THE GRAVE 19

shug kept his horse at a long sweeping trot. the trail blake left was plain, a blind man could follow it. he was heading north along the base of the dragoon mountains. shug realised he was heading right for uncle billy foure s ranch. then a scant two miles before reaching the tracks turned east, up hill into the mountain just north of middle march pass.shugs horse had been holding up well to the blistering pace but with the up hill climb he started to falter, short of air. shug allowed the anumal to slow down and tried to conserve his energyby the way the tracks he was following looked shug could tell blake s horse had slowed also the trail bent back into middle march pass. soon below shug could see a couple of houses and a set of corrals. when he rode into the yard he was met by a mexican cowboy. " bueno dias senor. how may i be of service to you?"the cowboy asked. " did a fast rideing man come through here? and how long ago?" shug was impatient. "si, about two hours past. he tried to take a horse but my rifle persuaded him to move on. i see you are a deputy, my patron is also a john slaughter deputy. he is in willcox this day. what crime has the man you pursue committed?" " murder, he escaped jail last night and committed another murder." shug was getting ready to leave. " your animal is about done in. wait here." the cowboy turned and trotted to the corral soon he returned leading a grulla horse with a wicked look in his eye." this animal has never been tested. the one the murder rides is about to cave in. with this horse you should run him to ground."the cowboy was helping to pull the saddle from shugs give out horse. they resaddled the grulla and shug stepped up on him. the horse grunted and tried to swallow his head and buck, but shug held his head up and booted him forward. looking back he said" thank you. ill bring him back." a quarter mile down the canyon trail the grulla gave up any thought of bucking and struck a long trott. shug could tell blakes horse was really struggling by watching his tracks. a little farther along shug came to a give out horse standing in the trail spraddle legged. on a rock sat a young cowboy looking at him. " you ok cowboy?" shug asked as he rode up. " ime ok but that crook took my horse and left me this pile of soup bones. he went that way." the cowboy pointed out across the playa. shug could see a spiral of white dust raiseing as the murder was crossing the playa. he was headed straight to the frieght station at the sulphur springs.shug leaned forward and booted the grulla who had breathed in a lung full of air" horse, here is where we get down and dirty."shug warned the horse as they rode out into the white dust of the playa.