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WHEN SLAUGHTER CLEARED THE CANYON ENTRENCE HE COULD SEE A DUST CLOUD TO THE WEST AND HEAR POPPING AND BANGING OF A GUN BATTLE. HE AND THE BLACK HAT RUALES headed for the distant dust cloud. as they drew near they could see 2 loose horses break from the dust cloud and run a ways out into the desert.slaughter pulled up but the ruale continued on. presently kosterlinsky came from the swirling mass of cattle and rode up to him. "we ave convinced the three bandits to leave the country. we will take these cattle back to their owners , i hope you approve. " " most whole heartedly. i will deal with the body s after a while. i will ride back to the crouch rancho for a shove." slaughter looked at the three bodys scattered about. "keep the extra horses as payment for the grave digging. we go now."kosterlinsky waved a hand and reined his white horse around and fell in behind the cows. pushing them back to mexico. slaughter dismounted and walked to each corpse. when he turned each over he found no one he knew. myles wasnt among them. the ruales had stripped the body s of weapons and one horse lay dead next to one of the corpses. slaughter remounted and turned back toward dentons ranch. he had a bad feeling about this. as he entered the canyon up ahead he could hear shooting he pulled his rifle and continued carefully. as he neared the entrence to the basin he came upon a dead man. his horse stood to one side. far ahead he heard more shooting.he rode on toward the cabin.as he approached the cabin he could see three men down in a wash aiming at the cabin. cocking his rifle he rode up to within shouting distance and yelled for the three men to drop their weapons. they jumped like they had been branded with a hot iron. two of them dropped their guns and put their hands up. the third raised his weapon as to fire at slaughter. slaughters rifle roared and the man was flung backward. from the cabin denton came running , rifle at the ready. "the girls went to check the cattle before this bunch of trash showed up, i think a couple of these guys went up there after them!" slaughter spun his horse and spured into a run in the direction denton pointed out. up ahead he could see 4 horses standing ground tied. one woman holding a gun and one man with his hands high. then as he got closer he saw a man on the ground and inez standing over him with a knife in hand slaughter got down aand went to his wife. she assured him she was fine. turning to inez he saw the knife was bloody."what happened girl?" he asked " ill tell you what happened!" the man on the ground whinned. slaughter could see it was myles compton." that squaw knifed me whats happened, she is poison.!" inez turned to slaughter" your wife was on that side of the cattle, i was here. this trash rode up here with his gun on me and made me put it down. then was going to have his way with me, i had this knife in my tequa, i gave him a touch of it. i was going to cut his throat when you rode up. he needs to leave the country for sure" inez pointed to myles with the bloody knife. it had blood clear to the hilt. " a touch you said?no doubt he had it comming. " slaughter stated. three days later denton and inez were walking around the cabin addition the two rock masons had finished it and were busy laying a rock floor," right tidey little room lady. looks like just what we need." denton stated. for the first time in a long time inez smiled at him" it beats a wickiup all to heck." they both broke up laughing. slaughter had taken the last of the outlaws to bisbee to the county jail. myles had died right where inez stabbed him. denton had his arm around inez s waits and asked her where she put the knife. " i put it right where i can reach it when i need it cowboy. but i dont think you need to worry about it, just dont call me squaw!"

COCHISE COWBOYS 21

after moveing the cattle to the far end of the pasture denton and slaughters crew rode back to the cabin. from a distance a stream of smoke could be seen .evidence of a forthcomeing meal. upon reaching the house the cowboys all hobbled their horses and headed for a bench holding a wash pan and towel. behind the house the two rock masons had unloaded their burros and had alreaady laid out the outline of the new room. denton decided things were hustling right along. in the house inez and mrs. slaughter were happily chatting as they prepared a meal for the cowboy crew. slaughter stated that everything was going to well, he feared a blow up. he and denton laughed. after eating the cowboys all caught their horses and headed out back to the slaughter ranch at san bernadino. slaughter waitted for his young wife while she helped inez clean up and wash dished. the female chatter hadent stopped all the time they were together. " i dont think we know what this meaqns those two haeing each other this close so they can visit. ill try to bring inez over to see her soon."denton told slaughter as they sat in front of the cabin smokeing slaughter agreed. " we tend to forget they have a different view of thing s than us. ime the worse one about it." slaughter chuckled while puffing his pipe. behind them they could hear the rock masons working away. they already had one wall up and were working on the back wall for the addition.. as they looked out across the basin toward the canyon entrence a lone horse man loped into the basin and was comming straight toward the men at the cabin. when he pulled up they saw it was a black hat ruales. his horse ready to collapse. he held out a folded scrap of paper. slaughter stepped down and took it from the mexicans hand. then told him to dismount. when the rider stepped down the horse nearly fell over into him. slaughter opened the paper and read slowly then a second time" emillio says that myles grabbed a small bunch of mexican cattle last night and rushed them across the border. this is as much a warning as a anything." slaughter was glum. " i better try and catch my cowboys and see if i can find their trail with those cows. i would appreciate it if the mrs could stay here ot you escort her home?" slaughter was already heading to his horse. the messenger stood looking lost. his horse was done but he wanted to go. denton pointed out one of the outlaws horses grazeing a short didtance away. he told the boy to take that horse and go with slaughter. inez and mrs. slaughter came out of the cabin. denton handed her the note. slaughter and the black hat were lopeing away . inez smailled" well we have a house guest." denton nodded in agreement.