“What’s the name of the man he wants killed?” Kruger asked.
“They call him Ty. I don’t know his last name.”
“Did you say Ty?” Pothman asked, suddenly very interested.
“Yeah, that’s what he’s called.”
“Well, I know him. His last name is Terel. He killed my brother. I’ve been looking for him for a year. You don’t have to pay me anything; I’ll kill him for nothing.”
A sound came from Kruger’s throat that was almost a hiss. “We don’t do nothin’ fur nothin’. What’ll your boss pay?”
“How about five thousand?”
“How about ten?” Kruger retorted.
“Ten it is,” Slade said. “When can we leave? It’ll take us about a week to get there.”
“We’ll leave in the morning,” Kruger said, “but I ain’t riding through the Cherokee Nation. They got their own kinda law, and I want no part of it.”
Slade hid a smile. Kruger must have killed some squaws. Those Cherokee will nail his hide to a tree. “We can ride west until we get past the Cherokee Nation, and then turn south. It’ll take about ten days going that way.”
“What kind of law do you have in Indian Territory?” Pothman asked.
“We make our own law. It’s called the law of the gun,” Slade said.
“Now that’s my kind of law,” Kruger smirked.
Chapter 27
With tears in her eyes, Mrs. Shay said, “Good morning,” as Ty and Azalee rode up to the porch where she was standing. She embraced Azalee. “I’m so pleased that you’ll be living in this house. It’s a wonderful place. It was a happy place until our son died in the battle of Bull Run, and then Marcum moved in and began stealing our cattle. Now we can go home to Virginia.”
Mr. Shay grasped Ty’s hand. “You have turned despair into hope. We gladly accept your offer for the ranch. We’ll no longer need the ranching and farming tools, so they’re a part of what you’ve bought. We’d appreciate it if we could use one of the light wagons to transport us and our belongings to the nearest railroad.”
“You’ll need horses to pull the wagon, and someone to drive it,” Ty commented.
“Yes, we’ll need horses, but some of our old ranch hands whom Marcum drove away still live in Long Bow. They’ll be glad to accompany us and bring the wagon back. We want to leave right away, so as soon as we can get our personal things packed, we’ll be going.”
“How do you want to be paid? I have gold, or I can get currency from the bank if you prefer.”
“Gold will be better. It’s a little heavy to carry, but nobody questions its value. I’ve already drawn up a bill of sale. We’ll all sign it, and the ranch will belong to you and Azalee. I hope I’m not assuming too much when I include Azalee as the one who will be sharing the ranch with you?” Mr. Shay said looking at Ty.
“No, Azalee has agreed to be my wife. My life on this ranch, or any other place, would be empty without her. She’ll be more than just my wife; she’ll be my partner and my life’s companion. We’ll live on this ranch and run it together.”
“I’m pleased for you, Ty,” Mr. Shay said. “Azalee is the most beautiful girl in these parts, and her beauty is not just skin deep.”
“I agree,” Ty said with a smile. “Mr. Shay," Ty continued, “let’s get the formalities completed. I’d appreciate it if you would ride the ranch with Azalee and me. We need you to show us the land we’ve bought, and tell us about any special or unique features.”
“The ranch boundaries have been surveyed, mapped, and recorded. There are some unique features—I’d be glad to show them to you, and I’d like to ride the land once more.”
Mrs. Shay was showing the home to Azalee while her husband and Ty talked. “When the house was built,” Mrs. Shay said, “there were hostile Indians to be considered, so the house was built almost like a fort. It’s made of stone, so it’s cool in summer and warm in winter. The rooms are large, and it has extra rooms to accommodate guests. The only real inconvenience is that you’ll have to go down the hill to get water from the well.”
Ty came into the room in time to hear Mrs. Shay’s comment.
“I have a plan to solve that problem. I’ll drill a well inside the kitchen and mount a pump so that Azalee will have water right at her kitchen sink.”
“That’s a great idea. I don’t know why I didn’t think of it,” Mr. Shay said. “Let’s get this signing done so I can show you the land.”
After the signing, Ty said, “I’ll saddle your horses and meet you at the corral.”
