High Country Rescue

by Michael Skinner

  Alice said, “Yes, I am, but what happened is a long story, that will have to wait for another day. But it is nice to be home, even for just a short time. This is Dan O’Neil, my fiancé, and we will have our wedding very soon.”

  Sue said, “That’s wonderful. I would be glad to do anything I can to help you get ready.”

  “Thanks, I am not sure what help I will need yet.”

  “Just let me know. I will have lunch ready soon.”

  Dan and Alice left the kitchen and went to the parlor.

  He asked, “Are you alright?”

  “Yes, just a lot of emotions all at once.”

  “Just sit here a minute and catch your breath.”

  Alice sat on a chair and said, “Thank you for being so understanding.”

  “If we are moving too fast, we can slow things down.”

  “No, just the opposite I think we need to set the wedding as early as we can. At first, I thought we would have a small wedding and invite my father’s friends. But after talking to Sue, I realized that everyone would ask me about where I have been or if they knew they would ask me about my ordeal. I do not want to face that. It is too late to go to Montrose this afternoon. We will go first thing in the morning and be able to talk to the preacher and get things moving.”

  “I understand how you feel, and I want you to do what you need to do. As far as getting married sooner goes, I am completely okay with that.”

  “I am sorry I feel this way, but I just don’t want to talk about this with anybody much less everybody.”

  “You have been through a lot in the last two years and then been under so much stress both mental and physical during your escape it is understandable that you feel this way. We will get married simply, and we will go to Texas, and this will become just a bad memory in time.”

  She hugged him and said, “Thank you.”

  They talked until Will, and Bob Robert came in, then they had lunch. After lunch, Bob Robert left to return to the Colonel’s ranch. Alice went to her room to unpack, and Will invited Dan to come and check out the ranch.

  They went to the barn and saddled a couple of horses and rode northwest. After twenty minutes, they came to a small treeless hill. Will rode to the top and Dan followed.

  Will said, “From here you can see most of the ranch. If you look north, you can see a tree line, that is the north boundary line, and the south boundary line is as far south of the house as we are north of the house. That gives me about four thousand acres of rolling grassland. Then there are five thousand acres of forest from that other tree line to the west.”

  “It is a very impressive spread.”

  “I got it from my father, and I have done a fair job of keeping it debt free.”

  “I know, my father, even when things were tough, never borrowed against the ranch. It is hard enough to make a living from ranching without owing money to the bank.”

  “As my only child, Alice will get all of this.”

  “Yes, sir, I understand that, and I plan on leaving the ranch in her name.”

  “I appreciate that, but it will be hers to do with as she pleases.”

  “That’s fine, but whatever happens, it will be her decision, not mine. I love your daughter, and I will take care of her.”

  “Then we want the same thing, her happiness.”

  “Yes, we do.”

  The next morning after breakfast Cecil had a buckboard and two-horse team waiting for Dan and Alice. They took the buckboard and headed north to Montrose. Dan pushed the team when he could, and they reached Montrose about 11:30. They went directly to the church and went to the preacher’s house next door and knocked.

  The Preacher opened the door and said, “Alice Johnson it has been a long time since I have seen you. Come in.”

  She said, “Hello Rev. Townsend, Yes, it has been. I have been away. This is Dan O’Neil.”

  They took seats in the parlor, and the preacher asked, “What can I do for the two of you?”

  Alice said, “We want to talk to you about getting married.”

  Rev. Townsend said, “That’s wonderful. Have you decided on a date?

  “Dan and I are going to Texas after we are married, and we would like to set the date as soon as possible.”

  “Do you want a wedding, or do you just want to get married?”

  “We just want to get married with my father and a few friends in attendance.”

  “If you just want to get married, then all we need is someone to be a witness, and we can do that any time.”

  Alice asked, “Dan what would you think if we had my father, the Colonel and Joe attend and have the wedding next Tuesday if Tuesday works for Rev. Townsend.”

  “If that date works for Rev. Townsend then I think that is fine.”

  Rev. Townsend went and got his scheduling book and said, “Tuesday is fine with me. I would suggest either 10:00 in the morning or 1:00 in the afternoon.”

  Dan said, “Alice, what about 1:00?”

  “That’s perfect.”

  Rev. Townsend said, “Good I will see you here next Tuesday, and one of your friends Dan, can act as the witness.”

  Dan said, “Rev. Townsend, thank you for your help.”

  He said, “Thank you for coming to see me.”

  As they left the Reverend’s house, Alice said, “I would like to go by the general store before we go back to the ranch.”

  As they got back on the buckboard, Dan asked, “Which way?”

  “It is up the street and on the left side.”

  At the general store, Alice started looking at a dress she could wear for the wedding. She wanted something nice but not too fancy. Dan told Alice he needed to look at something if she didn’t need him. He went to the other side of the store and looked at the men’s wear they had available. He had hoped to find a suit, but they did not have any, but he did find a coat, white shirt and a bow tie he liked. He carried his clothing to the clerk and paid for them and went to find Alice. She had found a dress she wanted and was looking at some other clothing.

