Partida Rol por web

An aura of authority and power surrounded Vincent Bronson. His was nearly bold, and even though he could still ride with the cowboys, he was not a young man anymore. As usual, he was smoking a cigar. He greeted Jason with a nod, and looked at each men and woman for a second. It was a scrutinizing gaze, but his words were of gratitude. –You did well that time with the bandits... You helped to save Harv. And proved that you can be counted on. That´s why you are here today.

Then he invited them to go in through another door, to his meeting room.

 –Come on, let´s go inside. We have some business to discuss, he said and down behind a huge mahogany desk

Sinta waited calmly for the Big Honcho with the others. She had never met Vincent Bronson before. She felt a bit... nervous, or anxious. She has heard so much about the man. She wondered what he would look like.

After a few minutes, Harvey appeared with an old but solid man. Sinta assumed he must be Mr. Bronson. Harvey was clearly still in pain, we would carry his hands on his gut, like it was on the verge of falling over, but it was good to see him sound and walking... sort of. He smiled timidly when he saw them, but did not say anything. Sinta smiled back. She also remained silent, as everybody else. 

Mr. Bronson was looking down at her, and Vernon, and everybody else. Then the big honcho spoke:

–You did well that time with the bandits... You helped to save Harv. And proved that you can be counted on. That´s why you are here today. Come on, let´s go inside. We have some business to discuss.

Sinta followed the others into the room. She had nothing to say, it was Vernon's turn to speak... that is, assuming you could say anything to Mr. Bronson apart from "Yes, sir". The man did not look like someone who liked to argue, not with "lower" people, anyway.

-Vern, I want you to be the range boss for this cattle drive, Mr. Bronson started pointing at Vernon Adams with his cigar. -It´s your chance to pay off your debts. You´ve earned it. You got some 100 heads of cattle, worth 5 bucks each. It´s your call, but you can take up to half of that herd on the drive.

It took a few moments for everyone to grasp the amount of money Mr. Bronson was talking about. That beef could easily be worth eight times that amount at Fort San Juan or where the rail head¹ was.

-As the range boss, you can pick the hands you need for the cattle drive. I see you brought Sinta and Price. Good. And Crowe. Are ya all goin´?

- Yes, sir ---answered Sinta timidly.

It took a while for the girl to realize the amount of money the men were talking about. It was more than she could really grasp, far more than she had ever seen. She was happy for Vernon; he was a good man and deserved this opportunity. She was also happy that she had a job again.

About time.

I sure am, boss. If that ain't a problem, of course. - he replied, after Sinta. 

Even though the offer sounded as tempting as that kind of money could sound, he could just smell the problems to come from far far away. Probably this wouldn't be a quiet drive, it never was. Never in his experience, at least. But problems and tragedies were his two best friends, and bad luck his mistress.

Of course he would take the job anyway, mainly because he refused to just sit and wait while he rot and die. In the worst case scenario as a consequence for taking this job, he would just die. Fair enough, he thought.

-Huh? Y-yes, Mr. Bronson, Price said nervously. -Whatever ya say, Mr. Bronson.

-It ain´t no problem, Crowe, Vince Bronson said with a smile of sorts on his face. For a moment, he looked more like a caring father and protector than a ruthless cattle baron. However, there was something on his mind. He looked worried. Maybe tired. He stood up and walked to the center of the room.

All the while, Harvey Steinbaugh sat on his chair with his legs open, and got himself a glass of whiskey. Jason Bronson was behind the foreman, leaning against the wall.

-I´ll make it all good for you. What ya did. I ain´t gonna forget your loyalty, Vern. Through the years. And how Sinta and Crowe and Price helped Harv out. This cattle drive will sort your debt out, Vern. The beef you got ready to sell. The ranch will be yours. It´s a big step for you. You´ll be able to hire hands of yer own. And Price, your farm… I heard you´ve found yerself a woman… Is that so?

Price nods holding his hat on his hands.

-Good for ya. We´re countin´ on you, and Sinta and Crowe. A cattle drive is what we work our asses off the whole year. A cattle drive ain´t about how many you can get across the Kiowa to Fort Worth. It´s about the quality of the beef. Here it´s worth five bucks. At the rail head fourty or even fifty, but only if the beef ain´t been starved on the way. And help me God, if the cattle go wild and stampede, you better not leave´em behind!

His words sounded like thunder, and he was serious. Dead serious. Hundred heads were owned by Adams, but a cattle drive could include a few thousand animals. Big money, and big responsibility. No one in their right mind would let Vncent Bronson down. Or try to double cross him.

-So that´s settled then, Mr. Bronson said. And then he pointed at Hurd, Sinta and Crowe. -One more thing... You´ll need horses for the cattle drive. So before you saddle up, Jason here will take you to the corral and you three can pick a horse of your likin´. That´s goin´to be your reward.

Real cowboys did not accept gifts. You had to earn whatever you owned. But a reward for a job well done was a different story. A well bred horse could be worth hundred dollars, or even more. On the other hand, a cowboy needed a horse. Maybe this way he could ensure the loyalty of the three tenderfoots. They did help to save Harv. So Vincent Bronson felt he was in debt with them. And Vincent Bronson always paid his debts.

