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Show Page 8 SALT FLAT NEWS, JUNE, 1975 PART FOUR mm "I lifted my hand in a farewell salute and like the years gone by I loped out of Durango." NEWS phots fcjy MmdH by Floyd D. Eaton, International Ranger OUR STORY: have lit up like a Christmas tree. Interrupted from a vacation by news of the murder of an old friend, Ked Cougar, formerly of the Broken Diamond Rangers, now known as the over-th- e hill gang, rushes to the side of. the victim's daughter, Bumble Bee. Piecing together the clues, Ked comes up with a suspect in the person of an outlaw called El Leon de Poco. Ked decides to head for the hills in pursuit of El Leon, first enlisting the aid of an old friend and fellow Broken Diamond Ranger, Jess Cottoneram. Just in case the conversation is being monitored, Ked talks on the telephone in " Chinese. '. .. long-awaite- ... .. d ." "Where you at now?" asked Cottoneram.. "I'm at two eighteen . Verde, but Jess, I won't be here when you arrive, so this is what I wish for you to do. Keep her under your eye at all times without letting on to anyone that you are on guard. Be especially watchful at the church service and at the funeral, and be careful, for you and I are on the fist as candidates for the new Jerusalem. "Yippee! came the Voice at the other end of. the line. "Old Jess tXrttoneram's going to ride again. Set tight, Ked, Tm leaving right now. Hey! It. just sunk in what you said about the new Jerusalem.-- So they have already tried for you, huh?" "Not over three hours ago. They did miss, but it was a damn dose miss at that I hope to see you in the morning; ril be there sometime right after daylight" "Who was the Chinaman you were speaking to?" asked Bumble Bee after I had hung up. " " 'twasri't a Chinaman. It was Jess Cottoneram, the African. Listen, Querida do you know where I can obtain myself, a bronc and a saddle? "Yes. My cousuKthkt lives beyond the old fort has a few ' hones, and I have Dad's carbine, the one you gave Urn when you Pr-;':-'left." . "Dkx mk! I would have thought that old weapon would have long ago been worn out. "No, he took very good care of it It's Just about the same as it was when you gave it to Urn." "Good. Wyi you loan it to me, plus a few rounds of ammo? And a couple of blankets?" : "Why the blankets? Are you planning on leaving tonight?" "No, just going to sleep outside in case you should ; have some uninvited guests during the , -- . . ... night"'' ' ;;.v not steep here In the . "Why house?. You know you are . wel-com- e. "That woiildbe justlovery-a- nd let those caroons catch me with my pants down no thanks just the same. Out there I can surprise them if they come.". :: She reached Into a closet and brought out the old Wluchester, handed it to me along with; a box of ammo, then got a couple of blankets and gave them to me. Again she asked if I wouldn't reconsider and sleep in the house. I was almost tempted to take her up on the offer, for that gal was some woman. . Outride, I found myself a. dark spot beneath some brushy shrub and spread out the Man-- ; kets. I was no stranger to steep-- ; ing out with only. the starry sky for a roof, although it had been a long spell since the last time I , had done. so. Hell, it was going to feel good to steep out in the fresh night air and listen to the singing of those tiny night creatures as they gently Lulled me into dreamland. I had been asleep for a couple of hours when I was suddenly wide awake. It was so quiet you could have heard a pta faB. lt had been the sudden silence of the night creatures that had awoke me. There was something, around that didn't belong there. I picked up the carbine and eased out of the blankets,' searching my surroundings for whatever it .was that had so disturbed the night sounds. : A man's form soon - took shape moving in my direction, but; he was watching the house instead of looking around him for whatever might. lurk in the shadows. He just wasn't expect":?'&yi-Y'ing any danger.. When he was only a few feet from me I asked, "You looking for something?'. Though I had spoken in a low tone, my voice sounded loud and dear in the night air. I had never seen a man stop so suddenly, just as if he had bumped into an invisible stone watt. He then leaped four feet straight up ; and spun around, and when his feet touched the ground again he was in high gear and overdrive. I fired just as he cleared that five foot hedge by two good feet, my bullet cutting a hole through the hedge where he shoukTve been. It was the last time that I saw The next morning at breakfast the girl chatted only of old times, and if she had been disturbed by the .rifle shot, she never mentioned it, and I didn't volunteer any answers. She drove' me oyer, to her cousin, an Alfredo Hernandez. : The . ranch was situated three . miles south of the bid fort a total distance of eight miles from town; She explained the nature of our visit in rapid-fir- e Spanish, and though I'd trained myself over the years to deal with that type of speech, I had a very hard time keeping up with her. Mexicans will use that type of speech whenever they wish for anyone not .to understand what they are talking about You may be able to speak and understand the Spanish language excellently, but if you haven't had long training it would sound like Chinese to you. She told him that td interrupted my vacation and volunteered to unofficially, track down Carlos Grads' murderer, and that I was badly in need of the loan of a horse, and saddle.! He quickly agreed and led the way to the stable,, where ten horses were munching, hay.' He told me to take my pick. I looked them over and selected a'' stockily built roan, not because h favored such an animal, but because, be showed a mountain bred bottom and promised good ' speed if it should be needed. I roped him out, and though it had been many years since I had last used a rieta, 'my first cast went straight and true. I se -- - lected a saddle with a short tree, a low cantle, and a large swell that had deep knee cuts, I saddled the roan without any trouble a rare occasion,-fomany norses resent suangere handling them for the first time. From the furious look in those wide red eyes, the thought came to mind that I was going to have to' demonstrate my horsemanship by performing a rodeo act of saddle bronc riding. In days bygone I had been known as an expert bronc rider, but I'd been a lot younger then. The girl smiled and said, "I . know that you are gang to be aiioraaftil VcA Ynn're ridinff Dad's old saddle, and it's going to be just like he was along to lead the way to his killer. I just nodded, for I had no answer. I thanked Alfredo for the loan of the rig, saying Td be seeing them in a day or two. I then swung up into the saddle. The horse had been well broken and gentled, ; and though he did hump his back and take several, fast hopping steps,' to my great surprise he failed to come unwound., I lifted my hand in a farewell salute, and like the years gone ' kv T WmmmI ruit nf nimnon bound on a mission impossible.' (to be continued) . . " ' . . ti" . ; a Yes! Enclosed find my check for - Yes! But send State " ' ' y, -- -- Box 11717 Salt Lake City, Utah 84111 V: V--- v:r"7ip -- II Itll the News so Please sencTmy friend the subscription to me. I'm my own best friend. E Gonzales in person," I said to The shot hadn't seemed to disturb the neighborhood; any-wano fights came on. If that shot had been fired, in Mexico City, the whole block would 100 he'll keep his paws off mine. 'twas Speedy myself. V Please Check One: htm. . dog-eare- Mam : ' "Chingali Or, if you don't like to share, buy that. kibitzer in your life his own subscription to the Salt Flat News. Only three dollars d for twelve issues. VMI - ; ' ': V Box 335 or " ' : Wendover, Utah; 84083 ;; . . |
