Frontier Living, 1880s

 

                             Frontier Living, 1880’s

                                       happyhugo

10/21/24

Score 8.27 

Historical, Romance, Western

105,845 words

Think of a 3-year-old baby girl who survives the freezing cold when her white parents do not. Think of a boy whose parents were killed, who runs away, thinking the killers will soon be hunting him. They meet when the girl is ten, and he is 15, him thinking she is Indian like the squaw who raised her.

It's a time of tepees, ranches, outlaws, farmers and railroads, Indian wars and reservations. Also, think of a time of bank robbers, cheap land, new machines, small towns, and too few women— wives for the men who traveled west in the earlier years.

It was a time of fast guns, rich men, and poor, with their disappointments and entertainments. The people who died and those who survived in the territory soon became a state, as Wyoming did in the 1890s.

Chapter One

I came down off the mountain, hearing gunshots at home. I was looking for one of our cows hidden in the woods to have her calf. I found her and left her alone. I would return her with the rest of our five head a few days from today.

 I had heard shooting at home about the time I found her, and I was anxious about it. We had threats ever since Pa had bought this sweet little bowl of land in the valley between the hills. It was an entire section with a small pond right in the center of the property.

Pa figured we could raise twenty or twenty-five head of beef long with crops and have a nice farm here.  Ma was sick with heart trouble, and we knew she wouldn’t live too long. Ma and Pa Jenkins and I first lived in the wagon when we came here last fall. I slept under the wagon some and then in the shed for the horses until the cabin had a roof.

Pa and I built the log cabin during the winter and a shed for the five bred cows we had when we arrived. We had a work team and two saddle horses. Me, I was their fifteen-year-old son, Matt.

Things had gone well for us, and soon, the cabin was up and tight. Pa was one of the handiest men who accomplished many things. We had left the town where this dream Pa and Ma had held for years in their mind of a place like what we were building. A doctor had promised Ma that she would last at least five years if she took it easy.

Pa had saved enough money to buy what we needed, and the five head of cattle were all he and I could handle as we traveled the 800 miles to get here.

I came down from the hills and looked toward where Pa was plowing a vegetable garden patch. The team was down, sprawled out, shot dead, and Pa was lying on the ground. I looked and could see three men high-tailing it toward the woods on the opposite side of the valley. I studied the riders to lock them into my mind. I studied the last man riding a light-colored horse.

I recognized the horse and man as the rancher who had threatened us about taking up the valley. He was a rancher, Weatherly, who held range land on the other side of the hills. It was too far from where I was located for the gun I carried to be effective. I hadn’t heard that many shots—only three. They must have rode up to Pa, shot him, and then both horses, but I couldn’t tell.

Maybe they didn’t know enough that I was included in the family. I had never met Weatherly personally, but I was out when he approached Pa with his threats. He may have known about Ma, though, and she may have not come out to meet him. He didn’t worry about killing Pa, just killing out of hand and riding off. Pa had been no danger to anyone today because he wasn’t armed.

I stopped long enough to put Pa on my horse and led it to the cabin. I found Ma lying on the floor under the window. She was gasping for breath, clutching her chest. “Matt, I think I saw that Rancher, and I think it was the one who was upset we bought this land. The man from the other side of the hills, I’m sure it was the same horse he rode. Pain hit me when I saw our horses go down, anyway, and I guess I felt it was the end of me.

“You pack up and get out of here, or they will kill you too. Please don’t bother with Pa and me, and someone will bury us. You become a good man and don’t try to get even. You’re too young now to go after them. You’ll be just getting killed yourself.”

I stayed holding Ma, and she lasted about two hours before she shuddered and lay still. I didn’t go out and stir around at all. I watered my horse when it was dark and got the other one out of the shed. I put Pa’s saddle on his. I wrapped my Pa and Ma in blankets, loaded them, and headed for where I could easily dig alone now in the lantern light. Ma and Pa went into the earth with a prayer over them.

Back at the house, I gathered food, a rifle, a six-shooter, two sacks, one of food and ammunition, and personal papers. I found Pa’s spyglass, ensuring the strap was good enough to hang from the saddle horn.

I lifted the stone before the hearth and removed a copy of the deed to the land and the money in the cache. I took a glass jug, filled it with coal oil, and took two canteens for water. I also wrapped up a few of Pa’s tools and packed them on the extra horse.

I didn’t weigh much and hadn’t yet experienced my full growth, but I was strong from working under Pa’s direction and often did a man-sized day’s work.

I didn’t cross the land but went around the valley to where I had seen the three riders enter. I let Pa’s horse have its head, and it followed the trail where the horses had traveled several hours before.

The horses did as I hoped, never hesitating to continue in the dark. I had never ridden this way before. After a few miles, I came out on the other side of a hill and could barely see a lantern glowing in the open valley. I traveled around, not going out into the valley and away from the buildings.  It was getting streaks of light in the sky when I halted the animals and made camp in a little glen. There was enough browse for a few hours— now it was time for what I was planning.

I slept some, not at ease, missing my Ma and Pa. At full light, I could see stirring around the ranch buildings. Smoke was coming from a chimney near the bunkhouse, and I could see men heading for it. That must be a cook shack. There was no smoke from the ranch house, and finally, I saw two men come out carrying rifles and go into the cook shack. They were all in there for the greater part of a half hour.

Suddenly, they trooped to the bunkhouse. They came out with rifles, mounted the horses, and emptied the corral. I could make out the ranch owner on his light-colored horse. Didn’t I wish I could shoot and kill with certainty? I wasn’t sure and didn’t know much about guns, so I sat slumped in the saddle.

A man came out of the cook shack with an old dog. The dog was so old he could barely move. The man walked with him and threw a blanket in the sun for the dog to lie on.  He then turned into the big barn and was gone for fifteen minutes. The barn doors opened from the inside.

Soon, a pair of led horses wearing harnesses came around the side of the barn and backed into the barn. The man drove out, sitting on the seat of a spring wagon, and headed off across the land toward where I knew the town lay. That had to be the cookie after supplies.

When he was gone from sight, I rode toward the barn and inside onto the barn floor. The barn was half-full of hay. A big freight wagon was on the other end of the barn floor, and I saw a stabled team of big workhorses through a door. I loosed these and led them out, waving my arms until they went out into the fields. I debated shooting them but decided not to, and the same for the old dog.

I was surprised to see another stable beyond the house, blocked from my sight by the more oversized barn. I glanced in and saw more stabled horses. I let these loose as well.

I pulled the bottle of coal oil out of the saddle pocket and went into the hay barn, splashing some on the hay at the top of the ladder. I saved some for the bottom near the floor. I closed one big door, and when I threw a Lucifer into the soaked hay at the bottom, I closed the other big door. I mounted my horse and returned to the glen to get my other horse.

 I walked him into the rushing crick and downstream, reaching some stony ground.  I reversed and rode him up through a pass between the hills. Just before I entered this, I turned and looked toward the ranch buildings.  The fire showed through the roof, and fire ash was in the air. I had seven hours of daylight left, and I used it all. I could go upstream or down if I found a crick where no tracks would show.

By the next day's evening, I was more than a few miles away. I had made no contact with anyone, but I knew it wouldn’t last, and I was right. I was tired, and I had pushed my horses. I woke up when someone was speaking to me. “Hey, Kid, what are you doing camping here all alone? It’s a good place; my friends have used it before.”

I had a story ready. “I was run off when a big ranch drove us out. Parents are both dead. I thought of a whole lot of things to get even. I know little about guns and stuff like that, and I’m only fifteen. I figured I would get on with a ranch somewhere where I could learn about things and get a little age on me. I should know enough by the time I’m not a kid anymore.”

“Well, son, that sounds like a good thing to do. There are four of us here who have a small ranch. We could teach you some of what you need to know. It’s off the beaten track, and we only go out to sell our beef. That’s where we have been and are heading home. You can follow along with us if you’d like.”

“I’ll do that.” These men I had hooked up with traveled fast, and I couldn’t guess how far we traveled. It didn’t matter. On nights when we stopped, I helped with camp chores and spent much time rubbing the horses dry. I didn’t say much, and the four men didn’t either. Sam, Mike, and Rick might be ten years older than me. Rocky had to be Pa’s age, well into his Forties. We headed into the uplands finally.

Rocky declared we were almost home. I saw a cloud of smoke rising from the tree tops the next mountain over, but I didn’t mention it. It must be we weren’t alone in this area. We pulled into a good-sized opening with cattle grazing. I estimated it held about 300 head and more of different-aged cattle. The cabin was rough but large enough. It was old, though. The horses had a three-sided shelter. It looked like I had to build my own for my two animals. I’d have it done by snowfall and have a place to sleep.

I was tired and late getting up. I was the last one to hit the bunk last night, too. I saw the horses cared for like I did every night for the previous three.

“Kid, what’s your last name? Pick one out of the air if you don’t want to tell us.”

“Thought about that already. I haven’t heard you say what yours is either, so I expect you have one that you use different than what you were born with,”

I paused and said, “I’m using Abbot, my mother’s name, but I don’t mind you calling me Kid.” I hadn’t spoken about whether Abbot was my first or last name.

“Okay, Kid Abbot, it is. Why don’t you go out and look the cattle over? The boys and I usually meet together when we first get home.”

“Good enough. Make sure you tell the boys I want to stay with you. Tell them I won’t be traveling often to town or anything. That’s for a while until I learn how to protect myself. I’m pretty good with a rifle already. I’ll get out my hand gun, and someone, maybe you, will teach me how to use it. Someday, I expect to want to use it.”

“You killed anyone, and the law is looking for you?”

“No, I haven’t killed—yet. That’s for the future. I did something that caused someone a lot of hurt, and they likely will want to do me in.”

“Okay, fair enough. What have you got for a weapon?”

“It is an almost new Colt .45. I have a few boxes of shells too.” Rocky nodded. I went out and watered and fed the horses, saddled my own, and headed out on the range.

——————————————

I was gone for more than two hours. When I came back, I could tell the men in the cabin were happy and had a few drinks. “Kid, we talked about you living with us for a while. We also discussed what we could teach you. We are an easy-going bunch and haven’t been too happy in the real world; all of us are having troubles. We caution you that if we have anyone visit, please don’t answer any questions about us put to you.

“At times, we leave the place for a few days. That keeps us from being bored, but you don’t seem to be the type who would rub us the wrong way. We will be showing you how cattle are handled while being watched over .”

I interrupted, “My Pa and Ma bought a piece of land about twice the size as this one. We were getting it going, and then they died. My Pa was breaking ground for Ma’s garden. If you are ever in a town with a blacksmith, maybe you could get a plowshare. I can build a plow beam and carve out some handles for it.

“One of those satchels I have has Pa’s tools in it. I have a little money for the share and the bolts to put one together. You could buy some seeds, and we can have some fresh vegetables to go with our meat.”

“Kid, I know you will earn your keep and more. We are tickled we ran into you. Make a list of what you need to make a garden, and one of us will get it for you. You could go to town yourself, you know?”

“I’d rather not. I can draw you a picture of what I need if it is something that a smith has to make.”

“It sounds like a plan.”

It took a few days for me to decide what I needed. In the meantime, I had two men scouring the woods for a dead oak tree that wasn’t lying on the ground. When they found one, I had them hook a rope to all the straight pieces and drag them to where I could use them. It was a young tree about 13 inches at the butt and nine at the top. The grain was straight, and I had five eight-foot logs to make timbers and boards.

Rocky said, “I see your tools and don’t know what half of them are for. How in hell do you know what they are used for?”

“My Pa was a wheelwright and manufactured wheels for wagons going west. He also had a forge to shape all the iron for the wheels. He and Ma thought they would go west after a while when they heard back from some neighbors about what a rich piece of land could produce. It was last spring in March when we started. Ma was the one to decide Pa. I was interested and damned excited about it myself.

“We found the land okay, not knowing Pa had purchased it through a land company. All our dreams ended a few weeks ago. I’ll get a little older and able before I am finished with what happened. As I said, I depend on you to teach me what I need for that. In the meantime, I’ll push my loss to the back of my mind and bring the hammer down on someone who deserves it later.”

“Kid, hate is driving you, I take it?”

“As good a reason as any, if you say so. Oh, I will need a mule to do the plowing with. Do you think you can find one with a harness? I could make the harness, but that’s better done in the wintertime.”

“I’ll find one, or maybe a single workhorse.”

I still did most of the barn chores and began working on the plow frame. I made wooden wedges and was preparing to split them into boards and dimension timbers. I made the beam first and then made the frame where the handles fit into notches. Rich and Mike headed for a town where they knew of a good smith.

I made a list of other items I wanted to build. I had enough money to buy a harrow to cut up the sod after plowing if they could find a General Store that had one in stock. I offered to pay, but they guessed they could scare up the money for what I needed.

Otherwise, I’d have to have a smith make the metal disks. Pa had never made one, so I didn’t have much of an idea of how to begin building it. The last thing I wanted on the list was iron to make into a ring so I could make a wheel for a barrow. That would save a lot of carrying stuff if I had any luck with the garden.

——————————————

Two men took off early the next day and said they would be gone for at least three days. It allowed me to check out the smoke I had observed the day I arrived here. I did morning chores, saddled my horse, heading for the mountain that rose next to this one. I figured it must be four or five miles. I was just curious and didn’t anticipate any danger.

I took my time riding around the corner of the highland, down into the dip that divided the two mountains, and came out high up on top of the next one. I looked down through the forest and couldn’t make out anything. A promontory was to my right, so I gigged the horse over there.

I could see a whisper of smoke going straight up halfway down the mountain. I had been here a handful of weeks, so it must be a permanent party living there.

I eased my horse down through the woods and startled a deer, it running straight down. Suddenly, I heard a musket shot and could barely make out powder smoke through the trees. I was close enough to listen to a crash and some thrashing around. That quieted until I got close and then saw a horse down.

I went closer and saw an old Indian lying on the ground. The horse was down and couldn’t get up. It wasn’t much more than skin and bones and old. Then I saw the broken leg, knowing the horse needed to be put out of its misery.

I went down and sat the old Indian upright. He had a bump on his head and now was returning to consciousness. I was behind him, facing away. I moved just a little, and the Indian was startled, and he looked up at me. Fear covered his face.

He said something that I couldn’t understand. He leaned over and started crawling away from me. He pulled a large knife from under the blanket he had on. The horse was in pain and still trying to get up. The head was down the hill, and he struggled to hold it that way so he could kill the animal.

I went down beside him and held the head while he stuck the knife into the horse. My horse didn’t like the smell of the blood, and I was glad I had sense enough to tie him.

When the horse got through kicking his life away, the Indian started to open up its belly. I held the front legs apart while he did his best to reach the chest area. I looked and found a stone so he could hammer through the bone. He dug around, bringing out the heart, liver, and lights. Then, he proceeded to cut the tongue out.

I left him, going to my saddlebags, and handed him an old pillowcase I kept with me to put small game in. The Indian smiled at me when I held it open.

We pawed the guts out, and then I tied the front legs and head together with a piggin string from my saddle. Tying the rear legs together, I led my horse around and tied the rope around the front legs of the carcass. I boosted the Indian into my saddle and led my horse downhill through the trees.

We soon met kids, about six or seven years of age, running toward us. The last kid was a girl, a bit older. They must have heard the shot of the musket, and when the Indian didn’t ride in, the squaws sent the kids looking for him.

The oldest kid jabbered to the older man. He jabbered back, and the kids saw the horse’s leg was broken and knew why it was dead. Tears came to the girl child, and I guessed maybe nine or ten. Soon two squaws went up the hill with two more children, these younger. It took five minutes for the Indian to explain, then we started downhill again. It was another quarter mile, at least.

The girl came up beside me, and I patted her on her shoulder as she ran ahead. Tears had stopped, but she looked awfully sad.

We reached the encampment. There was one more squaw, this one very pregnant and a little older than the two who had come looking for the ancient Indian. She didn’t look happy that a white man had invaded her world. She calmed down after the old Indian harshly told her what happened. I knew she would never be friendly because I soon figured she was the boss even over the old Indian, her father or grandfather.”

Immediately, she began giving orders to save the meat. I found a place to sit out of the way. She waddled over to a stream from a good-sized spring and began washing and cooling the liver. The kids welcomed me, and I was invited for a meal.

It was dark by the time the liver was cooked. I knew I couldn’t find my way home and resigned to staying the night. I received the largest portion when the meat was cooked, and some corn hoe-cakes were cooked on the hearth.

Again, I received two sizable ones, and each kid got a very small one. The three squaws and the old Indian got one about three inches. Food didn’t look plentiful, and I knew I was cheating the little ones on food.

I took a healthy bite from the first hoecake and chewed it slowly, nodding that it was delicious. I then broke off a small piece and handed it to the smallest child, giving each of the six at least one more mouthful. I then tackled the liver. It was very strong to taste, different from fat beef liver, but that may have been the old age of the horse. It was cooked well, not overdone, where I would have had to struggle with chewing.

When I took the last hoecake in hand, I took a big bite like last time and began chewing. There was anticipation in the kid’s faces to see if I would share again. The pregnant squaw jabbered something at the kids, and they looked crushed. I smiled then and shared the same as before.

It was now time to talk. I could see that the Indians were asking me where I was from. I pointed up on the next mountain. They understood when I said cow and mooed. About that time, I was handed an Indian Blanket and laid my head on my saddle as the place to sleep.

In the meantime, more fires were built, and I could see the three women were to butcher the old horse. The fires heated several kettles, and it looked like they would be cooking much of the meat.

It was cool, but I was placed near a fire, so I was comfortable. The blanket I was given was more of a robe, with a rabbit fur lining stitched together of well-tanned, pliable buckskin leather. A half-beaded design was partially sown with a few beads but not finished. I sat and watched the squaws carefully peel the horsehide away and then cut the meat into a kettle and swing this over the coals.

All the kids slowly disappeared into each one of the three tepees. Sometimes, I would like to inspect how these Indian shelters were constructed. I finally laid back and slept. Each time I came awake, the squaws were still working, and more of the skeleton of the horse was taking shape. I awoke when it was just beginning to get light in the east. One thing I noticed when I went to put my boots on was that someone had picked them up, and when they put them down, they were in a different place. The right one was where the left one was.  

I was up and saddling my horse. The old Indian came out, and I shook his hand. He was smiling, so I knew we were friends. I didn’t try going home the way I had come. I knew I would hit the trail I had come in on weeks before by heading directly east. I found a narrow trail, which the Indians used, and made good time. I could canter at a good clip, so I knew I would be home to get breakfast.

I rode into the yard, and I could tell Rocky was pissed. “Where in hell have you been? I’ve been waiting up all night for you. You told me you were never going into town, and here you come, riding in after being gone all night.”

“I’m sorry about that. I was delayed and couldn’t make it.”

“What do you mean you were held up? You better have a good excuse.”

“Okay, did you know Indians are living on the next Mountain? I ran into them yesterday and gave the old one a hand. He was bucked off his horse when it snapped its leg. He killed it, and I helped drag it down to where there were three tepees.”

“Did the Braves rough you up?”

“No braves, just three squaws, and seven kids besides the old man. The Indians shared the liver that came out of the horse, and by that time, it was dark, and I didn’t know how to get from there to here. I wouldn’t be climbing around on no mountain after dark.”

“Makes sense, I guess. You sure you didn’t have any trouble?”

“No, I didn’t. It was fun seeing some of the Indians besides you guys. I helped them, and they made me supper for being so helpful. Just as a thank you, I guess. I was interested, never being so close to Indians like that.”

“Where were the Braves?”

“I have no idea. I couldn’t talk to the Indians. The women weren’t old like the man. I guess he was a Grandfather or something. One of the squaws brought me out a heavy robe to sleep in. I was right between the fires where they worked all night cutting up the horse. It didn’t look like they had much to eat, and I didn’t hog right into what they served me.”

“You better look for ticks and fleas if you used one of their robes.”

“I could tell the robe had never been used before. It was all put together with beads in some attractive design. I’m hungry, can I make breakfast now,”

“Yeah, don’t go off again without telling us.”

I wanted to explain more when he asked about the squaws, “Were the women pretty?”

“I don’t know, I guess, about the same as all young mothers you would see in one of our towns with many kids. I wouldn’t call them ugly. The squaw who was in charge, I think, is pregnant, but she worked as hard as the other two.”  

Sam laughed at Rocky about worrying about me not coming home last night. “He is worse than a mother hen.” It made me feel good for some reason.

—————————————

I went right to work building the plow frame. I completed the plow by early the next afternoon. Rocky and Sam watched me. I notched the pieces together using homemade wooden dowels to peg the two major pieces.

Rather than making a separate handle, I drilled a hole through the upright and made another dowel that went through this long enough for hands to grasp. This upright went down through the beam and pegged together. I found a worn-out horseshoe by the barn and drilled holes to attach it at the long end of the beam where the horse was to be hitched. I was now waiting for the iron plowshare to connect to the upright.

Thank God, I had sense enough to bring Pa’s drills and chisels when I left home. Pa had taken care of these, and they were sharp. Whether I could sharpen them when dulled, I wasn’t sure. I had watched him and would do my best. Rich and Mike drove in, with Mike sitting on a two-wheeled cart pulled with a mule between the shafts.  We could use this to load horseshit on and spread it where we were going to turn the land over.

I didn’t have to build a wheelbarrow to move the fertilizer. I’d make one someday.  The men showed more interest than expected about how much help the men would give me.

I didn’t bother about unloading the cart tonight except for the plowshare. The holes were already in place for this, and I could see where I could build another brace farther along the Beam to make the plow much stronger.

“We bought all kinds of bolts and screws, not knowing what you would use. There is an 18-inch railroad track to use for an anvil. The smith said you would need one. There are several pieces of strap iron to bend for bracing, too.”

“Did you inquire about disks for a harrow?”

“There are six of them in the cart. I explained what you needed them for, and the salesman said that would be enough for busting up sod for a home garden. I’m glad you drew that picture of it. That calls for a beam long enough for a seat while you are driving the mule. The smith drew you a picture of what would work.”

“You guys did great. How about seeds?”

“Got them, too. We didn’t know how much to buy.  The General Store had something of everything. He made quite a sale. We bought a whole bushel of seed potatoes and twenty-five pounds of baking beans. We bought a hundred lbs of regular beans. We paid more for the twenty-five pounds of seed beans than the hundred to eat.”

I laughed. “You got taken and are the same beans, but that’s okay.”

“We bought beet, carrot, and turnip seeds. We picked up five pounds of onion sets and a couple of packages of onion seeds. I like onions, so will those seeds make onions before winter?”

“They certainly will. We’ll be planting early enough so they will mature like the sets.”

Rocky laughed,” If you bought too much, the Kid can give them to his nieces and nephews. He is an uncle to a whole bunch of papooses, now.”

“What do you mean?”

“Tell him, Kid, what you have been up to.”

After I explained, everyone laughed at it, kidding me about eating horse meat, for one thing, and then me needing a squaw to make me a man. It upset me a little, for thoughts of having sex with a female, white or Indian, hadn’t bothered me. I knew what sex was for I had traveled with Pa and Ma, and I was at least that aware.

The three squaws I had met hadn’t triggered and longing for a need of that kind. I saw the squaws as mommies with children, and these were my only thoughts. Hell, I wasn’t quite sixteen yet. When I was barely fourteen, I kissed two girls, one time at a party. It was fun, but so what?

It led to Rich and Mike discussing getting laid while in town during their trip. It's not unusual for most towns, and the one I grew up in, you knew where men went for that kind of action. I asked the question, “I hope you guys aren’t going to bother those squaws. They have braves and would be mad when they returned and found out we had been bothering them.”

“No, no one will bother them, Kid.” It was Rocky speaking.

We tried out the Plow the next day. I had to correct and adjust the angle of the plowshare twice. The first time, I had it where it didn’t cut into the soil deep enough, and I had it right the second time where it would go down about five inches and turn a furrow about eight inches wide. It would take many trips back and forth across an acre of land.

“Do we want to plant a whole acre? I know we have seeds enough to?”

“Hell yes, we can feed the extra to the Kid’s Indians.”

“Okay.” We found that the mule was apt to wander away from the first furrow, and the person handling the plow was too busy trying to keep the mule in line and steer the plow at the same time. We weren’t that busy, so one person was suggested to lead the mule and the other on the plow. It prevented gaps where the soil wasn’t plowed or the plow was going down the furrow not plowing. Anyway, it got done while I was putting the harrow together.

I wasn’t sure the harrow would do the job I wanted, but it worked. We were lucky because this wasn’t prairie sod, and the grass wasn’t thick at this elevation. The disks were dished so they cut slightly sideways, disturbing the dirt. On the return, you set the harrow only half the width, so it left quite a bit of loose soil for planting seeds.

Next year, if we planted the same ground, the roots would have rotted, and the harrow would have given you deeper and looser soil to work with.

We left the ground until it was warmer before the actual planting. We had been so anxious to see if my tools worked we plowed at least two weeks early. We planted the peas and knew they would start in the cool temperature.

There was work to do with the herd of cattle. We were lucky that the cattle stayed in the open grazing land. All the cows had dropped calves, and the steers had been sold and delivered. The male calves had been cut, and no flies had yet to give any infections. The older cows soon bred again, and to keep the size herd we wanted, some of the bred heifers could be sold later in the season.

—————————————

It was a few weeks after my being with the Indians. I went out early to feed the animals, and on the front steps to the cabin, there was a pair of Indian moccasins. I picked one up and examined it. The soles were made of tanned horsehide. The tops were of deer hide. They came above my ankles, with flaps to wind around and tied with leather lacing to support the ankle.

I opened the cabin door and shouted, “Hey guys, get out and see my new shoes.” I sat and put them on. God, they were comfortable. They fit perfectly. I remembered that my boots had been moved the night I slept with the Indians. I wondered then why someone had moved them. Now I knew why they were getting the size of my feet.

Rich, Sam, and Mike went out to work with the cattle. “Rocky, have you ever been hungry?”

“I can’t say I ever was. Why?”

“I was thinking about those Indian Kids. They must have that horse eaten up by this time. They were hungry that night, and that old one couldn’t go very far to hunt for food without that horse. If their braves haven’t returned and brought them food, or their tribe hasn’t come to see them, I’ll bet they are starving. Do you know any way to talk to them?”

“I know the usual sign language and a few words that most tribes use. Do you want to ride down there to see their situation?”

“I do. We’ve got several pounds of beans left. We’ve got almost a quarter of the last beef we butchered. It’s getting pretty ripe, but it's still good. We have two bags of cornmeal that we haven’t opened. We could take a half bag of that with us. Also, there is that lead and powder you don’t need because you don’t use a musket.”

“That’s true. I have a tin of caps. I have one of those bags of hard candy for the kids we could give them. Tell one of the boys where we are going, and I’ll start packing up.

We went down the trail and turned off onto the path to the Indians. We didn’t try to be quiet; we just rode along as we got near. I shouted at the edge of the clearing, for no one was visible. Then the flaps opened, and the kids burst out and ran toward us. The ten-year-old approached me and put her hand up for me to touch. I looked at her and could see she was thinner than before; all the kids were horribly thin.

The pregnant Squaw came out, and I could see she hadn’t had her baby yet. She had lost weight, too. “Rocky, I think that one is the leader. Can you talk to her?”

We got off our horses, and Rocky approached the pregnant squaw. He began making sign language, and she answered his questions. In a few minutes, he turned to me.”You were right. They are starving. The old man is so weak he can’t stand up, and he didn’t have any more caps for the musket.”

“What did they exist on?

They made jerky from the horse meat and boiled it for two days, making a thin soup. It quelled some hunger, but there was no real food value, so we started unloading what we brought. They will have a good meal soon.

I took the sheet-covered beef haunch and carried it to a bench. There weren’t many flies yet, but I didn’t want the meat to rub against the horse, hence the sheet. I also took the bag of corn meal and handed it to one of the squaws.

Two of the squaws turned the meat over, and there was a ribbon of fat still attached. One screamed with pleasure and went into the tepee, coming back with a giant frying pan and sitting it right on the coals of the fire. 

When the corn was displayed, all the Indians shouted with joy. One went inside and brought out a small kettle with some powder, mixing a portion with a measure of the corn meal. Then they wet it. They proceeded to make thin patties out of it. The frying pan was hot and greased with the fat.

They placed the patties carefully in the pan, leaving enough room for them to slide a spatula under it and flip it over. Kids were now standing there with their hands out. The squaw flipped these once and started placing them on a board to cool before allowing a child to pick one up. I would say the patties were thin and crispy in not more than five minutes.

 After everyone had a patty, including one taken inside for the old Indian, Rocky discovered the Indian was too weak to stand. The meat was thin-sliced into small portions, fried, and served directly from the pan. Rocky and I refused to eat. Christ, this had to be more food than these Indians had eaten for two days.

I had Rocky ask who had made my moccasins. The pregnant woman and the oldest girl (10) turned out to be her daughter. I thanked them and said how well they fitted. I had once been able to leap in the air and click my feet together. I hadn’t tried this for a while, but I attempted it and pulled it off. Everyone laughed and clapped. The girl shyly uttered something to me.

Rocky explained, “The little one said her mother was teaching her to make these, so you thank her and the mother.”

“Ask her what her name is so I can use that to thank her.”

“It is, Atea.”

“Atea, thank you so much for my moccasins.” The girl blushed and smiled.

“Ask them where the Braves are?”

“They have been a long time away, and the little ones are going far to get wood for their fires. Someone should be talking to them about food. They almost starved.”

“I’ll ask more questions and see what I can find out.”

Rocky pulled the squaw aside and talked to her. The kids were happy, sang, and then began playing some games. There's nothing like food in your belly to make people happy—especially kids.

I asked Atea where the grandfather was. I had to use the sign language of an older man. It wasn’t until I pointed at the leather of my shoes made of horse leather that she understood. She took my hand and led me into her tepee. The Old Indian was lying on a pallet. He smiled when he saw who I was. He extended his hand and rubbed his belly to show he had something to eat.

Grasping my hand in both of his, he didn’t let go, speaking at the same time. I was well thanked and understood by the action, if not the words. He had wasted away terribly from when I had seen him last. I thought that he couldn’t have much longer to live.

Just then, the flap opened, and Rocky came in and shook the Indian’s hand. He turned to me, “Kid, I think we should head home soon. Why don’t you spread some of that candy around? We can leave now; I know what has happened since you last arrived. I understand why there aren’t any braves here, and I’ll tell you about it later.

Atea followed me when I went to my horse. I pulled the paper bag of candy out of the saddlebag and waited until all the children had gathered around. I gave each one to suck on and one to the squaws. I gave one more for Atea to give to the old Indian and handed the half-empty bag to the pregnant squaw, who was Atea’s mother. When Rocky and I had mounted and headed away, the kids followed us almost to the trail we would take home. Atea was the last to leave.

“Kid, that girl has a thing for you.”

“I know, and I don’t know why.”

“Did you look closely at the girl? She looks different than the other kids.”

“I haven’t noticed. How different is that?”

“Her mother told me her father was a white man and long dead. She also said she was bringing her up as an Indian but wonders if that is a mistake. She never talks the white man’s words, only Indian, so the child isn’t aware yet that she is different. One other thing she told me.

“The brave that is father to the child she is carrying is all Indian blood, and she thinks he must be dead. The braves he was with were going hunting for antelope or buffalo, but he was two months overdue from coming home.

The other braves with him haven’t returned either. The squaw thinks either the whites may have killed them, or maybe a tribe, that are enemies of her tribe had a battle and were killed.”

“What about the two braves who belong to the two other squaws?”

“They sent a message that they are to pack up and return to the tribe. That’s supposed to happen next week.”

“So we won’t be seeing them again?”

“Not them anyway. Atea and her mother may not go and stay here until the old Indian dies. She will have a baby and stay until it is old enough to travel and the old man is dead. She said some of her tribe will send some help for her to move, and they will check on her every two or three weeks.”

“That would mean someone will bring food for her, won’t it?”

“I offered to feed them, and she said it was too much trouble. We’ll see how it goes after the others leave.”

“Indians have it rough, don’t they?”

“They certainly do.”

I lay in bed that night and thought about Atea. I would look more closely at her before she went back to her tribe. I wasn’t surprised that she was half-white. I knew from hearing my mother and father discussing that happening. Even in today’s world, and especially in the West, there are never enough women to go around so a man can have a mate.

Atea was lovely, and I understood why her mother wanted her to stay as an Indian. There was no white family whom I knew would want her. I wish I had her for a sister. I’d teach her to speak in our language. I’ll bet she would learn fast. I’d help her to learn how to read.

Ma and Pa had read to me when I was young. I wished I had some books to read. I had some money, and maybe I’d buy some books. Rocky was intelligent, and I knew he could read and write. Rich could, too, but I didn’t know if Sam and Mike could. They didn’t talk like they had much book learning. I turned over and slept.

———————————————

The men began teaching me how to rope cattle. I was frustrated at first and laughed at a lot. My two horses had never worked cattle before, so that was some of my problem. When I got on Rocky’s Mustang, I had much better luck. I could guide it with my knees and use both hands to handle a rope. These Mustangs were a smaller animal than my large saddle horse. Some day, I would get one of these of my own.

It was the last of May when Rocky said it was time to know how to handle a gun. He had been to town and returned with a holster for my .45.

“You might as well learn how to use it in case someday you have to get it out as fast as possible. You probably won’t be shooting anyone. I’m 43 and never killed anyone, but I could have a few times if I were so inclined. None of the other guys have killed anyone either, but we have all been in gunfights, and neither have we set out purposely to do so.”

“Pa showed me how to clean his revolver but didn’t wear a holster for a fast draw. He didn’t wear it when working in the fields either. Maybe if he had, he would be alive today.”

“Kid, you’ve never told us how he died.”

“Pa was plowing the field with our team. I was looking for a cow in the woods because she had hidden while calving. I didn’t see him killed. When I heard shooting and got to where I could see, he and the two horses were down. One shot for each. I’m glad you will teach me so I don’t get killed myself.”

“Smart thinking, Kid, I figured it was something like that. You are sure who did the shooting?”

“I am, I recognized the horses, and there were three of them. It was a man who wanted our land and had threatened to take it. It killed Ma, too. She had a damaged heart and only lived a couple of hours after Pa died. I was holding her when she passed. Ma told me to leave but not to forget what happened. She didn’t ask me to return for a reckoning, but she meant that. I buried both that night.

“Smart woman, and she told you right.”

I was anxious to begin firing rounds, but Rocky cooled me off. “You must understand your weapon first and what you can do with every move you make. When you get used to it, some adjustments will make the gun and you more accurate and deadly. I’m not giving you any shells at first. Also, keep practicing with your rifle. That can get you out of a tight spot if you’re handy with it.”

