THE RUNNING IRON 6

on the second day after the vet had been at the ranch mike was up on the fence line between him and brooks. that the fence was rickety was no question. mike was rideing along slowley when h came to a set of tracks. they crossed the fence from brooks side and returned at the same place. the fence was propped up. mike sat there a moment. there were no cow tracks to be seen. there was no apparent reason for brooks to come over that fence. mike reined his horse around and followed the horse tracks. down below he could see emily pokeing along but watching him. she stopped mike followed the horse tracks until he came to a peice of ground that had been tore up. a disturbance of some kind had happened here but he found no reason for it.setting there he saw emily picking her way up country toward him. when she got there he explained what he had found.they both rode a big circle but found nothing but one horse track and a cow track. no ashes from a fire or any other evidence. with nothing to work with they rode on to finish their circle. but mike filed the incident away for later use.