THE WRANGLER Chapter one

Today begins a Continued Fictional Story

 

Cattle Rustlers

Joe was five years old when his Ma died and his Pa did the raising such as it was.

Pa taught little Joe how to cook cowboy style. It amounted to little more than beans, bacon, coffee, and some skillet bread. When they were at the ranch he also cooked some oatmeal, and eggs.

His father and he spent most of their time out on the ranch working and watching over the cattle. It was just a small herd but enough to keep them going.

His Pa was a top hand and Little Joe at thirteen wasn’t far behind. Neither of then wore a six gun but both had rifles with which they could hit whatever they shot at.

They had to ride herd all of the time for there were some rustlers in the area and they couldn’t afford to lose any of their stock.

One evening Joe’s Pa came in and Joe could see he was hurt bad.  Pa said, “Two rustlers tried to split the herd and ride off with half of them.”

There was a resulting gun fight and his Pa was shot but not before he got the two rustlers.

Joe wanted to go for the doctor but his Pa said it would be morning before you could get back and I would be gone before then.  No you just stay here by me and I will tell you what to do.

Joe said, “Okay but you need a doctor.”

His Pa said, “I’m afraid I’m beyond the doctor now. Now Joe here’s what you must do, now hear me, and do as I say.”

Joe said, “Okay I will do exactly as you wish.”

“I want you to bury me next to your mother but don’t Mark the graves. If you Mark them someone might dig us up to see if there was anything of value on us. Then they would leave our graves open and I don’t want that. Just bury us and then drive the cattle over the graves and no one will ever find them.”

“Okay Pa I can do that.”

“Then take all of our stuff out and burn it just leaving an empty house. Stuff like the cooking things you keep for you will need them. After that I want you to go over to Jamerison and show him this note. It says you will take the last offer he made for this place and here is the deed. You remember what his offer was don’t you?”

Joe said, “Yes Pa I remember.”

“And it don’t include the herd. If he wants them it will be extra. Here is a list of things and what they are worth.”

By the next morning his Pa was gone. Joe buried him as he said and then rode over to the Jamerison ranch and told him his Pa was dead. He showed him the note and said he had the deed if he was interested.

Joe said, “The neighbor on the other side of him will take it if you didn’t want it.”

Jamerison said, “I want it and you can forget about the other neighbor.”

Of course the other neighbor wasn’t interested in the land but Joe figured saying that would eliminate dickering back and forth.

Joe’s Pa had been a horse trader and Joe had learned a lot about dealing from him. They went to the bank and sealed the deal. He wanted everything cattle and all.

Joe told the banker he would let him know where he wanted the money sent to when he decided to stay some place.