THE WILL 11

the next morning tobey puttered around the ranch waitting for hi. other than a couple there to buy hay all was quiet. around eleven that morning he got a phone call. it was hi s sister, they were at the hospital. could tobey come there? he didnt even stutter just said he was on his way. at the hospital he was directed to a room down the hall from the emergency room. when he walked in his was propped up in bed. a couple of I V s and a oxygen hose was attatched to him. he was in a bad mood it was easy to see, " well hi how you doin?" tobey asked. " ime alive, thats the best i can say.look at all this crap." hi waved his free arm about. " what happened?" tobey asked. " ole heart wouldnt wait for us to make a deal. i had it all laid out in my head and was gonna write it out this morning. but around 5 i started getting chest pains. i called sis, she brought me here. they claim its a heart attack. to much stress." hi explained. tobey listened nodding as hi talked. when hi stopped he stared at tobey. "what you want me to do pard? ill do all i can to help you."tobey said. " buy me out, that will put a end to my worrying about stuff" hi made a fist with his free arm. at that a shapley woman in her late fortys came in the room. she was dressed conservatively with a dress with a flower print and high heel shoes.her brown hair was styled flawlesly. she stepped up to tobey and extended her hand. "my name is alexis ime hi s sister." tobey had jumped to his feet and took his hat off. he shook the womans hand then bowed his head. " ime pleased to meet you." he looked over at hi "you said sister but you didnt say she would be this pretty." hi turnned his head and looked the other way groaning. " ime a half sister. our father remarried after his mother died i came along some what later. but we are blood. and he needs some one to keep a eye on him. my husband disapeared two years ago, so that left me with time to take care of brother. he said you might buy the ranch? that would be great."alexis while appearing to be all business was pleasent and frank. " as much as i would like to buying the ranch is just beyond my reach. but while we been sitting here a thought came to me." at that point a doctor and nurse came in and tobey shut up. " you too take a hike for a couple of hours. we got some work to do with this ole relic." the dotor grinned a toothey smile. tobey took alexis arm and guided her out the door" can i buy you a cup of coffee?" he asked. she nodded and said" theres a cafatieira here in the hospital, lets go there." she led down the hall. when seated with a cup of coffee alexis looked tobey in the eye " ok whats your propsition?" "i dont have the cashon hand to buy hi and you out. but, ill buy a partnership." tobey excplained. " and just how will that work?" alexis asked. ill buy in at 15 thousand for a third. ill operate the ranch along with mine. when we market calves we pay any debts then split the balance three ways." tobey sounded hope ful. " ok what if we get a solid offer to sell it?" alexis was intrested. " pay me back my buy in and any operating costs i have built up." tobey took a sip of coffee. " thats all?" alexis asked. " i want to help my neighbor, not skin them. thats all." tobey answered. "lets see how hi does the next couple days. if he improves we can run this by him. i know he is set on selling out." alexis said. " thats good , in the mean time ill look after the place as a good neighbor should.any thing comes up ill contact you. lets get hi back on his feet."tobey finished his coffee." i need to get back to my place. we have a load of hay comming. ill check on hi to night." they stood up and tobey walked back down the hall toward hi s room but as they came to the exit door tobey said good by and went out the door to his truck. on his way back to the ranch he had alexis on his mind. she ws a bit older than him but was very attractive he caught him self thinking romance. as he pulled into the ranch yard he saw the load of hay was being unloaded. he put everything to the back of his head.