BORDER SEARCH 21

before they were half way back to the border maxine had visibly softened. she held a handkerchef to her swollen lips." no one ever hit me before. dont do it again" she almost whispered . del didnt look at her but kept rideing." keep your mouth shut and do as your told and i wont have to. i dont make a habit of slapping women around but i will make a exception in your case. i wont be responsible for you falling into the hands of people who would use you badly." he almost growled the answer. as they neared the border out of the brush rode three rurales. the corporal in the center.the escort spread out across the trail, two on each side of del and maxine. del reined up his horse, maxines horse bunped into them. " whats is happening?"maxine asked. " oposing factions, not good, be ready to duck." del answered. the rurales corporal rode forward a few steps and raised his rifle. "alto cabrones!" he demanded.the revolutionary on the end of the line shot at the corporal he missed but it was enough to open the ball. all three rurales opened up at the escort. one on each side fell from thier horse in the volly maxine heard del grunt and lean forward over his saddle horn. she realized he was shot. screaming she grabbed dels pistol from his belt and began shooting at the rurales. another escort fell and at almost the same time the rurales broke into the brush at the side of the trail. the two remaining escort , with rifles still smokeing followed them leaving del and maxine sitting in the trail dels pistol in maxines hand was smokeing but empty. "put that thing back in my holster. then take this horse and me across the line NOW!" maxine stuck the pistol in dels holster then gathered up the fallen reins to his horse and led out toward the border. she had to ride around the mexicann body s but went on. del was holding on to his saddle horn with one hand and a hand ful of mane with the other. with each bounceing step he grunted maxine stopped once to check on him, blood was dripping down the front shoulder of the horse del rode. " dont stop, get us across the line!" del was getting pale. as they crossed the border maxine slowed down. " dont stop, go on get us to camp."del said through gritted teeth. half way to ruby maxine saw horsemen comming at a high lope. as they neared she realized it was andy, harry and some of the miners from ruby. behind her she heard more gunshots. as the riders came up she explained what happened and that del was wounded. andy and harry sanwiched del between them and supported him back into camp. he was on the verge of passing out when they helped him to the ground. maxine had got his bedroll spread out and ready for him. the miners had spread out around town looking south. gun fire could still be heard in that direction.