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the day afer they worked the last of the cattle travis was loading his horses in his trailer. zane stood by as he did. when the last horse was loaded and the end gate shut leo came out the door and walked up to travis and handed him a check. " you had a rough start lad but you made a hand before it was over. i appreciate your help. next time your through this part of the country stop in and see us." travis looked at the check then said" i ought to be paying this to you for the education you gave me ime sorry for the problems i caused. but if you will have me ill be back." leo turned to zane and handed him a check" i bet your mom will be glad to see you come home" " yeah she might be reunnin short on grub i appreciate al you have done for me. i need to get home and check our cows. our outfit is just a hundred cows but its in a rough part of the country."zane shook leos hand. from off the porch cassie came steppin. she was washed and beaming she walked up to travis" you drive careful going to those rodeos" she shook his hand. travis smiled and ducked his head " i will, good by" he waved to mollie standing on the porch and got in his truck and drove off down the drive way to the hiway. zane had turned and started to his truck. he waved to mollie who smiled at him and waved. when he reached his truck and opened the door cassie stepped up behind him and pushed the truck door shut. "your not leaving here with out us haveing a talk cowboy."she said. zane turned slowley," what do you mean?" cassie threw her arms around zanes neck and pressed her body to his and kissed him long and deep. "thats for starters. do you understand what ime saying? or do i need to explain it again?" she was right up in his face. zane stood there in shock" well i might have not got the full meaning of your statement" he grined. cassie repeated her statement but maybe a bit longer." i want to make sure you find your way back here. if i ride along with you today will you bring me back tonite?" "if i leave my horses and trailer ill have to huh?" zane stepped to the trailer jack and started unhooking the rig. cassie took his horses to a corral and turned them loose. " if i have to ill lein those horses for the feed they ate. and put in for a abandoned title on the trailer that ought to keep you around ."cassie was grinning as she slid into the cab of his truck. " mom and sis first, then we will see where you fall into things. our little out fit done even suppot us unless i work out side the ranch. just so you know." zane turned the key to his truck and fired the engine. as they drove past the house leo stood there with his mouth ajar. mollie stepped up " you never know huh?" " i only know one thing, and she is right here" leo slipped his arm around mollies waist.

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the next morning leo was at the breakfast table with his coffee when zane came in and told him travis was hooking up his trailer and getting ready to load his horses. leo got up and took his hat from the hook by the door as he went out. he found travis leading his hores to his trailer. " where you going travis"? leo asked. " after i screwed up yesterday i figgured i was through. the demming rodeo starts in four days, i thought i would drift over there." travis was a bit sheepish. " what happened yesterday could have happened to anyone. it turned out more funny than anything. i could use you here a few more days. your just getting into the swing of things. go put them horses up and come to breakfast." leo explained cassie had walked up behind travis and reached over and pulled the lead ropes out of his hand and started leading his horses back to their corral. over her shoulder she said" breakfast is on the table." travis stood there rooted in place. he watched his horses as they were led away. then turned to the house with leo leading the way. after breakfast everyone was saddling a horse. leo explained he wanted to gather the rest of the cows and calves on the ranch then turn the cattle they had worked back out. leo felt they should be able to get the bulk of the remaining cattle gathered in a hard day. when he scattered the riders and started them back toward the home corrals. for once travis seemed at ease. leo left him between zane and cassie. this was going to be a short drive in easy country. a couple hours later they had brought the gathered cattle to the home corral. leo had left the gate open and the cattle entered with out any problems. as the riders came together at the gate zane was bragging on travis for takeing the time to clean out a small arroyo that everyone had missed. travis didnt say much but you could see he was happy being bragged on. but for some reason cassie had quit oogling him, he was just one of the boys today. all this had leo scratching his head. after lunch they had gathered the holding pasture and turned those cattle back on the ranch. when the days gather was counted leo announced that they were only short 8 head of cows.. they wuldnt worry about them. they would work these cattle the next morning.