Read Online Once a Ranger by Dusty Richards - Free Book Online Page B

clouds building in the south. By the time he had the three animals on the hitch line, he could feel and smell the rain coming in.
    When Cally came out to check on him, she frowned at the approaching storm. “It may rain here.”
    â€œI think it will. We should go inside the schoolhouse. Folks are coming in and some will drink coffee if you make it.”
    â€œSounds good. It’s thundering hard down there.”
    â€œIt sure is. I’ll get our slickers in case we need to go outside.”
    â€œGood idea.” She took her ground coffee, a can of milk, and some sugar, and they went inside the building.
    â€œHeck, it’s going to rain here in a short while,” a large woman named Beulah said, joining them. “Sure enough I do believe it will storm here in a little bit.” She took some things from Cally to help her. “That will be a great thing to have some coffee. You sure came prepared.”
    Guthrey hung their slickers on the wall pegs as others hurried inside and the blowing dust swept in. It would rain mud first, and the hope was that the rain following would wash it off again. Lightning cracked close by and more folks burst through the doors to escape the strikes.
    Heavy rain and some small hail plinked on the shake roof, then the storm opened up in full force. The heavy downpour would make many usual dry wash crossings dangerously flooded.
    â€œI hope this doesn’t keep too many away,” Cally said over the roar. She and the other women were putting out empty open tin cans under where the roof leaked. Nothing severe for all the force of the rain, but several cans soon plinked with water falling in them. Guthrey recalled enduring such storms in the Indian Territory and Kansas when he used to drive cattle north. They were sure hard on exposed cowboys trying to hold herds or make them move in formation to keep down any chance of a stampede. Another lightning blast shook the building. They could always use rain but he preferred gentler forms. He hugged Cally’s shoulders.
    â€œIt will be over soon and wrung out. But this is a tough one.”
    With a smile for him, she said, “We needed it.”
    â€œI could have taken it in smaller doses.”
    They both laughed. In another half hour the storm moved away and the wet attendees arrived. They included Dan and Noble under slickers, but their felt hats weighed a ton.
    Folks talked about how much rain fell. One man had two inches in a pail.
    Dan said they had lots of rain at the ranch. That relieved Guthrey. Many such showers passed over a limited area and left many without any moisture.
    Good, the monsoons have started
. Guthrey just hoped they didn’t end too quickly so the six-week grasses would pop up and there’d be a carpet of wildflowers. Those were the good summers in the desert. He visited with some ranchers in a corner of the big room.
    â€œI heard Whitmore’s bunch sold out and some big company bought the ranch.”
    Guthrey nodded. “The new superintendent is Walter Pierson. He’s been to the county seat and complained to my deputy Teddy Baker that small ranchers were eating his beef.”
    â€œMaybe his cattle are eating their grass,” one man suggested.
    Guthrey nodded. “My man told him that we would not accept any harassment of ranchers. Enforcing the law is our job.”
    Heads nodded.
    â€œI hope he listens,” one rancher said.
    â€œWe won’t allow him not to.” Guthrey’s eyes narrowed. “Anyone tries to cause trouble I’ll meet them head-on. That’s my job.”
    One man spoke up, saying, “Thanks. We count on you.”
    â€œHey, we’ve had a good rain. Let’s have fun tonight. This new bunch will obey the law or rot in jail.”
    They dispersed and Guthrey went to join Cally.
    â€œProblems?” she asked.
    â€œThey’re upset about the new company moving in.”
    She frowned at him. “You