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The little community of Cactus Springs had seen some hard times, but nothing ever like this. Foreclosures on ranches that had been in the same families for generations were mounting. About the same time as these hard times hit, a new company, the Double-Headed Eagle Inc., had set up shop downtown. No one in town or in the surrounding county knew much about the mysterious business or who was behind it. But there was one man who had suspicions that the Double-Headed Eagle Inc. was headed by Nick Romanov, the Real Estate tsar from back east, who had the reputation of buying up dirt cheap farms and ranches on the verge of bankruptcy and then re-developing the land for resorts and golf courses. That man was Bucky Johnson. Bucky’s great-great granddaddy had come out west, settled near Cactus Springs, and raised cattle on a sizeable piece of land. Bucky took great pride in the hard work and sweat of his forebears to make a living from the land, and he was not about to lose the family ranch or see his beloved countryside lost to some hot-shot city slicker like Nick Romanov, who only wanted to make millions.
Bucky was well known to the other ranchers around Cactus Springs. He had been the star quarterback in high school and had gone on to become a sports legend at Windsor State University. He could have had a great pro career, but Bucky majored in agronomics and wanted nothing more than go back to work his family’s land. Growing up on the range and playing football in school had honed his body to withstand the rigors of ranching. He cut an imposing figure around Cactus Springs, winning the admiration of his neighbors, some of whom, including a few fellow ranchers, would have loved a roll in the hay with him. Armed with his degree in agronomics, his strength, and large XXXX of gumption, Bucky knew he could continue building up what his great-great granddaddy had beXXXX. When the foreclosures started and his suspicions grew about Nick Romanov being behind them, Bucky had rallied the remaining ranchers to meet this new challenge. “If we help each other out like our daddies did and their daddies before them,” Bucky told them, “then we can keep our land and stand up to people like Nick Romanov.” So, Bucky and the others worked hard on their own spreads of land and then worked just as hard helping their neighbors. And Bucky also obtained documents that proved Nick Romanov was behind the foreclosures. Bucky intended to present them to his neighbors at the next town meeting and thwart Romanov. Bucky had been a hero on the playing field, but he was becoming a new type of hero to the people of Cactus Springs.
Nick Romanov was not about to have some young fellow like Bucky Johnson stand in his way of making a fortune. Nick had encountered local opposition before, and he knew that if he bought off the leader of the opposition to him, the opposition fizzled. But this young buck couldn’t be bought off. “For Chrissakes,” Nick stormed, “this yahoo gave up a Pro Career to go back to the farm.” Thanks to the man in Nick Romanov’s pay at the local bank in Cactus Springs, Nick knew that Bucky Johnson had been snooping around and had gotten hold of documents that Nick wanted to be kept secret until he had bought up the land around Cactus Springs. This Johnson kid stood in his way. Nick decided that Bucky Johnson had to be discredited in the eyes of his fellow ranchers. And Nick devised a plan to discredit Bucky, but Bucky would have to disappear for the foreseeable future to make it work.

