Hilda Hogties a Horseman

by Linda K. Hubalek

  “Hello the house! Hilda! Hilda?”

  He got off and looped Ace’s reins over the hitch post that stood a few yards from the house. Just as he was about to walk over to knock on the door, it slowly cracked open, then jerked wide.

  “I can’t believe a son of Cate Wilerson would do this!” Hilda hissed from the door.

  Noah whirled around at her angry declaration. “Do what?”

  “What you did in my house!” she was screeching now. “You can’t own up that you made a mistake in abandoning the claim, so you’re going to burn it down instead?”

  “What? I did no such thing. I’ve been in Clear Creek with Adam and Millie today. Then I went to Ellsworth to the county land agent’s office to try to straighten out this mess. I haven’t been on your place since this morning.”

  Hilda’s rigid stance wilted after his statement. Noah warily walked to the house and peered through the doorway when Hilda moved out of his line of sight. First thing that hit him was the strong odor of lamp oil, as though it had been spilled. Then his eyes followed a lariat rope which had been strung like a sloppy spider web between the table, through the curtains on the opposite walls and back underneath the chair seats. The rope even wrapped around one of the bed posts until it finished around the woodstove oven handle. And in the middle of the table stood a box of matches, with a few matches lying on top of it. It seemed like a threat showing that it would be easy to just scrape the sulfur tip of the little wooden stick across a rough surface and touch the rope—which he realized reeked of the smell of oil—and watch a thread of flame dance back and forth across the room, setting the dainty lace curtains and chairs on fire in a few seconds.

  “Get out of the house, Hilda. There could be something else rigged up to set the fire. Where’s your dog?”

  “I don’t know! Sometimes I pack her in a saddle bag and take her with me, but I didn’t today while I was out riding. I left her in here, but she’s not responding to my call inside or outside the soddie.”

  Noah stood in the doorway, studying the rope maze. “I’ll untie the rope where it starts, then let’s carefully roll it up without getting oil on too many things. You can hold up the curtains while I work the rope off them. You’ll have to wash any fabric items, but they shouldn’t be ruined if we’re careful.”

  “I just came from the barn and nothing was amiss there,” Hilda nervously added.

  “And I didn’t see anyone riding away when I came from the west. How long were you gone this afternoon, Hilda?”

  “Maybe a couple of hours. I hadn’t ridden the stallion for a while so we rode to the river and followed it a ways before heading back.”

  “So plenty of time for someone to come in and string a rope. Let’s get this trap down, then we’ll look for your dog.”

  It didn’t take long to take down the rope. Luckily it was just one spot on the rope which was soaked with the oil. Noah tossed the rope outside while Hilda put away the matches in the tin on the shelf by the stove.

  Both stopped still when hearing a soft thump coming from the bottom drawer of her chest of drawers. “I don’t think a snake or rat would be that noisy,” Jacob said before gripping the two knobs and slowly sliding the drawer open. Two black beady eyes, half hidden in a mat of dirty fur, looked up, pleading for help.

  “Terror! What in heaven’s name?” Hilda plopped down in front of the drawer and dragged the little dog out. Its muzzle and legs were tied together with a long white ladies’ stocking, apparently one of Hilda’s, by her blush.

  “The rotten scoundrel was going to let my dog burn to death too?!” Hilda had the dog untied and clutched to her chest within a few seconds. “If I ever find out who did this…” she glared up at Noah “he is going to be hogtied and lit on fire.”

  ***

  “Why are you still here, Noah? Thank you for your help, but you need to leave now.” Noah’s silhouette filled the doorway of her house because the sun was starting to sink below the horizon. They had searched through everything in the house, the outhouse and the barn for more problems, but the rope maze, and her poor little dog imprisoned in the chest of drawers seemed to be the only things wrong. Hilda’s stomach did a flip flop thinking what she would have done if Noah hadn’t come along at the right time.

  “Oh, I forgot to tell you why I rode out here. I’m your new hired man.” Noah had the gall to smirk, widen his stance and fold his arms across his chest.

