“Lucy,” said Big Medicine slowly, “there are times when I thoroughly appreciate you.”
She looked at him and turned her head away slightly.
“Sometimes,” she said slowly.
Ike had been doing a little investigating on his own hook, and now he came back. “That damned Guadalupe got away, I reckon,” he said. “He ain’t among the pile nowhere.”
“Let him go,” said Hashknife. “Mebbe it’s a good thing. He can come back and take care of his friends.”
Big Medicine held out his hand to Hashknife.
“I haven’t thanked you, Hartley,” he said. “You and Stevens showed up at the right moment, and it was your work that made it possible for us to get started.”
“Don’t thank me,” said Hashknife. “Thank Sleepy. He fell into the cave and found me. And yuh might give a little thanks to the feller we called Jack Hill.”
“Yes,” Big Medicine spoke softly. “He deserves our thanks.”
“I’d vote that we go home,” said Musical. “There’s nothin’ we can do here. Faro and Torres cashed in their last white chip.”