THE WRANGLER - Chapter nine



I Told You I would Not Stay - So it is Good Bye

They started working on Joe and finally invited Lynda for a visit when they thought Joe had agreed and accepted their wishes.

Early before the rooster crowed Joe packed his stuff and asked one of the stable hands to take it to town. He saddled his two horses and left without a word. They tried to find him but it was to no avail.

Cindy said, “I guess we should have listened when he said he would leave if Lynda was welcomed back.”

The books were all in order and instructions for the next three months operation. After looking over the books Betty said of all the years he worked here he never took a cent of wages. We owe him thousands of dollars and trading Lynda for him was a bad deal.

I'm Back !! Or NOT !!

Lynda arrived and was chattering about a bunch of nonsense that no one wanted to hear. 

It didn’t take long for her welcome to get worn out and she was sent back home.

Like a black cloud the losing of Joe hung over the whole ranch. 

They thought Joe could be treated shabbily and he would put up with it, but as it turns out, some men have a dignity that doesn’t overlook betrayal.

Joe found a small place just across the Texas, Arkansas border just big enough for his horses to graze on and for him to ride and exercise them.

It was a year later a Man showed up at Joe’s place with a package for Joe.  He said he was a detective hired to find him and the package was for him.

Joe asked who it was from and he said he didn’t know he was just hired to find him and deliver the package.

Joe took it and went inside and put it on the table. He couldn’t imagine who wanted to give him whatever was in the package. After looking at it for four days until his curiosity got the better of him and he decided to open it.

Inside there were some pictures of the ranch and of the Hustons along with some of the people who worked the house and stables.

He was glad to see the pictures and people he missed.  Inside was some letters. The letters told him how much they missed him and he was wanted and need back at the ranch. Also included were the wages he earned but didn’t take for all the time he worked there.

Then there was a letter from Cindy which said among other things; how much she missed him and that she was still single waiting for the right man to come home and marry her.  She said she knew she loved him but until he left she didn’t know how much.

She went on and told how Lynda came and after one day was sent packing and was told not to come back ever.

Cindy wrote I will give you one month to get back here and if you don’t I am coming to get you and bring your horses with you.

Joe had been hurt deeply by a series of events but found it hard to stay mad after reading all the letters from the ranch.  He finally decided he had punished himself enough, he was going home, and he would see about getting married.

It was ten days later when Cindy saw a familiar figure riding in from the east. She ran to the corral where the stable hands were taking the two horses.  She grabbed Joey and hugged and kissed him like he had never been kissed before.

When is the Wedding?

When he got his breath he said, “When’s the wedding?”

She laughed and said, “As soon as we can get the preacher.”

His welcome included a party and a fiesta on the day they were married.

Joe concluded he never realized how much he meant to the Huston clan and the ranch hands until now.

It wasn’t long before they decided they should add on to the ranch house for there were some young cowboys in the making running around the place and they delighted in teasing their grandpa Huston. 

 

HoustonTHE WRANGLER  loved every minute of it and hoped they grew up to be as fine a man as their father Joe.

Grandma Huston was the love of their life and she babied them until they were grown men and on their own. 

So ends the saga of little Joe. Of course there is much more that could be written but it is time to move on to the next tale and see what excitement is waiting for us there.

  Post script

It was some ten years and three boys later when Joe, Cindy, and their sons went to Chicago for a Stock Yard doings.

They were checking out of the hotel and were ready to return home.

Cindy went back to the room to gather up things the boys neglected to pack and on the way down Lynda and a man got on the elevator. Lynda said, “It is you Cindy.  I thought I saw Joe but he wasn’t limping like he was the last time I saw him.”

Cindy said a year after we were married; Joe saw a specialist in New York and he was operated on. Now the only thing left from his accident is a couple of scars. He can do almost everything he could ever do and without pain.”

“You have some boys now?”

“Yes we have three and they want to be just like their dad.  They spend a lot of their time riding Joe’s two favorite horses Windy and Swifty.  When they get on Swifty he pretends to buck but he has taken to the boys for they are always messing with him.”

This is my number Four

“Cindy, this is my husband Charles. He’s my fourth and I don’t know how much longer he is going to last before I get rid of him.”

The elevator arrived at the main floor and Lynda said, “I think I will say hello to Joey.”

Cindy said, “That’s not a good idea, because he doesn’t want to ever see you again.”

“Well then, tell him I will be ready for number five soon, if he is interested.”

“No I don’t think I will.  Joe only has three interests now, the ranch, his boys and me, and you are nowhere to be found on his list.”

Lynda said, “Well maybe in another ten or twelve years he will change his mind, c’mon Charles let’s go.”

When Cindy approached Joe he asked, “Who was that you were talking to?”

She answered; “Just some people of no importance, let’s go home.”

Finis