COCHISE COWBOYS 9

it was just dark when denton walkd into the yard leading the horse packing the buck deer. he could make out the out line of a horse standing at the front door standing ground tied. his rifle was up under the deer. he wouldnt reach it very easy. a light shown out the open door into the yard. he stopped and tried to reach under the deer for his rifle. he could touch it but couldnt grab it he was about to unlash the deer and just drop it off in order to reach the gun when inez spoke from behind him. "you wont need the rifle. take this pistol." she pushed it into his hand."he dont seem bad but you cant tell. ill take the horse."she pulled the lead rope from his hand and turned the horse away. denton stuck the pistol in his waist band of his britches , took a deep breath and stepped up to the house. as he came through the door he saw a man sitting at the table with the half empty bottle of whiskey in front of him.the man looked up at denton and said" i guess ime drinking your liquior, ill need to replace it on the next trip in here." " why do you think you will be back.?"denton asked good naturely. " well, me and my boys been looking for just such a place to hold our cattle on the way north. we will pay a fair fee to lay over for a day or two.i imagine you and that apache buck could use it."the man poured a half glass full of the whiskey. " ime not intrested, i like being left alone. i dont need a herd of cattle comming and going through here all the time.besides i dont know if the spring here will water very many more cows. why dont you drive to soldier holes. theres good feed and water there." " oh we tried that, last time one of out crew got shot and our cattle stampeded."the man slurped the whiskey. " yeah i know, you took ten of my steers when you went." denton quietly stated. the mans eyes grew wide and he sat the glass down" that was you?" denton had dropped his hand to the pistol grip sticking above his waist band"yes, i like to mind my own business. i think it would be good if you did the same. just so you know, i was a law man, a texas ranger then a arizona ranger, plus a deputy sherriff. i know your business. i want nothing to do with it. you had a generous dose of my hospitality, now i think you need to move along, and dont come back, understand?" the man stood up slowley and put his hand on his pistol butt" i could kill you right here. we need this place." behind him inez levered a round into the rifle chamber." you might kill him , but what about me?" the man turned to look at inez, then back to denton who had drawen the pistol."ok, ill go but ill come back with the boys." " you do that, but fewer will leave than come . do your self a favor and forget you found this place. think on this.. we could plant yyou here right now, keep your horse and nobody would ever know. is that what you want?"denton looked the man square in the eye. " i dont do those things as a habit." inez spoke up, " but i do, now git!" the man slowley turned and walked out the door to his horse. he mounted then gathered up his bridle reins"ill see you again cowboy"he turned and rode away. inez leaned the rifle up against the door frame" you must be hungry, ill get you something." back at the table denton lifted his whiskey bottle and saw there was just a swallow left." bad enough haveing him find us, but he drank almost all the whiskey!" denton turned the bottle up and swallowed the last drop.

COCHISE COWBOYS 8

denton left before day lite the next morning. he had saddled the pack horse for the trip up the mountain to check the water flow. he had told inez about finding the horse tracks and the spot the rider had used to watch them.she didnt seem to disturbed. just asked for the pistol while he was gone. he didnt usually carry a side arm when checking his cows. but he did take the rifle along incase he found a deer. he still didnt understand the intruder . why hadnt he come to the house and announced his presence? was he plotting some thing he knew denton wouldnt like? denton hoped it was nothing of a kind. it might be nice to have a visitor once in a while. as the sun was comming over the top of the mountain and shed its light on the stream he was following he felt a certain bit of comfort. it was peace full and pleasent as he rode along. the water in the stream bed wasnt any lower but was still reduced from its normal flow. denton rode along with the rifle laid accros the front of his saddle.inez had reminded him they needed fresh meat. she was pretty definate in her demand, it made him chuckle. he needed to get out of the canyon soon, and get her some decent clothes. she couldnt go around looking like a apache warrior much longer. some trigger happy fool would take her for a man and shoot her from a distance. while he was mulling these things through his head his horse had slowed to a careful walk, trodding over rocks and brush. comming to himself denton realized there were a few cow tracks following the stream also. as he came around a bend in the stream he noticed water had spread out and was soaking into a wide spot in the little canyon. as he rode on he saw a hand full of cows scattered around ahead they appeared content some standing or laying in the shade of trees or the canyon wall. as he rode on he found the reason for the reduced water flow. a big rock had rolled into the stream and was daming it. forceing the water out of its channel and to spread out along the canyon floor. above the rock the stream was just as stong as ever. he tied his horse off and leaned the rifle against a handy tree. he tried to roll the boulder back out of the stream to the down hill side. he found it was well settled where it was. he didnt think the horse could move it. he walked around the boulder and studyed the lay out. picking up a downed tre limb he starte scratching a channel on the down hill side. the stream bed had a lot of gravel and wasnt real hard. after a hour he had a good detour dug out around the rock. most of the water was rushing on down the stream bed. he could see where the water was cutting the new channel a bit deeper as run around the rock. while he stood there watching a buck deer came out of the woods and tip toed to the stream for a drink. the rifle was four steps away. denton knew if he moved very fast he wouldnt get a shot.when the deer dropped its head to drink he took a slow step toward the rifle. the deer raised its head, denton stopped. the deer resumed drinking and that time he made it to the rifle slowley putting the rifle to his shoulder he took quick aim. a second later he and inez had fresh meat.the pack horse wasnt wanting to carry the deer. denton had cut the bucks throat and let him bleed out. the pack horse didnt like the smell. but denton got the deer lashed on the he walked around the cows and started them walking back down the canyon. he led the horse . it would be late when he got in. but the stream was running full and they had meat for the table.he grinned to himself thinking how this would set with inez.