Sinta's eyes open wide when she hears Mr. Bronson offer for a horse. Her own horse! Vern was right when he said this was a great opportunity!

- Tha... thanks, Mr. Bronson ---she manages to stutter somehow, fighting the surprise and the intimidating gaze of the cattle baron.

With not much more to say, she then follows Jason to stables to pick up her animal. 

Jason Bronson led the way, and Vern, Sinta, Price and Crowe followed him to the corral. Jason was about the same age as Crowe. He was tall, and even though he worked often aside the ranch hands, he liked to dress well and keep his moustache and hair in good condition and his boots clean. He was Mr. Bronson´s son after all.

Jason knew quite a bit about horses, but he felt belittled by this chore. Show the old Vern and his friends the horses? Deep down, Jason feared his dad wanted him out of the room to discuss some important matters with Harv.

They reached the stables, and the corral. There were over fifty animals there, but Jason quickly showed the six unbranded horses they could choose from.

-Take yer pick, he muttered and went inside the stables to attend his own horses, leaving the four looking at the animals.

There are six horses to choose from. The names are, according to what Jason shouted earlier: Buttermilk, Lucky, Reno, Socks, Sterling and Bolt

* Buttermilk: a 4 years old gelding (male unable to breed). This is a Heavy Harness or coach horse. It has not been broken. Buckskin color with an irregular star head marking. It has a Halter Pulling vice. Not fast in short distances, but OK medium speed and endurance. Good horse sense.

*Lucky: 10 years old, Arabian gelding horse. Also not broken. Appaloosa color. No vice. Good speed, agility and endurance. All round horse.

*Reno: a 9 years old Shire gelding. Not broken. Gray color with a chin spot marking. No vice. Not very fast, but average agility, endurance and horse sense.

*Socks: a 9 years old Morgan mare (female). A black horse that has been broken already. No vice. Good overall speed.
Sterling: 12 years old Morgan gelding. Roan color. Broken. No vice. The best short speed of the group, and agile.

*Bolt: 7 years old Thoroughbred gelding. Not Broken. Bolting vice. The best overall speed (great medium speed).

-They all look sound to me. Take yer pick, Vern said to Sinta, Crowe and Price. –Me and Jace can help ya to break the horse if needed. Any questions, let me know pals, OK?

- I'll take the mare, if that's ok with ya...

Sinta had always had better experiences with females than with males, especially with humans and horses. Dogs were the exception, curiously enough; bitches did not always like Sinta, but dogs tended to love her. When Vern, the most senior person in the group waived his turn to choose, Sinta quickly chose the only female horse. She looked like a really good animal. 

Crowe keeps quiet, afraid that if he questions this decision they will immediately regret it. He followed Jason, staring at him once and again, like looking for a confirmation that this was okay. He knew he could trust him and his judgement, and wasn't afraid to ask for advice if given the case. 

Just a look to the horses was enough to know that they were nice mounts. Even more, he knew the second he saw it the one that he would choose as his companion for future journeys. 

I would like the thoroughbred. I think we'll get along.

Price was silent for a while, and then chose Lucky. –I bet Laura will like this one, he muttered.

Vernon nodded at Price, and then looked at Sinta and Crowe. -Socks and Bolt for ya two, eh? OK, they´re all fine horses. I´ll take the heavy harness horse, for the ranch. But it can wait here for our return. Now, Socks is broken already, but Bolt and Lucky ain´t. Are you up for it?

The act of getting on a horse for the first time is sometimes called backing or mounting, but most often it is known as “breaking” a horse. There are different techniques for introducing the young horse to a rider, but the goal is to submit to a saddle and rider. The techniques used in the West include:

* “Forefooting”: the horse is roped around both forefeet) as he runs round the corral. This brings him down, sometimes even knocking the front teeth out. While on the ground, he is saddled (rolled from side to side to tighten the cinch), and then mounted. If the cowboy can stay on until the horse stops bucking, it´s been “broken”.

* Saddled and mounted when tied to a post, or held by a strong man, with a rope round the lower jaw. Once mounted, the horse usually starts bucking. Each time he bucks, he´s hit on the nose with a short stick with a braided leather lash until he stops bucking.

* Roped by the front feet and thrown to the ground. A hackamore is put on horse´s head, and then a 20 foot long rope is tied around the neck and run through the base of the hackamore under the horse´s chin. The other end is tied to a tree or a stout post. The horse is then allowed to fight it out. A horse might struggle for a day or two before giving up. By then his neck and legs are sore, and nothing will induce him to pull back on the rope.

* “Side lining”: the cowboy may also tie a hind foot to the shoulder until the horse accepts without protest and is ready for the saddle.

* A rancher can tame a wild horse and get the animal accustomed to the corral by trimming his hooves so close that is painfully difficult to walk, much less to run or buck.

Still, the most common method was one that required at least three cowboys: anchor, mugger and the rider. Anchor(s) tried to hold the horse, the mugger stood in front of it attempting to distract, and the then rider saddled and mounted the horse. The anchor released the horse, the mugger ran off, leaving the rider on his own until the horse stopped bucking.

Jason walked closer from the stables, and rested his elbows on the corral fence. He was carrying a nice saddle. –Ya´ll be the rider, Vern? I´ll help you saddle.