Dancer laughed out loud. “You do that, ole pard. You just keep your eyes on ole Dancer. You’ll learn a lot.”

  “That’s a damn fine looking Appaloosa you’re riding, Slocum,” Talley said, changing the subject. “I can see why you said what you did about no one else riding him.”

  “It ain’t just that,” said Slocum. “He won’t let anyone else sit on his back.”

  “How long have you boys been riding together?” Talley asked.

  “Not long,” Slocum said.

  “We, uh, just kind of happened across each other’s trail a few days ago,” Dancer added, and he gave Slocum a sly look.

  “You seem to have hit it off pretty well,” said Talley. “That’s good. Men who get along with each other work better together. You’ll find that I’ve got a good bunch of boys out at my place. You’ll like them all right.”

  It was another two hours before they reached the ranch. They saw to their horses, and then Talley took them to the bunkhouse and introduced them around. He showed them where to stow their gear and where they would sleep. Then he walked with them back over to the big house. As they were approaching it, the front door opened and a young woman stepped out. She stood watching them with her head cocked to one side.

  “Annie,” said Talley, “I just hired these two men. This here is John Slocum.”

  Slocum touched the brim of his hat.

  “And his pard here is Charlie Dancer. Boys, this is my niece, Annie Talley.”

  “Hello, boys,” Annie said with a half smile on her lips. She was young and pretty, with auburn hair hanging over her shoulders.

  “Well, how do you do, ma’am,” said Dancer, taking off his hat and giving a slight bow. “May I say that you’re a real sight for sore eyes?”

  “Thank you,” she said, and she turned and walked back into the house.

  Slocum noticed Talley shoot a hard look at Dancer. “What do you want us to be doing, Talley?” he said.

  “The barn needs cleaning out,” said Talley. “Think you can handle it?”

  Dancer started to protest, but Slocum jabbed him in the ribs. “We’ll get on it right away,” he said. He took Dancer by the arm and turned him, and together they walked toward the barn. After a few steps away from the boss, Dancer said, “Cleaning out a barn ain’t proper work for cowhands.”

  “When a man pays you for a day’s work,” said Slocum, “you do what he wants done. And you watch yourself around that gal.”

  “Did you take me on to raise, Slocum?”

  “It damn sure seems like it just now.”

  Dancer laughed. The two men spent the rest of that day cleaning the barn. At noon and later at supper, they met the rest of the ranch hands, and that night, they hit the hay in their new bunks. They were up early, feeling a bit stiff from the work of the day before. They were seated at the long breakfast table with the rest of the crew when Talley came up. He issued a few orders to the foreman, Elgie Lay, and then he turned to Dancer and Slocum.

  “There’s a stretch of fence over on the east side of the ranch that needs fixing,” he said. “Can you handle it?”

  Slocum gave Dancer a kick under the table. “We’ll take care of it,” he said.

  The fence turned into a two-day job. There was some posthole digging and a lot of wire stretching. Dancer grumbled and cursed most of the time. Once, Slocum said, “What’s your problem, Dancer? You said yesterday that cleaning out a barn ain’t no work for a cowhand. You ain’t thinking the same thing about mending fence, are you?”

  “Ah, hell,” Dancer said, “I figured we’d be out in the saddle riding herd, rounding up strays. When Talley offered us this job, he didn’t say nothing about needing a couple of damn laborers. He said cowhands, didn’t he?”

  “I believe the man’s exact words were ‘I’m looking for a couple of hands. A hard day’s work for a fair day’s pay.’ That’s the way I recall it.”

  “Ah, shit. You know as well as I do that what he meant to say, and he implied it pretty clear, was that he needed cowhands. Now, damn it, Slocum—”

  Just then the wire he was stretching snapped, and the barbed end took out a piece of Dancer’s left ear. He yowled and slapped at the side of his head.

  “Damn it,” he said. “Damn it. Now that’s the last straw. That’s the last fucking straw. I’m riding out of here right now.”

  “It’s been good knowing you, Dancer,” said Slocum. “Don’t pick up any stray cattle on the trail. I won’t likely come riding up at just the right time again.”

  “You ain’t coming with me?”

  “I like the job just fine,” Slocum said.

