with relief. "Don't worry."
Hector jumped the gully and followed the road around the last bend. Below him a vast, high valley of grassland stretched fingerlike into the forest. At the top of the next summit he could see a radio
e X i c a n Hal ■ 55
tower and the faint outline of a building. He scanned the forest for a road to the peak. There was no discernible access. He saw movement in the tall grass at the center of the meadow. A man stood up and bent back down again, doing something Hector couldn't make out. Too far away to be heard, he squinted against the harsh afternoon light and waved to get the man's attention, but without success. Relieved that help was close at hand. Hector walked into the meadow until he was within hailing distance. He cupped his hands around his mouth and called out. The man stiffened and turned.
Hector closed the gap with hurried strides until he could see the man's face. "Hola! My truck is disabled," he said. "Can you help me, por favor?''
The man nodded and gestured at him to come closer.
JOSE RESTED in the truck, half asleep. The effects of the altitude were wearing, and he was more fatigued than he cared to admit. Some time after Hector's departure, a second gunshot rang out. Perhaps Hector had found the hunter and asked him to signal that everything was all right. He composed himself on the seat and waited for his grandson's return. Finally he heard the sound of an engine. Surely now Hector was on his way back. He climbed stiffly out of the truck.
Hector did not come. Jose carefully negotiated the gully and walked slowly up the road. An afternoon breeze blew out of the valley, chilling him slightly as he looked down on the meadow, searching for a sign of his grandson. The wind whisked his hair into his eyes. He caught the distant sound of the engine again. It seemed to be coming from the direction of the horse trail. The two large pine trees that Jose remembered from his boyhood still stood majestically at the edge of the meadow where the trail began. He could not re-
56 ■ Michael McGarrity
member seeing the grass so lush and thick. With the sheep gone for so many years, the land had come back richly.
Hector was nowhere to be seen. Jose decided he must walk a little farther and investigate before returning to the truck. Something wasn't right.
Mexican Hat ■ 57
1
Clouds filled the sky and ran like waves heading for a distant shore. Kerney watched them in the predawn light, waiting for rain that didn't come. For once, the ranchers wouldn't mind the absence of moisture. The high country was lush with abundant grass and wildflowers that told of a wet year and plenty of water. Some of the locals were predicting it would be the best rainy season in fifty years.
Kerney broke camp feeling rested and unruffled. The afternoon on the trail with a good horse under him and the night alone on the mountain away from civilization had been a wonderful break in his normal routine.
5 8 ■ Michael M c G a i r i I y
He got to the job site at first light as the last of the thick clouds created a searing red sunrise. To the west a cloudless sky began to deepen into turquoise blue. He found Amador Ortiz tucked into a sleeping bag. Seeing him brought back Kemey's instinctive dislike for the man. He unsaddled the horse, tied it to the string line, and turned back toward Amador, who was sitting up rubbing sleep from his eyes.
"You're here early," Amador said grouchily, between yawns.
Kerney nodded in agreement and looked around. The posts were set, the wire strung, and the water line buried, and a flatbed truck was parked next to the temporary equipment pen. It carried a large modular outdoor privy. Hitched to the bumper of the truck was a trailer with a forklift. He watched Amador get out of the bag, fire up a camp stove, and put water on for coffee.
"I'm ready to start," Kerney said.
Ortiz looked at him, yawned again, and shrugged. "Suit yourself. I need footers dug for each picnic
Hector jumped the gully and followed the road around the last bend. Below him a vast, high valley of grassland stretched fingerlike into the forest. At the top of the next summit he could see a radio
e X i c a n Hal ■ 55
tower and the faint outline of a building. He scanned the forest for a road to the peak. There was no discernible access. He saw movement in the tall grass at the center of the meadow. A man stood up and bent back down again, doing something Hector couldn't make out. Too far away to be heard, he squinted against the harsh afternoon light and waved to get the man's attention, but without success. Relieved that help was close at hand. Hector walked into the meadow until he was within hailing distance. He cupped his hands around his mouth and called out. The man stiffened and turned.
Hector closed the gap with hurried strides until he could see the man's face. "Hola! My truck is disabled," he said. "Can you help me, por favor?''
The man nodded and gestured at him to come closer.
JOSE RESTED in the truck, half asleep. The effects of the altitude were wearing, and he was more fatigued than he cared to admit. Some time after Hector's departure, a second gunshot rang out. Perhaps Hector had found the hunter and asked him to signal that everything was all right. He composed himself on the seat and waited for his grandson's return. Finally he heard the sound of an engine. Surely now Hector was on his way back. He climbed stiffly out of the truck.
Hector did not come. Jose carefully negotiated the gully and walked slowly up the road. An afternoon breeze blew out of the valley, chilling him slightly as he looked down on the meadow, searching for a sign of his grandson. The wind whisked his hair into his eyes. He caught the distant sound of the engine again. It seemed to be coming from the direction of the horse trail. The two large pine trees that Jose remembered from his boyhood still stood majestically at the edge of the meadow where the trail began. He could not re-
56 ■ Michael McGarrity
member seeing the grass so lush and thick. With the sheep gone for so many years, the land had come back richly.
Hector was nowhere to be seen. Jose decided he must walk a little farther and investigate before returning to the truck. Something wasn't right.
Mexican Hat ■ 57
1
Clouds filled the sky and ran like waves heading for a distant shore. Kerney watched them in the predawn light, waiting for rain that didn't come. For once, the ranchers wouldn't mind the absence of moisture. The high country was lush with abundant grass and wildflowers that told of a wet year and plenty of water. Some of the locals were predicting it would be the best rainy season in fifty years.
Kerney broke camp feeling rested and unruffled. The afternoon on the trail with a good horse under him and the night alone on the mountain away from civilization had been a wonderful break in his normal routine.
5 8 ■ Michael M c G a i r i I y
He got to the job site at first light as the last of the thick clouds created a searing red sunrise. To the west a cloudless sky began to deepen into turquoise blue. He found Amador Ortiz tucked into a sleeping bag. Seeing him brought back Kemey's instinctive dislike for the man. He unsaddled the horse, tied it to the string line, and turned back toward Amador, who was sitting up rubbing sleep from his eyes.
"You're here early," Amador said grouchily, between yawns.
Kerney nodded in agreement and looked around. The posts were set, the wire strung, and the water line buried, and a flatbed truck was parked next to the temporary equipment pen. It carried a large modular outdoor privy. Hitched to the bumper of the truck was a trailer with a forklift. He watched Amador get out of the bag, fire up a camp stove, and put water on for coffee.
"I'm ready to start," Kerney said.
Ortiz looked at him, yawned again, and shrugged. "Suit yourself. I need footers dug for each picnic
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