COCHISE COWBOYS 15

as the stranger rode away inez let the hammer down on her rifle. then eased her mount out from under the cotton wood tree and slowley started following him. she was going to make sure he left.she had decided she like it here, she liked denton crouch, she didnt want any one messing that up. after two years with the apache she was ready for some stability. she hung back as the rider entered the canyon leading back to the sulphur springs valley. then when she was sure he was still moveing along followed him to the out side entrence. from there she could see him in the distance rideing west at a jog trot. she watched for a moment then turned and went back. when she got back to the cabin she found denton already there. his horse cared for and he was walking around the outside of the cabin slowley, looking at it. when she walked up he smiled at her" just figgureing on how to make this a bit bigger. its kinda cozy like it is but we could stand a bit more room." " it wouldnt hurt. ill start a meal while you study on it."inez walked on by. denton was a bit surprised she didnt say more. when denton went in the house he found a peice of brown wrapping paper. he spread it out on the table and with a lead pencil started sketching the addition to theiir cabin. inez looked over her shoulder from the stove. "how you plan to pay for all this?she asked. " i found enough graze on up the mountain for a hundred more cows. ime going out of here to see john slaughter in the morning. we got a little cash, and we are still owed for ten steers. ime going to see where we stand on that. as for this cabin we got building materiel all around us. theres enough loose rock for ten houses."denton taped the paper with his pencil. " you know how to build a rock house?"inez asked with a raised eyebrow. "you wouldnt want to live in a rock house i built. no ime going to try and find a couple of men." denton almost laughed. " what you plan to do about myles compton? he sent a man snooping here today. ime afraind we arnt done with him or the cowboys."inez had a glum attitude. " you didnt shoot him did you?" denton asked. "no i just made sure he left. i could have shot him. ime afraid we dont have enough ground with out rocks to start a grave yard.you got other things that is more important than digging graves."inez stated. when we go to san bernadino tomorrow we will have to talk to john about this." denton folded up his paper. when myles cowboy got back to camp he told myles what he had found. myles came unwound. " those three men are gone?and the cattle? what the hell. the first two i sent were solid. the saddle tramp that followed i wouldnt be surprised if he skipped but not the first two. and you say a woman run you off?" myles was slobbering he was so mad. "a woman didnt run me off, the rifle she held did. i didnt sign on here to fuss with women. all she said was everyone and the cattle left the country."when the rider said that myles head snapped up. " thats a term the sherrif uses for dead men. you were right to leave if she had a rifle on you. we will go see about all this tomorrow."myles kicked a rock out from under foot.

COCHISE COWBOYS 14

denton chose a way up the side of the mountain that didnt have a trail. he was surprised because it wasnt steep and a fairley easy climb. as he got higher up on the side of the mountain the hills got abit steeper but also got farter apart. a couple of hours after leaveing home he topped out a smooth rounded hill that was to the north of his home place. there before him opened a long, wide valley surrounded by hills. the mountain on the east side and a stream of water comming down off it. it flowed into the little valley and disapeared into the knee high gramma grass. he stepped down from his horse and sat at his front feet. this little valley was twice as big as his canyon where he ran his cows. he studied the surrounding hills but saw no way in from the north or the west. the trip from the south wouldnt be bad but you had to climb a lot of those smooth hills. but from what he could see it would be worth it.he needed more cows. back at the ranch inez was getting around the cattle there and checking for any sighn of a preditor. he bay horse had finally given up on trying to buck. she rode with a loose rein and at a flat footed walk. while with the apache she had been in a position of ride what was given her or walk. she had learned fast how to handle rank, poorly broke horses. she didnt like walking. on the back side of her circle she looked back and saw a lone rider entering the canyon. she turned and moved into a stand of cottonwood trees. the rider moved through the cattle looking at them turning them around so as to see the brands. as he got closer inez could make out his face, she had never seen him before. she drew her rifle. she rested it on a limb the crossed in front of her face. she levered a round into the chamber as quietly as she could. the rider was intent on the cattle as he rode slowley through them. as he drew closer in a flat monotone vaice inez said " who are you? and what do you want?" the man jerked his horse to a stop looking all around. " myles sent me. he had some cows here, he sent three other men but i see the cows are gone and so are the men" the man finally found where inez sat her horse. he also saw the rifle pointed at him. " the cattle are gone home, the men left the country. i think you need to go back the way you came or you maybe leaveing the country right behind them. you tell myles we dont want to truck with cow theives. dont come back! now git!"inez sounded hard and firm no give or argument there. the rider had raised his hands chest high, the bridle reins in his left hand. he didnt say anything else but turned his horse back the way he had came. there was no doubt the black haired woman with the rifle would shoot him and not bat a ye. he would let myles deal with this. stealing cows was one thing, shooting it out with a woman was something else all together.