Christine Wenger [Gold Buckle The Cowboy Code [SSE 2094] (epu

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.They both added that they’d do anything to stay.Then it was Brandon’s turn.“I think Cowboy Quest is a joke, and I want out.And if my dumb horse hadn’t turned around and gone back to camp, I’d be in Montana by now.I’d rather do my time than be stuck in this program with a bunch of wimps.”So much for Brandon’s statement.Then it was Danny’s turn.Maggie held her breath.“I am sorry for putting my horse, Thunderbolt, in danger by taking him out at night.I’d like to apologize to my Aunt Maggie, for many things.And to Joe.I think Cowboy Quest is pretty cool, and I didn’t realize how much I’d learned until last night.”Maggie let her breath out.Danny stood tall, looking older than his thirteen years.Maybe it was because he was acting like a man.Danny shifted on his feet.“I admit that I wanted to run from Cowboy Quest.I thought it was lame.But that was in the beginning, and I should have called off our plan—or my share in it.I’m not blaming anyone else but myself.I went along instead of backing out.And when Thunderbolt started limping—” Danny’s voice caught.“Well, it would have been my fault if something happened to him.Anyway, I’ll take whatever punishment, but I don’t want to leave Cowboy Quest.I believe in the Cowboy Code, and I’m going to try to live up to it.That’s all I got to say, I guess.”Joe stood.“I’d like the nine of you to discuss what kind of consequences should be given out.The rest of us will respect your decision as long as it’s fair…so be fair.”She made eye contact with Joe, and he gave her a half smile.Damn, she liked this guy, and she liked his program, too.“If Brandon doesn’t want to be in the program, I say let him go home.What a jerk,” said Kyle.Marty nodded.“The other three finally stood up to him.They came back.”Alex, one of the two kids who’d been caught fighting and ended up putting up every tent, spoke up.“I think Brandon should be sent home, and the other three should be given more work.”“What’s the crummiest job here?” Maggie asked.“Cleaning up horse crap…uh…excuse me Maggie,” said a boy named Sean, with “love” and “hate” scratched onto his knuckles with ink.“No need to excuse yourself, Sean.I agree wholeheartedly.” She smiled at him, and he smiled shyly back.The boys talked amongst themselves.They were taking their job seriously.“One at a time!” someone yelled.“What do you think, Maggie?” Cody asked.She remembered liking him when they were on cattle watch.He recited some poetry that he’d written about cattle.“I think that you all know that Danny is my nephew, and I don’t want to say much.I don’t want to influence the group.”“I liked what he said.”“Yeah.Rick and Jeff, too.”“But what do we do with them?”“Let them muck stalls forever.Then we don’t have to.”“Yeah!” There were high fives all around.“And send Brandon home.”“Yeah.” This time there we no high fives and no cheers.That was the verdict they delivered.Joe’s perfect record was now gone.One failure.The other three boys were relieved and nodded vigorously when told that they would clean up after the horses for the rest of their stay.And Maggie thought that Brandon didn’t look as haughty as he had before.“Are you okay with the verdict, Joe?” Maggie asked Joe when they were back on the trail.“I think that the system worked again,” he said.“Although I wouldn’t want to muck for the rest of the program, it’s a good punishment.”“Too bad about Brandon,” Maggie said.“I haven’t given up on him.After he gets a dose of placement, maybe I can negotiate an early release and get him back to Cowboy Quest.Brandon has the potential to be a leader, if he’d only turn himself around.”“He ruined your perfect record.”He nodded.“As much as I hate to have my record ruined, it’s only a statistic.I’m not going to win over every kid.Brandon is a young boy.And he reminds me a lot of myself when I was his age.”“And you’re going to take him under your wing, aren’t you? Just like Mr.Dixon did for you?”Joe smiled.“Looks like Danny’s doing well at the moment, and Brandon is faltering.So if you’ll excuse me, Maggie, I’m going to have a heart-to-heart discussion with Brandon as we ride.Then I’m going to talk to Jeff and Rick.Maybe you’d like to do the same with Danny.”She smiled.“I would, Joe.Thanks.”Lightly tapping her rope on her thigh to keep the cattle moving, she rode her horse to where Danny was doing the same.She remembered a time when she’d been scared to ride.She still couldn’t believe how much she liked riding Lady and being out in the fresh air—well, it’d be fresher without the cattle.And it had taken something as serious as Danny’s problems to bring her here.She hadn’t seen much of the world, and she decided that she’d like to see more of Wyoming and other parts west with Danny, if her schedule permitted.But when she got back, she’d have to see what her agent could find for her to do.She sighed.As much as she’d dreaded coming here, she dreaded going back to the same old grind—rehearsal, memorizing lines, songs and musical numbers and practicing until she could do them in her sleep.Then there were all the unresolved issues with Danny—they still had a lot of work to do on their relationship.Maggie felt a familiar ache between her shoulder blades.She just wanted more time away before she had to go back to the stage.She had some savings socked away, and maybe she and Danny could take an extended trip.School would be out in a month, and his classes here were going better than she ever dreamed possible.Maybe they could tack on another two weeks.Danny noticed her riding in his direction, and he gave her a weak smile.No doubt he was expecting a lecture from her.Boy, was he going to be surprised.She wasn’t going to lecture.Danny had already figured out what he’d done wrong.A light rain had started, and she hurriedly pulled her poncho from her saddlebag and slipped it on.She noticed the rest of the boys doing the same.“Good morning, Danny!”He looked at her warily.“Aunt Maggie…uh…hello.”“Sleep well?”“Yeah…well, no.”“Oh? Why not?”“I was thinking,” he said.“About…?”“About how I shouldn’t have tried to run away like that.”“Where were you going anyway?” she asked.“Canada.”“Canada? That’s a long way away on horseback,” she said.“We were going to hot-wire a car.”“But Danny, that would be another crime on your record! And what about Thunderbolt and the rest of the horses?”“I didn’t want to leave Thunderbolt alone.” He looked at her, meeting her eyes for the first time.“I didn’t want to leave any of the horses.I couldn’t do that.And I didn’t…don’t want to be placed at an institution.”A feeling of relief washed over her, and she relaxed in the saddle.“It’s good that you’re thinking of the horses, and being placed.Now take it one step further and think of me [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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