ENTANGLED 9

after supper that night zane had quietly got up and went out into the gathering dusk. leo had sat there watching him he could tell something was bothering the young cowboy. when he finished his supper travis got up and without thanking mollie went out on the porch and plopped into a chair. leo sat at the table with a coffee cup that mollie had filled with jim beam whiskey she could tell he was working something over in his mind but she didnt say anything. cassie finished the dishes and claning the table and went out side. leo could hear her talking to travis. small talk just chattering away. when he finished his whiskey leo got up and went out the door.. he didnt look right or left or say anything to travis and cassie. he walked on down to the barn inside the barn a light was shinning. when he stepped through the door into the breeze way he saw zane with travis s horse he had the horses leg in a five gallon bucket of water soaking the cactus quills. leo walked up and looked down on zane who was squatted at the front of the horse. "he didnt get them all out. left the poor sucker tied up. fed himself but this one didnt get any thing. " zane was shakeing his head. "we are going to brand those calves tomorrow. then ime going let him go. he can flank calves for his supper tomorrow. this is mighty big of you takeing care of his horse." leo remarked. " isnt the horses fault. that gunsel didnt have enough sense to try and ride around the cholla. he s to busy shinning up to cassie . she just see s the glitter with him i guess." zane was carefully pulling the wet cholla from the horses leg. " well she was shinning up to you and you paid no attention to her. if you had i might have got mad but i would have been wrong." leo mumbled. zane looked up at him" it wasnt because i didnt want to, shes some kind of pretty, but i got responsabilitys and cant get wrapped up with her. i cant afford her." " what you mean by that? you got a good solid job here and talk dont cost much." leo was a bit shocked. " i got a mother and two younger sisters to support. very dime i earn here will go to them i know you cant keep me on here full time so ill earn what i got comming until then. you been darn good to me."zane took the horses leg out of the bucket. it was clean of cholla. he dumped the water out to settle the dust in the breeze way of the barn. then untied travis good horse and led him to his corral and fed him. " some day ill be able to afford a horse like that" he said to no one inparticular. he then walked over to where his bed roll was spread and sat down and began pulling off his boots. leo stood there through all of what zane said and did, he now had a better understanding of this solom young man he turned and walked out of the barn and started to the house. travis was still sitting on the porch entertaining cassie.leo walked up the steps onto the porch. " big day tomorow, better get to bed cassie." he walked on by and went in the house. travis shut his mouth and made a sour face" well i guess that shuts me up. good night." he stood up and walked off to his trailer. cassie sat there a minute then got up and went in the house. leo was getting a glass of water at the sink.when she walked up " that was a rotten thing to do! " she said. leo slowley turned and looked at her " yeah it was, but he is going flank calves all day tomorrow. i dont think he will hold up. we wont need him after tomorrow." leo liad it out. cassie made a face then turned and went to her room. leo watched her go. then dumped his glass of water out into the sink " hell ime gona have everyone around here mad at me before we get this deal done." when leo got into bed mollie snuggled up close to him" you cant control who cassie takes a likeing to you know that dont you?" she said. " i found out some thing s today about that guy and about zane too. i been wrong about zane. but ime not wrong about travis. cassie just sees a man, not what kind he is. travis is all flash. no substance he used her all day today she worked her country and most of his. if he would do that what else will he do? we are gonna brand calves tomorrow. we will see just how good he is. i bet he will spit the bridle out before we get through." leo explained mollie looked at him a long time then closed her eyes and went to sleep.

ENTANGLED 8

the next morning leo and zane had fed all the horses. mollie was cooking brakfast with cassies help travis haddent come pit of his trailer. on the way to the ouse leo detoured over to the traailer and beat on the door and yelled" GET UP" HE COULD HEAR SOME ONE RUMBLING AROUND IN THE TRAILER AND SO HE WALKED ON TO THE KITCHEN. ten minutes later travis came into the kitchen and plopped down in a chair at the table " good morning " was all he could muster. when he came in cassie had jumped up and gotten him a cup of coffee and started fixing him a plate. zane didnt look up or show any intrest. mollie watched as did leo.later when everyone was saddled and ready to go travis was still fooling with his gear , adjusting this or rearranging that. leo finally said" catch up when you can" and turned and left with zane following . finally travis mounted and cassie pointed to the two riders in the distance " we better catch up" she left at a long trott to catch leo and zane. travis trotted along in her dust. a hour later leo pulled up at where he considered the back side of his circle. zane rode to one side and was loosening his cinch and letting his horse catch its breath, he reset his saddle. just as leo had his saddle reset and was cinching up cassie and travis trottted up tracises horse was takeing the rough ground hard. he wasnt limping but you could tell he wasnt used to it. before they could dismount leo walked over to them" casssie you take the inside circle ill drop travis next the zane and ill be on the outside. takem all same thing as yesterday" looking up at travis he said" come on with us". leo led zane and travis on to the next drop point. there he turned to travis" you work this strip of country all the way back to the house. these cattle are gentle so take your time. zane will be on this side and cassie the other waatch for them and not get behind." with out another word he turned his horse and spured him into a long trot with zane following. when he stiopped again he turned to zane"i hate doing this to you but you work this part of the country plus your going to have to keep a eye on travis. i think he is so green the cows will eat him" zane broke a smile" i think he will get lost in a barrel.. ill watch out for him" leo shook his head as he turned to ride on. three hours the drive was in sight of the home corrals. they had a good many pairs. leo loped ahead and opened the main gate to the corral. zane and cassie were busy holding things together. travis sat his horse and didnt move to help . the cows saw the open gate and started filing into the corral and lineing up to the water trough. travis horse was limping now. he had cholla stuck in his shins and one shoe was loose. when the gate was shut he stepped down from the anumal and led him to the barn. he pulled the saddle then found a pair of pliares and started pulling the catus from the horses legs cassie walked up behind him" you need some help? i can hold him." travis shook his head and growled" no i can do it" cassie stepped back" ok i was just offering" she then turned and walked toward the house. zane stepped up behind travis" you didnt have to be such a hard ass. she just offered.she has covered your butt all day long she did her work and yours too." zane stepped around travis and went to the house. leo had over heard the whole thing but didnt say anything he had decided that this young man wasnt even a warm body. he was going to have to think on this a little bit.