COCHISE COWBOYS 10

denton pulled out a chair from the table and sat down. inez brought him a plate of food and cup of coffee. "who was that man? did you know him?" inez asked. " no i didnt know him but if he is who i think he is thats myles compton. he took over the leader ship to the cochise cowboys gang. after the earps got through with curley bill, ringo and the clantons myles moved up. he s just as bad but just not as loud about what he does. they steal cattle in mexico, run them up north and trade them for cattle stolen uup there. bring them here and resell them."denton took a swallow of his coffee. " i think he wants to use this place to hold his stolen herds before they run them on up north. they will ruin it." denton was forking the food into his mouth. "i dont think he ever understood that ime a woman. i had a feeling he would have shot me first just because i look apache."inez stated. " yes thats why we need to get you dressed different. its not a hard ride down to douglas on the border.make a list of what you need and ill go tomorrow and get them plus a few things for the kitchen. maybe ill run into sherriff slaughter while there. you keep a low profile here. knowing that bunch of myleses they would shoot first and ask questions later. i dont think they would try to bring any cattle in here except through the canyon bottom. so you will see them comming a while before they get in the main part here."denton finished his meal and inez slowley nodded. the next morning before day light denton left at a long trott with the pack horse in tow. he was grumbling that he was spending all his time dragging the pack horse around. by good light he was out of the canyon and turnned south toward the village of douglas arizona. it was growing in importance but was still a singlle street lined with about four or five buildings on each side. by ten in the morning he trotted up that single street draggind the pack horse, his saddle horse dripping sweat. he wanted to get this done and back home. inez maybe needing some back up. the general store sat right next to the border crossing. two mexican soldiers stood at a small shackwith rifles. denton laughed as he dismounted, you could go a mile in either direction and cross the border and no one would even know. in the store he handed the list to the clerk . then showed him the pouch of gold dust he had gotten in pearce. the clerk took the pouch to a scale and weighed it. then scratched on a pad of paper figgureing the value. he turned to denton and nodded. denton stood next to the door and leaned on the wall as the clerk started putting the list together. he glanced out the window and saw a fancy team of horses hitched to a buggy. it was john slaughters mode of transpertation. telling the clerk he would be back he went out the door and crossed to the buggy. just as he got to it a pretty, attractive woman came out of a store and started climbing into the buggy. "good morning mrs. slaughter, is the sherriff about?"denton lifted his hat. "yes he should be along soon, he just went to that blacksmith shop over there." she pointed up the street. denton turned to walk toward the blacksmith shop when he saw slaughter come out of it. his shotgun over his shoulder. denton was always amazed at the way the short man carried the shot gun. it was actually longer than slaughter was tall.. denton stepped to a shady spot next to the building and waitted. " i say, i say crouch its good to see you!"the short man extended his hand as he approached. denton shook the sherriffs hand firmley and asked if he could talk to him a few moments. slaughter nodded when he saw the seriousness of the ex rangers attitude. denton then commenced to explain to slaughter about the visit from the cowboys leader. while he was taalking he could see a dark cloud spread accross the sherriffs face. "don salazar from down at santa cruz has complained to me lately about gringo banditos running off his cattle. i told him if he catches them at it not to let them return here. i advise you the same.look here." slaughter squatted down and drew a brand in the dirt between his feet." thats the old dons brand. ime sure that if you returned any of his cattle he would reward you some how." " understood, but what would i do with the rustlers?"denton was sure of the answer but wanted it to be official. " just make sure they leave the country. less paper work you know."slaughter climbed into the buggy."just keep me apraised of what happens." his wife touched the team with her buggy whip and they lurched into their harnes and went into a u turn, slaughter waved a jaunty hand as they left in a cloud of dust. at the general store denton could see the clerk loading his pack horse. time to go.

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.