I spent two days drawing and snap-firing my pistol. It didn't seem reasonable, but I realized Rocky was watching and probably evaluating me. From then on, I got more serious about practicing.

While practicing in the front of the cabin, I was interrupted when I felt something touch me. I turned, and there was Atea. She was jabbering away, and I had no idea what she was trying to tell me. I stood there, trying to make it out, when I saw an Indian brave riding in on a Mustang. He had a travois loaded with ten tent poles. Rocky had invited the squaw to come live with us, so I wasn’t that surprised.

The brave paid no attention to me going out close to the garden. The Indian started untying the poles, and by then, the second travois was going by me. This one was loaded with bundles of hides for the tent covering.

My horse was saddled already, for I was going out to help Rocky with the cattle. I swung Atea into the seat, handed her the reins, and pointed toward the range where the men were working. She drummed her heels into the horse’s sides, and the horse started right off into a canter. She rode by two of the men and headed for where Rocky was working.

He looked at her and saw people in the yard, so he turned his horse toward the house. Atea was making Indian talk with her gestures.

Reaching the cabin, Rocky said, “Kid, harness the mule and hitch it to the cart, and we’ll go get the rest of their stuff. That girl can handle your horse, okay? You drive the mule. We’ll need it to get the old Indian and maybe the pregnant squaw. She’ll never get up onto a horse.”

Three hours later, the squaw, and the old Indian (He was lying on his bed) arrived in the cart. The two travois were loaded with the furnishings and belongings of the Indians. The other two squaws and their kids had walked along beside the cart. We helped put up the tent poles. All the Indians sorted out the coverings and began lacing these together. This operation was finished before night.

A pile of things outside the entrance didn’t get inside, and no fire pit was in the center. The old Indian’s pallet did and was there with a pallet for both the mother and Atea. I told the rest of the Indians to use the mule and the cart to transport the six young kids down to their tepees.

Indians had moved these dwellings the same way many times in their lifetimes. Rocky said that the two tepees and Indians would be gone in a few days,

I questioned how they would transport the tent poles, and he said they would walk away and leave them. The two travois and horses belonging to the Braves would care for the skins. They said it was ten sleeps (I00 miles)before reaching their tribe. It would take that long for the young kids to walk. Atea and her mother plan to make this journey when the old Indian dies.

————————————

Everyone had been busy one night, and I was tired. I went in the back door, leaving it open to let the moonlight shine. I pulled off my shoes and shirt and lay on my bunk, immediately falling asleep. Suddenly, I could feel someone tugging on my arm.  “Kid, Kid.”

I swung my bare feet to the floor and stood up, reaching to light a lantern. It was Atea grabbing my arm and tugging me to the opening. The lantern was by the door, so I picked that up and followed her to the tepee across the yard and around the garden. The pregnant Indian was half sitting on a hide, and it was wet. I came close to her. She put her hand up and squeezed my hand, almost crushing it,

She began keening as if she was struggling. I realized she was having her baby. Atea took the lantern and motioned that she wanted me to pick up the squaw and bring her inside. I looked at the squaw, having only a single shift bunched around her above the bump. Her knees were bent and splayed as wide as possible.

Did I want to touch her— Not hardly! Atea was now screaming at me to pick up the squaw. The squaw seemed to relax and lay back and stopped her screaming.  What the hell, I had come this far. I had helped cows have their calves, and the squaw didn’t smell much different. Atea ran inside the tepee, brought out a pan, poured some water, and sat the pan on the almost-dead fire.

The squaw started keening, again and again, and grasped my hand, crushing it with the same intensity as before. This time, as she stopped her noise, I reached down and lifted her. She didn’t seem that heavy, but then I was strong even though I was only fifteen, well, almost sixteen. I went inside, carrying my burden, following Atea to the squaw’s pallet. Atea had a soft blanket placed, and I laid the squaw on it.

Atea was holding the lantern, and I swear I could see some black hair protruding from between the squaw’s legs. I didn’t look that close, so I couldn’t know if it was a baby. I took the lantern from Atea and then motioned that from now on, Atea would take over from me, and I would hold the lantern. Two more times, the squaw struggled, and then Atea was holding the baby in her hands. I had never seen a just-born baby; this one looked too small to live in.

Suddenly, the baby gasped, and I could make out a faint cry. Atea laughed, and the squaw did as well. Atea indicated that I was to get the pan of water. The mother was biting off the cord still attached to Mother and son. The cord’s end tied in a knot when I returned with the pan of water, warm to my touch, and I figured it was just the right temperature. I took it in and handed it to Atea.

The old Indian across the tepee spoke to me, and I went over, and he grasped my hand, jabbering away at me. I thought he was telling me, “I did good.” Well, I think I did good, too.

There was more to do, and Atea made sure I helped. The blanket under the squaw was messy, and I helped Atea remove that. She washed the squaw’s nether parts, and we struggled to get a dry blanket under her after Atea had made a diaper for her out of some soft cloth.

The squaw still had on the one-piece shift, and I pulled that over her head. We wrapped a blanket around the squaw and placed the papoose where it could suckle on its mother. Boy, this was a fast-track learning curve for me. Fifteen minutes was all it took for the baby and mother before their eyes closed and they slept.

Atea and I went out, sitting on a blanket she brought. We then lay down and looked up at the moon and stars. The moon would soon go down behind the trees on the nearest ridge. Atea’s hand came over, and I gathered it on my own. 

The following day after breakfast, Rocky spoke to me, “You were damned restless last night, weren’t you? I heard you go out and were gone for a long time. What were you up to?”

“I went out to see the moon. Atea was as restless as I was. We sat on a blanket and looked up at the moon and stars. We can’t talk, and I’m thinking I’ll get some books and teach her so we can. My Ma was a schoolteacher, and she taught me. I could teach her a bit of our language so that we could speak to each other. If she is going to be around, I’d make her my sister.”

“Kid, it’s a thought.”

——————————————

I didn’t say anything about the Squaw having a baby, and it was two days before everyone became aware. “Kid, you lied to me. You were over there the other night when I said something about you being restless, right?”

“Did not. Atea and I did sit on a blanket and look at the moon.”

“What about you helping the squaw birth the baby?”

“Well, Atea came and got me, and she needed some light, so I grabbed a lantern. The squaw was outside and almost ready to calve, so I carried her into her pallet. No big deal.”

“God, it would have been a big deal if I were in your place.”

“Well, to be truthful, I learned a lot in a very short time. I had never seen a naked woman before, especially one popping out of a kid. I never saw a woman’s milk-filled breasts, either. Mostly, I just held the light.

“Rocky, when are you going to tell me her name? I can’t go on forever calling her The Squaw.”

“We’ll call her Karen. That’s the closest it sounds like in Indian speak.

 

“Good. I’ll put the last small seeds, except the potatoes, in the ground today. We’ve got several piles of horse shit left. I’m going to sprinkle the remaining squash seeds over the piles. On the first of next week, I’ll plant the potatoes. Then, all we have to worry about are the weeds. What do you think?”

“Sounds like a plan. I wonder if those other Indians have left?”

“If I have time, maybe I’ll ride down there. I can’t today as I’m planting. When are you shipping those last year heifers you said you have a sale for?”

“Not for a couple of months.”

I marked out the rows where the seeds were going. Atea came out, and I showed how far apart to space the tiny seeds like the carrot and beet seeds as she moved behind me. The turnips were a more oversized item, so they were spaced farther apart. I just had Atea brush her hand over the tiny seeds, covering them less than a quarter inch. The onion seeds were also planted today, as did the onion sets.

Soon, we were down to the planting of the beans. Beans were a staple of food for the year, and I marked out a quarter acre. Next week, potatoes would use about the same amount of ground.

There was still light when I finished, so I looked for and found a 2x2 clear-grained pine I had saved when building the harrow. With just a few cuts with my whittling knife, I began carving out little figures of Indians. Each of these figures had breech clouts, just little block images.

I had female kids covered with what looked like a blanket down as far as their ankles. Counting all the kids plus the baby, I had three of each. Atea’s was much larger than the 2x2, making hers twice as tall and twice as big.

Hers, I made more detail by incising around arms and more of a neck and a little detail on the moccasins. I even did a little carving that showed her braids wrapped close to her head. Maybe Atea would like the doll.

I went around to the tepee just at first light. Atea was wiping up after eating. Today, the old Indian grandfather was sitting outside on a blanket. Maybe he wouldn’t be dying as soon as I thought. I said, “Karen?” Atea pointed inside. I had made a small image for the papoose and handed it to her. She smiled and touched my hand. I went to Atea’s pallet and laid the wooden doll on the blanket. I wanted it to be a surprise.

It wasn’t to be. Karen spoke, and Atea came rushing in, directed to her bed and the doll. Picking it up, she turned to me and began jabbering. I hadn’t seen my affection shown among the Indians toward any of us before, but she came to me and put her arms around me the best she could. Slowly, I put mine around her. I didn’t realize how much taller I was than she. Her head only came up to my chest.

Atea pulled away, hugging her doll like her mother held the new baby. I looked down at my pants; six inches of skin showed below the cuffs. Had I grown that much since living with my parents? I guess I had. I hadn’t let my belt out or put more holes in it. I had grown taller, but not out.

I looked at Karen, the squaw, and tried to make her understand that I wanted to ride down to the Indian encampment before they packed up and left. Atea understood before Karen did, so she rushed by her pallet and pulled on some pants.

I didn’t say, but I wanted to give those little children the figures I had carved. We saddled the horse, and I had a blanket for Atea to sit on behind me. The little carved figures I had in the inevitable sack I carried were inside.

Rocky was in the cabin doorway when I went through the yard.” Where are you off to?”

“I'm going down to say goodbye to those other Indians before they leave. That is supposed to happen this week. Atea wants to say goodbye, too.”

“Okay, but when you return, I’ll give you more instructions on gun handling.”

“Good.”

Rocky was shaking his head with a smile, not thinking aloud, “Kid is quite the man, but still a kid. Our life is certainly better now that he is with us. I never saw anyone as busy as he was and could never get the other boys to do anything but care for our few cows. I’d never tempt him to join us in our other activities. He’ll get onto us someday. That will be a sad day for all of us.”

————————————

Atea and I headed down the road. When we reached where the Indian trail, we turned onto the trail covered with many tracks; I could make out travois tracks, the two horse prints, two sets of sizeable Indian moccasin prints, and many children's footprints. “Squaw ride horse, all gone.” I was surprised that Atea spoke so much that I could understand.

She hugged me tight and drummed her heels into the horse’s side. I speeded up, and we soon arrived. It was a desolate-looking place. The tent poles were still standing, and some piles of odds and ends piled up that said there wasn’t room to take anything more. Atea slid down the horse’s rump and peered at everything. Once in a while, she stopped and pulled the pile apart, seeing something that belonged to one of the kids.

She sat down, resting her face on her knees. I guess she didn’t want me to see her crying. I couldn’t see where I could relieve her sadness. Then, I thought about the wooden images I would give the kids. I emptied the bag and pawed through the two images, picking up a little girl’s image. I walked over to where there was a tepee and placed it in front of the bare poles. I grabbed another and did the same with a boy’s image.

I had four images left. Taking another girl image, I placed this in front of where we had removed Atea’s tepee. I was shaking my head. “No,” I said, pointing up the mountain where her new home was. She ran, grabbed it, and placed it beside the girl’s image, saying a name. Well, she would give these wooden dolls the names of her friends who had left her life. That’s what I was aiming for. One of us was bright, and I leaned toward it being Atea.

A little happier now, Atea walked around the area and looked at different spots and things where she remembered playing with her friends. When I had her positioned behind me this time, I headed the horse up through the woods rather than down the trail to the road. There were a lot of woodland flowers to see, and we paused often to get down and look at them.

We came out onto the ranch on the backside of the range with only the cattle between us and the cabin. Kicking the horse in the ribs, we set the horse to running across the fields, weaving in and out amongst the bunches of cattle and stopping in front of the tepee.

The old grandfather Indian was outside, sitting on a blanket and watching us the whole way. He was laughing at the joy showing on our faces. I ground-hitched the horse and went inside with Atea. Karen was nursing the baby.  

Atea emptied the bag of images and stood her giant doll up, placing the little images in front of it. She then named a doll the name of her friend and lined them up in front. She then told her mother that all the other Indians had gone, and she had these little images to remember them.

I left the tepee and hesitated long enough to speak to the Indian by signing that all the other Indians had left. Patting him on the shoulder, I went to the stable, removed the saddle, and let the horse head out onto the range.

Chapter 2

“Rocky, would you show me more about handling my gun?”

“Yeah, Kid, I was. In a gunfight, you may be up against two men instead of just one. Remember you must thumb back the hammer to rotate the cylinder to get to the next live round. You’ve got yourself firing off the first round fine, pulling the gun from your holster, cocking the weapon, depressing the trigger, and bringing the point of the gun onto the target. I can see that you have done that and have it down pat.

“You have fired and hit your target, and the point of your gun is high and off target from the recoil. Bringing your gun down on another target takes more skill while rotating the cylinder to the next round and pulling the trigger. This revolver I have is a single action, meaning you have to cock the gun by using the thumb with your hammer. Your gun is a single action, too, but it feels different, and I’m not entirely familiar with it.

“I know some changes and adjustments to make it easier and faster to shoot and fire. Let me have your gun, and I’ll shoot two rounds, and then I’ll fire mine so you can tell the difference.”

“Where are the other guys? Won’t they want to see this?”

“They went into town. They shouldn’t know how good I am. That will be a good idea, but when you get to shoot, they won’t know how good you are either. A lot of how good they are is brag, and they don’t know how good I am, and I want to keep it that way.”

“Okay, but why are you teaching me and not them?”

“Kid, I believe you are on a mission to right a wrong for the killing of your parents. I will give you a chance at that and keep you alive.”

“Rocky, you are a real friend.”

“Yes. I have taken a liking to you. If I ever had a son, I would want him like you. Enough of that. Let me have your gun, and we’ll get on with this.” Rocky was fast, and I could see the difference in his shooting off the two guns. There had to be at least two seconds in him firing off his second shot with his and him firing off mine, as good as he was.

“Well, we will work on you and your gun to get you as good as you can be with that. Maybe we will look for another single action for a spare, and I can do what needs doing with that.”

“I haven’t spent much of my money, you know.”

“I know, but I have quite a bit. Someday, I’ll tell you where I got it.”

Rocky found after a while that he could get off the first round as fast with my single-action gun as he could with his single-action. He seemed to worry more about getting off the second round and said we both would have to work on that.

However, he still worked with me on getting my gun out of its holster, lined up, and firing off the first round. He broke it down into sections where my hand started the downward movement, my finger entered the trigger guard, I pulled the gun and started the upward movement, and I touched off the round to fire the weapon.

He explained many other things that entered into aiming and hitting the mark I was aiming at. “Kid. I have never killed a man, as I have stated before. I’ve shot as many as ten men and hit them in the right shoulder. That most often knocks a man down; if not, it throws him off target. So, if he is swift, my bullet immobilizes his arm, and his gun falls from his hand.

“If your opponent is left-handed, which has happened only once for me, you aim for his left shoulder. Gunmen aim at the largest target, which is the other man’s body. Either shoulder you aim to hit is a target about six inches wide. If he stands erect, that’s the distance from the edge of him to his neck. If he goes into a crouch, aim lower before releasing the hammer. Theoretically, you have a target six inches wide by sixteen inches vertically.

“Busting up a man’s shoulder, arm, or ribs, you will sleep much better if you are still alive. That’s the code I have lived by and been around for many years. I’d like you to live by the same code, but I guess I have never got into a situation where killing is the only option.”

Rock stared at me to see if I was going to accept this. “Kid, that’s the lesson for today. Go somewhere alone and think about what we have covered.”

——————————

It was a great summer as far as I was concerned. I helped with the cattle and could cast a rope and catch one. I worked on my gun handling. I got so far with it and couldn’t see where I was gaining on the speed at hitting anything. I was hitting the mark I had set up and had no trouble with that. “Keep at it, Kid. You never know when a few minutes more of practice will keep you alive.”

I worked in the garden doing a lot of the hoeing. Atea and Karen kept the weeds down. I hoed dirt around the potatoes so they would have loose dirt to expand as they grew bigger. The squash where I had planted the seeds on the manure pile came up, and I swear we would have a ton by the time the vines died.

We all worked on getting up wood for the winter. The boys had cut several trees just as the leaves came out, and the new leaves drew the sap out so the wood would dry by the time we burned the wood. Rocky had a one-person cross-cut saw.

Atea and I were cutting and loading cart-loads of stove-length chunks a day. Rocky asked the boys to split the blocks. Some were split, but any excuse would bury the axe in the chopping block.

We gathered the heifers, and Rocky and the boys delivered them on the first of September. Rocky was gone a week before he returned. I asked, “Where’re the boys?”

“They took off to spend their money. They will be gone for quite a while. You noticed they have been arguing with me lately, right?”

“Yes, and I wondered about that.”

“They may be gone for good. In the past, I gathered them up the same way I gathered you into the ranch. Mike was the first one that was three years ago last winter. The other two came the next year when I made the first trip to sell the steers. Things have settled down, and they are young, looking for more excitement than there is by staying here.”

“So you’ve been ranching here for five years or so?”

“Yeah, that’s right. Kid, what are your plans for Atea? The sun rises and sets on your butt already, as far as she is concerned. When you get ready to leave, will you walk off and forget her?”

“Rocky, I’ve never had a friend like she is to me. She’s supposedly half-Indian, but I don’t think of her being one. Her hair is dark brown and much finer than her mother’s. Her eyes are blue, not dark brown like an Indian, either. I’m teaching her to speak like me, and I’m progressing. I wish I had some books to go by. She could go to school somewhere, but I don’t see how.”

“She’s too old for first grade, and kids would make fun of her. She probably would want to return to her tepee and hide if we did that to her.”

“I thought of that too, Rocky.”

“Kid, what about you? What do you want out of life?”

“Oh, a life like my Ma and Pa had, but I don’t want mine to end like theirs. I’d be a smith or do like Pa did, making wheels for wagons. I know enough about some of it already to get on as an apprentice to someone. My Pa told me that was how he started his life’s work.

“It sounds like a plan, Son.” I thought as Rocky turned away that I liked him calling me son. Maybe it was because I was interested in Rocky teaching me about cattle and guns— or maybe not.

The next day, Rocky said he was going to the larger town about 25 miles from the ranch and might be gone overnight. I told him what I would do, “I’ll ride around the ranch to see if the cattle are straying while you are gone. I’ll put a belly band on the mare so Atea can accompany me.” Rocky nodded his okay.

The mare was used to having Atea on her back and seemed to enjoy not wearing a saddle. I didn’t have one to fit her, anyway. Karen fed us when we returned later that afternoon. All the while we had been gone, I talked, pointing and naming items in my language. Atea would say what they were in Indian. I hoped she remembered what I said better than what I was hearing when she repeated it to me in Indian.

After a bit of time, when she said something, I looked at her and repeated it as a question. I would say Cow, and she would say Cow, and then in Indian, “Wahoo.”  I would say, “Wahoo?”  She would nod that I said it correctly. Over a few hours, we made a lot of progress. Maybe the pointing helped as well because this was sign language.

She cracked me up when I pointed at a squirrel and said cow. Not looking at me, she kept saying wahoo when I said squirrel until I was exasperated, then she laughed and said squirrel in Indian, and then I said squirrel. It passed the time, anyway.

Rocky was gone two nights and came home on the third day. He had a pack rack on behind his saddle. The packages were bulging. “I got some books to teach Atea. It’s been so long since I was in school I don’t remember much about learning. I guess it’s up to you, Kid.

“I got the old Indian a knitted wool hat because winter is coming soon. I also bought Atea a grey wool dress. I described how tall she was, so I thought it would fit. I told the woman I asked about sizes to get her some under things and that I didn’t know about such things. But she said she would find what I needed.”

“Nothing for Karen?”

Rocky's face was red.  “I wanted her dress to be yellow, but the woman said they didn’t have yellow, so I got her a grey wool one like Atea’s. Both dresses have been worn some, but only a little. They are serviceable for one winter and maybe more if packed well during hot weather. She told me that if any wear was left in them, I should bring them back. She never has enough used clothing to sell. Used clothing is a sideline for her. I guess a woman has to go in and have new ones made and fitted.”

“Didn’t you get her some underwear too?”

“The woman said she would find something and wrapped it all up in one bundle. We’ll never know what it will look like, will we? Anyway, I got the books you wanted.”

“I’ll pay, Rocky.”

“No, my treat, you stick with Atea teaching the alphabet and the times tables. Maybe someday she can learn to read. How long did you go to school?”

“Ma and Pa left for the West when I was fourteen; I’ve had about eight years of learning. That’s what most people have.”

“I figured so. Anyway, I have a couple of history books for you and one book on maps. Maybe we can figure out where in hell we are in this country.”

“Good, that is a need to know for me. I remember all the towns we went through and know where we started. I remember the town’s name, so I can find my way back there when I get ready without asking someone. I think I can go to Pa’s ranch without anyone knowing me. I don’t know as I can reclaim it, for it may be listed as abandoned by this time.”

The next day, I took some books over to the tepee, and it was a nice warm day for this time of year. I got everyone outside and showed them the books. I started showing them the pictures that were in the books.

These were for real young children just ready to begin school. I picked out the pictures of different things they would be familiar with. The images were of a Cow, Cat, Dog, Friends (two children holding hands), Mother, Father, Grandfather, Sister, Brother, Baby, etc.

These were images of items people owned or lived with that were in their everyday lives. If I could get them to say the word in English, they could relate it to the image on the page. It was the same as I did with Atea when we covered the Squirrel joking incident.

The History book was full of images. Grandfather was very interested when a chapter touched on people moving West, with images of tepees and Indians with headdresses and feathers. I found it particularly difficult when I started teaching Atea the alphabet. I just had to figure out how to get her to understand it.

I showed her an image of an animal, wrote the letter under it, and showed her the written word in a book that referenced that animal. I would then hand her a different book with the word in it somewhere and indicate that I wanted her to find the word. I often had to use sign language, which I was becoming very adept at. She then found out that it was a story about the animal.

As we progressed, and I was getting her to understand what reading and speaking were all about, I was also slowly learning the Indian language and had to use less sign language to get the concept across.

Tell me how proud I was when I realized that I was a kid of sixteen and she was a girl of ten, and we spoke in each other’s language. Six weeks after some of what I struggled to get across the gap between our two languages, I printed a paragraph about a cow on paper, and she understood what it said. (It was a cow searching for her lost calf).

———————————

I wanted Atea to go to school someday. I felt I wasn’t intelligent enough to go far with teaching her lessons so she could go to a public school.  Also, there was the problem of her being half-Indian. Rocky and I discussed this continually. It wasn’t until he and I, when talking about Christmas that we came up with a fake history for her birth and why she lived with Indians and only knew the Indian Language.

We started with different possibilities, such as her having unknown parents when she was three years old and traveling the Oregon Trail too late in the season. They died during the first snowfall, but Atea survived before she succumbed to the weather. A band of Indian hunters came upon Atea bundled in most of the blankets her dead parents owned wrapped around her.

One of the hunters had a squaw, Karen, who lost her papoose. This hunter had returned to his tepee from hunting with the child. He brought none of their identification with him, so Atea’s origin passed into history, which is not known. Six summers, Karen had Atea in her care and loved the child as her own.

Fine, very dark brown hair and blue eyes meant she was of a different race and not a child of Karen’s.  Rocky, living near the Indians, changed all this.

 We would tell the world about Atea if it was ever noticed because she had features different from those of her Indian mother. As Karen explained while discussing Atea later, this fabrication was close to the truth. Atea was a full-blooded Caucasian.

Karen was happy when Rocky and his crew decided to take an interest in the pregnant squaw, with one child, about to have a papoose. Rocky had invited the squaw and the old Indian Brave to pitch their tent on the ranch, thinking the old one would soon die. Surprisingly, he didn’t die and soon gained his health back.

I, Matthew Jenkins, was a fifteen-year-old orphan Rocky had gathered in while stopping to camp and given a home with work to pay for his keep.

Over time, everyone could communicate, and Karen said, if possible, that the child she had mothered should someday return to the White world. In the meantime, the two kids, Atea, who is ten now, and I, Matt, who is sixteen, would live as brothers and sisters.

I hadn’t seen the clothes that Rocky had purchased for Karen and Atea. He gave me the books he had bought and told me to begin teaching the child immediately. I knew Rocky had something in mind when he brought the clothes out and gave them to Karen and Atea. September was gone, as was October and November.

——————————————

“Kid, it is time I told you what my life is. I’m not proud of some of it, but I chose the path I have been on with open eyes. I decided last summer to give up doing what I did for the last dozen years. When I was thirty, I was just a cowpuncher, drifting between jobs. Then, one weekend, I went on a heavy drunk, the usual thing most punchers do.

“I had bedded down in the livery stable Sunday the night before the two men I was drinking with rousted me out with me still hung over as hell.

“Hey you, Rocky, we bought whisky the last three hours of drinking. We need you to do a job for us, and we figure you owe us.”

“Jesus, I’m hurting so bad I can’t do anything for a while. What time is it?”

“Rocky, daylight, and all the stores are open. We want you to saddle our mounts, lead the horses up the street, and ground hitch them in front of the bank, where they will stand. When we come out of the bank, we’ll mount and ride out. There is a hundred dollars in it for you.”

“You know, Kid, I may have been drunk and hungover, but I wasn’t born yesterday. I figured they might just shoot me to slow a posse down, and I’d be in jail or dead and have no chance of collecting the promised hundred dollars. The younger of the two said they wouldn’t go into the bank until I came out of the stable, leading their horses.

“You take at least three minutes to make it up to the bank, and everything will be fine. If you don’t do what we say and don’t see you come out of here with our mounts, we’ll be back and hunt you down.”

“Kid, that was me between a rock and a hard place. Anyway, I saddled the horses, including my own, and I could see them enter the bank. Pulling the horses up to the bank took me just a minute. I dropped the leads and spurred my horse into an ally beside the bank.

“I reached the edge of town before I heard gunfire. Was I in trouble?  I didn’t know whether I was or not. Anyway, I went south for an hour and then circled going north.

“Kid, I wanted that promised hundred dollars. As my head cleared, and before I got so drunk last night when they began feeding me whisky, I was listening to them talking at the table in the corner. They were speaking about where they would meet up if they separated. I hadn’t heard them say anything about robbing a bank. I didn’t learn of that until they woke me up.

“I kept off the traveled roads and headed for the place I had recognized them speaking about as their meeting place. I had worked on a ranch near there three years before.

“The older bank robber was there and dying from a gunshot. I nursed him for three days before he passed away. The younger one died while getting on his horse in front of the bank.  I probably would have died, too, if I was anywhere around when they came out of the bank.”

“Rocky, you were lucky.”

“Kid, yes, lucky but stupid too. I had been punching cows for twenty dollars a month and found, for most of my working years. I thought robbing a bank could happen if it was planned right. I thought about it and thought about how I would do it.

 “I didn’t start for almost five years. I had the money from the robber I buried, almost seventeen thousand dollars. I spent those years going into town and observing banks and how I would rob them if I decided that I was doing the robbing.”

“You mean that robber had the money, and you took it?”

“That’s what I’m saying, Kid. I didn’t stop punching cows, either—the money I put into a bank. I wasn’t going to lose that found money. Banks often replace their investors through insurance if held up, so that is where I’m keeping my money.”

“How about getting away after robbing a bank? How did you do that?”

“Kid, can I trust you?”

“Yes!

“How can I be sure of that?”

“Because I had to get away from where my Pa and died. You’ve treated me as good or better than they did. I was lost when you found me and took me in. You coached me where I couldn’t see where this was the end of my life and encouraged me to become productive with the knowledge of what Pa taught me.

“The biggest reason is that I never intend to rob a bank. I would encourage you not to rob any more banks either. I’d be crushed if you did.”

“Kid, did you know when we picked you up the day we met that we were coming home from robbing one?”

“I surmised that after hearing Rick, Sam, and Mike talking. They are dead, aren’t they? They died robbing a bank, didn’t they?”

“I’m sure of it. At least one of three would have returned by this time if alive.”

“So how did you always get away every time?”

“Kid, think about the time of year when I picked you up at that campground?”

“It was the last of April, and you had just sold and delivered a small herd of steers.”

“How were we dressed? And what were the horses we were riding?”

“Range gear and Mustang cutting horses.”

“Okay. Just think of four men with a herd of cattle they owned. Three men disappeared for a few hours, and one man remained. Those three men, dressed in different clothes, held up a bank when it opened. Say they spent ten minutes in the bank and are riding horses different from those with this herd. They follow a plan that is laid out for them to follow precisely.

“You don’t know it, but I was away for two weeks in February and the first week in March because that was before you lived here. I was sitting in a town with a decent bank all those weeks. As far as anyone knew, I was waiting on a letter, coming general delivery to the post office, and booked into a room at the boarding house.

“I had money to spend in the saloons, and I spent time in the stores and shops. I hung around the livery stable and even put sixty-three dollars in the bank, drawing out a few at a time to replenish what I was spending. I left thirteen dollars there when I was to come back in the fall to get that money.  I still wonder if that letter from Texas had shown up when I returned around that way.

“Five times, the boys and I pulled this. I even pulled one of these jobs by agreeing to deliver a herd for a ranch that sold a herd one fall. That was the one we made the biggest haul from the bank in that town. When the boys left town, they would peel off from each other and put distance between them so a posse couldn’t find a bunch of three horses riding together by the tracks.

“Oh, I planned every move. This year, the boys figured I was getting too big a cut of the loot, so they decided to take a bank without investigating or making a plan. I warned them and told them I’d shoot them and not to come back if they did. I wasn’t ever identified with any bank robbers for many years and wouldn’t be identified with any now.”

“How big a cut were you taking?”

“The same as them, we split the loot four ways. The least I ever got was five thousand; that best year, we had forty-two thousand to divide. Well, I expect they got their cut this year. A shovel full of dirt in the face is much less than what they had with me in charge of dividing.”

 “Rocky, what is your plan for our future? I’m going to be right here with you forever. The only time I want to get away is to settle a rancher with Pa and Ma’s death.”

“Kid, don’t go off alone with that—Promise?”

“Okay, I’d like it if you would side me. We got Atea so she can talk our language a little, but there is no way she can mix in with white people yet. I don’t want her humiliated or anything like that.”

————————————

Rocky came back from town with a question for me, “Kid, there is going to be a Christmas Dance at a church a little over four hours ride from here. How would you like to take Atea to it? You don’t have to dance, but it would give her a chance to get out and see how White People act.

“This is why I bought her a dress suitable for her months ago. You have been here for eight months without any interaction except with us and Indians.”

“Is this for people of all ages?”

“Yes, it’s called a Community Dance.”

“I’ll ask her. Maybe I can find a corner and teach her a few steps.”

“Go for it.”

I headed for the tepee carrying the grey dress. Rocky was with me. We entered, and both Karen and Atea were sitting at a table. Rocky asked Karen why we were there. Karen understood and said Atea could go if she wanted.

I explained, “Atea, I want to escort you to a dance. We will say we are brother and sister, and I promise to protect you and teach you how to dance. There will be lots of music and people laughing and having fun. Will you go with me?”

“I am Indian, and no one will like me. No, I will not go.”

She turned to Karen and asked, “Do I have to?”

“Atea, I think you should. I want more for you than living in a tepee for the rest of your life. I have never told you, but you are White and not Indian. You were given to me when it was three summers, and I have mothered you for many years. I am giving you leave to join the White tribe. Rocky has assured me I will always be with you until you find a White Brave to cherish you. At that time, I will return to my tribe.”

I knew Rocky must have set this up beforehand with Karen. He had only said this a few times to me that Karen wanted Atea to leave the Indians and join the White Tribe.

“But I look like an Indian and not a white person?”

“Rocky and the Kid have White People's clothes for you. They will make you into a White Person.”

“I don’t believe it can happen. I have always been Indian.” Karen motioned for us to leave.

We returned in an hour. Rocky was carrying his shaving mirror so that Atea would get a good idea of her appearance. The grey dress came down to her ankles. Karen had put a pair of red moccasins on her feet and given her a small matching vest of deer leather to cover her shoulders, dyed red, the same as her footwear.

I had never seen Atea with her hair down. It was down to her shoulder blades in the back. A cloth band with beads gathered the hair so it wouldn’t fly all over.

I had never paid any attention to girls, but I sure paid attention to this pretty one before me. “Atea, you are like a beautiful flower blossom that has just opened up.”

Atea’s face flamed. “I’m looking at that glass, and I don’t know that person. Is it really me?”

“Yes, it is really you.”

We left Karen and Atea with the looking glass and returned to the cabin. Hell, it was me who didn’t have anything fine enough to wear. “No problem, son. I have a pair of trousers you can wear. At least they will come down to your ankles anyway.

“You have grown like a weed in the last few months. You may have to cinch them up a little, but I think the tweed jacket will cover them. You have a decent shirt you haven’t worn. Try that on and see if you can wear it.”

I changed and guessed I looked okay. I had been greasing my moccasins, so they would be fine if I didn’t walk through any puddles.  Snow was on the ground but cold enough to give no trouble. “Rocky, is the sled overhead in the stable any good?”

“We will get it out and look it over. I haven’t gotten it out in the last three years. That is what I plan to use the night we go to the dance, and I’ll ride my horse. Kid, can you handle the horse pulling the sled? We’ll stop on the outskirts, and a woman will join you on the sled until we reach the church.

“She knows I have two orphans who live with me. Her name is Mrs. Orkins, and she is widowed. Kid, you said your name was Abbot, but you might tell me if that is correct. I’ll have to introduce you to Mrs. Orkins.” 

“It is my name, just not all of it. My full name is Matthew Abbot Jenkins. If you need more of a name for Atea, let her use Jenkins. I consider her my sister, and we are that close. You can still say she was a found child, brought up by Indians, so use your judgment. I’ll tell Atea when we get into the sled. I don’t think she will object.”

“No, I don’t imagine she will.”

Excitement was in the air Saturday morning. Today was the day when we were going to the dance in a town several miles away. I would be seeing people of my kind that I hadn’t seen for many months except those on the ranch and the Indians. The sled was examined and deemed serviceable.

The day was sunny but chilly. We hoped it would stay that way until we returned.  Rocky told us we would be staying the night with Mrs. Orkins.

