Broken Lance Page #2

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We'll drive the beef herd

toward home tomorrow.

Take them slow.

They're running off stock

on the east range.

Johnny was riding herd last night.

They shot his horse under him.

He walked and told Two Moons.

- Ben!

Get a horse!

You want I get some boys?

- No, we'll handle it.

Not a sign of them.

They rode in the stream.

You can't tell where they went.

Horse slipped, no?

- Which way, do you think?

Let's go.

Two, three...

...four, five, I count, Pa.

Six!

It's Pa!

Get out of here!

Let's go!

Get out of there!

Get up, you're not hurt.

Let this steer loose.

Could you change the brand

without botching it?

I've seen these two before.

We fired them last year.

They're no good.

Well?

We didn't mean nothing, Pa.

Just a couple little old steers.

- Why?

I don't know.

We needed the money, that's why.

Money? But you got money.

If you mean that lousy

40 a month...

Don't ever use that tone to me.

- Pa, we didn't mean nothing.

No, you didn't. You figured you've

steal some cattle and sell them.

Anybody would know that brand,

even though it had been raised.

But you figured nobody...

- Pa, we didn't even think of that.

I don't think you did.

You two together couldn't

have figure that out.

But somebody did?

Who put you up to it?

Nobody.

It doesn't make any difference.

You did it.

Be sure it wouldn't be a secret...

...you had to drag these

two lunkheads in with you.

They no talk.

Let them be. They're not to blame.

Just these two.

What should I do with'em?

They were caught rustling cattle

and changing the brands.

If you notify the Sheriff

the whole state'll know it.

We could hang them or shoot them...

- Cut it, Pa.

He thinks I'm fooling.

Lots of fellows felt that way

until we taught them...

...that you don't steal cattle

from Deveraux Ranch.

But the cattle are as much

yours as they are mine.

And they would have

been yours too, but...

What do you think, Ben?

You don't pay them enough.

Or you either, Ben?

They get the same as you.

If you ask me, I'll tell you, you

get twice what you're worth.

There ain't a man living who can

say that he stole cattle from me...

...but you two mushheads thought...

You wanted them so bad,

take them and get out.

The money you get for them'll keep

you until you can steal more.

But remember this: . .

...don't steal them from here.

We can't let him do this.

Why not?

I warned them they were

only asking for trouble.

Pa, you don't mean this.

They're your own sons.

They're a couple of cheap

tinhorn cattle thieves.

Two men are dead because of them.

- You just can't do it.

I did. Let go, son.

You should have had

all this yesterday.

If I'd been half smart I never

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