Hermano was pleased when Ty asked to joined him.
After supper, Ty went to the General Store, bought fresh camping supplies, and then went to his room. He wanted to get an early start. Ma Gaither knew Ty would be leaving early, so she got up and prepared a breakfast of hot coffee, ham, and eggs-over-hard. She remembered how he liked his eggs. She sat and talked to him while he ate. She had seen him ride in leading two pack mules, so she asked, “Why do you need the mules?”
“I left some tools downriver, and I’m going to get them.”
“Will you be coming back through Cross Fork?”
“Yeah, I’ll be back in a few days.”
True to his word, the stable master had the horse and pack mules ready. Ty gave him extra money for the extra service, and rode out of town. He was following the flow of the Red River when the sun came up.
Chapter 18
When Ty left the Covington Ranch, Gabe and the two women watched him ride away. “Will he be all right?” Azalee asked.
“It’s a long ride through dangerous territory,” Gabe replied, “but it’s something he has to do. He was a right to go alone. He’s an expert frontiersman and, if any man can do it, Ty is the man. He’ll be back in about three weeks. In the meantime, I must do what I can to get this place back in operating condition . . . . Will you ladies ride with me and show me the land that makes up the ranch?”
“We’d love to,” Kate answered. “Azalee, let’s dress for riding. We’ll be in the saddle all day—I’ll pack a lunch for us.”
Kate and Azalee dressed in buckskin culottes and bolero jackets. They wore high-topped riding boots and wide-brimmed felt hats. Gabe saddled their horses, and Kate put lunches in their saddlebags.
“Let’s ride to the eastern boundary,” Kate suggested. “We’ll follow the boundaries of the ranch counter-clockwise, and have lunch in the shade of the trees when we cross Bitter Creek.”
They rode through rolling hills covered with tall prairie grass that rippled like water in the breeze. Brilliant summer flowers perfumed the air. A covey of quail—startled by the horses—fluttered into the air, their wings beating frantically, until they disappeared over a rise.
Trees grew along the small tributaries to Bitter Creek. A doe and a fawn appeared in the shade of the trees; farther down they saw a buck—probably the father of the fawn—standing motionlessly, watching.
When they reached the ridgeline, Kate pointed and said, “That’s the eastern boundary of the ranch. It follows this ridgeline north to that tallest hill in the distance. When we get to the north boundary, we'll cross Bitter Creek and ride west to Red Rock Canyon, and then continue on around the boundary until we return to this ridgeline. When we get back to here, we’ll have ridden completely around the ranch.”
“Why do you call this a small ranch?” Gabe asked laughing.
“Compared to the size of Marcum’s ranch, this is a small ranch,” Kate replied.
“Who owns the land to the east?” Gabe asked.
“That belongs to Marcum,” Azalee answered. “His ranch extends all the way to the river, so he has plenty of water, but he wants this ranch, so that he can control the water in Bitter Creek and force the other ranchers to sell.”
“Why is he so greedy?” Gabe asked.
“Why does a viper strike?” Kate replied. “We found my husband’s body about an hour’s ride south of here. He had been shot in the back. Nobody rides alone here anymore; it isn’t safe. Marcum’s riders steal cattle from all of the ranchers whose land borders his. He drives the cows to his ranch and alters the brands. He won’t allow anyone on his property, and the sheriff says there’s no evidence that rustling is going on.”
“Is that the same sheriff who works for Marcum?” Gabe asked.
“That’s the one,” Kate confirmed.
“What does Marcum do with the stolen cattle?”
“We can’t prove it, but we think he holds the in a valley south of here until he gets a large herd, then drives them east and sells them,” Azalee said.
“If we recovered one of the stolen animals,” Gabe said, “we could remove its hide and check the brand. If the brand has been altered, it would show the scarring of the old brand to be a different age than the new altered brand.”
“Then could we prove that the cow had been stolen?” Kate asked.
“No, it wouldn’t prove the animal had been stolen, but I’m sure the other ranchers would like to hear Marcum’s explanation of how the brand change came about. If a lot of brands have been altered, I’m sure an honest judge would be interested in hearing Marcum’s explanation, also.”