“Just one horse will be enough,” Mrs. Shay remarked. “I don’t ride as well as I used to. You go ahead, Azalee; there’s a lot to see.”
The ranch was even better than Ty had imagined. Most of the land was fertile creek-bottom land. It would produce all the hay and corn they would need, with enough rolling grassland to provide grass for their horses.
After Mr. Shay had shown Ty and Azalee most of the land, they approached the boundary to Marcum’s ranch. “There’s a canyon up ahead that I think you should see,” Mr. Shay said. “The canyon’s mouth is on this ranch, but it extends onto Marcum's ranch. I think he used the canyon to drive my cattle from my ranch to his.”
“Sounds like a natural. Let’s take a look,” Ty said. While they approached the mouth of the canyon, a frightened coyote ran out and crossed right in front of them.
“That’s strange,” Ty remarked. “That coyote wasn’t running from us; it ran right past us.”
Azalee noted, “A covey of quail just flew out of the canyon. They were startled by something. Mr. Shay, do you have animals in that canyon?”
“No, all my animals were stolen. The only animals I have left are the horses that I keep in the corral.”
“Azalee is right,” Ty said. “Something or somebody frightened that coyote and those birds. I’ll walk up the canyon and see if I can determine what it might have been. I suggest that you dismount. A person on horseback makes a very convenient target should a sharpshooter be lying in ambush. Wait here until I check this out.”
Using skills he had learned hunting, Ty silently moved up the bed of the canyon. The canyon was deep, and no breeze was blowing; perspiration beaded on Ty’s brow; wiping it away with his bandana startled a rabbit. The rabbit scurried away making almost no sound, but Ty heard either a large animal or a person moving in the grass near the rim of the canyon. He crouched behind a fallen log, and listened.
A clump of grass move; a rifle barrel protruded from the grass and a shot rang out. Ty heard Azalee scream. Throwing caution to the wind, he fired into the grass. The sniper rolled out and tumbled to the bottom of the canyon. Someone from another location fired at Ty, and the bullet hit a tree beside him, splattering his face with stinging shards. Ty fired at the second sniper as he turned, and the second sniper joined the first in the bottom of the canyon.
Fearing what he might find, Ty ran to Azalee and Mr. Shay. Azalee’s horse was down, and its head was lying on Azalee.
Mr. Shay was bending over, trying to lift the horse’s head. Ty’s thoughts were punishing him. Why did I take so long? As he got closer, he saw Azalee moving. She was struggling to get out from under her dead horse. At least she’s alive! He grabbed the horse’s head and pulled it off her.
She got to her feet and flung herself into his arms, sobbing with joy. She had heard shots and was afraid that one of the shots might have hit Ty. Her horse had moved between her and the sniper’s bullet, and she had screamed when the horse fell on her.
“Azalee can ride my horse,” Mr. Shay offered.
“Thank you, but we’ll ride double," Ty responded. "It’s only an hour’s ride back to the ranch, and this stallion is strong. Take the horses and wait for me by the stream at the mouth of the canyon. Ty helped Azalee onto his horse. "I've got to do something that will take only a few minutes. The dry-gulchers’ horses are hidden somewhere near here. I’m going to tie the snipers onto their saddles and send them home with a message t
o the rest of Marcum’s men.”
Ty caught the horses and led them to where the snipers lay. Using paper from his saddlebag, he penned a message in bold scribe:
"This message is to Marcum’s riders. My name is Ty, and I have no quarrel with you unless you start one. These dead men shot at a woman from ambush. They killed her horse. They deserved to die. Come to me in friendship, and I’ll greet you as a friend. If you shoot at me or mine, I will shoot back. If you lay in ambush for me, I will hunt you as I would hunt any other sneaking predator." Ty signed the message, "Tyree Terel, The new owner of the Shay Ranch."
As Ty had promised, in only a few minutes, he returned to Azalee and Mr. Shay and they rode back to the ranch house. Even though the snipers had tried to kill him and Azalee, Ty felt bad that he had to kill them. With a heavy heart, he told his companions what had happened in the canyon.
