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I know what is thā€™ custom when you breaks bread with a man; but I do mean it; anā€™ I donā€™t lie even when my words are ramblinā€™ free. I reckon, mebby, you ought to remember that. Weā€™ll sort of get along better, day after day.ā€

ā€œNo offense I I was just surprised. Which way was thā€™ fool headinā€™?ā€

ā€œMebby I am a little too touchy. We all have our faults. He was headinā€™ thā€™ same as us because weā€™re on his trail, right now. I sort of follered it here to keep my hand in. You never can tell when yoā€™re goinā€™ to need thā€™ practice. Our fire is built on thā€™ ashes of hisn. His fire anā€™ smoke was well hid, too. What a two-gun cowpuncher, with a Tin Cup cayuse like that, wants to go hoofinā€™ off on a foolā€™s errand for, is more than I can figger out. But two heads are better than one; anā€™ a man hears an awful lot of talkinā€™ up in Old Pop Hayesā€™ place. Queer old polecat, Pop is.ā€

Ackerman stared thoughtfully into the fire for a few moments. Then he looked squarely and long into Peteā€™s placid, unwavering eyes, and what he saw there must have pleased and piqued him.

ā€œPete, yore habit of usinā€™ words reminds me of a gravel bed I once panned. It was a big bed anā€™ I panned a terrible lot of gravel; but youā€™d ā€˜aā€™ been surprised if you knew how much gold there was in it. I was a rich man until I hit town.ā€ He waved his hands expressively. ā€œYouā€™ve said a whole lot, but it pans out strong. Anybody that wonā€™t listen to you is a fool. Letā€™s have a pow-wow, without hurtinā€™ any feelinā€™s. Speak plain; keep cool. What you say?ā€

Pete waited until he rolled another cigarette and drew in another lungful of smoke. Then he recrossed his long legs, hitched comfortably against his saddle, and nodded.

ā€œMeaninā€™ to swap ideas anā€™ personal opinions, ask questions regardless, anā€™ if things donā€™t come out like weā€™d mebby like ā€˜em, keep our mouths shut afterwards anā€™ not hold no hard feelinā€™s?ā€

ā€œJust that,ā€ Ackerman acquiesced. ā€œJust what was you aiminā€™ at in yore talk?ā€

Pete scrutinized the fire. ā€œWell, I hit what I was aiminā€™ at you allus do with a scatter gun. Anā€™ for thā€™ ease of my conscience, anā€™ thā€™ rest of my calloused soul, let me confess that I had a gun on you while I was talkinā€™ to you. One arm was folded across behind my back anā€™ a little old Colt was squeezinā€™ against my side anā€™ thā€™ other arm, lookinā€™ right at you. Carelessness ainā€™t no sin of mine; I got enough without it. But, shakinā€™ some of thā€™ gravel out, letā€™s see what I got.

ā€œI wants a job. Itā€™s funny how many times Iā€™ve wanted a job, anā€™ then threw it sprawlinā€™ after I got it. Beinā€™ desperate, I was aiminā€™ to stick you up anā€™ take your outfit. Then when you got near anā€™ I saw who it was, I knowed Iā€™d have to shoot to kill; anā€™ first, too. Thatā€™s why I didnā€™t tackle that other feller, too. Anā€™ just then my perverted mind says two anā€™ two is four. Anā€™ it most generally is. Then I knowed you needed me. So I let thā€™ gun slip anā€™ got real friendly. But, as I was sayinā€™, I want a job. Now you pay attention.

ā€œWe knows whatā€™s rumored around about Twin Buttes; anā€™ we knows who lives up there; anā€™ we knows there ainā€™t never been no farm products come out of that section. Thatā€™s thā€™ biggest mistake you fellers ever made; you should ā€˜aā€™ run a garden. Likewise, we knows that tinhorns donā€™t gamble with things that belong to other people, if thā€™ other people packs guns. Anā€™ ā€˜specially they donā€™t gamble with no cows anā€™ hosses. ā€˜Tainā€™t popular, anā€™ folks donā€™t like it. A tinhorn ainā€™t man enough to risk a bullet or a rope. Now then, you just let me draw you thā€™ picture of a dream Iā€™ve often had.

