THE JACKASS ROPERS 3

AT THE rock creek ranch dan s aunt lizzie was puttering around out in the yard. she used a tamarack fence stay as a cane or walking stick. of her 90some years the most of them had been spent here raising two children, and careing for the love of her life, the only man she had ever looked at. at first when he died she wanted to die also, she quit eating, she quit doing the little daily things she had done for years. she sat in the corner of the liveing room and stared into space. her grand daughter had paniced when she saw the old woman wasteing away. she had gathered her up and took her into town to a full care facility. it was worse. when dan had taken over the ranch she had sent for him. when he arrive the old woman had all but begged for him to take her back to the ranch. after consulting with her doctor it was agreed lizzie would be much happier and settled back in familar surroundings. but it was made plain to dan she needd full time care. a state paid care giver was suggested. all dan would need to furnish was a liveing space and food. the care giver would cook and care for lizzie at all times. 4 different applicants were interviewed for the position. each in turn when they found out where the ranch set turnned it down.it was 65 miles of twisting mountan road just to get to buy groceries., the ranch had no telephone land or cell. no electricity and no telivision. one whole wall in the liveing room was a book shelf , floor to ceiling. it was stocked with every imaginable book from reference to entertainment. the bath room was a small corner room with only a sink with water piped from the same spring that fed the kitchen and the livestock corrals.. for a toilet there was a out house in the back yard. lizzy and the doctor had about given up hope in finding some one to live at the ranch with her, when a woman of medium height, of about 40 years had come to the office. she listened while everything was explained. when they finished she asked to meet lizzy. after a twenty minute conversation she agreed to take the job. everyone was in shock. but lizzy said she was the only one who would do. the womans name was ellen dupont.she explained she wanted the solitude and peace and quiet of the ranch and careing for lizzy would be a pleasure. lizzy smiled at her" lets go home" was what she said. when dan had come in from a full day of rideing and found aunt lizzie and ellen he was in shock. here was a woman cooking supper on a wood range. lizzy was sitting at the table peeling potatoes.after introductions dan went to the wood pile out side and with a ax starting splitting chunks of wood. withm three to cook for ellen would need a goodly pile of wood.that had been six weeks prior to his being in this camp with a bunch of jack ass ropers who were knee deep in defrauding the united states goverment. in his live span he had worked all over the state punching cows. he had worked gentle cows and wild. he did what needed doing, never complaining. three or four times a year he would go into town and cut the wolf loose for a few days. he had no love intrest on a steady basis. he was known to be a gentelman with women and could be a bit rough to deal with in a diffaculty. but above it all, he was honest. honest with his fellow man and woman alike. now he had his back to the wall, two mouths at the ranch to feed, and daily expenses to meet. the care of aunt lizzy preyed on his mind. the care giver was quiet and not in the least demanding in anything except for lizzy.dan kept stewing the predicament in his brain. maybe stick this out until he had a good stake for the three of them. just how many jackasses would he need to rope to do that?