Lone Star Ranger : A Ranger to Ride With (9781310568404) by James J. Griffin Read Free Book Online

please?”
    “Right away, Mr. Funston.”
    “While we’re waiting, Ranger Rollins, I can
tell Nate that his father owned his ranch free and clear. He was
one of the fortunate persons in that regard. I know it’s a bit soon
to ask, but since it will be your land, son, do you think you’d
want to keep it or sell it? In either case, since you’re a minor,
you’ll need a conservator to take care of the legal aspects. Do you
understand what I’m saying?”
    “Not really, sir.”
    “He’s sayin’ someone’ll need to handle your
money until you’re of legal age, Nate,” Jeb explained. “You’ll need
someone to make sure the taxes on your land are paid, things like
that, until you decide what to do with it. And would I be correct
in assuming you’re offering to take on that job, Mr. Funston?”
    “If Nate is agreeable, yes. Of course, if he
has someone else in mind, or would prefer the court name
someone…”
    “What do you think, Nate?”
    “I dunno, Jeb. I never had to think about…
about…”
    “Enough said for now. Mr. Funston, I reckon
we’ll wait on that decision for a spell.”
    “That’s certainly understandable, Ranger.
Ah, here’s Miriam with the accounts now. Thank you, Miriam.”
    The secretary handed Funston the Stewart
account records. He looked them over for a moment, then leaned back
in his chair.
    “Nate, as I seemed to recollect, your father
had made several withdrawals from his account in the past few
months. He needed to do that to keep the ranch going, until he was
able to sell some of his cattle. Nonetheless, there is still
several hundred dollars in the account. That will all be yours, of
course, once everything works its way through the courts. I will
need an address where to reach you.”
    “Mr. Funston, the renegades who murdered
Nate’s family left him with nothing but the clothes on his back,”
Jeb said. “In fact, they didn’t even leave him all those. His shirt
was gone when we found him. That’s a borrowed one he’s wearin’. Any
chance you could bend the rules a bit, and let him have enough
money from the account to buy some new duds? He’s also gonna need
money for stage and train tickets back home, and meal money
besides.”
    “That could be a problem, but I can
certainly try.”
    “How about if I agreed to make you my, what
was it?” Nate asked.
    “Your conservator? That might speed things
up a bit. And if you are worried I may loot the account you need
not fear about that. I’m a hard businessman, but a fair one. Your
affairs will be safe in my hands. Ask anyone in town if you
like.”
    “All right. You’re in charge of my money,
Mr. Funston.”
    “Excellent. You won’t be sorry, Nate.”
    “But you will be if a nickel of the
boy’s money disappears, Funston,” Jeb warned. “The Rangers will
make sure of that. And it still doesn’t solve our problem. Nate
needs cash now, not later.”
    Funston pulled a gold pocket watch out of
his vest and glanced at it.
    “Judge Stanton should be at the courthouse
right now. If we hurry over there, we should catch him before he
heads out to dinner. We can have the necessary papers drawn up and
signed. Then I can arrange a withdrawal for you, Nate. Will that
do?”
    “I guess so.”
    “Are you certain, Nate?”
    “Yeah. Yeah, I am, Jeb.”
    “All right. Mr. Funston, let’s go.”
    ***
    Realizing Nate was in a difficult situation,
it didn’t take long for Judge Stanton to prepare the necessary
paperwork, have it signed, witnessed, and filed. Shortly after that
was done, Nate left the bank with enough money to purchase a new
outfit, as well as a stage ticket to Waco, from where he would make
train connections home to Delaware. The stage would not be leaving
for three days, so he and Jeb would be staying in San Saba until
then.
    “I have to stop by the marshal’s office and
let him know there’s a Ranger in town. We generally let the local
law know when we’re around. After that I reckon our next