THE LONE OLD TIMER 22

wes had settled down a little compared to how he was while they were searching for the rider of the dirt bike. he was hopeing the man had stopped his theivery. he didnt want to deal with him. the brand inspecters job was a simple one look at brands determine they belong to the people asking for the inspection and write the papers , simple. until something like this showed up. he harboured a dislike for these nesters who bought up chunks of good range land and fouled it with their junk yards. wrecked cars, packs of mongrel dogs trash scattered everywhere. he had talked himself into a hatered of such people. he suspicioded thats who was stealing bucks cattle but couldnt prove it yet. he would keep a sharp eye out. luther was healing fast. the last couple of pellets had come out by them selves he had some antibiotic salve from mexico and he had healed the raw spots faily well. dureing that time he had stayed busy selling meat from his freezer. not many people knew he did that but he had a pretty good clientel. he could sell it for half of the cost at the super market. he had no over head because he was useing bucks cow herd for a supply source. but now he was running low and there was no more cattle running in the area. and going into the foothills was a slow deal it was rougher and took longer to get the carcas down out of there. he would look around for a alternative source before going into that foot hills pasture.he had a good racket going, he kept that pack of dogs not because he liked them, but because they ate the offal when he butchered something. he had a friend who did custom leather work and he took the hides and cured them and tanned them when he got through he had belts, purses and any number of custom leather goods. his over head was nothing too. he asked no questions other than when was the next hide going to be available. luther needed to find another source, quick. on the way home to cloes house buck made a point of swinging by the little cafe arts mother waited tables in. it was still open so he decided they would eat supper here. inside they seated then selves at clean table. a tired thin woman in a skirt and blouse, her hair pulled back from her face. her shoes run over. came to their table with two glasses of water and menues.she had a order book in the pocket of her apron. she pulled it out" what can i get you?"she asked both buck and cloe ordered hamburgers. a lunch counter took up one third of the room at the far end of the counter a drunk man sat his head resting on the counter. a glass of water in front of him. cloe nodded to him" do you think.......?" buck nodded" it all kinda falls in place huh?" the hamburger plate was passable, nothing special.. when done buck took the ticket to the cash register and met the tired waitress there. he counted out the cash for the meals then counted out the same amount again and pushed it to the waitres. " thats a tip, for YOU and you alone. not for booze. inderstand?" the waitress nodded, a tear came to her eyes" thank you." " i want to talk to you alone, when is a good time?" buck asked. her eyes grew wide" why?" "about art, when?" buck insisted. "tomorrow here around ten," it slows down then and he is still asleep"she pointed to the passed out drunk. buck nodded " ill be here." was all he said then he followed cloe out to the truck.

THE LONE OLD TIMER 21

for three weeks all was quiet. buck spent his days gathering the last little bunchs of his cows he even went to the upper end of treasure road there was no more evidence of the dirt bike and the weather had been great. he spent a couple of days a week with cloe or she would come to the ranch. he had thought to himself that this was liveing the good life. he did decide he was short 15 calves and 5 weaned heifers he was going to keep to grow into cows.this he had passed on to wes. the sunday ropeings were still the main source of entertainment for buck. cloe seemed to enjoy them. she would take a note book and write down times and keep track of the times. when it became knowen she was bucks girl people were friendly but the young single men wernt makeing passes at her. besides wes buck had taken up with a young boy who was fast becomeing a top header. they had won a couple of the ropeings together. the boys family didnt rope. or had any intrest in what he was doing he rode his horse to the arena and then rode home afterwards late at night. buck didnt know how far it was for him to ride but was asking around trying to find out.when buck did find out he was shocked to know the kid was rideing from the far side of town 5 miles through the middle of town. when he told the young man he would pick him up and take him home the boy just shook his head and said thanks but no. the boys horse was always bare foot. he was a common type of horse but honest and buck thought the horse had a few more years on him than the kid was old. after a roping was over one day buck was uncinching his horse and he watched art ride off on his way home. cloe had commented on him being a good kid and it was a shame his folks didnt pay any attention to him. buck agreed and stated he wished he could help him some how.one of the one of the other ropers who lived ther e in town stepped up, "ole art getting to be a tough little header, its to bad his ole man is such a drunk" cloe spun and looked at the man" do you know them?" " yeah, i grew up with his momma. shes a good ole gal but married a bad drunk. he keeps the whole family starved all the time drinking up every thing they got. arts mom waits tables at that little cafe on that end of town. she walks to work every day. a couple of miles. art keeps his horse at a corral about a mile from home. he works after school at what ever he can find to feed that ole pony. its a tough deal for sure."the roper explained. buck had listened to the whole tale. cloe looked at him to see what he was thinking but he didnt say a word. he took baldy and loaded him in the trailer. " lets go"was all he said