  “Well, shit,” said Dancer, turning up the palm of his gloved hand to look at the blood in it. “How much of my damn ear’s missing?”

  Slocum grinned. “It appears to be all there,” he said. “That wire just nicked it a bit is all. Ears bleed real easy.”

  “Hell, maybe I’ll stick another day.”

  At the end of their third day of work, the barn was clean and the fence was mended. “I wonder what dirty job ole Talley’s got for us tomorrow,” Dancer said. “Maybe he needs a new shit hole dug.”

  But in the morning at breakfast, after Talley had given his orders to Elgie Lay, he added, “Have Tex and Clint take Slocum and Dancer along with them over to the west pasture.”

  “Sure thing, Boss,” Lay said.

  Dancer looked at Slocum and grinned. “Well,” he said, “it’s about damn time.”

  For the next several days, they rode the west pasture. It was rough country, marked by gulleys and washes, with scattered patches of brush all around. A low and slow-moving creek ran through the middle, and it was lined with more brush and occasional cottonwood trees. The very far western edge was rugged and rocky hills. The four cowboys combed this tough country gathering strays to bring back to the main herd. It was hot and dusty work, but Dancer did not complain. It was real cowhand work, and he liked it. Slocum took note that Dancer rode well, and he could handle a rope.

  At the end of a long day, they were riding back toward the bunkhouse, eager for the meal that would be awaiting them. “This suit you better than mending fence, does it?” Slocum asked.

  “Hell yes,” said Dancer.

  “You’ve done a share of this kind of work,” said Slocum. “It shows.”

  Dancer grinned and wiped sweat from his forehead with his bandana. “Hell,” he said, “I started it when I was fourteen. I had to. My old man, he was drunk all the time. He hadn’t always been like that. I can recall when he was hardworking son of a bitch. I don’t know what happened, but he got to drinking—too much. He lost his job, but he found money somewhere to buy his damn booze. I went to work to pay the rent and buy the groceries. That worthless bastard would’ve just let mama and me starve to death and never even noticed. I worked for an outfit called the Rocking T over in the Panhandle.”

  “I’ve heard of it,” said Slocum.

  “It was a good place to work. Close to home. Mr. Tyrone that run the place was a good man to work for too. Course, he’s gone now. I don’t know who’s got it now. My old man got killed in a saloon. I worked on for Mr. Tyrone for another couple of years after that.”

  “What happened?”

  “Mama died.”

  Slocum figured that was a good place to stop asking questions. He figured that maybe the young kid had decided that it was time to drift. He’d heard the story before: a youngster drifting from one ranch to another. Dancer certainly was not alone in that. They didn’t talk much for the rest of the ride back to the bunkhouse. But when they had cleaned up and sat down for their evening meal, they ate hearty, just like the rest of the crew. Headed for the bunkhouse, a young cowhand called Levi walked up beside Dancer.

  “I sure do admire the way you ride and rope, Dancer,” he said.

  “Yeah?”

  “I ain’t seen many like you. Did it take you a long time to learn?”

  “I don’t hardly recollect, kid,” said Dancer. “I guess it did take a while though. Say, but you’re doing all right. You’ll get there.”

  “I don’t know. I try real hard, but I just can’t seem to get the hang of it like you got it.”

  “Just be patient, kid.”

  “I can sit my horse all right,” Levi said. “But the way you swing that rope—well, I just don’t see how you do it.”

  “Ah, you—Say, we still got a couple of hours before we need to turn in. Get your rope.”

  Levi looked at Dancer with wide eyes.

  “Go on, kid,” said Dancer. The kid took off at a run. Slocum slapped Dancer on the shoulder.

  “You do have a soft spot, you ole son of a bitch,” he said.

  “Ah, go to hell, Slocum,” Dancer said.

  Slocum watched for a spell while Dancer showed Levi some of the finer points of roping. He showed him how to pay out a loop, how much slack to keep in the rope and where and how to swing his loop. That went on for the next few evenings, and the kid was getting better. Dancer was a good teacher. One evening as Dancer came late into the bunkhouse, Slocum said, “You’re doing a good job with that kid, Dancer. His roping has improved considerable.”

  “Ah, hell, Slocum, he’s a natural.”

