Cactus Jack Quotes

He loved politics in large part exactly because it meant time spent with men like Cactus Jack Garner(who would be remembered for observing that the vice presidency was not worth a pitcher of warm piss).

I woke up from a deep sleep to find everybody sleeping like lambs and the car parked God knows where, because I couldn't see out the steamy windows. I got out of the car. We were in the mountains: there was a heaven of sunrise, cool purple airs, red mountainsides, emerald pastures in valleys, dew, and transmuting clouds of gold; on the ground gopher holes, cactus, mesquite. It was time for me to drive on.

Three hundred yards away, a mule deer that had already browsed its fill and been to water, rested in the shelter of a dry wash. Long-eared jack rabbits went about their various affairs. Gophers ventured a few yards from their dens, then squeaked and scurried back. A heavy-bodied rattlesnake, just emerged from its winter’s den, coiled near a clump of cholla cactus and waited for a pack rat to venture from its spiny nest.

Don’t let them touch my horses--you hear?” he shot over his shoulder. “I’m sorry.” Dayna looked after him. Her face was regaining its normal color. “Daddy can act peculiar sometimes, but don’t worry. We just don’t pay him any attention, Mama and me, when he’s like this.” She smiled at Liv and Sophie. “You two go get your horses and meet us outside that little barn. I’ll get ours tacked up.” As Liv and Sophie walked away, Sophie grabbed Liv’s arm. “That was awful,” she whispered. “As if we’d bother with his horses when we have Cisco and Cactus Jack!

You’ve come a long way,” Liv said. “You never cared about the riding stable horses back home.” “Those horses weren’t Cisco,” Sophie grinned. They led Cisco and Cactus Jack to the corral, slipped off their halters and watched them sink gratefully to the ground and roll like two large puppies in the sand. “There goes all our hard work.” Liv laughed. “Dirty as ever.” “Cisco’s wonderful,” Sophie said. “I can trust him. We’re on the same wavelength. Maybe he wasn’t a special horse till I started riding him. Maybe I wasn’t a very good rider. But together we’re good.

You don’t have to stay in town,” Liv said. “You could sleep in Gran’s and Granddad’s room until they get back.” “No, I couldn’t do that.” Shane shook his head violently. “Wouldn’t be respectful.” “There’s a bunkhouse near the barn,” Sophie pointed through the window. “You could move in there.” “That’s an excellent idea.” Jess beamed. “At least for this week while you’re not in school.” “I don’t like to put my troubles on you.” Shane shook his head again. “Never know what Pa’s likely to do.” “We’ll share our troubles,” Jess said gently. “The girls’ grandfather called, and he thinks we should bring the horses up to the ranch. I agree, especially after the girls told me about the foal being attacked by a coyote yesterday.” “I hear you,” Shane said. “I guess I’d better round ’em up and bring ’em in.” Jess nodded. “Take Cactus Jack or Cisco for now. When you bring in the herd, choose another horse to ride till Navajo is better.” “You can take Cactus Jack,” Liv volunteered. “Then Sophie can go with you.” Sometimes Sophie felt as if Liv really did understand her, after all. Liv loved riding Cactus Jack in the desert, and she was giving her a chance to be alone with Shane.

Dayna, wait,” she called ahead. “I hear Tux up there.” She pointed at the tumbled rocks. She saw Dayna slowly turn Champagne and head back at a slow walk. “Why would Shane’s dog go up there?” she drawled. “Maybe he found Bando.” Liv tried to keep the sarcasm out of her voice. “Isn’t that what we’re all trying to do?” “I don’t hear any barking,” Dayna said doubtfully. Liv blew out an exasperated breath. “Well, I heard him. Are you coming with me to look, or not?” “Oh all right, but this is a total waste of time,” she heard Dayna mutter behind her. “We’re never gonna find that colt alive.” “Don’t be so sure.” Liv called over her shoulder as she leaned forward to help Cactus Jack climb over the stony surface. “These Spanish horses have survival skills your fancy palominos could only wish for.” Dayna caught up. “That’s a laugh.” She shrugged. “My dad says your grandparents’ horses are just scruffy little leftovers from the past. The herd is down to, what? Thirty-three horses now and it’s gonna keep shrinking. So much for their survival skills.” “We can build it up again. And there are thirty-four horses if we can find Bando.

What a mess I made of things,” Sophie sighed at last, smoothing the brush down Cisco’s side. “I practically threw Shane into Cheyenne’s arms. Why did I have to go and embarrass him in front of everybody?” “At least Shane isn’t hopelessly in love with someone else.” Liv stared straight ahead, the currycomb motionless in her hand. “Did you see the way he looked at her?” Sophie knew Liv was talking about Temo. “I saw.” Liv leaned against Cactus Jack’s warm chestnut shoulder for comfort. “It’s so hopeless. Temo would never look at me like that in a million years,” she said sadly. “And Dayna’s not good enough for him.” “I know,” said Sophie, straightening Cisco’s mane, “but I feel sort of sorry for her, too. She’s been hiding her feelings for Temo, maybe even from herself. Out there, in the cave, when he was helping her, there wasn’t any place to hide. She’s in trouble. I don’t think her father would let his daughter date a lowly cowhand.” “I know!” was Liv’s anguished cry. “But I don’t care! She’s rich and can have everything she wants. Why should she have Temo, too?

We were in the mountains: there was a heaven of sunrise, cool purple airs, red mountainsides, emerald pastures in valleys, dew, and transmuting clouds of gold; on the ground gopher holes, cactus, mesquite. It was time for me to drive on.

Five days after he came upstairs and opened the box of condoms, four days after they played pinball, Adelaide hadn’t heard from Jack. So she walked over to Uncle Benny’s. It did occur to her that their love might be a delicate flower that would wilt from too much attention. On the other hand, maybe it was a delicate flower that would die if she neglected it. Of course, Adelaide would rather think their connection was not a delicate flower at all, but a sturdy freaking cactus of a love, hardy and strong, able to withstand neglect and hard times—but then again, cacti are prickly. You need to approach them gently. Still, she went over. She wanted to see him.

seems to have quite a stash of gold coins. Isn’t that interesting, Jack?” she said, that long sly grin spreading across her broad face. She gave him a wink as he headed out the door. “Most interesting,” Jack said, tucking the information into his brain. Jack was putting a lot of things together, and they added up to trouble. The banker, Feemster, and his big mouth told Jack about the mine payroll, even when it was leaving Elko. “If he told me,” Jack said to Cactus, “how many other people did he tell?” The Elko County Sheriff, Cyrus Simpson, wanted to own lots of property in The Meadows but doesn’t assign a deputy to the area. “Is that why Melissa Thompson was having difficulty with her property sale? What is the sheriff’s game?” Jack’s mind continued rambling at a high lope. Irene told him about Clint Bayliss spending lots of money even though the fool couldn’t keep a job. “If you robbed a payroll, would you start spending that money wildly?” he asked Cactus Jack. “I don’t know yet how I’m going to prove it, but I’d be willing to bet that Bayliss was behind that mine payroll robbery. This meeting might get very interesting, Cactus Jack, my friend,” he said as they walked into a packed barn. “Looks like at least fifty people,” he said, wending his way toward where Paddock was seated, near the front. Chairs and benches were set up in a semi-circle, almost in a horseshoe pattern, and just about every space was filled when Valley Paddock rose and turned to the audience. “For most of us,” he began, “this is the first time that we have all been together, and I’m certainly glad that so many of us have turned out for this important gathering. Our little community, the town with so many names,” and there was genuine laughter at that, “has many problems and those that want to run Elko County don’t give a hoot about us.