True Grit

Chapter 7

Mattie sat on the ground, her eyes fixated on the crackling flames of the fire. She hugged her knees, seeking warmth and solace in the dancing orange glow. On the other side of the fire, LeBoeuf lounged comfortably, his feet positioned close to the flickering embers. With a pipe in his hand, he seemed to be playfully imitating a wise professor, despite his youthful appearance. Deep in thought, he stared into the fire, pulling leisurely on the pipe. LeBoeuf, relishing the heat of the fire, expressed his surprise, "I must admit, I am not accustomed to such a grand fire. In Texas, we manage with meager fires fueled by twigs or buffalo chips to warm our nightly portions of beans." Just then, Rooster entered the radiant circle of light, carrying a bundle of wood in his arms. Without a word, he glanced at LeBoeuf and unceremoniously dumped the wood onto the fire, adding fuel to the growing blaze. As he stepped away from the fire's glow and disappeared into the darkness, LeBoeuf directed his words towards the void: "And, as a Ranger, it is our policy never to set up camp in the same location as our cookfire. It would be highly imprudent to announce our presence in these untamed lands." Rooster's departure lingered in the air, leaving an air of mystery and uncertainty. LeBoeuf, undeterred, continued his contemplations aloud: "I wonder, though, how can we be certain that Bagby will provide us with valuable information? Intelligence is a precious commodity in these treacherous times."

Rooster returned to the scene, this time carrying a length of rope and a rolled-up robe. He spread the robe on the ground, and with a swift motion, he allowed one end of the rope to touch the earth, gradually releasing the rest as he paced back and forth. LeBoeuf, intrigued by Rooster's actions, questioned, "So, his possession of a store grants him an authority on the movements in this territory?" Rooster, still preoccupied with his task, responded firmly, "We find ourselves in a lawless wilderness. Anyone who seeks supplies cannot be selective about their means of acquisition." As Rooster finished creating a loop around his sleeping robe, LeBoeuf burst into laughter. "That's pure foolishness," he remarked. "During this time of year, all the snakes are fast asleep." With a sly smile, Rooster departed from the illuminated circle, leaving behind a parting remark, "They have been known to wake up." Seizing the moment, Mattie interjected, expressing her desire to have a rope as well. Rooster, with a confident demeanor, dismissed her concerns, saying, "A snake wouldn't bother you." He returned to the scene, this time carrying a bottle, and comfortably settled down on his robe. Then, he addressed Mattie, recognizing her petite frame, "You're too little and bony. Before you sleep, it would be wise for you to fetch water for the morning and place it near the fire. The creek will freeze over tonight." Determined and perhaps a little stubborn, Mattie protested, "I am not going down there again. If you want more water, you can fetch it yourself."

Rooster firmly asserted, "Everyone in my party must do their job." LeBoeuf, reflecting on the convenience of a nearby spring, remarked, "You are fortunate to be traveling in a region where a water source is easily accessible. In my homeland, one can ride for days without encountering any groundwater. I have even resorted to drinking filthy water from a hoofprint and felt grateful for it." Rooster, with a hint of amusement, responded, "If I ever come across a Texas cowboy who claims he has never drunk water from a horse's hoofprint, I'll gladly shake his hand and offer him a Daniel Webster cigar." LeBoeuf, sensing Rooster's skepticism, inquired, "You don't believe it?" Rooster, with a touch of cynicism, replied, "I believed it the first twenty-five times I heard it. Perhaps it's true. Maybe lapping water from the ground is a Ranger's policy." LeBoeuf, visibly irritated, retorted, "You're about to display your ignorance, Cogburn. I don't mind some friendly banter, but I won't tolerate any disrespect towards the Ranger troop from someone like you." Rooster, intentionally provoking LeBoeuf, quipped, "How long have you boys been riding on sheep down there?" LeBoeuf, his anger boiling over, abruptly stood up, his voice filled with fury, "My sturdy horse will be galloping while your big American stud is gasping for breath and collapsing. Go ahead, make another joke about it. You're merely attempting to impress this young lady, Mattie, with what you consider to be a sharp tongue." Rooster, dismissive and nonchalant, remarked, "This conversation is starting to resemble women's gossip." LeBoeuf, unwilling to let the insult slide, responded assertively, "Yes, that's exactly what you're doing! Trying to make a fool of me in this girl's eyes."