Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1944-04-14
w.N.U. RELEASE


here I'd like to have"
She watched with no question as
his hand touched the old leather.
bound book and drew it out. He did
not open it then.
There had never been q time on
the Cross T or on this trail when
Tom Arnold's presence had not been
like strong controlling pressure
over all the crew. It was a thing
Lew had felt even in these weeks
when Tom had tried to keep him
self in obedience to his trail boss,
Now that pressure was suddenly
gone. He could feel the release
definitely around him; and for two
days, while they crawled northward
up rising plain with the dark Wich-
ltas ten miles east, he watched
change.
Among the older men it showed
only in deeper quietness for a lit
tie while and in their talk. Death
had been frequent part of their
experience
1t was Steve he fell to watching
mostly these two days, as the Red
River Valley vanished behind them
and brackish stream, the Salt
FORK, began to curve in on the west,
forcing them over toward an arm of
the Wichita Mountains, thrust out
dark and knotted onto the plain.
Steve, for the first time in twenty
one years, was no longer under the
restraint of stern, forceful man.
Even at twenty-one he'd had lit
tie experience with which to carry
OH this new freedom easily and less
to give him any knowledge of how
to walk in his fathers boots. They
didn't fit. 1t would have been only
amusing, his young and exaggerated
Importance now among men who
had fed him from a bottle, if his
growing sense of ownership had
stayed within the limits that even
Tom Arnold had put upon himself.
But he was like young bull now,
mead up, looking for an older one to
challenge. And it was plain enough
that he was being urged on.
1t was habit of his now to leave
his swing position whenever he chose
to, and late this second afternoon
ne came riding to the point, frown-
ing down his long straight nose.
Lew" he asked, "why we keep
ing so far off the trail?"
Better grass over here"
You call this grass?"
He nodded. BEST there is" Thew
were out of the curly buffalo and
bluestem now, in the grama of these
middle plains. 1t was short, hardly
more than six inches, and dry even
in this month of June. Don't look
at it from your saddle" he said.
Get down and rub some of the tops
in your hand. You'll find a lot OF
little black seeds. They're as good
as corn for putting tallow on
herd"
Steve pulled off his hat His light
curly hair sprang up. He put the
hat on again. Same grass over
there, I'd say"
Sure" Lew said, land too many
longhorns eating it down" He
grinned little. "What else?"
"We're losing time over here.
that's what. The trail was made
for a man to follow It's shorter.
We'd better get back"
He shook his head. "Too thin.
Steve. You didn't think all that up
by yourself. Clay's advice?" He
gave his own answer. Il guess. But
I'm not taking it. No mutiny Ell
Their. He grinned again to ease what
he wanted Steve to understand.
"Mutiny in trail herd is the same
as mutiny on the ocean. I'm cap
tain of this ship"
Their horses carried them for
ward through a silent time. His
grin died. He could see an odd struS-
gle against words that in the end
had to come out.
His scowling eyes turned from
him, Steve said, 1T won't be mutt
ny, Lew. We've been talking it
over. You know this leaves Joy
and me-"
Nov watt he said. "Wait a
minute! Let's get one thing straight.
from mere TO Ogallala | m trail boss
of this outfit. There'll be no change"
The light brown eyes jerked across
to him. That's talk"
Talk" he said, that l can back
up. Steve, you've got no fight with
me. Don't let anyone rib you into
it. You've got too much at stake.
You're headed toward all that a
man could want. You've never asked
me about this new land you'll have
in Wyoming. You want to know"
He went on without an answer. ITS
paradise" he said, for cattle. No
dry years up there. You've got
mountains at your back door and a
river in your front yard, the Pow
der, and a sweet-grass country as
far as you can look" His own vision
of that valley stirred him. Steve"
he said, you've got the biggest
chance there isl"
Something like sheer had come
across the thin wide lips, pulling
them downward in a djSd aipf,I 1ooL