BONITA 19

buck had been over to the gibson and made a deal with the former buffalo soldier for his small home stead and his cattle. buck was to take posestion in five days. he had mailed in his resignation as a law officer and was actually thinking about makeing alice his wife. this day alice was teaching a school house full of children. buck rode past the school and went on to the store on the east bank of grant creek. just as he rode up a cavalry courier loped up and fell off his horse in a run into the store. buck ambled up the steps and was met by dubois and the courier comming back out. " turn around buck get over to the school and hurry up about it. have aalice send those kids home. the apaches broke out of the reservation at san carlos. they are comming this way!"dubois blustered. the courier had remounted and was lopeing away toward the fort. buck spun around and trotted to his horse then hustled over to the school house. when he passed the word alice sent the kids out and back to the fort. then went to her cabin and threw a bag together. climbing up behind buck they rode together to the fort. people were comming from every direction to stay at the fort for protection. the commanding officer was scurrying about makeing room for everyone. buck got alice settled then realized gilbert and clair webb wernt there not any of their hired hands. mounting his horse he headed west up the mountain toward the 76 headquarters. on reaching there he found it a armed camp. everyone including clair was carrying a rifle. blondy met him at the gate. " we arnt comming to the fort. the eagle says we will stand off twenty apaches with no problem" "twenty? is that all we are talking about ?" buck blustered. " yeah didnt they tell you? geronimo skipped with twenty warriors and their familys. ill bet they arnt even goin on a raid if they got their familys they probably just want to get some place safe." blondy explained.." the one bad thing is cowan at the kh camp and ole shotgun smith probably dont know yet.ime a goin to tell them" " ill come with you." buck stated " twenty apaches , my gosh you would think the whole apache nation was out!" buck shook his head. "twenty can do a lot of damage pard, dont under estimate them." blondy led his horse up and mounted. looking back at gilbert and clair standing at the door of the house he waved and struck a long trott west. shot gun smith had a frieght way station on the road to pima. he lived there alone . he was a hermit. when blondy and buck rode into his yard the old man stood outside his cabin with the ever ready shotgun.the yard was a scrambled messs of hoof prints and blood spots. "howdy smith" blondy yelled as he rode up " you had company?" " last night, but they didnt care for the reception i gave them."he waved the shotgun. " ime good here , you better go check on cowan. they driffed that way when they left here."smith pointed over toward the kh canyon.