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Authors: Louis L'amour
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on his mind. But why had Shaw been watching? What was the gunman thinking of? And had he reported that conference to Keith?
Kedrick finished his meal and lighted a cigarette. Ever since their first meeting in the desert this girl had puzzled him. He was inclined to doubt if any girl, reared as she must have been, could be so sincerely disdaining of all loyalty, and so plainly self-seeking. She seemed scarcely more than a child , slim, brown and lovely, with her quick, measuring eyes and her soft lips.
Now, apparently she had selected him as the man who was to take her away from the desert. But how many others held the same idea? However, he had no idea of leaving the desert.
"Your brother around?" he asked.
Her glance was a quick flash of alarm. "You don't want to see him, or talk to him. You'd better get out of here."
"On the contrary, Sue, I'd like to talk to Pit. I've heard about him and I'd like to know him."
"You'd better go," she warned. "He'll be back soon, and some of that Yellow Butte crowd may be with him."
"You mean he's not here? Then whose horse is that out there? That grulla?"
Her face was strange as she shook her head. "You'll think I'm a liar, but I don't know. I never saw the rider."
His eyes searched hers. He could see nothing but sincerity there, sincerity and a little fear. "You mean that horse showed up there, tied like that? And you never saw the rider?"
"That's right. I looked out this morning, shortly after Pit left, and he was tied right there. This isn't the first time! He has been here twice before, when Pit was gone, and some others have seen him, most of them women when their husbands are away. Mrs. Burt Williams said he was tied to her corral for three or four hours one day."
"But surely someone sees the rider come and mount up?"
"Never. He'll be out there like he is now he's gone!"
Kedrick came to his feet with a start and stared out the door. Sue was right. The mouse-colored horse was gone. His own palouse stood where he had left it, but the grulla had disappeared.
Walking out into the yard, he looked around very carefully. But there was nothing -in sight on the plain or the hills. The horse was gone! He looked at her and saw the strained expression on her face. Then he walked out to the appaloosa. Pinned to his saddle was a note. He grabbed it up and glanced at it, then passed it to Sue who had come up beside him.
"Stay away."
Kedrick shrugged. "Your brother do this?'
"Oh, no! I told him about the horse and he knew no more about it than I. Besides, he didn't print that. He couldn't. Pit never learned to either read or write."
Long after he left the malpais arroyo behind, he was puzzling over the strange horse. Somebody was seriously trying either to puzzle or frighten the squatters. Yet it was an action unlike the company. Moreover, it must be somebody who had a lot of time to spend.
Kedrick rode north toward Blue Hill, then swung east, crossing the Old Mormon Trail and skirting the rim.
This was good grazing land. There was an abundance of rough forage here and a good herd of cattle could fatten on this range without trouble. Moreover, the herding problem was solved in part by the rim, which provided a natural drift fence beyond which the cattle could not go.
When he reached Salt Creek he turned down the creek toward the river. Swinging east again and passing near Chimney Rock, he rode southeast until he struck the Hogback Trail. Once over that ridge, he headed due east for Mustang.
Yet as always, his eyes were alive and alert. He loved this land, harsh though it might be at some times. He loved the dim purples and blues, the far-flung mists and morning and night, the gray-green of the sagebrush, and the rust-red of the sandstone. It was a good country, and there was room for all if it were left open for settlement.
His own mind was not yet resolved. The problem of his debt to Gunter weighed heavily upon him, and there were other considerations. He wanted no trouble, and
Kedrick finished his meal and lighted a cigarette. Ever since their first meeting in the desert this girl had puzzled him. He was inclined to doubt if any girl, reared as she must have been, could be so sincerely disdaining of all loyalty, and so plainly self-seeking. She seemed scarcely more than a child , slim, brown and lovely, with her quick, measuring eyes and her soft lips.
Now, apparently she had selected him as the man who was to take her away from the desert. But how many others held the same idea? However, he had no idea of leaving the desert.
"Your brother around?" he asked.
Her glance was a quick flash of alarm. "You don't want to see him, or talk to him. You'd better get out of here."
"On the contrary, Sue, I'd like to talk to Pit. I've heard about him and I'd like to know him."
"You'd better go," she warned. "He'll be back soon, and some of that Yellow Butte crowd may be with him."
"You mean he's not here? Then whose horse is that out there? That grulla?"
Her face was strange as she shook her head. "You'll think I'm a liar, but I don't know. I never saw the rider."
His eyes searched hers. He could see nothing but sincerity there, sincerity and a little fear. "You mean that horse showed up there, tied like that? And you never saw the rider?"
"That's right. I looked out this morning, shortly after Pit left, and he was tied right there. This isn't the first time! He has been here twice before, when Pit was gone, and some others have seen him, most of them women when their husbands are away. Mrs. Burt Williams said he was tied to her corral for three or four hours one day."
"But surely someone sees the rider come and mount up?"
"Never. He'll be out there like he is now he's gone!"
Kedrick came to his feet with a start and stared out the door. Sue was right. The mouse-colored horse was gone. His own palouse stood where he had left it, but the grulla had disappeared.
Walking out into the yard, he looked around very carefully. But there was nothing -in sight on the plain or the hills. The horse was gone! He looked at her and saw the strained expression on her face. Then he walked out to the appaloosa. Pinned to his saddle was a note. He grabbed it up and glanced at it, then passed it to Sue who had come up beside him.
"Stay away."
Kedrick shrugged. "Your brother do this?'
"Oh, no! I told him about the horse and he knew no more about it than I. Besides, he didn't print that. He couldn't. Pit never learned to either read or write."
Long after he left the malpais arroyo behind, he was puzzling over the strange horse. Somebody was seriously trying either to puzzle or frighten the squatters. Yet it was an action unlike the company. Moreover, it must be somebody who had a lot of time to spend.
Kedrick rode north toward Blue Hill, then swung east, crossing the Old Mormon Trail and skirting the rim.
This was good grazing land. There was an abundance of rough forage here and a good herd of cattle could fatten on this range without trouble. Moreover, the herding problem was solved in part by the rim, which provided a natural drift fence beyond which the cattle could not go.
When he reached Salt Creek he turned down the creek toward the river. Swinging east again and passing near Chimney Rock, he rode southeast until he struck the Hogback Trail. Once over that ridge, he headed due east for Mustang.
Yet as always, his eyes were alive and alert. He loved this land, harsh though it might be at some times. He loved the dim purples and blues, the far-flung mists and morning and night, the gray-green of the sagebrush, and the rust-red of the sandstone. It was a good country, and there was room for all if it were left open for settlement.
His own mind was not yet resolved. The problem of his debt to Gunter weighed heavily upon him, and there were other considerations. He wanted no trouble, and
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