The Arrowhead was a old time country bar in the smack dab middle of central arizona and some of the roughest cow country. on any saturday nite you would find it full of cowboys and miners. the cowboys spurs dragging across the hard wood floors while they danced with the local dollies to the music from a old jukebox that the records hadnt been changed in 20 years. they liked it that way. if you were hungry you could get a steak and fixens at just about anytime before closing time. the bradshaw mountains loomed up on the north side while on the south the lower desert country rolled away to the hassyampa plain. the pea vine railroad ran across the road snaking its way up the martinez creek to the town of hillside and prescott. cattle grazed on hill sides so steep that their legs on one side were shorter than the other! lions , bears and any wild life you could imagine lived there.
on this saturday nite in the front door of the arrow head came Arch Hawkens. a dark cowboy with coal black hair. his greasy black hat pulled low over his eyes. a rider of medium height, long waisted with legs encased in worn blue denim levies. his spurs were strapped to a pair of brush scared olathe boots. the bar was crowded as he strode to his usual booth in the back of the room. as he passed the end of the bar a puncher with premature gray hair that was sticking out from under his hat raised his beer in a silent salute. arch waved a single finger in response to the shabby cowpuncher.
no sooner had he slid into his seat than a heavy hipped waitress put a bottle of coors in front of him. a smile crossed his face as he looked up from under the black hat at the angelic face of the waitress.
"same tonite arch?" she asked
' YEP but easy on the beans" he smiled back
taking a long pull from the coors he bowed his head over the bottle letting the cold liquid slip down his throat. as he tipped his head back for another a pull he became aware of a presence in front of him. looking up he saw a petite figure a tight, knee length skirt over a hour glass figure. blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders. one hand rested on a hip. her blue eyes flashed and a smile crossed her full lips as she asked" mr. hawkens?"
he nodded as he took the bottle from his lips. " what can i do for you"
' i understand you have a ranch up at the headwaters of date creek, ide like to go there and do a survey of the the wild life for the national wildlife federation." the words rushed out as if she was afraid he would interup before she finished
arch slowley took another drink and set back as the waitress slid a plate with a steaming steak in front of him. " would you like supper maaam" he asked
" no thank you. are you going to give me acsess to date creek" she persistd
hawkens sliced a peice of steak and forked into his mouth. as he chewed he surveyed the fancy blond for a few seconds before he answered" no, i dont believe so. i told that fine haired gentlman who ask me last week no. now they send a tempting little piece of fluff to entice me into giving way. well the answer is still no"
behind the blonde the gray haired puncher was grinning while he leaned on the bar starring at the blond. anger flashed across the cherub face of the blond. " you cant keep us off the public lands we have rights you know?"
"oh yes i can . i own the deeded land on the road into the ranch. the gate remains locked. secondly there is no such thing as public lands. according to the constitution of these united states. sure i cant buy you a steak or a beer?" he asked
the blond stomped her little foot hard enough to almost break the stilleto heel from her shoe." no i dont want a steak or a beer, i want through that gate! " she almost screamed , her fists balled
" the only way you will get through that gate is with me. and i dont think you will like that much. my apache grand daddy told me how to treat white women who act like you" he was grinning at the blond when she spun on her heel and stomped out the door. the gray headed puncher with his shirt tail hanging out walked over to hawkens.
" what was that hokey pokey about apaches? you aint apache." he grinned
"she didnt know that, hated see her go , but its sure nice to watch her leave huh? ' laughed arch
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