Irish Eyes

I recalled Bill's words about having to fend off every male for counties around to win his wife. Caitlin was every bit the prize that her mother was, at least in looks. I excused myself from the table and returned to my cabin. Mentally I wished the two guys luck. I did envy them though. If Caitlin turned out to be the woman her mother was, who ever won her affections would be a lucky man.

The next day I took the pick up and rode the range. By the time I had made my rounds something didn't seem to add up. It was early enough that I went back and got Sam and we did a whirlwind tour of the ranch. There were a lot of cattle scattered over the ranch but he agreed that something didn't feel right. It just seemed like we were short a few head. We decided we would saddle up the next day and ride the hilly areas. We discussed it with Bill that night at supper and he agreed to our plan. It rained that night which would make finding tracks more difficult.

The next morning we loaded our horses into a trailer and Bill drove us to one end of the property. I rode about a third of the way up into the tree line and Sam rode another third higher. We then headed across the ranch over the hills and through the trees. It took a big part of the day to reach the far side. We counted five stray head. Bill met us as we came out of the hills and we loaded the horses in the trailer and headed back. We discussed the situation and decided the only thing we could do is be more vigilant.

At dinner that night Caitlin had another suitor call on her. I heard her mother mutter something about that being the third one that day. The word had gotten out that she was back home and guys were crawling out of the woodwork seeking her attention.

The next four days we spent a lot of time keeping an eye on the herd. Everything seemed to be okay except for the suspected original loss. Caitlin's callers continued to visit. She had been home for a week and hadn't said two words to me since the day she brought me my lunch.

The fifth day after the perceived disappearance of the cattle I told Bill I wanted to ride the property line through the hills. We had already covered all the fence line along the pasture areas and had seen no evidence that the missing cattle had taken through there. Sam dropped me off on the west side of the ranch. This was where Bill's ranch bordered the Wilson ranch. About half way to the southwest corner I spotted three fresh sets of horse tracks. They crossed from the Wilson side of the fence onto Bill's side. The puzzling thing is that the fence wire was still up. I dismounted and checked the fence posts and saw that the staples had been loosened on five posts and were barely holding the wire up. Remove the staples and lower the wire and you could cross over. Put the wire and staples back and it looked normal.

I remounted and and followed the tracks. When I got near the stream, I saw three horses tied to a tree a little ways above the waterfall. I was still about thirty yards away and I quickly got down and tied my horse to a tree and pulled the rifle from it's scabbard. I crept quietly through the trees, my eyes darting from side to side. When I reached the horses I could see boot prints leading downstream. I crept to the edge of the waterfall and looked over and gasped. There was Caitlin in the pool. She was naked as the day she was born. I was mesmerized by the sight. She was swimming through the water, her nude body clearly on display in the clear water. Damn she had a cute ass. She rolled over onto her back and her firm tits stuck up from the water. I could even see a small strip of red hair above her pussy.

A movement in the trees to her right brought me back to my senses. I quickly scanned the area and saw one guy to the right and two more nearing the pond on the left. I raised my rifle and shot. The bullet hit between the feet of the guy on the right. One more quick pull of the trigger and the dirt exploded between the two guys on the left. Caitlin released a blood curdling scream that echoed through the trees. I stood up so everyone could see me.

"On your belly's now. I won't miss the next shot," I yelled out. "Caitlin stay where you are."

Caitlin hadn't seen the three men. All she saw was me standing above her holding a rifle. "Are you crazy, Carson," she screamed. She was doing her best to cover her tits with one arm and her pussy with the other.

One of the men on the left flinched as if he was going to run. The bark on the tree right next to his face exploded as I pulled the trigger again. He was convinced and dropped flat down. Caitlin looked to where I had shot and saw the two men. She shrieked again.

"I said on your stomachs. Three two." Before I could say "one" the other two dropped down. "Now put your faces in the dirt and your hands behind your heads." They again did as ordered.

"Now get out Caitlin and get dressed."

"But Carson," she began to protest.

"Goddamn it, Caitlin, just fucking do what I tell you. Get dressed and get the fuck out of here," I snarled at her.

