BATTLE AX REMNENT 22

when rick and barry came in sight of each other the cattle standing in the middle of the mesa realized rick was there. the y turnned and stampeded toward the trail down off the mesa. they started to circle toeard connie but when they saw her ran harder toward the trail one old slick hided high horned cow turned back and made a charge at ricks horse . rick moved at the last minute and let the cow roll by then he turned to run her around and back into the gather. but there was no turnng the old nellie, she ran harder. as they neared the lip of the mesa rick pulled up but the cow ran on, right out into thin air. she plummeted down the mesa wall.rich watched her all the way to the bottom " well thats one way to get her off here." then turned to catch up with the rest. the dust was boiling around the trail head when he got there. barry and connie were working themselves into a sweat just holding the cattle there . a few would turn and spin then go down the trail. when the last one tipped over the edge barry jumped his horse in behind and started slideing and stumbling down the trail now stired up deeper than before when rick and connie rode off the edge of the mesa they could hear barry holler" the man from snowy river aint got nothin on me!" rick wanted to laughbut was to busy trying to keep his horse up right. far below duane could be seen . the leaders of the bunch hadnt reached the bottom yet. almost all the cattle in this bunch were slick. no brands and there were no steers at all. rick kept his horse sliding and hoping down the middle of the trail. behind him connie was comming a bit slower but it was eveident she wasnt going to quit. rick thought to himelf" she will do" down below the leaders had hit the bottom of the canyon and duane was hazeing them down country. he could see barry comming as well as rick and connie. when he was sure the bunch would stay together he broke into a run . he went up the opoising canyon wall and was trying to get to the lead of the drive. the cattle were running out of wind but they were wild and didnt know to slow down these cattle had never been worked, their home on top of the mesa keeping them safe. they would run until they fell over dead. duane got to the sand bed in johnny long just a step ahead of the lead cows. their little calves were out of air and haveing a hard time keeping up. but the cows kept comming as hard as they could. duane poushed into the leaders all he dared so as not to break up the bunch and scatter them. the leaders finaly turned and took the trail into the cholla thicket. behind duane three older cows broke from the drive and headed down river. but before they had run far barry caught one in his loop and a step behind came rick who caught the second one the third cow hit the thicket at a dead run popping the brush as she went through. when the two cpowboys had tied down the cows they remounted and made a run to catch up with the drive, duane and connie had the cattle pointed to the corrals . the cows were trying to stall but they kept them moveing. from out of nowhere jake came a horse back and threw into the mix . the leaders were stalling entering the corrals when barry and rick caught up. just as they got there a young bull yearling broke out past connie. with no hesitation she whirled her horse and went after the runaway. barry seeing her started to go also but rick waved him back the cattle were just starting to trickle in to the corral being tolled by the cattle already corraled there. barry kept looking over his shoulder watching connie. as did rick. connie rolled up on the bull yearling and laced a loop around his neck expertly then waved her slack and set her horse in a hard stop. the yearling hit the end hard and flipped over back wards. with the air knocked out of him he lay there heaving for air. just as rick and duane rode up he jumped to his feet. connie turned her horse and started to the corral with the little bull bounnceing along behind on the end of her rope, once in the corral barry heeled the animal and layed him down while duane removed connies rope. as they rode out the gate of the corral connie was coiling her rope as she rode next to rick" how was that partner?"she asked. rick looked straight ahead and said " youll do."