Rowdy Rides to Glory (1987) Read Free Page B

at the same time. A long time after that somebody found his skeleton, some of th e hide, and Buck's saddle. "
    "He's alive, Rowdy!" Vaho repeated earnestly. "I know where he is, I tell you! Som e Mexican picked up Buck's saddle, and when he was killed later, riding a paint, i t was that horse tha t was found, or it must have been. Silverside was taken by the Apaches and they hav e him now."
    Horn shook his head. "It couldn't be, Vaho. The Apaches are at least pretending t o be friendly now, and have been for a long time. If they had that horse, somebod y would have seen him." His eyes sparkled. "Man, I wish they had! With that horse I c ould sure make Luby back up! There never was a great roper without a great horse , and don't you forget it!"
    "You said the Apaches were friendly," said Vaho. "All of them are not."
    "Oh? You mean old Cochino? No, he sure isn't. But if that horse was alive and ol d Cochino had him, I'd still be out of luck. In the first place, nobody knows wher e he and his renegades hang out, and in the second place, it would be like committin g suicide to look for him-if you found him."
    "You wouldn't try it?" she persisted. "Not even for Silverside?" "You bet I would!"
    Rowdy stated emphatically. "I'd ride through perdition in a celluloid collar fo r that horse!"
    Vaho laughed, and her eyes were bright. "All right, put on your celluloid collar!
    I know where Cochino is, and I know he has Silverside!"
    "If you mean that-"
    Rowdy hesitated, thinking rapidly. She was positive, and after all, there had lon g been rumors of a friendship between old Cochino and Cleetus. The Navahos and th e Apaches had never been too friendly, but the two old chiefs had found something i n common. In fact, it had long been rumored that if Cleetus wanted to, he could tel l where Cochino was at any time. But that was just cow-country gossip, and nobody wa s really looking for the tough and wily old Apache any longer.
    "Yes," Rowdy said finally, "if you're positive, Vaho, I'll take a chance. Tell m e where he is."
    "I can't," Vaho said quietly, "but I'll take you there. But let me warn you-it' s an awful ride."
    "You'll take me there?" He was incredulous. "Nothing doing! I'd take a chance o n Cochino myself, but not you!"
    "Without me you wouldn't have a chance, Rowdy. With me, you may have. It's a bi g gamble, for old Cochino is peculiar and uncertain. He still believes the soldier s are after him, and he and the twenty or so renegade Apaches he has with him are dangerous.
    But he knows me, and he likes old Cleetus. Will you chance it?"
    "You're sure you'll be safe?" he protested.
    She grew suddenly serious. "I think so, Rowdy. Nobod y knows about Cochino. He's like a tiger out of the jungle, one that has been partl y trained. He may be all right, and he might turn ugly. But I'm willing to chance it.
    I want to see you win this rodeo, and I want to see you keep your ranch!"
    He looked at her strangely, and as he looked into the soft depths of those lovel y dark eyes, he remembered the momentary hardness of jenny's blue eyes. Suddenly h e knew that Jenny would never have ridden with him in that weird, sun stricken deser t where the Apache lived. Aside from the danger, she would have shied at the discomfort.
    Scarcely were Rowdy and Vaho on the trail when doubts began to assail him. The hors e Cochino had simply couldn't be Silverside-and it had probably been years since h e had been used for roping. Besides, the horse would be ten or eleven years old! Perhap s older. He scowled and mopped his brow, then glanced at the girl riding at his side , her eyes on the horizon.
    The devil with it! If he found no horse, if he lost the ranch, if he couldn't bea t Luby, the ride with this girl would be worth any chance he took....
    Back on the ranch, alone in the cabin, Neil Rice finished cleaning up, and put awa y the dishes. There was work to do outside, but he felt in no mood for it. Idly, h e began to rummage around the house, hunting for