A Cattleman for Cathleen: Mail-Order Papa by Elissa Strati

Author:Elissa Strati [Strati, Elissa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-01-20T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 5 – Moving Forward

Choosing the New Ranch Manager

The morning after the rodeo, Cathleen and Calvin sat down in the office for coffee before heading back to the rodeo ground to help with final cleanup and tally. The entry fees and vendor fees helped offset the prize money and some of the costs. Each ranch that helped put on the show contributed a lump sum at the start to ensure they had what they needed to create the event. By now the pattern had been established, but the number of participating ranches varied from year to year.

Cathleen had been made Treasurer three years back, and so far income had kept pace with expenditures. Cathleen had a surprise for them this year though. With so many extra people in attendance and all the extra entrance fees for the main events, especially the horse race, they had actually made a profit this year, over and above their initial contributions!

That had never happened before.

The influx of cowboys in time for Roundup had been serendipitous, but Mr. Timmer at the Apple Valley Gazette had made sure to get out to the national news outlets, or at least San Antonio, the news of the large out-of-town attendance and increased prize money given out this year. They would have to have him do a press release for them for the next Rodeo. San Antonio papers might even cover the event again.

The stringers they had sent to Apple Valley, to try to catch printable news about the Widow, had stayed for the event and written it up, so they would likely have an influx of San Antonio cowboys next year, looking to show off their skills and win some of that prize money. They were certainly close enough to easily make the trip.

But the real matter of interest this morning was—who was going to be the new manager of the ranch?

Paul Jenkins was young and had promise but Cathleen had seen Abigail talking to him after the race and suspected she would not have him as a rider next year. He had done an excellent job bringing a horse who had never been on a track almost into the winning circle, but Abigail had hinted that with a bit more training Perseverance could actually have won the race!

His friend, Joe Monahan, with the cracked ribs, didn't have much leadership potential, although he was a good hand. If he wanted to stay in that position they would keep him on. Two of the other candidates had left immediately after the rodeo, having collected their pay at the end of Roundup. They figured there were greener pastures ahead, although both would likely look back on their time at the ranch as one of the more pleasant jobs they've ever worked. Still, a roundup was a roundup, and back-breaking work.

Which brought them to John Henderson, the ramrod.

“So how did he shape up?” Cathleen asked with a twinkle in her eye.

Calvin and Ronnie had both been singing John’s praises daily throughout the Roundup.

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