COCHISE COWBOYS 8

denton left before day lite the next morning. he had saddled the pack horse for the trip up the mountain to check the water flow. he had told inez about finding the horse tracks and the spot the rider had used to watch them.she didnt seem to disturbed. just asked for the pistol while he was gone. he didnt usually carry a side arm when checking his cows. but he did take the rifle along incase he found a deer. he still didnt understand the intruder . why hadnt he come to the house and announced his presence? was he plotting some thing he knew denton wouldnt like? denton hoped it was nothing of a kind. it might be nice to have a visitor once in a while. as the sun was comming over the top of the mountain and shed its light on the stream he was following he felt a certain bit of comfort. it was peace full and pleasent as he rode along. the water in the stream bed wasnt any lower but was still reduced from its normal flow. denton rode along with the rifle laid accros the front of his saddle.inez had reminded him they needed fresh meat. she was pretty definate in her demand, it made him chuckle. he needed to get out of the canyon soon, and get her some decent clothes. she couldnt go around looking like a apache warrior much longer. some trigger happy fool would take her for a man and shoot her from a distance. while he was mulling these things through his head his horse had slowed to a careful walk, trodding over rocks and brush. comming to himself denton realized there were a few cow tracks following the stream also. as he came around a bend in the stream he noticed water had spread out and was soaking into a wide spot in the little canyon. as he rode on he saw a hand full of cows scattered around ahead they appeared content some standing or laying in the shade of trees or the canyon wall. as he rode on he found the reason for the reduced water flow. a big rock had rolled into the stream and was daming it. forceing the water out of its channel and to spread out along the canyon floor. above the rock the stream was just as stong as ever. he tied his horse off and leaned the rifle against a handy tree. he tried to roll the boulder back out of the stream to the down hill side. he found it was well settled where it was. he didnt think the horse could move it. he walked around the boulder and studyed the lay out. picking up a downed tre limb he starte scratching a channel on the down hill side. the stream bed had a lot of gravel and wasnt real hard. after a hour he had a good detour dug out around the rock. most of the water was rushing on down the stream bed. he could see where the water was cutting the new channel a bit deeper as run around the rock. while he stood there watching a buck deer came out of the woods and tip toed to the stream for a drink. the rifle was four steps away. denton knew if he moved very fast he wouldnt get a shot.when the deer dropped its head to drink he took a slow step toward the rifle. the deer raised its head, denton stopped. the deer resumed drinking and that time he made it to the rifle slowley putting the rifle to his shoulder he took quick aim. a second later he and inez had fresh meat.the pack horse wasnt wanting to carry the deer. denton had cut the bucks throat and let him bleed out. the pack horse didnt like the smell. but denton got the deer lashed on the he walked around the cows and started them walking back down the canyon. he led the horse . it would be late when he got in. but the stream was running full and they had meat for the table.he grinned to himself thinking how this would set with inez.