DELBER BRIGGS 19

FOR A LONG WEEK DELBERT AND NORMA WOULD RIDE THROUGH THE CATTLE AND NOT TRY TO DRIVE THEM. THEN ON A FRIDAY MORNING WHEN THEY WERE PREPAREING TO RIDE AWAY FROM THE BARN DELBERT HAD BLOCKED THE MAIN GATE TO THE CORRALS OPEN. NORMA LOOKED AT HIM WITH A UNSPOKEN QUESTION ON HER FACE "IN CASE WE GET LUCKY" WAS ALL DELBERT SAID. NORMA ALSO NOTICED HE HAD HIS CATCH ROPE ON HIS SADDLE. IT WAS TIED HARD AND FAST TO THE SADDLE HORN. they rode for a couple of hours to the farthest reaches of the ranch. when they came to the gate leading up into the rough pasture delbert turned into it and started climbing the ridge. norma had been here before but this time she had a different feeling about it. when they topped out the ridge they found the cattle scattered on each side down in the canyons grazeing. delbert rode to the e back fence then got down and began to reset his saddle. he looked over to norma and quietly staated if she would get down he would reset hers. a half hour later delbert snugged up the cinches on normas horse and his. he told her to go down the right hand canyon and just ride along singing or whistling. but do not leave any cattle back just keep everything moveing to the gate. when she came in sight of the gate she was to stop and wait until he came for her. they split and started rideing back gently pushing the cattle ahead of them to the wire gate. when delbert reached the gate he could see a dust cloud riseing to the sky cattle under it trotting. he saw norma waitting for him and rode down to where she sat. when he rode up to her he smiled " good job lady. now lets see if we can get some of them in the corral." when they rode through the wire gate delbert got down and pulled it closed he found some brush laying to one side and stuck it up in the wires to look like a blind. " if we loose any maybe that will keep them on this side " delbert remounted. norma rode over close and took the hand with the stitches and looked at it." you snag these and we will play hell getting it well and cleaned up." delbert nodded and turn ed away.he pointed down a trail for norma to follow. the cattle were bunching up around the windmill. as they approached they just whistled and popped their chap legs and got the cattle heading toward the house. at first some of them ran, then they slowed to a trott and as they ran out of air dropped to a walk. delbert caustioned norma not to push to hard. so far the herd were holding together. as they neared the corrals the leaders in the drive started slowing , delbert feared they would balk. he waved at norma to put some pressure on the drags so that maybe the it would start the leaders. just as the leaders started moveing to the gate cattle started widening out and were going to break from the drive. norma and delbert were working hard to hold them together. the leaders went in thegate but a bunch turned back and scattered. there was no way to stop them delbert broke into a run to the gate and shoved another ten head in to the corral. he kicked the pole holding the gate open and swung it shut. jumping to the ground he wrapped a piggin string around the gate and fate post and tied a secure knot. in the corral stood thirty cows. delbert turned to norma" good job lady ill put you in for a raise." all norma saw was blood dripping from the sewed together hand.