The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-09-10

reached the open country. He joined
Harry Jump, both of them hazing
the stragglers forward until the beef
was in compact bunch. Vermilye
and Willing were fifty yards for
ward; now and then a cow wan
dered toward the jack-pine forest
surrounding them and had to be cut
back. At five o'clock they reached
the bottom of the stage road, left
the pines and swung north toward
Government Valley, three miles dis
tant.
Herendeen was nowhere to be
seen, whereupon Harry Jump came
to his suspecting conclusions. "He
didn't want to try it in timber. He's
waitin' for us to get in the middle of
the flats. My idea is that he's watch
in us from the Potholes right now"
A similar thought had occurred to
Vermilye. He trotted back to Nor
gan. Nov in case he comes ADJUST
in out of the brush, Clay, we better
just let this beef go and hit for them
agency buildings"
"No," said Jump at once. "Tt's
our beef, by God"
''That's right" said Morgan.
Vermilye joined Harry Jump,
both of them urging the cattle along
at quicker gait. Morgan closely
watched the back trail, not quite
ah1a fn nl 49,,
tinued delay. The suspense worked
on his nerves. Once, thinking he
saw movement at the edge of the
Potholes, he turned and made a
stand, searching the black margin of
that country quite carefully. He had
been mistaken, however, and pres
emily turned to catch up with the
beef. Near six o'clock, with the sun
down beyond the Cache Mountains,
they threw the beef on their own
grass near the shattered dobe build
ings of the old agency.
Morgan said; Hold this jag in a
bunch. We're not through yet. I
want Herendeen to see what we
took. Fox, if l were you I think I'd
pull freight. Thanks for comm
along"
Willing said, idly: might as well
stick around"
Cap Vermilye, always forehand-
ed man, got few sage stems and
piece of old board from the nearest
building to make up fire. He had
a frying pan and coffeepot in his
saddle roll; and some bacon and a
can of beans. He boiled up the cof-
fee, fried the bacon and heated the
beans in the frying pans grease.
Having no other utensils, they took
turns at the frying pan, using their
pocket knives, and drank the coffee
straight from the pot. At seven
o'clock, with shadows sweeping
across Mogul's plateau, a single
horseman appeared on the high edge
of Mogul Mountain and quartered
down. This was in the west, from
which Morgan expected no trouble.
Harry Jump walked deliberately to
his horse and pulled out his Win
chester. Morgan said, Hold on,
Harry" Rider and horse plodded
unhurriedly through the blue swirl
of dusk-a long stopped shape on a
rawboned animal; at a distance he
waved his arm overhead and lit
tie later Morgan recognized the nest
er Gale.
Gale came up but did not dis
mount until Morgan gave him the
proper invitation. When the invita-
ton came he dropped to the ground
with an old mans stiffness; he
poised both his hands over the muz-
zle of his ancient gun and looked
out from beneath his twisted avn
ing-shaped eyebrows.
There's some coffee left in the
pot" said Morgan.
"Just whut I need" Gale an
swered. He slouched over the fire
and tipped the pot against his
mouth, drinking with an acute thirst.
Coffee ran down the seams of his
jaws. He said, "Ah," in great rel
ish and sponged the liquid from the
tips of his mustache with sideWise
motions Of his tongue.
Morgan said: Don't mean to be
unfriendly. but maybe you ought to
move on
Gale didn't smile. He was past
the point of finding amusement in
the world, but in his eyes was light
like the last glow of Goals of dying
fire. Don't you worry about me,
Mr.. Morgan. If I didn't know whut
I ..nnto2 n &c u.o1,llr,,t ho hnro .,