SMALL TOWN BIG CATCH 7

WHEN DEL DROVE INTO HIS YARD JERRY S PATROL CAR WAS PARKED IN FRONT OF HIS HOUSE HE SMILLED TO HIMSELF AND THOUGHT" WELL SOME THING IS GOING RIGHT FOR SOMEBODY." WHEN HE STEPPED INTO THE HOUSE HE SAW JERRY WITH HIS CHAIR UP CLOSE TO SHARONS WITH HIS ARM ACROSS THE BACK OF HER CHAIR.jerry dropped his arm quick as del came through the door, sharon jumped to her feet and stepped over to the stove where she had a plate warming for del. " i didnt know when you would be back but i saved this for you" she said. dell rubbed jerrys shoulder as he walked around the table. "you got all the bad guys on the run today jerry?"he asked. "pretty quiet day del what you got goin on?"jerry picked up his glass. " found a misbranded calf today. i called it in to the brand inspecter a while ago. he will be here in the morning over at jakes."he lifted a fork full of food " with that place up in the air like that i wouldnt be surprised if the scavengers dont start stripping it clean."jerry took a long drink. " yes i think its already started. ill keep you in the loop on stuff other than the livestock"del made it plain. jerry scooted his chair back from the table and stood up" you do that. i better get back out there for a while." he looked at sharon" walk me to the car?" sharon cut a quick glance at del and then walked with jerry out the door. del finished his meal just as sharon came back in the house.she was a bit sheepish but she started putting the dirty dishes in the sink. " sister,your a growen woman you dont need my approval of who you take up with. but for the record i think jerry is a good choice. you wont hear squat from me unless i think its some one who is bad for you and mike, ok?"del was getting up. " and dont get boogered but theres a big ole dog out there now. he is plum friendly his name is brother."del then explained how brother came about.del sat down in a easy chairand started thumbing through a stockmans magazine.

SMALL TOWN BIG CATCH 6

the next morning del rolled into jakes yard a horse in his trailer just before sun up. he was going to make a big circle back up country whre jake had been found. maybe get a handle on what had happened at the very worse check jakes cows. when he got stopped in the yard he could see the door to jakes house standing open. trash scattered in the yard.his temper took over, muttering curses on vandles he started walking to jakes house. "poor old man isnt cold in his grave and the scum are going through his belongings." just as del got to the yard gate a big brindle cataoula cow dog came bounceing out the door his tounge hanging out and slobbering all over everything. a short peice of chain was hooked to his coller. del stopped dead in his tracks. " now where the heck did you come from?" the dog ran up to him and sat at his feet panting. del stepped around the dog and went in the house. all that had been destroyed was the garbage can. everything was un touched. the dog sat in one spot out side while del cleaned up the mess. he couldnt remember jake haveing a dog. he was sure he didnt have one.when the mess was cleaned up del pulled the door shut firmly and as he started to his trailer and passed the dog he simply said" come on". the dog stood up and trotted along next to him.del unloaded his horse and started buckling on his chaps all the while looking at the big dog. finally he reached down and unsnapped the chain the dog was dragging and when he did he saw a brass name plate on his coller. BROTHER wa all it said. del stepped up on his horse and turned to go looking back he simply said" well come on brother lets see what you know." brother fell in at dels horses heels and strotted along like he belonged there. a hour later they wer comming up on the spot where del had found jake. he circled the area looking for any sighn at all. a few cattle grazed just a couple hundred yards away. when del started to them they turnned to trot away. brother shot past del and in just a few moments was circling the cows , nipping at any thing that tried to run off. as del rode up he praised the dog then rode around the cattle looking them over. when he was satisfyed he started to turn the cattle loose but stopped at the sight of a young calf with a fresh brand and it wasnt jakes brand. this changed things. he needed to take these cattle back to the headquarters corral for a brand inspecter to see. turning the cattle around he started them down slope. when the cattle tried to run brother was right there to slow them down. "darn dog is better than another cowhaand." del mirmered under his breath. back at the corral he determined the mother of the fresh branded calf. she had jakes brand. del cut them off into a seperate corral and turned all the rest loose. del hadnt accomplished what he set out to do but this was something needed doing also. he needed to get to a phone. when he loaded his horse in the trailer brother ran and jumped into the back of his truck. " just like he is mine" del said. del pulled up in front of the little grociery store and got out. inside he asked for the loan of the phone. when he got the brand d epartment on the phone he explained what he found. they said a inspecter would be there the next day. he went back to his truck to find the pretty young girl stokeing and petting the dog. he turned and went back in the store and bought a sack of dry dog food. takeing it back out side he put it in the bed of the truck and cut ahole in the side of it. brother buried his head into eating. the girl without saying a word went back in the store. del started for home.