Fighting Lucanes by Terrell L. Bowers

Author:Terrell L. Bowers [Bowers, Terrell L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2013-08-27T18:20:00+00:00

Levi hunkered down, his eyes scanning the ground carefully. It was impossible, but there wasn't a mark to be seen, not a scrape or scratch in any direction. It was if the rock mesa had swallowed up horses and riders.

"They don't breed horses in these parts that fly, do they, Shucks?"

"It'd seem so, Levi. I told you we'd find nothing to help up here."

Walking in a small circle, Levi continued to study the solid stone floor of the mesa. "Even on sandstone, there has to be some evidence of those animals. We followed them right up to here. They had to go somewhere!"

"Near as I kin figure," Shucks said, "these hombres ride them horses up to this point. Then they jump down, stick their boots in their saddlebags, and pick up their animals. They tippy-toe across the rock for a couple hundred yards, change to a new course, and get back on and ride into the sunset."

"That sounds like it, Shucks, except for the fact that I've never met a man who could carry a horse piggyback. Any other ideas-practical ideas, I mean?"

"Nope. We done thought up every idea we could. We figured that they might have turned right back down the slope, running around it a bit and then dropping into a canyon or somewhere."

"How far does this solid rock extend?" Levi asked.

"A mile-mebbe more. It gives way to some cedar trees and choppy hills over yonder. We've worked that route, too, but never found any tracks. There ain't nothin' up here but the trail that comes right up to the mesa. After that, there's no trace of a man ever being up here."

Levi put his hands on his hips and surveyed the vast expanse of rock. "There any water up here?"

"In a few places. Were a man lookin', he'd be able to find enough to keep him from going thirsty. There's even water over in Salt Canyon that's fit to drink, and that area is nuthin' but waste. A cow wanders up there, she often dies, not able to find a way out."

"Probably a hundred other canyons around here as well," Levi observed.

"'Bout that, I reckon. Shucks, we've run half of them in the past year lookin' to find our stolen cattle. Some of those canyons have no entrance or exits."

"When did these raiders first appear?"

Shucks scratched his head. "Last fall, near as I kin recollect. We lost quite a few head during the winter without even knowing it. Come as a real shock to us when we commenced the spring gathering."

"And they've been hitting everyone in the valley this summer?"

"Broke several places that I know of-broke or killed the owners, that is. You got any ideas?"

"It might only be a coincidence, but the appearance of your raiders runs real close to the arrival of the Dantons in this area."

Shucks asked, "You think they might be behind this raiding and killing?"

"It sure fits what few facts we have, Shucks. Those boys were just ordinary crooks before they hit Baker and killed my brother and other people.

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