skirting and the first thing they saw was Blevins' pistol sticking out of the back pocket of a man bent over into the engine compartment of a Dodge car. John Grady saw it first and he could have named things he'd rather have seen.

  Yonder's my goddamn pistol, sang out Blevins.

  John Grady reached behind and grabbed him by the shirt or he'd have slid down from the horse.

  Hold on, idjit, he said.

  Hold on hell, said Blevins.

  What do you think you're goin to do?

  Rawlins had put his horse alongside of them. Keep ridin, he hissed. Good God almighty.

  Some children were watching from a doorway and Blevins was looking back over his shoulder.

  If that horse is here, said Rawlins, they wont have to send for Dick Tracy to figure out who it belongs to.

  What do you want to do?

  I dont know. Get off the damn street. May be too late anyways. I say we stash him in a safe place somewheres till we can look around.

  Does that suit you, Blevins?

  It dont make a damn if it suits him or not, said Rawlins. He dont have a say in it. Not if he wants my help he dont.

  He rode past them and they turned off down a clay gully that passed for a street. Quit lookin back, damn it, said John Grady.

  They left him with a canteen of water in the shade of some cottonwoods and told him to stay out of sight and then they rode slowly back through the town. They were picking their way along one of those rutted gullies of which the town was composed when they saw the horse looking out of the sashless window of an abandoned mud house.

  Keep ridin, said Rawlins.

  John Grady nodded.

  When they got back to the cottonwoods Blevins was gone. Rawlins sat looking over the barren dusty countryside. He reached in his pocket for his tobacco.

  I'm goin to tell you somethin, cousin.

  John Grady leaned and spat. All right.

  Ever dumb thing I ever done in my life there was a decision I made before that got me into it. It was never the dumb thing. It was always some choice I'd made before it. You understand what I'm sayin?

  Yeah. I think so. Meanin what?

  Meanin this is it. This is our last chance. Right now. This is the time and there wont be another time and I guarantee it.

  Meanin just leave him?

  Yessir.

  What if it was you?

  It aint me.

  What if it was?

  Rawlins twisted the cigarette into the corner of his mouth and plucked a match from his pocket and popped it alight with his thumbnail. He looked at John Grady.

  I wouldnt leave you and you wouldnt leave me. That aint no argument.

  You realize the fix he's in?

  Yeah. I realize it. It's the one he's put hisself in.

  They sat. Rawlins smoked. John Grady crossed his hands on the pommel of his saddle and sat looking at them. After a while he raised his head.

  I cant do it, he said.

  Okay.

  What does that mean?

  It means okay. If you cant you cant. I think I knew what you'd say anyways.

  Yeah, well. I didnt.

  They unsaddled and staked out the horses and lay in the dry leaves under the cottonwoods and after a while they slept. When they woke it was almost dark. The boy was squatting there watching them.

  It's a good thing I aint a rogue, he said. I could of slipped up on you all and carried off everthing you own.

  Rawlins turned and looked at him from under his hat and turned back. John Grady sat up.

  What did you all find out? said Blevins.

  Your horse is here.

  Did you see him?

  Yeah.

  What about the saddle?

  We didnt see no saddle.

  I aint leavin here till I get all my stuff.

  There you go, said Rawlins. Listen at that.

  What's he say? said Blevins.

  Never mind, said John Grady.

  If it was his stuff it'd be different I bet. Then he'd be for gettin it back, wouldnt he?

  Dont egg it on.

  Listen, shit-for-brains, said Rawlins. If it wasnt for this man I wouldnt be here at all. I'd of left your ass back up in that arroyo. No, I take that back. I'd of left you up on the Pecos.

  We'll try and get your horse back, said John Grady. If that wont satisfy you then you let me know right now.

  Blevins stared at the ground.

  He dont give a shit, said Rawlins. I could of wrote it down. Get shot dead for horsestealin it dont mean a damn thing to him. He expects it.

  It aint stealin, said Blevins. It's my horse.

  A lot of ice that'll cut. You tell this man what you intend to do cause I guarantee you I dont give a big rat's ass.

  All right, said Blevins.

  John Grady studied him. We get you your horse you'll be ready to ride.

  Yeah.

  We got your word on that?

  Word's ass, said Rawlins.

  Yeah, said Blevins.

  John Grady looked at Rawlins. Rawlins lay under his hat. He turned back to Blevins. All right, he said.

  He got up and got his bedroll and came back and handed Blevins a blanket.

  We goin to sleep now? said Blevins.

  I am.

  Did you all eat?

  Yeah, said Rawlins. Sure we ate. Wouldnt you of? We eat a big steak apiece and split a third one.

  Damn, said Blevins.

  They slept until the moon was down and they sat in the dark and smoked. John Grady watched the stars.

  What time you make it to be, bud? said Rawlins.

