is uncle Harold was in the hospital with pneumonia and expected not to make it。 Though he did； and Aguirre came up again to say so； fixing Jack with his bold stare； not bothering to dismount。
In August Ennis spent the whole night with Jack in the main camp and in a blowy hailstorm the sheep took off west and got among a herd in another allotment。 There was a damn miserable time for five days； Ennis and a Chilean herder with no English trying to sort them out； the task almost impossible as the paint brands were worn and faint at this late season。 Even when the numbers were right Ennis knew the sheep were mixed。 In a disquieting way everything seemed mixed。
The first snow came early； on August thirteenth； piling up a foot； but was followed by a quick melt。 The next week Joe Aguirre sent word to bring them down another； bigger storm was moving in from the Pacific and they packed in the game and moved off the mountain with the sheep； stones rolling at their heels； purple cloud crowding in from the west and the metal smell of ing snow pressing them on。 The mountain boiled with demonic energy； glazed with flickering broken…cloud light； the wind bed the grass and drew from the damaged krummholz and slit rock a bestial drone。 As they descended the slope Ennis felt he was in a slow…motion； but headlong； irreversible fall。
Joe Aguirre paid them； said little。 He had looked at the milling sheep with a sour expression； said； 〃Some a these never went up there with you。〃 The count was not what he'd hoped for either。 Ranch stiffs never did much of a job。
〃You goin a do this next summer？〃 said Jack to Ennis in the street； one leg already up in his green pickup。 The wind was gusting hard and cold。
〃Maybe not。〃 A dust plume rose and hazed the air with fine grit and he squinted against it。 〃Like I said； Alma and me's gettin married in December。 Try to get somethin on a ranch。 You？〃 He looked away from Jack's jaw； bruised blue from the hard punch Ennis had thrown him on the last day。
〃If nothin better es along。 Thought some about going back up to my daddy's place； give him a hand over the winter； then maybe head out for Texas in the spring。 If the draft don't get me。〃〃Well； see you around； I guess。〃 The wind tumbled an empty feed bag down the street until it fetched up under his truck。
〃Right；〃 said Jack； and they shook hands； hit each other on the shoulder； then there was forty feet of distance between them and nothing to do but drive away in opposite directions。 Within a mile Ennis felt like someone was pulling his guts out hand over hand a yard at a time。 He stopped at the side of the road and； in the whirling new snow； tried to puke but nothing came up。 He felt about as bad as he ever had and it took a long time for the feeling to wear off。
In December Ennis married Alma Beers and had her pregnant by mid…January。 He picked up a few short…lived ranch jobs； then settled in as a wrangler on the old Elwood Hi…Top place north of Lost Cabin in Washakie County。 He was still working there in September when Alma Jr。； as he called his daughter； was born and their bedroom was full of the smell of old blood and milk and baby ****； and the sounds were of squalling and sucking and Alma's sleepy groans； all reassuring of fecundity and life's continuance to one who worked with livestock。
When the Hi…Top folded they moved to a small apartment in Riverton up over a laundry。 Ennis got on the highway crew； tolerating it but working weekends at the Rafter B in exchange for keeping his horses out there。 The second girl was born and Alma wanted to stay in town near the clinic because the child had an asthmatic wheeze。
〃Ennis； please； no more damn lonesome ranches for us；〃 she said； sitting on his lap； wrapping her thin； freckled arms around him。 〃Let's get a place here in town？〃〃I guess；〃 said Ennis； slipping his hand up her blouse sleeve and stirring the silky armpit hair； then easing her down； fingers moving up her ribs to the jelly breast； over the round belly and knee and up into the wet gap all the way to the north pole or the equator depending which way you thought you were sailing； working at it until she shuddered and bucked against his hand and he rolled her over； did quickly what she hated。 They stayed in the little apartment which he favored because it could be left at any time。
The fourth summer since Brokeback Mountain came on and in June Ennis had a general delivery letter from Jack Twist； the first sign of life in all that time。
Friend this letter is a long time over due。 Hope you get it。 Heard you was in Riverton。 Im ing thru on the 24th； thought Id stop and buy you a beer Drop me a line if you can； say if your there。
The return address was Childress； Texas。 Ennis wrote back； you bet； gave the Riverton address。
The day was hot and clear in the morning； but by noon the clouds had pushed up out of the west rolling a little sultry air before them。 Ennis； wearing his best shirt； white with wide black stripes； didn't know what time Jack would get there and so had taken the day off； paced back and forth； looking down into a street pale with dust。 Alma was saying something about taking his friend to the Knife & Fork for supper instead of cooking it was so hot； if they could get a baby…sitter； but Ennis said more likely he'd just go out with Jack and get drunk。 Jack was not a restaurant type； he said； thinking of the dirty spoons sticking out of the cans of cold beans balanced on the log。
Late in the afternoon； thunder growling； that same old green pickup rolled in and he saw Jack get out of the truck； beat…up Resistol tilted back。 A hot jolt scalded Ennis and he was out on the landing pulling the door closed behind him。 Jack took the stairs two and two。 They seized each other by the shoulders； hugged mightily； squeezing the breath out of each other； saying； son of a *****； son of a *****； then； and easily as the right key turns the lock tumblers； their mouths came together； and hard； Jack's big teeth bringing blood； his hat falling to the floor； stubble rasping； wet saliva welling； and the door opening and Alma looking out for a few seconds at Ennis's straining shoulders and shutting the door again and still they clinched； pressing chest and groin and thigh and leg together； treading on each other's toes until they pulled apart to breathe and Ennis； not big on endearments； said what he said to his horses and daughters； little darlin。
The door opened again a few inches and Alma stood in the narrow light。
What could he say？ 〃Alma； this is Jack Twist； Jack； my wife Alma。〃 His chest was heaving。 He could smell Jack the intensely familiar odor of cigarettes； musky sweat and a faint sweetness like grass； and with it the rushing cold of the mountain。 〃Alma；〃 he said； 〃Jack and me ain't seen each other in four years。〃 As if it were a reason。 He was glad the light was dim on the landing but did not turn away from her。
〃Sure enough；〃 said Alma in a low voice。 She had seen what she had seen。 Behind her in the room lightning lit the window like a white sheet waving and the baby cried。
〃You got a kid？〃 said Jack。 His shaking hand grazed Enn