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III Isl . ro.Clf4 roClf4 rounded r . < r 4 . ny ap ,1 1 , . , . kt bat . . Tort To T M . ArDoJcJ Arnold Arnoldhas AnrMha has . . boon ' . 'n n ' threwa tJar01rD thrown ky 117 by hi . bls . borse fc " "Ofl Ofl rr . , , alid add a tilled ua tJ ua&CLAV ed &CLAV CLAV & . cu CLA . . , ! MANNINO IUNN1NO 1it&NNINa 1itNNINa & (11s 11s WIt teui ( Uwt Lows . UwtfUS , -fUS fUS ffTW 0411 - } ! . * .1\\ .1 wffl 2 2mako .1male \ male mako ale , a * . MI blr 'I I ' , ! cwrer dUferenee ur r c . . . ' " . ICUAmR CnAPTiR X 8 8"Let "Let Let ' " Let "Let " him bark hart barl - . " . " Quartenught tluarternlgbt tluarternlgbtbald Q\1attemt Q 1attemt \ t tBateL BateL bald aid , . "It'U ItU "U.U U.U UU "It'll Itll " ' . tak take " mere more than an that that"But thatBut " " But 0141 Clay's Clays ' " ' meaning ra > w was . clearenougb clear clearenoUgh clearenough enoUgh enougb . With Tom Torn Arnold , gone one Jar Joy Jarand Joyand Joyand and Steve Stev * would woptd be the th Cross T Towners Towners Towners owners Adsince AM Ad .lnce lnce since . sine * Stve Steve St $ ve worft wore Ute the thepants Utepant thapants pant pants . he could would : oUld tak take . charge ebare cbaige , . Cla Clay Claycould Claycould ) ' couid could . , put the th Idea Into bis h1a bin headFrom headProm head headrrom rrom From Prom the river bJWt b1If bluff he Ite .aw aw saw . w the thewa thewatr th thwater wa water watr ! ( r bid bad had dropped a number nUJnber ot of feet feetIt . . It was waf .un un still . Ull high hfeh , . Hut but the churn1n churning churningflood : churningflood , flood floodVaI was \VaI VaI \ gene gqqe ' Lon Long . red xand sand ban bars banwere barswere banwerar were uncovered W1covered eov recl out la In the Ute middleNo middleN41 middle middleNo No N41 lZ mattec attee QttU whss what happened bappened b ppeued , thelonghorns the thelonghorna thelonchonu longhorna longhorns had bad 0 to * to Co go o on . on & . He madean made madean madean an Immediate itnmedtate plan tor for ( or that . . 'then then 'thennear Thennear ' Thennear near cam camp he h .aid aid . laid said . , "You You "Ypu Ypu uY " 60 f go In , , J'ohn John John ' Johnand . , and get let toola tooll tools from iroJn fropn the th cook's cooks cobk'e cobke eo k ' , wagon wagonDon't wagonDont . , Don't Dont ' be keen ietn seen If it you tOU ) can help elp It It . . Go Goon Goon Goon on back ahead of men me ; , " He pulled pu1led to In and an4 waited wafted untU until untUQuanermpttocle untilQuarternight untilQuarternightvrode Quarternight Quanermpttocle , rode out of t the tb tteea trees tteeawith treeswith treewith * with a eanvaa c.1.nva c1.nva c1nva osbvas . . . bundle ncUe b uader boder under bis bu his ann arm armOnly annOnly armOnly Only Slav Steve W wan was " there whea wben when he be went wentIn wentIn wentIn In . In , , quatted sQUatted . at .t t the fire ftre lire pit . , . drlnJdnU drinking drlnJdnUcoffee drinkingcoffee drinkingcoffee coffee Hi m His * , head turned at the sound soundof soundof aouodof of the horse hors4 bors , His Ws Ilia cheeka cheekl cheeks that UJat ilat never nevertook nevertook nevertook took much tan tab tafl were wex-e wex e wereemooth - , stn smooth otb .nd nd and androay . andro .ndros7 ros7 roay y and he be aeemed 'eemed eemed seemed ' an aU all at once ' , m in intltie mis inthis \is is tltie \ moment . , , too young for what whatwas whatwas whatwas was coming . "Lew Lew 'Lew " ' . , . " he .ald ald said . aidwhere , where a the others ? ' " . - ' ' "Up