BIG HORN 8

be fore day lite the next morning con and roy had saddled two of cons horses and loaded them in the trailer. roy was struggling with wakeing up. con told him he had spent to many nights in jail sleeping in. roy didnt see the humor in that. just as the sun was comming up they stopped a mile from the dead horse corrals and tank. when un loaded con told roy to make a big circle to the north but not to chase anything. just start them toward the tank. con would go to the triggers and set them. then make a circle to the south doing the same thing. he hoped to catch enough cattle to make up a semi truck load, but deep down inside con knew the chances of that to be slim to none. these cattle were wild like deer. a little past 11 that morning con topped a low rise looking down on the water lot of the dead horse. he could just make out roy north of there sitting and watching the cattle as they lined out through the triggers. con could tell there were a lot of cattle already in the lot. he reined his horse back toward the west and made a wide circle toward the pick up and trailer. he could see roy comming along also. they had water and lunch waitting. if they didnt stir the cattle up they would catch a bunch more in the next hour or so. when roy rode up to the truck con was sitting on the tailgate with a burro in his hand munching away. roy dismounted and tied his horse to the trailer and got a burro then sat down next to con. " lots of cattle out there" roy commented between bites of the burro. "yep, and you havent seen but a pinch of them. we may be at this for a year or so to get them all."con replyed without looking at roy. " i saw something else out there. a trail, made by people, north to south."roy looked over at con with a unasked question on his face. con looked over at him "were there any fresh tracks on it"? "none i could see, what you think? drugs or just wet backs?" roy asked "i dont know. i found that too. but it looks like no one is useing it now. but when ever your rideing out here check on it for fresh tracks." con took a bite from his burrito. a hour later when they rode up to the water lot and the triggers the lot held a bunch of cattle and there were a big bunch laying around out side the fence. as the two cowboys rode up the cattle out side jumped to their feet and stampeded to the east. the cattle in the water lot ran to the east fence and balled up there makeing the wire sqeel with the strain on it.con looked at roy. "wild cows for wild cowboys huh?" after closeing the triggers and tying them shut they turned back to the truck roy stated he had counted 85 head inside the water lot. not many were branded. con explained they needed to haul them to the headquarters to sort and brand them then haul the branded cattle to the auction barn in town.he could see roy s eyes light up at the mention of town.

BIG HORN 7

con was headed into casa grane. he needed to order hay and he had a good idea where to get a good cowboy. at the thought of that he almost laughed a hay company had a yard on the out skirts of town. he rolled through the gate and up to the little frame shack used as a office. before he got out of his truck oscar the owner was standing right there. "HOLA con! how have you been?" the short mexican man greeted him. " fine amigo. i need four truck loads of good hay delivered to the big horn. can you do it?" con asked as he shook oscars hand. "when?" i can start today. will that be ok?"oscar had a big toothy grin. "you arnt done yet?"con teased when con pulled back onto the hiway he could see in his rear view mirror oscar with a hay squeeze loading a truck. he had promised two loads this day and two tomorrow. on into town con drove to the down town city hall and police station. going in the front door he was met by a officer. "i want to get roy brisco out of jail. who do i see?" con asked. the officer pointed to a open door to a office." see the capitan in there". in the office a gray haired, pot bellyed officer sat behind a desk writting. the name plate on the desk said CAPITAN POWELL. "i need to see about getting roy brisco released." con flatley stated. the ccapitan slowley looked up from his writting."he stays right here! he wrecked the wonder bar and put two men in the hospital nope he stays here."the capitan was hard and firm, no warmth in his voice at all. "con looked down at him" do i need to go see judge hayden?" " your gonna go over my head? ok smart alec, roy owes 400 dollers in damages at the wonder bar and 200 more in fines. you pony that up and get his stinking carcas out of town." the capitan was visably angry. con fished his wallet from his back pocket he then pulled a credit card from it and dropped it in front of the policeman." here, take it off that. we will be out of town just as soon as we can scrape his stuff together" thirty minutes later con was pulling into a drive way in a poor side of town"get your gear and clothes. you wont be back here for a while." the man in the passenger seat nodded then got out. he had a slight limp, a black eye and his hat sat at a jaunty angle on his brown hair covered head. his shirt had a torn sleeve. he looked like what he was, a bar room rounder. but con knew him as a top cowboy in rough, dry country. just what he needed. he just had to remember to not let him drive a company truck. he would be right back in the wonder bar. two hours later con pulled off the hiway at the bender. oscars first load of hay was loading at the corrals when they drove by. roy slouched down in the seat and set his hat on the side of his head next to the window. con took notice but just grinned as they went on to the trailer house. " put your clothes and stuff in there. the back bed is mine. i gotta go check on that hay. stay inside until the truck leaves then ill explain what we are doing here."con outlined what he had to do. roy slide out of the truck and pulled a duffle bag from the back and went up the trailer house steps. con was chuckling as he pulled back away.