ā€œI can see a bunch of husky cowpunchers, among which I see myself, anā€™ weā€™re punchinā€™ cows that we never bought. Weā€™re poolinā€™ our winninā€™s anā€™ sharinā€™ thā€™ risks. I can even see me rustlinā€™ cows, anā€™ thereā€™?, men with me that I could name if my memory wasnā€™t so bad. Thereā€™s a big rock wall, anā€™ a deep, swift river thatā€™s so dā€“-d cold it fair hurts. Anā€™ somewhere back in thā€™ buttes, which is in a section plumb fatal to strangers, all but one, is a little ranch, with a drive trail leadinā€™ north or west. Thatā€™s thā€™ dream. Ainā€™t it hā€”l what fool ideas go trompinā€™ anā€™ rampaginā€™ through a manā€™s mind when heā€™s asleep, ā€˜specially if he ainā€™t satisfied to work for wages? Did you ever have any?ā€

Ackerman grinned to hide his surprise. ā€œYoā€™re a grand dreamer, Pete. Iā€™ve had dreams somethinā€™ like that, myself; an I so farā€™s Iā€™m concerned yourn can come true; but I only got one vote. Anā€™ as I ainā€™t goinā€™ back for some time, I donā€™t know just what to say.ā€

ā€œNot knowinā€™ what to say never bothered me,ā€ chuckled Long Pete. ā€œI can talk thā€™ spots off a poker deck; Iā€™ll show you how, some day. But as long as you mentioned dreams, it reminds me of another Iā€™ve had. Not long ago, neither. I saw a two-gun prospector leavinā€™ an unpleasant location. He was a regā€™lar two-gun man; a wise feller could just see it a-stickinā€™ out all over him. I kept right on beinā€™ hungry. Then, quite a little later I saw another man, a cowpuncher, ridinā€™ along his trail; anā€™ he had so much grub it fair dazzled me. Anā€™ beinā€™ friendly, in my dream, I up anā€™ tells thā€™ second man where thā€™ other feller was headinā€™. Anā€™ if thā€™ dream hadnā€™t ā€˜aā€™ stopped there I could ā€˜aā€™ told him which way thā€™ two-gun prospector anā€™ his black, Tin Cup cayuse went on thā€™ morninā€™ follerinā€™ thā€™ day I saw him. Funny how things like that will stick in a manā€™s memory. Anā€™ Iā€™ve heard tell that lots of people believes in dreams, too. Seems like you only got to know how to figger ā€˜em to learn a lot of useful anā€™ plumb interestinā€™ things. A fortune-teller told me that. Why, once I dreamed that I had shot a feller that had been pesterinā€™ me; anā€™ when I got sober, dā€“d if I hadnā€™t, too!ā€

Ackerman slammed his sombrero on the ground and leaned quickly forward over the fire. ā€œPete, I ainā€™t got much money with me didnā€™t expect to have no call to use it. I ainā€™t got enough for wages for any length of time; but Iā€™ve got grub, plenty of it. Anā€™ if you wants to make that first dream of yourn come true, you stick to me anā€™ with me, come what may, anā€™ Iā€™ll see you a member of a little ranch back in some buttes, or weā€™ll dā€“-d well know thā€™ reason why. We need brains up there. Are you in?ā€

ā€œEvery dā€“-d chip; from my hat to my worn-out boots; from soda to hock,ā€ grinned Long Pete. ā€œYou got your cayuse, yore shootinā€™ irons, anā€™ thā€™ grub; I got my cayuse, mean as it is, my guns, anā€™ a steadyworkinā€™ appetite. Pass them pans over; allus like to wash things up as soon as theyā€™ve been used. Itā€™ll be yore job next meal. I believe in equal work. Better hang up that pack thereā€™s ants runninā€™ around here.ā€

ā€œYoā€™re a better cook than me,ā€ said Ackerman cheerfully, as he obeyed. ā€œYou do thā€™ cookinā€™ anā€™ leave thā€™ cleaninā€™ up to me. Iā€™d rather wrastle dirty pans than eat my own cookinā€™ any day. That fair?ā€

ā€œAs a new, unmarked deck,ā€ replied Long Pete contentedly. ā€œAnā€™ while weā€™re talkinā€™ about washinā€™ pans, I want to say that that two-gun hombre went due north, ridinā€™ plumb up thā€™ middle of this here crick. Anā€™ since yoā€™re trailinā€™ him, I reckon he kept goinā€™ right on north. I allus like to guess when I donā€™t know.ā€

