Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1944-03-03
w.N.U. RELEASE

| we Teacn OSallala you look In this
book"
Time had come to set the guard.
Night shadows had slid like blan-
ket off the high rimrock. Out be-
yond the freight four thousand long
horns made black pool, watered
and contented now, ready to bed
down.
Lew dropped his tin plate and cup
into Owl-Head's wreck pan. He un-
derstood well enough that trail GUS
tom allowed crew to draw for
their turns at night riding. First
watch from eight until eleven was
always the best choice. No man
wanted to break his sleep in the
middle and so hated the second
guard from eleven until two. From
two until dawn was only a little
better, the whole day being ahead
then with these early-morning hours
tackled on.
But for his own reason this trip he
had decided to set the watch de-
hberately. He wanted Clay and
Splann and Steve in separate
| guards.
He made cigarette in brown
corn shuck paper and stopped for a
burning stick end. With the light up
close he looked across at lank Joe
Wheat. "Joe," he said, 'I'm picking
you to lead the first watch"
ALI OF the faces ringed around the
fire lifted toward him. There was
a tight silence. Then Ed Splann, his
huge shape sprawled off, half hid
den, growled out, How about let
TN US cut cards for turns, Mister
Boss? Amt that the usual caper?
Cut for choice and choose our own
watchmates, that's what"
Then Lew said, "Well, Clay, we
might as well understand something
at the start. You've been a fore
man long enough to know what the
Job means. Plenty of times come
along when you don't stop to explain
| your orders. I don't intend to. Like
the way I'm setting this guard" He
brought his eyes around the ring of
faces and stopped on Splann's surly
stare. eff anyone here can't take
my say-so he'd better quit right
now"
He held that stare for moment,
saw Its cold, hard steeliness and I'M
| derstood what he saw. "All right"
he said and turned again to Wheat.
Joe, you'll take first guard with
Clay and Neal Good. I'll take sec
ond; Steve, l want you to ride with
me, you and John. That leaves the
tag end for you, Ash, with Charley
Storms and Ed Splann.'
Ash Brownstone, Quarternight and
Joe Wheat were the old men of this
crew, all of them dependable. Thus
he had one trusted hand in each of
the three guards.
"I'm going in to the house, Lew"
Steve said, and looked off some
where before he asked, you rid
! ing in?"
Lew shook his head idly. mo,
| guess not" Yet he watched the
| quick turn of Steve's shoulders with
frowning interest. And afterward,
when he heard his horse race off
toward the creek woods, he said
quietly to John Quarternight,
wouldn't hurt to stand double
guard for little while. Let's ride"
Mounted, he held to the darkness,
keeping clear of the longhorns, and
then drew to a halt off on the bar
rem, empty plain. He saw old Rebel
John sitting up high in his saddle,
smelling the wind for trouble, and
said, "Wait."
1t wasn't long. Moving slowly,
| horse circled out from the creek
| growth, shielded by the dark. Lat
er its hoofbeats struck up a faster
| pace, aiming for the short row of
lights that was Ok Bow town, five
miles away.
Angry and bitter with this knowl-
edge that Steve was making
sneak, Lew sat rigid, listening, until
Quarternight said, THAT boy never
| could cover his tracks!'
Hes got no good business in
| town, John-not now"
Off in the east the first lonely gray
of dawn was spreading upward from
the plains. The black pool of four
thousand longhorns had risen, held
by the last guard of the night.
AS casually as that, as if this
might be only half days drive to
the railroad, the Cross T moved
into its march of twelve hundred
miles.
1t was the usual start, no better
nor worse than he had expected.
He watched backward over the re-
peated melees, yet took no hand.
Both men and beasts needed to get
the fight out of their systems.
After the noon meal Lew told Owl
head, keep on due north and you'll
find tank for your night camp.
Raise a smoke to lead us in"
He rode over to Joys wagon seat.
She had on a white muslin dress
and one of Steve's broad-brimmed
hats. But the sun had burned her,
and she looked tired and hot
She smiled up at him and yet she
couldn't hide what he knew. The
wagon had no springs. Jolting along
this rough ground, she was taking