Post by ricochet on Sept 28, 2010 13:42:25 GMT -8
Clint had gotten up just before the sun and already had his horse brushed and tacked up, ready to go by the time the sun had started its ascent in the sky. Pausing only a moment to glance around the town, he quickly swung up into the saddle and, pressing his heels to Wildfire's sides, the mare started to plot along the trail leading out of town.
He really hated doing this, breaking a sort of promise made to a saloon girl, but he really did not want to be socked in the eye right before he was to see about getting a job. They might get the impression that he was one of those rough 'n rowdy cowboys always lookin' to start a fight. Not that he was never rough 'n rowdy, but he liked to think that he was more calm than the majority of those desperadoes.
He was heading for a more particular ranch - he'd heard it was in a nice setting, had some fine horses, and really needed some help. Coming upon the shallow valley it rested it, he halted Wildfire a moment to take in the situation below. It was indeed a nice-looking place going here, fine horses and a few head of cattle, but he only saw one person actually moving around down there and that was a man interacting with a horse.
Slowly horse and rider approached first the house, as he was unsure whether or not that might have simply been another hand out there. He halted the horse once more in front of a sign, and leaning over in the saddle, he did his best to read it. He could tell it was two words, the lettering red in color, but...after a while he could only make out the word, 'help.' ... Well, that was good enough for him. Swinging down out of the saddle he stumbled a step or two as his footing came back to him, then he limped on over to the house.
"Hello the house!" He called out, standing by the door and waited to see what would happen. Well, it wasn't too much a surprise when the man that had been interacting with the horse came over to him.
"Hello, can I help you?" Asked the other man, and as he got nearer, Clint realized this man couldn't be anymore than ten years his senior.
"Are you the owner of this outfit?" Clint questioned, turning towards him.
"Sure am, names Robert Collins." The owner introduced himself, holding out a hand smeared with dirt. Clint grasped it without a second thought, nodding to the man.
"Clint Allen, I'm lookin' fer work and hopin' you still got room for another rider." Clint said earnestly, meeting the other man's gaze.
"Saw my sign, did you?" Collins asked with a laugh, and though one corner of Clint's mouth lifted, he showed no other signs of mirth. Quickly regaining himself, Collins nodded. "Sure do. When can you start? An' will you be needin' anythin' else?"
"I can start today. A place t' sleep's all I need, but if you got room I'd like room and board for m'horse." Clint informed the man, waving a hand back towards Wildfire. The horse now catching his gaze, Collins stared and clucked his tongue.
"Why, I'll be...if that ain't from a wild breed!" He said, drinking in what he could see of the beautiful sorrel mare from here. Thoughts were quickly putting themselves together in his brain, but a glance at the horse's owner, and he knew not to broach this subject just yet. But he would, one day - he wanted that horse for his own stock. She would make a lovely addition.
"Sure, I'll make some room for her...that it, then?" Collins asked, turning to Clint once more. Clint nodded. "All right, then let's get to it, day light's a wastin'!" He said, and beckoned Clint to follow him as he went through the morning chores, informing him about the layout of the ranch and the manners of the various livestock kept here. Clint nodded, silently listening and absorbing it all in.
He really hated doing this, breaking a sort of promise made to a saloon girl, but he really did not want to be socked in the eye right before he was to see about getting a job. They might get the impression that he was one of those rough 'n rowdy cowboys always lookin' to start a fight. Not that he was never rough 'n rowdy, but he liked to think that he was more calm than the majority of those desperadoes.
He was heading for a more particular ranch - he'd heard it was in a nice setting, had some fine horses, and really needed some help. Coming upon the shallow valley it rested it, he halted Wildfire a moment to take in the situation below. It was indeed a nice-looking place going here, fine horses and a few head of cattle, but he only saw one person actually moving around down there and that was a man interacting with a horse.
Slowly horse and rider approached first the house, as he was unsure whether or not that might have simply been another hand out there. He halted the horse once more in front of a sign, and leaning over in the saddle, he did his best to read it. He could tell it was two words, the lettering red in color, but...after a while he could only make out the word, 'help.' ... Well, that was good enough for him. Swinging down out of the saddle he stumbled a step or two as his footing came back to him, then he limped on over to the house.
"Hello the house!" He called out, standing by the door and waited to see what would happen. Well, it wasn't too much a surprise when the man that had been interacting with the horse came over to him.
"Hello, can I help you?" Asked the other man, and as he got nearer, Clint realized this man couldn't be anymore than ten years his senior.
"Are you the owner of this outfit?" Clint questioned, turning towards him.
"Sure am, names Robert Collins." The owner introduced himself, holding out a hand smeared with dirt. Clint grasped it without a second thought, nodding to the man.
"Clint Allen, I'm lookin' fer work and hopin' you still got room for another rider." Clint said earnestly, meeting the other man's gaze.
"Saw my sign, did you?" Collins asked with a laugh, and though one corner of Clint's mouth lifted, he showed no other signs of mirth. Quickly regaining himself, Collins nodded. "Sure do. When can you start? An' will you be needin' anythin' else?"
"I can start today. A place t' sleep's all I need, but if you got room I'd like room and board for m'horse." Clint informed the man, waving a hand back towards Wildfire. The horse now catching his gaze, Collins stared and clucked his tongue.
"Why, I'll be...if that ain't from a wild breed!" He said, drinking in what he could see of the beautiful sorrel mare from here. Thoughts were quickly putting themselves together in his brain, but a glance at the horse's owner, and he knew not to broach this subject just yet. But he would, one day - he wanted that horse for his own stock. She would make a lovely addition.
"Sure, I'll make some room for her...that it, then?" Collins asked, turning to Clint once more. Clint nodded. "All right, then let's get to it, day light's a wastin'!" He said, and beckoned Clint to follow him as he went through the morning chores, informing him about the layout of the ranch and the manners of the various livestock kept here. Clint nodded, silently listening and absorbing it all in.
