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Johnson told us all to watch out； and passed the word quiet among the big
owners to try and see whose cattle seemed to have too many calves for the
number of cows。
＇2＇ 〃Oilers〃GreasersMexicans。
The Texas outfit I'm tellin' you about had settled up above in this
Double R canon where I showed you those natural corrals this morning。
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They'd built them a 'dobe； and cleared some land； and planted a few trees；
and made an irrigated patch for alfalfa。 Nobody never rode over his way
very much； 'cause the country was most too rough for cattle； and our
ranges lay farther to the southward。 Now； however； we began to extend
our ridin' a little。
I was down towards Dos Cabesas to look over the cattle there； and
they used to send Larry up into the Double R country。 One evenin' he
took me to one side。
〃Look here； Jed；〃 says he； 〃I know you pretty well； and I'm not
ashamed to say that I'm all new at this cattle businessin fact； I haven't
been at it more'n a year。 What should be the proportion of cows to calves
anyhow？〃
〃There ought to be about twice as many cows as there're calves；〃 I tells
him。
〃Then； with only about fifty head of grown cows； there ought not to be
an equal number of yearlin's？〃
〃I should say not；〃 says I。 〃What are you drivin' at？〃
〃Nothin' yet；〃 says he。
A few days later he tackled me again。
〃Jed；〃 says he； 〃I'm not good； like you fellows are； at knowin' one cow
from another； but there's a calf down there branded T 0 that I'd pretty near
swear I saw with an X Y cow last month。 I wish you could come down
with me。〃
We got that fixed easy enough； and for the next month rammed around
through this broken country lookin' for evidence。 I saw enough to satisfy
me to a moral certainty； but nothin' for a sheriff； and； of course； we
couldn't go shoot up a peaceful rancher on mere suspicion。 Finally； one
day； we run on a four…months' calf all by himself； with the T 0 iron onto
hima mighty healthy lookin' calf； too。
〃Wonder where HIS mother is！〃 says I。
〃Maybe it's a 'dogie；'〃 says Larry Eagenwe calls calves whose
mothers have died 〃dogies。〃
〃No；〃 says I； 〃I don't hardly think so。 A dogie is always under size
and poor； and he's layin' around water holes； and he always has a big；
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sway belly onto him。 No； this is no dogie； and； if it's an honest calf； there
sure ought to be a T 0 cow around somewhere。〃
So we separated to have a good look。 Larry rode up on the edge of a
little rimrock。 In a minute I saw his hoss jump back； dodgin' a
rattlesnake or somethin'； and then fall back out of sight。 I jumped my
hoss up there tur'ble quick； and looked over； expectin' to see nothin' but
mangled remains。 It was only about fifteen foot down； but I couldn't see
bottom 'count of some brush。
〃Are you all right？〃 I yells。
〃Yes； yes！〃 cries Larry； 〃but for the love of God； get down here as
quick as you can。〃
I hopped off my hoss and scrambled down somehow。
〃Hurt？〃 says I； as soon as I lit。
〃Not a bitlook here。〃
There was a dead cow with the Lazy Y on her flank。
〃And a bullet…hole in her forehead；〃 adds Larry。 〃And； look here；
that T 0 calf was bald…faced； and so was this cow。〃
〃Reckon we found our sleepers；〃 says I。
So； there we was。 Larry had to lead his cavallo down the barranca to
the main canon。 I followed along on the rim； waitin' until a place gave
me a chance to get down； too； or Larry a chance to get up。 We were
talkin' back and forth when； all at once； Larry shouted again。
〃Big game this time；〃 he yells。 〃Here's a cave and a mountain lion
squallin' in it。〃
I slid down to him at once； and we drew our six…shooters and went up
to the cave openin'； right under the rim…rock。 There； sure enough； were
fresh lion tracks； and we could hear a little faint cryin' like woman。
〃First chance；〃 claims Larry； and dropped to his hands and knees at the
entrance。
〃Well； damn me！〃 he cries； and crawls in at once； payin' no attention to
me tellin' him to be more cautious。 In a minute he backs out； carryin' a
three…year…old goat。 〃We seem to he in for adventures to…day；〃 says he。
〃Now； where do you suppose that came from； and how did it get here？〃
〃Well；〃 says I； 〃I've followed lion tracks where they've carried
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yearlin's across their backs like a fox does a goose。 They're tur'ble
strong。〃
〃But where did she come from？〃 he wonders。
〃As for that；〃 says I； 〃don't you remember now that T 0 outfit had a
yearlin' kid when it came into the country？〃
〃That's right；〃 says he。 〃It's only a mile down the canon。 I'll take it
home。 They must be most distracted about it。〃
So I scratched up to the top where my pony was waitin'。 It was a
tur'ble hard climb； and I 'most had to have hooks on my eyebrows to get
up at all。 It's easier to slide down than to climb back。 I dropped my gun
out of my holster； and she went way to the bottom； but I wouldn't have
gone back for six guns。 Larry picked it up for me。
So we went along； me on the rim…rock and around the barrancas； and
Larry in the bottom carryin' of the kid。
By and by we came to the ranch house； stopped to wait。 The minute
Larry hove in sight everybody was out to once； and in two winks the
woman had that baby。 Thy didn't see me at all； but I could hear； plain
enough； what they said。 Larry told how he had found her in the cave； and
all about the lion tracks； and the woman cried and held the kid close to her；
and thanked him about forty times。 Then when she'd wore the edge off a
little； she took the kid inside to feed it or somethin'。
〃Well；〃 says Larry； still laughin'； 〃I must hit the trail。〃
〃You say you found her up the Double R？〃 asks Hahn。 〃Was it that
cave near the three co