TO FIND PEACE 13

cleve was sitting behind thewheel of his truck, motor idyling. he ws watching the house and wishing katey would hurry up. the day was warming up and hauling those cattle in the heat wasnt a good thing. they would loose weight and they didnt have it loose. he beeped the horn a couple of times and sat there thinking how lucky he was. she was a pretty girl, she gave him all the respect she could kept the house spotless and still managerd to help him with the ranch as he was sitting there she came bounceing down the steps and jumped into the cab. she had a tight pair of desighner jeans and fluffy blouse. " i thought your legs were burning up?" cleve asked. " that stuff you gave me was great what was it?" she was gushing. " alo vera juice. old remedy. ime glad it worked. but i dont think those sale cattle show you any respect dressed that nice. manure will be the order of the day" cleve giggledd. at the corral he backed his traile right up to the chute. when he bunoed it the post s wiggled. when he got out of the truck he pulled a hot shot prod from behind the seat.katey got out and skipped around to him " ehat do i do?" she asked. cleve was opening the trailer gate and pulled it back to the fence" hold this gate right here. when i tell you shut it. its gonna be tight " katey stepped behind the gate and took a hold of it cleve walked down the ally and let the cattle drift past him when the last one trotted by he turned and trotted up behind them.useing his hot shot on the cattle trailing behind he got them to hurry toward the open trailer. the four old dairy cows were last to get in the trailer. he pushed and proded then motioed for kathey to swing the gate. with both of them pushing they finally got the gate closed and latched. just then the last old cow coughed, a big glop of loose green manure issued from under her tail the end gate deflected most of it but some spattered kathey and cleve. cleve picked up a stick and started scrapping the green waste from his clothes. kathey stood there shocked. she found a stick and started doing the same. thing muttering curses about the cows parentage. "see what i mean" cleve grinned at katey. " theres nothing to laugh at this was my last clean clothes." katey was attacking the green spots. " people will know your the real deal in the cow business." cleve was still smilling. but the smile fadded when a state goverment truck rolled up in a cloud of dust. a short man in khaki uniform got out, a baseball cap perched on his head. he marched right up to cleve and stuck his hand out" ime mark dillon, range con for the state. i just got assighned here. headed to town?" cleve shook his hand and pointed to katey and introduced her . " yes we were just going its getting hot and i want these cows off the trailer before noon. what can i do for you?" " i was just makeing the rounds evaluating everyones leases. every time ive come here the gate is locked i want to drive through your pasture ill be back in a while."mark said matter of factley. " go ahead but we will be gone when you get back just besure to close and lock the gate.. i know theres to many cattle but we are just getting started moveing them come by tomorrow and we can talk about it."cleve invited. katey was getting in the truck. mark stood there shocked he wasnt bowed down to. he stood and watched cleve drive out of the drive way and head toward willcox. cleve turned to katey as he shifted the gears" damn goverment man. nothing but trouble we will see what his story is tomorrow."