BONITA 2 2

the c n camp in stockton pass , east of bonita was located in a oak and hackberry forest. the trees had growen close together along a small spring. when gilbert webb had bought it he looked around for a tough man to stay there and care for the 300 hundred cows that ran there and in the red tail mountains next to the grahams. he found that man in simone. simone was a fugitive from mexico, a yaqui indian who had waged a one man war against mexicans. simone was a hermit, a man who didnt like anyone. but the eagle had left him alone to do his jobhe onlyhad to deal with the white man twice a year spring and fall. when they branded the calves and shipped the yearlings. the cowboy crew didnt camp close during those times so he tolerated them. only one white man had he been friendly with, the young billy who at times came and spent the night and would bring him supplys from the dubois store. simone was especially dislikeing the big man blondy but he was webbs forman and simone always kept him at arms length. no one from the 76 came to his camp, he was left alone and thats the way he liked it. he rode daily and kept a close eye on webbs cows. he had seen the group of apaches passing in the twilight hours. the yaqui and apache were almost related but in many cases didnt get along well. simone wouldnt tell on the apache but he didnt want any thing to do with them either. the trail into the cn camp was cleared of brush and low hanging limbs, trimmed with the sharp little hand ax that simone carried in his belt. you could ride right into and out of camp and never duck your head from the limbs.he kept it that way in case he needed to leave in a hurry. he haqd a rifle that webb furnished him for preditors but he seldom used it. he had a bow and quiver of arrows he prefered. he made his own rieta , braided from cow hide. it was sevent feet long and could be a formadable weapon when used as one as the horse theif fast cat had found out. simone had caught him tormenting billy. this day simone was sitting his horse on a bald hill above the cn camp watching the cows grazeing below. when he looked to the west he saw two horse men comming along the stockton pass trail. he watched them long enough to be sure they were commiing to his camp. he reined his horse around and booted him down off the hill. he reached camp ahed of the riders. he stired his fire and started the coffee pot heating. he really wasnt being hospitable but it was expected in these days and times. besides if these men came from the 76 they might bring instructions from webb.