  “I’ll admit to being a bit surprised you taking up with him the way you did.”

  Sitting on the edge of his bunk, Dancer pulled off a boot and dropped it to the floor. “He reminds me of myself,” he said. “At one time.”

  In a couple of days after that, they had a night off, and most of the hands rode into County Line for a night of drinking and whoring at the County Line Saloon. Levi rode in with Slocum and Dancer. Inside the saloon, the three cowboys bellied up to the bar, and Dancer called for a bottle and three glasses. The barkeep brought them, but he looked at Levi and said, “You sure this one’s old enough?”

  “How old he is ain’t none of your business,” Dancer said. “He’s with us.”

  He paid the man and poured three drinks. Levi picked his up and looked at it. “Dancer,” he said, “I never drunk whiskey before. Truth is, I ain’t old enough.”

  “Sure you are, kid. Drink up.”

  Levi tossed down the whiskey all at once and immediately began to choke. The other men at the bar all started to laugh. Dancer pounded Levi on the back. Finally, Levi quit hacking. He straightened up and took a deep breath. “Oh,” he said. “That was good.”

  The laughter was even louder then. Dancer grinned and poured Levi’s glass full.

  “Have another,” he said.

  “But this time,” said Slocum, “sip it.”

  Just then, Sugar stepped up to Dancer’s side and put a hand on his shoulder.

  “I was wondering if I’d ever see you again,” she said.

  Dancer swept her into his arms and gave her a big kiss.

  “I’m back, Sugar.”

  “Wow,” she said. “I can see that.”

  “Barkeep,” Dancer called out. “Another glass.”

  The bartender brought the glass, and Dancer suggested that they all find themselves a table. There was an empty one near the foot of the stairs, and so they all moved to it and sat down. Dancer poured all four glasses full.

  “So how’ve you been, cowboy?” Sugar asked.

  “Working like hell,” Dancer said. “Say, Sugar, I want you to meet my pardners here. You know Slocum?”

  “I recall he was here with you the last time,” she said. “Glad to meet you, Slocum.”

  Slocum tipped his hat.

  “A pleasure, ma’am,” he said.

  “And this here is my newest pard, Levi.”

  Levi’s face was burning red. He took off his hat and nodded his head. “Yes, ma’am,” he said. “It’s a real pleasure.”

  There were cowboys in the place from other nearby ranches, and two of them at the bar got into a fight. They were soon put out into the street, and several others followed along to watch. Levi was beginning to weave in his chair. He tried to remain calm and collected, but the booze was getting to him. He didn’t think that anyone noticed though. He picked up his glass and took another sip.

  Sugar leaned in close to Dancer’s ear and whispered in it, “You want to go upstairs, cowboy?”

  Dancer started to get up. Then he settled back down. “That sounds like a damn good idea, Sugar,” he said, “but I think maybe it’ll wait for something important. I got me an idea.”

  “What is it?”

  “I think that Levi here needs to lose his virginity. What do you think about that?”

  “I’m just the girl who can take care of that little problem,” Sugar said. “You want me to take him upstairs?”

  “Right now,” Dancer said. “While he can still walk.”

  “You got it, sweetheart,” she said, standing up. “Maybe you’ll come along later?”

  “Bet on it.”

  Sugar walked over to Levi and took him by the arm. He looked up at her, almost startled.

  “Come with me, honey,” she said. “I’m going to take good care of you.”

  Levi looked from Sugar to Slocum to Dancer, and Dancer said, “Go on, kid. It’s all right. Hell, it’s better than all right.”

  Slocum watched as Levi and Sugar mounted the steps together. Then he looked at Dancer. “Are you sure about this, Dancer?” he asked.

  “Never more sure about anything, Slocum. Hell, that boy will thank me for the rest of his life.”

  4

  Sugar shut the door behind them, as she and Levi went into the room. Levi stopped and stood still. He took the hat off his head and held it in both hands in front of himself. His face was red. Sugar had already started to unloose her bodice when she noticed. She stopped what she was doing and walked up to the young cowhand. His eyes were staring at the floor.

  “Hey,” she said. “It’s all right.” She took his hat from him and hung it on a hook on the wall. “Just relax. I ain’t gonna hurt you.”

