Rustlers by Orrin Russell

Author:Orrin Russell [Russell, Orrin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-05-26T04:00:00+00:00

21

Cheyenne lay one hundred miles to the north of them in the Dakota Territories. Moving the herd at fifteen miles a day would put them at the railheads in a week.

The men’s nerves were strung taught. They had so far avoided skirmishes with Indians, and the trouble they had confronted had been quickly resolved. All their luck boiled down to the final week.

Balum shared the information Chester had given him with the men. They agreed that getting the herd to the railheads before Witney or any other rustler got to them was essential. But no one knew how that would be accomplished.

Their first day after leaving Denver passed smoothly. The spring rains had ended but the grass was still green and the cattle were fat. They were on course to arrive in as good of shape as could be hoped for.

At night they put three men on watch instead of the usual one or two. It meant little sleep for anyone in that final week. But each knew the importance of the task, and each man could see the end and the pocketful of money awaiting them.

The second and third day were uneventful. The cattle were not fussy. The dark-hided longhorn had remained at the head of the herd since leaving Mexico. There was a routine to every day, and these days did not vary from that routine. The men rode with their eyes fixed to the surrounding horizons, half expecting riders to appear at any moment.

And they did. On the fourth day after leaving Denver a group of nine riders topped out over a hill several miles to the north of them. Balum and Charles rode out in front of the herd to meet them.

Each of them wore long trench coats, as was common of the northern rider. Each carried a weapon in their gun belt and each carried a rifle. They pulled their horses up in a row facing Balum and Charles.

‘You two in charge here?’

Balum recognized the man who spoke. He had been at the tavern in Fort Sumner and Balum was sure he had seen him again in Denver. He picked the other familiar face out of the nine, but the well-dressed gentleman accompanying them in Fort Sumner was not among them.

‘You can direct your questions to me,’ said Charles.

‘You boys hit Ned Witney’s range a day back. Seems you’re riding and grazing without having asked rights.’

‘And who are you?’ said Charles.

‘Douglass McCarry. I speak for Ned.’

‘We’re driving them through on free range to the railheads Mr. McCarry. This is free land in free country and we aim to pass through it.’

‘Not no more. See like I said, this here is Witney’s range. He don’t let nobody freeload off his land. You fixing to sell this cattle you say. Well, Ned, he’ll buy. Consider it a favor from the big man.’

‘You can thank him for the offer but we’re selling direct at the railheads.’

The man tilted his head and looked at Charles. He ran his tongue over his teeth and looked down the row of men.

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