We all took baths. Rocky trimmed and shaped his beard. I had some fuzz on my face, and Rocky used his razor. Atea was taking her bath in the tepee.  Rocky furnished some rose water to add to her bath, so she smelled like roses when I handed her into the sleigh. Different anyway, from the smoky smell that permeated our everyday clothes. Karen couldn’t be persuaded to go with us,

I hitched my horse to the sleigh. There were blankets for my horses and Rocky’s horse, and enough hay for the night was bundled and tied to the back. The robe, to keep warm, I had slept under the day I met the Indians. It was wrapped around us in the front seat against the cold.

It must have been an hour and a half when we were down off the mountain and merged into a more traveled road. There was a large stream on our right, and up and down small hills we traveled as the road wound around next to the water.

The water ran fast at intervals, and then it was iced over where it wasn’t as swift. We stopped once to rest the horses, and we got out and stomped around. We were glad to get our blood circulating. I had on sheepskin mittens, but my hands were cold.

Soon, we were traveling again. Most horses traveling the road had caulks on their shoes, so it wasn’t slippery. It was still daylight when I pulled along beside Rocky. He leaned over from his horse and said there was only a mile to go.

I could tell; I could see a haze from wood smoke not far ahead. We met some traffic from the mountain, but the road was wide enough for everyone to meet and pass. We also had gone past some other houses and cabins. Most had barns for a horse, and we could see a family cow out occasionally.

We reached several small homes clustered together and could see larger buildings further along. I spotted a square church tower, with a large cross gracing the top where the dance was to be. Many homes we went past were log cabins, with only a few houses clapboarded. 

Rocky pointed to one house of wooden clapboard ahead and a barn at the end of a driveway. There was room to park the sleigh in front out of the street. I pulled in and stopped, and the front door opened. A woman stood waiting.

“Afternoon, Mabel, we are here and had a good trip.”

“Come in and get warm, Rocky. Let your horse stand for a bit, and then you can put it into the barn. Coffee is ready to be poured.”

“Matt, bring in the blue Hubbard squash and Atea; would you grab the carrots and turnips so they won’t freeze?”

After handing Atea the carrots and turnips, I wrestled the squash from the back seat. It weighed nearly thirty pounds, the door held open, and we entered the kitchen. We walked across a room that was for dining and were shown where to sit things down. We were then ushered to the parlor, and Rocky introduced us.

“Mable, this is Atea, my housekeeper’s charge. Atea was Karen’s adopted daughter and surrogate mother. Until months ago, Atea couldn’t speak a single word of English. The tall lad, Matt, is one who also is an orphan. I found him alone and far from the place where his parents died.  Matt left home when he feared for his life. I have shared my home with both. I have welcomed and enjoyed having them living with me.”

“Atea, you are a beautiful child. How old are you.”

“My mother says, now eleven years old. She thinks I of three years when her Brave finds me beside my dead parents and brings me home to Squaw.”

“You must tell me more about your life with the Indians someday.” 

“And you, Matt, what is your story, and how old are you?”

“I’m sixteen. I had a great Father and Mother until last April. Someone shot and killed my Father, and I think I know who it is. I’ll deal with that in the future. My Mother died that same day from a weak heart. Maybe I shouldn’t have run off, but I was afraid that the shooting was by someone who wanted our farmstead. Anyway, Rocky found me and gave me a home. I help him because I took my father’s tools when I left home.”

“What was your father’s work that you would take his tools with you?”

“My Father was a wheelwright and was teaching me to build a wheel and work with wood. When Rocky needed a plow to make a garden, he had a smith make the iron needed, and I created the plow. We needed to chop up the sod, so he again got what I needed to build a harrow that I made as well.

“I built a barrow to carry tools and manure to the garden. I fashioned the metal braces for these things when Rocky got me the hunk of metal railroad track to hammer the braces into the shapes I needed.

“These held up through this season, and I believe they will for many more.”

“Well, you are something, aren’t you? Could you replace two wooden spokes in a buggy wheel?”

“Maybe I could look at it sometime. I won’t do it unless I know enough about how.”

“Fair enough.”

I turned to Rocky, “Sit, Rocky, I’ll put your horse into the barn, Mrs.Orkins. Which stall is he supposed to be hitched in?”

“There are only two empty. Either one is fine. Would you feed my driving team for me, please?”

“I will.” The only woman I ever talked much with was my mother, and this woman made me nervous. I was glad for the excuse to get out of the house. It looked as if we were going to eat here, and I was worried my horse would get the chills. I would stall my horse for that time if we were only here an hour. Also, he would be out for several hours in the evening with only a blanket covering him.

The stable was warm from the two horses, and I was glad I put mine in with Rocky’s. I didn’t remove the harness, but did throw the blanket over him. I took the hay from the sleigh and fed both. I’d feed mine again when I brought mine in after the dance. Hay was on the barn floor to feed Mrs. Orkin's horses. Our hay was much better quality, but our horses needed better hay, for we used them almost daily.

When I went inside, Atea grabbed my hand to show me where the bathroom was. On the way, she said, “Rocky has been telling Mrs. Orkins all about you. He even told her I couldn’t speak any white words and how hard you worked to teach me as many as I knew. She thinks you are a genie or something.”

“I think she means genius, but you’re the smart one for learning so well what I’m trying to teach. You are the genius, Atea Jenkins.”

“Matt, I like my new name. I am so happy you have given it to me.”

When it was time for the dance, I got my horse out and hitched it to the sleigh. Rocky handed Atea into the back seat, and I got beside her. Rocky handed Mable into the seat beside him. Reaching the church, several people went up the steps to the entrance.

“Kid (Rocky forgot to call Matt his name), wait here with the ladies while I settle the horse and sleigh in the rear out of the wind. I’m glad you left a small amount of hay for him. I’ll be right back.”

Mable was saying hello to people as we approached the entrance. Atea had a bulky buckskin coat over her clothes, and I had a long sheepskin coat. No one had seen us before, and people were curious about who we were. No one was asking, though. Rocky was soon there and guided Mable up the steps.

The sand was loose on the marble steps, and Atea slipped. I grabbed her before she fell and gathered her into his arms, carrying her up the steps, and deposited her inside in the entryway. There was room to hang all the coats. Rocky took his off and helped Mable remove hers. I did the same for Atea and hung my jacket over hers. We now went down the stairs to a common room.

It was crowded near the stairs until we entered and reached the seats on the sidelines. My folks taught me to dance at a young age, and I was pretty comfortable. Atea, though, was shy and nervous with everyone looking at her. She stood out because she was a stranger and dressed nicely.

Mable pulled her close and did understand her feelings. “The music will start in a few minutes. Matt, do you dance both the squares and the rounds?”

“Yes, for the first round, I will try to teach Atea a few steps if it is a waltz.”

“If she has trouble, I can show her how. I’m not as tall as you, so it might be easier for her.”

I looked where the band was setting up; there were two fiddles, a base, a concertina, a guitar, and a horn. We sat and waited for the dance to begin. There were people of all ages, many being kids, many younger, and some my age.

“Atea, look at that Mom teaching her child the steps to a waltz dance. It looks like that is the first time the girl has been here.”

“It is so many steps. I’ll never learn them.”

“I’ll show you how when the music starts. That is a big help because music has a beat that tells you when to take a step. The square dances usually have four couples in the set. A caller sings out the next move coming up. Most people who like square dances know most of the calls and help those first learning what move is coming up. At first, we will watch.”

“Okay.”

We sat and watched the people coming in. Once in a while, someone would stop and speak to Mable. Atea was very interested in observing the crowd and how they acted. I sat quietly and observed. I was watching Mable and Rocky together. Rocky is a medium-sized man, and women consider him handsome, with graying hair in the temples. Mable was taken with him, and I could tell she was romantically interested.

Mable appeared to be slightly older, but who knows her age? She was wearing quality clothes, and I couldn’t see her living with us in a shack on the mountain.

Atea was examined closely by the acquaintances stopping by to speak to Mable. Atea was pretty and dressed attractively with her red moccasins and red half-top on her shoulders. I was tall, gangly, and had wavy hair. I thought I was ignored.

That was okay. One thing that surprised me was that Rocky when introduced by Mable, was using a different name for Sedgewick instead of the one he told me was his name for Noland when I told him mine was Abbot. Was this his real name?—I’d have to ask. Nah.

When the music for the first dance began, I guided Atea to the back of the room, out of the way where the bulk of the dancers were. It was darker here, and I could give Atea my full attention. “Let your mind absorb the music and sway with it.”

“Kid, you mean like listening to an Indian drum?”

“That is what I mean. Okay, it is for the man to lead the woman. You will be walking backward, and I’ll be moving my body. There are tiny indications of when to move your feet. That’s because I am giving you a sign to move that foot out of the way where I’m going to place my foot. I don’t want to step on you.

“If Rocky had warned us earlier about attending this dance, we could have practiced at home. Indians dance using the drum and other instruments, so it shouldn’t be strange to you. If we come to another one, we will be ready for it. Tonight is to enjoy the music.”

“Kid, I see people all almost hugging. They are so close.”

“Those dancers are most likely married or are in love. My parents danced that way a lot.”

“Do you want to dance that way with me?”

“I don’t think it appropriate for brother and sister to dance that close.”

“I wouldn’t mind.”

“Maybe, someday, Atea, when we are older.” Atea and I sometimes got our steps together, but I did step on her toes. We practiced for two dances and returned to our seats for the last of the set, just watching.

A square was announced; Rocky guessed he wouldn’t this time. “Mrs. Orkins, would you be my partner?”

“Oh, I would love to. Do you know how?”

“Some of the calls I do. My parents took me to them when I was very young. It was a lot of fun.”

“Good, there is a set waiting for a couple my husband and I used to dance with.” Mable took my hand and dodged between the different sets forming. “Hi, Willy and Ruth, I saw you come in. Not much like old times. Young Mr. Jenkins asked me to dance, so here I am.”

“It is so good to see you, Mable. Is this your first time out since becoming a widow?”

“Almost.” 

The caller shouted, “Honor your Partner.” We soon circled, swinging partners, allemande left and rights, promenades, and doe se doe’s.” Every move in the squares was performed during the three-dance set, and I had a great time.

When I returned to where Rocky and Atea were sitting, he exclaimed, “I didn’t see one mistake in all the dances. Mable. Did you have fun?”

“I sure did; it was like when my husband was alive. Matt is an accomplished dancer. Maybe he will ask me to waltz before the night is over?”

“I certainly will, and my pleasure.”

Atea and I moved down near the corner where we could be out of the crowded floor, and I continued to teach her. It wouldn’t be many dances before she would get the hang of it; anyway, she was enjoying herself, and that was the point.

When people were leaving, I went outside and found my horse and sleigh; Mable, Rocky, and Atea came out as I pulled in front of the church. It was still cold, but it felt like the weather was changing and would be warmer by the time we woke tomorrow.

Atea and I were sleeping in one bed, and I think Rocky and Mable had the other room. I was surprised that I was supposed to sleep in the same bed as Atea, but Rocky said it was okay. “The two are considered sister and brother, sleeping in union suits.”

Atea and I were tired, but she wanted to make some comments, “Kid, one time you held Mable differently when you danced? Other couples were holding their squaws the same way you held her. Everyone gave you more room. You did take up a lot of room on the floor, and everyone clapped when all six of you ended the dance alone in the middle of the floor.”

“Atea, my Ma taught me what ballroom dancing is. You could hear the fiddles mostly. Mable and I swooped and swayed to the music. Mable said she was startled when I bowed to her, led her out, and took a different stance. I wouldn’t have done it except I heard her tell Rocky that she and her husband danced that way when there were violins in a band.”

“Kid, you know many things I will never know how to do.”

“Maybe we will be together long enough for me to show you some of these things. I am not learning much new up on the ranch, either. This dance was a good experience for me, and I was glad to see people doing the same things I remember doing. Someday, I will decide I will have to leave and catch up on what is happening in the world around me.”

“Kid, my name is Atea. Did you know that is the name of a feeling, not a thing? The Indians named me that because of the way I acted. It must have been because I missed Karen’s Brave when he didn’t return. I think it is what you call sad with tears in your eyes.”

I was silent, thinking about what Atea had just shared with me about who her father was. I was confused. Rocky, I assumed that he had the story straight from Karen through sign language and the few words she knew of our language. Maybe the story he told me was more of the truth, and Karen wasn’t the mother of Atea after all. Atea must be as confused as I was.

Tired as we both were, there was no time to think about it tonight. The cold bed warmed, and Atea was soon asleep, grasping my hand with hers. I didn’t sleep well, and we shifted during the night, so sometimes she was snuggled tight to me, and sometimes she was the reverse.

Morning came, and we had breakfast and headed home. Before we left, Mable asked me to look at her broken Buggy wheel. Two new spokes, one felloes and two felloes clamps would fix it. I would tend to this sometime before she must drive it in fair weather.

Rocky and I discussed what a great time we all had on our trip to town, “Kid, I’ve invited Mable to visit us come, warm weather. I’m pretty proud of my little ranch and would like her to see it.

“I don’t know about you, but I think Atea needs more schooling than you, and I can give her. Mable told me she was such a beautiful child that having her live with us men wasn't right. I’m supposed to convince Karen to let Atea live in town and live with Mable.”

“Rocky, it will be a lonely existence with not having Atea with us,”

“Kid, you’d agree, though?”

“Yes, I would agree, but I don’t know whether we can get Atea to agree. The first thing is to find out the truth about her origin. There seems to be some question about it.”

“We’ll find out. Karen told me she was half-Indian, sired by a white trapper. Then something was said that she was a found baby near her dead parents, rescued by a Brave of Karen’s to raise. What’s the truth of it?”

“I don’t know. Karen loves the child either way. Now that Atea can speak enough of our words, we’ll have her ask Karen, or maybe not, what the truth is.”

“Rocky, I’m getting the hang of their Indian talk, and I can understand what they are saying. I feel that Karen already wants Atea to understand her side of her white heritage. It may be because she is of white blood. There is no doubt that her being out in the weather so much makes her darker than someone living inside.”

“Work on it, Kid.”

————————————

Through the winter, we visited Mable, staying over two nights each time. I managed to repair her buggy wheel, and Mable found lacquer to match the color of the spokes and felloes, so the repair was unnoticeable. It was a long trip, so we did not often travel there.

Spring arrived, and Rocky searched for buyers for his steers. Another ranch offered to combine our herd with theirs for the drive to market. Rocky had to help on the drive, leaving me to oversee the ranch for the ten days he would be gone.

Atea and I were now talking and understanding what we were saying without trouble. Sometimes, to get across what we meant, we would slip into Indian speak to clarify the meaning. I had lived on the ranch for eleven months and had known Atea for nine months. For ten days, I moved into the tepee. I had a pallet near the grandfather, with Karen, her papoose, and Atea on pallets across from mine.

The grandfather told of his life, which Atea interpreted so I could understand. I still coached Atea on her reading. Mable had given her some books to read. Most of these had a scene or person engravings on a few pages, so it wasn’t long before she made sense of the story.

Atea and I rode around the range every morning to see how the cattle were doing. Consistently, I wore my shell belt and weapon. I worried that some whites or Indians would come in and take the cattle or might even kill us. This fear went back to when my father was shot and killed. I suggested that Karen, grandfather, and the papoose head into the woods to hide if possible if that happened.

Atea, who most usually was with me, would put up in the cabin at that time. Atea was to go into where Rocky and I slept, grab the shotgun, point it toward the door, and fire one barrel if someone followed her inside. I was afraid, and with her being so light of weight, if she held the weapon to her shoulder, the kickback would break her shoulder. I told her the best way would be to keep it tight to her side and point it while bracing herself. I did have her fire the shotgun once after I had demonstrated. It set her back some but didn’t knock her off her feet.

“Atea, I will do my utmost to protect you, so please only do this as a last resort?”

“Kid, if it ever comes time when we are in danger, I can do this.”

“Atea, I hope it never comes time when you have to.” We rarely spoke of danger and troubles. But we were ready to take them on if trouble did show its ugly face.

———————————

On the third of May, I had lived at the ranch for one year. The Indian Grandfather died—Alive one day and gone the next. Atea and I took him onto a nearby mountain and dug him a grave. There was nothing remarkable about the place. Atea said she had described it to Grandfather, and he said that was a good place for him to rest.

We put him onto the mule and transported him to the site. There was some dirt, but it mainly was detritus from the surrounding rotten ledges. There was a field of flowers below to the East for him to view. We believed he had a good, long life.

Mable had no children and loved having Atea stay for extended visits. She bought her clothes and styled her thick brown hair. I worried Mable wouldn’t continue with what I was working so hard to educate her. Mable didn’t let me down. She taught her how to write, and her hand became much better than mine.

After the bred heifers were disposed of that fall, Atea mostly lived with Mable Orkins through the winter. In and around town, Atea became “The kid that lived with Mable, funny name and addressed as Atea.” No one has ever mentioned her last name. Mable told everyone she was an orphan.

I was hurt because I was happy when Atea thought she would use my family name, Jenkins. Then, over the months, she didn’t use it. I asked Atea why.

“I just can’t use a boy’s name for myself. Someday, I will have another name, be married, and have children. That’s what Mable tells me. You don’t even use your name, either. You mostly go by Kid or Kid Abbot.”

“Okay, if you want it that way. What is in a name anyway?”

“You think that is bad. Mable tells me I can’t sleep in the same bed with you any longer. She says it isn’t right, and people will talk if they know about it. She said people talk about her and Rocky. They don’t know for sure, but they speak anyway. For some reason, Rocky agrees that he tells everyone he isn’t sleeping with her, but it doesn’t seem to bother either one. They both grinned when I mentioned it.

“Kid, I miss you, so please don’t be mad at me?”

“I can’t ever be mad at you, Atea. You are my best friend.”

Rocky, Karen, I lived at the ranch, and Karen’s Papoose, whom she had named Padzits. Padzits meant brother in Shoshoni. Atea was now Mable's full-time companion. The Indian maiden was now fifteen years old. I had seen and talked to her three weeks ago. She was different, and we acted shyly around each other.

Believe it or not, time had passed, and I was to be twenty-one next month on June 7. I had lived here with Rocky for five years. I can’t say I was unhappy, but this day or next week would be the same as last year’s day and week. There had to be more to my life than I was experiencing now.

Maybe you could call it fiddle-footed, but I didn’t have a fiddle and never went anywhere. It was time I told Rocky why I left home and should see at getting retribution for the killing of my father,

I was tall at five-eleven and well-muscled. I don’t know, but as a person, I would say I was quick-thinking. I certainly had enough time to think about it. There was no one to compare myself to except Rocky.

“Rocky, it’s time I left here to find out for sure who killed my father, he who was the cause of death of my mother.”

“I’ve been watching you and knew it was soon coming. You have to begin your life’s work. Do you know what you want to do?”

“Thought about it a lot. I have my father’s tools. I’ll put out my shingle in some town making wooden wheels. I’ll need to buy more tools, of course. I’ll need a forge. I know how to build a band saw, which will take some time.

“Pa made one, and I don’t see why I can’t build one like he did. Lathes are necessary to turn out the hubs, and of course, I need a drill press. I need swift running water to power these tools, though.”

“What about Atea, Karen, and her kid?”

“I don’t know, and I was going to leave that up to you. Karen and Atea have lived here for five years,”

“Maybe you should think about them a little more. Karen, now that she has her baby, you are right there helping her. Hell, you saw the papoose before she did. Atea told me all about what you did. I’m glad it wasn’t me.

“Karen had felt love for you for stepping in, getting them enough food, and protecting them when I wasn’t around. What you and Atea did burying the grandfather went a long way in how she feels about you, too.

“The only way you can gain respect is by being there when needed and being respectful yourself. I believe you showed Karen the same respect you showed your mother. That is the highest form of respect.

“The grandfather Indian was amazed by your accomplishments and was proud that you would lay him to rest.

“Now, it is you who intends to leave. Does Karen want you to leave her life—you who gave her the same respect she knew you held for your mother? With all your actions, these Indians have had more food than ever. Most of it was because of you. What are you going to do about Atea? Have you thought about leaving her?”

“Rocky, we haven’t seen much of her these last two years. I tried teaching her our language and taught her enough to communicate. However, she needed more if she was ever to join the White people, as she calls us. Mable has done an excellent job of it. Sometimes I've missed Atea so much I’ve wondered if what I did to make her my friend isn’t a mistake.

“I know it wasn’t a mistake because no one would believe she was an Indian for so many years. I miss so many things we did together. It has been two months since I have seen her. The last time I saw her, we didn’t have much to say to each other. It looks like I’m the one who has gone native.

“I’ve suddenly realized it is me who doesn’t fit in with White people’s lives any longer. That’s why I’ve decided to look for and find my father’s killer, and I promised to tell you when I was thinking that way years ago.”

“Kid, I’m involved with your leaving as well. Mable and I are a couple and have kept it low-key. She has refused to come to live here on the ranch.

“I have intended all along to go with you on your quest to find your father’s killer. I guess I will sell out the ranch, move to town, and get married. I’ve been thinking all along that’s what I should do. Can you wait until the ranch is sold before you leave?”

“Is that what you want, or just because I am leaving?”

“Some of both, I expect. I do look on you as a son I never had. Maybe we can find out, and you can take care of it so we won’t be gone too long. When you find out, I can return and marry Mable. I know you will make out living in town.

“I have another question to ask you. Have you ever thought about asking Atea to be your wife?”

“I’ve thought about Atea a lot, but she is someone I don’t know anymore. I told you the last few times I have seen her, I couldn’t think of much to say to her. She did say she has gone to different functions that Mable said she should go to. There are always boys there she talked to. I think I’ve lost out on being in her future.”

“Maybe you had better clean up and go see her. That is if you have any thoughts of you and Atea on the subject in the future,”

“I’ll leave early tomorrow to see her. I’ll think tonight about what to say to her. It would be better if I didn’t ask outright to marry me. First, I need to find out how she feels about me. If I hint at my feelings, I should be able to guess how that is.”

“Kid, if hinting doesn’t work and you still don’t know, don’t be afraid to ask outright.”

“I will.”

I left the ranch at sunrise and knocked on Mable’s door in the middle of the morning. She opened the door. “Matt, what are you doing here? Where is Rocky?”

“I’m alone, Mable. I want to talk with Atea?”

“Atea is in town this morning. You can find her at Leabau’s Diner. She was meeting a friend there. Put your horse in the barn and give him some hay. It would be better to walk down there. Is there any trouble at the ranch?”

“No trouble, and there is work to do for Rocky. It has been a long time since I talked to Atea, and I miss her, so I came anyway.”

“You’ll find she has been missing you too. She has developed into a beautiful young woman. It’s time you showed up here to speak with her if interested.”

“Rocky advised me it would be a good idea. He wishes you to remember him, as well. He speaks of you with affection.” 

“Great, I think of him often. I wish we hadn’t lived so far away from each other. You can tell him that. I should break down and make the trip to visit the Ranch.

“I will tell him.” I put my horse in the barn and headed down the street, looking for Leabau’s diner.

Chapter Three

The diner was busy when I entered. I spotted Atea sitting at a table. Her back was to me, and I recognized the decorated buckskin jacket she was wearing, much like the one I was wearing. She was facing a young man sitting across the table from her.

The man appeared younger than me, dressed in high-quality town clothes. He was holding her hand, and she was trying to pull it from his. I walked past Atea and turned around. I was now standing beside this person.

Atea glanced up at me while still tugging her trapped hand from his. “Dave, let me loose!” She said it loud and emphatic enough so everyone in the diner heard her. All sound in the room ceased.

Dave dropped Atea's hand as if it were hot. Her hand, now free, came out and brushed my coattail aside. My holstered weapon was in sight by some of the patrons. “Ah, rescued by my friend, Kid Abbot. Welcome. Kid, Dave was leaving, weren’t you, Dave?” I stepped forward, and Dave slid out behind me and went out a different door than the one I had entered. I never even looked at him.

 Atea put her hand up, and I held it as I sat down in the seat where Dave had so quickly exited. Atea raised her coffee cup and signaled the waitress to bring me a cup. Atea began speaking. “Dave saw me come in here and came in after me. I danced a couple of times with him once, and he aggressively wanted me to be a special friend. He doesn’t even act like a man. Why should I look to him when I have you?”

“Atea, you have just answered a question about us I was going to ask. I have been missing you and haven’t had much contact with you for many months. I know now I am still a special friend of yours.”

“I was wondering the same about you. I was almost ready to rent a horse and go home to find out about us, and here you are. Is there any other reason for you to visit?”

“Yes, and I haven’t figured out how to solve a long-term problem concerning my past.”

“That’s searching for the men who killed your father, isn’t it?”

“Yes. It is Rocky’s problem as well. He promised me years ago that I would tell him when I felt it was time to leave. He intended that he would go with me when I felt ready.”

“So what is the problem?”

“He wants to ask Mable to be his wife. He doesn’t know if she will wait for him while he goes off with me.”

“Oh, she will wait for him; she loves him. That makes some of his problems hers. She has never lived as far from town as the ranch is. I can understand that I like being in town, but there is still some Indian in me, and I long to be free in the woods. I don’t want to live in a tepee again, but a cabin is fine.”

“I know what you mean. For my first fourteen years, I lived in a city. My father, mother, and I traveled and built a home, and we were beginning to live the good life when it went all to hell. We had it all. It was less than two miles to town, yet we had the freedom to live as we wished. I want to go back there, find the person who shot my Pa, and see if I can reclaim my former home.”

“I don’t blame you. We should all get together and figure out how to resolve this. I want you to be my Brave for the rest of my life. Can I become your Squaw for the same length as your life?”

“You are very young. Are you too young for that?”

“No, even girls here in town are marrying at sixteen years. I don’t know exactly when I was born, but Karen said I would be sixteen this summer. Can we take Karen and little Jack with us if we find a new home?”

“I would hope so.” Atea and I had been whispering all through this conversation. We had ordered some cinnamon rolls and had eaten them. We left the table and knew people were watching us. Atea’s hand stole into mine. I used a twenty-dollar gold piece to pay. We headed back to the Mable’s house.

“Kid, let’s go talk to Mable. Maybe we can convince her to drive her buggy to the ranch and discuss it with Rocky and Karen. She has never met Karen and Jack, and I have never heard her say anything against Indians. I’ve told her about them because Karen was my Mother for so many years.” Atea giggled and then said, “I even told her how you and I helped with the birth when Jack was born.”

————————————————

Atea and I found Mable dressed in rough traveling clothes. She had on a heavy kirtle over leggings and had on moccasins. I recognized that Atea had made money working in the garden a year ago.

Before we could ask why, she said, “Atea, get dressed in your Indian clothes. I have packed a lunch and a canteen. I want to see Rocky; the only way I can is to visit the ranch alone. The Kid is here to escort us. It will still be light when we get there if we start now. Kid, hitch up the buggy with my team, and we will be good to go.”

Getting the buggy and the two horses harnessed and hitched up only took a few minutes. They were not out of the barn that often and were as excited as Mable appeared to be. Atea put Mable’s suitcase in the rear seat in the back. Atea whispered, “We will be at the ranch a few days. That suitcase is heavy.”

It was not a tedious journey, and the team was not very old and stepped right along.  I was riding my horse. We reached the turnoff, heading up into the hills to the ranch over two hours into our trip. We paused there for twenty minutes, watered the horses, and ate the lunch Mable had packed. It was much slower traveling but not nearly as many more miles to the ranch.

Atea pointed out when we went by the turn-off to where she lived when I first met her. She repeated the story of how I found first her grandfather and then her and the other two squaws with a family.  “We are nearly there, only a half-hour more. I’ll be so glad to see my Mother and Padzits.”

———————————

We were within two hundred yards of the cabin when someone yelled, “Help!” Just ahead of us, I saw Rocky lying under a dark bush. He had pulled the brush limbs away from him when he heard us so we could spot him.

I jumped down from the horse and ran up beside him. “Kid, I’ve been shot in the leg and crawled in here from this side of the cabin. I thought you wouldn’t be home until tomorrow, but I was hoping. Who’s in the buggy?”

“Mable and Atea.” I motioned for them to help. I gently pulled Rocky out from under the bush. He had a three-inch furrow in the meaty part of his left leg in front, six inches above his knee.

“I’m weak. I lost a lot of blood before I could rip the sleeves off my shirt and bind it up. That was about three hours ago. One hellion came looking for me but stopped before he came this far. Kid, am I glad to see you.”

“Who shot you?”

“One of the Owl-hoots I knew years ago. The outlaw knew I had a ranch and came looking for it. He isn’t looking anymore. I managed to get lead into him, and I hope he’s dead. At least it wasn’t him who was searching for me.”

“How many of them are there?”

“Six left. All the bastards are out there rustling and cutting our herd. Three men are on this end, and three more are on the other side. They are just taking last year’s heifers. I think the rest will take off if you can whittle them down. They will need at least five hands to handle the critters. We better make some plans before you move me.”

“Where are Jack and Karen?”

“In the cabin, I think, they are hiding in that hole we rigged up for them once, that’s if trouble ever came down on us. We made it big enough for Atea, but I don’t guess everyone would fit in now; everyone is bigger.”

“If Atea can get inside the bunk room, she knows how to protect herself and anyone else.”

“You mean the shotgun?”

I nodded, “Rocky, I’m armed too. I never expected to need to use it, but I’m ready.”

“Let me think a minute so everyone sit still.” It didn’t take me long to know what I planned to do. “Rocky, I will carry you through the woods to the other side of the cabin. If I set you up, can you still shoot?”

“I can handle my handgun, and I think I can handle the rifle. Luckily, you are armed with both.”

“Good. Mable, when I leave Rocky, I’ll scout to see where everyone is. I’ll look and then get you and Atea. I’ll try to clear the way for you to make it inside the cabin.”

I scooped up Rocky and worried I was making him hurt more than needed.

“Keep going, it ain’t that bad.”

I found a good place where Rocky was able if need be, to shoot from. “Go, Kid, we have to make sure the women aren’t harmed.” There were three men close by. Two were mounted, and one was near the yard.

I returned and got Mable and Atea, telling them their exact moves to get inside the cabin. I hitched the team and my horse so it wouldn’t run away.

I had Rocky set in a place where he could do me some good if I needed him to back me up with his handgun. The two men on horses were keeping a small gathering of yearlings from heading across the range to where the main herd remained. Close to the yard watching them, one man occasionally shouted an order. He stood with his back to me. I eased out from the corner about thirty feet from where he stood.

Atea, leading Mable at a run, came around in front of the building and headed for the cabin door. Maybe the noise in the yard or hearing their feet set him whirling around, seeing the women. He stared for a few seconds and then turned and shouted at the two on mounts, “Get them women, and save one of them for me, and to hell with the cattle!”

Mable and Atea went through the door, slamming it. The two mounted men spurred their horses into a run and slid them to a stop, dropping from their mounts and hitting the door with their bodies. They broke through it.

Now, I had this man in the yard practically facing me full-on. I took my attention off the cabin and drew my gun. His gun was coming into line as well. What Rocky had taught me paid off. Two seconds, maybe, and I was facing a dead man. It was close, though, for his shot dug dirt in the ground two inches from my feet.

Rocky and I could hear the men in the cabin shouting at the women in the bedroom to open the door. Not for long, though. The shotgun went off, and then a moment later, another gun fired. I ran in after shouting. I was coming in, and Mable and Atea stood at the bedroom door, looking bewildered. I looked down, and there was one man whose middle was a shattered mess. I realized I had tracked through some of him splattered all over the cabin.

Mable said, “Atea shot the one that is messed up, so he didn’t even have his gun out.  I shot that man with his gun in hand, crawling on the floor. I don’t know what he intended when he started crawling to the door, trying to reach his feet, but I stopped him. Most likely, he intended to kill you if you were still alive.”

“Walk around the end of the cabin. Rocky will see you come out.” I paused to tell Karen to bring Jack and head for the tepee with Atea.

Surprisingly, this action hadn’t taken very long. Rocky shouted, “Heads up, Kid, we have more trouble coming. Where is the rifle?”

I rushed out. The two horses were standing not far from the door. One had a rifle in a sheath. I grabbed that and headed around to the end of the cabin.  I grabbed my rifle, which leaned against the cabin, and ran to where I had cached Rocky.

“Riders are headed this way, three of them in a bunch. You work from the left, and I’ll take them from the right.” When the riders were close enough, I fired, and Rocky’s rifle did at the same time. I knew I had winged the one on the left, and Rocky did the same to his target. We both fired at the one in the middle.

Just before we fired, the middle rider yanked his horse to a stop. It reared up, shielding the rider, taking both bullets. The horse went down, and the rider came over its head. He lost his gun from his holster and slowly got to his feet. The two wounded now stopped and waited for us to kill them.

“Throw your guns away and walk toward us. We ain’t going to kill you.”

“Christ, we weren’t shooting at you; our guns are still in our holsters. What happened to the others?”

“They didn’t make out as well. Rocky killed your boss before I got here. I killed one and the other two who went after our women, and both are dead.”

“Are you going to let us go? We were hired to work cattle, and that’s all.”

“Nope, can’t do that, you were with them.”

“Well, tie up our wounds before we bleed to death. What kind of people are you?”

“Hey, the guy Rocky shot is a known outlaw. He pulled a gun on him, but Rocky was faster. The outlaw got lead into him, though, before we came and found him. Didn’t you hear any shooting?”

“Nope, we were sent to the herd in the far end. We were told to go past where there were some old Indian tepee poles and then head east up the mountain, and we’d find the cattle. When we heard the shooting, we stopped gathering cattle and headed where we saw the buildings. Then you bastards started shooting. You could have killed us.”

“Guess we read it wrong, sorry about that. Sit, and we’ll fix you up.” 

Mable, Atea, and Karen brought water and cloth. Karen was carrying some salve to smear on the wound. She was the one to begin patching Rocky. Atea and Mable each took a wounded man to work on. Rocky was the worst wounded and had lost the most blood.”

“Hey, I’ll take another bullet to have such a pretty nurse care of me.”

“Don’t laugh, and I’m glad you aren’t hurt that bad. I’ve got a chore for you when you are able.”

“What?”

“Kid, take them inside the cabin and drag out those two dead that were after our women. They won’t think their nurses are so sweet when they see what they are capable of.”

“Good God, it’s a slaughterhouse in there.” I turned to Rocky. “There is blood all over. I will roll them up in the cowhides on the floor and bring them out that way. I’ll collect the two you and I shot and put them together. I wonder if we can find a sheriff or someone to report this. We can’t just bury them, can we?”

“I don’t suppose. I’ll ask Mable what they have for law in her town. Maybe find a doctor to check our wounds. I’m not hurting too bad. Those others aren’t either.”

