Then it was back up Bridger Creek where Monte intended to make quick work of roping the Palomino. Or die trying.
But just after Monte drove through the gate he saw something out of the corner or his eye. Stopped and saw a coyote in his snare down by the creek. He had kind of forgotten he had even set it.
Monte walked down to it and first saw what he hated about snares. The coyote was actually sitting up on his butt, his eyes bulged out and blood red, and his tongue out and blue. He had really fought hard. But when he got to it sure enough the coyote only had two toes on his right front foot.
As I said Monte didn’t trap for pelts anymore and Two Toes’ pelt was long past prime which is in the winter. But it had been such a long grudge match and personal war Monte decided to pelt Two Toes out.
Monte would end up only salting and stretching the hide. But never had it tanned or anything else. He just threw it on the seat of his truck and sat on it for a couple years.
Monte then backed the stock truck up against a low place on the creek bank and unloaded and saddled Hawk. The Palomino was already running throwing his head and tail suspecting another battle was coming. But Monte didn’t care it was do or die and no time to waste.
Once Monte had Hawk saddled up he stretched out his whole riata to find the middle. Then Monte took the middle and threw it in a clove hitch over his saddle horn. That tied it hard and fast in a knot that won’t come loose.But the horse and rider can’t get loose from the rope ether if something goes bad. Which is why most cowboys and ranchers never do it.
But Monte figured horse to horse he couldn’t hold the Palomino with just dallies around his saddle horn. And would need Hawk to hold the Palomino long enough when he choked down for Monte to get to him and tie up his feet. So hard and fast was the only option.
Then Monte coiled up the loose ends separately like two different ropes, hung the half without the hondoo over the saddle horn. And coiled the rest the riata in his hands walked to the gate, went in the little pasture, mounted up, and shook out his loop.
