Forever and Ever, Amen

Chapter 1 – High Noon

They could hear Lucien howling in pain all the way from the other barn, and Bret and Bart Maverick took off running. By the time they got to their foreman they discovered the reason for the howling . . . his foot had caught in the stirrup as he tried to dismount and the horse had panicked, breaking Lucien's leg.

Bret already had a horse saddled and he jumped on board, heading straight for Little Bend and Doctor Simon Petry's office. Bart and two of the other hands carried Lucien into the foreman's house and laid him carefully on the bed. All they could do now was sit and wait.

"Guess you're not goin' with us to Laredo to fetch the horses," Bart murmured glumly.

"Sorry, boss," Lucien winced painfully.

"It ain't your fault, Lucien," the boss pronounced. "I just don't know where we're gonna get a last minute replacement."

"What about Jim?"

"Oh, God, no, Bret would never go for that."

"He will if he wants those horses bad enough."

Bret and Bart were former gamblers who had successfully started a cross-breeding horse ranch outside of Little Bend, their hometown. Lucien had begun as one of the hands and, through hard work and perseverance, worked his way up to the position of foreman. And Jim was a friend of Bart's who had taken a position working for them at the ranch.

There had been long-standing animosity between Bret and Jim. If it hadn't been that Jim could provide a service that the ranch needed, Bret would never have agreed to hire him. But Jim had done an excellent job and lived on the property, although he owned his own home, having bought the land from the brothers.

There were some Mustang horses for sale in Laredo, and Bret had arranged to buy them. Unfortunately, there had been a silver strike in Sabinas Hidalgo, and Bret feared if they took one of the hired cowboys with them, they would be deserted as soon as they got to the border in favor of the silver strike. That's why Lucien was going with them; he would never run off to mine silver.

The only other person they could be assured wouldn't desert them for a quick grab at silver would be Jim. Jim and Bart had tried gold mining in their younger years and had almost gotten hung for it. No, if Jim started out with them, he'd finish the job. The only question was, would he start out with them.

By the time Bret returned with the doctor, Bart had turned it over several times in his mind, and he'd come to the conclusion that Lucien was correct, if Bret wanted those horses bad enough, he'd ask Jim to go.

Bart had purchased some Criollo horses several years back and had great success in cross-breeding them with Arabians. Now Bret wanted to try the same thing with the Mustangs. But he had to get to Laredo to pick them up.

While Simon set Lucien's leg, Bret and Bart discussed the matter. "Whatta we gonna do?" Bret pleaded.

"You know there's only one thing we can do."

"Oh God, shoot me. Please shoot me."

"You know I can't do that, Bret. It's real simple – do you want the Mustangs or not?"

"Yes, but . . . "

Bart interrupted. "Ain't no but's about it. If you want the horses, you ask him to go."

"What if he says no?"

"You better pray he don't."

So the two men walked up to Dandy James Buckley's house to ask him to go to Laredo with them. They found James in the backyard grooming the ponies, Molly and Thomas, while his two baby goats frolicked in the grass. Hannah, James housekeeper, was sitting in a chair in the yard watching everything. She jumped up as soon as she saw Bret and Bart approaching. "We've got a pot of coffee on the stove. Would you like a cup, gentlemen?"

"Sure, Hannah," Bart answered.

"Yes, ma'am," Bret responded.

"Alright, what do you two want? You must want something." James said it with a laughing tone in his voice, but his words weren't kidding.

"Yes, we do. Did you hear all the howling about an hour ago?" Bart asked.

"I did, old boy, but I thought maybe Bret was gelding you so there wouldn't be any more little Mavericks."

"Very funny, Buckley," Bret snapped back.

"No sense of humor," James whispered an aside to Bart

When there was no response from Bret, Bart filled Jim in. "Lucien's leg got broken."

"Oh? . . . OH!"

"We were set to leave tomorrow."

"Yes, that is a shame. What are you going to do about it?"

Once again Bart had to respond. "There's only one other man we'd trust to go with us."

"I see and . . . oh no. I'm not going on a horse drive."

"Jim . . . you're the only one we can trust."

James pointed an outstretched finger at Bret. "And that one hasn't said a word yet."

James was right. Bret hadn't made a sound. Bart dug his elbow into his brother's side and Bret let loose with a grunt. "Uh, would you go with us to Laredo?"

James stood with his right elbow propped up on his left arm and rubbed his chin. "What's in it for me?"

"Our undying loyalty?" Bart asked.

"And?"

"We promise to stop at least four times on the way down there and play cards."

"And"

"We'll buy you a whole new set of horse wranglin' clothes in Laredo so you don't have to wear yours and ruin them on the way back."

"And?"

"We'll spend a night in Mexico before we pick up the horses,"

"Bart, I'm gonna have all that money on me," Bret protested.

"We'll look at the horses before we cross the border, and you can pay for them then."

"But . . . but . . . "

Bart turned to his brother in exasperation. "Oh, heavens, do you trust the man or not?"

"Well, yeah."

"And?"

"That's it, Jim, that's as far as I go." Bart waited for his answer.

"Alright, old man. I've been known to be a fool before, but I'll go with you. But your brother has to do more than grunt at me."

"Agreed."

"When do we leave?"

"Tomorrow."

"I can't possibly be ready before noon."

"Alright, noon it is. We'll provide you with a saddle horse."

"High noon at your house?"

Bart nodded his head. "Tell Hannah we'll send Lily Mae up to stay with her while you're gone."

"Oh, good idea."

"High noon."

"Yes, certainly."