  First quarter moon sets at midnight where I come from.

  Rawlins smoked. Hell. I believe I'll go back to bed.

  Go ahead. I'll wake you.

  All right.

  Blevins went to sleep as well. He sat watching the firmament unscroll up from behind the blackened palisades of the mountains to the east. Toward the village all was darkness. Not even a dog barked. He looked at Rawlins rolled asleep in his soogan and he knew that he was right in all he'd said and there was no help for it and the dipper standing at the northern edge of the world turned and the night was a long time passing.

  When he called them out it was not much more than an hour till daylight.

  You ready? said Rawlins.


  Ready as I'm liable to get.

  They saddled the horses and John Grady handed his stakerope to Blevins. You can make a hackamore out of that, he said.

  All right.

  Keep it under your shirt, said Rawlins. Dont let nobody see it.

  There aint nobody to see it, said Blevins.

  Dont bet on it. I see a light up yonder already.

  Let's go, said John Grady.

  There were no houselamps lit in the street where they'd seen the horse. They rode along slowly. A dog that had been sleeping in the dirt rose up and commenced barking and Rawlins made a throwing motion at it and it slunk off. When they got to the house where the horse was stabled John Grady got down and walked over and looked in the window and came back.

  He aint here, he said.

  It was dead quiet in the little mud street. Rawlins leaned and spat. Well, shit, he said.

  You all sure this is the place? said Blevins.

  It's the place.

  The boy slid from the horse and picked his way gingerly with his bare feet across the road to the house and looked in. Then he climbed through the window.

  What the hell's he doin? said Rawlins.

  You got me.

  They waited. He didnt come back.

  Yonder comes somebody.

  Some dogs started up. John Grady mounted up and turned the horse and went back up the road and sat the horse in the dark. Rawlins followed. Dogs were beginning to bark all back through the town. A light came on.

  This is by God it, aint it? said Rawlins.

  John Grady looked at him. He was sitting with the carbine upright on his thigh. From beyond the buildings and the din of dogs there came a shout.

  You know what these sons of bitches'll do to us? said Rawlins. You thought about that?

  John Grady leaned forward and spoke to the horse and put his hand on the horse's shoulder. The horse had begun to step nervously and it was not a nervous horse. He looked toward the houses where they'd seen the light. A horse whinnied in the dark.

  That crazy son of a bitch, said Rawlins. That crazy son of a bitch.

  All out bedlam had broken across the lot. Rawlins pulled his horse around and the horse stamped and trotted and he whacked it across the rump with the barrel of the gun. The horse squatted and dug in with its hind hooves and Blevins in his underwear atop the big bay horse and attended by a close retinue of howling dogs exploded into the road in a shower of debris from the rotted ocotillo fence he'd put the horse through.

  The horse skittered past Rawlins sideways, Blevins clinging to the animal's mane and snatching at his hat. The dogs swarmed wildly over the road and Rawlins' horse stood and twisted and shook its head and the big bay turned a complete circle and there were three pistol shots from somewhere in the dark all evenly spaced that went pop pop pop. John Grady put the heels of his boots to his horse and leaned low in the saddle and he and Rawlins went pounding up the road. Blevins passed them both, his pale knees clutching the horse and his shirttail flying.

  Before they reached the turn at the top of the hill there were three more shots from the road behind them. They turned onto the main track south and went pounding through the town. Already there were lamps lit in a few small windows. They passed through at a hard gallop and rode up into the low hills. First light was shaping out the country to the east. A mile south of the town they caught up with Blevins. He'd turned his horse in the road and he was watching them and watching the road behind them.

  Hold up, he said. Let's listen.

  They tried to quiet the gasping animals. You son of a bitch, said Rawlins.

  Blevins didnt answer. He slid from his horse and lay in the road listening. Then he got up and pulled himself back up onto the horse.

  Boys, he said, they're a comin.

  Horses?

  Yeah. I'll tell you right now straight out there aint no way you all can keep up with me. Let me take the road since it's me they're huntin. They'll follow the dust and you all can slip off into the country. I'll see you down the road.

  Before they could agree or disagree he'd hauled the horse around by the hackamore and was pounding off up the track.

  He's right, said John Grady. We better get off this damned road.

  All right.

  They rode out through the brush in the dark, taking the lowest country they could keep to, lying along the necks of their mounts that they not be skylighted.

  We're fixin to get the horses snakebit sure as the world, said Rawlins.

  It'll be daylight soon.

  Then we can get shot.

  In a little while they heard horses on the road. Then they heard more horses. Then all was quiet.

  We better get somewheres, said Rawlins. It's fixin to get daylight sure enough.

  Yeah, I know it.

  You think when they come back they'll see where we quit the road?

  Not if enough of em has rode over it.

  What if they catch him?

  John Grady didnt answer.

