Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1942-06-19

hills and wide grassy flats were stud.
ded with pinon and cedar trees, anG
the men who had gone before us had
left trail not hard to follow. In the
first few miles Ed Carlin made his
guess as to where the Tonic Kids
bunch was riding.
They're lining for the Black Butte
malpais. Must be aiming to cross Con-
cho creek north of the Dry Sands and
head up through the breaks into one
of the canyons that'l put 'em back
Of Coldwater peaks. Well have job
If they get back in there"
In that inaccessible country back OF
the Coldwater peaks, half dozen
posses could founder among the high
forested slopes and deep canyons while
the men they hunted split up and van
ished.
The sun dipped and touched the
Coldwater peaks with a final yellow
blaze that pinched out and vanished
Purple twilight swooped in and deep
ened toward night as we caught up
with some of the Palomas men who
had ridden on ahead of the posse.
They were dismounted in a wide
grassy draw beside two bodies. Riding
hard on the fresh trail they had come
on the bodies and two uneasy horses
nearby. The dead men were strangers
who had been hanging around Pa
Tomas. I'd seen Steve Mayfield with
them. Each had been killed by single
revolver shot. No trace of the banks
money was about them. Ed Carlin's
voice was flat and even, as he climbed
back on his horse.
Looks to me like they were shot
so only two'd be left to split up the
money. Maybe we'll find another one
on ahead"
Some Of the Palomas men had fol-
lowed two sets of tracks which went
away from the spot. Steve Mayfield
and the Tonic Kid were riding fast
and alone now with their blood money,
probably suspicious and wary of each
other, wondering which would shoot
first and have all the money. I Won
dered what old Hoke Mayfield would
think of all this.
We had not followed far, with the
trail fading out in the deepening night,
when Ed Carlin called out suspiciously !:
"Somethin' funny about this! They're
swinging back on the range"
Keep on this way" I said, land
you'll hit somewhere near the Little
peaks, back of the Mayfield Bar S
ranch. Maybe that would suit Steve.
He knows every foot of the ground"
Cant see why he would stay on
this range when it would be safer to
keep going" objected Ed.
We found out why when the dark
night was about us, hiding the trail.
The other Palomas men appeared,
back-trailing toward the bodies. They
had lost the trail too in the dark;
but by match light before turning back
they had found blood spots on the dry
rocks of a wash Steve and the Tonic
Kid had crossed. Ed Carlin's voice was
cold with satisfaction.
"One of them must be hurt too bad
ly to risk tackling that Coldwater
country. Steve Mayfield's circling
toward home, hoping to get some help.
Well give him race to the Bar S."
And we did. But the Bar S crew was
asleep when we got there, and Long
Tom Hall. the foreman, stood out by
lantern light and disclaimed all knowl-
edge of Steve Mayfield.
The cold, gray dawn brought no sign
of Steve and the Tonic Kid. The tired
posse gathered at the Bar S ranch
house in the early sunlight for coffee
and breakfast, and Ed Carlin said:
Wen keep watch here. Rusty. you
ride back to town and send more men
out to scout around the Little peaks
One Of them, at least, is cornered
somewhere in these parts. Well get
him."
The two bodies had been brought
into Palomas and the town was watt
ing. had no trouble in getting an
other bunch Of armed men to ride
out and help the posse. The bank had
not opened this morning. Jonathan
Case was more bitter, If possible, as
he addressed the men was sending
out.
Don't forget the reward I'm offer
ing for either one of them. Five thou
sand, dead or alive. They've got the
banks money. Your money. II you get
sight Of them, make sure they don't