by Karen Baney
“Whoa there!” commanded Ben as he reined Sheila up next to Will. “How was the meeting in town?”
Will spent the next hour explaining the highlights of his father’s estate and his own reaction to the news. When he finished, he confided in Ben, “Leaving is the only option, but where?”
“Startin’ over is going to take some doing,” Ben commiserated. “Remember in the spring when yer pa was talking about the Arizona Territory and those reports he heard of good grazin’ land throughout the place? Maybe we could drive the cattle out there and set up a ranch.”
Did Ben want to go with him? “We?” Will asked. “You don’t have to come with me, Ben. You know Reuben won’t be happy.”
Ben’s sour expression told Will what he thought of that. His features softened as he continued, “You’ll be needing someone to watch yer back and I figured since I’ve been doing it for this many years, what’s a few more.”
“Well, I would be glad to have you along.” Truthfully, Will could not imagine making a move without his old friend. “Your idea of going to the Arizona Territory has merit, if you think your old bones can hold out for that long,” Will teased.
“Humph.” Ben grumbled, heartily “patting” Will on the back. “I can still out ride you young ‘un. Speaking of riding, think it’s about time to get to work.”
Will fell in behind Ben as he led the way out to where a few strays ambled further from the herd. Positioning his horse outside the strays, Will gently guided them back to their place in the herd. The heaviness of the week’s events wore on his mind and he lost track of time as he diligently watched the longhorns.
As the sun lowered in the sky, Will suddenly realized he came dangerously close to being late for supper. He pointed Jackson toward the stables covering the distance quickly. After caring for the stallion, Will washed up outside, then made his way to the table. The ire written on Mary’s face told him she considered him late. Mumbling a quick apology to his sister-in-law, he took his seat.
As Reuben assumed their father’s seat at the head of the table, Will felt anew the keen loss. Things were definitely changing at the Star C, no longer under the watchful stewardship of his father.
Julia and Will bowed their heads, expecting Reuben to say grace. Hearing the clank of dishes being passed, Will looked up at Reuben, confused. Julia’s head also snapped up, a questioning look on her face.
“What are you gawking at?” snapped Reuben. “You know I don’t hold for any of that religious nonsense. If you feel it is necessary to offer up empty platitudes to your so called God, then, by all means, pray away,” he waved his hands in the air in a disdainful manner. “It won’t stop us from starting supper.”
Sitting in his father’s seat was expected. Dismissing God was not. Will felt his blood begin to boil. Reuben really had some gall.
Julia closed her eyes and must have offered up a silent prayer, since she did not reach for any food immediately. Will was too angry to pray right this minute. Hopefully, God would understand. He grabbed the potatoes and dished some onto his plate with more force than was necessary. Taking a deep breath, he tried to cool his temper. He knew Reuben was purposely being spiteful, trying to get a reaction from him.
“When will you be leaving, Will?” Reuben said snidely.
The words hit Will as hard as if Reuben slapped him across the face. And so the jockeying begins, Will thought wryly.
Mary’s jaw dropped. Obviously, Reuben said nothing to her about the possibility of Will’s departure. Julia dropped her fork and shot a look Will’s direction of both surprise and pleading. For once, even the two children were silent. All motion stopped and every eye focused intently on Will.
Will clenched his jaw and stated evenly, “What makes you think I’m leaving?” He hated when Reuben tried to manipulate him.
“Of course you are leaving, William,” Reuben sneered. “I’m simply giving you the opportunity to inform this family of when you will be ready to leave.” He paused, changing to a more benevolent tone, “If you’d like, I can choose the timing, although I don’t think you would be pleased with my choice.”
The metal of Will’s fork dug into his skin as his hold tightened in proportion to his rising temper. We only just went to the reading of the will this morning and he’s already trying to force me out. He should have been prepared for this, but he hadn’t expected Reuben to play this card so soon. “I haven’t made any definite plans yet.”
