Nogales international., 1931-06-10
drawled softly,

wouldn't stand for no more, and they
now looked on all cow thieves same
as they did on wolves,-varmints to
be got rid of. Nate Wheeler was gun
ming for Poole riders, Babe said, anc
that was why he rode at the kic
that-a-way.
He played absently, his thought
dwelling on what Babe had said. Bab'
seemed to think Poole riders had t.
be fighters. Reckon he ought to tel
Babe he wouldn't kill man for no
body; he'd seen too much of that bacl
home. Anyway Babe never asked hin
a word about that part. If he did, th'
kid would tell him straight out wher,
The stood.
Poole riders kinda expected to down
a man for keeps if it came to gun
play between them and nesters, the
kid recl<oned. Babe said the Poole had
tried the law and it wouldn't work,
because the Poole was an Eastern
firm and all the nestcrs and town folks
hung together. No jury in the country
would convict a cow thief, Babe said.
So the Poole was going to shoot it
out with the gang.
The kids JOB was to ride, along
up here on the rim, just lazy like, and
watch through field glasses for any
bunch of cattle being rounded up or
driven along in the hester country be-
low. Anything that looked like a
roundup down there, or even bunch
of riders going anywhere, the kid was
to ride to the top of small pinnacle,
standing back from the rim of the bench
and signal with little, round looking
glass Babe Garner had given him. !.
1t wasn't much of job. The kid
would rather ride with Babe, wherever
it was he had struck out for at day
light. But Babe didn't act like he
wanted anybody along.
The kid watched faithfully for
awhile, halting Pecos behind powders
while he got off and focused the glasses
on this ranch and that ranch and the
tranquil range land in between. Quiet
as Sunday afternoon in Quaker vii
lage, down there.
The kid swung the glasses farther
into the coulee and along the trail tc
the gate, ard Oh up to Whecler's
cabin. There he held them steady
little Fuckers showing in the st<it
around his eyes, ne squinted so. HI:
lips fell slightly apart as he watched
No wonder the valley was empty ant
no nesters we're stirring Having
funeral for Nate Wheeler, that wa:
why. Yard full of wagons and saddle
horses, men standing around outside
the house, not talking but just stand
ing there, looking sour. Every ont
packing guns.
The kid sharpened the focus a little
still gazing with his forehead wrinkled
trying to figure out what was wrong
Now the men were edging back from
the door-plan as if he stood in tn
yard with them he could see all the,
did; plain as looking. at a play on tn
stage. Fetching the, coffin out now
Just a board box with strap handle
nailed or, nesters all stretching thei
necks like turkeys in a grain tlelc
maiding their manners but wanting
to see it all. Something mighty strange
though. And then the kid knew wha
it was. There weren't any women
that funeral, Nate Wheeler had wit
and baby, but they weren't ther'
! either. Just men, not dressed up 1
their Sunday clothes, but wearin
, colored shirts and overalls. Nc
} shaved, either. Looked like they ka
just stopped by from their worl
: Plenty of guns, though, and belts fu
: of shells.
t The kid stared for two secono
t longer and took the field glasses frol
his eyes.