Sagebrush Sedition. Warren J. Stucki

better get going if we’re going to check on those coal leases.”

      “Glad you dropped by,” Albright said warmly. “And if you do get some free time—”

      “—I’m pretty tied up for a month or so,” Sean replied, “but after that.”

      “Don’t forget come November we close the dig down for the winter.”

      “You going to be able to get this thing out of here by then?” Roper asked, as he climbed back over the rope of the cordoned area.

      “Nah, not this year.” The professor shook his graying head. “We want to remove it intact. That takes time.”

      “Well if not this year, you count on me for sure in the spring,” Sean said, also retreating from the rectangle.

      “If you don’t think I’d be in the way,” Roper offered. “I wouldn’t mind giving you a hand come spring. I usually have a little down time after I get my cows moved to the summer pasture.”

      “You’d be welcome any time.” Lanny Albright smiled, but Roper noted Sean’s dark frown.

      After expressing their appreciation to Professor Albright and his crew, Sean and Roper, hiked the fifteen minutes back to the Landrover. In silence, they climbed back in the SUV and after another ten minutes, they were back on to the main road, again heading toward Paradise Canyon.

      “Thanks” Roper said, “I had no idea. That was really interesting.”

      Ignoring him, Sean didn’t answer, focusing on the road.

      Moody, Roper thought, then settled back and gazed out the side window at the slowly passing pygmy forest.

      “Why you here, anyway?” Sean asked after a few minutes.

      “What?” Roper had been watching the landscape and imagining what it look like when it had been populated with Cretaceous dinosaurs.

      “Why you here, token cowboy?”

      “That’s the second time in two days,” Roper replied, an edge to his voice, “that I’ve been called that.” He gritted his teeth and looked down at his boots for a moment. “I guess I’m here ‘cause I love this country and want what’s best for it.”

      “Well, isn’t that nice,” Sean said sarcastically.

      “Why the burr up your saddle?”

      Sean thought for a moment then said. “You cowboys don’t care for nothing but the bottom line. If you rape and pillage the land, that’s okay ‘cause your grandfather did it, it’s your heritage, your sacred tradition. Dammit, from my point-of-view, the whole purpose of this monument is to get guys like you off this land.”

      “Surely, there’s room enough for everyone,” Roper said. “The concept of multiple use will work. Anyway, most government and independent studies show the range is in better shape now than it was fifty years ago.”

      “That’s not saying much. That was the dust bowl era,” Sean replied.

      “Let’s agree to disagree,” Roper insisted, “and change the subject.”

      Sean was quiet for a few moments then asked tersely, “how much farther to Macdonald’s leases?

      “We’re almost there, I think.”

      “Thank God,” Sean growled, as he bounced the Landrover around another sharp turn.