BIG HORN 26

just at dark roy came back in the yard with another load of cattle. he had been going hard all day hauling those cattle out of 13 tank. as he was uunloading con steppd up and leaned on the fence as the cattle filed down the chute and into the crowded corral. " is that all of them roy?" con asked the dark figure closeing the trailer gate. "nope, but this corral is full and its dark. i left the triggers open so the cattle down there can get in and out while we work these.i hope we dont get interupted tomorrow. just sorting these will take a while not to mention branding up the slicks."roy came around the trailer to where con stood. "anything intresting happen here today?"roy asked. " well the border patrol came picked up those back packs you found. they were mostley clothes and such but two of the did have some drugs in them. also george was here earlier. i just havent figured out why yet.the border patrol officer who was here wanted me to tell you your clear. whats that mean?"con looked at roy hard. " a few years ago i lived down on the border. had a little place there. one young mexican guy kept comming around wanting work. i couldnt pay him and told him so. one day i caught him loading up his pants pockets with fence staples. not a big deal but i told him to put them back and i would give him some. he pulled a knife on me. i had a branding iron in my hand. i hit him up side the head. . i called the law and told them what happened. turned out the shirriff was the kids unckle. before it was over i had lost my place and was on the run. i figgured there was a old warrent out there some place. its good to know its cleared up."roy seemed to relax a bit after he had told con the whole story.. the next morning con and roy were saddling horses when fawn walked out of the dark with her coffee cup in her hand.she looked rough, like she slept in her clothes and her hair was a matted mess. her face was puffy and her eyes almost swole shut. ro mumbled good morning but con stopped what he was doing and looked her up and down." hows earnesto and the girls?" "they are better than me! i left them set up for a few days , ime going to rest up a bit today. i see the corral is full. you going to have some sale cattle today?" fawn asked with a hopefull tone in her voice. "yes maam, we for sure need one cattle truck and depending on how they sort up maybe two. i know theres some papago cattle to but i dont have a clue as to how many. is there a problem?"con responded. " george has been raiseing hell all over the capitol. claiming we are stealing his cattle. the brand department has copys of all our legal stuff and they arnt buying his noise. but the state represenative from this area collered me yesterday at the hospital. nosey ole huldy. we went round and round. she claimed she was going to start a investigation. i swear that man has been more trouble than he was ever worth." fawn was visably shaken. " go on back to bed rest up, we will take care of this. ill come let you know how the count comes out."con patted her on the shoulder. roy was already mounted and con set foot in the stirrup. they rode down to the corral. fawn watched them go then turned to the motor home where she slept. with in just a short time the two cowboys had the dust boiling in the corral cttle going every which way. they stopped for a breather and roy saw a truck parked at the gate on the cattle guard" we wont ever get anything done around here. now who is that?" " go get a drink of water, ill ride over there and see."con pushed a gate open and roy closed it after they both rode out. con rode on over to the cattle guard gate and found the truck was from the papago nation. as he rode up a indian cowboy got out and walked to the gate. " hey! ime darren pedro, the brand inspecter for the tribe. can i come in?" he asked. con dug in his pants pocket and pulled the keys from them. he pitched the keys to darren and told him to lock the gate when he came in. he would wait at the corral for him. darren smilled a big toothey grin" ill be right there" roy was waittin at the corral when con rode back up. con explained the deal and roy nodded." good take some off the feed bill if they come get theirs. the two cowboys went back to sorting. when darren got to the corral he climbed up on the fence and sat there with a note book in hand. a good hour later con pulled up and rode over to darren"the stray brands are in that corral over there, if you want to look them over. our branded cattle are in the other corral next to them. this bunch here are mavericks. we will brand tomorrow after we ship our branded cattle. feel free to look them all over." con pointed everything out to the inspecter. darren slid off the fence and started easing through the stray branded cattle. then the ranch branded cattle when he was done he had a list of brands and the number of each. he came back to where con and roy sat. "now dont get mad but i got to ask a question, how many of the slicks do you think came from indian cows? i gotta look out for the tribe ya know"the toothey smile came back. con looked at roy and he shrugged. turning back to darren con smilled" what say we cut 20 head of the slicks and put them on the tribes cattle? do you think that will satisfy the tribe?"con asked. darren ducked his head and started writting." ill send some men with trailers to pick them up tomorrow. ill go fill out the papers now, you sighn them and we will be good." as darren walked to his truck. roy leaned over and almost whispered" thats a hold up for sure but i think we got off dirt cheap." con nodded as darren came walking back with the paper work. " they will be ready early, day lite or so, ill have the gate open. thanks." con shook darrens hand then watched him leave. " ime going to find us a truck or two for tomorrow for our cattle. shut the gate behind me when i leave." con handed his bridle rein to roy. " be back soon. count the slicks will ya?" as con drove out of the yard roy mumbled," wheeler dealer and i get the dirty work."

BIG HORN 25

con stood at the barn door and watched roy and his mount trudge up to the place they unsaddle. when roy stepped to the ground and tied the horse without a word con handed a half full class to roy. " you look like you could use this."con said. roy took the glass and without a word put it to his mouth and turned the glass up, swallowing a goodly amount of the brown liquid.he handed what was left back to con' "thanks , i needed that." was all roy said as he turned to uncinching his horse." hows earnesto?" he asked. "he will be laid up a while but he will ok, nothing serious was hit i guess. what all did you find?"con asked. roy explained about the cattle at the 13 tank, and the foot prints that came to shoot earnesto comming from mexico. he saved the part abo t the back packs and the camp for last. when he told con of it con raised a eye brow. "in the morning you take the new rig and start bringing the cattle from 13 here. ill send fawn for the authorities. just tell me how to get to the back packs." con understood roy s reluctance to be around the border patrol. roy later that night in the trailer drew a rough sketch of a map on how to get to the camp site where the back packs were hidden. con admitted it would get them to the site. the next morning when fawn left to go check on miriam and earnesto con had given her instructions to send the border patrol back. and a phone number of a machanic to repair the down truck. roy had already left while it was dark , headed to 13. in short order con was alone at the ranch with the exception of the two men in the bender house doing the finish work and installing appliances. con ambled down to the cattle guard. fawn had left the gate open for the border patrol. just as he reached the cattle guard georges suv rolled to a stop on the hiway side. con swallowed a sour gulp and touch his pistol on his belt to reassure himself he had it. george got out and walked up to the cattle guard. "hey con, how are you?" george called. con stopped on his side of the cattle guard"you know theres a restraining order keeping you off this ranch?"con said without any preliminary. " well thats not very friendly. i just came to see how everyone is doing." george sounded hurt. "you better move on george, the bordr patrol will be here any time. every one here is fine."con said with a hard tone inhis voice. " well ill go, i dont want to cross a court order." george started backing up. con looked up and could see the outline of a woman in the suv. while george was backing up she rolled her window down the flipped a cigarett butt out onto the ground. down the hiway to the east con could see the border patrol comming his way. george looked up at them then turned to con" ill see you another time." he saluted and got in the suv and backed out and drove off toward gils bend. con stepped to the gate as the border patrol truck rolled into the yard. he shut the gate but didnt lock it. while george and con had been talking roy had brought in and unloaded a trailer full of cattle. he was pulling out as con stepped up to the officer. they shook hands and con explained why he needed them there. he handed them the rough map and pointed the way out of the yard. they left in a cloud of dust. con walked over to the bender house and ploped down on a bench along the wall. he watched the border patrol leave but his mind was on george why was he snooping around?