“I’ll ask what they think. Tell you what, I’ll have Mable write it up in a note, and I’ll head down the mountain and pay the first person I meet to ride in and contact him.”

“Okay, by me, Kid. What about the ones that were rustling our cattle?”

“We could let them skip. They aren’t much older than me.”

“Kid, my thoughts are the same. We could say they are our hands and keep them out of what those other bastards did here. Report them, and they might end up with a rope necktie. It will be a good lesson for them to check out who they go to work for before taking the job.”

“Rocky, we could use some help. Even though we shot two, do you think they would work for us?”

“They might. I’ll talk to them. I’ll figure out how to blame the two that Mable and Atea killed for wounding them. They would have to trust us as much as we trust them, which might work.”

“Okay. We had better talk to Mable and Atea and get them to agree. Ask Mable to write up what happened here for the Law to read. She’s a good, solid citizen and believable. I’ll get those dead bodies out of the cabin. Also, I’ll see if Karen can start cooking some food; I’m hungry.”

It was well after dark when everything settled what went down today. The three cowpunchers were enthused about Rocky hiring them and keeping them on until their wounds healed. It was decided that the puncher, Dugan, who wasn’t wounded, would be the person to ride to report what had happened, carrying Mable’s account.

 Mable thought about the three young men and what might happen to them if we didn’t change the story of what happened. She was all for Rocky's decision and was happy to go along.

While supper was cooking, Mable and Atea cleaned the room in the cabin of what little blood didn’t go out with the bodies. The three new men and I filled the bunks in the cabin. Rocky, Mable, Atea, Karen, and Jack stayed in the tepee.

Dugan, the hand’s name, was saved by the horse that reared up in front of the bullets Rocky and I fired; not wounded, we settled on him to make the trip to find an officer. That is, if he could find one. Mable had told us that the Territorial Marshal often stayed in her town, where a jail was located.

At daylight, we put Dugan on the horse of the outlaw that Rocky killed. The horse was younger and larger than any horse that we owned. No one knew when or if he would return. In his note, Mable said that if a doctor was available, ask him to come too. There was an Indian Squaw here working as our housekeeper, who did appear adequate to tending the wounded and would watch each one until a doctor could arrive. 

Rocky was up, but Mable wouldn’t let him move around. Rocky resisted until Karen got before him, brandishing a poker, “Sit!” Rocky sat.

I saddled my horse to ride around the cattle. Roland and Whitney, the two wounded, said if I would saddle their mounts, they would like to ride with me. When we reached where the yearling heifers gathered on the far side of the range, we found that they had already interspersed back into the herd, so what these two had done yesterday was for naught.

I asked how come they were with the outlaw bunch, and they said they were coming off a drunk, didn’t particularly care for the boss they worked for, sent word by a puncher going back to the ranch, and quit. They sat up at the bar for eye-openers, fed breakfast, and were offered jobs by the outlaws. Riding leisurely, they rode up to where they were sent, roundabout to get to the back of our herd, and began cutting out the heifers.

They didn’t suspect at all that the men we killed were outlaws. The rustlers did seem to know precisely where this ranch was. “They must have been planning this for a while based on how they talked.” I agreed.

“We thought sometime before you showed, we heard a gunshot. We felt we were mistaken when we didn’t hear any other shot. That has to be when the boss and Rocky tangled. The two other outlaws, who were out in the herd, must have heard the same as we did. They were driving a small bunch toward the cabin, and we didn’t pay any more attention until we heard more gunshots.

“That had to be you, and we could see people rushing around. That’s when we figured we had better find out what was happening. It would have been better if we ignored it all and took off.”

“You must have been inside to take down the one so messed up that we dragged out?”

“No, those two saw the women go into the cabin and went in after them. You know, I’ve known Atea since she was ten. I was fifteen then, and even then, I worried about something terrible happening to her. I taught her how to fire a shotgun. As small as she was, I knew she shouldn’t shoot from the shoulder because the kickback could break it. She remembered my warning and did exactly what I showed her: how to use it.

“The other one, Mable, shot with a two-shot pocket gun. That was a surprise to me. I didn’t even know she was armed. Rocky is sweet to her, and they may marry.”

“What about you and the girl?”

“Nothing definite, yet, but just maybe.”

“Better not let her get mad at you, especially if a shotgun is around.”

“Yeah, I’ve thought of that.”

Roland and Whitney said they guessed they would head back to the cabin because riding was bothering their wounds. “Sure, we’ll ride straight across the range.”

“I want a sandwich. Dugan hadn’t returned, so he must be making the trip to town.”

The Marshal would most likely wait until tomorrow if he had been contacted. I looked at the four dead outlaws; it hadn’t warmed much, and it wasn’t fly time yet.

Rocky was running a fever, and his leg was inflamed. I was worried. Atea said she talked to Karen, and she said this was normal.

There was still squash, potatoes, and beets to eat. The squash stayed in the tepee, which was dryer than the cabin cellar, with the root vegetables. Another two weeks would be time to plow for this year’s garden. I intended to plow the ground, then leave to take care of my business of finding who killed my father. I didn’t see how Rocky could go with me. We couldn’t leave Karen and Jack here all alone.

It was a surprise when three horses pulled into the yard. I was crossing from the tepee to the cabin. Dugan stepped off his horse, “Kid, I found the Marshal in a hamlet an hour’s ride this side of town. I told him some of what went on yesterday––what I knew of it anyway. He has the note that Mrs. Orkins wrote. He has a deputy with him. Where is Rocky?”

I waited to say a little about yesterday until the marshal approached me. “Rocky’s in the tepee; his temperature is up. Mable said that is normal.”

The marshal stepped down, facing me. “What’s your name? Dugan didn’t say anything about you.”

“The name is Matt Jenkins. I go by Kid.”

“What are you trying to hide, your name or something?”

“No. I am an orphan, and I was just a kid when Rocky picked me up. I’ve been here about six years, and Rocky has always called me Kid. Just got used to being called Kid, that’s all.”

“Where are those dead men you folks killed?”

“Over there under the tree on the other side of the cabin. Say, we were going to eat. Maybe you should eat with us before you look at the dead men. Come along to the tepee. We can make room.”

“Alright, but I want to look at them and leave before dark.”

“Bring your horses to the corral, and I’ll feed and water them. Mrs. Orkins is in the tepee. You know her enough to speak to.” Dugan said he would care for the horses, so I led the marshal and deputy toward the tent.

Mable welcomed him, standing in the open tent flap. “Come in, Marshal; we were getting ready to eat.”

“Mrs. Orkins, I’m surprised to see you here?”

“Yes, Marshal Brooks, I’m friends with Rocky Sedgewich. It is my first time here. He sent the Kid downtown to escort Atea and me to see his ranch. When we arrived, we found Rocky wounded and three men still looking for him. Two men were on horses with the cattle, shooting at Rocky’s crew. There was one other in the yard. The kid got us into the cabin, where we hoped to be safe.

“That left the Kid to face the one in the yard. The men with the cattle saw Atea and me go into the cabin and wanted to do us harm. The Kid was busy caring for one, and the other two rode in and broke into the cabin.

“When the two entered, they screamed at us to open the door. We didn’t, but they did. The Kid had prepared Atea for such an event, and she remembered him telling her what to do. We had no trouble saving ourselves. Marshal, leave that for now, and let me fill your plate; there will be coffee in a few minutes.”

Curious about the two strangers, Jack appeared and watched them eat. Karen came from the other side of the fire and grabbed him.

“Who are they?”

“Rocky’s housekeeper and her son.”

“Mrs. Orkins, my head is spinning with all these people. Where is this Rocky person?”

“He is on the other side of the tepee. He’s sleeping. His fever just left him an hour ago. He’ll be sitting up soon and wanting some food.”

Roland, Whitney, and Dugan entered, and Atea filled their plates. They turned and went outside to eat. The bandages on their arms were apparent but weren’t troubling to the marshal. The marshal watched them but didn’t say anything.

——————————

“Let’s see those outlaws, and it was a long ride.” I led the two officers past the cabin and under the tree where we had lined them up. We had covered them all under one canvas.

Dugan was helping me as we peeled the canvas off. The first one the marshal examined was the one Rocky shot. Making conversation, I said, “Rocky bragged that he had never killed a man before. He said he had wounded some seriously. Guess it was his time to break his record.”

The Sheriff commented, “It looks like he got him dead center in the heart. I know this one’s reputation. His name is Burt Rhodes. Rocky must be damned fast. Rhodes has been around for a while, and I have a flyer for him. He came out of Missouri during the war twenty years ago. Lately, he’s been known for rustling cattle. I’m not surprised. How old is this Rocky I haven’t met yet?”

“He told me he was forty-two, and that was when I came here five years ago.”

“How old were you then?”

“Fifteen, and he offered me a job. He has taught me much about cattle and how to handle a gun to protect myself.”

The marshal told the deputy to go through the pockets for identification and do it for all of them. “The next one, who shot him?”

“That was me. That one  drew on me when I tried to get Mrs. Orkins into the cabin.”

“I know him as well. I have a paper on him if he is who I think he is. He is a known killer and gunman trying to make a reputation. He has been looking to pad his kill count. He won his shootings over them all till yesterday. Who drew first?”

“He started drawing when I came into the yard. His bullet was wide of my foot by a few inches. He never got his gun level. I’m still alive because of what Rocky taught me.”

“You’re damned lucky; he was the fasted gun around. You stay inside the law, son.”

“I plan to, and don’t you or the deputy tell anyone about this. I was hoping to be able when I’m as old as Rocky is to say I had never killed a man. That next one is the one that Mrs. Orkins shot.  He was trying for the door, and she didn’t know if I was still alive, so she plugged him with her pocket pistol.”

“You just don’t know what a woman can do when something like this comes up, do you? What about the last one that’s covered with the cow rug?”

“That one is the one who bought it when Atea did what I told her how to stop anyone who was going to do her harm.” Dugan and I pulled the rug away, and it was evident that he was hit at close range with a shotgun. There was a four-inch, jagged wound clear through the outlaw.

“I thought she was just a young woman. How old is she?”

“She doesn’t know for sure but thought to be about sixteen. Karen the Squaw, got her when she was somewhere around three. Her Brave found her wrapped up, still alive, beside her parents, where they had frozen to death up on the Oregon Trail. He brought her home, and she raised her.

“I met her when she was ten. She couldn’t speak a word of English, just Shoshoni. Rocky and I thought she was an Indian when we first saw her. We named the Squaw, Karen because that is what her Indian name sounds like. Karen named the child Atea only because that is all the child could say when given to the squaw. The name doesn’t make sense, and there is no way to trace her parents.”

“She speaks English well; I heard her talking while we ate.”

“I had Rocky buy some kid’s books, and I taught her her first words. That is the way it was for the first year when the Squaw was asked here to live and be our housekeeper. Then Rocky got involved with Mrs. Orkins, and Mable took her and schooled her downtown.”

“That’s damned interesting. I never was up to this end of the territory. Not heavily peopled enough, I never knew a ranch was up in these hills, either. Deputy, put all you find in their hat and bring them along. Can we bunk in the barn tonight?”

“Sure. What do you want to do with the bodies?”

“Will you bury them here? They won’t need a marker or anything. If we don’t say anything about where they are, I can pay six bucks apiece for putting them in the ground; that way, they will disappear. I’ll be looking to see if any bounty will come to you. If I give it to Mrs. Orkins, I won’t have to return here again. I’ll speak to Sedgewich tonight or tomorrow before leaving.”

“Sounds good to us, doesn’t it, Dugan?”

“Yeah.”

The deputy and the Marshal were up early. Karen fed everyone. Marshal Brooks talked about different experiences in the territory while in charge.

“Marshal, I’ve missed most of what goes on in the territory since I came up here and built the ranch. It was lonely, although I had different cowpunchers until the Kid came. They were young, about the same age as the kid is now. I cherish him. Just look around you and see how busy he has been. He’s a damned talented woodworker and wheelwright, building all these farm tools we use.

“When Karen and Atea came here, Atea was just a skinny little kid. The kid could see how it would be for her, not an Indian and not even a white person enough to fit in there. He took her in hand and looked at her now. Of course, when I thought about Mable, the Kid and I urged Atea to go live downtown and teach Atea about the white race. She is intelligent and turned out beautiful. Her long-dead parents would have been proud.”

“The Kid told me you taught him how to handle a gun. I feel he is about as fast as anyone I know.”

“I didn’t get to see him draw, but the Kid was trying to get the women safe and had that man in the yard to contend with at the same time. He does have to be good, or he would have been dead. All of us maybe,”

“Rocky, see, he doesn’t go bad. If he does, he will be a gun I don’t want to face.”

“I won’t. I may sell out here and head for town where Mable is. I think he may work with some wagon maker. Ask Mable what he did in making repairs on her buggy wheel. He was only seventeen when he fixed it.”

“Well, you’ve all done well up here in the hills. I would have hated to come up here and discover that the outlaws had wiped you out. Is there anything that I can do for you before I leave?”

“No, I can’t think of anything. Someday when I’m in town, I might drop in and see you if you ain’t busy?”

“Glad to have you. Are you sure it is okay to give Mrs. Orkins any bounty money I can collect?”

“Absolutely!”

The Marshal and the Deputy went, waving as they left. I grinned at Rocky, “That went well, didn’t it?”  Roland, Whitney, and Dugan agreed.

Mable turned to the three cowboys. “You men better stay on the straight and narrow. You could have been headed for a hanging.”

Dugan, the spokesman, declared they intended to. We started looking to find a place to bury the outlaws. More directions,  “Find a place just inside the woods, not too far, and what looks like easy diggings.” No one wanted to handle them, so we rolled them, one by one, onto the canvas and dragged them to the place Atea had chosen.

The hole we dug was six feet by five feet and three feet deep. It took all morning because Roland and Whitney couldn’t dig with their wounds. When laid close, side by side, and filled in, we gathered some leaves and brush to disguise there was a grave there. Mable came and said a prayer. Marshal Brooks did say to make them disappear. That was it!

I asked Mable and Atea if this bothered them, “It’s life and how they lived; it was almost foreordained. It could have been us. I don’t think they would have had the decency to do for us what we did for them.” We all agreed.

Rocky was getting better, and he and Mable told each other about different happening in their lives. Mable had a poor childhood but met and married her wealthy husband when she was nineteen. They had a great life together, traveling several times to the continent. They had stopped in this town, leasing the house she lived in now, when he suddenly died.

She then decided to stay and bought the house. She said she was lonely until Rocky met her one day while walking on the street. They paused and exchanged pleasantries. They ended up having coffee in the diner that day. He stopped every time he came to town.

She said her life improved when Atea and I came to that dance the first time I came down from the mountain. She said she had the greatest time that night when I led her out onto the floor, and we danced the way she had danced in many ballrooms worldwide.

Amazed at how much I had taught Atea, she knew that someone needed to teach her more, and I finally convinced her to join her downtown as her companion. I was pleased with this move, but I did miss Atea more than I expected. Rocky and I came to town more often, and finally, we invited her and Atea to view the ranch.

Rocky told us more about his life. In the years following leaving home, he had worked on several ranches as a cowpuncher, driven a stagecoach, and owned a percentage of a freight line. When a couple of bigger freight outfits began freighting in the area, Rocky and his partner went broke. He found the open area where the ranch was and started raising cattle.

Mable had to observe, “Rocky, you can’t have gotten rich with this small ranch?”

“Mable, I always put money aside for every endeavor I worked at. Now, you have pinned me down about how much I am worth. If you consent to marry me, I will show you my bank statements.” He grinned as he said this.

“Rocky, I don’t need to know, and I’m sorry I backed you into thinking you had to reveal your worth to me. I have enough so we could live a lot higher than I’m living now—enough of this. Atea wants to climb up a nearby mountaintop to show us where she and the Kid buried her Grandfather. Do you feel able to walk that far?”

“Yes, let’s take Karen and Jack with us. We’ll make a morning of it tomorrow.”

“Okay, but Atea and I should return to town the day after.”

“Mable, I’m going to miss you. I think I’ll post my ranch for sale in town. I don’t want us to be apart so much.”

“Are you talking marriage, Rocky?”

“I am, Sweetheart.” Atea and I stepped out of the tepee.

The following day, we all reached the mountain where Atea and I interred the old Indian Grandfather. The spring flowers were out and covered the green slope in front of the ledges with a colorful carpet of colors. It was the highest mountain around and had a fantastic view.”

——————————

The buggy and two saddle horses went down the trail the following day, carrying the four of us. Atea was on Rocky’s horse, and he was driving the buggy. We left our new crew to keep the ranch occupied. All they asked was for us to return with a small beer keg. We didn’t hurry and stopped often. Sometimes, I was in the buggy with Atea.

Once after stopping, Mable said, “I want the Kid to drive the buggy this time.”

I had to explain to Mable why I hadn’t asked Atea to marry me. “Mable, I can’t yet. I have some business of my own. I need to find out who killed my parents. It is a two-hundred-mile round trip, and I don’t know how long I’ll be or what I must do when I find out.

“My parents owned a farmstead the same size as Rocky’s ranch. I have the deed to it and think I can claim it if someone else hasn’t taken it up. Rocky promised to side with me when I made the trip. The way Rocky and you are coming along with your plans, I think I’ll see if Dugan won’t go in Rocky’s place.”

“No, I’ll tell Rocky to go with you. Please come back to Atea. The child needs you.”

“Atea isn’t a child any longer.”

“I know, but in her culture, she’d have at least one papoose by this time.”

“Mable, I have to find a paying job. I think I can make it with what I know and what my father taught me. It might take months after I hang out a shingle to support myself and support a wife.”           

“Do you have any money at all?”

“I have six hundred dollars, but I need to buy some tools and some materials of a special kind to make wagon wheels. That’s what I am aiming to do.”

“You know that a wife can help her husband, right?”

“I know she would, but I don’t want her to be a housekeeper or servant for someone rich.”

“Kid, what would you say if she had plans to go into business for herself? Look at your feet and what you have on them. That’s the third pair of moccasins she has made for you. I’ll back her for what she needs to buy better tools and the material to make moccasins. You could help her by carving out the wooden shoe lasts of size and shape for the moccasins to make her work much easier.

“She could make at least fifteen dollars a week in profit. General stores would buy and put them on their shelf to sell. I will take her to women’s Milliner shops to show off her wares. All she would have to do is make a pair like she wore to the dance that time. Requests to make these will inundate her. It is those who manufacture goods who are the ones who live well.”

“I say again, Mable, I have to find out about my Father and Mother’s death. It has been over five years, and I think I am now able to deal with it and whoever shot my father. I still feel that it was my father’s death that killed my Mother, though not directly.

“I understand this, Kid, but Atea is of age and needs to be married. I like both of you, and you are right about each other. Living directly with me for the last two years makes her the daughter I could not have. I know she will be happy with you and you with her,”

“I’ll talk to Rocky and see what he says. Maybe I can take Dugan with me if Rocky can’t leave now.” I liked Mable exceptionally well, but she pushed me too hard to get married. I knew how Atea felt, and I believed that I should deal with this other first, and she would wait without being upset. We had always understood each other.

When Mable was driving the last half hour to reach the outskirts of town, I told Rocky what Mable was urging me to do.

“Kid, you’ll find women like that. They get an idea in their heads and keep harping on it. Just agree with ‘uhuh,’ and do it in your own way and on your own time. You know Atea wants to get married, and you do too. You are both young, and I think you should follow the timeline of making a living and then getting married.”

He then gave me advice about how far to go if Atea and I wanted to get intimate. “She will be happy, and you will be pleased. He also advised me on ways of not getting Atea pregnant. If you get her with child, that’s a whole new tangled ball of yarn. Talk to Atea and ensure she knows what I just told you.”

——————————

That night, I went to the day bed in the parlor, the same as usual when I stayed here. I could hear Mable and Rocky after they went to bed. I was thinking of Atea and some of Rocky's stories about being intimate with a woman.

My eyes were closed when Atea said, “Kid, I’m having bad dreams about shooting that man last week. I need you to hold me close.”

“There is no room here for you.”

“I know, come with me.” Atea was tugging at me.” I followed her to her room.

“Kid, I wasn’t having a dream, but I was thinking of you. I need you to hold and kiss me.” We talked a little about what had happened and how we felt about what happened with the outlaws. It was the first time we kissed where we could enjoy it. I did mention what Rocky told me just hours before.

“I knew all that, and I want to be careful. Karen explained sex to me years ago and how it makes a person feel. Mable has talked to me, too, but her way doesn’t seem as much fun as the way Karen told me. Let’s do things the way Karen said.”

Mable found us in bed, not happy, and said so. Atea and I were entwined together as close as we could get. Atea was sharp with Mable, “The Kid is my Brave, and he has asked me to be his squaw when he gets his life sorted out. I would wait forever if I had to, but in the meantime, we have decided to be happy when we can. Do you want me to leave and return to the ranch?”

“No, of course not. I would be so alone without you here with me. Just be careful; that’s all I ask.”

Mable turned and went out to tell Rocky where she found me. I heard him say. “The Kid has a head on his shoulders, and I can’t see him doing Atea wrong. She can’t either, and I’ll wager it was she who came and brought him to her bed. It is more imperative now that I travel with him so he can start his life unencumbered with his past, leaving it behind him.”

“The child is so young.”

“Not that young. The kid told me what you were saying to him yesterday, and it sounded to me like you were pushing him a little about Atea. If the two find a place to work and are married, I might be in your bed permanently.”

“You are then going with the Kid this soon?”

“Yes, within a week or so. I want to talk to my crew about watching the ranch while I’m gone. I plan to take the stage here to where Kid is from.”

Rocky told me what his plan was for traveling. “We’ll have to rent horses when we arrive, but it should save us some time traveling. When the bank here opens, I’ll get some money to travel with.”

“I’ll go into the bank with you. I don’t have but a handful of coins in cash.”

“Save your money, Kid. If you see something in a store, I’ll buy it for you. That goes for the stage trip as well.”

“What about when you marry Mable? Everyone tells me a wife isn’t cheap.”

“Kid, I make nearly two thousand dollars off the ranch every year, and I don’t spend that much in the year. That sideline business I shared with you once has paid much more than I ever made off the ranch. I stopped doing that the first year you were here and haven’t touched the money. Meeting you and seeing the person you are made me decide to give it up. We know what happens to outlaws, and I’m glad I’m not one of them any longer.”

“Rocky, you will find out when we get to where I came from. What I did is just as bad. I don’t know what I will face when I return there.”

“Yes, but from what you have told me, you had a good reason.”

“We will see.”

“Let’s go buy some new clothes, and you do need a new shirt and pants so you can get rid of those damned farmer-looking suspenders.”

“I only wear these, so I don’t have to wear two belts.”

“Yeah, but we are going to be passing through cattle country. Dressed like you are is just inviting some gunny to try you.”

“Okay, you should have told me sooner. I can’t see why cattle ranchers are so against farmers. That isn’t the way Pa and Ma felt about it. He said growing your food comes first, whatever your business is.”

“It is, but your Pa was new to cattle country. It is open land out here, and it spoils a cattle ranch. Plots of farm goods planted here and there inhibit the freedom to move cattle to market. Some say farming land brings in weeds and brush. You must have been by and seen an abandoned farmstead. Weeds and brush cover the plowed ground.”

“You are right about that, I guess. Pa did say something about fences,”

“That is even worse. I predict it’ll be a battle for years to come. You know, that might have been why your father died. How much land was he going to plow?”

“Five acres. Pa was going to raise corn for what few cattle he raised and talked about building fences to keep the cows out of the garden.”

“There you go. Hey, are you going to get Atea an engagement ring? I heard that the watch sales and repair shop has a small display of rings. I’m going in and look at them.”

“I’ll look, but I don’t know how expensive they are. It sounds like a good idea. Are you getting one for Mable?”

“Thought some on it, just checking today, though.”

We did go into the watchmaker’s repair business. I asked about rings with a stone to give to my girl.”

“Diamonds or something more reasonable?”

“Something a lot more reasonable.”

“Well, let’s see, how about a garnet? I dig garnets out of a big stone on top of a mountain with them all over it. I was walking by a few years ago and spotted this big stone. The colors are primarily light brown, but there are spots of red in many. I return to that big stone and get a handful when I get low. I polish them up, and they look attractive. Just something I fool with, you know.”

“Can I look at the stones?” A tray came out, and I saw the stone I thought was prettiest among several others. “That’s the one I pick.”

“How big is the girl’s finger?”

“I’ve looked at her finger, and I believe if you put the ring on my little finger, it would be the right size.”

“I only have gold rings. Bare rings are a dollar each. I’ll show you what I have. I could have the stone clamps to hold the stone on by tomorrow.  I’m charging 75 cents for the stone and 25 cents for the clamps, which makes the ring $2.00.”

I looked at Rocky. “We are leaving shortly but will be passing through next week. He can pick it up then.”

“That will be better for me. I live upstairs. Just knock on the door any time after 7:30.”

“Great, it will be early because we are taking the stage at 10:00 when it comes down here from the north. While I’m here, let me look at some diamond rings. I want one for a lady friend of mine. I’ll see what you have and let her make a choice. At the same time, the Kid will pick up the one for his girlfriend.” Rocky was satisfied that Mable had an excellent selection to view.

We left there, intending to return to Mable’s house, when we met Territorial Marshal Tim Brooks, coming out of the jail as we passed. “Rocky, glad to see you. Step inside, if you would?”

He said, “I’ve sent wires off to the places that have posted bounties on those outlaws. In the wires, I also asked for next of kin. The outlaws had a total of a hundred and thirty-seven dollars in their pockets. I kept the amounts separate and will send a draft if the families contact me. I’ll fold it into my budget to cover the telegram cost if they don't.

“Now, I haven’t forgotten that there were four horses, four saddles, and four and more guns involved that I’m giving you for the trouble they caused. All I need from you, Rocky, are the brands on the horses so I can legally turn ownership over to you. You then can sell them or keep them. The law requires an affidavit saying who killed each outlaw. I don’t need specific names, so you might say you killed all four.”

“Good, Marshal. I don’t want the Kid to start a reputation for being fast with a gun. The sixteen-year-old girl doesn’t need one, either. I’ll take the blame if there is any.”

“That will cover it.”

When we left, I said to Rocky.” He didn’t mention how much the bounty money amounts to, did he?”

“No, it could be only as much as twenty-five dollars or a few hundred dollars. The bounties may be from more than one source.”

I observed, “At least the marshal seems fair with it all and doesn’t try to cheat us. It is best not to dwell on the possibility of getting rich. I think of it as blood money, anyway,” I had nothing to say more on the subject.

We returned to Mable’s and started home at eleven. We made good time and reached there at three in the afternoon. The three hands were out with the herd of cattle. Karen had a stew bubbling in a pot hanging over the coals of the fire in the tepee. “Kid, I think we can trust our new hands, alright. What do you think?”

“I think so. I estimate we will be gone for two full weeks. My first stop will be in the town where the land is located. I hope to find the lawyer who handled Pa’s business when we arrive. He is the one who made out the papers when Pa bought the land. There was a separate deed for the water and one for the ten acres for the house lot. I have copies to show him. The originals are cached in the hearth in a metal box Pa buried.”

“Looks like you have that part covered. Even if the place was considered abandoned, you should be able to find it.”

Jack came, flying into my arms, and I was glad I was home. I started tickling Jack, which he loved, and I often did this. He had never had anyone his age to play with, and Atea did this before she moved away. I tried to make up for some of the loss when she wasn’t here any longer.

Karen had gained some knowledge of the English language and asked the question, “How long will you be here?”

“Five days, and then we will be gone many days. Will you mind being here alone with the three cowboys?”

“No, won’t mind. They plow the garden when you leave.”

“Maybe there is no need for the garden if we move.”

“Plow garden anyway.” I shrugged my shoulders.

After supper, everyone relaxed, and Rocky began talking. “Men and Karen, the Kid, and I are leaving for a few weeks next week. He has some business to tend to in his last town. While we are gone, I expect you will tend to the place as usual.

“That is just to watch the cattle so they don’t stray far from the open land. The cows and this year’s calves comprise a third of the cattle. There are two years of next year’s steers. Last year’s heifers are for sale in the fall this year. All told, that makes about two hundred and fifty head now.

“Your job is to keep them in the open range as much as possible. Karen will be here the same as always. I would like at least two of you here all the time. If you must go into town for something, just one man is to go.

“Enough of that. I’m thinking of selling out here and moving into town with Mable. The Kid may or may not be leaving anyway. He wants to marry Atea, but to do that, he has to move to someplace where he can take up his father’s trade of making wagon wheels. Finding a place with enough work for him to support a wife may take a while. That is some of what we will look into while we are gone. Anyway, this is all for the future.”

“Rocky, we all will watch the place for you. I was hoping this was the place we could sign on with and be happy for years.”

“I know how you feel. I’ve been here short of ten years and enjoyed living here. If I hadn’t met Mable, I would have no thought of leaving. You’ve met her; would you give her up if you were in my place?”

“Damned, sure not.”

“Anyway, I’m letting you know that some changes may arise. Dugan, how about going out and pulling up that cask on a rope in the well? I could stand a beer.”

The week moved along, and I was convinced I should plow the garden spot again this year. That was after the men asked, “What happens if you can’t sell the ranch? You can marry your woman and still boss us, who will keep up the ranch until you sell.”

Rocky and I did leave for the town a day earlier than planned. We wanted to get our rings and decided to give them to Atea and Mable the night before we went. Rocky also wanted to post his ranch for sale on the General Store, Barbershop bulletin boards, and one on the Town-Owned Common. We picked up our rings, and I hoped Atea would like hers.

Mable was surprised and happy to see us. Atea came into my arms for a hug and kiss. “Guys, I have nothing for dessert. Can we go to the diner for something after we eat here?”

“Sure, first, though, Mable, I want to make it official, and I would like to ask you to marry me. Will you? I don’t know when, but we can discuss this later after I sell the ranch.”

“Rocky, I’ll wait until we settle on where we will be living. We don’t have to live in my house, which is so small.”

Rocky got the ring out of his pocket and showed it to her. Then he took her finger and slid it on. Atea looked so envious and looked at the ring on Mable’s finger. “Oh, it is so beautiful.” Rocky laughed at her.

I had the ring I had purchased in my hand, and when she turned to look at me, I held the gold ring with the garnet stone before her eyes. Atea stared at it. To me, it was a pretty ring, just not a diamond. “Atea, someday, I will buy you one like Mable’s.” The ring did fit.

“Kid, I don’t want anything other than this one. It shines so bright. Does this mean you want me for your wife?”

“Oh darn, Atea, I knew I would forget something like asking to marry me. Yes, I want you to marry me.”

“Kid, does Karen know I’m engaged with a ring and everything?”

“No, not yet. But I’ll have you come home when I return in two weeks.”

“Good, she is still the only mother I know.” We were slow getting up in the morning, and catching the stage at ten this morning came up fast. Atea and Mable went with us for this, and both waved until we were out of sight.

–––––––––––––––––

It was a long and tedious trip, and we didn’t arrive until eleven on the fourth day. We were in the town center, and I looked for the Lawyer’s office. It was up one level right in the building, directly across the street from where we stepped down from the stage.

“Rocky, do you want to dive right into this today? That’s the Lawyer’s shingle across the street.”

“We might as well. Then we’ll eat and find a Livery stable to rent some horses. A saddle will feel good after sitting on that stage for many days.”

Rocky and I crossed the street and went up the inside stairs. Rocky had a small suitcase, and I had everything in a satchel. I knocked on the door that had Stephen Nickerson, Attorney at Law’s name on it.

“Come in.”

I remembered what the lawyer looked like who was sitting at a desk. “Hi, I’m Matt Jenkins. You did deed work for my father six years ago when he bought the property. I was fifteen at the time. Pa is dead, and I’m here to see what has happened to the land after so many years. Can I still lay claim to the property?”

Nickerson rose and stood there looking at me. “Yes, I remember Jenkins having a son. Do you have any identification?” I opened my satchel and handed three papers across the desk. “This is a birth certificate and copy of the land ownership papers. The originals are at the ranch. I can get them. They should be intact.”

“Why did you leave?”

“I left because I thought I would be hunted down and shot just like my Pa. My Ma died two hours after Pa died. Ma died of the shock of his death and the way she saw it happen. I thought they would be searching for me the next day. I buried Ma and Pa and took off.”

“I guess I can believe you. Your parent’s grave was found several days later. At least, it is assumed they are buried in the grave. It wasn’t dug up, so no one knew if you were in it.”

“You know, Mr. Jenkins, before you go any further with what happened, I had better have the sheriff here, and you explain what happened that day. A lot did happen within the next two months that you should learn about from the sheriff. We had better see if he is in his office. If not, it is dinnertime, and I’ll buy you dinner. I take it you came in on the stage because you are dusty and must be hungry.”

I introduced Rocky and said I had worked on his ranch for five years. “It is a small ranch of about six hundred acres.

“That’s about the same size as your Pa’s.”

“I never knew, but now that you mention it, I guess I heard him mention it as a section. We only had five cows when Pa died. One of the cows calved, and I was searching for it that day.”

“So you didn’t see him killed?”

“I heard the shot that killed him and the two who killed our horses. The three men rode away on their horses when I came out of the woods. I recognized the horse that Weatherly was riding. He had two punchers with him. I watched them ride across the range and into the hills this side of his place.”

Chapter Four

We found Sheriff Jones, just ready to eat. “Hi Steven, what’s up?”

“Sheriff, this is the Jenkins son, Matt. He came into my office after coming in on the stage. The man with him has the name of Sedgewick. Jenkins has lived and worked for him for the last five years.”

“This is a surprise. Jenkins, how come you skedaddled out of here when you did?”

“I heard the shot that killed my Pa. Ma was in the house and saw it happen. She had a bad heart, and the shock of it killed her. I had about two hours holding her in my arms before she died. I figured those that shot my Pa would come looking for me. I buried my parents and left in the morning. Rocky picked me up almost a hundred miles from here when they stopped where I was camping. I’ve been with him ever since.”

“How come you decided to return?”

“I got to wondering if I could get Pa’s land back. I have a girl and plan to marry just as soon as I get settled and can make a living to support her.”

“Are you handy with that gun you have in that holster?”

“Handy enough! If I find the killer and have to face him, I’ll give a good account of my ability.”

The Sheriff’s face clouded up. “You’re talking, mighty belligerent. Are you out to kill him if you find him?”

“It would be just, wouldn’t it?”

“And I suppose you have an idea who the killer is?”

