THE LONE OLD TIMER 17

the next morning buck almost skipped going to do his chres at the barn. his heart was light and he was looking at the riseing sun with a new attitude. cloe had spent the night and he just couldnt believe he had been missing all these years the feeling of haveing some one lay so close dureing the night. back in the ouse cloe was drifting around the house in her bath robe. a smile of contentment crossing her face. she went in the kitchen and went to work o a breakfast. buck had made the coffee and she sampled it.when it hit her taste buds it knocked her head back. her eyes flew open another notch. she had to shake her head as the strong caffiene slide down her throat. " cowboy coffee darlin" buck was standing in the kitchen door. " ill leave it be but take the cowboy" cloe put the cup on the drain board. she went on with cooking breakfast while buck poured himself another cup of coffee. cloe swore she could see fumes riseing from his cup. after breakfast she dressed and was getting ready to return home. buck was down at the barn saddling a horse. when she came out to put her bag in the car buck walked over and took her in his arms . " ill be in sunday as usual. maybe ill come earlyer tho. that ok?" buck asked. " you better. i can do breakfast if you want it. if i had a place for baldy you could come the night before."cloe snuggled against his chest. he leaned down and kissed her and opened her car door." see ya sunday.' buck stood and watched cloe drive out of his yard. he turned and walked to his horse. he had to make a circle and chek on his cattle. but his mind was some place else. he rode up toward the foot hills fence watching for cattle and anything that needed his attention. the blood trail at treasure road hadnt even entered his mind.he was just enjoying the free easy feeling he had. as he rode along he saw a few cattle, their black hides shineing. the clves fat and friskey when they were sucking milk from their mothers their tails wringing like helicopter propellers. this is what a cowman was supposed to see and feel. when he reached the foot hills fence he found a single tire track following the fence, a motor bike tire track. it still didnt crush his good thoughts he turned and followed the tire track as it ran along the fence line. as he drew near the gate on the jeep trail that went up into the pasture he found it open and throwen back by the tire tracks he could see the bike had come out of the pasture and gone down the two track. he got off and was pulling the gate shut when he looked at the bottom of the gate post where the gate would be latched. a big brown stain was at the base of the post and some of it spread along the post. "well, theres the reason theres no body, he aint dead!"