At last, they reached the creek. The shade of the trees was a welcome relief from the hot sun. They bathed their hands and faces in the cool water, spread a blanket in the shade of the trees, and ate their lunch. While they ate, they were entertained by a blue jay quarreling with a chipmunk. The chipmunk wouldn’t concede his territory to the blue jay. He stood erect, with his front paws tucked under his chin, and his tail flicked defiantly. The jay hopped up and down screeching and flapping its wings. The chipmunk cocked his head to the side and looked quizzically at the jay. Azalee laughed and clapped her hands—the clapping frightened the entertainers away.
After lunch, they continued riding the boundary. A wide alluvial valley extended on either side of Bitter Creek. Kate and Azalee were enjoying the ride since they had not ridden the boundaries for some time because it was unsafe. What had happened to Azalee, only a short distance from the ranch house, proved them right. Gabe said, “This land to the south looks good. Who owns it?”
“That’s the land I told you about,” Kate said. “It belongs to Mr. and Mrs. Shay, the elderly couple whose son was killed in the war. They want to sell and move back east, but no one will buy their ranch because they’re all afraid of Marcum.”
“I think this would be a good ranch for Ty,” Gabe observed.
“Do you think he would buy it?” Azalee asked excitedly. “I’ve always liked this place. It has one of the best houses in the area. It’s made of stone, so it’s cool in the summer and warm in winter. Oh, Gabe, do you think Ty would buy it?”
“He wants to buy a ranch, and this one looks good. Pleasing you is important to him, so if you like it, I’m sure that would influence his decision.”
Shifting her body in the saddle, Azalee explained, “The ranch house sits on a knoll overlooking the valley. It’s only a short ride from here. Let’s go talk to the owners.”
Gabe looked at Kate. She smiled and nodded. “I think it would be good for you to meet them. If you’re going to organize the ranchers, the Shays would be a good place to start. Marcum has all of the ranchers in a distressed situation. He steals their cattle so they can’t have a profitable ranch. They can’t hire help because the cowboys are afraid of Marcum’s gunfighters, and the Shay’s can’t sell because no one will buy their ranch and face all the trouble.”
“Sounds to me like all the ranchers are in the same bind. Let’s talk to the Shays; maybe I can give them hope,” Gabe said.
As they approached the Shay Ranch, Gabe saw large old oak trees shading the front of a house with a wide porch spanning its length. The owners came out to greet them. Mr. and Mrs. Shay were pleased to see Kate and Azalee; they looked questioningly at Gabe.
Gabe introduced himself. Extending his hand, he said, “My name is Gabriel Harding. I’m the new foreman at the Covington Ranch. Kate and Azalee have been showing me around.”
The old rancher accepted Gabe’s hand and said, “Step down and have a cold drink of water. I’ll draw some fresh from the well. The well is deep, and the water is always cold.”
"That would be wonderful. It’s been a hot ride,” Kate smiled.
“Come, let’s set on the porch where it’s cool,” Mrs. Shay invited, “and we can get acquainted with Mr. Harding.”
“It’s good to see your ranch again, Mrs. Shay. This has always been one of my favorite spots,” Azalee said.
“We
ll, thank you, child; we’ve been happy here. At least, we were before our son died and Marcum moved in.”
After they were all seated and enjoying their glasses of cool water, Gabe explained his idea about organizing the ranchers so that they could defend themselves.
“I’m getting a little too old to stand against Marcum,” Mr. Shay said. “Mrs. Shay and I would like to go home to Virginia and spend our last days with our family. Our son was killed in the war, you know. That’s why we decided to sell.”
“We feel terrible that your son will not be returning,” Azalee said, “and sorry that you’ve decided to leave.” She looked sympathetically at Mr. and Mrs. Shay. “Would you sell the ranch to me and the young man in my life?”
“Of course,” Mr. Shay nodded. “There’s no one we would rather sell it to, but what would you do about Marcum? Is your young man the one who saved you from those ruffians?”
“Oh, you’ve heard about that?” Azalee blushed.
