The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1942-03-05
CHAPTER I
g EUGENE CUNNINGHAM

over haf-mlle or the nat. Behlnd
the lead cattle the struggling col
umn moved forward toward that dis
tant plume of gray smoke that
marked a train on the new railroad.
Con Cameron was one of the eight
swing riders divided between the
two sides of the herd. He was small,
muscular, quick-moving, with alert
gray eyes in smooth, square face.
He looked younger than his twenty
years, in spite of small, reddish
mustache and shaggy hair and the
heavy tan of months hard trail
ing. Like the other riders, he was
very shabby. His dusty old Stetson
and too-big boots and patched fan
mel shirt and once-green trousers
gave him a trampish look. He
looked down at himself and grinned
one-sidedly.
Nothing that can't be cured in
Wild Horse" he thought. IF the
regulars draw fifty a month, ought
to get half that, or about thirty dol
lars. For Buzz Upperman is
mighty square boss. Pancho, here,
doubtless goes with the other horses,
and / haven't got enough to cover
the hull and bride. But I'll make
outl One thing sure: l was lucky
when / headed for Texas"
A big bay steer edged out of the
column and began to work wolfshly
to the side, behind Con. As if he
had eyes in his stubby tail, Pancho
spun about and jumped into lope.
Con gave easily to the sudden move
ment and let Pancho head the steer.
The wise sorrel nipped the bay
rump and grunted reprovingly, then
took up his jog again. Caramba
Wear lifted his voice in Comanche
war whoop-not for any special rea-
son, Con knew, but only because
the spirit had moved him.
From the point" far ahead, Buzz
Upperman Hoped his bald-faced
horse toward the drag" of the herd.
When he came to Con, he turned
about to ride with him. He was
inches above six feet, a narrow
shouldered old man with the arched
nose and small dark eyes of an In
dian. As a veteran trail boss he
had few equals in either experience
or ability.
''Wen, it's Wild Horse tomorrow,
son." he greeted Con. ''See that
engine smoke? Hard to believe it's
more'n fifteen mile off, huh?"
81 was just watching it. And that's
Trails End :"
''Well," Buzz Upperman drawled
rehectively, 81 been trailing cattle
one place and another, it's a good
many year, now. But this sashay
has been crowdeder than airy three
OF four drives I ever made, all put
together. Well, you're some differ
ent from the tramp kid that hit our
camp that night with old Zelotus
ImePs freight outfit. You filled out
plenty on 20 Bar beef and beans
and lots of hard work. And you
made hand, son. I'm free to tell
you that. Nothing wrong with your
riding and roping and shooting-and
plenty that's ali right with all of
'eml Funny . you picking up
things like that, around Chicago
stockyards.
''WeI, it's as / told you: Uncle
Hugh worked around the yards.
He'd lived in Texas a long time
all his life, maybe-until Aunt Hetty
made him come back to what she
called civilization. I think I. was
born in Texas, but they never actu-
ally told me so, or told me much of
anything. Neither was a talker. And
they were both killed in an eXcur-
sion train accident last year."
'When we hit Wild Horse, you'll
be free to start out and white off
your chunk of living. You keep that
saddle and horse and all the rest of
his stuff. Then, I'm going to buy
you a new rigout from John B. to
box-toes. You draw fifty dollars for
your work-and you earned i'll"
'Why-that's lot more than /
expected! To say nothing of the
horse and saddle-I certainly do
thank you'll L"
''Ne' mindl Ne mind! No reason
a-tan why boy with your educa-
ton and your natural bent can't own
his own outfit quick!"
That night, when the herd was
bedded down on the fiat, Con lis
tened at the fire. The veterans off
guard were talking of the spree they
intended to have with the trips
wages.
''WeI, you bright young fellows
want to watch out for Dynamite
Downes," Buzz Upperman warned
them grinly. eff you think just be-
cause Milan FAINT amt marshal
now, that you can waltz in and tear
up Wild Horse by the roots, well, you
got another think coming"
'tWell, / amt going to have bit
of trouble" Caramba prophesied.
The herd was early on the move
next morning. Where the fiat lifted
slightly. Con sat Pancho the sorrel
beside Caramba's bay, to look
across and slightly down at the ship
ping point.
'I suppose they just started with
the corrals," he said thoughtfully,
''then built the town westward, u.s.
ing the railroad for Main Street"
''Just about" Caramba agreed.
''She's long and skinny as copper
head snake. Just about twice as
deadly as a copperhead! All they
ask from a pore cowboy is all he's