  “No,” Hilda firmly stated as she stared at Noah.

  “Yes,” Noah countered back. “You promised Jacob and Adam you’d hire whoever our families picked to do the work around here for you. It’s settled. I’m the best person for the job. I’m family. I need the work, and I’m available. And I know the place…since I built it. I’m bunking in the barn starting tonight.”

  Although Hilda wanted to protest, she was relieved Noah would be staying. The place did need a lot of work, plus she’d feel better to have his protection if the troublemaker came back.

  “After today’s surprise, I think I’d like some company—for a while. Even though I’m sure he’s dead, these stunts make me think of Sid Narker, but that can’t be,” Hilda murmured.

  Noah remembered hearing the unusual name, and then realized he was the man Adam told him to ask Hilda about.

  “Adam mentioned his name and said you’d tell me what happened between Narker and Rania. So, what happened and why would he be giving you trouble now?”

  Hilda shook her head and didn’t answer.

  “Come on. I need to know what we’re up against if, by chance, it’s the same character.”

  “I’d rather have him come after me than Rania again if he’s still alive.” Hilda sighed, hesitating, before answering his question, “Sid signed on with our cattle drive last year when we started up from Texas…and he gave Rania a lot of attention. She was really smitten at first, but then something changed between them, although Rania wouldn’t say what it was. She just never wanted to be alone with him anymore. He did his work, but after something happened between them, he’d watched us girls with a strange gleam in his eye—but never when Pa or my brothers were around. Around them, he was a polite gentleman.”

  Hilda stopped to calm herself before continuing her thoughts out loud.

  “One day, Rania went down to the creek we were camped by to wash up and Sid grabbed her and… A little later I was making my way down to the creek and was horrified to see what was happening. His back was to me, so I grabbed a big stick and hit him in the head as hard as I could. While he lay there dazed from the blow, Rania and I climbed back up the creek’s bank and ran for the chuck wagon.”

  Noah held his breath, fearing the worst for the twin sisters.

  “Momma guessed what…happened. Without waiting to find Pa or my brothers, Ma grabbed her gun, marched down to the creek, and told Sid to take off—or else she’d sic the men after him. He left with his horse, but not his wages. When Pa wondered where his hired hand had disappeared to, Ma said Sid was tired of riding drag and was going back home.”

  Hilda’s voice grew stronger as she continued telling the story.

  “Turns out instead of following us as Rania feared, he went ahead of the herd to Ellsworth, our destination. He worked for the Bar E Ranch until Mr. Elison fired him, right before my brother Dagmar was hired as foreman.”

  “Adam said something about Narker forcing Rania to go with him, but he disappeared when crossing the river?”

  “Yes, Sid was waiting for Rania when she came home from town one day. He said he wanted to go to Denver and forced her to travel with him. We had just had a big thunderstorm the night before; when they tried crossing the flooded river, Sid’s horse drowned and we assumed Sid did too, although his body was never found. Jacob, along with Rania’s dog, rescued Rania and her horse when they were swept into a pile of debris. Jacob and Rania married the Sunday after the attack.”

  “Was your sister…okay?”

  “Rania about drowned and was bruised from
debris in the water hitting her, but she’s okay now. But…you should know Rania’s pregnant from an earlier attack by Sid. Rania didn’t tell us when it happened because Sid said he’d hurt the family if she told anyone. It’s all right now. She and Jacob will welcome this baby as their own.”

  “We need to let Adam and our families know what happened here today.”

  “No Noah, I don’t want to worry them.”

  “Hilda, how would you feel if your mother or sister got hurt by him or someone else, just because you didn’t tell them? I won’t take that chance for my ma and sister, in case the lunatic has his sights on them, too. We’ve all got to be on alert until this person is caught.”

  Hilda turned her head away from Noah, trying to wipe the tears from her eyes without him noticing. Rania went through so much to protect her family, and Hilda didn’t want to worry her again.