  She looked at Dan and said, “I found that most of the clothes I had left at home either didn’t fit, or I didn’t like, so I need to pick up a few things. I will meet you at the counter in a few minutes.”

  “Okay, I will see you there.”

  Alice had found a dress for the wedding and a couple of everyday dresses and blouses, but she did not want Dan there because she needed some new undergarments. She found what she needed and folded everything carefully and carried them to the sales counter.

  She said, “I am ready.”

  “We need to get a pair of wedding rings.”

  “You are right.”

  The clerk showed them some rings, and they picked a couple of simple gold bans. Dan paid for the rings and all of Alice’s purchases.”

  She said, “You don’t need to pay for my things.”

  “I wanted to.”

  “Okay, thank you.”

  They went out to the buckboard.

  He loaded the packages into the buckboard and asked, “Do I need to get rooms here in Montrose for the Colonel, Joe and me or do we need to stay at your father’s ranch?”

  “I am sure that father would want all of you to stay at the ranch the night before the wedding and the next night because it would be too late in the day for the Colonel and Joe to return home.”

  “If you are sure then I think we are finished here for the day.”

  “I am ready to head back to the ranch.”

  They returned to the ranch and this time did not push the horses. They passed the time talking about their future plans.

  Dan asked her, “When she wanted to go to Texas?”

  After a minute, she said, “Since we will not be back here until next summer, I would like to spend at least a couple of days here with my father before we go to the Colonel’s. What do you think if we go to the Colonel’s on Friday after the wedding?”

  “That will work, then we can leave for Texas
on Saturday or Sunday depending on how things go at the Colonel’s.”

  “I like that.”

  The conversation continued, and they got back to the ranch a little after five. At dinner that night they went over their plans with Will, and as she had said, he was insistent that Dan, the Colonel, and Joe stay at the ranch. They told him that they would leave on the Friday after the wedding to go to the Colonel’s then on to Texas. Alice told him that they would be back next summer for a visit, and Dan gave him the mail and telegraph address information. The next morning Dan left to go back to the Colonel’s and Alice almost cried.

  Dan arrived at the Colonel’s ranch after 2:00. He carried his bag and bundle upstairs to his room. He laid his purchases out on the bed and unpacked his bag. He went back downstairs and out to the front of the house. He untied his horse from the hitchrail and walked it over to the corral. He unsaddled his horse and turned it into the corral. He then carried his saddle to the barn. In the barn, he found the Colonel and Bob Robert.

  The Colonel said, “Back so soon?”

  “Yes, we got our arrangements made. The wedding is set for next Tuesday at one o’clock.”

  “That sounds great, I am really happy for you. Bob Robert and I will finish here, and you can give me the details at dinner tonight.”

  “Good, I will see you then.”

  Dan then continued on to Joe’s cabin. He found Joe out behind the cabin preparing some venison for jerky.

  He said, “Hello Joe.”

  “Hello, Dan,”

  “Joe, Alice and I are going to get married next Tuesday in Montrose, and we would like you to be there.”

  “I will be glad to be there and thank you for asking.”

  “Do you need some help with jerky?”

  “No, I have already got my hands dirty, you don’t need to.”

  At dinner that night it was just the Colonel and Dan.

  Dan said, “Alice had thought about a small wedding, but decided that she did not want to face a lot of people that might ask questions about where she has been the last two years. So, we are just going to have a simple marriage ceremony with just her father, you and Joe present.”

  “I can understand that, and Joe and I will be pleased to be there.”

  “Alice and I will return here that Friday afternoon if that is alright with you?”

  “I look forward to hosting the new couple.”

  The dinner drifted into casual conversation. They ended the evening in the parlor with a few brandies.

  Over the next several days Dan tried to keep busy. He packed all his gear for the trip back to Texas. One day he spent going to Durango, to check on train schedules and sent a telegram to Bill Walker. Time passed slowly, but all he could do was wait.

  On the Monday before the wedding Dan, the Colonel, and Joe traveled up to the Johnson ranch. They spent the night, and all of them traveled to Montrose together. Dan and Alice took the buckboard, and everyone else rode. They tied all the horses up at the Reverend's house, and Dan knocked on the door. Rev. Townsend took them over to the church. They all stood at the front of the church, and Rev. Townsend married Dan and Alice. Colonel Simms signed the marriage license as the official witness.

  They returned to the Johnson ranch and got there at 6:30. Will had a festive meal planned for 7:30. They ate and socialized until late. Dan and Alice went upstairs to go to bed. She had moved her things to his room, so they went there. There was no reason to restrain their passion now, and they did not.

  Dan woke early, but instead of getting up he rolled over and put his arm around Alice and laid there. After a little while, Alice rolled over and was facing him. They looked into each other’s eyes, then kissed and let their passion carry them away. Afterward, they lay in each other’s arms, and she said, “I didn’t know I could feel like that.”

  “That was something.”

  “I love you so much.”

  “I love you with all that I am.”

