Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 5, 1921 — page 138: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

424 the statement of fact and nodded, smiling crookedly. ‘“T guess,” he said easily, “ they ain't no meed o’ quar’llin’—not now.” “Why no,” Coryell took him up, “I! quess they ain’t. You look like you'd come here to sec us on important business, Mr. Stanlev.” Rebel Stanley leered truculently. “ I got some business with the sheriff,” said he, “an’ if the rest o’ you gents will take a look or two at what I’m gonna show him I'll be obliged. Sheriff, will yuh come out- side?”’ Rebel Stanley turned and walked out. He had failed to observe Mr. Miller and Mr. Deegan where they sat against the wall. Perhaps a sidelong movement of both Coryell and Timmy Oshorne had screened the two nesters from observation. Certain- ly Coryell and Timmy had intended that it should. Save Luke Travis and his fellow deputy, both of whom remained to guard the nes- ters, the whole crowd followed the sheriff and Rebel Stanley out of doors. ‘“Where’s Bill?” queried Rebel of the lone puncher with the cattle. ‘Gone to get a drink,” was the reply. “He oughta stayed,” frowned Rebel Stanley, to whom a little authority meant much. ‘ Well, anyhow, shcriff, Jookit them three calves—all of ’em with Staple Box ear-marks an’ brands an’ runnin’ with three Slash K cows. Yo’re satisfied them ‘three calves belong to them three cows, ain’tcha, sheriff? Here, Ill show yuh. UHaze ’em along, Jim.” Jim complied. The three cows limped sore-footedly out to the street. Jim turned them and herded them back to the com- pany of the fourth cow. “See how close each calf sticks to its ma,” pointed out Rebel Stanley. ‘“T see,”’ assented the sheriff. ain’t they, the cows?” ‘They had been cut,” said Rebel Stan- ley, bestowing a vindictive glance upon Coryell; ‘‘ but they’re gettin’ over it some. Calves was run off from ’em all right enough, but they managed to work their way back—after bein’ branded.”’ “What's the fourth cow gotta do with ® “Cut feet, ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. all this?’’ prompted Coryell, his face a blank. “Found her in the Kettle day before yesterday. You can easy see how her brand an’ earmarks been changed from Lander’s to fit Coryell’s.” “TI can see how they been dhangad all right,”’ said the sheriff. ‘I’m beginnin’ to see a Jot more ’n I used to.” “T’m shore glad o’ that, sheriff,” tucked in Coryell, ‘t cause that cow with my brand on top an’ Lander’s underneath was one 0’ the bunch Rudy Orison was drivin’ yes- terday.” ‘It’s her,” nodded Timmy Osborne. took notice particular.” “ Wasn’t. they no Slash K calf with this cow?” Coryell inquired of Rebel Stanley, whose cyes were becoming furtive. ‘“They was not.” ‘Curious. They was when we found her. An’ you found her day before yes- terday branded Staple Box on top of the L_ Up-an’-Down, an’ yesterday when we found her she was only branded L Up-an’- Down. An’ yesterday she had her calf along, her calf branded Slash K. I don’t understand it at all.” ‘We found her day before yesterday,” persisted Rebel Stanley. ‘ An’ she didn’t have no calf with her.”’ ‘All right,’ said Coryell. ‘“ Sheriff, them three cutfoot cows you can bet are three of the four cutfoot cows Swing Kyler found on his range a while back. I can’t swear to it, but that ain’t necessary. Them three calves are three calves Dave an’ Grover Dawson, Light Laurie an’ me saw at the Slash K one day after the cutfoot cows had been found. They wasn’t ear- marked nor branded none then. Now any- body .can see them calves has only been branded once, no blottin’ about it. Is it reasonable to suppose Swing Kyler would turn them calves loose without brandin’ ’em first—no matter what ‘particular iron he felt like usin’?” ‘Tm satisfied,” said the sheriff. ‘ Stan- ley, that’s Tom Jones’s gun stickin’ in the back o’ yore neck—if you feel like movin’. Take care of him, Tom. Jim, you ain’t gonna act foolish, are yuh?” “ Not me,” disclaimed Jim frankly, al- coimicboolks. ae Ty, C©