Azalee knew that Ty was no killer. She could see that he was troubled about having to kill the dry gulchers. She placed her hand on his arm and said, “You did what you had to do.”
When they returned, Mr. Shay told his wife what had happened. She shook her head in dismay.
Azalee said, “Mrs. Shay, Mother and Gabe are going to be married right away. I’d like to leave the ranch house to them so they can be alone for their honeymoon. May I be your guest?”
“Of course, Azalee," Mrs. Shay said. "We would love for you to stay with us, but we’ll be leaving soon. The ranch is yours, so move in anytime you want.”
“Living here will be wonderful,” Azalee gleamed. “I’ll return on the night of their wedding.”
“Ty, this community owes you a debt, greater than it can ever repay, and I want to say thank you,” Mr. Shay said extending his hand. Ty accepted his hand in silence.
Ty and Azalee said goodbye, waved, and rode away.
When they got to the Covington Ranch, Ty told Gabe about the ambush, and Azalee told Kate. They didn’t speak of it again.
* * *
Having read Ty’s message, Marcum’s men discussed it quietly among themselves for days. The men whom Ty had killed were bad apples, and the cowboys knew that he had been justified in shooting them.
One of Marcum’s riders whispered to his friend, “I’d rather ride for Ty.” His friend nodded solemnly.
Chapter 28
Gabe and Kate were married in the little glen by the stream. Kate wore a light beige gown, with flowers in her hair. Her radiant smile expressed her happiness. Gabe wore a dark blue suit with white shirt and a light blue tie. The way he looked at Kate left no doubt that he was marrying the woman he loved.
Ranchers came from all around. The townspeople and merchants attended, and the cook barbequed two steers. Musicians played, and everyone danced until late into the night. The daughters of the ranchers and merchants danced with the cowboys; some of the girls were still quite young, and they were eager to meet all the new people.
Gabe and Kate left the party early. They were last seen walking hand in hand to the ranch house. After the last guest left and the ranch hands clean up the mess, Ty and Azalee rode to their ranch.
Azalee said, “I’m so happy for Mother. Did you see the radiant glow on her face as Gabe led her to their honeymoon bed?”
“Yes, and I saw love and pride on the face of my friend. Those were expressions that I doubted I would ever see on Gabe’s face again when he told me of how he lost his family. Kate is just what he had hoped to find. I can tell by looking at them that they’re good together, and I think that being good together is a fundamental thing in all good marriages.”
“Then our marriage will be wonderful. We’ll be married when the red buds bloom, and I’ll make your dreams come true,” Azalee said as she snuggled in his arms.
Smiling, Ty said, “The Shays left yesterday, so the ranch house will be empty. I’ll sleep in the bunkhouse tonight. Tomorrow you can show me what changes you want made to the house, and I’ll get workers started on making them. I want to get that pump installed in the kitchen.”
“It will be wonderful having a pump right in the kitchen,” Azalee beamed. “I like the house just the way it is, but while going over it with Mrs. Shay I saw a few changes I’d like to make. The people called it, 'The Shay Ranch’ because the Shays lived here, but they don’t anymore. We own it now, and I want to call it 'The Terel Ranch.' What brand shall we use?”
“I like the name,” Ty agreed. “We’ll call it 'The Terel Ranch,' and we’ll use the Diamond T for our brand. The diamond T looks like this: < T >.” . . . Ty drew the brand on Azalee’s hand, and said, “I don’t brand horses on the flank because it mars their beauty. We’ll use small branding irons and place the brand in the horse’s left ear. We’ll raise the best and the most beautiful horses in the area.”
* * *
The following morning, Ty and Azalee rode back to the Covington Ranch. Gabe and Kate had slept in, so Ty assigned the men to their duties, and then he and Azalee returned home to their ranch. They were excited and spent the whole morning listing the changes and additions they wanted to make.
“Let’s ride into town and hire workers,” Ty said. “I want to get them started right away.”
* * *
When they reached Long Bow, Ty posted a notice on the town’s bulletin board, stating that he wanted to hire carpenters, ranch hands, and wranglers. Then Ty and Azalee had lunch at the restaurant where they had first met. It seemed as though everybody in town had heard about the happenings at the Covington Ranch, and they all wanted to talk to Ty and Azalee.
