THE RUNNING IRON 8

mike and emily were un cinching the pack saddles on their pack horses while brooks explained about the laid down fence, the lion and the bucking horse that tore up the ground and strained the ligaments in his right arm. mike kept his head down while he listened. emily stood back behind him listening. when brooks got through he stood there waitting for a response. finaally mike looked up, " ok brooks, i appreciate you comming over to tell me. but i dont know what the vet will say now about the quarantine. . but what ever it is we will deal with it." brooks stood there a few more moments then turned to his truck. he looked back and said " ill be laid up a while, ill be at the house if you need something." mike just waved at him and pulled the uncinched pack saddle from the horse it ws on and carried it into the saddle room. when he came out emily was standing there with the one she had. he took it from her and put it on a rack. as he stepped out side emily asked "do you believe that story?" " if your talking about the lion and the bucking horse i guess so, there was no cow tracks there. the pulled ligaments i dont know. i dont know how he would have strained them rideing a bucking horse unless he was clawing at the saddle horn. i dont know. but tomorrow we better go lion hunting we dont need him feasting on our calf crop."mike mused. later that afternoon, right before dark the vet victoria rolled into the yard.when she got out of her truck it was plain to see she was mad. mike was feeding his horses and finished what he was doing before addresing her. " hi doc, you look to be on the war path." " yep, its a wide war path too! your neighbor, when he hauled that pair back home might have created a problem. when last you saw the calf do you think we got the worms killed?"victoria had her hand on her hip ready for war while she talked. " the wound had scabbed over partially and there was no blood showing. yeah i think they were killed off. we didnt know he was comming after them. we were up on a fence line repairing it when he did." ' OK ill lift the quarentine on your outfit but keep a eye peeled. ime going to lock his place up. he even turned the pair back out after jenson told him not to! that guy acts like he is trying to hide something." the vet was flabbergasted. the next morning mike and emily left the barn horseback. each of them carried a rifle. when they reached the spot where brooks had torn down the fence mike tied his horse to one side. "you go make a circle and check the cattle. keep a eye out for that lion." mike turned to a pile of fence material they had packed up the day before. he picked up a tee post and the post driver and went to the fence when he got through there wouldnt be any more kicking the fence over for what ever reason. as he started driveing the post into the ground emily rode off.

THE RUNNING IRON 7

when inspecter jenson drove into brooks yard he thought the place to be abandoned. brooks cattle trailer was backed up to the corral and stood unhitched with the tail gat open. when jenson walked into the corral he found the ladder cow and calf that had been quarantened at mikes corrals. they stood at the far end og the corral. jenson closed the corral gate when he came back out. as he walked to his truck brooks drove into the yard. when he got out of his truck his arm was bandaged from the elbow down. " what happened to you?" jenson asked. " bad sprain, what can i do for you?"brooks was defensive. " why did you move that cow and calf?. you were told they were quarentined."jenson put it right out in the open. " i thought they were cleared, the wound wasnt draining anymore." brooks stood his ground. " the vet had to release them. now your place is locked down until she says its ok. ime writting you a citation for it. also, what were you doing over on mikes side of the fence? i told you to stay off there !" jenson had his head down writting in his citation book. " i was running a lion on my side of the fence. i got some lead in him but he crawled under the fence. i went in to get the lion. but he wasnt dead. when i rode up he jumped up and snarled. my horse blew up. he bucked around there a few circles as the cat ran off. some where in the wreck i tore the ligaments in my arm. i put the fence back up, and went to the doctor. you can check it all out." brooks didnt back off a bit. jenson didnt know wheather to believe him or not. he tore the citation from the book and handed it to brooks. " go see the judge. dont miss the date or he will have you locked up." " ill go see mike andd explain about the lion. he will need to keep a eye out for him." brooks folded the citation and put it in his pocket." get that vet to come look at this calf. i cant afford to feed them to long." jenson got in his truck" go see mike right now. then stay home a few days. ill call the vet for you." jenson drove off leaveing brooks standing in the yard.