by S G Read
In the camp Duncan Wolf Lee ran about like a mad thing or crept up on his unsuspecting mother who was resting. He would not have been able to do that before, unless he was with his grandfather and his braves. Duncan sat and watched him until it grew too dark to let him move out of the light, then he was put to bed. Not that he liked it.
The work at the valley continued until the second cabin by the gate was finished and the dam which fed the trough the horses were to drink from. The well by the cabins was finished long before the second cabin was completed which saved riding to fetch water. The three new hands still stayed in the same cabin when they were at that end of the prairie and in the line shack when one of them was at the other end.
The route Slim and Fox had taken from the Indian village to the prairie was blocked by the line shack, leaving enough room to use it if anyone needed to but positioned to make sure the horses did not stray up it. When everything was ready, the horses were driven out on to the prairie. Duncan lassoed a mare to keep in the valley and let his horse run free with her when he was not needed, he thought he deserved a change and his foals would be good stock.
Now it was a horse ranch Duncan relaxed and left the horses to his hands. He paid Eugene and his men and they left to find something else to do after they had let their hair down in Martinsburg but it was a downer, not having a cathouse anymore.
After a month Sebastian came calling to see Sarah and two days later returned to Bluegrass. Sarah stayed in the valley two more weeks but with Becky involved with Carl and looking to make it permanent she decided enough was enough and rode to Bluegrass. Duncan let her go and wished her well, as he did not know if she would be coming back.
From then on things just flowed along. Becky had a girl, who she called Danielle, to remind her of Dan her dead husband. Duncan would not let them live together unless they were married so invitations went out and there was a wedding with a huge party in the valley, the first of many.
Sarah came with Sebastian and showed off her engagement ring. Their wedding was held in Bluegrass but with the hands to run the ranch Duncan did not mind and the affair took over the town. Morning Sun had their third child, another girl. She was named Willow, in gratitude for Willow Grass’s part in saving Sarah.
A month after they were married Sarah arrived to let them know she was expecting Sebastian’s first baby and she wanted lots. She made sure to tell Becky but when she heard all about the birth, she started having misgivings.
‘A bit late now Sarah.’ Becky declared. ‘You can’t get unpregnant again.’
‘There is no such word.’ Sarah retorted but they remained firm friends.
Duncan and two of the hands went out to collect stray horses when they saw them, they also bought in stock to help the bloodline of their animals. The herd of horses grew, also swollen by the foals they were producing. With the onslaught of winter they were all driven into the valley to keep them out of the snow, so that when the spring came they were raring to go.
Duncan had other calls from the marshal’s office in Bluegrass and had to leave the valley and sort out the problems but he knew the valley was in safe hands. The children would grow up in safety but also learning all they needed to survive in this country. They would also learn to read and write, Becky was the valley schoolteacher.