A FRESH START 8

the next morning bill was saddling horses. his saddle horse and two pack horses.. it was still wet and the trails would be muddy if not boggy. but he figgured he couldnt do anything else he would try to go get a load of salt blocks. as he was pulling the britchin around behind a pack horse he looked up and saw a line of horsemen comming from the west. they were slogging along in the mud single file. he finished buckling the britchin in place then slowley stepped to the door of the little barn. his rifle stood there leaning just inside the door.he stood there watching the riders as they approached. the leader was a tall, gray haired man not more than 40 years old as bill could guess. the rest of the group were all younger but had features the same as the leader, their horses were not the best quality. and their gear was old, worn and patched multiple times and showed little care. the leader pulled up in front of the barn and leaned forward on his saddle horn." ime josh kearny, these are my boys. are you the bill jeffrys?" " yes sir thats me. welcome, get down and we will have some coffee." bill was leaning against the door jam of the barn, his hand resting on the rifle just inside. " thank you, but no, we have work to tend to. we thought you to be a squater, but the sherrif put us straight. we wernt aare ole bond had sold out. we had tried many times to buy him out. i just thought it a good thing to stop and see you. we are going to work cattle and maybe brand a few if you want to come along. but i see your getting ready for something else."josh made the invitation but it didnt sound to friendly. the boys behind him had their heads bowed and nott looking up. they all wore pistols. josh sat his horse his hand resting on the butt of his pistol. " what i was going to do can wait. i would be glad to throw in with you just give me a bit or tell where your going to start work and ill catch up." bill smilled at the sour man before him. " out yonder. we need to put together a bunch to sell. " josh waved to the south. bill nodded and said" ill be along soon." josh turned his horse and rode back through his boys and headed south. bill stood watching. he started unsaddling the pack horses and turned them loose. when he was ready he shoved the rifle down into the boot but didnt buckle the holding strap. he wanted it handy. as he stepped up on his horse he could hear in the distance yelling and cattle bawling. he turned and headed that way at a short lope. as he rode over a slight rise he could see below a good size bunch of cattle with the kearnys encircling them. he watched for a moment. they were chousing the cattle and had the whole bunch milling and tromping the sod into a quagmire. the kearny horses were thin and not strong and it was plain they would soon giveout and the cattle scatter. josh sat to one side with a glum , sour look on his face. bill rode up next to him. " can i make a suggestion?" bill asked good naturly. " josh slowley turned his head and looked at him." what?" was all he said. " have the boys back off just a little, let the bunch spread out , maybe they will settle after bit. " bill explained. josh without another word rode forward and started around the herd stopping at each rider and talking to him when he did each boy rode back away from the herd and sat watching. as josh completed the circle all the boys sat back a little farther from the cattle. they could still turn any cattle trying to leave. soon the cattle quit milling. the little calves lay down , tired. josh rode back up to bill" that suit ya?" he asked with a hard tone to his voice. bill nodded.