  “We never knew where Sid holed up after he got fired from the Bar E and showed up later to kidnap Rania, but there are plenty of caves in the hills around here. I shudder to think he’s still been in the area this whole time.”

  “Will you be okay here if I ride to Jacob’s to tell him what happened?”

  “Of course. I’ve got my wits about me again, and my gun handy if the man dares show up twice in one day.”

  “How about we ride out first thing in the morning to scout the caves near here, and you can tell me your plans to raise horses. Since I had planned to do the same thing originally—maybe we can work together?” Hilda realized Noah was just being nice, but it gave her heart a flutter to have someone who might care about her and her opinions.

  ***

  When Noah rode back to the soddie, Hilda was sitting on a chair outside, with the dirty dog beside her—still yapping its head off. Noah was ready to wrap a sock around the dog’s muzzle again.

  He thought he had better report to Hilda before moving into the barn. Noah got off Ace and walked toward Hilda. Poker stayed back with Ace, still questioning his status in this new place. Neither Noah nor the German shepherd were top dog here—that was for sure.

  “Jacob was sorry to hear of the break in, but he didn’t think it was possible for Narker to be the culprit. I don’t know if he really thought so, or was just trying to ease Rania’s worry since she was there for our conversation. Either way, he’ll spread the word around to the neighbors and to Adam.”

  “Thank you, Noah. My head keeps telling me it couldn’t have been him, but my insides are still jumpy,” Hilda said. She rose from her chair and turned to ask him, “What do you need for tonight? Want a jug of water to take to the barn?”

  “No thanks. I’ll just fill up my canteen at the well.”

  “Want to use my wash basin to wash up…well I guess it was your basin first…” Noah was glad Hilda’s face turned pink, thinking about all of his things she was now using. “I keep it inside the house because it will blow away if I leave it by the well. You’re welcome to use it now…or in the morning.”

  “Uh, thanks. I’ll use the basin in the morning.” Noah planned to wash off the day’s dirt and sweat with a bucket of well water over his head. Hopefully it would cool down his temper, too. He was having a hard time with not being able to claim his place.

  Noah also hoped Nutcracker would allow Ace to share his pen tonight. He didn’t want the geldings fighting, but he didn’t want to tie up his horse overnight outside the pen. All three of them—he, Ace and Poker—had to bow down to the new owner and her animals, and it just grated on his nerves.

  “Anything else you need, then, before you all go to the barn? Poker need any food scraps? I already put a bowl of water inside the barn door for him.”

  “Poker ate with me over at Jacob’s, but there is one thing I want,” Noah hesitated for a second at the open door before walking into the house, heading straight for her bed. “I do want my pillow back.”

  Hilda followed him into the house, but stood on the other side of the open room. “Okay. It’s the one on the left side.”

  He yanked the pink and white patchwork quilt back to grab the pillow beneath it, noting the scent of rose soap and sunshine the pillow gave off when he squeezed it. Noah inhaled the fragrance—which calmed him a little—and for an instant made him wonder what it would be like to sleep next to the woman who gave off this scent.

  What did Victoria smell like when he held her close? Strange, but nothing came to his mind. “Why do you have two pillows on your bed?” Noah said to get his mind back on the track of being annoyed at the situation.

  After a long minute of silence, Noah wasn’t sure if she didn’t hear his question or didn’t want to answer him.

  Evening shadows showed across half of Hilda’s features as she moved to look out the window. It was a while before she softly answered. “It just gives me comfort. I hug the second pillow at night and dream…it’s a husband holding me, instead.”

  Noah walked to stand behind her back, looking out at the same view he had enjoyed before he left to fetch his wife. Her answer had deflated his anger at the situation. He inhaled the scent from the pillow again as he held it front of him. Noah knew what she meant, because he wished he was holding a spouse in bed tonight, too.

  ***

  “No eggs yet for breakfast?”

  Hilda jumped when Noah walked in the door the next morning without knocking. Hot coffee sloshed out of her china cup almost burning her hand in the process.

