COCHISE COWBOYS 7

denton was moveing along at a soft trott through the pasture. the gramma grass was knee high on a cow and still had a green tint. but it hadnt rained in a few months and things were drying up. his cows were fat and in good shape, and as he rode through them looking at this one and that he had a feeling of pride. almost every cow had a calf at hr side now. his bulls had moved off together and were batching. which ment all the cows were bred back already. denton was feeling very prosperous, he had a little cash left from the sale of his steers and all this around him. not many men could say they were in this shape. as he came to the little stream that ran almost through the middle of the pasture he saw that it was almost down to a trickle. that got his attention. all this prosperity wouldnt amount to a hill of beans without water. as he rode on along following the little stream he suddenly came to a clear horse track in the mud along the stream. it wasnt one from his horses. it was a bit bigger. an he had been gone until today. his head came up and he looked in every direction. but he saw no one. he started following the horse tracks. had some one stumbled on to his little peice of heaven? or was someone looking for him? the horse tracks left the stream bed and moved off toward a low set of hills on the north side of his pasture. he followed along carefully watching the trail and up ahead as he rode. at the hills the tracks started climbing the side of the hill. at the top he found where someone had stopped and smoked a number of cigaretts. one of the cigarette stubs was still warm! they had been watching him!the horse tracks went off the north side of the hill and seemed to take a path through the steep and rough hills. it was getting late, he would come back tomorrow and see about this intruder. he turned toward the cabin. at the cabin as he rode up he could smell coffee and something cooking. he unsaddled and put his horse away in the corral with the pack horse. he had a small stack of cut gramma hay and h fed some of it. he then turnned to the house. the door stood blocked open as well as the window shutter. inside he found inez setting the table. "i saw you comming. this is almost ready." she was setting out a fork and spoon at each plate. " its not much until we get som fresh meat. but with the beans and jerky i think we will get by"she was scurrying about. denton was impressed to say the least. she poured a cup of the coffee and set it at dentons plate then one for herself. " how did you find your cows" inez asked as she dished up the stew. " the cows are fine. but the stream that waters them has dropped. ill need to ride back up the mountain tomorrow and see why."he didnt tell her about the intruder. tomorrow would be soon enough.

COCHISE COWBOYS 6

as they threaded their way through the foot hills of the chiruachoua mountains denton didnt say a whole lot. inez sat behind him snug and quiet. they rode up to a narrow gap leading into a rocky canyon the bottom of thecanyon was smooth water washed rock. the horses stepped up onto it and slowley carefully walked forward. they left no tracks. denton felt inez tense up as they made their way over the rock shelf. " you live back here?" she asked in a hushted tone. "yeah, and it gets better in a bit. i dont get many visitoers." denton chuckled. the solid rock footing gave way to a sand bed and started to widen just a little. soon they turned a curve in the canyon and a massive basin opened in front of them. denton could hear inez suck in her breath. cattle could be seen scattered all over the basin. on the far side almost a mile away a cabin could be seen. " who would ever guess this was here?" inez said "before me only one other white man, braxton starr. he could see from above he ranches the top of the mountain. he told me about it. i spent six weeks searching for a way in. i think the way we come is the only way."denton explained. " the cattle stay here on their own. plenty to eat and drink. the only bad thing is the mountain lions. thats why i was in a hurry to get back. the cows are calveing, the ole lions will eat me out of house and home." denton explained. he drew up infront of a neat well built rock cabin sitting on a bench with pine trees standing behind it.he helped innez slide to the ground and then handed her the bridle reins. "let me go in and make sure no one moved in while i was gone" he smiled. the door was pegged shut and when he pulled the peg and pushed the door open inez could get a whiff of the stale air. she took a involuntary step back. denton opened a window from whithin and propped the door open " all clear. lets unload the pack horse." when the pack horse was unloaded and the supplys stacked inside the cabin denton took the horses around the end of the house. he penned the pack horse and unsaddled him then returned to the front of the cabin. inez was standing there taakeing in the view of the canyon. "before it gets any lateer ime going to make a circle and check my cows. will you put the supplys away?" denton asked. " any certain thing you want for supper? ill start something." inez asked. " surprise me!" denton smiled and reined his horse around and trotted off.