“It is a rancher named Weatherly. I saw him riding away on his horse, and I was close enough to recognize the horse the day Pa died. Weatherly was pissed at Pa for taking up the land we bought and paid for. They had words.”

“Weatherly? Are you sure it was a man about fifty-five who shot your father?”

I paused, thinking back five years. “I didn’t see Weatherly’s face, but someone was riding his horse. It was a light-colored one, and a few days before, I looked at the horse all over when Weatherly was at the house auguring with Pa.”

The Sheriff looked at me, and I thought he would tell me I was wrong. Instead, he said, “Young man, let’s go eat, and then we’ll take a ride. Maybe we can get this settled without any gunfire. It isn’t far, only a mile outside of town, actually not even that. The town has been expanding in that direction.”

Nickerson ordered a big dinner, and Rocky and I did, too. I mentioned we would be renting horses if we rode. The livery stable had a good selection, and we were soon mounted.

When we were a half mile from the cabin Pa, and I built, the Sheriff said, “There is a squatter living in your cabin. He is a man who is alone and sixty-two years old and lost his buildings in a fire some years back. I’ve let him stay there.” I shrugged and wondered why the remark about a fire.

We walked the horses into the yard and tied them to a hitching post that Pa and I had built. I looked around and saw that someone had done at least some minimum care of the place.

The Sheriff knocked on the door. A man inside hollered to come in. The Sheriff opened the door, and I saw the interior of my home from a long time ago. I recognized some of the furniture that was still there. Rocky came in behind me, and I was pleased he was behind me to support me.

“Burt, do you know this young man?”

Weatherly examined me intently. “I can’t say as I do. Nice looking feller. Why, Sheriff, should I know him?”

“Well, he said he knows you. He claims you shot and killed his father. Steve said he is carrying a deed on this property. I want to make damned sure he is Jenkins’ son.”

Weatherly was facing the sheriff. “Christ, here we go again. Dammit, it was you who pulled the lever that killed my son. You had witnesses that it was he who shot Jenkins.”

I broke in, “Mr. Weatherly, were you riding your horse the day someone was riding it and killed Pa?”

“No, I wasn’t riding my horse that day; it was Junior, my son. I didn’t ride the horse until the day after. That was the day my life as I knew it ended.”

“Sir, I’d like to talk to you alone, if possible?”

“Yes, I’ll listen.”

The Sheriff spoke, “Jenkins, take off your gun belt. You may think you have reason to take up what happened to your Pa, but I say let it be.”

“I won’t harm him. I’m not blaming him for killing my father now that I know he didn’t. Before you leave, I want to retrieve some personal items I left here.”

I went around beside the fireplace, reached up, and fumbled until I got what I wanted. It was a worn-out 10-inch flat file. I took it and pried the dust from a crack between the stones that made up the hearth. I got the crack clean and one end of the file down a couple of inches. I pried, and finally, the end of the stone raised enough to let me lift it out with my fingers. The metal box was still there below.

“This, I believe, will have enough identification to satisfy that I am Matt Jenkins.” There were two pictures of my father and mother and one of me as a baby. My parent’s marriage license was there. The original deed and water rights to this property were, too. There were some other papers Pa and Ma had saved. I’ll look at these later.

 “I guess this is it. Now, I’d like to talk to Mr. Weatherly.”

Rocky and the sheriff went out. “Mr. Weatherly, how come you are living here?”

“The Sheriff permitted me to stay. It still belongs to you, I guess. I haven’t looked into it. About the day your Pa died, understand those two cow-hands that were with my son the day Junior shot your father got to telling the other hands about it as soon as they got back to the ranch. After dark that night, one of them told me about it. I headed out with all the men early next morning to try cleaning up Junior's mess. I supposed your mother had to have known what happened, and I thought I would have to face her.

“I didn’t know what I would do or say to her. Truth, I’ve forgotten all about you. When we arrived, your father’s body wasn’t in the field, just the dead horses. Then we couldn’t find your mother either. The two saddle horses I knew your Pa had were missing. The shovel in the barn had fresh dirt on it, which was a mystery. We dragged the horse carcasses into the woods, put the harness into the barn, and headed home.

“When I reached where we could see my ranch, every one of the buildings was burnt and gutted. The horses were all loose. The only thing I was glad to see was my old dog was still alive. I found the dog, and the old cuss was glad to see me.”

“So you lost everything?”

“Yeah, mostly. I did have my cattle, and I had some excellent years of ranching, so I had a healthy bank account. We had to live somewhere, so we rented rooms in town at the hotel that night. I paid off some punchers, but the Sheriff picked up about the fire at the ranch. Then, as always, Junior and the two punchers that were with him got drunk and spilled about Junior killing your father.

“Junior tried to alibi what he had done by saying your father burnt our ranch and that he did kill Jenkins to get even. The Sheriff is an intelligent man, and when he arrested the three of them, he kept them apart, and finally, the whole story came out. My bank account went fast, and I eventually sold the entire herd of cattle. I got Junior an attorney, but he couldn’t save him.

“The puncher, who caved to what happened, told the story before the Judge and Jury. The other puncher claimed your father was a farmer and claimed if Junior hadn’t shot your father, he would have done it. He got five years in Territorial Prison and served four and a half years. He came by looking me up when he got out. I didn’t talk to him, and the Sheriff ran him out of town.

“What now for me?”

“Mr. Weatherly, I burnt your ranch, so what’s for me?”

“Well, son, I don’t think you have to admit that to anyone. We both lost someone we loved, and I started it. I was responsible for Junior and didn’t live up to teaching him right from wrong. If it hadn’t been for your father, Junior most likely would have killed some other person. Tell me, what happened to your mother?”

“She had a weak heart. She was watching out the window, the one over there by the sink. I found her on the floor, and I held her in my arms for two hours before she passed. I left her and went and dug their graves. I said a prayer and covered them up. At the time, my heart was hard and consumed with hate.

 “I’m quite a bit softer now. I killed a man a short while ago, and it bothers me at night. A gang of outlaws was rustling our cattle, and they attacked us. Thank God there aren’t so many people wearing guns now.”

“The bad ones always will.”

“I guess you are right in that. Where are you sleeping?”

“I think it must be in your old bed. Your parents' bed is made up if you don't mind sharing. It’s big enough for you and that other feller.”

“Good, why don’t you slick up, ride into town, and have supper with us? I’ll saddle your horse.”

“I would like supper that I don’t have to cook. I haven’t been out for a while. I’m not a cook, so that will be a treat.” Rocky, Steve, and the Sheriff were telling tales when I came out.

“Mr. Weatherly will be riding in with us. I’m taking him to supper. I’ll saddle his horse. Rocky, you and I will share a bed here tonight.”

“Fine with me.”

I could tell the sheriff and the lawyer were mystified why Weatherly and I were at such ease with each other. I had begun to call Weatherly “Burt.” He was addressing me as “Kid,” the same as Rocky did.

When we left the cabin, the sheriff and the attorney returned to town with us and went about business. “Burt, do you know where the property line for this property ends on the road into town?”

“I’ll show you.” We were riding through a patch of woods. On the right, three hundred yards from the cabin, two big shade trees were back from the road. Rocky stated, “That’s where you should build a home for Atea. It will be cool in the summer and cut down on the wind in the winter.”

We stopped and looked as Burt pointed, saying, “Your corner is a hundred yards nearer town beyond the trees. At least you won’t be infringed on.”

“It is nice, that’s for sure. It would be a great place for Mable, too. Think about that, Rocky. If you sell, I hope you and Mable will move here close to Atea and me.”

“Don’t go giving it away. I am going to miss the hell of you two.”

“I doubt we will build a home there. I want to build Atea a home where she can have a workshop under the same roof.”

“Kid, you do have the cabin to live in.”

“No, that’s Burt’s home. It is now his cabin and the lot it is on. I’m giving him its title before we return to the ranch.”

Rocky stared at me as if I was crazy. “Rocky, when I tell you why, you will agree it is right for me to do. Let’s get to town, I’m hungry.”

“Where will you be building, then?”

“I think across the yard from the cabin for our home and beyond that far enough away to build my wheelwright operation. That’s all in the future, except the cabin goes to Burt and is my first solid rock bottom decision.”

“Okay then, it’s your land, and I have to sell my ranch before we move. We will talk about it more after I talk to Mable.”

We stayed in town just long enough to eat. It had been a long day with many things coming out about the day Pa died.  Several of these things required a decision and action. I immediately found out that Weatherly Senior hadn’t killed my Pa, and to make it right, the best I could was to allow Burt to have a home to live in to pay for my mistake in burning him out of his ranch.

In this happening at the young age that I did this deed, I could play up the fact I was hurt over my parent’s death and too young to understand why I shouldn’t fully.

I felt Weatherly had acted acceptably, and by actually occupying the property, it was saved for me. On my return to claim the property, it was there for me.

In bed that night, I explained my thinking to Rocky, and he said, “There is nothing unreasonable about your thinking. I declare you have reached the adult and correct way of resolving a bad situation you made years ago.”

After breakfast, the three of us mounted our horses and took a range tour; Burt first showed us six small pens that held bull dairy calves. These pens were only big enough to feed and water but not to let the calf get any exercise. He had planted a few acres of alfalfa for the exclusive feed for these animals. I was mystified. “Those are a dairy breed; what are you doing raising them?”

“Farmers bring them to me, and I give them fifty cents apiece. No one wants to raise a dairy breed for beef, but they are suitable for veal. The town is big enough, so two places serve veal, and I am their only supplier.

“I grow then until they weigh from 300 to 375 pounds, in12 to14 weeks. The meat is rose-colored and too mild for beef. It’s very tender. You make a stew of it and might think it was chicken. It is just a hobby, and I get as much for each carcass at three months as you do for a two-year-old feeder beef.

“No large market exists, so I just fool around with it for a little income. I tend the calves daily, but it takes only a few minutes each.” Burt took care of the animals while Rocky and I watched him.

I wanted to see where I buried my parents again and headed there when Burt finished the calf chores. “I enlarged the clearing a might for better care, thinking someday you might return if you weren’t there with them. You can get a marker for them now that you have returned.”

“That was on my to-do list. Thank you for caring for the location; it’s not lost under the brush.”

We rode back onto the range. Burt did have some cattle grazing, but not nearly enough, and the range was seriously under-grazed. Burt said that sometimes when he sold a few heads of cattle, he borrowed some help to get it to the railway from a farmer or two who had taken over his former ranch. That he still claimed after he sold his herd. “I still own the house lot, but I’m not selling it. The ashes there remind me of how I didn’t teach Junior right.

“Guess you wouldn’t know it, but a rail spur is here now. It missed the town by a few miles; the rail station is off to the south. I believe your land abuts the railway land. Farmers and I use a trail, and there is agreement in perpetuity that it is open to moving animals. There are cattle pens that the railway built.

“The town is much bigger because of the railway and many new amenities in the last five years. There is a community center where they have shows and dances almost every week. The new unwanted stores and trades on Main Street in town will soon be taxed out of that section. The town fathers think it is terrible that the blacksmith is still on Main Street. Too damned citified if you ask me. I imagine the livery will get pushed out, too.”

“Are there any wagon wheel repair places? I know there wasn’t any when Pa was alive. That was what Pa would open up when he finished building the cabin.”

“Nope, no new ones that I know of; you break a wheel and have to order one from back east somewhere. Of course, with the railroad coming in, you don’t have to wait as long as before.”

“I guess I’ll go into town and talk to the blacksmith. I never got as far as Pa teaching me to weld iron, a part of wagon wheel making. With the number of farmers coming in, they’ll always need wheels and repairs. I’ll see if I can make a living at it.”

“You had better catch him soon, or you’ll have to go down to that new section by the railway to get your work done.”

I rode alone into town the following day. The Blacksmith, Sam Buckland, was shoeing a pair of workhorses. “Hi, I’m Matt Jenkins, the nickname of Kid. Can I watch you awhile?” Sam nodded; I could watch him work.

I watched him remove the old, worn shoes and clean and shape the hooves for a team. He removed eight shoe blanks from a barrel and started the fitting. He had a good eye for this and certainly knew his trade. He then put the eight blanks in the forge to heat.

The Blacksmith, Sam, talked all the while he was working and ended up offering me a job as a helper. “This isn’t my line of work. My Pa was a wheelwright and good at it. He died a while ago, and I haven’t done much except keep my hand in a little. Where I was, there was little call for it. I want to get back into it.”

“It’s a good line of work. I get calls all the time. I have a tire bender and can weld up a storm. That line of work is much easier than it used to be. I deal with a factory that makes blank wheel parts. I telegraph the dimensions, and they rough out the shapes and sizes I order. The parts come as a kit. The hub, the spokes, and the fellos are packed in a box.

“The tire comes in flat metal, and I bend it into shape. The hub is already bored with the axle size. I have trouble mounting the tire after I get the wood parts shaped and together. I seem to screw up a lot.”

He paused and continued, “When you have four wheels to assemble, which don’t always match, I’ve wasted my time. Besides that, I will have to move to the outskirts of town in another couple of months. I haven’t even looked for a location to move to yet.”

“Sam, maybe I can help you with that. Do you know Burt Weatherly?”

“I know of him. I went to the hanging of his son. “I’ll tell you I’ll never go to another hanging. It made me sick when it occurred. Junior wanted it to happen quickly, and the Sheriff promised it would be. It was.

“The sheriff brought him out of the jail and walked him down to that empty lot this side of the livery. He led Junior up the stairs to the platform with a trap door under the beam above, put the rope around his neck, and asked him if he wanted to say anything. He shook his head no, then said two words. We couldn’t hear the two words to the Sheriff. We found out later that he had said to the Sheriff, “Trip it!”

“The preacher didn’t even get a chance to pray for him. Junior knew the preacher was long-winded, and he wasn’t having any. I turned away and walked back up here to my business.

“You know, Kid, people were upset that it didn’t take longer and complained about it. I guess they wanted more of a show or something. Now, what did you start to say about a location?”

“Sam, I own the ranch where Weatherly is living. I haven’t been here for a few years, but I rode around the property to the road many farmers use to get to the railway station.

“I’ll give you a lot next to the road to set up your business if you set up your forge and buildings. I need a forge for some of the business I’m going into. If you want to build a home, I can look at it and decide where it would be suitable. Why don’t you ride out tonight and look it over? Weatherly and another man, Rocky, will be at the Jenkins cabin.”

“Did you say—give me the property? I don’t believe it.”

“Sam, that’s what I said. I’ll be building a home in the same area and a woodworking shop specializing in building and repairing wheels. I hope I’ll be newly married. Maybe we can settle this tonight because I must return up country in a few days. This Rocky I was telling you about wants to move here, but he has a small ranch to sell before we return,”

“I’ll be out about six tonight. I’ll have my wife with me. I sure hope we can make a deal.”

I saw Steven Nickerson, the Lawyer, cross the street and go up the stairs to his office. I headed that way.”

“Hey there, young fellow, what are you up to this morning?”

“Steven, I’m rushing around getting things organized so Rocky and I can return home. I’ve decided to give Burt Weatherly the cabin to live in. I’ll build my own home when I get here after I’m married. I’m talking to Sam, the Blacksmith, about moving out next to that road down from the north that the farmers use. He will look over what I’m offering this evening.”

“That would be great for him and the town. The town is urging him to move. Lately, it has been more than just an urge. So, Kid, what is he building? 

“A shop, as he has here, and a barn to shoe horses in.  I said he could pick out a home lot, too. How big is his family?”

“He has a wife and three girls. The girls are big enough, so boys are starting to sniff around. Sam hopes one girl will find a boy interested in his work.”

“Yeah, that would be good for him. I know some of what he does, and I may help him for a while until I get a business of my own started,”

“Kid, what is it you do again?”

“Wagon wheels of all kinds, new and repair. Sam has already helped me by telling me about an Ohio factory where the new parts to construct wheels are shaped and only need fitting together. The factory will sell, box, and deliver by railway.

“That should get me established sooner. Rocky has already chosen a home lot, and I hope he and his wife will come with me. It would be just over the line on my property coming in from town. He plans to marry, but his wife must see the lot before deciding to build here.”

“Where are you and your new bride living?”

“I’ll be building a new home to the right of Westerly's cabin. It may change until I look the property over and let the woman I’m marrying decide.”

“That’s going to take time and much money.”

 “Yes, but until we have time, I’ll bring a tepee to live in. I can have Mr. Weatherly cut fresh poles here before we arrive rather than transport them a hundred miles.”

“That seems like a poor dwelling to take your bride to live in.”

“She’ll accept it and enjoy living in one. She lived in one for eleven or twelve years in her childhood. Her surrogate Indian Mother cared for her from the time she was three up until a couple of years ago. That is when she moved to town and lived with the woman who is to be Rocky’s bride.”

“Why did she move out and in with the woman then?”

“I had reached my limit on what I could teach her about how to speak our language. I looked around, and in one way and another, Mable, Rocky’s new friend, offered to teach her. That is when she moved to town. Atea missed the ranch and me terribly. She missed her Indian mother and brother as well. Atea is to be my bride, and I have missed her as much as she misses me when we cannot be together.

“We were like sister and brother all these years. Our feelings have intensified, so I’ve asked her to be my wife.”

“Kid, I shouldn’t wonder. You confuse me with all these things about your life you are relating to.”

“Steven, I don’t doubt it. You will understand at some point later as you get to know more about me. Would you let me have a piece of paper and a pencil to draw where all these lots are and where the buildings will concern the cabin Weatherly is living in? That will make it clearly understood. I can measure the lot sizes and note them as they are constructed.

“You can help with this if you would. I haven’t seen where the railway is in the town yet. I want to sketch that in. I’ll put Jenkins’ Street down where the buildings we construct will be and draw the road where the farmers travel to the railway. I understand that the creek beside Farmers Road crosses onto a different property west of my land, nearer the hills. It has a ford without a bridge where the creek crosses the road.

“Sam Buckland is coming out after work tonight, and I want to show him this sketch. I will only be here for a few more days, so you can see why I’m trying to resolve this as soon as possible. If any legal problems need taking care of, I’ll have you take care of them. That will include Sam's problems in moving out of town to his new location. I’ll need an estimate of your charges to pay that forward until I return.”

Nickerson sat there thinking, picked up the sketches, and said, “The town fathers want Sam off Main Street badly. I’ll see if they will pay my legal charge for making it happen. I have the feeling you don’t have much for funds?”

“I don’t, and I depend on Rocky Sedgewich to pay some of it. I saved him and his almost wife from trouble a while back, so don’t be surprised that he is backing me.”

“Kid, I don’t suppose you will tell me about it?”

“No, not at this time; he taught me to protect myself so I could care for the problem, so it is his story.”

“Fair enough. What is your next move?”

“Steven, I’m going to ride down Railroad Street to look at the railroad station and up the Farmers Road to my property and go back that way. If possible, please ride out about six this evening.”

“Kid, you can expect me.”

————————————

I left Steven’s office and walked around town. I went by a Milliner's Boutique with a few beautiful dresses in the window. The lettering on the window said, “Complete outfits for women.” There was a pair of women’s shoes underneath one of the dresses. They were gorgeous, but I knew they must be uncomfortable as all get out, at least not as comfortable as the Moccasins Atea made.

I walked toward the outskirts on the far side of town. The street to my right was narrower than Main Street. There was a grocery on a corner to my right, another building next to that, and then I could see this was just a cross street to one parallel to Main Street. Curious, I went the length of the cross street and looked both ways. To the right, a service ally was behind the buildings on Main Street and the parallel street.

Looking west, a livery stable, barns, and small dwellings were going up the left side to the parallel street. I faced across this street, seeing Saloons, Bars, a few Rooming houses, and more Saloons. The area then was the rougher and poorer section of town.

I could hear a train with a bell dinging and a screech of brakes at the back of another livery stable and other dwellings.

I stepped through the batwings into the first saloon at the end of the row of saloons. I never drank beer as a habit, but the weather was warm. It was dark inside, and the smell hit me in the face as I entered. I went to the bar, “A glass of beer would go down good.”

The bartender didn’t say anything.  I put a dime on the bar, picked up the beer, and looked around. An older man sidled up to me. “I could use a beer.”

I put a dime on the bar in front of him. He said, “Thanks.” I ignored him. I could see a large Mural painted on the far wall of horses racing. There was a table near the wall with two men sitting there talking with their heads together. I wanted to look closely at the picture. With beer in my hand, I walked up as close as possible to look at it. The two men paid me no attention. I couldn’t hear what they said except for a few words, but I knew the voice.

It was Mike’s voice. I recognized it when Rocky asked me to join him and his crew at the ranch. Almost five years ago, that was. I heard the word “bank” several times and the phrase “rear exit where the horses will be.” I drifted away before the two could notice me.

I returned to the bar and told the bartender he served good beer. I flipped another dime to the old man. He said I was his friend for life. I was out the door, up Cross Street, and slowly walking up Main Street, thinking all the way. I should tell the Sheriff of possible plans I had overheard of a bank robbery. How do I alert the Sheriff without telling him myself, which would generate questions I didn’t want to answer? I went up the stairs to Steven Nickerson’s office.

“Hi Steven, I’m back. If I tell you something, can you keep it confidential? I have heard that Lawyers have to?”

“I do. It must be important because you are looking excited.”

I began speaking immediately. “I was just in a saloon down the street for a beer. I heard two men talking about robbing the bank here in town. I recognized the man speaking from almost six years ago who tried to get me to go in with him and two other men. If I use this bank when I get here to live, I certainly don’t want it robbed before or after.”

“Tell me what you heard.”

“I didn’t hear much, except the word bank several times, and the horses to get away on would be in the bank's rear.  It is exactly how the man in my past explained that robbing a bank was a safe way. That, and the voice I had heard before years ago, speaking.”

“What about the other person?”

“I didn’t pay him much attention, but I took it he was being recruited.”

“All this isn’t much to hang a projected bank robbery on.”

“I know that, and I agree. Rocky and I will be leaving here tomorrow or the next day, and I would hate to find the bank robbed when I return, but I could have prevented it.”

“Do you know whether this robber ever actually robbed a bank?”

“I can honestly say I don’t. The thing is, the man fed me a couple of good meals. It was when I was first on my own, fifteen years old, and lonely as hell. I got up and rode off that night because I wanted no part of what he was trying to get me to do.”

“Kid, I think you are dammed smart from all I have seen of you. I’ll tell the Sheriff I picked up a rumor from a man who wanted me to buy him a whiskey. Would that satisfy you?”

“That’s a great idea. So, I’ll see you tonight when Sam the Smith is there to see where I want him to locate?”

“I’ll be there. I’ll have the agreement about living in the cabin for Burt Weatherly with me. How much are you charging Sam to lease your property for his blacksmith shop location?”

“I was thinking of giving him the land, which would be better than leasing. I will need him to help me with my business. Before we sign the papers, I might give him the land and be done with it.

“Kid, I’m glad to know you. You, I think, will be an asset to our community.” I went down, mounted my horse, and headed down the street by the railway spur. It was a well-traveled road. There were large buildings for storage near the station, and there were pens for holding cattle and horses shipped in and out. I didn’t dally and soon turned right onto the road the farmers used coming down from the back country and by my property.

It wasn’t far from the open land that was Pa’s property. There was a stone marker to identify it as belonging to Jenkins lettered in a bit of cement. There were trees on this plot of land, and I didn’t pay that much attention until I stopped and realized I must own right up to the railroad right of way. It was less than a mile from where Jenkins Road intersected with Farmers Road. The farmers had direct access to the cattle pens and some tracks where rail cars could be shunted, loaded, and unloaded.   

I knew about a ford where the creek was farther to the north on my property. The farmer’s road crossed this when the creek turned from the ranch and drifted west. I did own water rights as long as it was on my property. A large spring-fed pond in the middle of the grazing land and water rights deeds to both sources made the ranch worth more.

I looked the area over and decided that if I extended Jenkins Road west, beyond the Weatherly cabin, to connect with Farmers Road, the best place for Sam’s business would be facing the farmer’s road. If his family wanted to move that far from town, he could build either side of his business.

I would build facing Jenkins Road around the corner from Sam’s business for my business. I would need to use his forge at times. My permanent home dwelling could be located anywhere along either side of Jenkins Road, which is open to the cabin.

If Atea wanted to make moccasins, she could have a room and supply room next to our house or possibly in the front facing the open range. I’d leave it to her choice. Settled in my mind, I headed for the cabin to talk with Mr. Weatherly and Rocky, explaining my plans.

––––––––––––––––––

“Hey, Kid, where have you been?”

“Rocky, I’ve been looking over the town and deciding where to build my business and our home for Atea. I gave the Blacksmith two lots, one for his business and one for his family. I talked to Nickerson about you having that pretty lot for you and Mable with the two big trees. I’m hoping that she and you will decide to move here. Burt, you’ll be all set living here in this cabin. Nickerson will have a paper to make it legal.

“Rocky, what will you be doing if you come?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t know but what I would feed some cattle if you weren’t using the range. Burt has been playing with a few head but is only making enough money to keep him fed.”

“I’ve thought about that. The ranch you sell heifers to has been plowing and seeding good hay for sale. They put up haystacks and bunk feed the cattle in the winter. I hear it was a snap to use those mowing machines to cut the hay.”

“Maybe the boys will want to come with us. They are great men to have around. Burt, are there any ranches around that could give three men work?”

 “Kid, I know of two ranches south of us within twenty miles. Also, the farmers are looking for help and are closer by.”

“I don’t know whether they would like farming at all. They do like what comes from a garden.”

“Kid, you know there are droves of females in about every farmer’s family? Some farmers seem to have only daughters. There are always dances and stuff like that going on. Play up the fact that there are so many pretty girls; they might come with you. Kid won’t be doing much punching cows with him starting a business.”

“Burt, women are always a good drawing card. Rocky, what is going to happen to Karen? Would she move here? If we could have Burt cut some poles of the right size, we wouldn’t have to transport that part of the tent.”

“It’s a thought, Kid. What do you say, Burt?”

“Tell me the size, and I’ll do it. If Karen doesn’t come, we can use the poles to fence. Who is Karen?”

“She a Shoshone squaw, and she has been with us since the Kid came to live with me. Atea is the Kid’s future wife who lived with the Indians near us. Eventually, Karen moved her tepee to the ranch, bringing Atea. Karen has a young boy born right after she got with us. Isn’t that right, Kid?”

“That’s right, Rocky. Atea was ten and uncertain about her Indian mother birthing the papoose. I was the only other person there on the ranch available. Atea dragged me over there to help Karen. It was an experience for me, and I was only fifteen. Karen is a great cook and tended to the huge garden we planted. She knows much about Medicine and has patched us all up when there was cause.”

“I hope this Karen comes with you. I want to get to know her. It seems like there was always something going on at your ranch.”

“Burt, it did seem like it at times. Having the Kid there was certainly the best of times for me.”

——————————————

Steve Nickerson rode in on his horse an hour earlier than suggested. “Hey, Kid, I was wondering where you planned on locating your lots on the road that will be so busy.”

“Why, do you think it is going to be busy?”

“Because people will travel to reach what you have named the Farmers Road. Most will travel by your businesses and dwellings on Jenkins Road rather than go all the way around by where the railroad is situated. When the farmers head to town for shopping, they will use Jenkins Road as a quicker way into town.”

“I didn’t think of it that way. What would you suggest?”

“You said Sam Buckland could have the lot on the corner of the two roads. I suggest you take the corner lot for your business and have Sam one lot north of yours on the Farmers Road. The corner lot, your business, would face both Jenkins Road and Farmers Road. The Weatherly Cabin is facing south, which is okay, but the way the diagram you showed me makes the traffic right at his front door.

“You have some distance to the south edge of your land. Not everyone wants to live as near to the road as that. Moving Jenkins Road out to the edge will let the backside of their dwellings be on the busy road. Making that change will give the new dwellings a lot more privacy. You end up with a lane ending on the Farmers Road between you and Sam’s business with a sign that says, “Not a Throughway.”

I looked at Rocky, and he was waiting to say something. “Mable won’t want to have her home facing a road that is so busy, either. Find me a better lot to build on.”

“Okay, how about turning right here at the cabin and having your driveway? You will be facing an open range. I was going to put Karen’s tepee there, but it will be that much more a private lot beyond you.”

“That’s better.

 “Good, now we’ll see what Sam says. His buggy and family are coming now.”

Sam Buckland and his family arrived. I walked over to the buggy and handed him down. I then turned to the youngest girl and did the same with her as the mother and did the same to the other two. The oldest made me think of Atea because she looked the same age. I introduced the women to Rocky and Burt Weatherly.

“It is not far to the Farmer’s Road, but you have worked all day, Sam, so you might want to ride. We will go down to where I think would be a good location. All of this has taken more thought than I figured at first. We can come up with another location if you feel I am wrong. Having two roads and expecting that more houses will be built threw me off for a while.”

Mrs. Buckland told Sam to go along with me and Steven to look at the plot of land where I would locate Sam’s business. “I’ll stay and talk to Mr. Sedgewich and Mr. Weatherly.” As I left, I heard her telling Rocky that she would love to move away from Main Street.

“I am soon to be married, and Rocky is as well. His coming with me is a little uncertain, depending on his new wife's decision. That decision is in the making stage next week. Rocky and I are leaving on the stage tomorrow, and I will put the paperwork, etc., in Mr. Nickerson’s hands.

“So if you follow me along this path, I’ll explain. I’m suggesting this path will become a lane to the Farmers Road.  Sam, you will be one or two lots up north on the farmer's road. I believe much of your business will be with the farmers. My business, building and repairing wagons, will come from the same people.” 

I talked and explained to the corner. Mrs. Buckland wasn’t with us. Sam thought it would be perfect to have the corner lot with only my business between his and my business. Sam asked where my home was located, and I passed it off as unsure. “Assuredly, it won’t be far from my bride,”

Sam asked how deep the lots were because he wanted more storage for items than on Main Street. I was glad he asked because I hadn’t figured out how much storage I would need either. On the way back, we discussed where Jenkins Road would be placed and how wide the lane was. Steven made notes and soon left.

Hilda Buckland had brought a small cake, and when everyone had gone, Rocky, Burt, and I decided to sample it with a pot of coffee before bed. I took my coffee and cake and went outside to think about what had happened since I returned.

Inside the cabin, I could hear Burt and Rocky talking. Burt volunteered, “You two are certainly turning the area upside down. I believe you are honest about your dealings with me and others.”

“Well, maybe we have a reason, as you appear to be honest. Your life turned upside down six years ago, and you lost your son and ranch. Then you came here and saved the Kid's property for him until he was old enough to return to face what had happened to him about the same time. There must be something that I’m not aware of between the Kid and you, but that is okay. It is working out fine, although the Kid surprised me by giving you this cabin for a home.”

“Not as surprised as I was, and I know the reason. The kid could have been a bitter young man, and I’m giving you credit for teaching him to overlook what my son did by killing his father. I’m satisfied to let the past lie.”

I heard Burt get up and get ready for bed. When Rocky came out, he leaned against the wall, not saying anything to me.  It was time to tell Rocky about who I saw in the saloon this morning and what I heard. “Rocky, I saw Mike in a saloon this morning while having a beer. You remember Mike, don’t you?”

Rocky sat near where we could talk without Burt hearing what we were saying. “Of course I do. What did he have to say?”

“I didn’t make my presence known to him. He was trying to recruit a man to help him rob the bank. You told me one time how your sideline business plan worked. I believe Mike was using the same plan. It didn’t sound as if it was going to happen too soon. The town is going to be our town and our bank. I don’t want anything like that to go down.”

Rocky was silent, mulling over what I just said. “Kid, I don’t either. What can we do to prevent it?”

“I’ve already done a little. I saw Steven right after and told him what I had heard. Some of it was made up, and I said I was recruited once, just like I heard this person doing. Steve said he would warn the Sheriff by saying he heard a rumor and told him he might want to look into it and watch out for that happening at the bank.”

“Son-of-a-Bitch, this is my past catching up with me!”

“Not necessarily. I said this happened to me while wandering alone before I met you. I had stopped, and these men came and tried recruiting me. I didn’t want to do this, so I got up after these men went to sleep and managed to take my two horses and ride on them. Your name was never mentioned, so you shouldn’t worry about it.”

“Thanks, Kid, that is good to know. You think of everything, don’t you?”

“For my friends, I try to. Let’s hang it up. We are traveling home tomorrow.”

We organized our things, loaded our suitcases, hooked them to our saddles, and mounted.  Burt Weatherly, holding up his hand. “Wait a minute, let me go into town and buy you breakfast. You said you weren’t leaving until 10:00. I want to impress on you both that, in one way or another, this is a good place to live. I’m talking to you mainly, Rocky. From what I see of the Kid and his plans, he’ll become the top dog in town in just a few years.”

We started toward town. Rocky paused in front of the big trees where I had suggested he build on that plot of land. “Kid, the only good place to continue Jenkins Road is where those trees grow. That Lawyer of yours is damned smart in seeing that. I’ll have to keep Mable satisfied with another location.”

“Rocky, this woman of yours sounds like something wonderful. How did you meet?”

“Rocky turned to me, “Kid, shall we tell Burt about Mable and Atea and what they did for us?”

“Sure, I’m proud of their actions.”

“Okay, the quick story goes like this. I met Mable in town a few times, and when the Kid and I went to town, we stayed with her. It wasn’t often, for the town was four hours away. Back at my ranch, I had this Indian woman living in a tepee with her son and a found white child she was mothering. That’s the Kid’s woman. Atea and he are marrying as soon as we get back home. Anyway, four rustlers were cutting our herd and going to run them off.

“That’s the background. Mable had never been to my ranch. Atea has been living with Mable. Mable is teaching Atea our language and how to live as a white woman. I sent Kid to town to escort the two to the ranch. Atea was fifteen at the time. While he was gone, I spotted rustlers out with the cattle. The leader saw me and thundered into the yard. I braced and killed him as soon as he dismounted. I killed him, but he tagged me in the leg. I managed to crawl into some bushes, hiding up until Kid and the two women arrived in Mable’s buggy.

“The kid carried me out of the way to the far side of our cabin. Another one of the rustlers saw people in the yard, including the women, entering the cabin. The closest one headed for the yard, and Kid awaited him. The Kid was just a bit faster. The other two, still mounted on horses, made a run for the cabin after seeing there were women there, and they busted inside.

“The kid and I expected the worst, but then we heard a shotgun go off, and soon after, a small gun went off. The kid entered, and right before him was one of the outlaws blown in half. That was Atea with the shotgun, just as Kid had trained her.

