Carrizozo outlook. [volume] (Carrizozo, N.M.) 1910-1945, 1918-07-26
CHAPTER XIII.
Seven Lean Kline.

helu Blue nrfnly IN n curved
neck, clrcling stnnd. while she had a
last word with John before she went
on on n OF her long rides.
"All up In the hills, and round over
by Cedar creek, and all over" Johns
gesture was ever more sweeping than
his statement. 81 guess mebby them
rustlers git EN-"
"Welf, I'm going up to the Cove. I
may not be back before dark, 80 don't
worry II I'm late. Maybe I'll look
alOng the river. / know one plnce
where | believe cattle can get down to
the bottom, II they're crazy enough I.
try II. You didn't look there, did
your"
mo, I never looked down there. l
know they emit git down nohow."
well, all right maybe they can't"
Billy Louise ~slnckened the reins, md
Blue went OF with short, s%tlft-legged
jumps. II had been n long time since
he had felt the weight OF his lady,
and his mood now was exuberant
Blue threw up his head, lifted his
heels, and ran like n scared Jackrab-
bit over the uneven ground. They
were not keeping to the trail nj all
trails were too tame for them In that
mood. They ran along the rlm-rock
nc the last, where Billy Louise could
glance down, now and then, at the
river sliding like a bright blue ribbon
with icy edges through the grny, snow
spotted hills.
Hold on. Blue" Billy Louise
pulled up on the reins. "Quit II, you
old devil A mile ought TO be enough
for once, / should think. There's cattle
down there In that bottom, sure as you
live. And we, my dear sir, are going
down there and take n look ut them"
She managed to pull Blue down to
stlff-legged jumps and then TO n walk.
Finally she stopped him, so that she
could the better take in her surround
ings and the possibilities OF getting
down.
Blue had caught sight Of the moving
specks far down next the river and up
the stream half n mile or mor He
was n cow-horse to the bone. He knew
those far-off specks for cattle, and he
knew that his lady would like a closer
look at them.
Blue chose his trail and crumpled
ut the knees with his hoofs on the very
edge OF the ledge; went down with a
cat-jump and landed with all four feet
planted close together. He had no
mind to go on sliding in spite OF him
self, and the blum was certainly steep
enough TO excuse n bungle.
II was with n distinct air OF triumph
that Blue reached the bottom, even
though he slid the last forty feet on
his launches and landed belly-deep in
n soft snowbank. II was with triumph
to match his perky ears that Billy Lou
ise leaned and slapped him on the
neck. 1--WE made iti' she cried, "and
| didn't have to walk n step, did 1,
Blue7 You're there with the goods,
all right |"
Blue scrambled out OF the bank 10
firm footing OF the ripcned grass OF
the bottom, and with a toss OF his hend
set ON In n swinging lope, swervlnR
now and then TO avoid n badger hole
or n hnlf.sunken rock. They had done
something new, those two; they had
reached a place where neither had ever
been before, and blue acted as II he
knew II and glorled In the escapade
quite ms much ms did his lady.
The cattle spied them and went trot-
ting away up the river, and Blue quick.
ened his stride a little and followed
after. Billy Louise left the relns upon
his neck. Blue could handle cattle
alone quite as skillfully as with a
rider, n he chose.
Tho ..Nsf. Iaa.. a. -.
from them, closer 90 the river. Blue
pulled ahead n little, swervlng also.
and Ms BILLY Louise tightened the
relns. he slowed and clrcled them craft
lily until they huddled on the steep
bnnk, uncertain which way TO go. Billy
Louise pulled Blue down to a walk as
she drew near and eyed the cattle
sharply. They did not look like my OF
hers, after all. There were Ave dry
cows and two steers.
One OF the steers stood broadslde
to Billy Louise. The brand stared out
from his dlngy red side, the most ION.
splcuous thing about him. Billy Lou
lse caught her breath. There was no
fnlntest line that failed 10 drive its
message into her range-trained brain.
She stared and stirred. Blue looked
around at her %Inqulrlngly, reproach-
fully. Billy Louise sent him slowly
forward and stirred up the hoddled
little bunch. She read the brand on
each onel read the story they shouted
at her, OF bungling theft.
Finally she swung Blue IN the down.
stream side and shouted the range
cnllln cry. Thn nnlmnla inrnnh nwk.