“You have two weeks,” Reuben replied, as he gingerly popped a bite of meat into his mouth. The smug, confident look on his face served only to further Will’s irritation.
“What!” Will shouted as his face grew heated. He dropped his fork and stood so rapidly that he knocked his chair over, his temper getting the best of him.
“Sit down Will and stop acting like you are surprised,” commanded Reuben. “Surely you are aware that I do not hold any sentimental feelings for you.” His dark glare punctuated the statement. “I want you off my property in two weeks.”
The dismissive tone was more than Will could take. Lunging toward Reuben, Will exclaimed, “What gives you the right to dictate orders to me?”
Reuben pushed back his chair and stood nose to nose with Will. “I am sole owner of Star C Ranch and I do not wish to have you here any longer.” Will felt the heat of his brother’s breath on his face. Reuben continued with a more chivalrous tone, “it is out of concern for Julia that I am allowing you to stay that long. Make no mistake, William, you are no longer welcome on my property.” With the last words he inched closer to Will, never breaking eye contact.
It took all of Will’s strength not to sling his fist at his brother. Perhaps it was Julia’s gasp at Reuben’s statement that reminded Will it would do no good to put up a fight. Or maybe it was the steely, sinister look in his brother’s eyes that held him back. Regardless, his appetite vanished and his temper flared. Will stepped back, turned on his heal, and stormed out the front door.
Chapter 4
Well after dusk, Will returned to the house. He stalked straight to his room, relieved Reuben seemed to be otherwise occupied. The ride did little to help Will solve his problem. Two weeks was not much time to plan a move if he knew where he was going, much less if he had no idea where to go. Pacing the length of the room in the small space between the bed and the dresser, his boots clomped loudly against the wooden floor. His mind continued to mull over his circumstance, but he came up with no solutions. Perhaps a trip to town tomorrow would be wise. At least he could see if there was news of anyone looking to sell out.
A soft knock on the door brought his feet to a halt.
“Will?” Julia whispered.
“Come in,” he answered as he opened the door.
“I found these while going through father’s bedroom,” Julia said, handing Will a stack of letters. “The first several look like information about the Arizona Territory. I think they are personal letters, but perhaps you could review them? I also found several of mother’s letters. If you don’t mind, I would like to keep those.”
Will heard the unuttered request to keep this bit of information from Reuben. Reuben would only try to use these letters to his advantage, finding some way to manipulate him or Julia. It was best to keep both sets of letters from him, unless some information directly pertained to the Star C.
He took the bundle and slid it under his pillow, nodding in agreement to her request before returning his attention to his sister.
Julia bowed her head, her long curls hiding her face from his view. She stared at the worn wood floor making no move to leave, or to speak. Knowing his sister’s moods well, he asked, “Would you like to take a walk?”
Nodding, she turned and led the way outside away from eavesdropping ears.
The dark night sky shimmered with sparkling stars as Will and Julia walked towards the corral. The cowboys’ laughter from the nearby bunkhouse floated across the air. The horses in the stable next to the corral snorted, settling down f
or the night. As Will leaned forward against the corral, he breathed deeply, smelling the fresh night air spiced with a light fragrance of hay. He placed one foot on the lowest rung before propping his arms against the top rung. Julia stood next to him, leaning her arms on the top rung in a similar fashion. They stood this way for several minutes before either spoke.
“I don’t want you to leave,” Julia lamented. “I will miss you terribly.”
A few more seconds of silence passed before she asked, “Where will you go? Do you have to leave so soon? Can’t you talk to Reuben and ask for more time?”
Will sighed in frustration, knowing her last question was completely unrealistic. If he pressed Reuben, he was likely to get even less time rather than more.
Taking a minute to gather his thoughts, Will recalled the conversation with Ben this morning, and then remembered the stack of letters Julia handed him. While he had no opportunity to read those letters, Will was struck by the coincidence. Both were about the Arizona Territory. Lord, is this from you? Is this the answer I have been searching for? For the first time since his father passed, Will felt a hint of peace. Perhaps the Arizona Territory would become his new home.