“When this dead man knocked the other man down when falling, this other one tried to get up. Mable had a two-shot pocket gun and killed him. We sent for the marshal, who came the next day and told us to bury all four. That’s what our women are like.”

“Burt, don’t think it was like this all the time. Mable has taught school and married a relatively well-to-do man. They traveled the continent with friends in Spain, Italy, and France for years. They spent summers in Nova Scotia with someone she went to school with when she was young. She was welcomed down South before any hint of the war here in the States.

“Atea has been living with her for more than two years now. I believe both will soon have friends here in this town.”

“I guess I will keep silent about how handy they are with a weapon.” I laughed at this.

We had an extra tasty breakfast.  Rocky and I turned our horses and saddles in at the Livery Stable. As we came out, Rocky pulled out his wallet. “Burt, I want you to have this.” He handed Burt a draft for two hundred fifty dollars.

“What the hell is it? I have never seen anything like this. How do I get any money out of it?”

“It’s the modern way of carrying money around instead of coins. You take that into the bank across the street, and they will cash it and give you the amount as written. Come on, I’ll go with you while they explain it better than I can. You had better leave some of it in your account if you have one.”

“Oh, I have one, and I could use a little more walking around money. Have you got time before the stage leaves?”

“We still have almost an hour.” We went into the bank, and Weatherly put two hundred dollars into his account.

We were just coming down the bank steps when we met Rocky’s former puncher and robber, Mike. Mike was startled and shocked to see Rocky. Another man was close behind him, and he and Mike were together. I glanced around and saw no horses for them to ride.

Rocky grabbed an arm and halted Mike, the former puncher. “Hello Mike, let’s talk. Your business can wait while we do.”

I took Weatherly by his arm. “They are old friends of Rocky’s. We’ll let them talk for a minute. Rocky will be along soon.” We continued up the street until we were before Sam’s business. Weatherly went inside, and I turned to watch Mike and Rocky talk. I could see that the conversation was very heated.

They were ten minutes into talk talking when the sheriff came up the street and said, “Hi, Rocky,” and went into the bank. It took a few more minutes before Rocky left Mike and came across the street to where Weatherly and I were waiting.

Rocky explained, “I’m glad I had a chance to talk to Mike. We used to punch cows together when a young sprout. Mike said he was drifting through town and wanted to know what the bank was like. After we talked, Mike said he was never coming through here again. I told him I was sorry to hear that.

“It doesn’t look like his life has been very happy since I saw him last. I told him he was a good puncher and there were cattle outfits all over the west, and I told him to pick one somewhere else because I didn’t know of any in the area.”

“Rocky, I never heard you speak of him.”

“Just as well for all of us. Here comes the stage. Burt, I don’t know how long it will be before I see you again, but you will see me sometime with or without Mable.”

“Don’t say that. I want to meet your wife-to-be and Kid; I want to meet your bride, too. She used a shotgun. How old was she again?”

“Sixteen.” Our suitcases were tied to the top of the stage. Soon, we were jammed inside. Hopefully, the stage wouldn’t have as many passengers after the next stop.

——————————

Two nights of layover took us to Mable and Atea’s. Daylight was longer, so we traveled many more miles in a day than we had coming down. We reached there at eight in the morning after starting early and had been on the road for three hours when we stepped off the stage. The town was up and bustling on a beautiful, sunshiny morning, and we met Marshal Brooks coming from his office.

“Hey, you two, I figured you would return this week. Nothing will keep you away from the women for very long. How was the trip?”

“Long and boring, the same as every ride on a stage. Anything new we should know about?”

“There is. Come back to the office, I sent out telegrams on those reward posters I had of the outlaws. I got back a hefty amount of bounty money. Not only on the two outlaws you shot, and a goodly amount on the two your women wiped out. I have the amounts in my ledger, and I’ll distribute them.

“This gang has been around for years and racked up severe crimes and wanted posters, hence a lot of bounty money. The outfit's boss didn’t have the highest money listed on his wanted poster as the outlaw the Kid downed. So, Kid, you draw the most money. Anyway, these two robbed a mine where they killed the owner.

“Another big ranch was rustled, with a herd of seven hundred head cattle being driven off. There, those two were responsible for killing two of the kids, one fourteen and the other fifteen, riding with the older family members trying to save their herd. The Cattle Association put up most of that money. Would it be okay with Mable if I came up at about noon, got all of this settled, and entered into my ledger?

“Yeah, see us at Mable’s. That would give us time to tell them about our trip. Say, I posted a few notices on some of the boards around town about selling my ranch. Have you heard anything?”

“Yeah, some interest. Three different people are interested in it. One is here from England. He is a remittance man with a family. The ranch has also been buying your heifers, and he’s interested. One person in my office was asking about it, and I don’t know. He checks in daily, trying to determine when you will be here. Maybe you should auction it off?”

“That’s a thought.”

We headed for Mable’s house, and Rocky felt confident enough to open the door and walk in with me behind him. She was in the kitchen making a cake. Rocky planned to come up behind her, but she must have felt his presence, so she looked over her shoulder.

I left them there, went searching for Atea, and found her. She was changing sheets on her bed. “Does my little Indian Maiden have a kiss, her Brave?”

“Yes, I do, and more––much more!” Atea pulled me onto the bed and got right on top of me, kissing me many times.

“Hey, let me up. Rocky and I have a lot to tell you what I found out about who killed my Pa. There are six hundred and forty acres I own or did. I’m giving some of it away. I think you will understand why when I explain. We have a massive parcel of open range with just a few cattle on it. Rocky wants to move down there and be with us. I told him I would have a house lot for him and Mable to build a home.

“I plan on building a shop to make wheels and repair wagons. If you want to make moccasins, I will give you extra room. We’ll build a home to bring up a bunch of papooses if that is what you decide. The town there is twice the size of this town and has a lot more going on. They even have a concert hall for theater plays, singers, and entertainers of all kinds that book shows. It will be better than being on a ranch far from town like we are here.”

“I know, but I loved the ranch and growing into a woman for you. I was thrilled with you until you and Mable decided for me to leave and come down off the ranch where I couldn’t see or be with you as often.”

“Yes, but we wanted you to be the same as other white women. Some day, we can even travel across the country to either coast. Did you know there is an ocean if you travel east and a different one if you travel west? The train station is not two miles from where I will build you the most beautiful home you have ever seen.”

“I know you will, but I would be happy if you only put up a tepee for us to live in.”

 “Atea, Love, do you think Karen and Jack would go with us? I’m going to miss them both. She was your mother for many years, and Jack is very proud of his big sister. I helped bring him into the world, so I must have some rights to keep him with me.”

“Oh, I hope they will. Is it too far to take the tepee poles with us to build it again?”

“There will be poles ready to put up a tepee when we arrive. I arranged to have them cut to the length that we need, and I’m hoping that with them ready to put up, she will decide to come with us.”

“Kid, I’ll make you coffee. Are you going home to the ranch today?”

“Yes, Rocky is selling his ranch, and we just found out he has three parties interested in buying it. You can see why we are so excited to move when I tell you about what I have been up to.”

“You are going to your old home?”

“I am, but I’m not positive Rocky will be with me. He wants to but won’t go if Mable doesn’t go with him. Love does that to a person.”

“If I said I wouldn’t go, would you stay here?”

“Atea, I’m counting on you in love enough with me to consider not going wasn’t an option. I own a tremendous amount of land, and it’s a great place to be in business where I can become a wheelwright. Many farms are not far away with all kinds of wheeled wagons and equipment. There is a railroad where I can get everything we need to build these wheels.

“There will be a Blacksmith Shop next to my business that I can use. The Blacksmith has three daughters right around your age for you to make into friends.”

“Kid, I’m going with you. I was ensuring you loved me as much as I did you. Are the girls as pretty as me?”

“I didn’t notice, Atea.”

Rocky came wandering into the kitchen, looking for the coffee he smelled. “Mable is getting dressed and will be right out.”

Atea laughed. “Mable was dressed this morning.”

“Yeah, I know.” He was grinning. “Atea, has Kid told you about his property and what he will do with it?”

“Some, but not much, and he said there were some girls my age next to where we will be living. I’ll love that. Are you and Mable going with us?”

“She is considering it. I told her we had a nice plot of land to build a home. I want to go.”

“Good, we will all be together.”

Mable poured herself coffee when she came into the kitchen. “Kid, tell me about the town we will live in?”

“I don’t know everything. I left when I was fifteen, and we were there for such a short time. I saw a hall where they put on shows and entertainers, booking shows for the people. The town is twice the size of the one you live in now.

“I’ve met the Sheriff and engaged a lawyer to handle my legal needs. I didn’t think to ask if there was a court, but I did see a doctor’s shingle. It has become a farmer’s town where several farmers have land and grow produce. There is a railroad less than two miles from the center of town. My property is close to the station. The property is named Jenkins Road.

“I think you will have to book a room in the hotel or one of the boarding houses until Rocky and I build homes for you to live in. I will urge Karen and Jack to live with us on the nearby property. Atea grew up in a tepee, and she and I can live with Karen and Jack until our homes are built.

“Atea shouldn’t have to go back to living in a tepee where people can see her.”

“Mable, I would love living in the tepee again if Kid is with me.”

“Mable, where I plan to locate the tepee isn’t that visible. It is near a cabin, the one Pa and I built.”

“Why don’t you live in that?”

“I gave the cabin to someone to whom I owed a large debt. I did something to this man at the time I left. I destroyed his home and livelihood, so I am now making it right.”

Rocky spoke up. “It is a small, well-made cabin. The Kid and I slept in his father and mother’s bed while we were there. Mable, we could start with one of that same size and be very comfortable. Anyway, the Kid has left it to you to choose where to build our new home.”

“What can I take for furniture?”

“Everything, and all the furniture, if you want to; I’ll hire a freight company to move it. The only other oversized item we take with us will be the covering of Karen’s tepee. The Kid has already asked the person in the cabin to have poles cut and ready to put them up.

————————————

Someone knocked on the front door. Mable jumped up.”Who can that be?”

Rocky laughed, “That will be Marshal Brooks. We saw him when we got off the stage. He has some bounty money for all of us for wiping out that gang of rustlers.”

Chapter Five

“Good morning. Mrs. Orkins. May I come in? I have business with you.”

“Certainly, come in, please. What is your business with me?”

“It concerns that outlaw you shot. He was the youngest of the outlaws.”

“He appeared to be, but he was an outlaw.” 

“There is no disputing that. May I sit down?”

“Of course, there is one cup of coffee. Would you like it?”

“Yes, I would enjoy it?” Brooks came in and sat at the table. He had a satchel he put on the floor beside him, withdrawing a sheaf of papers. “Okay, I’ve been waiting for everyone to be here together. These are posters that have been sent to many law enforcement officials. They show a sketch of the outlaw, the crimes committed, how they should be handled when apprehended, and the amount of the bounty to pay the person who caught the criminal. All four outlaws were bad enough to be caught when identified under their penalty of life or death.”

Brooks handed Mable a poster with a face drawn, telling of the crimes the outlaw committed. “Mable, this person shot was in the commission of a crime when you shot and killed him. He was a criminal, and he died resisting arrest when he chose to flee, which absolves you of any deeds in the eyes of the law.

 “You can see that the bounties amount to $750.00. I have this money in the safe at the Wells Fargo office. I’m giving you a draft on Wells Fargo, and you can withdraw it from that office. An office here in town will cash the draft for you. If there are any problems, have the office contact me.”

Mable said, “My, my, this seems so mercenary! Please don’t tell anyone about my involvement in anything like this.”

“I won’t, and I understand your feelings in the matter.”

Brooks took up another flyer that was face down on the table. Brooks read the crimes listed in the paper and handed them to Atea. Atea’s hands were shaking, and she was very nervous. “Now, young lady, this one is for the person you shot. He had a terrible reputation for abusing women, along with other crimes he committed during his life of crime. He was mean, and law enforcement is pleased that his life has been terminated.”

Atea took the flyer and looked at it. She was not used to reading because although she could read, she was very slow to decipher the words. She handed it to me. “Kid, you tell me what it says. I think it is for the same amount as Mable’s money.”

I glanced at it. “No, Atea, you have the numbers wrong. “You have ten times as much as Mable. It is for $7,500.00, not $750.00. That is enough money to build us a house and enough to build everything I need to set up my shop, including the tools I’ll need.”

“I give it to you, my Brave.” She made us laugh, and Mable came and hugged her.

“Rocky, you are following. The man you killed goes back a long time, and I was surprised to see him here in this area. He hadn’t been seen for at least five years, and people supposed he was dead. The crimes committed by William Quantrill when he sacked Lawrence, Kansas, were horrific. The man you killed was a Sergeant in Quantrill’s band.

“This happened as far back as 1863. Every crime in the book occurs when the band kills everyone in sight. The band was even killing the dogs that ran the street, trying to escape. You are collecting $19,000 to remove the outlaw from this earth. It is a service well taken care of, and you were lucky to survive what happened a few weeks ago; enough said.”

Brooks handed me a poster. “Kid, you must be lucky as well. The outlaw you faced was out to make a name for himself by looking for and killing anyone who wore a gun and trying to build a reputation. Eleven men he faced, but that wasn’t all, sad to say. He was in on robbing a gold mine when this happened a little over a year ago near Denver. He shot two guards to death when the money chest was at his feet. As he was riding away, he shot and killed two unarmed men just out of spite.

“So that’s fifteen men that he is known for killing. I’m saying the world is a better place without him.  The bounty has a total of $21,000. The killer is also the one suspected of killing two young boys while rustling cattle, only because their death was so much like something he would do. If he is the one identified for sure, you may collect another $5,000.00.  That’s it, and I’m sorry you are leaving my Territory. Luck to all of you.”

“Stay for dinner, Marshal?”

“No, but thank you, Mable.  Rocky, I hope you get a good price for your ranch. You’ll be around for a little while, won’t you?”

“I hope for not too long. I’ll talk to the freight outfit about moving us in a few days. It took a little convincing to persuade Mable, but I was up to it.”

“You two do make a nice couple. Luck to both of you.” The Marshal turned and went out the front door.”

—————————————

“Does anyone want to discuss our windfall of money?”

“No, Rocky, I don’t, and I feel dirty, somehow. I’ll use the money for something useful.”

“Well said, Kid.”

We ate before noon and headed for the ranch. Atea was riding one of the horses that usually pulled the buggy. I was glad to get back into a saddle again. It was shortly after three in the afternoon when we rode into the yard. The three hands we could see out working with the cattle. It was a beautiful sight; the cattle were feeding, and the grass had come up high and a lush green.

Back on the ranch where I owned, there hadn’t been enough cattle on the ground last season browsing the grass close, so there was a lot of dead stubble showing. Rocky hadn’t told me what he would work at after he built his new house. I was hoping he might take over and return to raising cattle. Weatherly might be interested in seeing what he could do with the land. Both men were cattle ranchers, hating to see the land empty with no cattle feeding.

I looked about for Karen and Jack and finally spotted them working in the garden. It looked like Jack was walking along dropping potatoes, and Karen was behind him, covering them up. I thought this was a waste of time, but maybe not. They had saved the last of last season’s potatoes, which they used for seed. If Rocky found a buyer, planted potatoes might tip the scale in his favor.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Atea went running out to the garden. Karen and Jack dropped what they were doing and gathered around Atea, who was talking and gesturing as fast as she could. The punchers saw them and rode to join in.

Mable was standing with me while Rocky was nu-harnessing the women’s horses.  I ground hitched mine, and all of us went out to talk.

Dugan asked. “What’s going on, Rocky?”

“There are a lot of changes going to happen as soon I can sell this ranch. I understand a couple of buyers are interested, but I don’t have any way to contact them.”

Dugan answered that question. “I have all the information from three buyers. All came on different days, so I had an excellent chance to talk to them and show them around. They inquired how big the outfit was and what the price you were asking was. You must know the ranch buying your heifers was one of the three.

“One outfit that showed up, I didn’t cotton to at all. It made me think of the outfit that hired me and the boys to cut your herd a few weeks ago. The gang who you buried up in the woods; I didn’t like them when they looked at Karen. I was glad when they left because we didn’t want to tackle them. You may see them because they promised to return.

“The last buyer, who arrived, said he was a remittance man from England. He had a manager with him, a salty-appearing individual. He is looking for small ranches to purchase and has cattle spreads throughout the country.

“He indicated that he had a large crew and was placing three to five men on each ranch. The manager told me not to be afraid to set a fair price. If you set it too high, you could haggle with the owner until you both could make a deal. That would be the best one of the three buyers I would sell to if it were me.”

“Good, Dugan. I couldn’t have handled it better myself. Any idea when the first of these buyers will show up.”

“Not for a couple of days. You’re two days earlier than expected. I expect the first one that arrives will be the ones I didn’t take to.”

“Well, all of you keep your eyes open so we aren’t surprised. Now, the Kid will run through what he found where we went. You didn’t know it, but someone shot Kid’s father years ago, and that is why I went with him. I promised him I would be with him when he said it was time to settle with who he thought killed his father. Kid, you can tell him what you found.”

“Rocky and I rode the stage into the town where a neighboring rancher named Weatherly murdered my Pa. That’s what I thought when I saw a man on a horse disappearing over the hill shortly after I saw Pa had been shot and killed. I recognized the horse but was too far away to see this rancher. I left town, vowing to return when I was old enough to face him. I felt this ten days ago; it was time to put this vow in place for my parents behind me.

“We got off the stage, and I saw the shingle of the lawyer who had done the paperwork when Pa and Ma bought the property.  His office was on the second floor across the street from where we disembarked. I invited him inside, told him my reason for contacting him, and asked if I could reclaim Pa’s property. It was open land of 640 acres when I left.

“At first, he listened to me and then said the sheriff would fill me in on some facts I didn’t know about the day my Pa died. We set out to find him, and shortly, we had hired horses and saddles and were on the way to the cabin.  Anyway, long story short, I found Weatherly living on my property. I furnished identity and papers to prove I was the heir.

“Weatherly was living in the cabin that Pa and I built. Established at the trial by facts and the Sheriff, it was Weatherly’s son, Junior, who was the one to shoot my Pa. Junior Weatherly died at the end of a rope two months later.

“So, I had the situation all wrong, thinking the neighboring ranch owner had killed my Pa. To make matters worse, my Ma died a few hours after Pa from the shock of Pa dying. Fifteen years old and angry as hell, the following day after burying my folks, I packed Pa’s tools on one of the horses, saddling my mount, and headed over to the Weatherly ranch. When I arrived at Weatherly’s ranch, I could see Weatherly and the crew mounted and headed toward Pa’s place.

“When they were out of sight, I fired the buildings after turning the stock out, and I never looked back, hit the trail, never knowing where I was headed. I was camping a hundred miles from there when Rocky came along and invited me to make my home with him. It has been the saving of me. That’s the story of my leaving and why.”

“Almost six years after that happened, I opened the door to the cabin again. Weatherly is somewhere near sixty and sorry as hell about his son killing my Pa. I asked Rocky, the sheriff, and the lawyer to let me talk to Weatherly alone. I came right out and told him it was me who burned his ranch. We had both lost family, and Weatherly lost not only his son but his ranch as well. And, all he had left were his cattle. His punchers left during the trial.

“He sold the cattle, which is what he has been living on. I gave him the cabin and the right to live there the rest of his life for me destroying his buildings. He sold the cattle to help pay the lawyer’s bills, trying to save Junior’s life. The claim for the ranch was lost when he sold the cattle because it was only good with cattle on the land. He does have a deed for the land the buildings were on that I burned.  But he won’t sell it or ever live there again because of the memory of his son.

 “I do have a deed to claim the property that Pa owned. I have promised Rocky a house lot of his and Mable’s choosing. Atea and I will choose a house lot where she feels she will be happy. I have promised another house lot to the Blacksmith and his family. I plan to take up my father’s trade of building and repairing wooden wheels. I will need the forge that the Blacksmith has.

“The plan is for us to have our business close together on two business lots.  The Blacksmith has a family consisting of a wife and three girls about the same age as Atea. I suspect she and I will pick our home lot close by them.

“Rocky and I were busy for the three days we were there. The town is twice the size of downtown, where Mable and Atea live. There is a railroad station nearby, where I am located. The town has all the amenities a person can ask for. It has a poor section close to the railroad with saloons, bars, and cheap housing.

“The town elite have their section with beautiful houses, built when people with businesses gained riches from the bank, businesses, stores, and boutiques. The capper for this is a community center with theater groups and music concerts booked weeks and months in advance.”

“Hey, Kid, you didn’t tell me about the farmers and few ranches beyond your property. The farms have been new since the Kid left, and that’s why the railroad built tracks into that section of the territory. You three men are welcome to move there with us. Weatherly and I may raise some cattle if the Kid doesn’t find other land use. What do you say?”

Dugan, always the spoke person, said. “I’m interested. Who knows, I might gain a wife someday. That will be more than I ever hoped.  How are we getting there?”

“We’ll be hiring wagons to freight our belongings. Mable has furniture. The kid may want some of the gardening tools he built, although he may want to build better ones when he has a forge. Karen, will you go with us? You can take your tepee, or we will build you a cabin?”

“Can’t take poles too long.”

“Kid left directions to have poles ready cut to size for your tepee. The hides will go in a freight wagon.”

“Tepee in the woods?”

“Anywhere you want it put up.”

“Kid, you good man. Maybe finding Brave will work for you. I make Indian moccasins. I go be close near Atea.”

“This is great, and we will always be family.” We then descended on the garden and finished planting potatoes—the rest of the daylight we used planning the move to the south.

———————————————

I thought much about when we would make the trip, so I didn’t get much sleep. We were having breakfast in the morning when I broached a decision to Rocky. “Rocky, we have decided to move to the town in the Southern part of Wyoming Territory. I’m anxious to get there and get started. I’m thinking of how this is to happen.”

“I can understand that, Kid. What have you decided?”

“Okay, how about you go to town and hire the freight outfit to estimate moving what we want to take from here on the ranch? Have them give you an estimate on moving along with what Mable decides to take. I can leave here with the Tepee coverings and whatever else in one wagon. Atea and I will ride my two horses and go along with the freight wagon while Karen and Jack ride on the wagon. I’ll need Karen to help rebuild the tepee when we arrive there.

“Rocky, you stay here, sell the ranch, which should happen within a couple of weeks, and we can load Mable’s household goods, and it will only take less than a little time after I get there. By that time, I’ll have tepee up and maybe have the foundation in for our house. Our hands said they wanted to go with us. Let me have one or two with me to do all of this organizing and getting started.”

“Kid, that’s good thinking with me following when I sell the ranch. Mable can live in the hotel and become acquainted with the town until we get her new home built. You will have enough money to do most of what it takes to settle.

“When are you and Atea planning on marrying? You may have a little trouble with that because she is only sixteen. I don’t know if they will take Karen's word that she has no history of when Atea was born or what the name of her real biological parents was.”

“I may have to wait until you and Mable arrive. Atea will be with her mother until then, anyway.”

Mable spoke up. “Rocky, if you are going into town to see about hiring the freight company, I might as well go with you, and I can begin packing.”

“Okay, Mable. There is not going to be much here to pack. I’ll get everything arranged with the freight outfit. Atea and Karen can do what needs doing here. We might as well start as soon as we get ready. There aren’t supposed to be buyers here for a day or two. I’ll be back by then.”

Karen took down the tepee, marking the hides as they were unlaced from the poles. We began immediately. I asked Rocky to bring a trunk back with him on the freight wagon so I could gather and load my tools. All the extra guns we had acquired would also be packed in one of these trunks. Mable wanted to take her buggy and team with her. Rocky would have to dismantle this when he and Mable loaded the freight from her house. The team would end up tied to the back of a freight wagon with a rope.

Rocky was gone for most of the next day. He rode into the ranch late and found we had everything ready to load. It was more than three hours before the freight wagon arrived.

“Kid, I talked with Mable about you and Atea being married. We think you should be married before leaving town. Mable will stand up with you if you can find the Marshal. He can fill in for me as a witness.”

“I want you to be my witness.”

“I’d like to be, but that will hold you up while I sell the ranch. Mable said she and I will wait to marry until we get to our new home. Atea and you will be our witnesses at that time.”

“Why do you want to do it that way?”

“Because you might have trouble convincing people in our new location that Atea is old enough to marry, for one thing, and also, she has no record of her real parents or her name. Marshal Brooks has met Atea, and he knows she is old and mature enough to marry. Karen will be with you, and Brooks knows she has mothered Atea. Mable can help by just being there with Atea and lending her approval. She and Karen can say that they wholeheartedly approve of this match.”

“I’ll talk to Karen.” Karen was all for this plan.

“Atea will be a married woman to a white man. That is important to me. From the day she was put in my hands, my hope and plan was to have her live with the white people.”

“Atea, is this agreeable to you?” It was, and she showed she was by coming into my arms and kissing me in front of everyone, including the freight wagon driver. Everyone was laughing, and she wouldn’t let me go.

Bob Ducet, the driver, asked, “Let's see how much freight you have to transport. I can load the wagon as heavy as you like as far as weight is concerned. However, if you have too much bulk, you’ll have to hire another wagon.”

Rocky showed him what we had. Bob feared I couldn’t take the plow and the harrow I had built. “That’s okay, I can build new ones. Rocky might get a few dollars by selling to the next owner. I’m no farmer, but I swear they did the job.”

“Made them, yourself, you say? I might buy them. I can pay you, and I’ll get them when I can. That should be before you get the ranch sold. Those hides for the tepee are going to take a lot of room. Why are you taking them with you?”

“Look inside and see the scenes of woodlands and animals painted on them. Karen is quite the artist. Karen’s first Brave showed her how to draw animals and pictures with some paint. She told me it had been her home for fourteen years just a few days ago.”

Bob walked around and looked at everything. He had four trunks for small items. The tools I had brought and the ones I had Rocky buy would fill one large trunk. Rocky said he didn’t have much, but when all was done, he filled another trunk with bedding and clothes. Most long guns were in one more trunk, but we would wear our handguns while traveling.

———————————

We had most of the wagon loaded by nine the following day. Bob had made an offer on the plow and harrow and said he would pay me when we went through town, either tonight or in the morning before leaving for the south. That was fine with me. Then Rocky and I decided that Roland would be the one person who would be traveling along with me, Atea, Karen, and Jack. He could also be the spare team driver if Bob needed him. That would relieve me from handling any team pulling the freight wagon.

The plan was to leave for town by four this afternoon and be at Mable’s before dark. The freight would go there early the following day, and Atea and I would see if we couldn’t get married and leave the following day.

As always, plans need re-adjustment. When something comes up to change the plan, it happens. A bunch of riders rode in at noon. Two of the buyers showed interest in buying the ranch. One, the remittance man with a crew of four, and two, the man with a crew of three that Dugan hadn’t cared for.

These two crews didn’t mix and looked ready for a fight. I was glad I hadn’t left yet, so we and our men stood prepared to back up Rocky. Bob, the freight wagon driver, stood with us. Atea and Karen got onto the packed wagon, and I saw Atea open the trunk with the long guns and ammo.

The Remittance Man, Sir George Hamilton, asked, “I’m looking for Rocky Sedgewich. I’m buying this ranch. What are you asking? I’ve looked over the range and cattle and am making an offer. I’ll follow you into town and meet you at the Wells Fargo office to close the deal. The money will be in gold.” Hamilton made an offer.

I knew that Rocky would not accept this amount. Rocky turned to the other buyer. “Do you want to get in on this? I won’t leave if that is all I can get for the ranch.”

The other buyer, saying his name was Henry, pushed up the amount by $1200. Rocky thought this was getting close to the figure he felt the ranch should bring.

“It still isn’t enough.  Hamilton?”

I was watching Hamilton. He tried to act that this was too high and was reluctant to bid. “$2,000 more on top of Henry’s bid. We both know what cattle you have are worth. That extra is on the buildings. Are you taking the tepee poles, still standing where the tepee was?”

“Nope. You hit the amount I am looking for. We’ll settle up in town tomorrow.

Hamilton asked, “I saw four graves over the back of where the tepee was. Did somebody die of sickness or something?”

“Yeah, lead poison. The Marshal was here later and told us to bury them. You can ask him if you care to, but I wouldn’t make a big deal about it. We are out of the mainstream in the hills and must take care of it ourselves. I was wounded, and two of my punchers had wounds.” Rocky paused and asked, “Why do you want this place so bad?”

“You aren’t going to turn down my offer if I tell you why, are you?”

“No, I won’t do that.”

“I told one of your men I was buying up small ranches, and I am. Your government is soon putting more of the Indian tribes on reservations. This ranch will be feeding some of them. I hope to buy enough ranches to feed them all.”

Rocky and I laughed and spoke, “Karen and Jack, did you hear that? The government will be feeding your people.”

“Kid, I trust you and Rocky. Government men always cheat Indians.”

Hamilton and his riders mounted and went out to look at the cattle. I went to where Henry and his men were getting ready to mount. “Sorry, you men didn’t get the ranch.”

“Yeah, we didn’t figure we had much chance when we learned a foreigner was buying. We might have got here before he did. I can’t blame you at all. He paid at least a thousand more than the place is worth.”

“Yeah, it was more than we figured. Keep looking, and you’ll find what you want at your price. Talk to the ranch to your right when you come out onto the main road at the foot of the hill. He might be able to help you out?”

“Thanks, we will.” They mounted and went down the trail.

I said something to Rocky. “I don’t think we had that outfit correct. They looked rough, but I don’t think they were too bad. They didn’t have enough money. What do you think of the English outfit that bought the ranch?”

“It is up to his managers whether he makes a living at ranching. He certainly has enough money. I’m glad we are getting a little extra. I could have milked it a little longer, but what the hey?”

Hamilton came back, leaving his crew out with the cattle. “Are you leaving now? I’ll ride with you into town.”

“In a half hour. You are leaving your men here with the cattle, right?”

“Yes. I’ll pay you tomorrow morning, get a load of vittles and blankets for the men, and should be back by two tomorrow. I thought you might have a buckboard that went with the ranch?”

“We packed everything in. My woman in town has one. Tell you what, I’ll throw the buckboard in with the ranch. Also, if your men get hungry, part of the beef haunch is suspended in the well. Use it up before it spoils. Tell the truth, this sale went through faster than I ever thought it would.”

“I’m a fast-doing man who gets things done.”

“You certainly are.”

Karen rode on the freight wagon seat. Jack begged to ride with me on my horse, and I let him. Hamilton asked about living and working with these Indians, and I assured him they were friendly. Atea was riding beside us and embarrassingly told about me helping Karen birth Jack.

She went on to tell about her background as an Indian until she was ten years old. It was at that time we on the ranch realized she was white, and I set about teaching her to speak our language and live as a white person. I give much credit to Rocky’s woman friend for promoting this endeavor. She had lived in town with Rocky's friend for two years. It was only within the last few months that we decided we loved each other and would marry later today or tomorrow.

Hamilton congratulated us on finding each other through the odd happenings in our lives. “Kid and Atea, I’m sure you will have a happy life together. I’m so pleased to meet people who find happiness in such backward surroundings.” 

Our little caravan of one freight wagon, us riding in the front, with Rocky’s crew bringing up the rear with the extra horses that didn’t go with the ranch. Traveling the four hours into town showed Hamilton that although primitive, we were capable. Rocky and Hamilton were going past Mable’s house and onto the bank.

Jack was to sit out front of the house with the hitched horses so Karen would know that she was to get off the wagon there. I suspected Dugan and the other two punchers would go on into town to a saloon. We would round them up and tell them when our marriage ceremony would happen so they could observe.

Mable was surprised to hear from me that Rocky had sold the ranch so soon. “Where is he?”

“He is in town with the buyer. I would imagine he’ll be back within the hour. I believe the man who purchased the ranch will be with him. We are all hungry if you have time to put together a meal.”

“Kid, you mean we will soon go with you when you head for your new home?”

“That’s right. Oh, Karen and Jack are with us. Jack sat behind me on the way down. Karen is on the freight wagon with the hides that cover her new tepee. She’ll be along in a half hour or so. Jack is out front to make sure she gets off the wagon. Bob, the wagon driver, will go along the road before leaving town here. After we eat, if you would get dressed, we would go into town to see if we can find someone to marry both of us.”

“Oh, dear, I’m not ready to get married today. Neither is Atea, and I want our hair done just right and make sure our dresses fit just right. I do have the picture-taking man to capture our images for posterity. Tomorrow, we may be ready.”

“Okay, we’ll put you in charge of getting on the road as soon as possible. There will be one or two freight wagons for your furniture and things. That won’t arrive until three or four days after we do.”

“I can take my buggy, can’t we?”

“I will tear it down and load it onto one of your freight wagons. I’ll put it together as soon as it gets there?”

“What about my driving team?”

“They will be on leads. All three of our crew will be with us. If that doesn’t look like it will work, we can tie them behind a freight wagon. Anyway, they won’t have to pull anything.”

“What is the person like who bought the ranch from Rocky?”

“He is an Englishman, and I like him. Rocky likes his money. He is very personable as well. So, what do you think of what is happening in the next couple of days?”

“Okay, I guess. It seems rushed, but that is what moving is like. I’ve lived in many places, and this isn’t that different.”

Just at that minute, Jack came bolting through the door.  “Mom’s here, and Bob wants to see how much stuff you have for the other wagons.”

“Mable, you show him the household items, and I’ll show him the buggy and what things in the barn that need to go,”

“Is Rocky leaving his buckboard?”

“Yes. Hamilton ended up with it.”

Mable had a roast that she cooked yesterday and baked bread this morning. Atea wanted a bath and said I needed one, too.  We were dressed when Rocky and Hamilton came from Wells Fargo. Atea had dressed in a floor-length dress of maroon taffeta, the top form fitting. The gown had a wide white lace collar. Karen was braiding her hair, and Mable would arrange it with combs adorning the top. Her neck was left bare. She was wearing moccasins, but they didn’t show. She stood and twirled in front of me.

Rocky was as startled at her looks, “My God, Atea, you look to be in your twenties.”

Hamilton observed, “I agree, much different than the young maid who rode with us this morning.”  Hamilton didn’t linger; he looked at the buckboard and saw it was serviceable. Rocky and I went out to say so long. Hamilton shook hands and wished us success in our move south, waved, and headed up the road.

Mable finished her bath, and Rocky took his. Mable’s dress was of the same material as Atea’s but of a dark green.

Karen had been heating water, and she took one. “No smell like a horse.” She put on a dress that came halfway to her ankles. It was of deerskin and adorned with beads. There were colors here and there, where she had dyed it with blue and red shades. She was wearing a belt with a circle of red above it and a circle of blue below it. Two bands of the same colors went around the bottom with moccasins of the same colors.

