THE JACKASS ROPERS 12

when dan had drove away from the ranch headed for the sale barn ellen had stood and watched until his dust settled. then turned to the house leaveing the dogs out side . she was cleaning the kitchen and talking to lizzie when she heard the dogs set up a racket out side. as she stepped out the back door she heard a lion scream. it sent a chill down her back bone. she steped slowley to the corner of the house and there at the corrals the dogs were baying and circling a big boulder. perched on top was a tawny , snarling cat. ellen turned back to the house and going into dans room picked up a bolt action rifle she checked to be sure it had a round in the chamber. when she came from dans room lizzy was standing there "you know how ti use that thing?" she asked. " i used to lets see before he gets one of thos dogs." ellen brushed by lizzy. at the corner of the house she stoped the lion was still perched on the rock the dogs circling and baying. useing the corner of the house a support ellen pulled the rifle into the depression of her shoulder . with her thumb she flicked the saftey off and took a deliberate sighting on the body of the cat. when she squeezed the trigger and the rifle jumped the dogs scattered back to the house. the lion lay there a moment then slid to the ground. a neat hole in its rib cage." nope aint forgot" was all ellen said. when dan got home it was late. but the next morning he went out to check on his cowboy crew who were bedded down in the yard. as he walked by the corner of the house he saw a lion hide tacked to the wall. it was fresh and still dripped blood. he stopped and stareed in aw. he heard a step behind him and turned to see lizzy. "you better keep that girl close she s deadly!"lizzy stated. i think your right."was all dan could muster. when dan brought travis and dusty in for breakfast ellen had plates piled high with scrambled eggs with green chili a pan of hot bisquits and another heaped with bacon. she stood at the stove stiring a pan of gravey. travis and dusty sat down at the table and stared at the plates. "well eat up boys we got cattle to go run out of the rocks."dan coached. the two fell into the food like starved hounds dan thought they would lick the plates when done. ellen had a dish pan of hot soapy water on the stove as each one finished eating they went by the stove and dropped theiir plate in. a mumbled thank you came from them each in turn. dan watched them going out as he finished his coffee. " i think them boys been on short rations for a while"lizzy commented. "they didnt dare leave anything behind, i saw dusty stick a bisquit in his pocket. they probably thought if they didnt eat up they would end up like that lion!" dan was laughing. ellen looked over her shoulder a stern look on her face" just be sure YOU dont end up like the lion!" lizzy about fell out of her chair laughing.