“Yes, everybody’s heard. Moreover, we’ve heard about you, Mr. Harding, and we’re glad to meet you. When do we get to meet this other young man?” Mr. Shay asked, looking at Azalee.
“He’s away on business right now, but we expect him back in about three weeks.”
“Kate, we’re pleased to hear that you’re not losing your ranch. Where did you find men to work for you?” Mrs. Shay asked.
“Actually, we didn’t find them, they found us. It’s because of Gabe and Ty that we’re not losing our ranch.”
Gabe explained, “My friend Ty and I were helping to drive a herd of cattle from Texas to Kansas. Ty’s been looking for a place to start a horse ranch, and he liked the looks of this area. I met Mrs. Covington and her lovely daughter in Long Bow. She told me of her difficulty with the bank. We were able to help her keep her ranch, and she offered us employment. Ty and I hope to get her ranch up and running again. She told us about the difficulties she and the other ranchers are having with Marcum. I’m looking for a way to deal with him. If we can get the ranchers to work with us, we can solve the situation to everyone’s satisfaction.”
“Everyone except Marcum, you mean.” Mrs. Shay smiled.
“Yes, Marcum’s plan to dominate the area would be interrupted. I can understand why you wouldn’t want to participate in the action, Mr. Shay, but perhaps you could introduce me to the other ranchers. With your help, we might be able to persuade them to join us.”
“I’ll help you, but we must be discreet. I’ll talk to my neighbors and have them send riders to the other ranches. We’ll meet here, an hour after sundown, three nights from tonight. They’re eager to meet you. Too bad we can’t meet your friend, also. Rumor has it that he’s a gunfighter.”
Azalee jumped to Ty’s defense. “He’s no gunfighter!”
“She’s right,” Kate joined in. “He’s a nice young man, and not the kind that would harm anyone if he didn’t have to.”
Mrs. Shay took a deep breath. “I’m pleased.” She added, “Kate, if you and Azalee will help me, we’ll serve refreshments at the meeting.”
“We’ll be here before the meeting starts so we can help you get ready.” Kate acknowledged.
They bid the Shays good evening and returned to the Covington Ranch. The sun was just above the horizon, and it would be dark before they could get home. After arriving, Gabe attended to the animals while Kate and Azalee prepared supper.
For Gabe it was good having a woman prepare a supper especially for him. He wanted to protect them both but Kate aroused a deeper need in him, one to which he didn’t dare respond. If the memory of her late husband still lingered, she might feel a sense of betrayal to him. However, something in the way she moved led Gabe to believe that she, too, might want to be close. His hope that she shared his feelings might be wishful thinking, so he decided to move cautiously.
Kate prepared the place settings and set a place for Gabe at the head of the table. That’s strange, she thought, why would I do that? Gabe introduced himself to the Shays as my employee. But is he really my employee? Because of him, I still own the ranch. I’m not paying him a salary or a wage. He has willingly taken the lead in putting my ranch back in order. Why would he do that? She went to the kitchen window and watched him working with the animals. There was no urgency in his movements, yet he worked orderly and efficiently. He’s a good man, and a man like that needs a woman—am I that woman? Kate asked herself.
Azalee saw Kate watching Gabe, and said, “Mother, you like him, don’t you? I like him, too. I’ve seen him looking at you when he thinks nobody’s watching. He likes you—I can see it in his eyes.”
“He’s made no moves or said anything. I wonder why,” Kate said.
“How would you react if he did?”
A little surprised, Kate looked at Azalee and asked, “How should I react?”
“Father was a good man, but he’s gone. Gabe had a good wife, but she’s gone. You each have emptiness in your lives that the other could fill. I think you would be good for one another, but I doubt that he’ll make the first move. I think he’s afraid of acting too hastily.”
Kate stepped back from the window and with a trace of excitement in her voice, said, “He’s coming to the house. He’s milked the cows and gathered the eggs. Hurry, I want to have the table ready when he comes in.”
Gabe walked in. He liked the feeling of the room. Both Kate and Azalee were smiling, but they seemed to be examining him. It had been a long time since he had felt the warmth of a home and enjoyed the smell of a fresh-cooked meal. Kate set the last dish on the table, casually removed her apron and turned to him, her face glowing. Her tight fitting dress—cut low at the neckline—displayed her full bosoms and rounded hips. Gabe couldn’t keep his eyes off her; she was stunning.
