BORDER SEARCH 8

del followed harry up out of the draw to a spot that was sheltered by a bluff. under it harry had built a one room cabin from rock and adobe. it was well sheltered and comfortable. a small mexican horse and burro grazed out front of the cabin each with a clog chained to a front foot. del found everything he saw neat and orderly. inside the cabin it was furnished sparsly. a table and two rickety chairs. a bunk along one wall, the bedding covered with a peice of white tarp. shelves were chisled into the walls along one side by the fire place he used for cooking. a coffee pot sat to one side . coals from the breakfast fire were still warm. when they each had a cup of coffee they sat at the table across from each other. harry took a sip from his cup then looked del in the eye" what does maxine want from me?" " i dont know. she hasnt been very forth comming about this deal she told me you had a mine then the next day it was a ranch. when she dont get her way she pouts like a little spoiled kid.she wanted to come along here today but i put my foot down on it. but i havent seen any body but you."del explained. " well, a spoiled kid she is. she has always got what she wanted one way or another. when my mother died my father married maxines mother. and it take long for her to wrap him around her finger. when he died he let everything he had to her. even cut her own mother out. that good woman died of a broken heart. but i dont think maxine even batted a eye. the bandits here let me be as long as once a week i put a share of my diggins out for them. i came here to start a ranch but i stumbled onto that vein of silver when looking for a spring." harry told his story. del listened then asked" do you know anything about ranching? this is a tough deal even without a revolution fireing up." " i didnt know anything about mineing either, but i learned. the hard way. i would do that with ranching i think. the ranches here abouts have been abandoned because of the revolution and the bandits. i figured i could take one up and build a life. harry told him. " if i know them bandits they know your here. if you had brought maxine here they would have fallen on you in heat beat. unless i miss my guess she wants to get a bite of what ime doing. but i wont do it. she needs to go back home. i wont support her and the mexican bandits will make her life miserable. theres nothing for her here."harry had his head bowed over his coffee cup. del finished his coffee" can i do anything to help you?" harry shook his head. " if i can hold out here until this war gets settled ill start that ranch. in the mean time ime doing ok with the mine. i got a little put away from it the mexicans dont know about. if they knew they would kill me for it." del stood up, " are these bandits revolutionists or just bandidos?" " ime not sure, but i think they are just bandits who claim to affiliated with zapata and his people."harry explained. " i better head on back, we will stay in ruby a while to rest our stock if you can you might come in and at least tell maxine what you told me about these mexicans."del scooted his chair back up to the table. " no promises but maybe in a day or so. i could use a few things."harry extended his hand "thank you for what your doing.