Kevin Wade Johnson
I moseyed back to the ranch house, went and found me my lady boss, Miss Letitia Knott. She was standin' on the broad plank porch in her homespun dress and her bonnet, lookin' out over her land. She saw me comin', and gave me a welcome that brought a smile to my face it did. She always showed how much she trusted and valued this here cowboy, yes indeed. "Now what, Gunnar?" I doffed my hat. "Well, Lets—" "It's Miss Knott to you, cowboy." That just made me smile all the more. That warm heart o' hers! I said, "Well, Miss Knott, I found me three thievin' rustlers a-rustlin' our cattle on the north range. Fact." "And plugged them all in their thieving rustling hearts?" "*Rotten* thievin' rustlin' hearts, ma'am." "When exactly was this?" I looked up at the sun, 'cept it wasn't all that high in the sky anymore, so I had to look down some. "I'd say about two hours a-gone." "Two hours?!" "Sorry, ma'am, but moseyin' ain't the fastest—" "Never mind," she interrupted. "Give me the details." I did, and she said, "Did you bury them?" "No ma'am," I admitted, "I didn't have no shovel." She sighed. "Did you un-rope the steer?" "No ma'am," I admitted, "I didn't have no un-ropin'—" "Never mind," she said. "I'll have one of the others ride out and take care of it. Go get your dinner before it gets cold." "Thank'ee kindly, ma'am," I said, touched by her care for this old— "Hurry up now. No moseying!" I walked to git my vittles with my head held high and a smile on my face. She's said a-fore that the way I git her all fed up, she should do the same for me.
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