COCHISE COWBOYS 17

EVERYONE IN SLAUGHTERS YARD STOOD WATCHING AS THE RUALES LONG TROTTED INTO THE YARD RAISEING A DUST CLOUD. KOSTERLINSKY RODE FORWARD WHEN ALL HAD STOPPED. " I SAY, I SAY EMILLIO, WHAT BRINGS YOU HERE?"slaughter almost yelled. " we found these body s back along the border, i thought maybe they belonged here." kosterlinsky pointed to two forms lashed to the backs of horses. slaughter walked past kosterlinsky as he sat his white horse and up to the first body. he looked long at the bloddy face revealed under the tarp. he looked back over his shoulder at denton " its wes." he said as he lowered the tarp. he walked to the next one and repeated the process" this one is pedro., both employed here and good men.how far were they from here?" he asked without looking up. " a little more than a mile. by the tracks with them the cattle they were driveing were taken."kosterlinsky said. " what direction did they go?"denton stepped up as he asked. "north, and by the sign not long past. its the reason we didnt pursue them.but we would place ourselves under your command to go after these murderes." kosterlinsky leaned forward to look at slaughter. slaughter looked around at denton then at some of his other cowboys. " you boys tend to these fellas. enrnesto , saddle my horse." denton had already started to the corral for his saddle horse. just as he got there inez caught up with him "mine too, please , ime going to change my clothes." denton looked her in the face and no longer found the sweet young woman he though that accompanied him, just a firce native woman with blood in her eye. he didnt argue a half hour later the possee made up of half ruales and half slaughter cowboys loped out of the san bernadino yard. denton and inez were in the group. ernesto turned to mrs. slaughter" i pity the bad men when they are caught. thats a bunch of angry men there." two hours ahead myles compton and five of his cochise cowboys were driveing a bunch of slaughters cows and calves. the smallest calves were give out, their toungs hanging out of their mouths. but they were given no rest, as the little calves played out the theives left them behind, forceing their mmothers on ahead. myles drove his cowboys as hard as they drove the cows.he knew they had to get away from that border fast. as the cattle slowed from exhaustion the cowboys took their ropes and beat them down the backs trying to hurry them along. to their right a narrow canyon opened, myles loped ahead and turned the leaders into it. it would be a good place to spend the night. they could rest the herd while guarding the entrence. myles felt confident he could handle the cowboy and apache who lived here.