We slowly walked uptown to the Preacher's home. Mable told of arrangements already made with the Preacher but did not know when the weddings would occur. “We may have to stay over one day. That will be  sudden, but I am ready.” Atea was ready, too, for she was almost skipping.

The preacher wasn’t home, but his wife said he was either at the town offices or talking to the man who had taken pictures. “I’ll go inside the town clerk’s office to see if he is there, and I’ll be right back.” The group gathered in front, waiting.”

“I hope the Preacher is with the photographer. It is two doors up the street.” I took Atea’s arm and, followed by the rest, saw the sign on the door saying, ‘Open, come in.’ The door opened in my face as the Preacher was coming out.

“Hi, Reverend Kinney, we were looking for you. Please don’t come out. We want to engage the photographer to take images of us. Atea and I wish to have you marry us. Rocky and Mable are with us for the same reason.”

“Great, I often perform the ceremony here using one of George's backdrops for different settings. George will set up and take the picture as soon as you are married. It saves time, and George doesn’t have to move his equipment.”

It was a little confusing when it came time to use a name for Atea. She was an orphan with only one name. Rocky suggested that she use the Sedgewich name. When Atea moved to the ranch, she took the name Sedgewich because that was the Sedgewich Ranch’s name and where she now belonged. Reverend Kinney was very hesitant at first. Atea started to tear up because she thought the ceremony was being held up and we couldn’t marry.

I thought fast and saw she was carrying her purse. “Atea, do you have a copy of the bounty draft that Marshall Brooks gave you when Wells Fargo transferred the money to your account?”

 “I do.” She fished in her purse and showed it to Reverend Kinney. “Will this prove this is the name I go by?”

The Reverend was startled by the amount of money showing on the draft. He stared at it until Atea pointed out that the money came from Marshall Brooks’ and his signature was on the original draft. $7,500 was a near fortune that this young maiden had access to.

The reverend was shaking his head. “It is hard to believe that you have that much money?”

“Yes, isn’t it? It came from a service I performed for the territory. It is honest money and a welcome amount to take to Mathew, my soon-to-be husband.”

“Mathew, what is your last name? Before I continue, I must comment that you are a fortunate young man.”

“My full name is Mathew Jenkins, and yes, I am fortunate.”

 The reverend turned to Rocky and Mable, “I assume you, Rocky Sedgewich and Mable Orkins, will be these young folk’s witnesses, and they for you?

“I must ask, why are these two Indians with you? I take it they are mother and son?”

Atea spoke up, “Sir, the mother is the person who cared for me when my parents were found dead by Indians, and I was still alive.  I was about three years old at the time. I was ten at the time we moved to the Sedgewich Ranch. Her son, Jack, I consider my brother as I consider Karen my mother.”

“Karen?”

“Karen, because her name is Indian, it sounds like Karen. Kid was there, and he taught me some of the white man’s speak. Rocky met Mable Orkins, and I have lived with her for the last two years to finish what education she could give me and teach me the white man’s way. I still speak the Indian language, for Jack's sake, because that is who he is. The Kid has learned the Indian language, which is how we talk to each other. It would not have been possible otherwise.”

“Why do Karen and Jack not return to live with the Indians?”

“How can a mother give up one of her children, and how can I give up my mother and brother? We are family.

———————————

A half-hour later, Mr. and Mrs. Sedgewich and Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins congratulated each other. We went into the restaurant and had an excellent meal. Karen was afraid to enter because she was afraid the restaurant wouldn’t serve an Indian. I said, “We will pick a table in the alcove, and six customers won’t be turned away.”

George, the Photographer, asked if he could take the pictures we wanted while waiting for our meal. “The lighting is excellent, and I have often used that setting.” We agreed, so he followed us in. No doubt this price would go up a coin or two when we paid for the images, and we could pick up any time after ten in the morning.

It was a satisfying meal. Mable spoke as we came from the restaurant. “Rocky and I will take a room in the hotel. Kid, you and Atea, please use my room tonight. Jack and Karen may use Atea’s.”

We heard noises in the barn when we woke in the morning.” Must be the freight wagons are here; we had better get up.”

“Kid, I feel I am finally belonging to the whites. I used to feel they were all trash, rough, mean, and dangerous.  Then you came into my life and looked at me. I am married to one. When do you plan on having a papoose?”

“Atea, we should wait until you are a little older. You should be fully mature in another three years, and it will be safer for you.”

“Okay, I was hoping you would wait. I’ll get more medicine from Karen. That way, we can have more fun when we come to bed.

“I should make you breakfast before Rocky and Mable get here, although I’ll bet they will eat uptown.”

“I’m sure they will. I’ll go out and start pulling that buggy apart. I looked at it, and all the parts are bolted together so that it won’t take long.” The freighter was loading harnesses, the grain box, and grooming tools for the horses Mable planned to take with her. Too soon, Atea screamed for me to come in and eat.

Jack waited to eat, and Karen served us. Atea kissed me just before she sat down. It made Jack giggle. I winked at him, and he covered his face, still laughing.

—————————————

Rocky and Mable arrived. They had eaten, and Mable began rushing around to organize her furniture for one of the freight wagons. Rocky steered me away from the others and told me he was considering hiring an Army Ambulance for the women to travel in instead of riding the horses.

It had a hangover above the driver’s head, so when it rained, the driver and whoever was in the seat with him would be sheltered from inclement weather. “It feels like rain tonight and tomorrow. I hate to head out being wet the whole trip. What do you think?”

“That’s a great idea. I wondered if maybe going by stage wouldn’t have been a better choice for our wives to travel the long distance.”

“I asked the agent, and he said if I hired it, one of the freight swampers would drive it back here, so we would be paying for it only one way. I’ve driven a four-horse hitch before, so that is no problem.”

“One more thing you can teach me, Rocky.”

“I thought the same. We’ll plan on it. I’ll get together with Mable and Atea to see what we need for food and bedding. I’ll take some kindling from the barn she was leaving so we can cook our meals. There is a place to attach a canvas fly to keep the rain off us while in camp. Another thing we may gain on Bob and the load of hides to reach your place at the same time. We will need that tepee up as soon as possible.”

“Good thinking.” We loaded most of our clothes, food, and other necessities for our trip in the ambulance. It was dark, and we decided to wait until morning to begin our journey. The furniture, barn items, and other things Mable wanted to take with us were loaded onto the three freight wagons. They went and parked overnight in the freight yard and would start early.

Mable and Atea had walked to the photographer’s and picked up our pictures. The images were not in frames, but he had them in a box. They would travel safer that way.

There were bunks in the ambulance, where Atea, Karen, Jack, and I stayed in the ambulance that first night. Mable and Rocky kept one feather bed in the house. Mable cried a few times because this was her last association with her former husband for many years. I did not doubt that she would be okay in the morning.

I was leaving with so much more than when I arrived here six years ago, so I felt fine. Atea still had her surrogate mother and Jack, her little brother, and she had me. She looked forward to building a new home and living happily with me. Our two men, Whitney and Dugan, were spelling two of the swampers for two of the drivers on two of the three freight wagons. They also had spare horses and those they rode to care for. They were pulling onto the trail ahead of us. We waved and went by them an hour into our journey.

We made good time. The second night, we had some wicked rain, and the fly that Rocky and I slept under wouldn’t stay up because the wind was blowing so hard. The horses were nervous, so we stood near them until the thunder and lightning passed. It still rained all night, and he and I were wetter than ever. The sun did come up at dawn. The trail was muddy, so we didn’t make as many miles that day.

Atea and Mable decided to stay overnight in the stage station when we came to it because it looked like rain again. It didn’t happen, and we got an early start that next day.

——————————

Late that afternoon, we saw a dead horse beside the road. We could see that it had a broken leg, and someone had put it out of its misery. Four that afternoon, we came onto a man plodding along afoot ahead of a packhorse.

We stopped. “Bad luck, Huh?”

“Yeah, snake in the road, and I was half asleep and didn’t see it. The snake struck and got the horse on the upper leg. The horse reared and dumped me off. The horse took off, went into the small stones beside the road, and snapped a leg. I guess he would have died anyway. The snake just slithered away, so I’m walking, and my packhorse is carrying my saddle.”

“Put the saddle on the mare that is tied behind and tie the packhorse behind our ambulance in its place. My wife is riding inside today.”

“What’s your name?”

“Sedgewick, call me Rocky. This young feller, here beside me, is Jenkins. Call him, Kid.”

“My name is Tom Horn, and I am a farming equipment salesman. Rocky, am I glad you came along? Not much taken with walking.”

“I suspect so. Me neither.” It took him five minutes to mount up, and we were on our way.

That night, while camping, we discovered Tom was heading for the same town as we were on. “I’m heading back to Ohio. I haven’t found what I was looking for out here. I was supposed to find a piece of property to open a business where my boss could sell farming equipment. Several farmers in the area have taken up land, and I’ve made a lot of sales. There are fewer than I would like because no one has that much cash.”

Torn wasn’t as old as Rocky, but at least ten years older than I was. I asked, “Can I look at some catalogs?”

“Sure, I have a full range of what farmers use. Equipment has improved a lot in the last ten years. One man can do what three to five men needed to farm, from riding on a plow instead of walking behind. Planting the seed into the ground at the proper depth improves planting. Harvesting machinery that picks a crop, loads it on wagons, and unloads it into storage with minimal effort. We even sell the storage buildings.

“I certainly would like to see these machines.”

“Too dark tonight, but it’ll be another two days before we reach the railway. I’ll give you a bunch of the catalogs to look at. You people have been so good to me.”

I had Rocky drive the ambulance the last two days while I sat beside him and went through the catalogs of Tom’s company and the items they sold. I was especially interested in the farm wagons they sold. I felt the prices were well in the medium range as to cost. The catalogs were full of pictures. Much of the equipment, such as dismantled wagons, was shipped out by rail, with directions on assembling.

I questioned Tom closely about the re-assembly. Other items caught my eye and interested me, over and above the wagons. “What about these wooden buildings called silos? They must be shipped the same way?”

“They are, and farmers find them very useful for storing ensilage for feeding their animals in the winter. Look on page 78 of the same catalog, and you will see an ensilage cutter for chopping bundles of feed corn, ears, and stalks powered by mules to turn a fan that blows ensilage into a silo as high as thirty-six feet tall. The firm is trying to get the right to sell those small miniature steam engines. Those are proving to be helpful for all kinds of applications.

“There again, these silos are milled and need assembling in place right on the farm. On page 32, you will find a machine that cuts the corn stalks and gathers so many stalks as you go along the row into a bundle. A ball of twine ties the bundles, loads the bundle onto a wagon, which transports it to the chopper near the silo and feeds into the chopper shown on page 78. 

“These silos can hold grain as well, like corn, beans, barley, and even wheat. Some day, someone will invent a mechanical unloader instead of having to use shovels or forks in the case of ensilage. Some enterprising young men will get together, buy a set of these machines, and make a business of going farm to farm, saving the farmer's cost of having to buy the machines himself. Farming has come a long way in the last few years.”

“Tom, you said you have already sold many items shown in these catalogs to the farmers in the area surrounding the town we are headed for. How many of these machines and silos have you sold?”

“So far, farmers are very interested. I believe three hand-driven machines strip the dried corn from the ears, and five cast iron machines crack corn for chicken feed. I have one of each coming by train just as soon as I send in the order by telegraph. I still haven’t sold any machines that grind corn into meal fine enough for human consumption. We do carry a line of these, though.

“I need a place to store these machines as soon as they reach here. I order them so I can demonstrate what they will do and what they need to order to build up an inventory. I haven’t found a place to buy four or five acres of land to build on yet. That’s my next project. If I get the land, the concern I work for will send a crew to raise the buildings I need.

This conversation took place the night before we would reach my new hometown. Tom looked steadily at me for a few minutes and then asked, “Kid, you seem extremely interested in what my catalogs offer. Can you tell me why?”

“Sure, the wagons mostly and any wheeled vehicle interest me. That’s because my father was a wheelwright. I lost him when I was only fifteen, but he had me working with him, making wheels when I was just a kid. He had a forge, and although I haven’t used one since he died, I have a blacksmith who has offered me his to use.

“I’ll be seeing the smith tomorrow, and he should have his shop moved to the property I gave him for my future, with me able to use his forge. I’ll start building my shop just as soon I get a home built for my wife.”

“How old are you now?”

“I’m twenty-two and just beginning to get set up for the rest of my life.”

“You say you gave your friend some land and are building a shop and a home for yourself. You must own quite a large parcel of land?”

“I do, and I’m unsure what to do with it all. It is a good business property as my land abuts the rail right of way. The land has had a few cattle grazing up until recently. I'll show you around if you’re in town long enough.”

“I’d like that.”

—————————————————

I mounted on my horse, riding beside Tom Horn in the morning. We were almost to the farming area of the former Weatherly cattle ranch when we overtook Bob, Roland, and the freight wagon with the hides on it for the tepee. It couldn’t be timed better for Bob, who wouldn’t have known how to reach the location where the tepee was to be raised.

“Well now, am I glad to see you? The way you spoke before we left, I figured we must be near the end of the trip.”

“Bob, we have a few short miles to go. The road goes around the farms, down a long hill, and across the creek. I own the other side of the ridge where my land begins, so some of the creek is on my land. The creek turns to the right at the bottom of the hill, and my land lies next to the road, all the distance to where there is a sign that says, ‘Jenkins Road.’ I’ll have you follow me the rest of the way.

I motioned for Tom to ride up beside me. “Tom, when we top the ridge, we’ll see where my land begins. The creek is on my land for a short distance, and the road follows beside mine.”

“Kid, does all that open land I see belong to you?”

“640 acres are. The open land consists of about 500 acres.”

“I noticed that land when I traveled by it going north. It has some brush coming up. You could earn a ton of money by turning it into cropland. How come you haven’t done anything with it before this?”

“Tom, I had to leave when I was fifteen. My Pa and Ma died, and I thought the same might happen to me, so I took off. I didn’t know I could still claim it until a few weeks ago. Now I’m of an age when I want to make it pay like my folks planned. Rocky is with me on this, and he is my mentor and partner. We’ll figure something out.

“Say, Tom, would you ride the rest of the way with Rocky? I want my wife next to me when we reach my boundary because she has never seen any of it?”

“Sure, I want to thank her for letting me ride her horse.”

————————————

I talked continually to Atea as we approached the first stone corner marker where my land began. The creek was on our left until the road reached the bottom of the hill. The creek turned right there, and we forded it as the road leveled out. I saw some new construction in the distance before reaching Jenkins’ road. That must be Sam Buckland’s new Blacksmith Shop.

We rode ahead of the ambulance, leaving it behind. “Atea, all the land on the left of us belongs to you and me. See that building in the distance. That’s the new blacksmith building. I’ll work part-time there, using the smith’s forge and some of his tools.”

“Kid, where is our new home going to be?”

“I don’t know yet. Atea, look way off across the fields to where the woodland begins. There is a log cabin you can make out if you look closely. Our home could be next to the cabin where we will build. I think of Karen and Jack beside us in her tepee—nearby, anyway.”

“It’s a long way from your business, right?”

“It is, but not that far to walk. Just below the new Smith’s building is one more plot where we may build our shop and home. It is difficult for me to make up my mind. I’m depending on you and Mable to help me decide.”

“We’ll figure something out. Where will we be staying until we get our home built?”

“I think Mable will want to stay in some rooms at the hotel. The town lies a mile from the log cabin. You can too if you prefer.”

“I want you with me. We could live in the ambulance if you get a home built before winter, and I wouldn’t mind at all.”

“We’ll see. It is whatever you want.”

I pulled up in front of the blacksmith shop. Sam was nailing a shoe on a big draft horse. “Hi Sam, business enough already in your new shop?”

“There damned sure is. I parked the load of lumber I bought here. A farmer stopped and asked what I was doing. I told him I was moving my shop here from downtown. The next morning, I had three horses to shoe. Several other farmers were with them, and they started immediately by helping me put up the shop. I even have a cement foundation under the sills. It isn’t done, and I haven’t done much of the building myself. Too much work coming in. The roof will be going on in a couple of days.”

“Great, that’s good.  The bank gave you financing to build, okay?”

“I took the deed into the bank, and they asked how much money I needed. I told the banker it was all on you who gave me the land. He asked me when you were coming back and wanted to see you. You had better see him right off. He said something about hoping you would sell some more plots of land. He asked why you gave me this plot of land, and I told him that you were also going into business and we would help each other with tools and such. You can write your ticket, Kid.”

“Sam, where is your family? Are you still in town?”

“Yeah, we haven’t done much about moving. My wife thinks if you would, she would like to buy a plot of land along Jenkins Road rather than have it here next to my business.”

“Sam, this is my wife, Atea. We were married just before we left from up north. We’ve got Rocky and his wife with us, and they married at the same time as we did. His new wife, Mable, is behind us in an Army Ambulance, and Rocky is driving. Also, one freighter wagon with the bunch started a few days ahead of us. We caught up with the freighter this morning.”

“That all of you?”

“No, three more freight wagons will be along in another two or three days. Point them toward Jenkins Road and the log cabin when they arrive, if you would. About the lot where to build our homes, we’ll all get together and see where we can live close together. I haven’t made up my mind yet, myself.”

“Good, I want to finish my shop here first, and it won’t take long before it is finished.”

“Good enough. Looking back, here comes Rocky and the freight wagon. I won’t have them stop. He’ll be over to stop and talk after we get the tepee up for our Indian woman and her child to live in. The hide coverings for the tepee are on the freight wagon. See you in a couple of days.” I waved and motioned for Rocky to fall in behind me.

We turned onto Jenkins Road and stopped. Rocky came down off the ambulance seat and threw the saddle onto his horse. “Atea, would you let Tom Horn ride your horse again? He is excited about buying land from you and the Kid to build a farming equipment store.”

Atea bailed off the horse, and I gave a hand up to sit on the horse behind me. Her arms came tight around me.

“Horn wants the lot between the Smith’s shop and the corner here. When he realized how close to the railroad station your property is, he claimed it was perfect and what his concern was looking for.

“Don’t settle for his first offer because it won’t be high enough. He thinks if his business can build a store here, he can sell every farmer and rancher equipment and everything they need within a 50-mile radius.”

Tom rode up beside me on Atea’s horse and began asking questions about where my land was concerning the railroad. “Kid, I’m telegraphing my outfit tomorrow morning to have one of the owners look at your property. Right now, I’m confident when he goes back East, you’ll find yourself much richer than you are now.

“Don’t be too quick to build your homes until he leaves. From what I can see, there is enough distance between Jenkins’ road and the railroad right of way to lay out a commercial district by putting in one more road. If you don’t want to handle it personally, start a land real-estate company managed by someone you trust to operate it. That would make two roads with businesses located on both sides.”

We rode our horses briefly before I replied to Tom’s assertions. “Tom, are you going to be located here if your outfit follows your advice about building an equipment store here?”

“I’m almost sure I can talk my bosses into this project. If it is as much of a success as I believe, they will have to reward me in some favorable way. That is when I step up and ask to become a partner.”

“Would they do that for you, and how can you be sure?”

“I’d just tell one of the bosses that his grandchildren need their father home all the time, not chasing farmers out in a field to sell a plow. I’ve been writing to my wife Jenny since I got on the train to go west. The wife wants to live somewhere away from her family, and we make it alone, not under her mother's and father’s thumb. It  can be my chance and yours to make things happen.”

———————————

When Tom and I pulled into the yard, Burt Weatherly was sitting on a bench in his yard. “Hey, Kid, I been expecting you for the last couple of days, and here you are. Did Rocky return with you?”

“He is right behind me. Our wives are with us. Is my mother’s bed still empty?”

“It is, and I aired the blankets out recently. I imagine you brought sheets with you?”

“We did, and my wife will thank you. She is with Rocky and Mable, his wife. Mable and Rocky are going into town to get rooms in the hotel. “Burt, this man with me on the horse had some trouble, and his horse was killed. He is riding Atea’s horse and will be going into town tonight. I’ll tell you more about him when I get a minute.

“Burt, did you get a chance to cut poles for the tepee?”

“I did, and I assumed you would want a level surface to put up the tepee. I have the ground ready to dig in the poles. Climb off your horse, and we can walk to the site.”

“We’ll walk, and the freight wagon can follow. There is room to park the Army Ambulance nearby.”

“Sure, there is room both in and out amongst the trees. That will be staying, I assume. You have many bodies that need shelter until you build living quarters.”

“I’ll talk to Bob, driving the freight wagon; he has a say if I want to buy it.” I climbed back on my horse, following Burt, who went by the cabin and into the field. He stayed near the woods until we approached several poles for the tepee lying on the ground. The poles were lodge pole pine used for a small portion of the tepee construction.

“Kid, I figured you would want the bark stripped off cause it would fall off after the poles dried.”

“Good, that makes it more permanent.”

Chapter Six

Rocky pulled the ambulance beyond where the tepee was going to be. The doors opened, and Jack and Karen came out. Karen inspected the plot of the prepared ground. Then she went to the pile of poles and tumbled them apart to see more than a few. “Who cut these?”

Burt spoke, “I did. I hope they will be okay?”

“Much good, me Karen, your name?”

“Call me, Burt.”

Karen looked at me, “Kid, it's too late to make tepee tonight. I cook and sleep early. Cook early in the morning, put up poles, put hides on, and need help with two braves.”

“I’ll be here. Roland will be here too. Rocky, you and Mable might as well go on into town. Tom will ride in with you. He has to send a telegram. Atea, do you want to go in and spend a night with Mable?”

“No! My place here with you.”

Burt spoke, “Your Pa and Ma’s bed is made up so you can stay with a roof over your head.”

I asked Roland and Bob where they were sleeping, thinking they might sleep in the ambulance. “Naw, I’ll bunk under the freight wagon.”

“Okay.” Burt again spoke, “I’ve got enough beef steaks for everyone if your wife would cook it. I also have two dozen ears of early corn that came in on the train from down south. It is wilted, but I have been soaking it.

Karen said, “Kid, build me a fire. I like corn and beef. Bury the corn in coals. It has been a long time since I have corn.” It wasn’t long before Atea, Jack, and I had built a fire out of some dry limb wood Burt had stacked up. It was almost an hour before we raked the coals aside and buried the corn ears, raking the coals back over them. Burt brought the corn soaking in pails of water.

He returned to the cabin and brought out a flat cast iron skillet that went half the width of a fireplace. It was ten inches wide and two feet long, making it large enough to fry all the steaks at once.

Tears came to my eyes when I saw it. It was my mom’s, and she cooked with it while traveling when we started west. The fireplace in the cabin was large enough for it to fit. We hadn’t used it as much because we had a cooking stove after we arrived.

There was just a bit of light showing in the window in the morning. Atea and I had gone to sleep last night from the excitement of arriving at our destination. This morning, it was different, “Kid, I woke up early. I heard that the Burt man went out but didn’t come back. Are you feeling brave this morning? I am feeling very brave.”

“That’s because you have feelings for me,”

“I know, and that’s why I’m feeling brave. Kid, I feel like this when I’m near you. You won’t ever leave me or go off somewhere for a long time, will you?”

“I never intended to. I hated it when you stayed with Mable, and I couldn’t see you every day.”

“I believe you, my Brave. This nice house, how come you no keep?”

“Atea, I thought Burt killed my folks, so I destroyed his home and all his buildings by fire. It was his son who did it, and the law hung his son, and he lost everything. Burt moved in here because he didn’t have any place to live. It was the sheriff who allowed Burt to stay. When I was here last, I found out all about what happened the day my Pa and Ma died. He apologized to me for what his son did.

“It was only fair that I admit I burned everything at his ranch, and he accepted that it was something I did in retaliation. By him living here on the land for six years, no one wanted to take my land when I abandoned it. This way, we now have my father's land, and he has a home.”

“You good man, my Brave. We should go see Karen and help put up a tepee.” We walked outside and looked over at the parked ambulance. The horses were feeding close by in the fields. There was smoke rising from a campfire. Everyone but Karen was drinking coffee. She had what looked like a pole a little less than ten feet long. There was a peg sticking down through near the ends. 

Jack had one of these pegs in a hole. Karen was at the other end. Karen backed around, marking the ground while Jack made sure his peg didn’t come out of his hole in the ground. Soon, there was an eighteen-foot circle. When Karen went around marking the ground, her marks came together. She smiled at Jack and uttered. “Good.”

Atea was in the center when this tepee was constructed the last time. Now Karen took another stick and went around the circle, laying a marker at the end of the stick from where she had begun. Surprisingly, she arrived at the beginning with the first marker, precisely the stick's length. I had seen this once before, and it still amazed me.

I knew it was time to start digging a shallow hole at each marker. Karen watched me at first. She had shown me when we built this the last time, and I knew it was for the bottom end of the poles to sit in.

atea had our breakfast cooked and motioned for me to eat. Karen motioned for Roland to help her pick up a pole and carry it to a position where one end would go into one of the shallow holes I had dug. The pole lay across the circle and extended out four feet or so. One more pole for the adjacent hole and the small top end were lying together, crossing about a foot from the top.

Now, one more pole is directly across from the two others; the three tops are lashed with rawhide lacings. “Help now.” Karen directed three men to get together and walk up the single pole into the air. Roland, Bob, and Burt did this. Karen and Atea were at the other pole base and did not let those ends move.  The three men were lifting all three poles upright. I was on the ground end of the single pole, moving the end toward the hole in the ground.

When the two pole ends were near, Karen and Atea steered the ends into the holes and made sure they didn’t come out or go sideways. My end was slowly moving closer to the circle. We stopped to rest one time to relieve our muscles. I only had to brace my foot about the end because the weight had shifted, and the pole was digging into the ground. Karen and Atea had their ends of the poles in the holes, and there was enough weight to keep them there. Five minutes later, I said, “Let’s finish this.”

It was done, and we had a three-pole tripod over where the tepee would be. Now, we had to position the other ten poles. With three of us lifting, we raised one to the vertical, walked to the hole for the butt, and eased the top to where the first three were lashed together.

By then, all thirteen poles were up, and the tops were nestled with the ones lashed together. Atea had made herself a ladder out of short poles lashed to the two originals. She had one more rung to add before she could reach the top. This one was only wide enough for her feet between the two poles.

“Kid, that’s the whole frame, just like the one we left at the ranch. That is the third time in my life I have helped build one. Karen has done it many, many times.”

———————————————

Rocky and Mable rode in a couple of hours before noon. They were surprised to see the frame of the tepee up and ready for hide-covers. I asked Mable, “How was your room at the hotel?”

“Kid, most comfortable. I’ll stay there until Rocky constructs a home for me. Atea, wouldn’t you like to live there in the room next door to me?”

“Mable, it would be fun, but Kid wants to stay out here. I can stay in the cabin like I did last night; it is nice, and it was Kid’s home at one time. Karen will finish the tepee in a couple of days, and I would still like to live in it.”

“Atea, have you decided where to build a new home yet?”

“No, not yet. Kid and Rocky will be looking and decide today if he has time after Karen gets the easy lower hides on. The high ones take more time.”

 “Why is that?”

“Because you can reach where the first hides are laced to the frame, from the ground.  Above there, we must make temporary ladders to climb to the higher ones.  I’m going to begin making them this morning.”

“Atea, you are doing a lot of work, doesn’t that bother you?”

“No, there are a lot of people here to help us. Before, the squaws and the bigger children had to do it all while the braves went hunting.”

“Oh,”

“Kid, my Brave, say work now, make home, and make papooses later. I chose him when I was not many years old, and I have plenty of time to make papooses after I get older. I take him to my bed, make sure no papooses yet, have a home first.”

Mable asked, “That happened at my house, didn’t it?”

“Yes,” Mable laughed because that is what Rocky told her one time not long ago.

Karen went to the freight wagon and asked Bob to uncover the hides from under a piece of canvas. She was the one who saw them packing. The hides coming off were the heaviest because they were the ones to go around the bottom. Number two hide continued from one pole to the next. The hides were irregular, so they went up the reverse as they had come from the original frame. The lashing was basic rawhide sinews.

Rocky asked, “Karen, they must leak in some places, don’t they?”

“Yes, there is always patching to do. Sometimes, it isn't good after a big wind. It wasn’t bad at the ranch, but there is more wind here.”

“Karen, I tell you what; I’ll buy you enough canvas to cover the whole tepee after you get the hides on, and then your home will be tight from the weather. All twelve panels are the same width, and I think we can get the canvas big enough so that there will be only four seams. You must know how to make the seams water-tight when folded together and sewed?”

“Yes. Take a long time, so I will put hides on and work on canvas before cold weather.”

“Bob, when will you be returning home?”

“Not until the other three wagons got here and unloaded. I imagine it will be another day or two.”

“I’ll pay you and Roland wages to continue putting the hides on. I want Atea and Kid to pick out our house lot with Mable and me.”

“Sure, I can use a couple extra bucks.”

“Burt, maybe you would like a little extra change too?”

“Not necessary.”

 Tom Horn rode in on a livery horse, leading Atea’s horse. “Kid, have you time to show me more of your land? My Pa is interested in buying a few acres for a commercial project if he thinks it is what he wants.”

“And what and where would that be located?”

“As close to the railroads spur as possible. It is hard to pin down just by sending messages by telegraph. Father ended up in the last message saying he would be out here late the day after tomorrow. He is boarding a train coming west before midnight tonight. You are interested for sure, aren’t you?”

“I am. What is your father building to put on this land?”

“Several wooden warehouses built for storage of different machines and farming equipment. Pa will need one large lot to store raw lumber. There will be a lumber mill for milling and shaping lumber for silo staves. In our store, I would like to face the Farmer’s Road.

“He said if you didn’t want to sell empty lots, he would want an option to purchase when ready to sell. You could pick up a few extra bucks that way. Pa told me this was just what he had been planning for when the western territories opened up when they became more populated. Word is that within a handful of years, Wyoming will become a state.”

“Is that good or bad?”

“Hard to say; you’ll have the government looking over your shoulder— Both State and Federal. Your life will be better policed. I notice you and Rocky still carry a gun on your hip, and that habit will be frowned upon.”

I turned to Rocky and asked. “Do you know all about things like that?”

“Not much. I guess you had better talk to Steven, the lawyer, and engage him to sit in on these things. He has been great in looking out for your interests so far. Button him up before things begin changing around here.”

Mable said, “Kid, I can help you with much of this. Remember, you will be selling plots of land and need a surveyor for that. Another thing you will have to look into is what these lots will need for water and where it comes from. Not everyone can have a dug well. There is sewage to consider, too. You might find an engineer to see what is possible. You have some money, and I’ll be glad to help you with what I have,”

Mable asked Rocky, “Is that okay with you, Honey?”

“Sweetheart, I’m here for Kid and Atea in what they are starting. I swear this is the most interesting time for me in my life.”

“Mine too. Well, let’s get started. We should ride down by the railroad and look at the land there.”

I thought some while riding. Here I am, twenty-two years old, with a child bride. I also had some early education, but it didn’t continue long enough to help me in what I was attempting to do with what I found myself involved in now. Rocky had bought me some books, and I had read them all. Some were damned dry reading, but I could see now why he had bought the ones he did, being useful as they were turning out to be.

We rode out Jenkins Road to the Farmers Road. Reaching the intersection, we stopped for a minute and talked. It was busy in front of Sam’s business, located to the right of us, with two pairs of horses getting shod and six men standing there watching him. If I went up the road to his place, I would be held by being introduced to Sam’s customers.

“Tom, you begin looking for what your Pa wants for property between here and the railroad. I should save a plot to get someone to build a grocery or general store on one of these corner lots. There still should be room enough so I can build what I need next to Sam.”

Rocky said, “That’s good thinking, Kid.”

“I guess it is. I wonder if I shouldn’t put it on another street parallel to Jenkins Road. That’s going to mean those beautiful trees will have to go.”

“Kid, that means two more corner lots there to build on. I don’t think Mable and I would like to live there. We might prefer the lot next to the cabin and Karen’s tepee.”

“Are you sure? That surprises me, so why?”

 “Karen will have the tepee covered with canvas and may paint some scenes that she can’t do with it being covered with hides. Mable has already said she is going to teach Jack his letters.”

“Mable and Rocky, the land is yours.”

“Don’t be so fast, Kid; Atea, what about you, and where do you want your home to be built?”

“I’m hoping Kid will build the other side of the tepee. He said he would build me a place to make moccasins. The sunsets are so beautiful looking across the open fields.”

“Atea, it is as you wish.” We resumed our trip.

Tom Horn said, “Kid, I’m going down to the railroad land in the corner. I’m guessing you own about forty acres between the corner and the railroad. I also think that you have about five hundred acres in the fields and the pond in the center of the open land suitable for planting, so that leaves about a hundred acres comprising the woods on the end by where you are talking of building your homes.

“There is that steep portion next to the Farmer’s road that can be grazed, adding to the five hundred and forty acres of open land and land next to the railroad. You could easily save forty acres more for housing and commercial construction. That brings you to a total of six hundred and twenty acres. That leaves twenty acres left. You spoke about a lane or street on the north side of Jenkins Road that you could use for more housing.

“That might settle your mind a bit on where and how you want to divide up your full section of the six hundred and forty acres. My thoughts might save you from making too many mistakes that would come back to bite you in the future.”

“Tom, I thought I would go slow and plan everything, but I didn’t know where to start. Your thoughts are helping me immensely. Thank you.”

“That’s great, Kid. You will like my Pa when you meet him. I rattled off a short message of the young couple he would be dealing with to tell my mother, and I always have to tell him the accommodations where he will be staying.”

“It must have cost a lot for the telegraph message?”

“It’s just the cost of doing business. When you cut the message to a few words, it is not that much. I always deal with Pa, so he fills in what I mean. You know, ‘Yun, cple, frndly, in love.’ things like that. Pa gets the message that you are someone he can sit down with and talk.”

Atea listened to us talk. She was mystified and had little knowledge or familiarity with the new culture she was moving into. She also didn’t understand how the telegraph worked. If I hadn’t had the books and papers that Rocky bought, I would be stumped as well.

“Tom, why do you think this is a good place to buy land and build a business for your company?”

“Pa thinks it is good because Cheyenne is westward on the railway. I was close to Casper when I was out looking to sell farming equipment. We’ll have sales in Nebraska, which is over the border east of here. No matter what you charge for your land, it will be cheaper than where the more settled centers are asking per acre back in Ohio, where we are.

“Anyway, Pa will be here late tomorrow, and I have booked a room where we can meet tomorrow night for supper with him. It is to meet and eat and not a business meeting. I have also reserved seats for a comedy play at the Community Hall. I don’t imagine Atea has seen many plays. It includes Mable and Rocky, too.” Mable immediately thanked Tom.

