Free Valley Of the Sun (Ss) (1995) by Louis L'amour Page A

fostered curious stories. After the Karr boys tried to climb it, there was no rain in the country for two months. After Rison fell from the remnant of the path, there was no rain again. Cattle seemed to shun the place, and people avoided it. The few horses and cattle who did wander to the mesa were soon seen stumbling, vacant-eyed and lonely, losing flesh, growing shaggy of coat, and finally dying. Their whitened bones added to the stories. "This," Old Man Karr often said, "wouldn't be a bad country if it wasn't for Black Mesa." .
    Matt Calou rode up to Wagonstop in a drenching downpour. When his mount was cared for he sloshed through the rain to the saloon .
    "Some storm!" Calou glanced at the four men lining the bar. "Unseasonal, ain't it?" .
    "Floodin' our gardens." The man jerked his head westward. "It's Black Mesa, that's what it is." .
    "What's that got to do with it?" .
    They shrugged. "If you lived in this country you . w ouldn't have to ask that question." .
    He took off his slicker and slapped rain from his hat. "Never heard of a pile of rock causin' a rainstorm." .
    They disdained his ignorance and stared into their drinks. Thunder rumbled, and an occasional lightning flash lit the gloom. Old Man Karr was there, and Wente, who owned the Spring Canyon place. And two hardcase riders from the Pitchfork outfit, Knauf and Russell. Dyer was behind the bar .
    Calou was a tall man with a rider's lean build. His face was dark and narrow with an old scar on the cheekbone .
    "Lived here long?" he asked Dyer .
    "Born here." .
    "Then you can tell me where the Rafter H . l ies." .
    All eyes turned. Dyer stared, then shrugged .
    "Ain't been a soul on it in fifteen years. Ain't nothin' there but the old stone buildin's and bones. Not even water." .
    Old Man Karr chuckled. "Right under the edge of Black Mesa, thataway, you couldn't give it to anybody from here. It's cursed, that's what it is." .
    Matt Calou looked incredulous. "I never put no stock in curses. Anyway, I'm goin' to live there. I bought the Rafter H." .
    "Bought it?" Dyer exploded. "Man, you've been taken. Even if it wasn't near Black Mesa, the place is without water an' overgrown with loco weed." .
    "What happened? Didn't they used to run cattle there?" .
    Dyer filled Calou's glass. "Friend," he said quietly, "you'd best learn what you're up against. Twenty-five years ago Art Horan started the Rafter H. Folks warned him about Black Mesa but he laughed. His cattle went loco, his crops died, an' then his well dried up. Finally, he sold out an' left .
    "Feller name of Litman took over .
    Nobody saw him for a few days, an' then a passin' rider found him dead in the yard. Not a mark on him." .
    "Heart failure, maybe." .
    "Nobody knows. Litman's nephew came . w est, but he never liked to stay there at night. Used to spend all his time here, and sometimes he'd camp on the range rather than go near Black Mesa at night .
    "Finally, he rounded up a few head of stock, sold 'em, an' drifted. That's one funny part, stranger. Over two thousand head of stock driven to the place, an' never more than five hundred came of it." Dyer nodded his head. "Never seen hide nor hair of 'em." .
    "Tell him about Horan," Karr suggested .
    "Tell him that." .
    "Nobody ever figured that out. After Horan . s old out an' then Litman died an' the nephew . l eft, nobody went near the place. One night .
    Wente here, he rode past Black Mesa--" .
    "I'll never do it again!" Wente stated emphatically. "Never again!" .
    "He was close to the cliff when he heard a scream, fair make a man's blood run cold, then a crash. He was takin' off when he heard a faint cry, then moanin'. He rode back, an' there on the rocks a man was layin'. He looked up at Wente an' said, "It got me, too!"' an' then he died. The man was Art Horan. Now you figure that out." .
    "Nobody has lived there since?" .
    "An' nobody will." .
    Calou chuckled. "I'll live there. I've . g ot to. Every dime I could beg, borrow, or steal went into that