Mystery Herd by Paul Lederer

Author:Paul Lederer
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781480488144
Publisher: Open Road Media

SEVEN

The dark herd was bunched against the weather, using each other’s bodies for warmth. Lightning flared up against the sky as thunder rumbled across the meadow. In this weather someone was certain to be riding herd to quell any threat of a stampede. The close strike of lightning or the unexpected roar of thunder could set the skittish herd to running.

Trinity kept his eyes moving as he rose. It was difficult to see much through the mesh of falling rain, but then it would be difficult for an Owl rider to identify Trinity – he would be just another mounted man, in the confusing shadows of the storm.

He approached the herd steadily. He already had most of the answers he needed. Who was obvious – Vincent Battles, not Earl Bates, had been on the scene when the old foreman, Dalton Remy, had been strung up. It was Battles who had brought his own men in and dismissed many of the longtime Owl riders. Remy, of course, had to be gotten out of the way – probably he or his men had come across the second herd. At any rate, Vincent Battles meant to take his place. Why was also obvious – simply, Battles was here to make some money for himself. A lot of money. He had nothing to fear if the plan failed; Owl would take all of the blame. How Battles meant to do all of this had troubled Trinity for a while, until Tonio told him about the other herd. This herd.

Trinity now began to ride among the cattle. He saw many of the obvious symptoms. They had excessive discharges from their nostrils. They looked at him lethargically with rheumy eyes. He ran his hand across the back of one of the steers, feeling lesions in the hide, and the suppurations left from tick bites.

They had Texas fever.

Probably the herd had been purchased in Mexico for pennies on the dollar compared to what healthy steers would bring, and driven north to be hidden in this valley near the Owl range. The army would find itself in a bind when these cattle were driven into Fort Bridger. Their own examining officer had checked the herd – the real Owl herd – and certified it. The replacement herd couldn’t have even withstood a casual examination.

The point was that the army had already contracted for Owl beef. That could not just be ignored. There would be big trouble for this Lieutenant Ross who had signed the contract, for the base commander. Beyond the army’s own need for beef, Trinity had been told that a part of the herd was intended for the settled Indians, as a part of the price they received to refrain from hostilities. They certainly would not accept these animals; the army would lose any good faith it may have purchased.

Which was why First Lieutenant Trinity Ray Tucker of the army procurement office was here. Suspicions had been raised. From what Trinity knew of it, a few

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