High Country Rescue

by Michael Skinner

  “You look fine, you have been through a lot, but the worst is behind you.”

  “I think I am ready to travel.”

  “Take a little more water from the canteen, and we will start.”

  The trip down the south slope was so easy compared to what they had just been through, they actually had enough breath to talk.

  Dan asked, “Can I ask a personal question?”

  “I guess so.”

  “Are you and Jason married?”

  “No! Is that what they told everyone?”

  “Yes, that is the story that Jason and Mark have been telling around town. They say you and Jason got married and moved out here.”

  “No wonder no one came looking for me. At first, I was really upset that people would think that I would marry someone like Jason then I realized that the life I was living was much worse than what people thought about me. What happened was that Jason came to the store late on a Saturday just at closing. He came in the store every once in a while, so I did not think much of it. I was alone in the store, and he was the only customer. Jason asked to see something off the shelf behind me, when I turned to get it, he grabbed me and put his hand over my mouth and told me if I screamed he would kill me. He said he had men watching my father and if I didn’t do exactly as he said he would kill both of us. He told me what to write and made me write that note. Then he hit me on the back of the head. When I came to, I was in the back of a wagon. My hands were tied, and I had a gag in my mouth. When we got to the ranch, he yanked me out of the wagon and forced me into the house. I was terrified, I had heard of how mean he was and was afraid he would kill me or worse. Once inside, he sat me in a chair, then removed the gag and untied my hands. Then he told me that I was going to stay there at the ranch until his father decided what he wanted to do with me, if I didn’t cooperate or tried to run away my father will be killed. Then he asked me if I understood, and I said yes, I did. I asked him why he was doing this, and got mad and told me I didn’t get to ask questions. Then he went to the side table and poured himself a drink and turned and looked at me and said, as long as you are here, there is no reason that we can’t have some fun. I told him, if you mean what I think you mean, then you need to know this, if you touch me I will kill myself. He said, I can stop you, and I told him for how long. He got mad again and said we will talk about this later.”

  Alice paused, then continued, “I knew he was afraid of his father, but I wasn’t sure how afraid he was until then. He showed me the room off the kitchen and told me I was the cook, and that was that I was not supposed to talk to anyone about any of this or my father would die.”

  Dan asked, “How much do you know about the Reynolds plans for you and your father?”

  “I thought about it a lot, but I could not figure out what they were after for sure then one-night Jason got drunk and said some things that made me think it must have something to do with Dad’s ranch.”

  “Judge Parker thinks that once you turn eighteen, they were going to kill your father so you could inherit the ranch, then you would have died some way so Jason as your husband could inherit the ranch from you.”

  “That’s terrible.”

  “What did Jason say when he was drunk?”

  “One-night he got drunk and started bragging about himself, about all the fights that he had won, all the women he had had. Then, as he kept drinking and he started bragging about his family and how powerful they were, about how his father and uncle had robbed a bank and got away with it and how his father was now the owner of the Double-Peak Ranch because his father-in-law had been killed in what looked like an accident and how he got this ranch and how there wasn’t anything the Reynolds wanted they could not have.

  “What did he say the next day?”

  “He asked me what he had said the night before, I told him that he had told me about all the fights and all the women. I was not sure he believed me, but he did not push for more and just told me not to say anything about this to anyone.”

  “But you think he knows.”

  “I am sure that he knows, because they have watched me carefully and never left me alone since. In fact, I am sure that is why Jason brought Rosa out to the ranch, to have another pair of eyes on me. I do not know what he told her about me, but she has been hostile toward me ever since she came.”

  “Do you think Jason’s father knows?”

  “I do not know for sure, but I do not think so because Jason is so afraid of his father.”

  “Again, I am sorry you have had to go through all of that.”

  “That is why I will not go back.”

  “I understand, and that is what I am here for, to make sure that does not happen.”

  “Thanks.”

  “We will stop at the creek at the bottom before we start up the next ridge. We will spend the night on top of that ridge.”

  “Good I am looking forward to that.”

  “Me too.”

  It took a little less than three hours to reach the creek at the bottom. Dan stopped on the bank before they crossed and dropped his pack. His back was really starting to feel the weight, but they only had about three hours to go.

  Turning to Alice, he said, “We will stop here about fifteen minutes before we continue on.”

  “Thank you, I can use it.”

  “So, can I.”

  She paused a minute, then looked at the cool water running in the creek. She walked to the edge of the creek and with one foot on a rock at the edge of the creek she knelt down and cupping her hands washed her face with the cool water.

  After a few handfuls of water, she rose and said, “That feels good.”

  She then pulled the tail of her oversized shirt out and dried her face. She turned back toward Dan, and he was glad she had a smile on her face.

  He said, “We need to fill the canteen here, there is no water on top of the ridge.”

  “No problem, I will take care of that.”

  She picked up the canteen, removed the cap and poured the water out, then she went to the creek and filled it with fresh water.

