THE LONE OLD TIMER 5

the next morning the bransd inspecter wes livingstone rolled into bucks yard. when buck explained te reason wes took a law mans attitude. buck shoed wes the two big bagged cows with milk dripping from them. wes decided on a direct plan. he told buck to load the two cows in his trailer and follow him. when they pulled into the trash pile buck drove as close to the make shift corral as he could. the cows in the trailer start bawling at the calves who in turn were bawling and trying to escape the corral. a skimpy little flake of hay lay to one side of the corral and a bucket of water. wes had his camera out takeing pictures. the trashey woman came storming out of the house her war paint on. wes met her half way to the corral " good morning ime wes livingstone........" he never got to finish. " you cowboys get off this property! i told that one yesterdy to leave/ now ime telling you both!"the scroungy woman was yelling. wes simply pulled a wallet from his hip pocket and opened it to revieal a badge and a printed title under it. he showed it to the woman" now where did you get those two black calves?" the woman stammered and took a step back." they wandered into the yard looking for something to eat so i fed them i didnt think they belonged to any one, they were lost." wes had heard it all befoore, he turned and told buck to let the cows out of the trailer. when buck opened the trailer the two cows jumped out and went right to the make shift fence with their heads over the top and pushing on the pallets. after a second the pallets lay down and cows got in next to the calves who went to sucking at th milk laden bags. all the time wes was takeing pictures he had seen enough " buck, turn them cows out of here then go get a horse and gather them up and take them to your corrals until i tell you other wise theya re evidence." wes turned to the woman only to find her gone and the door to the house slamming. he walked over and helped buck dismantle the pallet corral enough to get the cows out of it.when the cows were across the road and grazing they returned to their trucks. " ime going to the judge and get a warrent for this ole gal. but i dont think any thing will come of it. i would keep everything hazed away from here as much as possible. these damn nesters are more trouble than they are worth. but at least this time we saved your stock."wes explained.he slapped buck on the shoulder and got in his state truck and drove off. buck drove back home and caught little brother and sadled him so he could go for the two pairs.un like wes he wasnt mad. he was just glad he had his cattle back. buck trotted down the road until he came to the two pairs then started them back home he could see the woman standing at her door watching. he shook his head. some folks moved out here to get away from the city life and its restrictions but they tended to run over ranchers rights. and in this case they turned to out right theivery. just as buck drove the cows into his yard a man on a motor cycle roared up behind him. he was a big man with a pot belly. he wor bin oerhauls with one strap missing his red hair and beard sticking out everywhere." hey! i want to talk to you!" he yelled. buck turned his horse back to the man" what can i do for you?" he asked. " where you come off threatning my ole lady and takeing her calves. she found them they were hers. just who you think you are? you arnt the boss of the whole country." the big man was beligerent. " first i didnt even talk to the woman, the law did. second she had stole my stock. and we retreaved it. now i got work to do if you will excuse me." buck turned his horse away to corral the two cows. the bifg man stood there yelling and cussing at buck as he rode away. finaally the man picked up a rock and threw it at buck, hitting little brother in the butt. he jumped forward almost dumping buck. at that point buck had had enough. he took his rope loose and built a loop and started back for the man. the big man jumped o his motor cycle and roared out of the yard before buck could get close to him " damn scuum" buck said as he watched the man out of sight.

THE LONE OLD TIMER 4

buck had caught a sorrel stocking leged horse that was born from the same mother and father as baldy. buck called this good young hore LITTLE BROTHER. but he wasnt little, he stood a full hand higher than baldy. he took lots of rideing, he was tough and long winded. buck got around the cattle on the road and got them lined out to the corral. but as he rode along it became clear that there was two more cows than calves, the cows without calves had full, tight bags. buck hadnt had a problem with preditors the four legged kind or the two legged.the first he could deal with, the second cound get dicey. he would hold these cattle in the corral over night and call the brand inspecter. he didnt think there was any thing to be done but at least it would be on record. after brand in the calves in the bunch buck got in his truck and went to the closest phone and called the local brand inspecter who said he would be out the next morning. a lot of the folks who had moved into the area wernt the best at keeping their places clean and respectable. as he was driveing by one such place with a number of junk cars scattered around and trash in the yard he heard a calf bawl.backing his truck up to the drive way he turned in and drove to a spot to one side of the house. the calf was still bawling. walking toward the sound he found two baby black calves locked in a corral mad from shipping pallets and tee posts. he turned to go back to his truck when he was met by a woman with tatoos running up her neck " what are you doing here?"she demanded. " just looking at those calves. where did you get them?" buck asked trying to be frienndly. "thats none of your business! now git off this place." the woman demanded. buck looked her over, hair matted and dirty, a tank top advertiseing a rock band and a pair of dirty ill fitting shorts. "ok thank you." buck knew now what the brand inspecter had to deal with.