1) Reckon
Definition: To think or believe that something is true or will happen.
Example Sentence: I reckon it is going to rain this afternoon, so we should probably bring our umbrellas.
2) Head (verb)
Definition: To go or move in a particular direction.
Example Sentence: After the movie ends, we are going to head back towards the city center for some dinner.
3) Take for granted
Definition: To expect that someone or something will always be available and therefore fail to show that you are grateful for them.
Example Sentence: It is easy to take it for granted that there will always be clean water in the house.
4) What the hell
Definition: A phrase used to describe an extremely bad experience or to express surprise or anger.
Example Sentence: What the hell happened to my car? I only left it parked here for ten minutes!
5) In the meantime
Definition: During the period of time while something else is happening.
Example Sentence: The doctor will see you in twenty minutes; in the meantime, please wait in the reception area.
6) Understanding (empathetic)
Definition: Showing sympathy for someone else's problems or situation.
Example Sentence: My teacher was very understanding when I explained why I couldn't finish my homework on time.
7) Under the circumstances
Definition: Considering the particular facts or events of a situation.
Example Sentence: We didn't win the match, but under the circumstances of having two injured players, we played quite well.
I’d heard a few shots the night before, but as the deer season was open and the town people were out, I just reckoned maybe a couple of deer had made their last jump, and I didn’t give it another thought.
The next morning, when I went to collect the ponies for a fresh horse to do the day’s riding on, I found that my horse was missing—my own horse, and one of the best I had ever ridden. I made another circle of the field and came to a gate at one corner and stopped. On the ground, were footprints where some individual had got off to open the gate and lead my horse through.
I certainly recognised my horse’s tracks when I saw them, because in shoeing* him I’d always taken care to make a shoe adequately, so it’d protect the hoof* when running over the rocks. I’d recognize that round hoof-print anywhere, and I wasn't going to forget that footprint either.
I remembered the shots I’d heard, and I wondered if my horse missing that way was on account of somebody chasing somebody else; perhaps one of them was in need of a fresh horse and just took mine.
I took the best horse I could find, opened the gate, and jumped on. Out we went, the horse behaving aggressively and galloping* at full speed. It wasn’t a lot of fun riding that morning—but I was in too much of a hurry to worry about it.
I found the tracks of the horse-thief a little way from the fence, and saw where he’d headed , and rode on. About a mile on his trail, I came across a tired brown horse that had been abandoned looking like he’d been ridden fast.
I was heading down a valley at a high speed, when I heard somebody shout, and so close that I reckoned they must have heard me coming and waited for me. I was forced to stop, and that I did.
My gun was taken away from me; then the whole group, which I reckoned to be searching for somebody, circled around. 'Do you recognise that horse, any of you?' asked the one I took for granted to be the sheriff*. 'Certainly looks like the same one,' answered a few.
I claimed that I was from the cow-camp on Arrow Springs, and that I was on the trail of someone who had stolen my horse the night before. I showed them the trail I was following. 'Most likely one of our men,' one of them said; and the sheriff backed him up , saying, 'Yes, we just let a man go ahead a while back.'
' What the hell are you talking about?' I shouted, getting bad-tempered at being held back that way. 'Do you think you can tell me anything about this track? Furthermore,' I went on, my face going red, 'I can show you where I started following it, and where whoever stole my horse left his abandoned pony in place of mine.'
'Now, don’t get aggressive, young fellow. Tracks are no evidence when you’re in court. Where were you the night before last?' he asked all of a sudden.
'At the camp, cooking a pot of beans; and then I went to bed,' I answered.
'Fine for you so far, but is there anybody up at the camp who can confirm you were there?'
'No, I’m there alone and keeping my eye on some horses; but if you’ll go to the home ranch*, the man in charge will tell you how he hired me some two weeks ago, if that’ll do any good.'
'I’m afraid it won’t,' he said. 'That wouldn’t prove anything regarding where you were at the time of the robbery. Your appearance and your horse are against you; you’re a stranger in these parts, and the circumstances point in your direction; and until you’re proved innocent , I’ll have to arrest you on the charge of murder along with the robbery of the Torreon County Bank.'
That affected my thoughts considerably , and it was quite a while before I could adjust them to behave once more.
'Well, I reckon you fellows have to get somebody for whatever’s happened, and it certainly wouldn’t look right to go back with nothing, would it?'
My hands were tied; my reins* were taken away from me and one of the men was leading my horse. We travelled along at a fast pace, and I was glad nobody was saying much; it gave me a chance to think. I knew I couldn't prove that I was at my camp the night of the crime, and being just a cowboy passing through and appearing in the country at the wrong time looked quite suspicious.
After sunset, when we finally came to a ranch-house*, I noticed a couple of the men were exhausted and getting pretty tired. One of them suggested that they’d better stop at the ranch* for the night, and we rode in, with me feeling trapped.
Between bites of the food laid before us, the sheriff began to tell all about it. I was interested to hear what was said, because the details of the crime were new to me, and what was most serious was that the two bandits* killed a man, and another wasn’t expected to live. They’d got away with about ten thousand dollars. The women certainly kept a distance from me after that.
The conversation was just about at its worst for me when the door opened and in walked a young lady, the prettiest young lady I remember ever seeing. All the workers turned their heads in her direction as she walked in, and the talk stopped for a while.
One of the family, I reckoned as she made her way to the other ladies. I heard some low voices and felt accusing fingers pointing my way. In the meantime , the sheriff* and his men had cleared almost everything worth eating off the table; one of the ladies enquired if they’d like more, but none seemed to worry if I had eaten enough.
I glanced where I reckoned the young lady to be, and instead of getting a rude look, as I’d expected, I found a look in her eyes that was not at all convinced that I could have done all that was said; and a few minutes later, there were more warm potatoes and roast beef passed over my shoulder and put on my plate.
From then on, the rest of the talk about me being so desperate was just like wind whistling through the pine trees. I could see nothing and feel nothing but two brown eyes—pretty and understanding.
Arrangements were made for a room upstairs, and as the sheriff took the lead, with me and the deputies* following, I glanced at the girl once more, and as I went up the stairs, I carried with me visions of a pretty face with a hint of a smile.
The three deputies* unrolled their beds and jumped in. The sheriff and I had a bed that was a little more comfortable. My wrist was tied to his and we made ourselves as comfortable as we could under the circumstances.
A great deal of trouble was taken, before the lamp was blown out, to explain to me that there was no use in me trying to get away.
In turning over, my fingers came across a little rope I used for a belt. It was about six feet long and soft.
The three deputies*, after being in the cold all day and eating everything on the table, were completely exhausted, and they soon slept and made a lot of noise with the snoring they did.
The sheriff*, having more responsibility, was more cautious , but after what seemed a couple of hours, he was also breathing like he was never going to wake up, leaving me thinking.
The girl’s face was in my mind through all my thoughts; and the hint of her smile encouraged me to prove that she was right in her opinion. There were three reasons why I should escape and try to find whoever was guilty: one was to get my good old horse back; another was to clear myself; but the main one, even though I didn’t realise it, was the girl.
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