  Did she forget he slept in the barn last night and would be expecting breakfast before starting work? The hired men always got fed by the ranch wife or a hired cook in the bunkhouse if there was a crew of workers.

  “No,” Hilda answered, while wiping her hand down her trousers. “They haven’t started laying eggs yet. I got a brooding hen and nest of eggs from your mother when I moved out here.”

  “I didn’t see the original hen in the bunch.”

  “That chicken was Kitty’s first taste of…feathers.”

  Hilda made a gesture for Noah to sit at the table and he pulled out a chair. When he had lived here, he had one wobbly stool that he used to sit by a crude board he had rammed into the sod wall. It was just big enough to hold his tin plate and cup. Now a wooden table and four chairs took up a chunk of space in the soddie, but it provided space for a decent meal. Or to roll out dough, or spread out material to cut a dress. Well, not in Hilda’s case, because Noah had yet to see her in women’s clothing.

  Hilda set the cup of coffee by his place and a small tin of maple syrup. “Sorry I don’t have any butter, but I don’t need a cow yet with only me here. It would be a waste of milk. Once I have a husband and babies I’ll need one, though. I’ve asked around for a milking goat for now, but haven’t had any luck finding one. Besides getting a little milk for me, I could stake the goat out around the house to keep the grass short.”

  Yet? Was she actively looking for a husband? Hilda dressed like a man, but Noah saw feminine touches in his former home: lace curtains hung above the two windows; colorful pictures of homes and gardens, cut from magazines and glued on cardboard, hung at eye level around the room.

  Babies? She was already surrounding herself with the animal variety: Chicks, foals, puppy…a bobcat.

  Noah looked down and realized he’d wolfed down the pancakes—served on a china plate with pink roses around the rim—as he swirled the last forkful into the disappearing syrup. The golden pancakes sure were nice and fluffy. “I’m surprised you don’t have a couple of calves yet. They could eat the grass around the place.”

  “I need more pens built before bringing more livestock in.”

  Noah picked up his coffee cup and sat back in his chair. This was nice, having someone else to make breakfast and converse with while eating it, someone to share the workload and the day. “Tell me about your horses. I’ve been warned—the gelding is named Nutcracker for a reason.” Noah enjoyed the smile which spread across Hilda’s face. “What are the other three named?”

  Hilda looked down into her cup, taking a
sip before answering his question. “The palomino stallion is Fritz, and the paint mares are Marie and Louise.”

  Noah raised his shoulders and gestured toward her with his hand which still held the cup. “Those are plain names compared to Nutcracker. I bet there’s a story behind those names too.”

  Hilda stacked their plates and took them from the table. “When you figure it out, let me know.”

  Chapter 6

  “Looks like the right, back shoe on his horse is different,” Noah said while pointing to the tracks they saw on the dirt patch below the cave in the hill.

  Hilda scanned the area, looking for any sign of life, be it horse or man. They had been following tracks on and off from her homestead, until they disappeared in the rocks at the base of this small hill, about a quarter mile off the homestead, and onto Wilerson ranch land.

  But all was quiet now, except for the wind blowing through the grass and a few meadow larks whistling calls to each other. The heat was starting to rise from the earth. It was going to be another hot day.

  “My brothers and I explored that large cave up there when we first moved here. It’s more of a deep indent in the limestone, but it makes good protection from the elements. It’s open so you could see if any snakes or animals were present in the cave before walking in, and it was tall enough for an adult to stand up inside. A couple of dips in the back wall make natural shelves to stash something. There’s a smooth, flat area in front of the cave where people have had a campfire. I’m sure it’s been used for temporary shelter by the Natives for generations.”

  “Think anyone is using it now?” The idea of anyone living up there piqued her curiosity.

  “Only one way to find out.” Noah grinned at her. “You game to crawl up there?”

  “As long as you go first with your gun to shoot any vermin, I’m game.”

  “Poker, stay with the horses,” Noah said after they had ground–tied their horses. Poker stepped forward, looking between Hilda and Noah, not sure what to do.