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78 Tamale Ridge by: Chuck Cusimano

“Señor. Please accept my deepest thanks for saving my daughters life.” He held out his

hand.

“You may take the ten mares and potrillos with no money.” He turned and walked to the

buckskin gelding and mounted. One by one we rode back toward the rancho.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Rosemarie and I rode close to each other with out much said between us. We had been

through a lot in the last seven or eight hours. I was very tired. I fought in the World War with a

company of Marines and had gone through things much worse. I felt sorry for the man for his

loss but at the same time I hated him for putting Rosemarie in a position of danger.

It is strange how we can justify another’s death. I’m sure that with Rosemarie in danger in that

cave with that man, had I have been given the opportunity to take him out with a single shot and

save Rosemarie from possible harm, I would have put a bullet in the same spot that Raul did.

Now that it was over, I hated for the man to have been shot down like that.

Gilberto and I went to our camping spot. For the first night since I had met Gilberto, we had no

English lesson. We ate in silence and rolled up in our beds and tried to sleep. The next morning,

Raul and three men brought the mares and their foals that Gilberto and I had hand picked. The

mares were tied, tail to halter, with the youngsters by their sides.

“These mares and foals are a gift to you from Francisco Guerra. He wants you to take them

and leave immediately, for your Rancho.”

“He sends word that if you try to talk to Rosemarie he will bury you in the cave with the other

man.” Raul said.

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