A man, about thirty, walked into the restaurant. He had a manner about him that indicated he was accustomed to being in charge of men. He walked to the table where Ty and Azalee sat, and extended his hand saying, “My name is Lewis Layton. I’m called Lew, and I’d like to talk to you.”
Ty grasped his hand and said, “Have a seat, Mr. Layton. My name is Tyree Terel. Please call me Ty. This is Miss Azalee Covington.”
Smiling, the man who called himself Lew said, “I’ve known Miss Covington since she was a child. I knew her father. He was a fine man; everybody respected him.” Lew’s expression grew serious. “Too bad about how your father died.”
“Thank you, Mr. Layton. Of course, I remember you,” Azalee remarked. “You were the foreman at the Shay Ranch.”
“What do you want to talk to me about?” Ty asked.
“I read on the bulletin board that you’re hiring men. I was told that you bought the Shay Ranch. I know that ranch, and I’d like to be your foreman.”
“You were the foreman of the ranch before and you quit. How do I know that you won’t quit again if the going gets rough, and why do you want to work for me?” Ty asked.
“Mr. Terel, I’m a good ranch foreman, but I’m no gunfighter. I have a wife and two children. Marcum’s gunmen shot and wounded two of my men. There was no law to stop him, and he had too many guns for us to challenge, so my men all quit. When they quit, I had no men to be in charge of, so I moved my family into town and I’ve been trying to find enough work to feed them. We heard how you killed those dry-gulchers. Now that there’s someone to stand up to Marcum, the men who worked for me before will work for me again. I can hire most of them back.”
“Your answer makes sense,” Ty said. “I might have done the same. You, and the men you hire, will have to rebuild the bunkhouse and the house you and your family will live in. You’ll have to make changes to the ranch house as well; here is a list of the things we want done.” He showed Lew the things he and Azalee had decided on. “You’ll need to hire and supervise carpenters and masons. Can you do that? I’ll pay top wages.”
“If you buy the material, we’ll do the work,” Lew responded.
“Then you’re the foreman of the ranch,” Ty said, as he shook Lew’s hand. “I’ll arrange with the bank to provide credit with the merchants, so that you can buy the supplies you’ll need. We’ll call it The Terel Ranch. The brand will be the ‘Diamond T.’ I suggest that you start by rebuilding the bun
khouse and the foreman’s quarters. You can move in as soon as you get your living accommodations ready. I’ll work with you to rebuild the barns and corrals, and Miss Covington will work with you to refurbish the ranch house. Whatever she asks you to do, do it. Can you and the men meet us at The Terel Ranch tomorrow at ten?”
With a smile, Lew said, “I’ll be there with the carpenters and riders.”
“Tell them that they’ll be expected to protect themselves and the animals under their charge, but they’re not being hired as gunfighters—they’re being hired as wranglers,” Ty explained.
“Wranglers?” Lew asked, “Are you telling me that this is not going to be a cattle ranch?”
“That’s right. The Terel Ranch will be a horse ranch. We’re going to raise the best horses in the territory.”
“That’s great! The ranchers will need horses as they rebuild their ranches and the army needs horses. The merchants will be pleased. If the ranches are prosperous, the merchants will prosper. What are you going to do about Marcum? He’s not going to take this lying down, you know.”
“You let me worry about Marcum,” Ty replied.
“I’ll tell my wife that we’re moving back to the ranch," Lew said. "She and the children will be happy. I’ll hire the men, and we’ll see you at The Terel Ranch ready to begin work in the morning.”
Lew departed the restaurant smiling.
Looking at Ty with admiration, Azalee said, “Everything is so easy for you. How do you do it?”
“Having gold helps,” Ty smiled.
With a frown on her face, Azalee asked. “What are you going to do about Marcum?”
“I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it. Let’s get back to the Covington Ranch and see how the honeymooners are doing,”
* * *
When Ty and Azalee arrived at the Covington Ranch, they found Kate and Gabe working with the men. They had men repairing the barns and the corrals, rebuilding the bunkhouse, and branding the cattle.
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