Page 87 - Tamale Ridge_113017

85 Tamale Ridge by: Chuck Cusimano

We reached the border town of Juarez and we had not seen a sign of Gilberto and the other

horses. I had paid some of the money to Raul and had agreed to send the rest. They turned the

mares and foals over to me and sat on their horses as I led my string of horses across the river

into Texas. I led my remuda to the stock pens at El Paso and asked if anyone had seen a young

man with three saddle horses and ten mares and ten foals. No one had seen such a man. I paid

the livery stable to keep the mares and colts and rode the same route that Gilberto and I had

taken when we first got to El Paso a several days earlier. I rode all the way to Fort Hancock and

asked questions all the way. I was on my way to the river crossing at Cajoncitos, when I saw

Gilberto and three other riders. They were bringing the Guerra mares and foals. Gilberto

introduced me to his riders.

“Señor Thacker! These are my younger brothers, Juanito, Lazaro and Martin.”

“Tanto Gusto, Muchachos,” I said as I touched my hat.

They were very young and also very polite. I asked Gilberto what had happened since I last saw

him and he told me.

“I continued on as you instructed me but I decided to go to my mother’s house and see the

madre, los ninos y las ninas. I have taken care of the lleguas y potroillos. You are angry with

me Señor?”

“No amigo. I am not angry. I only worried that you may have had trouble,” I said.

“I have asked my brothers to come with me to El Paso and see if the patron had made it

safely,” he said.

I told him about the other mares and left out the part about talking with Rosemarie. I left out the

part about finding the papers with the body of Marcelo too. I had not had a chance to look at

them since I discovered them. We rode to Cajoncito and I bought us a meal in a little cantina.

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