THE BRONC PEELER 10

the next morning a hour before day light kate and bill left the headquarters headed to the horse camp. kate rode a leggy black half thourobred while bill had his saddle on a ranch raised bronc. later that morning they rode into the horse camp pasture. bill propped the gate open with a large rock. "when we get them close to the gate scoot out in front and strike a trott for a ways i think they may fall in behind you and follow. remember the colts, dont wear them out. " billy explained. kate nodded . they started to go around the pasture following the fence line but ran smack dab into the mares less than a half mile from the gate. the mares stood and watched as bill loped around them and started them into following kate back to the gate. when reaching the gate kate hesitated just a second to be sure the mares saw it was open then she trotted on down the trail toward headquarters.a couple of the older mares fell in behind kate and lined out in a long swinging trott. the old stud brought up the back end of the band biteing and nipping any laggards. bill just rode along watching as they trotted down the road. a couple of miles into the trip the colts were starting to weaken, running out of breath. bill called to kate to slow up and let the colts rest a little. but if anything she speeded up! finally bill pulled out around the drive and loped up to kate and yelled for her to slow down. kate yelled back" we gotta get home and check on jim, they will make it ok." bill lost his temper and cut in between kate and the lead mares and started slowing the band down to a walk. he looked to kate"jim will be fine! he will get worse if we kill off some of these colts he s so proud of. ill take the lead, you go bring the draggs." kate rode back up to bill and opened her mouth to protest, but bill cut her off" get back there. i know your a owner here, after we get these mares in the home corral you can fire me but right now we are slowing them down! GIT! after a couple miles of walking the colts caught their breath and bill slowley picked up the pace back to a swinging trott. late in the afternoon they drove the mares into the corrals at the head quarters. bill was pleased to see jim standing on the porch watching the mares trott past. when bill was chaining the gate shut kate rode up, war was spread across her face." dont you EVER tell me what to do again! o own a peice of this out fit. i know what ime doing!" bill simply turned away and rode over to jim " theres your mares. ill be pulling out in a day or so. i dont think i can work for that woman much more." he turned and rode away back toward the horse camp. jim glared at kate when she came up" just what in the hell did you do to bill?" he just quit. every good man we get you run them off with that womans nonsense!" kate stood there for a moment then said" i didnt mean to make him quit. sorry." "SORRY? first thing tomorrow morning you drag your bones to horse camp and make up with him he forgot more about working stock than you will ever know. !"jim spun and went back in the house leaving kate standing there. the next day kate rode into the horse camp. she hadnt slept much the night before trying to find a way to keep bill and not give up her authority. as she rode into the yard she saw bill under his cocklot horse nailing shoes on him his pack horse stood tied to the fence. she slowley rode up to bill. bill looked up, his mouth full of horse shoe nails and mumbled good morning then went back to work. kate got down and tied her horse to the fence and came back and stood watching with her hand on her hip. " we need to talk " she finally said. bill never looked up but kept working. " bill! we need to talk1" kate almost yelled. slowley he put the horses foot down and spitthe nails into the can that held them" alright talk. ime listening." " jim dont want you to leave, you are needed here. lets forget what happened yesterday."kate said. " and how about you? you want me to stay? or is it just jim.? i know you all need my help, and ime not trying to run things, but right is right. and i wont comprimise. if you cant handle that ill be gone in the morning." bill stood toe to toe with kate. kate ducked her head and took a step back. "you dont under stand about jim, i got to take care of him!" " i do understand, but he s a man , a man who is looseing the battle. he dont want to be nursemaided. dont smother him step back and give him some slack!" bill didnt weaken. " alright, but you gotta understand how i feel. ime not a man, don got on that bad bronc to show me he could handle him, SHOW ME! i got jims boy killed!"kate started blubbering. " did you ever think maybe don got on that horse to show himself ? from everything i know he was a good hand. good hands sometimes do dumb things. like quit a good job. go tell jim im still here." bill turned and walked back to the horse he was shoeing and returned to work. kate stood there and watched then turned to her horse and mounted. she sat there a minute watching bill. " i want you to stay too!" she said as she reined her horse back onto the road. bill looked up and shook his head then finished shoeing the horse.