SMALL TOWN BIG CATCH 4

del was at jakes just as the sun was peeking over the eastern horizon. he unloaded his horse and was leaning against the side of the trailer when jake came from the house. he simply said good morning as he walked by on his way to catch a horse. del watched the crusty old rancher and smilled to him self. when he had left home that morning sharon and little mike were still sleeping soundly. del didnt realize how much weight sharon had lost since he had last seen her. little mike was full of play before supper and del had enjoyed it all. he had left a note on the kitchen table with a pile of cash telling sharon to load up on grocerys and get settled in. it was plain to see his sister had been doing without so mike could have what he needed. jake came leading his horse up to del" you ready cowboy?" dell nodded and turned to his horse snugging up the cinches and tightning his chap belt a knotch"when ever you are. your the boss." the two horsemen left the ranch yard at a trott. jakes ranch while on a map wasnt to big it was up hill all the way to the back end. the mountainside it lay on wasnt steep but it was rocky and rough. the grass grew thick in the open areas with mesquite and oak trees in clumps scattered across it. it hadnt rained a lot lately and the grass and the ground was dry. the horses raised little puffs of dust as they moved along. occasionaly they would see a few cows grazeing and the two riders would turn to them and ride around them looking them over. del was impressed with the shape the cows were in since it was so dry.almost all of them had a big calf at their side. it woulldnt be long befor a round up would be in order to strip the calves. the more cattle they saw del expected jake to lighten up and be more jovial. it didnt happen. finally they reached a spot where jake said he had seen the horse tracks. he pointed them out to del." you follow them back the way they came from. ill follow where they go. ill seee ya at the house when you figgure out where they come from." del nodded and turned his horse back on the cold trail. he really didnt expect to find anything earth shakeing but jake was dead serious about this whole deal by the tracks there appeared to be four riders. they hadnt made any effort to hide their tracks or spread out. they all rode in a bunch. not at all like cowboys out to grab a hand full of cattle.after a hour or so the trail ran under the fence to the neighboring ranch. the wire had been cut and tied back with baleing wire. that caused del to raise a eyyebrow. it was a old rustlers trick. from a distance the fence would look normal but the rustler had a ready gete if he was returning.jake hadnt told him to go on to the neighboring ranch so he turned down hill toward the ranch house. when he reached the yard two hours later he found jakes horse standing in the yard trailing his bridle reins. some where back up the way jake was afoot or laying hurt. del grabbed the reins to the horse and started back along the tracks the horse had made comming home. del hoped to find jake walking in. but the worse stayed in the back of his mind. the farther he rode the more that bad senario came to the front. then, he crossed the trail of the four riders they were tracking. only now the tracks were fresher and deeper. after rideing just a short ways del stood in his stirrups and yelled jakes name a time or two. nothing. then he saw the single set of horse tracks belonging to jakes horse. del turned on them and rode slowley looking about. in just a short ways he saw jakes boot sticking out behind a boulder. del stepped down and hurried over to the old ranch. he lay in a twisted pile with his head on a small rounded rock.he was dead. his head crushed against the rock. del carefully turned the old man over but found no ther wounds, he knew jake was a excellent rider and wouldnt have fallen from his horse unless something unexpected had caused it. carefully he loaded the old man on his horse and lashed him down to stay. then del mounted and started back down the mountain it was going to be a long slow ride.

SMALL TOWN BIG CATCH 3

as del was clinching the last nail. on the last foot of jakes horse jake walked up. " that looks good del. can you come ride with me a few days?" " i dont know why not, anything in particular we gotta do?" del set the horses foot down and straightned up. his back makeing a audible crack in doing so.he stretched and smilled at jake. " ime not sure yet last week i found some different horse tracks back in one of the pastures. i havent counted noses but i dont think ime missing any cattle. i think the two of us will get a better handle on the deal."jake had gotten kind of solom. " why dont you get the brand inspecter to come along? if there has been some theivery he can deal with it." del was loading his gear while he talked. "that town pimp cant even ride a horse let alone tell if anything was stolen. all he know how to do is fill out papers. half the time he dont even look at the cattle he is inspecting."jake fairley spit the last sentence out. his disdane for the cattle inspecter wasnt hidden at all. as del drove toward home he had jake on his mind. jake was a dyed in the wool pessamist, everything was a disaster. where del was just the opposit. he figgured the tracks jake saw were probably trail riders from town after all this land here abouts was state owned. open for recreation activitys. but a few days horse back would be a pleasent change for once. del stopped at the mail box on his drive way. inside was some junk mail and a letter from his sister. she was letting him know she was comming for a visit. he checked the day this was mailed and realized she could be here at any time.he figgured he better get his house ship shape before she arrived! as he rolled into the yard he realized she was there. her car parked at the yard gate with the trunk open. when he got out of his pick up she came out of the house and skipped down the steps and gave him a big hug. " i hope this is alright del. but i had to go somewhere. i wont get in your way i promise." " no worries, you and me are the only family we got left. ime glad your here. where is the little one?" del grinned. " inside, sleeping." she said. " you finish here, ill go unload the truck and get ready for tomorrow. ill be back in a bit."del gave her another squeeze. del was excited about seeing his nephew. he hadnt seen hi since he was born. his sister, sharon seemed to have a knck for picking the wore kind of men the one she marrried was probably the worse one she had ever taaken up with. but little mike had come from the marriage and that was a good thing del figgured. he figured while he was gone working sharon could clean and get settled in. he would give her some cash so she could go grocery shopping. this was going to work out fine.