Up 'Up " ' the creek Steve ' Joy J'07 J07 here ? ' ? " " ' " . "Asleep'S"Then . "Aileep Aileep uAsleep "Asleep'S AsleepS "Then Then 'Then " ' come on with me " be The bething Thething ' ! Thethine thing be he had to tell teU him hll)1 hll1 ) made ade hIrQ hint hIrQquIetly hintquietly himquietly quIetly gentle Even Steve's Steves Steve ' * , quick , , Say , , ' I've Ive ' ' ridden enough enougbl enougbt I Can't Cant ' ' youlet 70U you 70Ulet youlet let a man restt rest ? " didn dldn t change chanee that thatHe . . He caid said again gently . , ' 'Come Come ' on onThis OnThis onThia This isn't isnt ' ' work . . Something Sometblng Something's Somethings ' * . hap bap- bap hap- bappened happened happened - - penedHe pened " " He saw the high color drain awa7 away awa7and awayand awayand and rush n h back With no talk thenSteve then thenSteve thenSteve Steve got up and walked waiked to his hie his110rse hiehorse hiabone 110rse horse But out of the trees tree * , lookln looking lookingstraight lookingatralght , Itralgbt straight ahead ebead , be acked asked ' . Dad ? " "Yes Yes "Ye Ye " Steve-Of Steve Of Steve- SteveLew Steve - - " . Lew I.ew Iew put out hishand bis his bisl1and hiahand l1and hand There Tbere had bad been yeara years whenhe when whenl1e whenhe l1e he and this boy were llke like Uk brothers brother.and brotherand * , . and Tom Arnold had bad been a _ lather father latherto fatherto fatherto to them both . . . It aeemed seemed to him blm thatnow that thatnow thatnow now , . , If at . any .07 07 time . , the unexplaiQ- unexplaiQ unexplain- unexplain unexplaiQable unexplainable unexplain-able unexplain able - - able barrier between betWfen : them ought to tobe tobe tobe be down . . His ms band hand touched toucbed Steve'sarm Steve's Steves Steve'sarm Steve'sarm Stevesarm ' ' arm . . It Jerked from trom him as If 11 he bacJstruck badstruck bad bacJ truck struck a . blow He did not finishwhat ftn1sh finish ftn1shwhat finishwhat what he be W wanted Wnted \nted nted \ to say sa7 It was no nouse nouse nouse use Inside Insi4e him bim a B desolate ldnely ldbely ldbelyfeeling ldnelyfeeling lonelyfeeling feeling came crowding backHe backHe back backHe He held eld deliberately dellberate17 to a alow slow walk walkup walkup walkup up the creek . , , letting the men get getmost getmost getmost most of their work dope do done e There wa was wasno wasno . no need for the bo boy boy ; to took Io0k J at thetrampled thetrampled the thegrave trampled tblnli thing th ; e f < ! fbM bM hsd 10 found nd . , 'the the 'thegrave Thegrave ' grave 9n qn on a uEtId ll\U ll U li \ tl tlbank bon knoll cJoset close tq the thebank thebank bank wax was already 1tead7 eov covered red . . . The7 they The7were theywere Theywere were mounding mouqdMg mouiEd1ng it ov over ver r'wtth rwtth " ' wtth with . .rocksAfterward rocksAfterward . .rock rock cocks cocksAfterward . MtefWard Afterward , , , with w1th that finished finikhed ftOl hed , , they theymade theymade theymad made * a ba bareheaded headed circle 1tcle walUn waiting waitingfor waitingtor , for someone who could couid talkSorbeobe talkSomeo talk talkSoAeone SoAeone Sorbeobe Someo e coughed couglJed and the littlegroup.moved utUe little utUegroup.moved littlecroupe-moved littlecroupe moved group.moved groupmoved . - No one bid had spoken spoken.That spokenThat . . . Thaf That brief moment was gone , ' " Clay , ' , " . he be said . , , ' "you you 'you " ' go hinow In hi nowLet now nowLet nowLet Let J ' Joy 1 ' know You and Steve " " He bad had ad seen 