Chapter 5 [Noon—Rancho Lopez]

The wagon pressed north along the dirt trail. Once they left Tucson, the desert extended in all directions. The northern mountains provided promise. With Lopez's and Miguel's directions, the passengers climbed the trail's last upward grade toward the rancho.

Manolito stopped the buckboard in front of the house. He noted that the single floor adobe structure still stood in that place. Expansions had doubled the barn's size. The corral fence's paint chipped. Several posts needed replacement. "How much land do you have?"

"We have 270 acres, Manolito. It is good land. I do not have the vaqueros." Lopez frowned. "It goes to the river that way." He pointed to the east.

"That far?" Ricardo got down from the wagon. "I wish to look at the house and barn."

Manolito helped Annie and Jenny down from the back. He watched Miguel and Lopez get down on their own.

"Follow me por favor." Lopez showed them the barn first. As with most barns back east, this one had a high roof and a grain loft. Hay bales rested along the far wall. Mud squelched from the floor. Manure piles called out to be cleared. Water filled only a quarter of the troughs. He pointed out the pigs' stalls. "They are very thin. I would feed them more."

"Ooh, piggies!" Jenny exclaimed. Excitement prodded her to take a closer look at the stalls. She arched an eyebrow at their thin appearance. "Sorry, Mr. Lopez. Aren't piggies supposed to be fat?"

"Jenny!" Annie admonished.

"No, Señora Cannon. It is all right. Si, Chicita. I feed them when I can." Lopez shrugged. "You watch for your Tio. That is good." He patted her on the shoulder.

"They are healthy?" Ricardo surveyed the slight bony appearance on the pigs' sides.

"Si. The meat is muy bien." Lopez pointed out the horses' stalls. "I just change the hay three days ago."

Ricardo noted these details to himself. His eye looked about the barn. Neglect proved the only detracting factor in the structure and animals. "Are there any cattle?"

"There are wild horses on the east range." Lopez pointed in that direction. "They are healthy enough. I include them with the rancho at no cost. I have fifty cattle. The Apaches raid my other stock." He shook his head. "Don Ricardo, I am honest. Lo siento."

"Gracias. Soy consciente de que," Ricardo assured him. "Do you have a caretaker?"

"Si. Benito comes twice a week. He changes hay and puts new feed and water." Lopez rubbed the back of his neck.

Restraint kept Ricardo to a simple nod. Overextension and Adversity had reduced the rancho to a complete mess. Benito had failed to do his job. The horses and cattle at least grazed on their own. "Miremos la casa por favor."

Lopez led them across the yard toward the house. He allowed them inside.

The group noted the large living and dining room. A small wooden table sat in the corner. A woodstove sat in the corner. Two small bedrooms sat just off to the side.

Manolito sized the structure up as he had Patterson's shack. He knew that a dozen ranch hands could easily live in there. The barn supported their needs. The pigs looked nothing like the animals five years earlier. "Can Benito teach us how to care for the pigs?"

"Si, Manolito." Lopez nodded. "We show you how to raise them."

"Gracias, Amigo." Manolito glanced at Ricardo. He walked out of the house. He rubbed the back of his neck. He frowned.

"This ranch needs cleaning." Annie batted her nose in front of her face. Disgust wrinkled her mouth.

"Piggies look sick. Tio Manolito, are those the same ones?" Jenny blurted out.

Manolito shrugged. "Si. Those pigs need to eat. Don Ricardo will care for them. We can look at the horses."

"Manolo, lo siento. I waste Papa's time." Miguel rubbed his forehead.

"What?" Surprise widened Manolito's eyes. "¡Compadre! No! This rancho…it has promise. Señor Lopez does not have ranch hands. He cannot be here and in Tucson."

Miguel sighed. "Mercie and I want Papa and Doña Maria aquí."

"This sure needs work." Annie shook her head.

Manolito shrugged. "There is more here than there was at Rancho Rivertree. Don Ricardo…he will decide. ¿Si?"

Miguel smiled. "Gracias, Hermano."

"Somos familia." Manolito grinned. He saw Ricardo and Lopez coming out of the casa. As with the others, he could see his father-in-law going either way on his decision. Still, he could see something else here. Potential clearly presented a vision to him.

The question was would it do the same to Ricardo….

"I have seen enough. We return to Tucson." Ricardo held his hand out. "Will you come back to the bank with us?"

"Si. ¡Gracias, Señor!" Lopez shook his hand.

"De nada, Amigo. We help each other." Ricardo sighed. "I built the previous Rancho Vega from the mountain rock and desert dirt. This rancho needs a few vaqueros and a dream."

"Si, Don Ricardo." Manolito lowered the buckboard's tailgate for everyone.

Negotiation was over. One rancho lost. Another rancho gained….