THE LONE OLD TIMER 19

when wes and buck pulled up to the foot hills gate they got out and carefully walked to the blood slotches on the gate stick and post. "i had hoped we were done with guy. how ever he got hurt it wasnt fatal." wes said as he walked around looking for any other eveidence."do you have any idea if your short any cattle, calves or cows?" ime still gathering them to put up here ime short a hundred head of my count but i know there are a lot of cattle down on the flat so its hard to tell" buck explained. "you got very many left over on the treasure road end of things?" we asked as he squatted down and poked at the blood stain with a stick. " i dont think so. but i havent been back over there in a while" buck was watching wes. " this blood is all but drieed up. he has been gone from here for a few hours. did you follow his tracks off here?" we askeed. " yeah until he hit the pavement it looks like he has another dirt bike."buck said. as he watched wes take some photographs of the blood . when he was through wes got back in his truck, buck followed "i would try to get every cow you own up here as soon as possible. if you need help ill come help for a day or two. i would keep a eye on this gate for more activity. is there another gate in this fence line?"wes was talking as he drove back down the slope. " one more buut its way up yonder and hard to get to horse back let alone on a motor bike." buck pointed up the fence line as they drove away. " is there a corral in that pasture? some where we could pen a cow if we needed to?" we asked absent minded as he drove. " yeah in the middle theres a old rock corral i figgured on finishing branding there once i got everything moved up there." buck explained. " i would get the rest of them cows up there as soon as possible its easier to watch one big bunch than two or three little ones." wes advised. buck nodded in agreement. " i would clean my hand gun and keep it handy. you dont know about this guy.:"wes stated. buck looked over at him in agreement.

THE LONE OLD TIMER 18

luther herman was a long haired ,tatooed motor bike enthusiest. he was also a theif, if it wasnt nailed down some how he would try to carry it off. the day he was going to vandalize the cowboys trailer on treasure road he didnt see the man walk up behind him with a shot gun. but he felt every one of the oo buck shot. he fired into him. how luther had got back on his feet and stumbled back down the hill he couldnt say. he was bleeding heavily. but his house was just below where the trailer was parked. some how he had stumbled there. his live in girl friend had picked all the buckshot she could from him and bandaged his many wounds. she had returned to the trailer for his dirt bike but found it gone . she was scared. to many people watching luther and now this. she left that night while luther slept. luther had a second bike so she knew he would follow her back to tucson, so instead she went east to demming. when luther came around his wounds were weeping elinor was gone and he was all alone. but he was for sure angry. he swore vengence on the cowboy who owned the trailer. he wasnt worried abouut any one finding out his freezer was full of beef harvested from that cowboys herd. when ever he moved about he would bleed from some of the pellet holes in his body. but he wasnt going to lay low. that night he got his second bike out and fired it up and went to ride the fence line at trasure road. when he found the gate into the foot hills pasture he opened it and went in makeing a circle looking for cattle. when he didnt find any he left leaveing the gate open. the sun was comming up and that cowboy would be showing up soon. when buck had found the blood stained gate he had shut it and headed down country to find a pay phone. he had actually drove a little fast and his horse was scrambling to keep it footing in the trailer. when he dialed wes s number all he got wasa voice mail. he left a message telling wes to come by his house. then he tried the number on the card for the out fit where cloe worked.he told her to stay home until he called her. he didnt want her hurt.when he pulled into his ranch yard wes was parked there waitting. they put bucks horse away and in the brand inspectes truck headed back up to the foot hills gate. wes wasnt in a talk ative mood.