“Well, I will probably head out west,” he said, finally answering Julia. “Rumor is that there are good ranch lands in the new Arizona Territory. It’s something father was looking into last spring.”
Several silent seconds ticked by before Julia sniffled.
Turning to face his sister, Will said, “Julia, you know I can’t stay here at the Star C. I am not sure I would even be able to stay in the area. I will have to find someplace where I can support myself. Ranching is what I know, so I will go where I can do that.”
“But I don’t want to stay here with Reuben. He is so cold and calculating.”
Will stifled another sigh. She feared Reuben as much as he feared leaving her with him. Feeling helpless to change the situation, Will tried to offer her encouragement. “You know he has always treated you with respect, Julia. It is me that spurs his hatred. With me gone, he will be more bearable.” He prayed.
“I hope so.” She paused, her voice getting softer, “It’s just that, who will I talk to?”
Will half smiled, knowing Julia never wanted for a listening ear. But, he appreciated the sentiment all the same. He loved that his little sister adored him. “There’s Caroline. And Mary can be pleasant at times.”
Again the silence stretched. Will looked up to the flickering stars in the black night sky. Would the stars in Arizona look the same? Would he really be able to make a home there?
Julia’s whispered words cut through his thoughts. “I didn’t think I would lose everyone I care about at the same time.” Her voice broke and the tears came.
Moving to her side, he put his arms around her, resting his chin on the top of her head. Will empathized. It would be difficult leaving his dear little sister behind. It was a loss they would both feel deeply. Losing their father would leave emptiness, but this would intensify the loneliness. He waited silently for many minutes until Julia’s sobbing subsided.
As the laughter from the bunkhouse died down and the lights dimmed, Will became aware of the hour. “It is getting late,” he said, leading Julia back to the house.
After seeing Julia safely to her room, he returned to his own. Lighting the oil lamp on the stand next to his bed, he retrieved the bundle of letters from under his pillow. Lounging on his bed, he pulled the first letter from the stack. It appeared to be from one of the advance military scouts to the region. Will was surprised his father actually received the letter, especially since Texas was no longer part of the Union. There were five or so letters exchanged between his father and the writer who remained anonymous in his returned correspondence.
Eager to confirm his thoughts about the territory, Will read the letters. He learned about several areas of land in the southwestern region that had been Mexican ranch lands prior to the Gadsden Purchase. Several new ranches were already sprouting up. Tucson was a growing city and some of the outlying areas were suitable for farming and ranching. This area had a large Mexican population. Most of the whites were former southerners, so he might be welcomed there, though he did not consider himself a southerner.
The author stated the Hassayampa River in the north central territory would also support ranching. The last letter on the topic indicated a small group of miners discovered gold in the area, which was gaining the attention of the appointed governor of the new territory. This was one of the regions being considered by the governor as a potential location for the capital. A small fort was scheduled to be established by the end of the year. The writer described this region as, “…an area ripe for settlement. The large open grasslands are mostly suitable for cattle ranching. The grass is of a hearty nature, able to endure in a relatively dry climate. Any cattle of a durable nature should thrive here. The rolling hills filled with grass lead way to river valleys and mountains topped with dense forests of pine, cedar, and other strong woods. The discovery of gold will likely cause an increase of prospectors to the area in search of their long deserved fortunes.”
Will’s interest piqued. This Hassayampa River area sounded very promising. In one of the letters, the author outlined a rough route from Santa Fe to the river. He should be able to drive the cattle from here to Santa Fe, then on to the new territory.
Yawning, Will remembered the late hour. After folding up the letters and storing them in a safe place, he turned down the light. Even though his mind was full of ideas and planning, exhaustion won and he fell asleep almost instantly.
