23 - A NEW DIRECTION

 23 - A NEW DIRECTION

- Have you had any more nightmares these days?

It was Grace, talking to her friend Maria. The two were strolling along the riverbank as they used to do after the end of the work day. Grace was serious these days. It wasn't that she wasn't usually serious, but lately she always walked around with a thoughtful air, as if something was worrying her. Yes, things weren't very easy for her... her mother was a little sick, and the doctor had already warned her that she should take Dona Constância to be treated in the Capital... but with what money? What she earned in the week was barely enough for the household expenses... if only she had a way to earn a little more...

- No, lately I sleep like an angel... and you?

- Sleep, I sleep well... my worries are different...

- Your mother, right?

- That... I don't know what to do, you know?

- Need help?

- And who doesn't? To tell you the truth, what I needed was to earn more...

- Only if it were dealing with cattle... they earn much more than us...

Graça stood still for a few seconds, thoughtful...

- You know I hadn't thought of that? I think that's the solution... I'm going to become a cowgirl...

- But there are no women working as cowgirls here...

- And? Madalena, from "Três Corações", is a cowgirl famous in all these parts...

- Yeah, but do you even know how to ride a horse?

- I look...

- Do you know how to use a bow tie?

- Hey, just look at the bow in my hair... have you seen anything prettier?...

- Graça, I'm not kidding... to work with cattle, you have to ride well, know how to handle the lasso, the bola, if you know how to shoot it helps a lot...

- Look, I know all that... but for you to know how to do something, someone has to teach you, right?

- Yes but who will teach you all this?

- Juca, come on...

- Girl, you're winding the boy...

- I?...

- And who else? The boy is confident that you will accept his request...

- I did not promise anything...

- But keep winding him up...

-  I am not...

- Oh yes? Smile around the corners, little look exchanged...

- Hey, he's my friend...

- But he wants a little more than friendship...

- Then I can't do anything anymore... what I know is that I'm going to ask him to help me work with the cattle... you could ask your father to help me in this endeavor...

- I promise nothing... but I'll talk to him...

And the two continued walking along the river, commenting on the latest events in the village. They commented on the death of Rosinha, daughter of the owner of Lagedo...

- And they haven't found the goat until now?

- No, Graça... Seu Leôncio is not satisfied... they even say he offered ten contos de réis to whoever brings the bastard to him...

- Ten tales?! Wow, it's a lot of money, no doubt... I had to work my whole life to get half of that...

- Yeah, who has, has...

- And how is he going to pay for that?

- Well, I don't know anymore... I think that when they bring Zé Ferreira he should pay...

- You know what I was thinking?

- No, you haven't said...

- What if we went after this goat? Pay is good...

- You're going crazy, are you?

- No... I really need money...

- Woman, you're crazy... that's police work...

- But if the man is paying whoever finds him... why not?

- Why not, uh...

- Are you coming with me to talk to Colonel Leôncio?

- You're not serious...

- Are you coming with me or not?

- The worst thing is that he's... I think he hit his head on the floor this morning...

- Girl, what would you rather go out into the world and hunt down this murderer and get paid for it, or do laundry for your whole family?

- But what about your mother?

- One thing at a time... will you come with me?

- What do you do with crazy people? Inside the asylum...

- He comes?

- I'll, right... do what?

And the two went towards the pasture. Graça said that her friend would ask her father for two horses to take a ride around the farm at dusk... she knew that Zacarias would not deny her daughter's request... and that's how things happened... half an hour later the two were riding, light trot so that the mounts would not get tired, since Lagedo was a little far from Santa Helena. They weren't going too slow but they weren't going too fast either. her speed was enough to cover the distance in an hour, an hour and a half more or less... the first stars were beginning to shine in the sky when the two dismounted in front of the big house in Lagedo. Leôncio, upon seeing the two girls, went to welcome them, intrigued.... what did the two want?

- Seu Leôncio, good night...

- Good night... what's your joke?

- Grace.

- No, I'm asking what your name is...

- And I already answered... it's Grace....

Leontius was a little disconcerted. The girl was well shot.

- Is it true that you are offering money to whoever brings Zé Ferreira to you?

- Yes. If someone gives me the tramp... alive... I'll give you the money right away.

- I'll go after him...

- You?!!

- Yes... hardly he you'll think you're being followed by a woman...

- Two, huh?

- I know... do you think I'm going to believe that you two are going to hunt and bring that goat to me?

- As fast as we can.

- Okay... bring me the goat and you'll have the money...

- Seu Leôncio... could you advance five hundred réis for our first expenses?

- Wait... do you want me to advance the money?

- Only five hundred réis, Seu Leôncio... and we'll bring you the bum...

Leontius thought for a moment. He had already advanced some money to some jagunços and none of them gave any news afterwards... maybe, suddenly, those two got what they promised...

- I'll trust you girls...

- You won't regret it. We promise...

Leôncio invited them to enter the room and, while the two marveled at the furniture, he went to his office, where he took some bills and put them in a bag. He also took two rifles and two handguns from his locker, along with holsters and some boxes of ammunition. Since the two were so willing to do the job, he would provide them with the necessary resources... after all, his greatest desire was to avenge his daughter's death...