THE BRONC PEELER 19

the next few days were days of hard work and long days. jim decided he would cook, that left bill, kate and the two farm boys to gather and brand the cattle. they started at the horse camp on the whiteface cows and calves. they were gentle and easier to work. the two hired hands got into the swing of things. working the gentle cattle. . bill and kate took turns ropeing and dragging calves to the fire. once the two hired hands got the hang of what was going on they fell to the work and wrestled calves with the best of cowboys. after two days of branding at the horse camp bill turnned the cows back into the holding pasture and proceeded to move camp back to the headquarters.the holding pasture there hadnt been used hard and had a lot feed left. bill wanted to gather all the cows he could before branding. he knew they wouldnt get a full gather, but he and kate could range brand what ever was missed. the morning after mooveing back to head quarters bill led the rest of the crew out into the open range pasture to start the gather by three that afternoon they had returned with a big gather. when corraled and counted into the holding pasture bill found they had over two hundred head. at supper that night bill asked jim just how many cows should be out there in the pasture. jim clammed up. he ignored the question. after eating kate cleared the table and motioned for the two hired hands to go with her. after they left the room bill leaned over to jim " how many cows is there supposed to be out there jim?" jim turnned his head and started to get up but bill reached over and grasped jims for arm" HOW MANY JIM?" finally jim looked at bill" ime not sure now, i turned 150 out there years ago. i just kept branding every year. i didnt keep track. i sold the two year olds and kept all the females. i get taxed on the 150 thats all any one needs to know." " oh lord. i wont tell anyone but i need to know so ill know where to quit. . ill swear kate to silence. i cant guarantee those other two tho. no one has ever asked or questioned your count?" " no one ever came around. i just went to the court house the first of every year and paid the tab on the 150." jim explained. bill ran his hand over his face and shook his head. "i got to think this over."was all he said as he got up from the table. the next morning bill had a plan formulated. they no longer were going to gather everything . they gathered the holding trap and penned all the cattle there. a good number of them were two year old steers. bill cut those into a adjoining corral that left the bunch of cows a little over 175. he then cut some of the older cows into the steer pen. now he was at the 150 head count. they spent the rest of that week branding calves.when done t hey drove the fresh branded cattle to the area where the brood mares had been located. settling the cattle there they returned to the head quarters. they put the cuts of steers and old cows back in the holding pasture. then the next morning they went to make another gather. . when they penned the gather bill realised they had almost as many cattle as the first day.he began cutting the big steers and old cows. into the side pen. when done he counted the remaining cattle and found 135 head. jim stood at the fence watching. " ok smart alec, what you gonna do now?" he asked. we are going to brand these calves and put this bunch back where we found them. : bill almost swore. one of the hired hands was building a fire to one side and had the irons heating in a jiffy. by good dark they had branded the last of the calves. everyone was wore out. bill allowed they would let the cows stand in the corral over night.