After discussing the letters with Ben and spending time praying over the decision, Will gained confidence that the move to Arizona was the right one. He had much to get done in the next few days, as Reuben’s imposed deadline rapidly approached.
This morning was the day he and Reuben agreed to divide the herd, per the instructions dictated in their father’s will. Since they were not due to head to market for a few weeks yet, the herd was at its largest.
As he neared the herd, the lowing of the cattle became welcome background noise. Dust swirled around the longhorns and the cowboys as the animals moved slowly forward. Something seemed different this morning, though Will could not pinpoint what caused him to think that.
“Herd looks a mite unusual,” Ben stated as Will reined in next to him.
Then Will clearly saw the difference. All of the weaker thinner cattle stood on the right and the strongest, fattest longhorns stood on the left. Never in all of his years ranching had he seen such an unnatural formation.
Hearing hoof beats approaching, Will glanced over his shoulder. Reuben, flanked by several of the seedier cowboys in his employ, rode towards the herd. Reuben looked stiff and uncomfortable astride his mare. It had been years since Will had seen his brother on horseback and in the pasture. He was obviously out of practice.
Once he and his men arrived, Reuben tried to assert his wishes on how to best divide the herd. “I think we should ride up the middle of the herd. I’ll take what is on the left and you take what is on the right.”
What was Reuben up to? Did he really think Will was ignorant? Stifling a snort of disgust, Will stated, “Let’s have Ben cut the herd as usual. Then we can count off equal numbers for each of us.”
“I disagree,” Reuben retorted. “My proposal is quite valid.”
Will moved his mount alongside Reuben’s. Leaning in towards his brother, he said in low tones, “I’m not oblivious to your scheme, Reuben. Unless you want to hop off your mare and settle this man to man, I suggest you stop this nonsense.”
“Are you threatening me?”
Narrowing his eyes, Will kept his focus on his shifty brother while directing his words to Ben, “Ben, let’s get started.”
Before Reuben could object, Ben issued instructions to the cowboys, following Will’s guidance.
The process took a significant portion of the day. At first Reuben blustered complaints with each good stee
r directed to Will’s herd, but after seeing the impossibility of the situation, he acquiesced. Several of the cowboys commented on how evenly matched the two herds were. Will was very pleased with both the quality and quantity of longhorns. In addition to half the herd, totaling three thousand head, Will took half of the breeding stock and horses.
Relieved that one major task was completed, Will turned his attention to the next hurdle—cowboys to drive the herd west.
Once word spread of his departure, several of the younger cowboys expressed an interest moving west. Including Ben, he had four men to drive the cattle. That number would barely cover point at the front of the herd and flank riders in the middle of the herd for one shift. He needed at least six more men just to cover two shifts for all the positions. In addition, he would need to get a chuck wagon, a cook, more horses, and a wrangler to care for the horses. All of this posed a difficult challenge in the short timeframe left, especially considering many ranchers would be going to market soon. He would also need a good number of supplies.
Although nearing supper time, Will rode into town. He arrived shortly before the general store closed, so he hurriedly posted hiring notices. He also made arrangements for some of the needed supplies. Darting out the door, he headed to the livery to purchase the chuck wagon. He would return to pick it up tomorrow.
Before leaving town, he heard a ruckus down the street and went to check it out. Several cowboys and ranchers that frequented the saloon stood outside discussing some topic heatedly in the street. Staying on the edge of the crowd, Will caught enough of the conversation to learn that the Union blockaded the main cattle trail to New Orleans. They were cut off from supplying the Confederate Army with much needed beef. The crowd grew agitated, throwing down curses on their former northern countrymen. Seeing tempers spiraling out of control Will made his way back to the ranch.
While he did not relish the impact this bad news would have on his fellow ranchers, it could benefit Will. He would be leaving at an opportune time, headed toward other markets. This may make hiring less difficult, now that many area cowboys would fear for their jobs.