Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1934-03-15

tohary hay crop and pasture But
hershaw turned the water, when he
was through with II, back into the
channel of Eden Valley creek
OF course there Was nothing Hensley
could do about thix Kerxhaw had the
hrsf use of the water and when he
turned It back into the channel ut the
boundary line he was quite within the
Law.
hershaw put up his customary tom
mage OF hay that year and wintered
his cattle well Hensley had but a
quarter OF the hay he required and
wintered his cattle poorly. and thin.
u~ndernourished cattle produce poor.
undernourished calves and u lexsened
quantity of them
Following the second year of sub
normal snowfall In the mountains be
suffered even greater losses The
third year he could stand 1t nc longer.
again he called on Robin Kershaw.
lie rode up to the latter's house and
before the gate held up his hand. palm
outward. In the old Indian sign of
peace. Nevertheless. Robin Kerxhaw
came out with a pistol on his hip; on
the front veranda Robin ri fondled 4
repeating rifle and watched Hensley
as q cnt watches a gopher hole.
@kershaw." HensIey began. you're
running me"
That's I lie You've ruined your
self"
I've rot to have more water this
year" Hensley shriIled. when you're
through with the water / want you to
run 1t under the fence to my ditche4
Ii you don't BY Cd. wen argue this
In the smoke It's plain dirty OF you
to run IT back into the creek again
Well. ! suppose I could run 1t into
your ditchea.- Kershaw mused
See that ron do Hensley remind
ed him. and rods OIL, little realizing
that he had made m error OF judy
ment- He thought h. had blufFed
Robin Kerxhaw.
When KershAw was finished with
his irrigation that summer. Hensiey
connected his lower Irrigation bitches
with Kershaw's and the water started
running merrily down over the Hens
ley meadowA- But almost Immediately
the flow ceased Kerxhaw had opened
the water gate on hIs diversion dam
and turned the water back into the
channel OF the creek ut the upper end
OF his ranch instead OF the IowerI
Hensley was now In 4 most unpi<ss-
ant ~predicament- I'm the presence OF
witnesses tRobIn III and two OF the
Kershaw cowboyE1 he hAd threatened.
Ii denied the water. to argue the issue
with Robin / In the smoke Hell
make good" Robin Kerxhaw I de-
cided- And be and his SOM and hi.
riders all rode armed with pistols and
rifieA~
But again Joel Hensley visited the
Circle X -Kerzhaw." he called from
the front gate. It'll pay for my share OF
that fenca. With interest," he added.
Il don't need the money! Kershar
tainted him. and I doubt II you'd
maintain your share OF the upkeep OF
that fence. How would you like to
sell ont to mel That's the best and
easiest way to shed your water
troubles. I'll meet you In n Hbernl
spirit for the sake OF peace. Eden
Valley he added, @aIn'f big enough
for ns both"
Two weeks later. Al he rode In alone
from the nearest settlement. Joel
Hensley rode ont on Kershaw from 1
OF pines. Neither man hest
1t did not occur to either to
ask questions, simultaneously they
drew and fired
Mark. now the p~ervtrsity of Fate.
Had each killed the other the fend
which, for the next forty years, was
to make OF Eden VALLEY 4 dark and
ground, would have ended
then. But Joel Hensley's first cart
ridge had a defective primer-xnd
Robin Kershaw's did not Whereupon.
i coroner's Jury Mt Gold Run, the
county seat. returned ! verdict OF
Iusti1abie homicide and restored Robin
Kerxhaw to the bosom Of his family
But Joel Hensley left Z sen-severai !