Chapter Three The Northern Waste

Jack buried the three bodies beside the riverbed and made crude markers from wagon boards. He had no time to carve names, and he did not know who they had been. Then he counted the false caravan's supplies. Six bags of water. Four bags of food. Coffee, salt, cartridges, two rideable horses. One hundred thirty-seven dollars in cash, a few pieces of jewelry, and a well-kept Winchester rifle. It was the first true gain he had made since coming home. Not gold. But enough to keep him alive for several more days. He packed the money and wrapped the jewelry separately. If he found the families of the dead, he would return what he could. If not, those things would become capital in his war against Titan. Before dawn, wolves came.