Page 70 - Tamale Ridge_113017

68 Tamale Ridge by: Chuck Cusimano

“You are making a present of this horse to me?”

“Yes,” I said, “he is yours.”

He grinned real big and shouted,

“Francisco Guerra still has the fastest horse in Mexico!”

He changed a little for the better, he asked us to stay and have supper with him. He wanted to

talk about my breeding program. Ramon, on the other hand, was very surly and did a bad job of

trying to hide it. It was late when we had sena with Guerra and some of his men but Rosemarie

was not allowed to eat with us. It was a quiet meal and when it was over, Francisco lit a cigaro

and sat back in his chair and said,

“Now we can talk of trading for some mares. I have many to choose from.”

I said, “we will talk of it mañana, if that is ok with you, Señor, now I must go find a place to

camp for the night.”

“You will find a good place, just south of here, not even two miles,” he said.

“There is flowing water and some shelter. I hope you have blankets, Señor. The desert can

get very cold after the sun fades.”

We stood up and I shook his hand. Gilberto and I put our hats on and went outside. We were

catching our horses, when Rosemarie came up from the corral.

“Señor, did my father say he will do business with you?”

“Yes, we are to look over the mares tomorrow,” I said. Gilberto disappeared behind a barn

and Rosemarie and I were alone for the first time. The moonlight fell over her black hair and

spilled on her shoulders. I told her she was beautiful and that she caused my heart to beat fast. I

squeezed her hand sofly and told her that she stirred my passion and increased my desire.

“Señor!” She said, hiding her eyes, “Do not say such things to me.”

68