THE BRONC PEELER 21

the day before the rodeo was to start, bill rode in from the ranch. jim and kate were following in the buckboard a couple hours behind. bill went to the public corral and stable and put his horse in a stall for the weekend. then he went to the local rooming house and reserved 3 rooms for himself , kate and jim.. right across the street was the local water hole THE BRONC PEN. it was the headquarters for the entry office for the rodeo. bill walked over and went to the bar and ordered a beer. then takeing the beer went to the back of the room where the entry dest was set uop with a crusty looking old man holding forth . when he saw bill walk up he broke into a crooked smile. " when i saw your name on the entry sheet i wondered if you would actually show. the entry fee for the rodeo bronc rideing is 20 dollers." bill stood there a moment then dug in his pocket and pulled his cash out. he countd out twenty dollers but held it back for a moment. " how do i get the shot at the blue devil and the 500 bonus?" "you gotta win the bronc rideing in the rodeo. then you get the option of rideing the ole blue or takeing a hundred doller bonus. you mount the blue you forfeit the 100." " thats a hell of a choice. how many took the 100?" bill asked. " none, and no one has won the 500. the boss said you covered that ole nag at the ranch a few times. you gonna do it one more time?"the old man asked. " i gotta win the rodeo first. ime a little stiff kneed and not as limber as a few years ago. yeah i rode the blue at the ranch.. but he got me once. ime not sure i want back on him. he has no pattern. every trip will be different. some day he will kill some one. ime not ready to cash in yet. " bill handed his entry fee over to the old man." when do they draw for the rodeo?" " a hour befoore the rodeo starts." the old man was putting the cash in a box. bill nodded and took his beer to the bar and stood there sipping it.through the front window he saw jim and kate dive by. he took another sip of beer.his mind was whirling. there went two people who cared about him and his well being. he never had that before. part of him told himself to draw out of the rodeo and accept their care and generosity. but another part bowed up and told himself that he could do what he set out todo. he didnt need people careing about his well being. deep down he knew this would be the laast bronc he would get on. he knew his body wouldnt handle the punishment from a bronc that was fairley easy to ride. but could he make the whistle on the blue? the bar tender freshened his beer. bill thanked him and dropped a doller on the bar. at the end of the bar was a stack of cold cuts and the fixins for a lunch. bil took his beer and walkeed down the bar. he built a sandwich and was turning back to his spot when he saw the stock contracter come in the doorhe had a big smile as he walked up to bill. " i saw jim back up the street he said you were make a run at the blue? you didnt get enough of him at the ranch?" " it didnt pay 500 to ride him there. i gotta get past the first bronc first. i still dont know if i would get on the blue. the money is one thing , but that snake almost nailed me once. and i rode him with a night latch after that. i dont think you all are gonna let me do that here." bill chuckled. " no, we will see tomorrow who gets to ride for the 500. good luck." the contracter walked on back to the entry desk and wwas looking at the entry sheet. bill finished his sandwich and went out side and flopped into a chair on the porch. his mind was whirling. if this was to be his last ride he wanted it to be o a horse like the blue. not a crow hopper.