THE BIG HORN 14

when con stopped in the parking lot at the hospital it was 415. but sitting on a concrete bench in the front of the hospital was roy. a small bag at his feet. as con walked up roy smiled and stood up. " glad you made it, that bench was wearing ablister on my back side" " how long you been sitting there?con was incredulos. " about a hour. them nurses are heartless. i sighned my self out in self defense."roy confessed. " i bet it was more like them getting you gone in self defense! damn roy."con picked up the baf and pointed roy to the truck. just at dark they rolled back up to the cattle guard at the ranch. two 12 foot corral panels were standing across the gate way. con opend the panels and then drove through. after shutting them back he took chain and a padlock from the back of the truck and chainned the panels shut. when con got back in the truck roy looked at him"what the hell is that all about?" "to many nosey tourists." con explained as he drove to the trailer house. the next morning con gave ernesto a key to the padlock. he told him to watch for the house contracters and any of the morealis family and the owner fawn. no one else got in. roy stood to one side and raised a eyebrow as ernesto took it all in. " you think thats really a good idea?" he asked con when he finished with earnesto. " what giveing him a key?"con asked. " no locking everyone out. it makes you look like your doing something crooked."roy spoke careful and slow. "i already been accused. i dont trust that cow cop or george. besides fawn is going send george down the road kicking cans and horse turds. what you feel like doing today? you want to ride or keep house?" con smilled at roy. " ime not to sure about the rideing. ill keep house and help earnesto as much as i can. for another day or so."roy was still walking slow and deliberate. con nodded and turned for the barn. he was going to ride and check some tanks and triggers. fawn might need all the cash he could raise. he didnt trust george. he was a slippery lawyer. just as he pulled the cinchas snug on his saddle he heard a horn honking out at the cattle guard. ernesto was standing at the barn door with the ever present pitch fork in hand. " ill go earnesto" con told him as he stepped up on his brown horse.. earnesto nodded and turned back to his chores. con trotted out to the cattle guard. parked there was georges suv. behind the tinted windsheild con could make out the out line of a woman. " brazen bastard" he whispered as he rode up. george got out of the suv" hey what gives? you just cant lock me out!" " well the brand inspecter told me yesterday that you were afraid someone was stealing cattle. if they cant get in they cant take any out."con leaned over his saddle horn looking down at george. " ok, but that dont include me!"george sputtered. " everyone until fawn tells me different. she is the owner remember?" con was looking george right in the eye. " this is community property, you just cant do this!"george was ranting. "when fawn tells me to let you in then i will. she is supposed to be here today i think. come back tomorrow."con started to rein his horse away.george kicked the front tire of the car. "you better start thinking of another job mr.!"george threatened. " i got jobs waitting on me. but fawn will fire me, not you. see ya."con rode away without looking back at georges cussing and raveing. as con rode by the trailer house he saw roy standing in the door way. " you made that ole boy mad." was all roy said. "yep he will be even madder when fawn hits him with the divorce papers. hes been skimming a liveing off her for a while i think." roy nodded and turned back into the trailer house " go round up some more of those cattle your gonna steal" he said as he picked up his broom.

THE BIG HORN 13

the next morning con stepped out of his trailer house to see ernesto at the hay stack forking hay into the feeders for the cows. his horses had already been fed. he stopped dead in his tracks and watched a moment then turned and went back in the house. there he poured another cup of coffee and sat down next to a window and watched earnesto finish feeding he had a small rough looking travel trailer hooked to his little truck. and had it parked out away from everything. con just sipped his coffee and watched. when earnesto finished con got up and went out. when he got to the hay stack he saw all the loose hay had been raked up and fed. a barrel sat near by and the hay twine was all throwen in. he walked on toward the barn. he could hear some one whistling a tune. as he entered the old barn he was met with earnesto sweeping out the saddle room, a plume of dust raised from his broom. " man earnesto, you could make some one a great wife!" con chided him. earnesto didnt slow down sweeping" i hope ime a great husband." con showed him where to set up his trailer. then had him load some salt blocks in his truck while he was putting out the salt earnesto could set his house up, and keep a eye on the place. when con returned there was a man standing next to a white truck with a blue star on the door, a brand inspecter. con rolled to a stop and stepped out. he could see earnesto at the hay stack watching. " what can i do for you?" con asked as he walked up. " its what ime going to do for you." the man said" ive come to inspect the cattle your sending to town." "ime not sending anything to town. who sent you out here? george?"con asked. " well by the way he called the front office then they dispatched me . the inspecter put on his official face. " george is married to the owner. she tells me what she wants done. leave me your number and ill ask her. if she says to then we will do it. george dont run things here."con laid it out but was polite about it. the inspecter turned to get in his truck" ill have to ask the higher ups about all this. we may hve to come look things over here. george says you could be stealing cattle as there are lots of slicks." the inspecter explained it all. con stepped up close to the man" becareful who you tell that to. it could come back to haunt you.george is running his mouth just to see where the words fall. yes, theres lots of slicks here. fawn , the owner, told me to brand and hold them until the brand peels according to the law.when they are ready ill call you. "con was talking through clenched teeth. the inspecter drove out of the yard a sheepish look on his face. earnesto came walking over with his pitch fork "i didnt know what to tell him except for him to wait for you. he wanted to go walk through all the cattle. but he saw the pitchfork and waitted." " you did right. ime going to town to get roy out of the hospital and bring him home. maybe we need a gate across that cattle guard so we can lock it. ill bring a lock and some chain when i come back"con patted earnesto on the shoulder then turned to his truck. the clock was ticking.