THE JACKASS ROPERS 26

ELLEN WAS MOPPING THE KITCHEN FLOOR. SHE HAD SPILLED A POT OF BEANS EARLIER, SHE DIDNT KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG WITH HER. WHEN LIZZY SAW THE MESS SHE SIMPLY SHOOK HER HEAD WAND WADDLED OUT THE DOOR MUTTERING UNDER HER BREATH LOVESICK. BUT ELLEN STILL HEARD HER AND FOR SOME REASON IT AGGRIVATED HER. SHE STUFFD HER MOP INTO THE BUCKET SO HARD THE SOAPY WATER SLOSHED OUT. MORE AGGRIVATION. OUT SIDE THE DOGS SET UP A BARKING AND RAISEING A SCANDLE. SHE WENT TO THE DOOR. she had dans rifle mounted on nails above the door so she could reach it easily. when she opened the door she saw lizzy standing in the drive way talking to a man in a ford car. ellen dropped her hand from the rifle and ambled out to join lizzy. "good day maam, is dan about?" the driver asked ellen. lizzy looked a hard look at him then turned to ellen" i just told this fool he wasnt here." " this is dans aunt and ime the house keeper. no he isnt here at this time . can i help you with something?"ellen explained. " ime from the ARIZONA REPUBLIC news paper, iwould like to interview him for a article ime doing about managment of public lands." the man was handing a business card out the window of the car. " i understand his gathering wild burros saves the desert a lot of distruction from over grazeing." " ill give him your card when he gets back. i expect him at anytime thank you." ellen took the card and politley ended the conversation. she had to grab lizzys arm and step her back a little as the reporter started the car. dan topped a rise studded with cholla and one tall giant cactus. he sat there stareing down at the lake shore a half mile below. four burros and colts were drinking. " well here we go again." he picked his rope up from the saddle horn" this damn country has a jack ass under every bush. a hour later he had driven and hazed the four burro pairs to within sight of the corrals.his horse was wringing wet with sweat. he was sure he wouldnt have gotten this far with the burros except they were full of water and couldnt run much with their bellys sloshing. the four pairs were drifting right toward the hay stack so he stopped and let his horse catch its breath. he didnt really see any futur in roping a burro. the other three would disapear into the brush and cholla and who knows when he would find them again. he eased around so that he was between the hay stack and the desert . the burros were eating their heads off. if he started them they would turn to leave and go straight at the gate to the corrals, he hoped. after a good half hour his horse had recovered and dried out, so he eased toward the hay stack. it was then out from under the loose hay madylyn arose and yelling and waveing her arms stampeded the burros back the way they had come. dan was in a position he couldnt get out of and turn the runaways. but he still had his loop in hand and there was one target left at the hay stack, the wild horse annie.!