  He wouldnt have no qualms about showin em which way we'd headed.

  Probably not.

  You know not. All they'd have to do would be look at him cross ways.

  Then we better keep ridin.

  Well I dont know about you but I'm about to run out of horse.

  Well tell me what you want to do.

  Shit, said Rawlins. We aint got no choice. We'll see what daylight brings. Maybe one of these days we might find some grain somewheres in this country.

  Maybe.

  They slowed the horses and rode to the crest of the ridge. Nothing moved in all that gray landscape. They dismounted and walked out along the ridge. Small birds were beginning to call from the chaparral.

  You know how long it's been since we eat? said Rawlins.

  I aint even thought about it.

  I aint either till just now. Bein shot at will sure enough cause you to lose your appetite, wont it?

  Hold up a minute.

  What is it?

  Hold up.

  They stood listening.

  I dont hear nothin.

  There's riders out there.

  On the road?

  I dont know.

  Can you see anything?

  No.

  Let's keep movin.

  John Grady spat and stood listening. Then they moved on.

  At daylight they left the horses standing in a gravel wash and climbed to the top of a rise and sat among the ocotillos and watched the country back to the northeast. Some deer moved out feeding along the ridge opposite. Other than that they saw nothing.

  Can you see the road? said Rawlins.

  No.

  They sat. Rawlins stood the rifle against his knee and took his tobacco from his pocket. I believe I'll smoke, he said.

  A long fan of light ran out from the east and the rising sun swelled blood red along the horizon.

  Look yonder, said John Grady.

  What.

  Over yonder.

  Two miles away riders had crested a rise. One, two. A third. Then they dropped from sight again.

  Which way are they headed?

  Well cousin I dont know for sure but I got a pretty good notion.

  Rawlins sat holding the cigarette. We're goin to die in this goddamned country, he said.

  No we aint.

  You think they can track us on this ground?

  I dont know. I dont know that they cant.

  I'll tell you what, bud. They get us bayed up out here somewheres with the horses give out they're goin to have to come over the barrel of this rifle.

  John Grady looked at him and he looked back out where the riders had been. I'd hate to have to shoot my way back to Texas, he said.

  Where's your gun at?

  In the saddlebag.

  Rawlins lit the cigarette. I ever see that little son of a bitch again I'll kill him myself. I'm damned if I wont.

  Let's go, said John Grady. They still got a lot of ground to cover. I'd rather to make a good r
un as a bad stand.

  They rode out west with the sun at their back and their shadows horse and rider falling before them tall as trees. The country they found themselves in was old lava country and they kept to the edge of the rolling black gravel plain and kept watch behind them. They saw the riders again, south of where they would have put them. And then once more.

  If them horses aint bottomed out I believe they'd be comin harder than that, said Rawlins.

  I do too.

  Midmorning they rode to the crest of a low volcanic ridge and turned the horses and sat watching.

  What do you think? said Rawlins.

  Well, they know we aint got the horse. That's for sure. They might not be as anxious to ride this ground as you and me.

  You got that right.

  They sat for a long time. Nothing moved.

  I think they've quit us.

  I do too.

  Let's keep movin.

  By late afternoon the horses were stumbling. They watered them out of their hats and drank the other canteen dry themselves and mounted again and rode on. They saw the riders no more. Toward evening they came upon a band of sheepherders camped on the far side of a deep arroyo that was floored with round white rocks. The sheepherders seemed to have selected the site with an eye to its defense as did the ancients of that country and they watched with great solemnity the riders making their way along the other side.

  What do you think? said John Grady.

  I think we ought to keep ridin. I'm kindly soured on the citizens in this part of the country.

  I think you're right.

  They rode on another mile and descended into the arroyo to look for water. They found none. They dismounted and led the horses, the four of them stumbling along into the deepening darkness, Rawlins still carrying the rifle, following the senseless tracks of birds or wild pigs in the sand.

  Nightfall found them sitting on their blankets on the ground with the horses staked a few feet away. Just sitting in the dark with no fire, not speaking. After a while Rawlins said: We should of got water from them herders.

  We'll find some water in the mornin.

  I wish it was mornin.

  John Grady didnt answer.

  Goddamn Junior is goin to piss and moan and carry on all night. I know how he gets.

  They probably think we've gone crazy.

  Aint we?

  You think they caught him?

  I dont know.

  I'm goin to turn in.

  They lay in their blankets on the ground. The horses shifted uneasily in the dark.

  I'll say one thing about him, said Rawlins.

  Who?

  Blevins.

  What's that?

  The little son of a bitch wouldnt stand still for nobody high-jackin his horse.

  In the morning they left the horses in the arroyo and climbed up to watch the sun rise and see what the country afforded. It had been cold in the night in the sink and when the sun came up they turned and sat with their backs to it. To the north a thin spire of smoke stood in the windless air.