Read Online Brothers in Blood by Dusty Richards - Free Book Online Page B

and German potatoes, plus her fresh-made sourdough bread.
    After pouring coffee, she took a place with them. “Is this Jack Kay dangerous?”
    â€œWho knows? These people are not really Indians or whites and they don’t fit well anywhere. Most were raised as Indians, so they tend to live among them. But they don’t get government food allotments, so they have to steal. But he beat up a woman, typical of the Indians, but it ain’t allowed on the reservation, either. Then he took her horse to get away. That’s breaking the law, too.”
    â€œChet helped the Indians.” She looked at him. “Didn’t you?”
    â€œThey were starving back then and had a bad agent. We fed them cull bulls and lame horses to get them by and the agent even threatened us for doing that. General Crook had him removed and they must be doing fine now.”
    â€œThese breeds will be a problem until they find a place like a reservation.”
    Chet nodded in agreement.
    â€œHow’s your wife?” Susie asked.
    â€œShe’s fine,” said Roamer. “Have you met her?”
    â€œOnce at Marge’s. Tell her hello for me.”
    â€œI’ll do that.”
    â€œWhen we finish here, we can go down and talk to my men at the kitchen,” said Chet.
    â€œThey told you about Hoot?” Susie asked.
    â€œYes, I’ll see him.”
    â€œGood.”
    After thanking her, they headed to the cowboys’ kitchen. Hoot sat in his rocker by the stove under a fancy trader blanket. He looked very weak and his eyes were drawn.
    The old man looked up. “I ain’t worth much to you, boss man. I’m not able to do much these days.”
    â€œWe’re just glad you can visit with us. You’ve done your part for this outfit. Stop worrying. We just want you to be comfortable.”
    â€œIt’s grown to be a big outfit. I’m proud I was here from the start.”
    â€œSo are we. You need anything, ask Tom.”
    â€œHell, he’s a good one, ain’t he?”
    â€œThe best. Marge told me to tell you to keep kicking.”
    â€œYou tell her this rocker she sent me is the best one I ever set in.”
    Chet went out to where Roamer and Tom were talking about the breed problem.
    â€œI haven’t heard much about that camp. But I bet if they are in that country over there, Hampt knows about them,” Tom said.
    Roamer agreed. “That’s probably right. We’ll check with him tomorrow.”
    â€œHow are the Herefords doing?” Chet asked.
    â€œGreat. I have three boys up there full time. And one line rider out on the western side turning any cattle back or running any strays off our range.”
    â€œHow many of the cattle are you feeding here?”
    â€œAbout two hundred fifty mother cows. That means about a hundred of the cows are still out. We have lots of weaned stock and yearlings here, too. Cows outside are some of the wilder cows, but we try to bring them in as we can find them.”
    â€œYou’ve made this program work well, Tom.”
    â€œRyan never used to feed and we’d lose lots of stock in tough years like this one. But he was pocketing the money instead of spending it for hay.”
    â€œWe’re doing well. I have draft horses coming, and I plan to complete the other outfit’s hay operations as well. Let me know how Hampt’s fencing operation is going. I’ll go over and look at it.”
    â€œWe’re making the wire,” Tom said.
    â€œJohn is really turning the wire out?” Chet asked.
    â€œHe has two helpers and they’re sending a wagon load a week over there.”
    Chet nodded in satisfaction.
    They got home late after making a search circle with Roamer. They decided to talk to Hampt the next morning to see if he knew anything about a breed camp in that area, then Roamer headed home.
    Since the crew in the bunkhouse was already in bed, Monica fixed supper for Chet and the