Slaughter's way by John Thomas Edson Read Free Book Online

and headed back for more. Already two of his pards were driving J.S. branded animals from the herd and the fourth man s horse working yet another out. Time after time the cowhands cut into the herd and fetched out one of the missing hundred head. The bimch on the flank of the herd grew and a couple more of Slaughters hands came down to take charge of them. The four cutters gave a masterly display of their work and even Chisum had to give them his grudging admiration.
    While his men worked, John Slaughter watched and counted each head that came from the herd. The Long Rail crew kept their cattle moving, for their boss gave them no orders to the contrary. They passed through the cordon of J.S. rifles and, if aware of the fact, caused no trouble or raised no objections. While the Long Rail men took fighting pay, they much preferred that any fighting they became involved in offered as

    little risk of getting injured themselves as could be arranged.
    llie point of the herd went, then the swing and flank, each part contributing to the stolen hundred. At last the drags rolled by and the cutters brought out the remainder of their ranch's animals.
    "One hundred and nine," Slaughter said quiedy, looking at Chisum.
    T didn't count too careful last night.**
    TReckon you didn't," Slaughter agreed and looked toward his men. ''Take them to petalta,'^ boys."
    ''Yol" replied one of the hands who held the cut-out stock.
    The foiu: hands who had done the cutting out were allowing their lathered horses to cool down. No man who owned a well-trained cutting horse ever neglected it. Leaving the other tvvo men to move oflE the recovered cattle,, the four cutters walked their horses; they had done their part and now it was up to the rest of the ranch crew.
    "How about the money I paid for them cattle?" Chisum yelped, watching his illegal gains walk away from him.
    He was given scant consolation by Slaughter. The Texan started to turn his horse and replied, "That's your problem. They always say let the buyer beware."
    Slaughter turned his horse and rode toward his men, following the hundred head away from the Long Rail's herd. While he did not think Chisum would make anything of the incident at that time. Slaughter had not failed to notice the vicious scowl on the Cattle King's face. If ever a man looked murder, Chisum had as he watched the J.S. reclaim and drive off its cattle.
    With that thought in mind, Slaughter headed to where his men gathered. The J.S. hands were laughing and discussing the way they had put one over on Chis-um's Long Rail. None of them had doubted but what their boss would succeed in collecting his own, but they
    ^Petalta: A herd rounded up to be cut for marketable stock,

    had not expected it to be so easy. While most of them regretted that Long Rail did not make a show of their much-vaunted toughness, the J.S. hands agreed that they could tell a good story against the oSier outfit. When word of what had happened got out, Long Rail would be a laughingstock throughout the range country.
    *We sure showed Long Rail, boss,'* whooped one of the hands eagerly as Slau^ter rode up.
    *Tou did well, real well," he repHed, for he never forgot to praise good work. **Let's get back to work.''
    Slau^ter knew how the rest of the range country would treat the news of Chismn's downfall. It would not make the Cattle King feel any better disposed toward the J.S. ranch.
    A signal brought Burt Alvord to Slaughter s side and the dark youngster sat silent, listening to his boss give orders few men would have liked to handle.
    *Trail Long Rail, Burt," Slaughter ordered. "See them well out of our area. Stay after 'em for a couple of days if you've got anything to eat."
    "Got some jerky " Alvord answered. "Enough to last me two or three days."
    That figured, happen a man knew Burt Alvord. He usually carried a supply of jerked meat in his saddle pouches ready for emergency. While jerky looked hke old leather and didn't taste like steak cooked by a French