'See1\ 'See1 See1 'See1Ed ' \ Ed Splann stay .tay tay . .tayoff off ott offwi1h ottwith offwith wi1h with the horses bQrses apart apatl .lr lr . A-om A om from - m th the lit- lit little littie lit little - tle tie group eroup aro4md aro around d the grave . , and tt it ttseemed itseemed itseemed seemed a 8 klad kind of rank insult . , theway the theway theway way the b big man lS stood ooti there casually casual casually casually ly rolllne roUfng rolling ft a Cigarette IJgarette : . , watcblng watching watcbl g them themand themand themand and blowing blow1rt & au out ' hi his . guity lUSty gusty breaths 01 of 01smoke ofsmoke ofsmoke smoke . , it y itAs yAs / As Steve Steye and Clay got Into their theirsaddle theirsaddles theirsaddles saddle saddles . and started toward campSplann camp campSplann campSplann Splann reached up for bis bls his own born horn bornto hornto bornto to follow themlie themHe them themHe He lie caned called the man's mans ' name P8me pame . , , walk- walk walkIng walk'Ing walkIng ' - . Ing toward him fast . dose Close , he heBald hesaid besaid Bald said , , "Not Not " you . . You ' stay 'ta7 ta7 beJ'CI beJCI here her ' * " / The Tbe heavy beavy arm came down fromthe from fromthe fromthe the born horn and bung hung loose Splann Splannturned Splannturned Splannturned turned himself bimselt around , with vlth a pon pan . ponderous . derous deliberation deIJberation "You You " taDdn tailors taDdn'to taDdnto ' . to me meT/ meT meTHis me7 ? / " " ' His Him dus dusty fouled beardhid beardhid beard | hid all expression b ' ! Then n a " Quick Quickhard quickhard quickhard hard mockery glittered gUttered In bla bls his pale paleeyes paleeyes paleyes * eyes "Maybe Maybe " lU'be lUbe ' " " he said laid , . ' ; don't dont don'tbear don'thear don'thear donthear ' ' bear hear you any more New owner owners ownersmake ownermake * . make a new boss You thought of ofthat ofthat ofthat . that that ? ? ' " " - ' - < He H * knew a certain end wa was ' coJDo corn- corn corning coJDolng corning * - lng ing , , that at be he d held beld back so far tar cm on cmthe onthe enthe the trail . . Quietly QuicLly Qui he said , , "There'llbe Therellbe "There'Ube "There'U ThereU " ' ' be no change ebange There's Theres Thete.s Thetes ' . something somethinghere somethinghere somethinghere here you've youve youv ' * ' * rtlsaed missed " The urge ure , toward to- to - toward to toward - ward the end he be wanted drove him himon himon himon on . . If you 701,1 7011 , can t take it like that thatJOu thatyou thatyou JOu you can ride outHe outHe out outHe He saw tb tbj the " instant way wa7 the palegray pale palecray palegray cray gray eyes sharpened Splann s . svoice avoice voice dropped droPJPd ) low and oddly dron dronIDe drontug droning IDe tug So you figure it s that easy ? I ve ye don done donemy done my m7 figuring he said said"There said"There saidThere . 'There There "There " ' it isThin is ' This Thin big man was no botheaded hotheaded botheadedamateur hotheadedamateur hotheadedamateur amateur when a definite deftnlte time Urne came cameHe camelie cameHe He lie could see lee the veiled coldnessbehind coldness coldnessbehind coldnessbehind behind the drooping droopln , Ud lids . and the theslack theslack . slack readiness that slid alid over the thehuge thehuge thehuge huge body Then some thouebt thought thoughtloosened thoughtloosened loosened the bep.rded beprded bearded bearded . lips Ups in a . balt ball baltgrin ballgrin halfgrin grin . . All right . " Splann plane planeturned Iann