THE JACKASS ROPERS 27

madilyn heard the hoove beats comming behind her. but before she could turn and run a nylon loop encircled her waist, pinning her arms to her side.. she was jerked off her feet, the only thing that kept her from getting hurt was she landed on the loose hay she stood in the middle of. but, she was dragged a few feet out onto the dirt. before she realized what had transpired she had been rolled onto her belly, her hands tied together with a piggin sstring and her feet tied together with another. when she was rolled back over on her back she was looking into the face of a unshaved frowning cowpuncher. " can you give me one good reason i dont hang your sorry butt to that tree yonder?" he pointed to a scrubby mesquite across the way. "you cant do this to me !" the diseveled woman almost screamed. " sorry but its already done if you havent noticed.this ouht to keep you right here while i go for the law. oh, it wont be the county mounties since this is fedral soil, it will be the FBI, so when you go to the pokey it will be a club fed. just rest easy there. "dan straightened up and turned to his horse. " dont leave me this way! ime not a cow you just cant do this!"the woman was worming her way around and squirming trying to get loose. " your going to want the law here, because you see, what I WOULD DO to you would more embarresing than what that jack did to your britches. when a cowboy catches a ladino or slick hided unbranded heifer he puts plenty of marks on them to prove owner ship. i got a running iron here for branding, i got a sharp knife for ear marking. when a cowpuncher gets through with them he turns the heifer loose until the brand peels. is that what you want? my mark on you?" dan was coiling his rope. the woman had gotten very meek" you wouldnt do that......would you?" " i got to admit, the thought crossed my mind. , i might even have to roach that mane of yours, since it dont look like you ever brush it. no, i better let the law deal with you. some judge may not understand my choices of punishment." dan had a serious , stern look on his face. the woman lay back and didnt say any more. just as dan stepped up on his horse a ford fairlane rolled into the area off the hiway. when it stopped in a cloud of dust a man in a white, short sleeved shirt and slacks got out. he had a note book in his hand. when he walked up to dan he looked up and asked" are you dan martin?" thats me, who are you?" dan started getting off his horse. " ime a reporter for the ARIZONA REPUBLIC news paper......can i ask you, why is that woman lying there tyed up?"he pointed to the touseled , dusty mess that was madilyn hooker. " thats what you do with livestock that wont get well behaved. she is a wild horse annie. she keeps getting in the way of me doing my job. tell you what, ill make a present of her to you. hows that?"dan pointed at the woman with his chin. " oh hell i dont want her. shes trouble in every way i got a whole file on those screw balls. no i dont want her. what do you do with a outlawed horse or cow?" the reported picked up on the game. with a wink from dan. " we brand them and ear mark them, then wait until the brand peels and haul them away to the auction." dan explained. " i never helped brand anything, can i watch how its done?" the reporter was looking at madilyn. who was starting to tear up. " oh, we better not but would you go for the closest law for me? ill answer your questions when you get back." dan grinned at him. " be back in a bit" he said as he flipped his note book shut and got in his car.