Page 33 (1/2)
“Neither will a herd of thirsty Longhorns,” he replied “Cut it”
By the tiround, the riders had gathered the cattle into athehorns into bunches to avoid crowding and pushing
Benteen and Spanish had the barbed wire down by the ti place All hell started to break loose when the doire began tangling with hoof and horn
Benteen cursed when he saas happening “Stans a second before the first steer e that sent the whole pack on the run
The ground rumbled with the thunder of their hooves Horns popped and rattled as they clashed together All other duties were forgotten Benteen took time only to ons as he whipped his horse after the sta at the top of his lungs, “Rock of ages, cleft for me Let ht” in the midst of a devil’s sta herd would respond only to hymns
With Jonesy on a faster horse, Benteen let hi the no ht under control The bawling started as they began to htly in the event of cattle in the center going down and being trampled
Just when the herd see nervously again Benteen jerked his head toward the sound and saw a bunch of far toward the water hole His ry line
“Jessie! Shorty!” He waved the two men to come with hi farmers
The rifle was in his scabbard Benteen pulled it out and levered a shell into the firing cha the pack A rifle shot was likely to stas He fired, knocking the first one back into the others Behind hi bullets into the pack Within seconds, those that could stillback the way they’d coonload of farmers
“You killed our dogs!” one cried
“Did you put that fence up?” Benteen ignored the outraged protest
“That’s our water!” a farmer shouted
“Like hell it is Trail herds have been watering there since the first steer was taken north”
“You owe us for that fence you cut—and for every steer that took a drink,” another demanded
“I’ you to water my cattle,” Benteen snapped