Caitlin was clearly scared and I could see her shaking from where I was but she did as I ordered and walked out of the pool. Like Venus rising from the sea she stepped out of the water. Even though she kept her back to me I couldn't take my eyes off of her. The sight of her alabaster skin and the most perfectly rounded butt that I have ever beheld were forever etched into my mind. She only put on her jeans and shirt and swung up onto her horse. One kick and she was gone through the trees.

When she was gone I ordered the men one at a time to come up the rise and lay back down. Only when all three lay in front of me did I breathe a sigh of relief. I decided it was time for a bluff.

"Now what am I going to do with you three." I paused for effect. "Guess I could just shoot your balls off and watch you bleed to death." The three men began to plead for their lives. I got the distinct aroma of shit as at least one of them filled their pants.

"Even if I don't kill you, Caitlin's father will when I tell him how you were going to rape his only daughter. The only thing I can think of is if you have something to confess to the sheriff that was more important. Say something like rustling cattle. It might get you jail time but at least you would be alive."

The smallest of the three broke. "Yes, we did it. Wilson said if he could break Buckman he could get his land."

One of the others told him to shut up. "Fuck you. I ain't dying over no damn cows," the littler guy spat back.

I knew that Caitlin would ride as fast as she could to find her father and he would come to find out what had happened. In the meantime I decided to just wait. Sure enough forty five minutes later both Bill and Sam came riding into view. I waved down at them and they raced up to the top of the waterfall.

"What the hell is going on?" Bill demanded to know from his perch on top of the horse. He was looking down at the three men laying face down on their stomachs.

"Seems that some of Wilson's hands decided to pay us a visit. I followed their tracks from the fence line to here. Caitlin was taking a swim and these three were trying to sneak up on her." I had walked over to my prisoners and I pushed the barrel of my rifle into the littler guys neck. "I think this one here has something he wants to tell you."

I prodded him one more time. "We did it. We took some of your cattle. But it was Wilson that made us do it," he wailed plaintively.

Bill cocked his hat back and gave me a big smile. "You know, when my grandfather started this ranch they would just hang horse thieves and cattle rustlers. Seems like that was justice. Shame we have to be civilized now a days."

Sam kept watch over the uninvited visitors while Bill and I talked quietly. We decided to march them back down. Bill and I followed them with rifles in hand as they walked in front of us. Sam tethered their horses together and brought up the rear. When we reached the buildings we took the rustlers inside the barn and put them in separate stalls next to each other and had them sit. With the stall doors open we could see them but they couldn't see each other. Bill went into the house and called the sheriff while Sam and I stood guard.

Less than half an hour later the sheriff came speeding up the mile long drive. I went out and talked to him with Bill and we told him what had transpired. I suggested we bring the little fellow out first and let sheriff talk to him. He agreed and I quickly had my prisoner standing outside. The smell left no doubt who had shit his pants. It seemed he had second thoughts about his confession and refused to talk at first.

"Seems to me Bill, that all we have here is a simple case of trespassing. It really is a waste of my time to have to deal with it. I guess I can just leave them here and forget I ever saw them and you can handle things as you see fit," the sheriff said.

The little rustler's eyes widened in fear and he suddenly started talking. The sheriff soon had the truth. He called in backup and before long there was a line of sheriff vehicles streaming onto Wilson's ranch. Wilson's ranch was close to sixteen thousand acres but the sheriffs knew where to look. The rustler had told them what part of the ranch they had been holding the stolen cattle. In all they found almost one hundred head with the Rocking B brand. Before the day was out Wilson and his hands were behind bars.

With all the excitement it was after nine before we got to sit down for supper. Caitlin sat at the table but kept her eyes on the plate in front of her.

"Just what were you doing up there?" Bill asked her as he hadn't had much of a chance to talk to her.

"I was just taking a swim. I didn't think that anyone was going to come spy on me." She gave me an accusing glare as she said that.

"First of all, Caitlin," I began. "I was not spying on you. I followed the tracks of their horses to the stream. And second, what do you think what would have happened to you if I hadn't been there. I don't think those three guys were planning on having a picnic with you when they saw you swimming naked in the pool." Caitlin's face turned bright red.

