The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-09-03
CHAPTER XIV

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old agency buildings. The beef had
been milled together and driven
southwark toward the Potholes.
"Skip the idea of rustlin' for a
minute" suggested Jump. Figure
that somebody did it to hamstring
you-make poor man out of you
in a hurry"
you're talking about Herendeen
now" said Morgan.
"As SUCH"
"Well, we'll find OUT" said Nor
gan and led the group forward on
the trail.
They rode along the fiat country,
with the Haycreek Hills to the right
and the Potholes matter of four
or five miles in the south. The trail
of the beef made a wiggling line in
front of them, pointed for the Pot
holes.
Morgan said: ''If they're driving
the beef into that section it won't
be far away"
But, half a mile farther on, Nor
gan saw that the beef wasn't intend
ed for the Potholes. The trail cut
to the right, going into the flank of
the Haycreek Hills and aiming to-
ward a low pass. More and more
puzzled, Morgan followed. They had
been in entirely open country; now
as they rose with the slope of the
hills they came to gradually thick
ening stand of pines.
At this point the Haycreek Hills
touched one edge of the Potholes
and the land here began to show the
effects of the geologic upheaval. The
trail was narrow and circuitous and
worked upward to the summit of the
Haycreek Hills by labored turns.
Through this extremely rough and
lonely terrain the unknown rustler
had put the beef, single file. Harry
Jump said: "Hell, we must be right
on top of it now. He couldn't make
much Of drive through here in a
nights time. Clay, let me get
ahead and scout the land
almost at the top" answered
Morgan.
Breaking out of the summit tim
Der, he saw a meadow lying steeply
on the descending hillside, in which
Herendeen's cattle grazed, and his
own cattle. There was no doubt of
it; at this short distance he was
able to read his brand.
Morgan said finally, "Well, let's
get at it," and rode out of the TIM
Der. He worked through the stock
with Fox Willing while Jump and
Vermilye took stations near the
trees. After Morgan and Vermilye
had collected all the Long Seven
animals and had driven them back
into the forest trail the other two
riders came up, ready for the trip
home. Morgan meanwhile had done
some thinking.
'I'm going down to see Heren-
deen."
Fright with you," said Harry
Jump at once.
"One's enough to lay this out pref
ty clear" Then he added dryly, 81
think l can lay it out so he'll under
stand"
This time he openly crossed the
meadow and rode downslope through
the thinning timber, to come at last
to the rim of Herendeen's valley.
This was about five miles from the
meadow and still another three
miles short of the Three Pines
houses; dropping down the shoulder
of the hills, Morgan reached the
road running beside Cache River
and set off southwark at brisk clip,
soon raising the ranch. From the in
termediate distance he saw pair of
men on the porch and somebody
working in the corrals. When he
reached the yard both men on the
porch had gone inside and another
Bones McGeen-had come out.
McGeen's face showed its shad-
owed surprise and its alert hostili-
ty. But he kept his mouth shut un-
til Morgan spoke.
IF Ben's in there, tell him to
come out.
Hes here all right" grunted Nc
Geen, and raised his voice: Ben
hey Ben.
A man walked forward through
the house, heavy and deliberate.
There were voices in the rear yard,
softly talking and afterwards ceas-
ing to talk. Morgan looked at the
horses standing by the front yard
and didn't recognize them; he was
thinking about this when Herendeen
came to the porch.
.'Ben," Morgan said at once, Il
followed a pretty broad trail out of
Government Valley this afternoon.
When I got to the end of it there was
jag of Long Seven cows feeding