THE RUNNING IRON 3

the next morning before it was full light out mike was saddling a horse as he pulled the cinchas snug emily stepped up behing him. "can i go?"she asked. mike looked over his shoulder at her. " your horse is in the corral go gget him. ill saddle him for you while you get dressed." when emily came back keading her horse mikestarted brushing the horse while emily trotted to the house. in about 15 minutes she came back haveing changed into wranglers and a denim shirt with abrush jacket over it. mike handed her her reins and she led the horse forward a few steps be for mounting. mike was already heading up the trail into the pasture.after going a good mile into the pasture mike stoped. when emily caught up he pointed to a wide canyon"you work that way. dont booger nothing just look at every thing. if you see a problem take note of where you are. then tell me later. we can go back and get them if need be." emily nodded and turned down into the canyon. mike watched her ride away for a few moments. he never got tired of seeingher horseback. he shook his head and turned up the ridge where he found the mis branded calf. he had been running that ladder brand through his head but couldnt place it. maybe some one bought out the old ryder place next to him. it was the only thing that came to mind. ryder had been trying to sell out for a long time. he was a poor manager of his ranch. he kept the ranch over stocked and ate out. it was just brush and rocks now. every one that looked at would turn their noses up at it. ryder had dropped the price drasticly. mike hadnt heard if any one had bought it. but he figgured it was posible. as he rode along he would see little bunches of his cattle he would get arounf them and hld them up and look them over. almost all his calves were branded. only anything just born would be slick. the farther up the country he rode the more cattle he found. his cattle were in fair shape eve tho it hadnt reined in months. mike thought to himself "he might have to sell some cows or start feeding some hay." he didnt want to do either one. as he neared the back of his pasture he was nearing the ivision fence he shared with ryder. he was in sight of the fence line when he came on five cows, all wearing the ladder brand. he didnt bother them but loped ahead to the fence line. there he found a broken wooden fence post and the wire laying on the ground. the cows had come through there. he loped back to the cows and got around them. they didnt want to go back but with a little prodding mike got them turned and walking back. at the down section of fence the cows tip toed over the still tight wire. and went back on their side of the fence. mike carried a folding saw on his saddle. he went to a close mesquite tree and cut a couple of stakes then useing them he propped up the broken fence post and tied it all together with a scrap of barbwire he found. if a cow hit it hard it might fall, but it would turn a gentle cow. as he mounted he saw emily comming at a trot. when she drew near she hollered " better come i need some help." she turnned and started bak down the canyon the way she had come. mike hit a lope to catch up. they hadnt gone far whe they came to a little bunch of cows and calves. among the cows was big calf with a bloody infected spot on its ribs, bood was driping down it s ribs. it ha been branded and the brand went to deep. it was trying to peel. the brand was a ladder brand. "could you see which one was its mother?" mike asked. emily just shook her head. " ok lets take the whole bunch home, we will sort it out there." mike popped his chap leg and started the little bnch back down the country. as the calf with the bloody brand walked a little blood would squirt from a small hole in the brand. mike shook his head. he didnt like what he was seeing. emily asked what caused that. mike said he wasnt sure they would see when they got the calf home. it was mid afternoon when they drove the cattle back in the yard just as they were shutting the gat the brand inspecter drove up.he got outof his truck and looked at the cattle in the corral. " you find some more"he asked. " yep i found a peice of down fence up next to the ryder, i put some ladder cows through ther and fixed the fence. we found these. i think one calf has screw worms." mike stated when he heard screw worms the brand inspecter jumped. thats the last thing we need. emily and mike carefully sorted off the big calf and a couple of cows into the squeeze chute ally. mike got off his horse and went to the chute with jenson. emily ran the cattle up the lead up to the chut and closed the gate then jumped off her horse and stepped up to the chute and prodded the cattle forward. the calf was first in line and when in the chute and secure jenson again produced the little pocket camera and started takeing pictures of the bloody brand. he stepped back and told mike " the laddr belongs too a guy from southern new mexico. he just bought the ryder. he applied for the ladder at the brand dept. his name is chandler brooks. thats about all i could find out so far. hold that calf right there. ime going to radio this in to the state vet." jenson then walked to his truck. mike could hear him talking on his radion. d inspecter nearly jumped"lets see. thats the last thing we need."

RUNNING IRON 2

mike dawson rolled the truck to a stop in front of the river side store and dance hall.. a pay phone was mounted on the wall outside. the old building was build from smooth river rock stacked and cemented together. it had a tin roof. mike turned to emily dawson sitting next to him "ok pretty lady thres the store. you got ten minute s before this bus leaves heded back home." emily smiled"you wont leave withrout me, you got no one to cook and we are outof peanut butter" mike grunted and opened the door and got out.emily slide out behind him and quick walked into the store. mike fished in his pocket for some change and went to the pay phone. when he got the brand department on the phone they put him on hold, then transfered him twice and finally a voice came on asking what he needed. mike explained the situation and asked for a inspecter to come to the ranch. the man on the other end said some one would be there the next day around 9 in the morning. he thanked mike then hung up before mike could say any more. he turned the phone reciever around and almost slamed it into yjr rock wall. but he slamed it into the cradle insteadd. turning he saw emily sitting in the truck munching on something. when mike got in the truck he saw she had a small bag of potato chips in her lap. "thats all you wanted here?" mike was saarcastic. emily pointed to a sack in the floor board then shoved another chip in her mouth. mike started the truck but before he could back out emily pushed a large potato chip in his mouth. "see? ill share." she burbled around the mouth full of chips she had. mike munched his chip, backed out of the parking lot and headed home. the next morning a state truck rolled into the yard at 8 45. when he stopped a tall thin man got out. he was dressed in denim pants a white shirt and a straw hat on his head on the white shirt was a little round badge. as mike walked to the man the officer with out any pre amble he said " where are they,?" mike had extended his hand to shake but dropped it and turned to his corrals " ill show you come on." when they reached the corral where the pair were mike opened the gate and the officer brushed by going inside. mike watched as the man used a little pocket camera and took pictures of the pair, both sides. when he came out mike reshut the gate and the officer marched to his truck, mike followed. at the truck the man was writing in a inspection book. when he tore the pages out he handed them to mike. " rebrand the calf and turn them back out if you want. i dont know about that ladder brand ill have to research that. those papers i give you prove i saw them and i determined the calf is yours if any one questions the deal. my name is harvy jenson ill be in touch. if you find any more call me. ok?"jenson handed mike a card with a phone number. "thats my personel number on the card dont waste your time on the front office. jenson had limbered up. mike shook jensons hand and thanked him jenson waved as he left the yard,