ENTANGLED 4

monday morning at 4 a.m. leo steped carefully down the steps and started to the barn to feed his saddle horses. as he got close he could make out the outline of a truck. then as he got up closer he realized it was the rusty chevy that zane drove. it had a home made rough looking stock trailer hooked to it. two horses stood at the trailer eating from hay nets. the driverrs door was open. as he walked around the end of it he saw zane asleep in the seat. leo reached over and shook the boot closest to him zane pulled it back. leo stepped closer and shook it again " roll out cowboy breakfast will be ready pretty quick" zane sat up slowley and yawnwed. he stretched his arms over head. his hair was a rumpled mess his clothes were wrinkled from haveing slept in them. " what you doing out here boy?" leo asked. " i didnt want to be late and i didnt want to wake you all when i came in last night. " zane had gotten down on the ground . he pulled a half dirty towel from behind the seat and went to a water hydrant and splashed cold water on his face and run his wet fingers through his hair. . leo was in the barn and you could hear him rustling around when he came out he had two coffee tins with grain" you got nose bags for those two horses?" zane reached in the back of his truck and pulled two home made burlap nose bags when his horses had their nose bags and were munching the grain leo pointed to the house where a light was shinning through a window in the kitchen" coffee is on. we will have a good breakfast gonna be long day. dont short your self" zane nodded and mumbled "yes sir" as they steppedup on the porch the screen door opened and cassie stood there with two cups of coffee. as the two cowboys came in she handed them each a hot cup as zane came by she smiled and said" i thought i heard your truck come in this morning." zane didnt know what to say. he took a sip of the coffee and burned his lip. he hadnt expected to meet a young woman this pretty this early in the morning. as he took another sip he noticed leo looking at him like he had craped on the floor. "come sit down, mollie will have us something pretty quick." leo almost growled. zane went to the end of the table and sat down. he took his black hat off and dropped it on the floor next to him. mollie came around the table and smilled at him as she put a plate of breakfast in front of him " theres more so dont be bashful. ok?" mollie told him. cassie was skooting around the stove filling a plate for leo. then came back and got one for herself. as she started to the table she got a look at leos face. she stopped and turned to his end of the table and sat next to him. " we makeing a big drag today pop?" she asked leo between each fork full. " as big as we can i couldnt find any more help. this may take a few extra days to get done." without looking up zane said" suits me, i need the work." cassie had a pleaased look that leo wasnt happy about. mollie was smilling at him. "DAMN " was all he could think of.

ENTANGLED 3

off and on for 2 more days the thunder storms rolled through the valley. washes that hadent run in years was boiling with water and debree. there was no chance of getting into town the road had washedout the second day. leo stood around on one foot then the other. he went to the barn and saddle room and oiled the saddles and brideles he wven washed saddle blankets and hungthem from the rafters in the barn to dry. but hehad run out of things todo. millie and cassie had spent lots of time in th kitchen cooking pies and things to freeze for the up comming round up. they knew when it started every wakeing moment would be used for cooking meals for a hungry crew. dureing the night of the third night od storms the wind came up and pushed the storm on farther east. the ground surface was firm the next morning when leo went out to feed. big puddles of rain water still stood but in between you could walk and not bog down. leo seeing the wind had dried out the ground somewhat saddled a horse and set out to see how the cattle had faired the storm. cassie stood at the porch and watched him ride out of the yard she yerned to go but knew that leo couldnt keep a eye on her and see the cattle too. she rode plenty well but with the wet ground she couldnt be sure that she wouldnt get bogged some where. another day she would feel more confident about rideing in the mud.leo was in a great mood, she didt wabt to be a problem tight off moveing back home. on the morning of the fifth day a rust colored rsttle trspm chevey pick up splashed into the yardmollies checkens had ben prcking around in the mud, when the truck rolled to a stop chickens scattered in ten different directions. leo had been at the corrals digging drainage ditches to help dry the corrals he came marching across the yard shovel in hand the driver stepped out of the truck his black felt hat set at a rakish angle he wore a loud colored wrangler hirt . his wrangler britches were tucked into the scalloped tops of tony lama boots. he was whip thin but a big smile was spread across his face. " i heard in town you would start round up soon, ime here to apply for the job." his attitude was confident if any thing. leo walked up" we wont start for another week." he was looking the dandy up and down. " i dont believe ive seen you around. where you worked before?" " ivw worked at the cross f and the lazy k. i been on the road a lot the past year. i was raised over in portal." leo stood there speechless looking at the cocky bantam rooster.he noticed the young man had a belt on with a big silver belt buckle with a bronc rider on it . " you been rodeoing? how do i know you wont drag up when you got enough comming to go enter another rodeo?" leo asked. " because ive swore off rodeos, i promised i was done. i got bigger plans.!" the youngster didnt back up a step. " i need the job, you will have to beat me away when your through. but you wont because ime the best hand in this corner of the state." leo couldnt put his finger on it but heliked this popinjay for some reason. he stood there a moment longer then said" be here monday morning. bring your bed roll and your ponies. whats your name?" " ZANE MCCAIN."the youngster stuck his hand out for leo to shake" you wont be sorry" as he got back in the jalopy of a pickup leo could see cassie on the steps watching.