Nights on the ranch were quiet, except for the occasional sounds of the cattle lowing in the distance or at times a grey wolf howling. So Bucky was easily roused from XXXX by the creaking of the hardwood floors in the front parlor. Having time only to put his britches on and don his Stetson, he leapt downstairs and switched on the lights. Greeting him were two masked men.  Bucky demanded, “Who are you and what do you want?”
“You’ll find out soon enough. For now, if you would put your hands together in front of you,” the taller of the two men replied.
Even with his remarkable strength, Bucky realized that he didn’t stand a chance against bullets, so he complied. One of the two men, the short one, approached him with a length of rope and began to wrap it around Bucky’s wrists. Once that was done, the other man walked out of the room towards the den that Bucky used as an office. “I don’t keep much cash in the house, if that’s what you’re after!” Bucky yelled after him.
“Never mind what he’s after, just raise your arms a bit.”
Bucky did as he was told, figuring that they’d be out of there quicker without anyone getting hurt if he cooperated. The short man rolled several more coils of rope around Bucky’s forearms and just above his elbows. After that he wound the rope around Bucky’s torso, effectively pinning his upper arms to his sides.
As he tied Bucky up, the short man spoke softly to Bucky. “You’re one good looking cowpoke.”
Bucky’s eyes narrowed. “What the hell do you want, mister?”
“If I have my way, you’ll soon be screaming like a stuffed pig! Turn around and let me see that ass of yours.”
“Hey, wait a minute,” Bucky exclaimed in surprise, “ You can’t…mmpphh!”
“That’s enough out of you. Here chew on this.” Bucky’s words were cut off, as the man stuffed a white neckerchief between Bucky’s teeth and tied it off behind his head. “I want to admire you without any words of interruption.” With that the man spun Bucky round and let out a soft whistle.
“Yessiree…you do have quite a pert little butt on you. Would love to tap that keg!’
 “Ah…Jeez! Can’t I leave you alone for a minute? The Boss said not to damage him,” said the taller of the two as he walked back into the front parlor.
Bucky looked upward and said a silent prayer of thanks, but he noticed that the man carried several papers from Bucky’s office with him. He recognized them as the papers he obtained tying Nick Romanov to the foreclosures. He began to suspect that this was no mere robbery!
The taller man ordered his accomplice, “Finish tying him up!” The short guy did so, lashing Bucky’s ankles together. He ended by pushing Bucky down to the floor.
“Whmmatpphh dmmothh yoph wanmmpphh?” Bucky tried to say through the gag.
“I’m afraid we can’t understand you, Johnson, but I’m sure you’re wondering what my colleague and I want from you. We’ve been hired to keep you company for a while. Our employer wants to make sure that you’re kept under wraps until he can secure a few deals from your neighbors.” 

“Mmmpphhyoth mmppwonpphh gethpphhh awmmppayth mmpphhwithh thissmmpphh,” Bucky attempted to say.
“I imagine you just said that we won’t get away with this. Well, I’m sorry, but we plan to. Our employer knows that you got a hold of some documents he doesn’t want released just yet. I’ve just replaced them with other documents that show you stand to gain a fortune from the foreclosures of your neighbors’ ranches. We are going to take you with us tonight. When you don’t show up for the town meeting tomorrow night, your neighbors will come looking for you. They’ll find those new documents on your desk. Your good neighbors will see you as a fraud. And our employer will be viewed in a more credible light. Even after we release you, no one is going to believe anything you say!”
 “Yothmmpphh dirmmpphhtyth basthtardssth!!” was all Bucky could scream in frustration.
“Oh! Well, we may be dirty bastards, but you’ll be a dirtier one to your neighbors,” The tall man replied. Turning to his accomplice and tossing more rope at him he added, “Tie his arms to his ankles, while I finish planting the rest of the documents. And try not to waste any more time feeling him up. They’ll be plenty of time to play with our guest, once we have him stashed…away from this place.”
The short man did as he was told, but couldn’t resist copping another feel of Bucky’s muscular glutes. “Cowboy, we’re going to have some fun later on!”
Bucky fought against the ropes and tried to scoot away from the prying hands, but it was futile. The goon knew how to lasso and rope. The short man, once he was done, left Bucky alone in the parlor. Bucky knew that he had to get lose before the men came back. He grunted into his gag, as he desperately tried to free himself. Bucky had to act fast. He started to squirm and drag himself towards the side table where he kept a bowie knife. If only he could get it, cut himself loose, hightail it out of there, and undermine those plans! “Damn,” he thought, “Here I am hogtied like a prize steer! That sonofabitch Romanov can’t get away with this!” Bucky drew himself closer to the table…
Will Bucky reach the table before the henchmen return?
Will Bucky be able to free himself?
Can he save Cactus Springs from the evil plans of Nick Romanov?
Or will he become the plaything of the short man?

The End?