COCHISE COWBOYS 19

the next morning early denton saddled one of the horses left by the dead cowboys.. he waved a careless hand at inez as he rode away from the cabin. she still had the hard, sour look and attitude. as he rode around the little bunch of cows he could see they were all grazeing and had their calves at their side. he hoped the 6 left on the trail were recovered enough to come on. as he entered the canyon he saw fresh tracks going back out. the mother cows searching for their calves. it would be a good sighn. hopefuly they would be mothered back up and he could slowley drive them back to the rest of the herd. as he rode along he had inez in his thoughts. that he was attracted to her was a fact but the two years she had spent with the apache she had developed a hard revengful attitude. what if in the futur he made her mad? whould she shoot him? it was a sureity that she had no problem pulling the trigger on some one she was mad at. she didnt hesitate, was he going to spend the rest of his life with her looking over his shoulder? that wasnt a very good thought! up a head he could see two cows and calves grazeing out away from the trail. he hoped the other 4 would be as easy to locate. a few hours later he had found all six pairs and was slowley walking them back toward the canyon entrence to the ranch. none of them seemed any worse for wear from the mad drive the day before. as he turned the six pairs into the entrence canyon he noticed a bunch of horse tracks going in ahead of him. he pulled his rifle from under his leg and laid it across the saddle in front of him. "this is getting out of hand." he muttered to himself. up ahead myles and three of his remaining cowboys had bunched the cows and was headed to the canyon. just as denton pushed the six pairs out into the herd. denton stopped at the entrence and raised his rifle across his chest so there was no mis understanding. myles checked his horse to a stop. and stared ahead. "you boys wait here. ill go see if i can get this yahoo out of the way without gun play"myles told the other men with him myles rode around the edge of the herd and approached denton. " hey cowboy we come to pick up our herd. will you give us the road?" denton was looking past myles trying to spot inez, he knew she wouldnt be far away. "no those cows stay here. you can take your men and go, but the cows stay."denton leaned a bit forward and fairly spit the words into myles face. "aw hell" myles reached for his side arm, but denton swung the rifle around so it fairley was pointed at myles chest. "dont touch it. ime giveing you a chance to keep breathing. "denton had eared the hammer back on the rifle. in the back of the herd one of the three cowboys had pulled his side arm and was easing around the herd on the other side.but he hadnt gone but a little ways when a rifle roared above him from the hill side. the cowboy jerked aand droped his pistol. he slide to the ground into a crumpled pile. myles had spun around at the sound of the shot. he was searching the hill side for the shooter. "you want to go now? what else we gotta do to convince you to leave?"denton stated. the other two cowboys had drawen their pistols but hadnt moved " tell ya what myles, take the men you got left and go find some one else to steal from. this isnt going to be very profitable here."denton almost whispered. myles holstered his pistol then waved to the man at the herd. they holstered their guns and left the herd and rode around to myles and denton. " dont come back myles, ever, or you will join the other three that will be buried here. this is your last chance. dont come back."denton waved the rifle at them and moved aside so they could leave.he watched them move ahead then followed to the outside entrence. he could see the outlaws rideing west. he turned back. when he got back to the herd he found inez stripping the dead outlaw of anything of value. his pistol, hhis rifle and horse. denton could see his pockets turned inside out. inez mounted the dead mans horse" will you come bury him?" she asked denton. " yes after we move these cows back into the back basin. lets get them away from here." denton tried to act as if inez killing a man was a everyday thing , but inside he wasnt sure what to think.

COCHISE COWBOYS 18

myles had just got the stolen herd held up in the canyon where dentons ranch lay when the cowboy he had left at the canyon mouth came lopeing up to him. " theres a big dust cloud comming behind us. they will be here any time. we gotta go!" the cowboy was out of breath. " get the boys, leave this bunch of cattle we will come back for them another day. LETS GO!" myles had already turned his horse back into the narrow canyon. as he reached the mouth of the canyon he could see the dust cloud not more than a half mile away. he shuddered, a white horse was in the lead. that meant one thing. he spun his horse back to the north and useing the tail of his rope he started whipping the horse down the hind leg he was at a dead run in two jumps. behind him his crew of cow theivees were just leaveing the canyon gun shots erupted from the dust cloud. two of the cow theives fell from their horses.the other three followed myles in a hail of bullets. whipping their horses. as slaughter and kosterlinsky came up on the two down cowboys they pulled to a stop looking down at the two bodys slaughter turned to kosterlinsky" theres two that left the country!" denton and inez turned up the canyon toward the ranch. their horses as well as the rest of the mounts in the possee were heaveing for air. even tho myles horses were tired they had a good lead and hadnt run to this point full out. both slaughter and kosterlinsky knew they didnt have the horse flesh to catch the cow theives. denton and inez rode into the canyon to find the stolen herd bedded down, give out. theyhad passed a half dozen little calves in the chase to reach here. but they would have to wait until morning to pair the calves with their mothers. denton looked over to inez and realized she had a rifle laying across her saddle in front of her lap. " would you have used that?" denton asked pointing at the rifle. " any man from now on who try s to take advantage will find i can use it."inez was grim "does that include me?"denton asked " we will have to wait and see wont we."inez didnt give a inch. denton shuddered. he knew she meant it. as denton and inez rode around and through the herd slaughter and the rest rode in through the canyon. kosterlynsky and his men held up at the mouth of the canyon. slaughtr and his crew rode around the give out herd slowley looking them over. when he came up to denton he stopped his horse. "these cows are to give out to take back home. ime thinking they maybe the beginning of out share agreemet"slaughter had a defeated sound to his voice. denton looked over at inez who slowley nodded and then back to slaughter" lets get a good count. so we know where we are." " there is 86 head of mother cows. i counted 6 calves left on the trail. do you agree?"slaughter spit it out. denton was amazed at the ld cowmans ability to count the cattle as he rode by."if you say so its good for us. do you all want to camp here for the night?" " no, when our horses are rested we will start back. emillio needs to get back across the line before he is missed. we will bring the balance of your agreement cattle in a few days. is that ok with you all?" again inez slowley nodded her agreement as did denton. ahour later the possee minus denton and inez left the canyon ranch and started home.it ha been a long hard day.