COCHISE COWBOYS 12

OUT SIDE THE CANYON THE TWO COWBOYS TURNED THE LITTLE HERD SOUTH. DENTON HAD LOOKED THEM OVER AND FOUND THEY ALL WORE A UNFAMILIAR BRAND. A FEW MILES ALONG IN THE DISTANCE THEY COULD SEE A CLOUD OF DUST RAISING OVER A KNOT OF HORSEMEN. UN FRONT OF THAT BUNCH A WHITE HORSE COULD BE SEEN WITH A TALL RIDER. " UH OH I HOPE YOUR NOT WANTED IN MEXICO." DENTON SAID. " not that i know of. only been down there once before. why?" "thats kosterlinsky. he the head man for the black rope ruales down there." denton was glum. as the riders drew near the ruales circled the cattle and stopped them. kosterlinsky rode up on the two cowboys flanked by two hard looking mexicans with black rope hat bands on their hats. "hello colonel, are you looking for these cattle?" denton asked. wes was shakeing but trying not to show it. "we saw you from the ridge there" kosterlinsky pointed to a long ridge." you have the sanchez family cattle. where do you think your going with them?" " we didnt know who theyy belonged to, they were left at my rancho last night. i figgured them to belong south of the border so we were returning them there."denton stod firm. "if you come back to mexico i will deal with you accordingly. "the old prussian spoke through gritted teeth. "we wernt there to start with, we want to be good neighbors. we didnt steal these cows. we were returning them."denton leaned a bit forward to make sure kosterlinsky heard him, but it also freed up access to his side arm. "if you didnt steal them then who did?" the prussian sneered. " i never saw them before, but they left the country rather suddenly." denton rested his hand on his pistol butt. wes cut a look at denton and turned white. "left the country? are you one of slaughters men?"kosterlinsky asked a bit softer in the tone of his question. " i was, but no longer. i have my own ranch to tend. but i try to follow his directions as much as possible."denton moved his hand to the saddle horn at kosterlinskys change of attitude. "BUENO!"kosterlinsky waved at his men. he spun the white horse and started herding the cattle south with his men. as they rode away denton heard wes let out a breath he had been holding." you ok?" he asked. " i am now. i thought we were dead for sure." wes was still shakeing. " that old bluffer has a attitude every time we run into each other. he acts like he dont know me but he does. ill lay money on the fact the sanchez family never sees those cows. he knew being on this side of the line was wrong. but he probably needed to sell something to pay that bunch of killers who ride with him.so we solved our problem and his bringing those cattle back here. "denton explained as they watched the cattle and riders disapear up ahead. denton dug in his shirt pocket and came out with 20 dollers in silver coin" here, this will get you fed until you find work. thanks for your help." " any idea where i might find some work?"wes was looking at the coins in his hand. "san bernadino is right up there ten miles or so. john hires a few men. tell him i sent you. youll get a meal and a bed for one night for sure."denton pointed to the south east. he shook wes s hand then turnned his horse back toward the canyon. wes waved and watched him ride back. denton rode back toward his home wary. myles maybe showing up at anytime looking for the two hired men and the cattle. he didnt want any run in with myles compton but at the same time he didnt want to be involved in his schemes. besides he had to do something about inez. she was good to have around but he didnt want her to think she was being held there. he now had extra horses and gear. he could get her rigged out and she could go on her way. when he rode back into his yard the smell of cooking food hit his nose. a hot lunch was going to be good. he turned his horse loose when he unsaddled and stepped into the house. the view he was greeted with stopped him in his tracks. inez long black hair was pulled to the back of her head and tied into a ponys tail with a peice cloth. she wore the gingham dress he had bought her. it , if anything was a bit snug but showed off her figgure. the only thing remaining of her apache get up was the tiguas on her feet. "i look ok?"she asked. "better than ok. no one will mistake you for a indian now." denton answered. inez started putting food into a tin plate from the skillet on the stove." sit down and eat, lets make a plan." she said matter of factly.