"Thank God you got there when you did, Carson," Colleen said. "I hate to think what might have happened."

Everyone dropped the subject and we hurriedly and ate. We still had to be up early in the morning. I left the kitchen for my cabin and was halfway there when Caitlin called out to me. I stopped and waited for her. "So, did you enjoy the view today," she snapped rudely at me.

I guess it was too much to think she might actually be grateful. "Let's just say that I would be lying if I told you I didn't find it to be breathtaking." Caitlin just let out a "humpff" and turned on her heels to stomp off towards the house. I stood shaking my head. I guessed there was something about me that just pissed her off.

The next day Bill had to go into to town to formally press charges against Wilson. It was going to be several days before we could drive the stolen cattle back to where they belonged. The prosecutor was going to have to document everything first. Sam and I spent the day putting a fresh coat of paint on some of the outbuildings. We ate lunch in the kitchen but Caitlin didn't join us which suited me fine. Bill got back in the early afternoon but waited until dinner to tell us what had happened.

He told us as this wasn't a capital case that Wilson and his hands would be let out on bail. He didn't really think they would try anything again but for us to stay on our toes. Bill looked over at his daughter and gave her a big grin.

"If you're going to go up swimming naked any time soon maybe you better take Carson to watch you. I mean to watch out for you," he said with a chuckle as he teased Caitlin.

Caitlin's face again turned bright red and she started sputtering as she stood up kicking her chair backwards and raced from the room. Bill and Sam roared with laughter and even Colleen giggled. I couldn't help chuckling myself. When everyone calmed down again we resumed eating. Bill wasn't through teasing though.

"I really want to thank you Carson. Wilson could have ended up really putting this ranch in financial trouble. You're definitely worth every penny I pay you." We all shared another laugh at that.

Three days later Bill received the word that he could reclaim his cattle. We loaded three horses in to a trailer and drove around to Wilson's main gate which identified the property as the Flying W Ranch. We were given a sheriff's escort to where the rustled cattle had been isolated. Colleen had come along to drive the truck and trailer back once we had the horses unloaded. Bill, Sam and I began to push the cows back towards his ranch. I felt like I was in a western movie on a cattle drive. When we neared the Rocking B ranch I rode ahead and loosened enough of the fence line so the cattle could cross over. Once all the cattle were back on the right side we put the fencing back in place and rode back to the main house feeling good about the days work.

Caitlin had applied for her license to becoming a practicing vet. As that normally took around forty five days to be approved, all she could do was tend to the animals on her father's ranch. I would see her out and about at times and of course at the table at meal time. She still gave me the silent treatment but if I could catch her eye I would give her a big grin and wiggle my eyebrows. This was always enough to cause her to blush. It was two weeks after the incident at the waterfall when we happened to be in the barn at the same time.

"Done any swimming lately?" I said wiggling my eyebrows suggestively. Caitlin walked over and stood inches away and glared at me.

"Why are you such an asshole?" she snapped at me.

I shrugged my shoulders and grinned. "Why are you such a bitch?" I replied.

Her right hand began to swing up towards my face but I was quicker and grabbed her wrist before she could slap me. She tried to slap me with her left hand but again I caught her wrist. I pushed both hands behind her back pinning them there. That forced her body up against mine. Slowly I lowered my face down to hers and stopped when my lips were only an inch from hers. Caitlin was watching my face with wide eyes but she wasn't struggling.

"If you were my woman I would put you over my knee and spank your cute little butt," I whispered.

Caitlin let out a loud gasp. "You wouldn't dare," she said as she tried to pull back. I suddenly released my hold on her and she fell backwards to landing on her cute little butt.

"It's not that I wouldn't dare. It's that I just got rid of one woman who doesn't care about me and I'm not about to waste my time on another one." Up to now it had always been Caitlin who had been the one to stomp off. This time it was my turn. I walked out of the barn leaving her sitting on the ground with her mouth hanging open.

I didn't see her again until supper time. Of course she didn't speak to me but I did notice her glance at me with a look I couldn't understand. Not that I ever claimed to understand women anyway. I think my marriage to Janice proves that.

