#158b
Mark watched Emory for a bit, then whistled to let the trigger happy man know there was another present. Emory's head snapped up and he challenged outloud, "who's there?"
"Mark," the man skirted the brush and checked around once more. "I'm by myself but armed."
"Com'on in," Emory invited, "it's justen me, and I've got my rifle."
Mark stepped into the clearing and stared at Emory. The man looked terrible, filthy, filthy clothes, greasy hair and face, despondent attitude and the smell was noticeable from where he stood.
"Hey," Emory greeted Mark, "I was hopen youens might slide by one of these days, those purty butter colored cows are gonna be supper darn quick iffen youens don't get them gone."
Mark agreed, "we'll be here for them tomorrow, do you think you could help us round them up?"
"Oh shore, they's awful nice beasties," Emory replied. "They's come when I calls."
"Where's Elmer?" Mark thought it was strange that the other brother wasn't within earshot, as before they were like pete and repete.
If possible, Emory looked more hangdog than before. "It ain't good," he finally admitted. "Me 'an Elmer and that tramp wife of hissen had problems. She put the make on me, and Elmer wouldn't believe it was her, not me causen the problem."
"You wouldn't do that," Mark defended Emory. "Your an honest man, not a home wrecker."
Emory brightened, "hey your the firsten to stand up for me. I got booted out of the camp cause they don't want no troubles."
"Do you have any food? How about I go get you some coffee?" Mark offered.
Emory looked so happy he started to tear up over Mark's kindness. "Oh, thaten would be so good, I ain't had coffee in a long time."
"Let me go get the pickup, Clora has a thermos of coffee and some sandwiches extra. I'll be right back." Mark trotted down to the pickup and slid in the seat. Milo and Teddy were jumping up and down in excitement, "Dad, Dad, who's there?"
"Emory, and he's by himself. Do we have any coffee left? I don't believe he's eaten in a while."
"Of course," Clora smiled as Mark drove up to the camp. Clora was surprised that Emory looked so bad. Once again Clora was pleased that she came prepared for any event, or problem. Even a short trip to town required a full BOB bag and food.
"Can we get out? Please Dad, we have been really good." Milo begged as he looked around the interesting camp.
"Stay away from the fire, and the bugs are bad, just so you know." Mark ordered the boy's. Clora opted to stay in the pickup and feed Tessee, so she passed the food to Mark.
Emory greedily drank the coffee and downed the sandwiches in three bites. "That's gooden, I be thanken ya. You gots your newest youngen yet?"
"Yes we do, she's in the pickup with Clora." Mark looked up to smile at Clora.
"Good, and how abouts that brother of hers, that Wayne, isen he Ok?"
"We are doing very well," Mark told the dejected man, "you wouldn't be looking for a job, would you?"
Emory's jaw about hit the ground, before he collected himself and cautiously answered "shore, I's done with this place, it ain't gots anything for me here."
"We'll come tomorrow for the cattle and you, so have your gear ready about noon. And Emory, maybe you should clean up a bit." Mark softly mentioned, causing the short, noticeably thinner Emory to blush a little.
"Shore thing, thanks to you, I'm thinking. I'll be ready." Emory drained the thermos without using the cup, wiping the mouth of the battered old stainless steel Aladdin with his sleeve.
Clora made a mental note that the thermos needed to be washed and bleached before it could be used again. She had a plastic sack of homemade snack bars that she had Mark pass over to Emory, and then they headed back toward home.
"This changes my plans," Mark acknowledged. "We will need to make another trip to town for supplies after we move the cows. If they didn't mean so much to Ev I'd say forget them, but, what the heck, we can do that without much trouble."
Clora nodded her agreement, "He sure does like those cows, I hope they do well at the lodge. The valley looks awful mournful, doesn't it?"
"That's a good description Honey, it's my dream, but it's almost in the past," resignation and defeat tinged his voice as Mark drove over the spaghetti tangle of roads to reach their narrow two lane to home.
Supper was fresh deer liver and fried potatoes and onions, and the smell enticed the Linderman's to hurry in the house and wash up.
Milo was busy telling about poor old Mr. Emory, and Ev's cows and the bugs, and he didn't run down until Clora pointed to his plate and said "eat."
Ev wanted to go with the men so bad he was beside himself, but didn't want to cause problems. Mark finally asked the wheel chair bound man if he wanted to go, and he replied a loud, strong "Yesss."
Arrangements were made and the checks distributed, they were most welcome to the cash poor family. Those that weren't going to town, endorsed their checks for cashing and handed them to Ben.
Cheryl mentioned they needed twenty to twenty five boxes of quart jars and extra lids. "We will be out of jars by tomorrow night, the boy's bagged two fine animals. Helmer is going hunting tomorrow, so if he has good luck, we will be in good shape."
Helmer beamed. Of course he was going to have good luck, he practically had two fine fat does tied up where he could get to them. Helga snorted her exasperation. She well knew the look on her husband's face. That old fool thought no one knew about the salt lick he had squirreled away in the forest, so she had no doubt there would be several deer in the larder by tomorrow night.