THE BIG HORN 30

roy and con turned their horses north toward the hiway they started out following the well beaten path the coyotes had used. but as they neared the dead horse tank the foot prints veered away toward the west. con pulled up and stared down at the foot prints. " now, what you think this is all about?"he asked roy. roy shrugged" i dont know. do we go check the dead horse or follow the trail?" " you go check the dead horse, ill follow the trail. when you get done at dead horse come catch up with me. it looks like these tracks are headed toward the ranch." con sounded concerned. roy peeled off and took a bee line for the dead horse corrals and water. con booted his horse into a jog trott following the trail of the coyotes.after a mile or so he was sure they were headed to the ranch. but he suddenly realized he had lost the trail. he turned back and 50 yards back he found where the trail had turned back north toward the hiway. in the distane he could see roy comming at a short lope. when he was sure roy had seen him con struck out again following the trail. in a few minutes roy loped up and fell in along side con. "nothing at dead horse. no cattle, or tracks and no back packers tracks. i dont think any one has been there in days, cattle or man." con nodded and pointed at the set of foot prints they followed." ya know i hired on here to run a cow ranch not baby sit a bunch of ruggies. we dont get some answeres soon i may just drag up. the border patrol hasnt caught anyone of importance and we have lost one half of the owners who hired us. whose to say we arnt next?" roy didnt say anything but he did note the disgust in cons voice. as they neared the hiway fence the foot prints kept on going to it. on the other side the two cowboys could see a border patrol crusier. they followed the foot prints right up to the fence. the driver in the cruiser got out on seeing them. " you boys come a long way? you looking for me?" pointing to the tracks they had been following con said" we been following them, but they must have been picked up before you got here." " i havent seen a soul since i been here. but ill keep a eye peeled." the officer stated. he didnt offer anything else even tho he seemed friendly enough. con sat there a few moments longer and nodded. "we had a long day, its still a couple hours to the barn" roy waved a careless hand and they turned west toward the ranch the officer waved back. they had ridden a quarter mile when con looked at roy" something back there stinks. i dont know what but it dont feel right. you see that pile of cigarett butts by the car door?he s been there longer than a little while and those were mexican ciggaretts like we been seeing.." " yep, i wonder if that guy is even a real border patrolman.i was getting the hee be jeebys." it was dark when they rode into the yard on give out horses. no lights shone anywhere. as the two cowboys dismounted a voice came from the dark barn " buenos noches amigos." both me froze next to their horses. con slowley looked all arounf but didnt see a vehicle. " que pasa amigo" he asked. a stocky mexican came out of the barn. he had no weapon they could see. but roy had pulle his pistol and held it against his leg any way. "i came for water. but i found no one here. where is the patrona?" the man asked. " she went to town be back tomorrow or the next day. did you find the water?" con asked. " yes i got water. i will go now. maybe come back another time."the mexican turnned and walked toward the hiway. roy stood quietly and watched the man walk away then returned his pistol to his chap pocket." what you make of that?"he asked con. " lets get these horses put away and fed. i want a glass of whiskey to think this over on."con went back to unsaddling his horse.