THE LONE OLD TIMER.N 25

the next week was taken up withbuck getting things set up around the ranch for art and sharon. buck had got the school to run the bus by on the main road at the ranch. art caught the bus every morning at seven then got home around 430 in the afternoon. that left him time to help do chores around the ranch.. sharon was spending her days cleaning bucks house, doing laundry and cooking buck had about decided hehad never had it so good. art and buck had gone to the weekly roping as if nothing had changed. while there cloe had told buck that sharons husband was roaring around town looking for sharon and art. it was two days after they had left before he sobered up and realized they were gone. not many people knew just where they had gone and the ones who did know wouldnt tell him. for eating m0ney he had been forced to take a job sleaning up after closeing time at a local bar. into the second week cloe had taken sharon to a local clothing store and out fited her with a fresh couple sets of clothes, and a new pair of shoes. cloe had found her a job as a receptionist at a local real estate office. she would move in with cloe. in his spare time art was helping out around the ranch. art had a set of two year old steers up in the foot hills pasture. he planed to take a saturday and he and art bring them in to the ranch so they could be taken to the local auction. going into the second week buck could see that art was filling out through the shoulders and hips , a steady meal was doing wonders. the same for arts old horse. the dead hair was slipping and leaveing him a shiney coat. he had more energy and spark. late one afternoon wes drove in to the ranch. he and buck took up chairs on the porch each with a cold beer. they sat and watched art roping a dummy down at the barn. wes looked over to buck" youve done a good thing here buck, but that boys ole daddy is raiseing hell all over town looking for him and his momma. you know its just a matter of time until some one spills the beans." buck took a swallow from his beer" yes ive thought of that. ill just have to deal with it when it comes. sharon is talking divorce, i havent said anything about it one way or another.ive just given them a boost out of the hole they were in." " have you been up in the foothills lately?" wes asked " no but we are going saturday. why?" buck responded. " when i go along trasure road i see that damn dirt bike s tracks. i followed them back to a place thats got a tall chair link fence around it. but i cant get anything to give me a reason to go in there. i was just wondering if you missed any cattle.?" we was fishing. " ill go check friday and make circle up there. . i been kinda busy here. if you want to go saturday your welcome to tag along."buck invited. " if i dont have any calls friday ide like to go along with you then too, that be ok?" wes asked. buck held his beer up" the more the merryer!"

THE LONE OLD TIMER 24

it was just getting daylite when wes headed out to inspect some cattle over in apache pass. itn was a bit out of the way but he took treasure road. he couldnt justify it but something there wasnt right and he felt a need to keep watch on it. as he passed a drive way to a property that was fenced with a ten foot chail link fence a dirt bike roared out of the drive way cutting him off and causeing him to slam on his breaks. the bike riders shirt tail was flying in the wind as he roared away. " damn fool!"wes grumbled. then as he started to pick up speed he realized he was close to the spot where a bike rider had disapeared. he backed his truck and looked down the dirt drive way. the compound the chain link encircled was a jungle of trees.. but he could see a couple of buildings.as a state brand inspecter he could go on any property while inveestigating a livestock problem. but he didnt know how far he could streetch it. all he had was a suspision when it came to that property. he didnt see any livestock behind the chain link. he would talk to the state attorny generals office for some direction. he headed on to his inspection at apache pass. when buck returned the next day art and his mother stood at the corral where arts horse was, they were a sad pair but buck could also see hope in their eyes, " we both want to go. can you do that?" sharon asked. buck only nodded then opened the trailer so art could load his horse and gear. with everyone loaded he headed back toward the raanch. when he pulled into the yard he was surprised to see cloe s truck parked at the house. he stopped next to it and started getting suit cases and bags from out of the truck. when they walked up the walk way they were met by cloe. a smile on her face. when all four of them were standing together buck took cloes hand" this is cloe, my fiance" cloe reached out and took sharones bag" come on ill show you your room. buck let a little sigh escape . but instead of a jealous reaction he found one of softness and careing. " come on art, your gonna have a tough sleeping arrangment for a while but we will work to make it better."buck took art to the back room where the washing machine set. they scooted things around until art could make a bed on the floor. art then went out and unloaded his horse and took him to the corral buck stood watching. presently cloe stepped up next to him"fiance? i dont remember you asking." she bubbled. " seemed like the thing to say at the time. you mad?" buck asked. " no its all a positive thing ime in. how long will this go on? she asked. " i got no idea, but i felt like i had to do something. "buck mumbled looking at his feet. " its a good something, ill help all i can." cloe beamed " i gottta get back to work , let me know if you need something." luther had killed a young calf and was going out the foot hills gate with it draped over the front of the dirt bike. he was grossly over loaded but he had people wanting beef and his freezer was almost empty. he had cut the calfs throat and bled it out before loading it he was idyling down the two track toward the good road. he knew if he hit a bump wrong it would spill him he was sweating bullits afraid he would be caught. he had seen the brand inspecter earlier that morning and he hadnt seen buck in a couple of days . he was thinking of a way to handle a larger animal . he knew buck wouldnt know how many cattle he was missing until fall when the cattle came back out of the foot hills pasture. he would work on that over the next feww days.