Cowboy had a girlfriend, Mrs. Deborah, who had lost her husband two years ago in a horse accident in a canyon in La Plata Mountains. She was alone on her 200-acre spread in the Mancos Valley. She had to borrow money from the bank to get some cattle to fatten for the market. One night rustlers drove off her cattle. She had no money to pay the bank loan that was coming due. If the loan was not paid in a week she would lose her ranch. Deborah had planted a crop of pinto beans and field corn on part of the ranch and they were growing well with the recent rains.
Deborah did not want to tell Cowboy but she needed someone to confide in and perhaps find a way out. Cowboy rode into Deborah's ranch and she told him about the loan. Cowboy did not have money. He had a cattle ranch but his herd was not ready for sale. Then Cowboy had an idea. His friend, Brent, told him about some gold miners panning good amounts of gold in the upper reaches of the river. Cowboy thought just maybe he could find some too. He raced to the site and panned a few colors. This would not do it, he must find the source of the river gold. He followed the river up to the multiple sources of water running down. He took one of the channels and in a half hour, he looked down and spied a flash in the stream. It was a small nugget. He kept looking and found a crack in the rock face behind some bushes. Just squeezing in, he lit a match and there was a vein of gold running through a quartz matrix. Cowboy found enough gold ore to fill his saddlebags. He covered up the crack and his tracks and raced to the assay office in Durango. His gold was worth $700. He hurried back to Deborah's ranch. They took the money and paid off the loan. Deborah looked at Cowboy and said, "You now own half the ranch" and gave Cowboy a big kiss.

10/28/2022 By been-jam-in-w-april
Wife’s GLS off about 30 ft. Hubbys GPS.. spot on. Left our swag and signed the log. Thanks for the smiley from AZ. Headed home for the season. See you next year.

10/16/2022 By CokeCachers
Quick stop. Thanks for some local caches.

10/14/2022 By SpecialScooter
Thanks for putting out these caches to be found. I was greeted by three Bambis crossing the road ahead of me as I was stopping. Found this last cache of the day and now it is into the sunset home. TFTC

10/14/2022 By celticrott
good hide

10/13/2022 By IgnotusPeverell
Published