Slim, A Cow Dog - pg3

Cowboy backtracked looking for Slim. I happened to glance at the river and saw old Slim lapping up water. When he finished, he just lay there paws all out in from of him, resting his head on them. I called him, but he didn’t respond. I whistled and motioned to Cowboy that I had found Slim.

While Cowboy was returning, I got off my horse and cautiously approached where he lay. As I drew near Slim, he made an effort to get up. He couldn’t. I reached out to pet him and he

made a low growl and snarled his lip . It was his last. He was dead by the time Cowboy got to us and evidently had been injured internally. A little trickle of blood oozed from his mouth.

Old Slim had grit and determination and could really do a job, but he was always mean and grouchy – Puts me in mind of a person or two I know.

Other stories can be found in the Authenic Cowboy Stories book