Jack and his part-time hand, Gerald Haberson watched the cattle stream into the pen at Beltran. The buyers from Mecham and Resin (they took offense if one called them BRs) had contracted for one hundred head each. Jack suspected they both were feeding their various troops stationed in the area, but never questioned them. Once the gate closed and the count was official, both agents counted out their krones and handed Jack the money bags. Beltran stores and merchants still honored both currencies and so did the bank. Jack paid Gerald and deposited most of the rest into his account at the bank.
Milton Bailey, the bank manager, shook Jack"s hand. “Welcome back, Mr. Donald. Did you see the new Kirche the Silver and the Green Institute built?”
It was the autumn and soon the colder rains and so