  She dropped the canteen next to the pack and sat down next to him and asked, “How did you get involved in this?”

  “Your father asked Colonel John for help, and he asked me.”

  “That sounds a little too simple.”

  “Well, nothing is ever that simple, but I have only been part of this for a few weeks, but your father and the Colonel have been talking for some time. It was only when your father finally saw the note you sent to Mr. Miller that he knew how serious your trouble was. Things have moved quickly since then and have brought a lot of people together to help you; the Judge, ranch hands and my partner camped with the horses. I am only the person you see, but others are working for you.”

  “Who is waiting with the horses you spoke of?”

  “Joe Greywolf, a friend of the Colonels.”

  “I haven’t been on a horse in some time, but I am looking forward to moving faster.”

  Dan smiled and said, “I think our fifteen minutes are up, are you ready?”

  “Yes,” said Alice as she rose.

  She picked up the canteen and headed toward the creek.

  He said, “Wait, I will carry you across.”

  “I can wade across.”

  “Yes, but your moccasins will get wet.”

  “What about your boots.”

  “I have oiled them many times, and the leather won’t get wet, but my feet might.”

  “Okay”

  He left his pack on the ground and picked Alice up and carried her across the creek. Then he crossed back over the creek, picked up the pack and placed it on his back.

  Dan crossed the creek again and taking the lead on the trail said, “I will take the lead until we get to the steeper section.”

  “That’s fine, lead on.”

  “It will be about two hours, so if you need to stop let me know.”

  “Okay”

  Their travel was
steadily uphill through switchbacks, but occasionally allowing for talking.

  She asked, “Are you from Colorado, I haven’t seen you since the Fourth of July four years ago?”

  “No, I am from Texas, but I have spent several summers at the Colonel's ranch near Durango.”

  “What do you do in Texas?”

  “I have a ranch just west and south of Fort Worth.”

  “Are you married?”

  “No, why?”

  “You asked me.”

  Dan laughed and said, “That’s not quite the same, but okay. I am not married.”

  “Why did you come to Colorado in the summers?”

  “That’s a story for another time.”

  “Alright, how do you know the Colonel?”

  “I served under him in the Marine Corps.”

  “Why did you join the Marine Corps?”

  “In ’99 I had finished high school and was seventeen and wanted to leave the ranch.”

  “How long where you in the Marine Corps?”

  “A little more than four years.”

  “Did you go overseas?”

  “Yes, but we must not be walking fast enough if you have enough air for all these questions.”

  “I am sorry, but I haven’t had anybody to talk to for so long.”

  “That's alright, I was in the Philippines in ’99 and 1900.”

  “That sounds exciting, was it?”

  “I spent most of my time in the jungles fighting, so I guess exciting covers it.”

  “Was it dangerous?”

  “Yes, but that was in the past.”

  “It looks like to me that you are back into the middle of dangerous.”

  With a laugh, he said, “Well, I hope it doesn’t get that bad.”

  “Me too.”

  The grade was getting steeper, so the conversation just faded away. It wasn’t long before the trail reached the outcrop below the mine. They continued across the outcrop to where the switchbacks started, and he stopped.

  Dropping his pack, he said, “Let’s take a break and have some water before we go up this steeper section.”

  “Good I am ready for a chance to sit a minute.”

  After about five or six minutes he asked, “Are you okay to go on?”

  “Yes, I am ready.”

  “You go in front of me until we get to the top.”

  With a nod, Alice turned and started up the trail. Soon the trail became even steeper, and after about thirty minutes she signaled for a stop.

  He asked, “Are you alright?”

  “I am alright just a little winded.”

  “That’s to be expected, just rest awhile and let me know when you are ready to go.”

  “Thanks”

  “We are only about a half hour from the top, then just a little on the other side.”

  She did not answer, but took a drink from the canteen.

  After about fifteen minutes she said, “I am ready.”

  “Okay, but take it easy.”

  They started back up the trail and continued to the top.

  On reaching the top, Dan said, “About six hundred feet to the west and down the hill slightly and we will be home for the night.”

  “Good I am ready to get off my feet.”

  As they approached the mine, he pointed out the food cache to Alice, then walking up to the mine entrance said, “This is home for the night.”

  “It looks dark.”

  “I have some firewood just inside.”

  Dan entered the front of the mine with Alice behind him and was just about to drop the pack when there was a loud growl from within the mine. He just had time to move the hammer on the rifle from half cock to full cock and fire as the bear charged. The last thing he remembered was Alice’s scream.

  chapter 10

  Tracking

  Rosa thought she should stay away from Jason for a while, so she moved into Alice’s old room. She wasn’t sure when or if Alice would return, but she hoped her chance to get away would come first. She did not know what the plans were for the coming day, but she knew she needed to have breakfast ready early. Well before daylight, she had the stove hot and the coffee on. She had just barely remembered to make coffee for the bunkhouse. She carried the pot to the bunkhouse and knocked on the door as she had seen Alice do and returned to the kitchen and started another pot of coffee and some bacon cooking in the frying pan.