The girls had done themselves proud. They had baked biscuits and fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy. They had peach pie for dessert. Gabe was elated—how did they know that fried chicken was his favorite dish?
At the table, Kate spoke of the coming meeting. Talk of the meeting was not casual conversation, but it seemed to Gabe that Kate had brought it up to camouflage other thoughts. He wanted to discuss things more personal, but he felt now was not the time.
“Do you think the ranchers will help us to stand against Marcum?” he asked, as he reached for another biscuit.
“It would be in their best interest, but they have other concerns,” Kate answered. “Most of them have their ranches mortgaged, and they’ll be reluctant to stir up trouble with Marcum because he has influence with the banker.”
“I think I know how we can solve that problem,” Gabe said. “I’ll propose it to them at the meeting. We need to buy cattle. We can’t run a ranch without cattle.”
Azalee wiped her hands on her napkin and remarked, “It’ll do no good to buy cattle until we can hire men to work them. We’ll need help to prevent Marcum from stealing the cattle like he did before.”
“We’ll have to solve the problems one at a time,” Gabe said.
After supper, they all did the dishes. Azalee yawned, “I’m tired; I think I’ll turn in. Good night,” she said, as she walked from the room.
“Good night, Azalee, and thank you for helping your mother show me the ranch,” Gabe said.
Kate hid her smile and said, “Good night, Azalee.” Turning to Gabe, she said, “It’s a beautiful night; let’s sit in the swing for a while.”
They sat quietly listening to cattle lowing in the distance, mingled with a lonesome coyote’s call. A warm breeze carried the fragrance of night flowers. Kate took Gabe’s hand. “Thank you for coming to our aid. You and Ty have made a wonderful difference in our lives.”
Gabe nodded. It was good to have a beautiful woman beside him. He wanted to take her in his arms, but discretion slowed his actions. Kate felt his hesitancy and moved casually so that their bodies touched. The warmth of Gabe’s leg against hers stirred feelings she had almost forgotten. They discussed their plans for the ranch. There was no lull
in their conversation, but after a time Gabe stood and said, “Thank you, Kate, for a wonderful supper. I enjoyed our day together, but I think it’s time for me to go to the bunkhouse.”
“We have a guestroom,” Kate suggested. “The bed in the guest room is more comfortable than the one in the bunkhouse. You’re welcome to use it.”
Gabe looked at Kate, smiled and said, “Thank you, Kate, but I don’t think I’d be able to sleep, knowing that you’re in a bed alone down the hall.”
Kate returned his smile. “I see what you mean. I think that knowing you’re in the guestroom might keep me awake, too.”
Gabe walked to the bunkhouse cursing himself for being so clumsy.
Kate whispered, “Gabe.”
Gabe turned around, closed the distance between them, hungrily grabbed Kate and smothered her with kisses. Kate eagerly returned his passion. They looked at each other and laughed, so happy to be in love that they ran to the bunkhouse, barely making it to the bed.
Chapter 19
After riding downriver for two days, Ty knew he was getting close to where the Confederate and Union soldiers had fought their battle of annihilation. Wind, weather, and time had hidden all traces of the death struggle that occurred here only one year ago. Ty led his pack mules to where the Confederates had hidden the cargo box. Considering that they were under fire, they had done a good job of hiding it. The rocks they used to fill the crevice had wedged in tightly, and he had to pry a couple of them away in order to remove the rest.
He soon exposed the heavy wooden box, rigged a sling, and used one of the mules to drag the cargo box out. It broke open as it slid from the crevice, exposing the gold coins. Anticipating that the bags would have deteriorated, Ty had bought new leather bags and had them made to give the appearance of cargo containers. He wanted people to believe that he was hauling farm tools. He loaded the coins into the new bags, stored them in the packsaddles, and then placed them on the mules. He then tied a rope between the two mules, so that they would have to walk in trail, then mounted his stallion, and started west.
Man Called Ty Page 12