Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1944-04-07
CHAPTER x

CHAPTER x
LET him bark" Quarternight
said. It'll take more than that"
But Clay's meaning was clear
enough. With Tom Arnold gone Joy
and Steve would be the Cross own
ers. And since Steve wore the pants
he could take charge. Clay could
put the idea into his head.
From the river bluff he saw the
water had dropped number of feet.
1t was still high, but the churning
flood was gone. Long red sand bars
were uncovered out in the middle.
No matter what happened, the
longhorns had to 60 on. He made
an immediate plan for that. Then
near camp he said, "You 60 in, John,
and get tools from the cooks wagon.
Don't be seen if you can help it. Go
on back ahead of me-"
He pulled in and waited until
Quarternight rode out of the trees
with canvas bundle under his arm.
Only Steve was there when he went
in, squatted at the fire pit, drinking
coffee. His head turned at the sound
of the horse. His cheeks that never
took much tan were smooth and
rosy and he seemed all at once, in
this moment, too young for what
was coming. Lew" he said,
where's the others?"
"Up the creek, Steve. Joy here?"
"Asleep."
"Then come on with me-" The
thing he had to tell him made him
quietly gentle. Even Steve's quick,
"Say, I've ridden enough! Can't you
let man rest?" didn't change that.
He said again gently, "Come on.
This isn't work. Something's hap
pened."
He saw the high color drain away
and rush back. With no talk then
Steve got up and walked to his
horse. But out of the trees, looking
straight ahead, he asked, "Dad?"
Eyes. Steve" Lew put out his
hand. There had been years when
he and this boy were like brothers,
and Tom Arnold had been father
to them both. 1t seemed to him that
now, if at any time, the unexplain-
able barrier between them ought to
be down. His hand touched Steve's
arm. 1t jerked from him as if he had
struck a blow. He did not finish
what he wanted to say. It was no
use. Inside him a desolate lonely
feeling came crowding back.
He held deliberately to slow walk
up the creek, letting the men get
most of their work done. There was
no need for the boy to. look at the
trampled thing they had found. The
grave on little knoll close to the
bank was already covered. They
were mounding it over with rocks.
AfterWard, with that finished, they
made bareheaded circle waiting
for someone who could talk.
Someone coughed and the little
group moved. No one had spoken.
That brief moment was gone.
"Clay," he said, "you go in now.
Let Joy know. You and Steve.'
He had seen Ed Splann stay off
with the horses apart from the lit
tie group around the grave, and it
seemed a kind of rank insult, the
way the big man stood there casual
ly rolling a cigarette, watching them
and blowing out his gusty breaths of
smoke.
AS Steve and Clay got into their
saddles and started toward camp
Splann reached up for his own horn
to follow them.
He called the mans name, walk
ing toward him fast. Close, he
said, mot you. You stay here"
The heavy arm came down from
the horn and hung loose Spann
turned himself around with a pom
derous elaboration. "You talkin'
to me?" His dusty fouled beard
mid all expression. Then a quick
hard mockery glittered in his pale
eyes. Maybe" he said, II don't
hear you any more. New owners
make a new boss. You thought of
that?"
He knew a certain end was COM
ing, that he'd held back so far on
the trail. Quietly he said, "There'n
be no change. There's something
here you've missed" The urge to-
ward the end he wanted drove him
on. eff you can't take it like that
you can ride out"
He saw the instant way the pale
gray eyes sharpened. Splann's
voice dropped, low and oddly dron-
ing. $50 you figure it's that easy?"
1--WE done my figuring" he said.
"There it is"
This big man was no hotheaded
amateur when definite time came.
He could see the yelled GOODNESS
behind the dropping lids and the
slack readiness that slid over the
huge body. Then some thought
loosened the bearded lips in a half
grin.
"An right" Splann turned a lit
tie from him. you're smart. I've
thought maybe you were only a
damn fool" His right arm lifted
again as If tn reach the saddle