BATTLE AX REMNENT 8

the next morning connie stood at her trailer and watched barry and mickey ride away with a loaded pack horse in tow. she didnt see rick at first but saw some one moveing around the kitchen area . she strolled down to the cook tent there she found rick finishing a cup of coffee. he looked her up and down then said " good morning. you want some breakfast? i think jake has some left." "i had some coffee at my trailer. if your not rideing why are you wearing your chaps , and jacket?"connie quizzed him. behind her jake raised a eye brow and turned back to doing the breakfast dishes. " if your going to help me today you might want to get your chaps out. theres your pitch fork."rick pointed to it leaning against the corder post of the tent. rick picked up his limb lopers and shouldered them and started walking toward the cholla thicket. he could hear connie walking behind him. as he reached the place he had quit the day before he turned to her" you can see what jake was doing as i cut the stuff down, just keep following along becare full it dont take much to get a ball of this stuff stuck on your......person" rick got down on his knees and reached under the first cholla clump and snipped off the trunk being careful it fell to the side. he shuffled over to the next one and looking back saw connie stareing with her mouth agape."you gonna use that fork or just lean on it?" he asked. late that afternoon they had cleared a 40 foot wide trail through the thicket. connie had fell into the chore with a vengence. but a couple of times rick had to stop and remove a cholla ball from her legs. but she didnt cry out. she gritted her teeth and refused to quit. rick was starting admire her pluck. for a pretty piece of fluff she was tougher than she appeared. jake had brought them a cool drink a couple of times.. the edge of the thicket was in sight. rick hoped to have it cleared the next day. looking up to the west they could see barry and mickey comming on sweat streaked horses. as they rode up barry had a look of surprise on his face. "you get a full day of sweat out of blondy there?" he asked rick. " be careful bub, she might just replace you!"rick grinned up at barry. mickey sat back smiling in wonder. " hell, she didnt even need a pair of chaps barry. you better listen to rick!" " you two rock mashers go get unsaddled and do the chores. me and the boss here will be along in a minute."rick watched as they rode down the wide avenue they had cleared.he looked over at connie who was pushing a sweaty strand of blond hair back up under her hat" you ready to call it a day?"he asked. " ill stay with it as long as you do." connie waggled her pitch fork at rick. " well boss lady, ime beat. lets go clean up and get ready for supper. we can finish this tomorrow."rick shouldered the lopers and started to camp with connie following her step with a little limp.