ā€œYoā€™re a dā€“-d good guesser,ā€ grinned Ackerman. ā€œLetā€™s roll up in thā€™ blankets early tonight an I get an early start in thā€™ morninā€™.ā€

ā€œKeno. That suits me, for if there is one thing that I can do well, itā€™s rollinā€™ up in a blanket. I shouldā€™ve been a cocoon.ā€

CHAPTER XIV THE END OF A TRAIL

JOHNNY ducked down behind a bowlder, for a horseman, sharply silhouetted against the crimson glow of the sunset, rode parallel to the edge of the cliff; and, judging from the way he was scrutinizing the ground, he was looking for tracks. While he searched, another horseman rode from the north and joined him. They made a splendid picture, rugged, lean, hard; their sharply-cut profiles, the jaunty set of the big sombreros, their alert and wiry cow-ponies, silhouetted against the crimson and gold sky; but to the hidden watcher there was no poetry, no art, in the picture, for to him it was a thing of danger, a menace. Their voices, carelessly raised, floated to him distinctly.

ā€œFind anythinā€™?ā€ asked Ben Gates ironically.

ā€œJust what I reckoned Iā€™d find, which was nothinā€™,ā€ answered Harrison. ā€œAckermanā€™s loco. But I reckon itā€™s better than loafinā€™ around down below. I was gettinā€™ plumb fed up on that.ā€

ā€œItā€™s all cussed nonsense. Nelsonā€™s cleared out for good. He ainā€™t no fool; anā€™ thereā€™s too many of us.ā€

ā€œSeen thā€™ others?ā€

ā€œOnly when they left. They ought to be ridinā€™ back purty soon I reckon. This finishes this side, donā€™t it?ā€

ā€œYes; theyā€™ll comb thā€™ west side tomorrow; anā€™ then take thā€™ north end. Ridinā€™ in daylight ainā€™t so bad; but I got a fine chance seeinā€™ anythinā€™ at night. Anā€™ I hope he has cleared out; a man on a bronc looks as big as a house.ā€

ā€œDonā€™t ride at all; lay up somewhere near thā€™ canyon trail anā€™ let him do thā€™ movinā€™. But, hā€”l! Heā€™s gone out of this country.ā€

ā€œThatā€™s just what I was aiminā€™ to do. I could ride within ten feet of a man in thā€™ dark, with all thā€™ cover there is up here, anā€™ not see him. Donā€™t you worry about yore Uncle Nat; heā€™s shore growed up. But itā€™s all fool nonsense, just thā€™ same.ā€

ā€œOh, well; itā€™ll make things pleasanter down below,ā€ grinned Gates. ā€œItā€™ll stop thā€™ arguinā€™. Quigleyā€™s gettinā€™ near as nervous as Ackerman. Heā€™s gettinā€™ scared of shadows since Jim laced it into him. Well, Iā€™m goinā€™ on; if I meets Holbrook Iā€™ll tell him to take thā€™ south end. So long.ā€

They separated and went their respective ways, and while Johnny watched them he suddenly heard a murmur of voices below him, and he squirmed between two big bowlders as the sounds came nearer.

ā€œWell, weā€™ve shore combed this side,ā€ said one of the newcomers. ā€œAnā€™ that ends part of a foolā€™s errand.ā€

ā€œWe shore have,ā€ grunted another. ā€œAnā€™ it did us good, too. We all have been gettinā€™ too cussed lazy for any account. I reckon a certain amount of work is thā€™ best friend a man has got.ā€

ā€œMebby; anyhow, I know that my appetite is standinā€™ on its hind laigs yellinā€™ for help,ā€ laughed the third. ā€œAnā€™ we have thā€™ satisfaction of knowinā€™ everythinā€™ is all right out here. Cussed if I couldnā€™t eat a raw skunk! ā€œ

ā€œBut that ainā€™t what Iā€™m drivinā€™ at,ā€ said the first speaker, his voice growing fainter as they rode on. ā€œI claims if he is workinā€™ for th j CL he only has to get one look in our valley to tell him all he wants to know. If heā€™s up here, or has been up here,

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