turned a lit- lit little lit little - . tle tie from trom him . himyou . , " . " "You You \you \ re l'e le ' . smart .mart mart I ve ye vethought yethought vethought thought maybe you TOU were wer * only a- a 8 r ' rdamn aamn - damn amn fool tool/ tool fool toolHi . / , . ' HiI His Hi * right ffgbt arm luted lifted luted.pla liftedagain liftedagaia .pla pla again . a as . if it to CO reach reach reacb the ucldle saddlehora addle born horn bornI addlehorn _ - I , A J . . ' " Jto , Xf UncI and " . , , io ioL t L Im a m man n s ' tno tnowegC ' "eU\fu "eU eU fu wegC " . , \ He . is r tl e . mcwo move wu was $ faD al5 a , ' wen'as wenas aVed / ' n.1 n1 . . the the.arrix thearrix , . am tose rose ror and end s . se Was Wasready . Vready . . J'ear:17 Jear17 ready ' : wher when W etI . that u.t ut . h bandd banddcu band .c c . cu curved Ve4 4 sud .ud ud laud laudden1J'gt . [ suddenly denJt\ denJt denJt"ovmwa den1J'gt den1Jgt denly ' , \ , downward doVcnward "ovmwa ovmwa " J 4 .ifo ifo . Jo to thai thh 1 roistered IWldteted IWldtetedHis roisteredWOr Jjter WOr IUD , IUD.I " -.I .I - . : " 1 ; . . I : t i < / " % " , 1 < , . ' . tn otiolsterzfiap Hisotiolsterzfiap His . otiolsterzfiaptbria4 o wn bolster o1ster flap tlap tbria4 W was puelilt'M pueliltM puelilt'MIn buckled.In1 buckledIn1 u Cl . . In that tiacU fractioaxpf fracUon = , f a second .eeond eeond seard . he be hew.te bewasted hewasted w.te wte wasted " . no n < tuna tlnte time In , tryicx b:11ntr b11ntr trying : tp i ' 1 looser loosenIt Ql ; t- t tJ1e it * - . He J1e grabbed abbed ebbed lett-hand lett hand lefthand left-banded left banded - - d at 1ha the thedell th thdull dull 4\111 4 111 dell \ stremor steel eJ , of ot Splann's Splanns SplaM Splaiin's Splaiins ' . rising rb1Uit ; weadou weadouand weapou weapouand weaponand ( and threw all U at c < ht his . .J J . weight cr 1gbt bt behinda behindablow kehbid behtnd , . ablow blow blowof of Cf ) hia hfa his rl right , t fist flst upward , . , aluln.t alulnt agabtst aluln.tthe agabtstthe falnstthe . the bearded'aw bearded jaw 'aw aw taw ' . , It 1t rocked th the bla big bigbead klhead ( bead . , But 'J J ' ' the tb.o tbo . man 'lan lan Iran ' . was .at at .ati i < ' .oU oU 1i 'solidly solidly ' . solidly'planted solidlyplanted ' ' plante4\ plante4 planted plante4He " \ , . . He felt telI f tt the ggn's ggns gun ' ' . * . lJ b hi JnM : r nunertis nndeX nndeXrise tits rise , * in- in . inhis ' - his hb palm and bOe hooked Crooke $ J ) .histhumb histhumb . i . ! thUmb thttrnb ar around Qund it It . . It U snapped mapped VftlS VftlSno ' ) r1 r1no itano no explo exptos xp o.lJon olJon . lon on and hp h , * hardly hard13 ' tet\ tet felt tetthe ( elf \ themetal's the themetal themetal's themetals Ct1his metal metal's metals ' . sharp cheep arp cut In bi 121 the flub flesh h Ct1 ) ofhis i his thumb thwnb . For 'FOI FOI ' For'the Forthe : ' " "the the " ' hatred atred da danmed danmedback dammedback ; ect ectba ba back k to in fn him so .0 0 . Ion long . had bad ret released releasedsomething releasedsomething a.ed aed a.ed.ometbinc . .ometbinc ometbinc something . , savage Iwace and cruet cruel . U Ile . Ilethrew Hethrew thtew threw his fist ft.t ftt flat . again 8aln , into fnto a " a b0d7 body b0d7blow bodyblow bodyblow blow The gun &Un Un & came free tree Into Jrtto lflto bfa Ida bfahand Idahand tilshand hand with hi his , thumb . still .un un blockingthe dgeking dgekingthe q klnl klnlthe the hammer bammer He , swung wung : it , . whine lashing whineacroll lashingacross lashingacross acroll |