TO FIND PEACE 2

the roan horse came into the yard at a shambling fast walk. the wind was whiping his tail around to his side, he marched right up to the saddle room door. the rider sat there a moment then eased his right leg over the back end of the horse and set it down on the ground with a grunt. then brought his left foot from the stirrup and set it down next to the right. he leaned against the roan for a moment. a heavy sigh escaped him after a few moments he bagan to unsaddle the animal then led his to a corral gate and turned him loose. if anything the wind and cold were getting stronger. the man turnned and stumped his way to his small frame house. the mesquite trees that framed it were whipping back and forth. he climbed the four steps up onto the small porch. in the house it was warm. a propane heater was doing a heroic job keeping the frame house warm. the man went to the stove and turnmed the burner on under the coffee pot he stood there a moment soaking up the warmth then turned to the hat rack next to the door and hung his hat and removed the sheep skin lined coat and hung it there. as he turned to the stove there came a knock at his door. he scowled and limped to the door and opened it. a shapley blond woman stood there behind her he could see her car with a real estate sighn on the door. the woman was dressed in desighner denim pants and she had a mackinaw coat pulled to gether in front with one hand. " i told the agent from your out fit the other day i dont want to put my ranch up for sell, and now they send a nice bit of fluff out here to tease me into listing with you" the man growled. " are you cleve bounds?" the woman asked shivering. " you know i am" cleve returned. " i dont want to list your ranch, but can i come in? ill explain ." the shapley blond asked. " ime sorry, some times ime a bit short on social graces please come in the coffee is hot." cleve swung the door wider to allow the woman through the door.she had a slight hitch in her step like cleve had, the woman stood in the middle of the room while cleve shut the door. " can i take your coat?" cleve held his hand out. the woman peeled off the mackinaw revealing a form that few would have. a full figured body topped by flowing blond hair perfectly groomed to shoulder lenngth. cleve pulled a chair out from the little dining room table" coffee?" was all he asked. as the woman sat down she nodded.at the stove cleve took two cups and a small glass down from the cupboard.he then reached into a cabinete and pulled a bottle of bourbon and poured the little glass full. he turned too the woman and held the bottle out in a unasked invitation. she smiled and said " no thank you." cleve poured the cups full of the boiling hot brew then took the small glass and turned it up swallowing the contents. he brought the cups to the table. and set one in front of the blonde. he then sat down heavily in his chair accross from her. " is that how you take your coffee?" the woman asked. " only when ime chilled to the bone like today. i dont handle the cold like i used to. now, whats your name and what can i do for you?" cleve sipped at his coffee. " my name is katey mcguire. i was told to come see you by mr browning at the bank. he told me you were good friends."katey held her cup with both hands wrapped around it warming her shakeing hands, " yes we were friends, but maybe not so now after sending you out here in this cold. " cleve smiled a rare smile" are you familar with the kj ranch just up the road?" katey asked. " yes i know it. those hippies who own it have turned into a drug dealing mess. what have they got to do with you being here?" cleve asked. " well, those hippies are gone, in jail for dealing drugs there. the ranch has been abandoned. the DEA has listed the ranch with my office. but the cattle are on a note at the bank. they want their money. we have 60 days to get the cattle off. mr browning said you would do it." katey started sipping her coffee. " oh he did did he? i dont remember giveing him permission to hire me out. how many cattle we talking about? " cleve asked. " the bank holds a note for 250 head. they were put there three years ago. they havent been touched since . mr. browning said once the note is satisfyed any thing else there the income from them you would split with the bank" katey was warming up and stopped shivering. " you have never done a deal like this have you?" cleve asked. katey shook her head no. " well,its all in favour of the bank. first i want to go look at it. ill need a map. then ill give you a bid on the job. "cleve explained. " then your going to do it?" katey had a hopeful sound in her voice. " i didnt say that, i said i would go look at it. 60 days may not be enough, there may not be enough cattle there to split with the bank, they are asking some one to buy into a deal with a sack on their heads, browning knows better." cleve turned his coffee cup up and slurped down the dreggs." can i fill your cup?" he asked as he stood up. katey shook her head a look of disapointment on her face. after filling his cup cleve came back to the table." you got a improvement map?" he asked. katey dug around in her purse and came up with a folded map. she handed it to cleve. he unfolded it and smoothed it out on the table. he studied it for a few moments. " its close enough, ill go down there today and check it out then let you know ." " i want to go. i want to see what it looks like." katey said matter of factley. " its going to be a long slow, rough trip. you sure?" cleve really didnt want any passengers. but this young woman seemed determined. " ok sit still, ill go start the truck and let it warm up. " cleve went for his hat and coat..the engine on the dodge truck caught and rattled up to a idle. when he was sure it wasnt going to die cleve turned the heater on and got out of the truck he went to the saddle room and got a shovel, and a couple of nylon ropes and a come along and threw them in the back. he looked up and katey was comming out the door, one hand grasping the front of the mackinaw holding it shut. she came to the dodge and jumped into the passenger seat. cleve stood there a moment" for a man wanting some peace in his life i sure went the other way. at least she isnt ugly." he said to him self as he opened the drivers door.