THE WILL 9

tobey had stopped at the lawyers office and made arrangments to have the brand transfered to his name. the attorney told him to keep branding like everything was fine he would tend to it. at the ranch tobey noticed the busy days for hay sales was the same day as the auction. then friday saturday and sunday. the forst three days of the work week were slow. the hay stack from the last load was almost gone he mae a call and ordered another truck load. as soon as he had things in order and the sales slowed down he and roberto put the cattle he had bought through the squeeze chute. they branded them and vaccinated them and wormed them. the put them in a corral with lots of scrap hay. a truck pulled into the yard and backed up to the stack. roberto went to tend to it while tobey was saddling a horse.he would rope and drag the little calves to the fire to brand. just as he snugged the cinch up on the horse a shadow fell across him. he slowley turned to find a older man , slightly stooped. he wore a pair of denim pants held up with one suspender. a big chew of tobacco was in his jaw, he spit. " you tobey?" he asked. " thats me, how can i help you?" tobey smiled at the old man " ime the old codger who has the fiftey sections on your west end. clay white the inspecter told me he talked to you. thought we ought to get aquainted." the old man stated"my name is hi howard." they shook hands" let me move my truck , can we visit a minute?"hi spit the tobacco juice to one side. " ill meet you over on my porch" tobey grinned. when the old man pulled up to the front of tobeys house his truck was loaded high with bales it would look to fall over on a rough road. hi came up the steps and accepted the glass of ice water tobey handed him after a long drink the old man set the glass down"who do i pay? you or roberto?" " it makes no difference it all goes in one pocket any way"tobey chuckled. hi dug down in his pants and brought out a wad of money. he started counting until he came to the amount owed for the hay. he pushed it over to tobey and stuffed what he had left back in his pocket. then he took another swallow of the water." you know i got my place up for sale?" he asked, "i was told that. looks to me your a good neighbor, i hope you dont sell it."tobey smiled. "ime not selling to that tubbs guy, i dont trust him, how bout you? you want to buy it?" the old man came right out with it. tobey tried not to look shocked" i probably couldnt afford it. plus i havent even looked at it. even if i bought the ranch i couldnt afford to stock it.. but thanks for asking." "doc says i got a bad heart. my sister is hammering me to sell and come live with her. but ime not selling to that crook! you come over tomorrow and we will look around and talk some more. i like the cut of your attitude." hi stuffed a wad of red man chewing tobacco in his jaw and waved at tobey as he stepped down off the porch toward his truck. as he pulled out of the drive way roberto came walking up. " poco loco that old man but in a good way."roberto said. the next morning at 8 oclock tobey rolled into the yard at hi s ranch.. roberto had given him directions but he wasnt prepared for what he found. big tall cotton wood trees surrounded the yard with a white , frame house in the middle. behind was corrals and a small barn all painted white. the place was immaculate. when he got stopped hi came from the house and pointed to a ford truck setting under a shed. it was a older model but looked to be brand new."we go in that"was all high said. in the truck hi handed tobey a map, it detailed each and every water of any kind on the ranch. the ranch was cut into two pastures with a section holding trap at the house as they drove through the ranch tobey was impressed with everything he saw. the pastures while they were being grazed had a lot of feed and wernt abused. hi talked the whole time pointing out one thing and then another. the cows they saw were good braford cattle of good quality. almost every cow they saw had a calf.hi had been here his whole life. his folks had it before him and he had bought them out with a promisary note only when he came home from the army. his sister lived in town. and he stated he wasnt selling to any one but a good cow man. when they parked back in the yard tobey told him he was impressed with the ranch.. it was a dream out fit.. but he knew he couldnt afford it. "you let me work up a plan for you to buy it.. ill make it so you can afford it. ill be by your place tomorrow." hi stated. "