  “I’m . . . I’m sorry, ma’am,” Levi said. “It’s just that I—”

  “Hey, I know. You don’t have to say nothing, and you don’t have to do nothing you don’t want to do. Come on over here and sit down with me. Okay?”

  “Yeah. Okay.”

  Sugar took Levi by the arm and led him to the bed. She sat on its edge and gently pulled him down beside her. “You okay?” she asked him.

  “I’m okay.”

  “You ain’t never been with a woman before, have you?”

  Levi’s blush turned deep red. “No, ma’am,” he said. “I ain’t.”

  “Well, that’s all right. There’s a first time for ever’thing and for ever’one. Ain’t nothing to be ashamed of.”

  She held his hand, and he felt a chill run over his entire body.

  “You want to kiss me?” she asked.

  “I’d like to.”

  Sugar put a hand on Levi’s cheek and turned his head toward her. Then she kissed him on the lips, gently and briefly. She backed away just a little. “That wasn’t so bad, now, was it?”

  “No, ma’am. That was just fine.”

  She kissed him again, this time longer, and he responded passionately. This time when she broke away, she said, “You can stop that ma’am stuff, kid. I’m Sugar.” She pressed her lips once more against his, and this time they parted. Her tongue snaked in between his lips, and he opened them to let it roam free.

  Slocum and Dancer had themselves another drink. Slocum glanced toward the landing at the top of the stairs, and Dancer noticed. “Quit worrying about that kid, Slocum,” he said. “What the hell’s wrong with you anyhow? You forgot your first piece?”

  “I ain’t forgot. I just hope that kid’s ready for everything you’re introducing him to. That’s all.”

  “There’s only one way to get ready, and that’s to jump right in. Hell, pard, he’ll be all right. Quit worrying and have a good time. You ain’t a good nursemaid nohow.”

  Slocum grinned and picked up his glass for a sip of whiskey. As he lowered the glass, he said, “I reckon you’re right, Dancer. I’m acting like an old woman.”

  Just then two cowboys walked in through the front door. They swaggered as they stepped up to the bar and shouted for whiskey. They were types that Slocum had seen before, too many times. Braggarts and bullies, they were troublemakers. He could tell at a glance. Well, let them make their trouble. It was none of his business. He noticed that they wore their sidearms low. They obviously thought that they were gunslicks, too. Someday someone would show them different. He picked up his whiskey glass and drained it, then poured it full again.

  In the next few minutes, the two bullies came close to starting two fights, but each time the person they picked on showed good sense and backed off. They continued to laugh and talk loud, in general, challenging the whole world to a fight. Slocum suddenly wanted to get out, but he thought about the boy upstairs, and he could just see Dancer getting himself into trouble with those two. Dancer could handle himself. That wasn’t a problem. But if the kid happened to come down and get into the middle of it, well, that would be a different story. He told himself that he had to hang around for a while longer.

  Upstairs, Levi was on top of Sugar and pumping away. He was panting with each thrust of his hard dick into the depths of her luscious cunt. “Oh, yes, baby,” she said. “Oh, yes. You’re doing great. You’re wonderful. Keep it up, big boy.”

  Levi shoved into her again, and then he felt it coming. “Oh,” he shouted. “Oh, God.”

  He pumped his juices into her again and again, continuing his thrusts all the while. At last he was spent. He lay down hard and heavy on her and gasped for breath. Sugar stroked his back. “You done real good,” she said.

  “Was I all right?”

  “Honey, you were more than all right. You’re as good as any man I ever had, and believe me, I’ve had plenty.”

  “God, do you really mean it?”

  “I mean it. I ain’t gonna tell you that I never lie to a man, but I ain’t lying to you. You done me real good.”

  “God, Sugar,” Levi said, “I’m glad.”

  “Do you think you could go again?”

  Some time later, Levi and Sugar appeared on the landing. She was hanging on to his arm, and he was grinning like a possum. Sugar caught the look that Dancer shot in her direction, and she smiled knowingly. When they reached the bottom of the stairs, they headed for the table where Dancer and Slocum still sat drinking. As they sat down, Dancer looked at Sugar and said, “Well?”