The next day I was in the barn mucking out the stalls when Bill came in. Being Sunday and the day he took off I knew he wasn't there to work. He must be wanting to talk. I wondered if Caitlin had told him what had happened the day before and he was here to tell me to leave. I stopped what I was doing as he walked over.

"I understand you and Caitlin had a little showdown, yesterday," he said. Well, that confirmed that she had told her father. But I did notice a twinkle in Bill's eyes.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that. It was probably all my fault," I said.

"Maybe, maybe not. I think her problem is she doesn't know what to make of you. At first she thought you had to be here because you wanted something. Then you become the hero who saved her and the ranch. What she can't figure out is why you aren't chasing after her like all the other local young men. Just like her mother was at her age, Caitlin is used to having the boys wrapped around her little finger. She's had a few boyfriends but they've never lasted. I don't think she really had any respect for them. I just hope you don't let her chase you off. In my book you're welcome here for as long as you want."

"Thanks Bill, that means a lot to me. As for Caitlin, I'll quit teasing her and hopefully we can live and let live," I said. Bill left the barn and I got on with my work. I had the rest of the day to think about what Bill had said. If Caitlin wanted to figure me out she ought to act civilly and just talk to me. As far as chasing her like the rest of the pack of suitors, wasn't going to happen.

Caitlin didn't join us for supper that night, something that no one mentioned and of course I didn't ask. The next day I was up at five as usual, even though it was my one day off. It was easier to stick to the same schedule so I never slept in. I ate breakfast and after Sam and Bill headed off to work, I went and brought my laundry back. Bill had bought a large commercial washer and dryer. I could do all my clothes in one load. The laundry room was next to the kitchen so while my clothes washed I would sit at the kitchen table and drink coffee.

Colleen and I were talking at the table when Caitlin came in. She rarely had breakfast with us and ate later. "Got any plans for today?" Colleen asked me.

"Actually I was thinking of driving into town. Anything you would like me to pick up for you?" I asked her.

"Well, if you wouldn't mind there are a couple of things you could get for me."

"I wouldn't mind at all," I said.

"Could I ride into town with you?" I heard Caitlin say. I looked up in surprise. "It's just that I was going to go to the general store for a couple of things and it seems like a waste of gas for us to both drive," she said as if she needed to justify her request.

"Sure, I'd be happy to give you a lift," I replied still surprised. After yesterday I hadn't expected her to talk to me much less want to ride anywhere with me. "I'll be leaving in about an hour and a half after my laundry is done and put away."

"Okay, I'll be ready," Caitlin said. She finished fixing her something to eat and sat at the table but remained quiet while Colleen and I chatted.

Caitlin must have been watching for me because she came out the back door as soon as I stepped out of my cabin She looked marvelous wearing a turquoise sundress that complimented her red hair. The straps that held her dress up left her arms and shoulders bare. Her skin was unblemished. Unlike many redheads, neither Caitlin or her mother had freckles. She was the definition of grace as she glided towards me. As she crossed the yard she kept her crystal blue eyes on me. I was positive she was making sure I watched her. I held the passenger side door open for her and watched her slide in.

We started driving and for the first half to the trip she sat quietly watching the country side. "I thought you were going to kiss me yesterday," she said out of the blue.''

I glanced over at her but couldn't see her face as she appeared to be looking out the side window. "Well, whereas that may not have been unpleasant to do, I do have a rule about not forcing unwanted affections upon unreceptive females."

Out of the corner of my eyes I saw her head spin around and I could tell she was staring at me. Again Caitlin sat quietly but I continued to see her glance over at me. I pulled into the general store and we went inside. I needed to pick up a couple new pair of jeans and shirts. Caitlin had the list of things her mother wanted and an hour later we had everything loaded.

I had one more stop to make at the hardware store to pick up a couple of things for Bill but it was lunch time and I was hungry. I suggested that we stop for a bite to eat and Caitlin agreed. I pulled into the same diner that I had first met Bill and Colleen at. We took a table sitting across from each other and ordered our food. We sat in silence again and I began to think that I should have just driven to the hardware store and then straight back to the ranch.