  Sam had almost forgotten what had happened until he lit the lamp to go get the coffee and saw Ruiz laying in the next bunk. When he returned with coffee, Ruiz was sitting on the edge of the bunk.

  Ruiz gave him a nod, and Sam said, “You want some coffee?”

  “Yes”

  They both were dressing while they talked.

  “When will we get started?”

  “I will start when it is light enough to see, about thirty minutes after daylight.”

  “Breakfast should be ready in about twenty minutes at the house.”

  “Okay, I will see you there, I am going to check on my horse.”

  Ruiz left, and Sam made sure the rest of the hands were up and getting ready.

  Ruiz was a loner and did not care to be around people, but money was money. He walked to the corral and called his horse. She came, and he opened the gate and let her out. He walked her around the area in front of the corral and talked to her. He stopped her and checked her feet and walked her a little more then returned her to the corral. He wasn’t sure if he would need her today or not. He leaned against the corral and thought about this job. He didn’t think he could trust Jason, he had heard too many things about him. Ruiz was no saint, but his word was his bond. He had asked for some money up front, and he would see if that came through. He saw some movement in the corner of his eye and turned toward the barn and saw an old man limping out of the barn. The old man was coming his way, so he waited.

  The old man said, “I like a man who cares about his horse.”

  “Sometimes a horse is the best friend you have.”

  “That is true.”

  “If I leave my horse here will you take care of her for me?

  “Yes, I will.”

  “It looks like everyone is going over for breakfast, are you ready?”

  “I will follow, go on ahead.”

  Other than the old man Ruiz was the last to enter, as he entered Jason turned and said, “This is Ruiz, the tracker that we hired to help find Alice.”

  Ruiz nodded and took a seat. There was bacon, beans, and tortillas on the table, so he helped himself. No one seemed to want to talk, and that was fine with him.

  Toward the end of the meal, Jason rose and said, “After breakfast, you can stay around the bunkhouse until we know what the plan for the day is. Sam, I want you and Ruiz to stay and let’s talk.”

  Jason left and returned to his room and everyone else finished breakfast and left except Sam and Ruiz, neither man talked, and they continued to work on their coffee until finally, Jason returned.

  Jason came back in and sat down.

  He placed two twenty-dollar gold pieces and ten silver dollars in front of Ruiz and said, “What does this buy me?”

  Ruiz said, “Two days’ work, plus my promise to continue until I find her, or you call it quits. Either way, we settle up at the end at twenty-five a day.”

  “Where do we start?”

  “We start here, where did she stay and where was she last seen?”

  “She stayed here in a room off the kitchen and was last seen in this room the night before last.”

  “Let me see the kitchen and her room.”

  Rising they all went into the kitchen and found Rosa washing the dishes.

  Looking around the kitchen, Ruiz said, “Is this door and the front door the only doors to the outside.”

  Jason said, “Yes.”

  “Where is her room?”

  “Through here.”

  Jason opened the door, and Ruiz went in. He looked around the room and went back in t
he kitchen and out the kitchen door. As he went through the door, he stepped sharply to the right and stopped anyone else from coming out, he knelt down and examined the ground closely.

  He said, “Stay in the house, and I will be right back.”

  He went around the house to the back of the house. He moved carefully along the house right against the house watching the ground closely. He passed the kitchen window, but did not see anything on the window sill or ground to draw his attention. He approached the girl’s bedroom window slowly. He didn’t really see anything on the ground, but looking at the window sill, he could see smears in the dirt on the sill and tell that someone had passed through the window and the only reason to use the window was to sneak away. Without disturbing the ground below the window, he returned to the kitchen door and entered.

  He looked at Jason and said, “There were too many footprints at the door to tell me anything, but looking at the window it is clear she left that way. That is good because, had she gone out the door and up the road I would have had a hard time finding a place to start.”

  “What do we do now?”

  “You and your men stay away from the back of the house, and I will try to pick up her trail going away from the window.”

  “Can we do anything to help you?”

  “Not now, give me some time.”

  “Hurry every chance you get.”

  Ruiz ignored the comment and headed over to a small tree that was growing between the corral and the barn. He cut half a dozen small semi-straight branches off the tree and returned to the back of the house. He went to the area near the window and knelt down and looked across the top of the grass to see if there were any impressions in the grass that had not fully recovered. Someone had traveled along the back of the house and out from the house and out toward the clothesline. There were a lot of footsteps at the clothesline, but from where he was at the house, he thought he could see some going away. He moved to his right and out a little from the house to get a better sun angle. There he was sure he could almost see something. He went to where he saw the track leave the clothesline and stuck a tree branch in the ground. He returned to his previous location and looked again and tried to identify the last impression he was sure of, then moved to there and stuck another branch in the ground.