The old cook set down on the pile of wood that had been stacked for his morning fire. He slowly looked around the camp at each man, but fixed his gaze on the boy a bit longer than the rest.
“Well now, yer a fresh one, ain’t ya”
“Yes sir”, the boy replied.
“Well listen up close” The boy nodded at this.
The man began his tale. “We all know that there are a many forces at work on this earth. Some good, some less desirable. Well the most famous of the evil ones (ya all know who I’s speakin of) got ta lookin up at the world one day, tryin ta find some new mischief ta cause, and his unholy gaze happened upon a fine young gal.”
At this point McCauley cleared his throat and spat. Jenson wondered if was just a necessary action, or if it was for effect. Maybe it was a little of both.
The man continued. “Well now, the beast decided he had ta have this girl, and wouldn’t rest ‘til he did. Problem was, he couldn’t jus go an snatch her up. There’s rules about these things ya understand. So he started spending most of his time just a watchin her, an while he did this he made him a plan.” Another cough and spit.
“He figured the only way ta have his heart’s desire was through an angel. The angel of Death.” McCauley mused over this for a moment, then went on, “Now most of folks see this perticalar haint in a bad light, but ya gotta remember he is an agent of the Lord, kinda like a Pinkerton man. He just does the job he was handed, like you boys punch them cattle when the boss says so.” The men around fire seemed to consider this, but no one spoke. The cook had begun to do what he always did, catch the attention of everyone in earshot.
“So Ole Scratch pays a visit ta Mister Death an tells him he wants this perty young gal. Well the shadow tells the beast that there ain’t no way, it ain’t her time an even if it were she ain’t done no kind a sinning ta be delivered ta the likes of him. The evil one had his mind set and says, ‘let me show ‘er ta ya, an then you’ll understand’. Then Death, he suddenly is swept up inta a vision. A field of wild flowers and the most beautiful creature he ever seen picken’ ‘em an puttin’ ‘em in a basket. Then Scratch says, ‘I will send temptations ta her, enough ta make her give in an fall. Then ya bring her ta me.’
“ Boys, I tell ya now, that reaper got one look at the lady in the field and felt something he had never felt since all a time began. He made an oath right then and there that he’d never allow fer the Dark Prince ta get his mitts on this one. He aimed ta protect her fer all times.”
With that, the cozie said, “sorry fellers, I gotta make a trip ta the brush. I ain’t done bein close ta finishin’, but you’ll have ta excuse an ole man fer a moment.”
He wandered off and the trail hands settled back. Jenson asked his father if the old man was done for the night. The reply was, “Naw, prolly just went ta get another nip on his way ta the brush. Got a feelin’ we’ll be up fer awhile son.”