TO FIND PEACE 31

it rainned that night again. not extra hard but a steady drizzle that soaked every thing and left puddles again. cleve sat on the porch in his favorite chair with a hot mug of coffee.. breakfast was finished and inside he could hear katey cleaning up the kitchen. the sun was sending streeks across the yard and illuminateing all the vegitation. katey came out the door with a cup of coffee and pulled a lawn chair over next to cleve and sat down. cleve didnt look at her but looked right straight into the west watching the sun light up the land scape. " girl, ive spent my life on ranches all over, but never took the time to see that," he pointed out across the yard." i was always in a hurry to absorb another day od cowboying. dont do that. slow down, take it all in, get that young man by your side and enjoy each and every moment. i missed so much over the years. dont do that,"cleve was rambling as he watched the sunrise. katey stared at him almost to the point of tears. cleve never turned his head to look at her." i was in such a big stud horse rush to live this cowboy life i missed some of the best of it no matter what the state officials say, the old country will heal, no matter what the cattle market is the ranchers and cowboys will survive. and no matter what people will eat beef. they arnt going to quit. we just have to adjust to the circumstances to survive. your young, vibrant and tough. you will do it.dont think that because your young and havent done this much that you wont figure it out.. you will keep it together when no one else would. " katey looked at him and said" your talking like your finished, like things are final. your not going any where , we need you and all those years behind you." " while i was in the hospital i had a lawyer come see me he drew up some documents they are in a folder by my bed your going to need them . i never had a woman or children, your the best a man could ask for. just dont ever sell the land, without that your nothing if you marry, make sure the land stays yours. promise me!" cleve put a hard finish on that statement. he turned to look at katey" PROMISE ME!" katey swallowed a lump in her throat" i promise. your talking like your going some where> what is this?" " i am going some where, just dont know when today, tomorrow , who knows the doctors couldnt tell me. but everything is put in place. i got a daughter, and she is better than i ever dreamed. for the first time ime at peace with myself and the world about me. here, get me a cup of coffee." he handed her his mug. when she went in the house she had no idea he would never drink it.

TO FIND PEACE 30

CLEVE AND KATEY RODE OUT THE FRONT GATE AND TURNED TOWARD THE KJ, AT THE KJ GATE KATEY STEPPED DOWN AND OPENED UP THE GASTE AND LET CLEVE IN. SHE RESHUT THE GATE AND TROTTED TO CATCH UP WITH CLEVE WHO WAS RIDEING ON UP THE TWO WHEEL TRACK. IT DIDNT TAKE HER LONG TO NOTICE HE WAS SMILLING, LOOKING ALL AROUND AT THE COUNTRY. THE GREENERY WAS COMMING ON STRONG THE TERM OVER GRAZED DIDNT APPLY ANY MORE. AT THE WINDMILL THERE WERE NO CATTLE TRACKSTHE SALT BLOCKS HAD ONLY BEEN USED BY DEER. THEY RODE ON. AS THEY STARTED GETTING INTO THE ROUGHER COUNTRY THERE WERE POT HOLES OF WATER EVERYWHERE. CLEVE COMMENTED THAT A COW WOULDNT NEED TO GO FAR FOR WATER OR GRASS. KATEY COULD HEAAR A BIT OF PRIDE IN HIS VOICE. LATER THAT AFTERNOON THEY RODE BACK INTO THE HEADQUARTERS AT CLEVES RANCH.THEY HADNT SEEN ANY CATTLE TRACKS ON THE KJ. HE STATED THE NEXT DAY THJEY WOULD PROWL HIS RANCH AND CHECK HIS COWS THHE HAY STACK FOR THE SLICKS AND FRESH BRANDED CATTLE WAS GOING FAST. CLEVE WANTED TO TAKE THESE CATTLE BACK TO THE KJ BUT KNEW HE WOULD START A WAR WITH THE STATE LAND DEPARTMENT. HE DECIDED THEY WOULD CLEAN UP THE HAY STACK BUT TRY TO GET PERMISSION TO RESTOCK THE K J. KATEY LISTENED WHILE HE MADE HIS PLANS AND SAW A WHOLE DIFFERENT MAN. AT THE SADDLE ROOM KATEY LEFT AND WENT TO THE HOUSE TO START A LATE LUNCH. CLEVE UNSADDLED THE HORSES. A HALF HOUR LATER KATEY SLID A PLATE OF FOOD IN FRONT OF CLEVE ALONG WITH A TALL GLASS OF ICE TEA. FROM WHERE CLEVE SAAT HE COULD LOOK OUT THE SCREEN DOOR TO THE WEST. IN THE DISTANCE OVER THE MOUNTAINS HE COULD SEE BIG BLACK THUNDER HEADS BUILDING. ONCE IN A WHILE HE COULD LIGHTNING. THE MONSOON CONTINUED. KATEY BROUGHT HER PLATE TO THE TABLE AND WAS GOING TO SIT OPPOSITE CLEVE, BUT MOTIONED HER TO ONE SIDE" DONT BLOCK MY VIEW GAL" WAS ALL HE SAID. SHE COULD SEE A PEACEFUL COUNTNANCE ON HIS FACE. HE WAS ACTUALLY ENJOYING LIFE.