BONITA 20

the trail up kh canyon was narrow and rocky. the two riders rode single file keeping a eye to the slopes on each side about half way to the kh camp they came across a butchered cow. it was fresh, maybe only a few hours old.butch looked to blondy. " i think these indians arnt out for war, but maybe supplys for the trip where ever they are off to." blondy was grime as cold death. he nodded and they rode on. up ahead they could see a tendril of smoke riseing from the spot the kh camp should be. as they neared the camp each man pulled his rifle from the saddle scabbord. the rock cabin in the clearing stood to one side. cowan was lying to one side of the door. as they rode up it was plain to see he was dead. a arrow shaft protruded from his chest. his boots were gone. blondy stepped down and entered the cabin. butch stood guard and held the horses looking all around. " he s been cleaned out, not a scrap of anything left thats edable. your right. they are just collecting supplys."blondy came back out the door shakeing his head. butch pointed up the westrn slope of the canyon. cowans horses grazed un bothered." they didnt even take his horses, i never seen that before. they take every horse they can lay their hands on." behind them , back down the canyon gunfire errupted. blondy looked at butch" we better attend to ole cowan then go see whats going on down there." unknowen to the two cowboys the cavalry had folloed them from bonita. they were now dug in around the base of kh butte. the apaches had the high ground and were holding them at bay. when butch and blondy came back down the canyon they almost rode into the middle of the fire fight. the soldiars were blazeing away at the top of the butte. but very little return fire was comming at them. after a few moments butch realized why, the apaches had little ammunition.the cavalry mounts were being held back in a protected area but once in a while a horse could be heard nickering from the top of the butte. dark wwas fast approaching, there didnt appear to be any caualtys on the army side but they remained dug in. they felt they had the indians cornered. but blondy said there was a foot trail off the butte that led up into the mountain. butch and blondy rode down to shotguns cabin. the three could watch the battle from shotguns cabin. the army seemed to have it under control. smith still had all his supplys. the apaches didnt want his bad enough to face that deadly shotgun. as darkness crept into the canyon the gun fire dwindled. small fires were popping up around the perimiter of the butte. it was deathly quiet from the top of the butte. everyone settled in for the night.