  “Do we have to get up?”

  “How late do you want to be for breakfast?”

  She smiled and said, “Yes, I see, if we are late then we must still be up here making love, or we were up too late making love and overslept.”

  “That is what they will think.”

  “They know that we must have.”

  “It does not embarrass me to be late.”

  “I am afraid that I will blush when they see how happy I am, so lets’ not be late.”

  “Then we need to get up.”

  They got up and dressed and went down to breakfast at seven and Alice had to face everyone, and she did blush. But she didn’t care because she was happy, really happy for the first time in a long time. She was hungry, and she ate well. After breakfast, the Colonel and Joe made their farewells and left.

  Dan tried to stay with Will when he could. In the evening he and Alice would spend some time with Will. Alice cleaned out her old room and threw away everything that she didn’t want to keep. Everything she would leave at the ranch she put in ‘their’ room.

  Friday came, and they left after breakfast. Alice and her father hugged, and they both cried. Will had them take the buckboard, he said, he would send someone after it when the round-up was over. They loaded their bags on the buckboard and with a last kiss for her father they left. Dan tied his horse to the buckboard, and they headed south.

  They reached the Colonel’s ranch that afternoon. The Colonel was very glad to see them and invited them to stay until Sunday. Dan told him that they could. Dan unloaded the buckboard, and one of the wranglers took it and his horse to the barn. Dan needed two trips to carry everything to his room. He had cleaned and moved all of his extra gear to the room that Alice had used before. He went back downstairs and joined the Colonel and Alice in the parlor.

  Alice said, “The Colonel was just telling me about one of your hunting trips with him.”

  Dan said, “We always enjoyed our time in the wilderness.”

  She said, “I will let you talk, and I will go talk to Maria.”

  Alice left, and the Colonel asked, “How’s married life.”

  “Better than I thought it would be.”

  “I am glad you are happy.”

  “I am happy, very happy.”

  “I am glad that you can stay a couple of days.”

  “I wanted Alice and me to have some time with you.”

  “Thank you.”

  “As I mentioned earlier, we will be back next summer.”

  “I will be looking forward to that. Have you told Bill or your foreman that you are bringing home a bride?”

  “When I was in Durango last week checking on train schedules I sent Bill a telegram and asked him to get word to Tom. I also told him we would be back sometime the first of next week and that we will stop by on the way to the ranch.”

  “That is excellent.”

  Alice returned and said, “Maria said that I couldn’t help in the kitchen.”

  The Colonel said, “I told her that you were just married and that you were a special guest and not allowed to help in the kitchen.”

  “I will accept that this visit, but after this Dan and I are just visiting family.”

  The Colonel lost his reserve and hugged Alice and then said, “Thank you, yes you are family, and I want you to visit as often as you can.”

  Dan said, “We will.”

  She looked at Dan and smiled.

  The Colonel trying to get his composure back said, “Maria has a special dinner planned for you tonight at six.”

  “Then excuse us, and we will go upstairs and get ready for dinner.”

  Dan and Alice went to their room, and the Colonel went to the kitchen to check on dinner with Maria.

  Upstairs, in their room Dan took Alice by the waist and brought her to him.

  He kissed her very hard and long and then told her, “You could not have said anything to the Colonel that would have made him happier than what you said, and I love you for that.”

&nbs
p; “I could not but fail to see how he felt about you and based on what you have said about him, I knew what I had to say and what I felt.”

  “With all that has been happening in our lives,’ I haven’t thought of this until we started talking about the Colonel. The Colonel talked to me one evening when you were here before, and he told me he wanted to leave his ranch to me.”

  “Dan that is so generous of him.”

  “He has no family, and I had no family until you, now the three of us are family.” He hugged her.

  With her voice breaking a little she said, “Thank you for loving me.”

  “And you for loving me.”

  They washed up and changed clothes. He still wasn’t used to watching her change in front of him, and he was tempted. She saw him looking and blushed a little and said that he should hold that thought for later. She was a little surprised that she didn’t hesitate to change in front of him. She still had her undergarments on, so you could not really see much, but it was the idea of being seen in your under-garments. They finished getting dressed and went downstairs.

  They went into the parlor and waited. They were talking about the logistics of getting to Texas when the Colonel came in.

  The Colonel said, “Good evening,”

  They said, “Good evening.”

  The Colonel said, “I heard you talking about your baggage. Bob Robert and I will take you to Durango on Sunday. Alice, we will use your father’s buckboard, and Bob Robert will take it back to him when we get back.”

  Dan said, “That is very kind of you.”

  “Think nothing of it.”

  Maria came to the door and said, “Dinner is ready.”

  The Colonel said, “Alice after you.”

  They left the parlor and entered the dining room. Dan held Alice’s chair for her and then sat beside her. Maria brought in dinner. She brought in a plate each for Dan and Alice and then a plate for the Colonel. On each plate was a section of roasted beef tenderloin with caramelized onions, green beans and new potatoes in butter. Then she returned with a bowl of freshly baked dinner rolls.