Eyes of Eagles by William W. Johnstone Read Free Book Online

Yuchi, Miami, and Creek, and got arrows into all of them. Those two are cowards.”
    Sarah was ringing the large bell set at the front of the house. “We all have those bells, Jamie,” Sam explained. “It’s a warning system for Indian attacks or a house afire. There’ll be ten men here in that many minutes.”
    Sam had lit a lantern from a peg under the overhang and he and Jamie walked over to the groaning men. “Masked brigands,” Sam said contemptuously. “Thieves in the night coming to steal from honest men.”
    â€œI’m bleedin’ to death, man!” one of the horse thieves said. “Help me.”
    With his next gesture and following words, Jamie knew that Sam was no man to play with. He lifted one heavy pistol, cocked it, and said, “Want me to put you out of your misery? I can. Just say the words.”
    The man screamed, “No. For the love of God. Are ye daft, man? And who is that little savage with ye?”
    â€œMy son,” Sam said, the words proudly spoken. “And if you call him a savage again, I’ll put a ball between your eyes.”
    The man with the arrow in one buttock cried out. “I been grievously wounded, Mr. Montgomery. Will you see to it that I come under a doctor’s care?”
    The pounding of hooves stopped any further words. Armed men jumped off their mounts and rushed to the scene. They looked at the arrow-punctured bandits and then at Jamie.
    â€œI think you done well by takin’ this lad under your roof, Sam,” one said. “These are the Saxon brothers from down Tennessee way. My oldest boy said he thought he seen them a-skulkin’ around your place the other afternoon. I was raised up with their oldest brother over in Virginia. He’s a good man, but these two is nothing but white trash.”
    â€œWhere’d you stand to put the points in them, boy?” another man asked.
    â€œOver there by the overhang,” Jamie said, slipping the sinew bow string off to save both string and bow. “They were talking about knocking you in the head, Mr. Sam, and then... well, doing things to your wife.”
    â€œThat’s a filthy calumny!” one of the Saxon brothers yelled. “We done no such thing. He’s just tryin’ to get us hanged!”
    â€œI do not lie,” Jamie said. “There is no reason for me to lie. If I had wanted you both dead, I could have easily done so.”
    One of the men who had ridden to the scene said, “That’s a good twenty-five/thirty yards over yonder, boy. You right sure you didn’t just luck out these shots?”
    Jamie looked at the man. Without changing expression, he restrung his bow and notched an arrow. The barn door was fifty yards from where he stood. “The dark spot just above the latch,” he said, and lifted the bow. The arrow flew to the dark spot with a thud. “This one will go beside the first one.” The arrow landed within an inch of the first arrow.
    The men laughed. One said, “You got any more questions about the boy’s skill, Luke?”
    Luke good-naturedly joined in the laughter and replied, “Nope. My wife always said I beat all for puttin’ my foot in my mouth. Looks like I done it again.” When the laughter had once more subsided, he smiled down at Jamie. “You’re all right, son. You’re all right.”
    â€œI got me a arrey in my arse and y’all’s havin’ a arrey shoot!” the rump-shot brigand yelled. “How about givin’ me some relief?”
    Luke spat on the ground. “When the jury hears the boy’s testimony about what you wanted to do with Mrs. Montgomery, you’ll get some relief, Saxon. Thirteen steps and a rope.”
    The men were trussed up and tossed, not too gently, into the back of a wagon and since it was only a couple of hours until dawn, they were taken into town to the jail, escorted by several of