We got down to the railroad right of way and walked beside the spur where loading and unloading took place. Then we walked back toward town to a pile of small stones. Tom said, “That must be your south-east corner. If the plot is rectangular, forty acres would be about correct. I don’t expect Pa to need only about half of that. That will be so you will still have lots along Jenkins Road.

“Pa will have it surveyed anyway. Using the surveyor to Platt out smaller lots might be a good idea if you sell house lots.”

I wish my Pa were here to do what was coming up. I didn’t need to sell any more of the land, but if I were going to build a good home for Atea and start my own business, I would need more money to keep going.

“Great, Tom, we’ll talk about this after dinner tomorrow. We might as well cut up across the land from here. I want to see how Karen is getting along.”

“Kid, I’m going stay here a bit and study more about the lay of the land. I'll make suggestions to Pa when he steps down from the train. I may see you later on today. I know how busy you are.”

We cut up toward Jenkins road and came out on it right by the two trees I knew had another marker. We turned there and rode by the cabin and on to where Karen, Bob, and Roland were working on the tepee. Burt was there, too.

“Kid, I’m glad you are back. Why don’t you go into town and see if you can find enough canvas? We have the bottom two layers of hides on, and I’ll go around with one more layer.”

“Okay, Karen, I’ll hitch horses to the ambulance to carry the canvas. You might have Jack watch across the fields looking for the three other freight wagons traveling. If he sees them, one of you can ride over and tell them where we are. I expect them to make it here today. We still have to find a place to store Mable’s furniture. You might as well ride with me and look the town over.”

“I need help Karen with the tepee.”

“You no need to stay here, Atea. I know you want to be with Kid, and I have plenty of help.”

I pulled the ambulance close to the dock behind the General store, and we went inside. It was a vast store, handling all kinds of merchandise. Atea and I walked throughout the store. Two clerks loaded the canvas, and I asked if I could leave the ambulance there while we walked around town. “Sure,”

————————————

We went out the front entrance and walked across the street and down as far as the shops were. I didn’t take Atea down where there were the saloons. We did walk up the street where the well-to-do people lived.

“Houses are huge, aren’t they, Kid?”

“Yeah, but I don’t think many are as rich as you and I. We can afford to build a big house like this. Is that something you have to have?”

“No, never. I’d never be able to find you in that big house.” We stopped at a diner for coffee and a piece of pie. The waitress was an older woman with gray hair.

“Hi, I’m Sary Fenton, and I’ve never seen you two here before. Are you living here in town or maybe from one of the farms outside?”

“Not in town and not a farmer. I’m Matt Jenkins, and this is my wife, Atea. We just arrived a few days ago and are settling on some land I own.”

“You must be related to the owner of that big plot of land west of town with the same name as the road.”

“We are the owners.”

“You aren’t the person who gave Sam Buckland some land to build his business on when the powers that be forced him out of town, are you?”

“That would be me.”

“Oh, I am friends with his wife, Hilda. They knew they had to leave town and didn’t have the money to buy land and build a new Blacksmith building. They were at wits end worrying about what they were going to do. No one in town believed Sam when he told around that someone gave him land. Then he went ahead and started building. The townspeople figured the landowner would show up and kick him out.

“Nope, can’t do that. Sam has a solid deed to the property. I’m going to be using his forge some in my own business. I make wheels for wagons, so I’ll build right next to him.”

“I’m so glad you stopped in so I could meet you.”

“Atea and I are glad to meet you too, Sary.”

Atea and I finished our pie, and then I went to pay. “Go on, now, today it’s on me. Do come in again.”

We went up the street, stopped, and looked at all the small shops that held different businesses. When we reached the General Store, we crossed over, returned to the ambulance, and headed home.

Atea spoke, “Kid, do you think what that man said about using tar to splice two pieces of canvas together will work, and they won’t pull apart even during the winter? He told you how to do it so the tar won’t show at the seams. Karen can draw pictures of it, and it will be beautiful.”

“Well, I did buy the roll of rawhide lacing, brushes, a very sharp knife, and a couple of awls to double ensure they would hold together. I’ll suggest it anyway. Rocky may have some idea about it. We can always find a use for the tools, and the tar is used on regular roofs.

We headed out of town, and Atea spotted a house for sale. “Kid, There is a house for sale. It has a large barn behind it. It looks empty, and Mable will need to store what is on the freight wagons somewhere until we get our homes built. I’ll tell Rocky about it.”

“Good thinking, Sweetheart.”

We reached the cabin and saw the three freight wagons off the road parked out on the open land. We drove by them and up to the tepee. Everyone shouted hello at us. There was the bunch of horses that Dugan and Whitney had been caring for during the trip here grazing in the fields. They had been on ropes all the way, picketed in a makeshift rope corral at night, or on leads by our two men or more tied behind the wagons while traveling.

We drove to the bunch that stood there talking in front of the partially constructed tepee. “Hi Guys, how was your trip?”

Dugan answered, “Kid, not bad. The horses settled down within a day of leaving. It seemed slow, but the freighters said we made good time. They are laying over a day and heading back the day after tomorrow at daylight. Rocky is trying to figure out where to unload Mable’s stuff. And where do you want the buggy that’s on the wagon?”

I turned, “Rocky, Atea spotted a house for sale on this end of town. It looked like the barn was empty. Do you want to go into town and ask if we can rent it for a few months while we build our homes? It will be on the left before you get to Main Street. If not, we can cut some poles for a frame and buy more canvas. The house looks much larger than the one Mable lived in.”

Rocky turned to the freighters, “I’ll get my horse. You don’t have to unload today, do you? I’ll buy enough food to feed you men.”

“Nope, we just want to get off them damned seats.”

Rocky saddled Mable’s horse, and then he saddled his own. I watched them leave to find storage for what was on the three freight wagons.  I drove the ambulance over to the tepee framework of poles. “Karen, I brought up an idea. You may want to look at this to make your tepee watertight. I bought enough canvas to give you a good sample of how to do it.”

Atea and I stepped down from our horses. “I bought two twenty-four by thirty-foot canvases, and I think we can figure out how to cut the shape we want on the ground to cover the whole tepee with only one splice. There are enough hands to spread it on the ground and cut it into shape.

“When the canvas is cut to shape, we’ll sew a loop of rawhide on the edge, which is the top at the seam, which will be strong enough not to tear the canvas. One or two persons can use a pole with a nail driven into one end hooked to the loop and begin raising the canvas.”

Karen stopped lashing the hides and went about cutting the shape out of the two canvases. The hides installed already were left. She sewed the two pieces of canvas and stitched them together. I’m sure she didn’t realize there was a mathematical formula for covering a cone. She went ahead, trimmed, and spliced the two together.

She did utilize the tar I purchased when she made the splice. The seam at the spice was directly opposite where the entrance was to be. The tepee canvas is shaped to the same curve at the top as the base. There were loops Karen where the canvas was to be tied to each one of the poles. She made a loop with sinew at what was going to be the top end to hook a rope to facilitate pulling the canvas up.

She then had us roll the two ends of the canvas from each side toward the seam. This seam was to be the center of the tepee cover. It was lashed to the center pole in the back when raised. Karen directed each person, in their duties, to increase the canvas cover.

“We are almost ready, Kid. You climb up the rungs lashed between the front two poles to stand on. Take the rope with you that is tied to the seam. You must pull the canvas and lash it to one of the poles. I will have two men inside each frame with a pole hooked to approximate where the canvas will come over the next pole. Do you understand?”

“I do. I watched you and helped when you arrived at the ranch to live. That was long ago; I was young, but I remember.”

A few minutes later, we were all in position. Karen stood away from the tepee. She was directing us all. “Kid, pull on the rope. Dugan and Whitney, you help with your poles and work with Kid. Go easy. You soon will have the whole canvas weight between the three of you.”

Atea and Burt were on each side of where the seam was. I lashed the loop to the pole from the front, and Atea started unrolling the bundle of canvas while Burt was doing likewise. I was tying off his loop and reaching for the loop Dugan had used to help lift the canvas.

“Stop a minute and make sure there are no wrinkles in the canvas.” This was smoothed as much as possible, but there were several wrinkles until the next section was finished. Burt followed Atea as she did, and soon, I tied the canvas off to the poles.

The one section of the canvas left over was where I stood and was for Karen to finish. The hole and flap that handled the smoke to exit were also for Karen to construct. When that was finished, there was a canvas to lash the two ends together as far as the doorway. Here again, an exit was needed to open and close.

Karen had Atea make loops where pegs could tie the tepee firmly to the ground so the whole tepee wouldn’t blow away in a strong wind. Karen now had the home that she and Jack would live in. At this moment, she was the only one with a permanent shelter for everyone who moved from home and ranch two hundred miles away in the northern part of the territory.

——————————

Rocky and Mable returned. “The house with a for sale sign was empty, and a note was tacked on the door to see the attorney Steven Nickerson. We walked into the barn, and it would be good to lease it, for there is plenty of room for her furniture. Kid, you know that is a nice house. It is bigger and better than the one she lived in.”

Mable said, “Atea, would you mind if I didn’t live so near? The house we looked at has everything I need, more in the village than out here, where you will be building.”

“Mable, I wouldn’t mind if you bought in town. What about you, Rocky?”

“The house is close enough to you and Kid if I get something going with you. There is room for two horses, and Mable’s buggy will be undercover. I think we will talk to Nickerson. I’ll tell him you are back in town permanently. The Banker also told Sam Buckland he wanted to talk to you shortly.”

“I remember. I think I will wait to go to the bank until after I talk to Tom and his father tomorrow night after dinner and the show at the Community Hall.”

“Well, don’t give any more land away until after talking to the banker and Nickerson. Mable, let’s go back into town and find Nickerson about the house. We have time.”

Atea and I watched Rocky and Mable turn around and head back to town. “Kid, it’s just you and me now.”

“I know we’ll miss being so close, but we have each other. We are two orphans out on our own. They have given us a good start in life, teaching us how to get along. I feel freer now that Rocky isn’t looking over my shoulder. You must feel the same after living with Mable?”

“I do. I didn’t know how to say so. Rocky and Mable weren’t even interested in seeing the Tepee all covered. Let's see Karen, Jack, and Burt Weatherly. I like him.”

“I do, too.” I laughed, “Rocky went off and neglected to tell the freighters about unloading Mable’s things. I guess it is up to me to explain that they might not get home tomorrow as planned.

“I have to talk to the cowboys about what they will do. I will ask them to hang around and find work in the area. I was counting on them to help me build our home.”

“Kid, can we build our house next to the tepee? Karen is still my mother in my heart. I’d miss my little brother if we lived very far away. He would miss me and you, too.”

“We must watch out for him, as he is an Indian. We’ll have to ensure he is safe from people who don’t think like us.” Atea grabbed my hand and squeezed it. I guess I had said the right things.

Karen was still busy on the door flaps. The smoke hole at the top of the tepee was finished. I talked to the freighters, and they were all right about staying one more night. They did say they would have to leave the following day. If Rocky didn’t find a place to unload, they would unload, and we would have to get the canvas to cover it.

The buggy came off, and I decided to put it together. The wrenches were with the bolts and washers, so I put the pieces together as it was unloaded, taking it off the wagon. It was an attractive conveyance; tearing it apart and putting it back together didn’t cause any damage.

Karen wanted the tepee floor covered with dead pine needles, so the men took some canvas and a rake and went up to a pine lot where Burt had cut the pine poles.

Karen had a kettle of beans cooking over the open cookfire. Burt had some salt pork and had some sorghum to sweeten the beans. I found three empty jugs in Bob's wagon and sent Dugan into town to fill these with beer. I also asked him to bring back some ribs if he could find any.

Atea and I would sleep in the tepee along with Jack and Karen. “Burt, you might as well rest here tonight with us. I know it isn’t that far from the cabin. You can see what it is like, anyway. People have been living in these things for thousands of years.

When Dugan returned from town, he said he had seen Rocky, and they had arranged to buy the house. Steve Nickerson said it was all right to use the barn for storage. The freighters were glad to hear this and said they would be up at daylight to head the wagons for the town to unload. This way, Mable’s furniture would go right into the house.

———————————————

I waited until the freighters left for town. Atea and I followed, driving Mable’s horse hitched to the buggy. I hitched my horse behind. Atea was riding her mare. I drove into the yard of the house that Rocky had just purchased. The freighter's three wagons were parked in the street, waiting for Mable to tell them how she wanted them unloaded.

Mable came out of the empty house. “Kid, I feel like I am civilized again. I was so sick of straddling a horse, and that damned ambulance was rough to ride in. Atea, see my new home. I’m going to love living here. Kid, we can all ride in the buggy to the Community Hall this evening, showing everyone that the Sedgewichs have arrived. I like being noticed and remembered. You have to bring your fancy clothes, and I’ll take care of your hair and make you look all pretty. We can do that in my room at the hotel.”

I wondered if Atea needed to look for attention from strangers, as she was still shy around people. For myself, I could forgo any attention to me. When Mable turned away, Atea whispered, “Kid, I wish you hadn’t put the buggy together until tomorrow.”

“I know, sweetheart, but I’ll be right there with you, and we will get through this together. Let Mable have her time to shine. Where she lived, for the last few years, she has been out of the limelight because there wasn’t any. This town is much larger and probably has a higher level of society. That would be what she is looking for.”

“I don’t think I like society.”

“My folks didn’t either. The people we will be near will be all working people, much like what I was used to when I was growing up, and I anticipate you and I will fit in with them. A thought for you to consider: People like to act rich in society, but not all are. We will be just the opposite, rich, and act the same as working people. I think we will get along a lot better this way.”

Rocky exited the barn, “Kid, I’ll take care of the horse and buggy. You saw Mable. She is all excited about this house. It is very nice inside. She wanted to get her furniture all arranged before showing it to you. She is also excited about going out to the play tonight. I’ll bet she told you how glad she is that you put her buggy together, foolishness, but she wants to make a grand entrance.”

I laughed. “We gathered that. What time are we supposed to meet in the hotel?”

“Mable is taking a bath at four. I heard her order it. Atea can come at four-thirty and take an hour and a half to get beautiful. We are to go downstairs at six. She thinks there will be people eating by that time.”

“That means we will have to parade in with her.”

“You have that right.” Now, it was Rocky who laughed.

“Hey, Atea and I are going to the bank. Sam Buckland said that the Banker wanted to meet me.”

“Have you put those drafts in the bank yet?”

“One of the reasons we are going now.” It was an afterthought, but now it was as good a time as any. We mounted and went by three businesses and tied our horses at the rail in front of the bank.

 I stepped up to the window. The teller was counting money and did look up. “Help you?”

“Deposit some money. The money is from drafts on a Wells Fargo office north of here.”

He looked up at us. I wore a wrinkled shirt and work pants with moccasins on my feet. Atea had on a calico dress over her preferred leggings and moccasins. I passed the twenty-one thousand dollar slip, and Atea passed her slip to me. I handed that over, too. The teller stared at us and asked, “What are you trying to pull? What’s your name?”

“We are Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins––Matthew and Atea.”

“Where do you live?”

“Last night, we slept in a tepee outside of town. Why?”

The teller motioned to a guard to come. “Watch these two while I talk to the head teller.” He went around the counter at the end and spoke to a man behind the desk. The man got up and looked over where he could see our heads. “Open the gate and let them through. I’ve been expecting them.”

The teller came out and motioned us through the gate. He had his hand out to shake. He not only shook my hand but Atea’s as well.  “Hi, I’m Elmer Collins. Sit at my desk, and we’ll get acquainted.  Sam Buckland has been telling me about you. Sam isn’t the only one. Marshal Brooks, a friend, passed through a few days ago, and we talked about you. He told me all about you and a little of your past and told me to make you welcome.

“He said you would have drafts to deposit. That’s what you are here for, isn’t it?”

“It is, and the drafts are just like he asked Wells Fargo to make out. We aren’t settled yet and don’t know when we will get our home built. We do have friends who just bought a house. And we can stay with them. We may not, as we have a bed to sleep in at Mr. Weatherly’s cabin.”

“I know. I talked to Weatherly after you left the last time you were here. Say, this is just a meet-and-greet meeting while you are on business. My wife and I are eating at the hotel tonight. Can you join us?”

“I’m sorry we have to refuse. We are meeting a person about the land he wants to buy from me. He is coming on the train this afternoon, and we will meet him at the hotel.”

“That’s great. My wife and I may see you there. My wife is anxious to meet you two, for I have shared what I know about you with her.”

“It has been nice meeting you. We must get going. Thank you for the warm, welcoming chat.”

“It was my pleasure.”

The teller was waiting by the gate, holding it open and handing us a little black book that listed our account. Atea said, “Thank You.” and smiled.

“Kid, I don’t feel so alone. We are making friends, aren’t we?”

“We are.”

Rocky watched the freighters unloading the three wagons when Atea and I returned from the bank. “Kid, Mable wants me to drive the buggy to the cabin and get your good clothes. She brought Atea’s suitcase the last time we were out there, and they are hanging in the closet at the hotel. She wants you to walk downtown and get a bath and haircut at the barbershop. Make sure you have your face shaved. She is going all out to have her entrance into the public arena. You might as well do what she says. You can change in our anteroom at the hotel.”

“Okay, make sure you find my tie. I’ll want my new Stetson to wear. Hell, you know what I need more than I do.”

“Kid, you’ll have much less freedom in this town than at the ranch. It will be worth it, and you’ll find Atea will love you more for it.”

Atea had heard this conversation and smiled at me. She spread her hands as if to say, What can we do?’ so I smiled in return.”

I met Tom Horn coming from the Barbershop as I entered, “Are you getting prettied up the same as me? I know it isn’t for me, and my Father won’t expect it from you or me, so it must be for your lovely wife. I wish my wife would be here, but the kids are always to be looked after. I’ll see you at six in the dining room.”

No line was waiting, and I soon had what I had come for. My hair wasn’t all cutoff, and I could see the barber left some curls above my collar. Atea would like that.

Rocky was back with my clothes, “Mable has your jacket taking the wrinkles out. I brought your leather shoes. I knew if I didn’t, Mable would land on me.”

Rocky knocked on the door, and Mable told him to enter. He came back with my clothes and told me to get dressed. I asked, “Did you see Atea?”

“No, she was behind the screen. Mable is dressed already and looks beautiful. I was reminded to make sure your tie was on straight, but I’ll bet she’ll make sure, too. So, you and Atea put your money in the bank?”

“Marshal Brooks and Sam Buckland had smoothed the way for us. Both talked to the Banker before we arrived. He will be at dinner tonight. Atea and I think we will like it here, and we feel we have made some new friends already.” I couldn’t think of much to say, so we sat looking at the door, waiting to see what IAea would look like.

—————————

The door opened at ten minutes of six. Mable came out and smiled. She stepped aside and presented Atea. I was standing and looked at my beautiful wife. I swept my hat off and bowed.

Atea looked at me, giggled, and said, “Oh, my handsome Brave.” I stepped forward and crooked my left arm so Atea could take it. Both Rocky and Mable were laughing at us.

Mable said, “Shall we go down?”

Rocky and Mable led the way. Atea’s eyes were shining. We stepped through the door into the dining room. The host was seating people, so we stopped. I looked across the room and saw Tom holding a chair for a woman about his age. There was an older couple already seated.  “It looks like more of his people came than Tom figured on. The two women with him must be Tom’s father and wife.”

It was a large table with room for us to sit there. The host came to Rocky. “Are you the Sedgewich and the Jenkins guests?”

Mable answered. “Yes.”

“This way, please.” Mable followed. The host led her around the far side of the table.

Mable had on a long gown-rose-colored. Rocky pulled her chair out, and the older woman admired her dress. She stopped until Mable was seated. Rocky didn’t sit until I started to push Atea to the table. The older woman turned her attention to Atea.

The woman stared at Atea, dressed in a pale green gown. Her attention became fixated on my wife, not speaking for two or three minutes. Suddenly, she uttered a barely audible groan. Her eyes rolled into her head, and she slumped into her chair and slid down. Tom, concerned, asked, “Mother, what is the matter?” 

Tom’s father said, “She has fainted for some reason. Rub her wrists and fan her to give her more air.” Mable had something better and opened her bag for some smelling salts. Tom waved the scent bottle under her nose. She sneezed and batted the bottle away from her.

“Where am I? What just happened?” She looked disoriented. Henry was rubbing her hand, and soon, she focused again across the table into the scared eyes of Atea.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I thought you were my long-lost daughter. You can’t be; you are too young. You could be my granddaughter. What is your name?”

Atea drew up and said, “My name is Atea Jenkins, and I’m married to my husband, Matthew Jenkins. What is your name?" My wife, was not to be cowed by this older, demanding woman.

Tom, beside his mother, said, “Mother, calm down. At least let me introduce ourselves to our guests. They know me, so Mable and Rocky Sedgewich are across from us. Beside him are Atea and Matthew Jenkins, and he is the reason you came this great distance to meet. Here on this side is Henry Horn, my Father, and my Mother, Dorothy. Beside me is my wife, Jenny. Mom and Jenny decided they needed a vacation and asked to come with Dad to see me.

“Mom, I did travel some distance with Atea and the others, and I have learned that Atea is an orphan whom the Indians mothered since she was two or three years old. I’ve met her Indian mother, and she is an amazing woman in her own right. Fast thinking this through, I see that there is a possibility that Atea is your granddaughter and my niece. Tell Atea what my sister, Emmy, named her baby daughter and who she was named after.”

“It was Althea, and my middle name is Althea.” She turned to Tom’s father and asked, “Henry, do you think this is possible?”

“It bears looking into. What happened to the baby’s parents? Does anyone know?”

I answered this, “We know just what Karen, Atea’s Indian mother, tells us that her parents froze to death, and their baby was found well bundled up and still alive. Karen’s Brave brought the baby home to his squaw because they had lost a papoose of their own a short time before.”

I paused and said, “I think the waiter is waiting to show us what is on the menu this evening. We can talk more about this while the food is prepared. Mrs. Horn, are you feeling up to eating?”

“Yes, that is a good idea, young man.”

The waiter smiled at me, relieved that we had left the subject and one of his patrons was hungry and wanted to get on with the meal. While waiting for our meal, Mother Horn kept staring at Atea. “You are a beautiful young girl. I might  claim you whether or not you are my granddaughter.”

Jenny asked, “What is it like living in a tent year-round?”

“It is usual for me; that is the only shelter I knew. I’ll admit, at times, it was uncomfortable. It would get very smoky inside depending on which direction the wind outside was blowing, and sometimes, you couldn’t seem to keep warm. Living as an Indian, remember that the main concern is to have enough food to eat. The brave’s main chores are hunting and killing animals for food.

“The first time I saw my Brave, he helped my grandfather butcher our only horse when it broke its leg. We were three families of three squaws, seven children, and one old grandfather living in three tepees. There were no braves with us to hunt. We made the horsemeat last as long as possible. Grandfather wouldn’t eat, for he gave up his food so us children could have a bite more, and he became frail.”

“How old were you at that time?”

“If I was three when found, I was ten then.”

Dorothy asked, “How did you survive if you were that hungry?”

“My brave remembered that the horse meat must be gone, and he and Rocky brought enough food for all of us. There was beef, for meat, corn meal and many beans. One of his cowboys even sent candy to us kids. We had never had candy before.”

“Did they keep bringing you food?”

“No, they didn’t have to. Rocky invited us to move to his ranch, but two braves who belonged to the two squaws that were not my mother came and got their families. They stayed long enough to move my mother to the ranch. They dragged the poles so the men at the ranch didn’t have to cut new ones. In one day, we had a new tepee to live in.”

“Were you hungry at all after you moved to the ranch?”

“Oh no, my Brave made a plow to plow the ground and a harrow to cut up the sod and a wheelbarrow to carry different tools around the ranch. Grandfather got better and lived two more winters. We had beef when needed and all kinds of food from the garden. Kid said we had squashes weighing thirty-five pounds, potatoes, beets, carrots, and lots of beans and onions.

It was a slow meal as the Horns had innumerable questions. The conversation centered on Atea, and she answered many of the questions. Her answers were primarily accurate, but her slant on some of the things she said was comical to Rocky and me.

Dinner was finished, and no one was interested in dessert. Henry Horn said, “If my guests agree, I want to talk to this Indian who mothered Mrs. Jenkins. It seems an unlikely coincidence to think she can be my granddaughter. However, the hand gestures and the facial expressions she and my daughter used are similar. Would it be possible to speak to this woman this evening? Tom just said it isn’t far.”

I answered, “It is fine with us. How about you, Mable?”

She laughed, “Drama in the making with real people is better than a play with actors. Rocky, would you have the hotel harness a team to a conveyance?”

It wasn’t long before the buggy was at the front door. Mable and Rocky led off. Soon, we went by the cabin and up to the Tepee. He told his wife and parents what Tom knew about Atea and me, which he had learned about us in the last few days. Two of our men took the teams and tied them at the rope corral, not unhitching them, just getting them out of the way.

Men moved away from the fire. All of the teamsters and our three men were there. The four empty freight wagons and the ambulance were ready to leave at daylight in the morning. It was light enough to see the large open land, and Tom explained that there was a creek on the far side and a large pond in the center,

 “Kid is going to be working next to the blacksmith.  You can see that building going up on the far side. The road goes up by the Farmer's lands right in front of that building. Jenkins Road, which we came in on, continues by the cabin and comes out to the left of that building. When I show you around, we’ll ride to the intersection and turn left tomorrow.”

Chapter Seven

Karen was in the tepee and came out to see who had arrived. “You don't see show?”

“No, something came up,” Atea spoke Shoshoni and explained why everyone was there. “Tom’s parents think these people may be my grandparents. Their daughter went west about the same time my parents died, and I was found. They think I look much like their daughter did at the age I am now. They have assumed she must be dead, for they never heard from her after they started up the Oregon Trail. Is that possible?

“They want to know from you everything you were told when the Braves found me.”

“Have them come inside; this is not everyone’s business. I’ll light candles. The men will have to sit on the floor. I’ll put down a blanket. There are benches for the women to sit.”

tea returned to speaking English. “Karen has invited you into her home. I have asked her to tell you about what the Braves told her when I was given to her.”

Karen now spoke, “My brave brought this little child to me, telling me she was found wrapped heavily in warm blankets. He laid her in my arms, saying he and the other braves with him heard this child crying a few feet off the trail. It was snowing; her head was uncovered, and the snow fell on her exposed face when the braves found her.  The blankets were wrapped so tight around her that she couldn’t get up.

“She was still warm although her parents were dead of the cold. They hadn’t been dead long and had sacrificed their own life by piling their blankets on the child. Also, they would never have discovered her if the child hadn’t been crying. They must have been walking because they could not find horses or carts. My Brave was returning to me after a disappointing day of seeing no game when they heard her cry.

“One of the braves had a small chunk of pemmican left of his rations, and warming a bit with his fingers, he smeared it on her lips. She licked hungrily at it, and they continued to do this until it was finished. They then made a fast trip back to the tribe, where other hunters had better luck finding the game. The game was found in plentiful quantities for the rest of the winter. We felt Atea had brought us luck.

“We treasured her, and she loved my Brave as her father until he died a few winters later in a fight with a different tribe of Indians.”

Atea said, “I did love Karen’s Brave and remember calling him Daddy. I was very sad when he didn’t come home to Karen, and she told me he wouldn’t be coming home again.”

Atea turned to Dorothy Horn and asked, “Did my real father love me? You haven’t even mentioned his name? That is strange to me.”

“Your father’s name was George Franklin, Junior. I can’t say that our family approved of him. He took Althea away from us, and they went to live with his family. His father is still alive, although we have had little contact with him since George, Junior, and Althea headed west. They intended to take up land in Oregon. It looks like the two had serious trouble, and it killed them.”

———————————

I (Kid) watched Karen while this exchange was taking place. Karen had turned  to cross the tepee to a trunk covered with a blanket. She folded the blanket back and opened the trunk. She had to remove some items and finally grasped something from the bottom. It was small, and I couldn’t see what it was. She then put the other items back in the trunk and closed the lid, returning to where she had stood.

I took what Dorothy’s last statement that the two families, Horn and Franklin, were at odds over Althea and George Junior going to live with the elder Franklin. Atea was not happy with what she was finding out about her mother. I think she had idolized in her mind about what her mother and father were like. Understand, she couldn’t know that she was white and not Indian for that many years. It had happened sometime since I had known her.

Karen had often said that Atea would join the white people’s tribe someday. She had undoubtedly discovered and clarified that Atea was all white by being in the same room with a grandfather and grandmother, and she was sure of their relationship with Atea.

Atea had one more thing she wanted to know from Dorothy, “Did my mother meet with you before she headed west with her husband and child?”

“Yes, she did a few days before leaving. Emmy and Althea drove in with a buggy. Before she got down, she asked me if she and I could talk without harsh words passing between us. Emmy handed Althea to me to hold and told her and George's plans to leave and where they thought they would settle when they arrived in Oregon.

“I had a letter from her before they reached the mountains, and Emmy said they had no trouble so far on their journey. Althea was enjoying the traveling and happy. That was the last letter I received. Althea, don’t you remember any of this at all?”

“I don’t. I only remember living with the Indians. They were, and are, my whole life until I met Kid, my brave.”

Karen, bringing attention to her, said, “I have something to tell you. This little coin bag was tied around Atea under her outer layer of clothes. Atea has never inspected it, and I’m not sure she knows I even have it. There are three things in the bag.”

She came around and gave the little bag to Atea. Atea took it and put her fingers in the top to stretch it open. It opened quickly, and the drawstring didn’t catch at all. She brought it up and peered inside. “It is a man’s watch,”

Henry said, “That possibly could be George, Junior’s watch. I used to see him open it to show his face. He always remembered it was his 25^th birthday present.” Atea dug it out and handed it to me. Age had blackened the silver.

I took it to inspect. “You are correct, Henry. It is engraved and says, ‘George Junior, Happy 25th year,’ which settles it in my mind that Atea is Emmy Horn Franklin's child. What else is in there?”

“There is a woman’s brooch here. Does anyone recognize it?”

“I do. It was mine, and I gave it to Althea at our last meeting to remember me.” 

 Atea brought out an envelope and handed it to me to open, “You read it, Kid.”  The envelope wasn’t sealed, just the flap tucked inside. I looked at the writing, seeing it was for her mother’s eyes.

Tears were now trickling down Dorothy’s face. “Althea did still love me, didn’t she?”

    Dear Mama, Today is the last day I will be alive.  George died about noon today from the cold. His blankets have been keeping Althea alive for a while longer. I’ll add mine to his as soon as I finish this last letter. George and I have been praying for a miracle to save us. We have lost everything in the last few days. I am asking you to forgive me for the problems I had with you.

     I love George so much and must follow him into the future, although there is no future now. We were out of food, and George was too weak to continue. His last words were for me and Althea. He begged me to forgive him for insisting we take this journey, and he heard me saying there was nothing to forgive, and there really wasn’t. We so enjoyed coming across the prairies and seeing the stars at night.

     My fingers are so cold that I no longer feel them. I’ll write your and Franklin's addresses at the end, and maybe someone will read this and notify you of what happened to us.

     Love to my brothers and you, Mom and Dad.

I looked up at the people as I was reading this last letter. Tears were in everyone’s eyes.

I was looking at Dorothy Horn, “This letter was found thirteen years ago; the Indians found it, and no one knew how to read it. Now that you know what has happened to your people, I think you should thank Karen. Very late, yes, but she accomplished what Emmy wanted. Karen maintained Atea should go back to her white people, and she did much to have it happen.” I went to Karen and hugged her.”

“Kid, I finally know who my parents were. Isn’t it wonderful?”

“It is, and you also gained several other family members. The only other person to inform is the father of your Father, Mr. George Franklin, Senior. If you lived at his house, I’ll bet he has fond memories of your mother and can tell you much more of what she was like. I’m sure he will want to know about living with the Indians for much of your life. You must tell him that you are married, too.”

Rocky had stepped into the tepee, “What’s going on?” Mable rushed to tell him. Again, she wasn’t quite the center of attention that made her so happy. I felt a bit sad for her, for she had done so much to see that Atea gained the knowledge that came to her in the last two years that I couldn’t give her.

I went to Mr. Horn, “Henry, why don’t you come outside and see some of the lay of my land? Tom, you can help me explain. I expect we will be looking at the property near the railway tomorrow. Tom told me you would be interested in the location?”

“Yes, I want to build a center for selling farm equipment. We should be able to work something out with you married to my granddaughter.”

“Well, that’s something to think about. Understand, I’m not going to be taken advantage of.”

“You won’t be; I thought I could be more liberal in my dealings with you and Althea. What were your intentions for this large amount of land?”

“I haven’t got that far yet. I’ve only taken possession of it in the last couple of months. I’ve been holed up in the hills for years and seldom going into town for reasons I won’t get into at this time. When Atea and her mother moved to the ranch, I spent time teaching her a new language and how to deal with us white people.”

“You must have done more than that?”

“I have. I’m a passable cow puncher. Rocky taught me how to handle a weapon effectively. I did as much to see that Atea learned more than I could teach by letting her move to town with Mable. I missed her and wasn’t aware then that what I had for her was love.

“Knowing I had to prepare to make a living. I worked with my father’s tools to keep my hand in and expand on what little I knew.”

“And what was this?”

“Building and repairing wheels, for about every kind of vehicle, has wheels. Sam Buckland is letting me use his forge and is a good welder. In return, he has a prime piece of property, which is a fair exchange in my mind.”

Horn looked around, “It’s getting dark. I’ll gather up everyone and head back to the hotel. Tom and I will be out early tomorrow morning. Will Althea go to the hotel with us? I’ll engage rooms.”

“No, we’ll stay with her mother in the tepee. Karen has given up claim to Atea by producing the items to prove who she is. She needs us tonight. She has needed us before, and Atea and I came through for her. We will tonight, again.”

“You certainly are loyal to her.”

“Yes, but remember, I was only fifteen when I met her.  My father was shot and killed, and my mother died in my arms two hours later. No, you don’t remember. You didn’t know your granddaughter then and had nobody to tell you. Karen came and brought her home with her. I made tools to plow a garden, and she kept the house, sometimes for Rocky and me. Sometimes, we had three cowpunchers.

“What did you mean when you said you learned how to handle a gun effectively?”

“It’s something we don’t talk about. Just be assured that Atea was in the thick of it, and Karen was there to bind up the wounds.”

Horn could see I wasn’t going to explain, and he returned to the tepee to gather up his family. I knew Rocky and Mable would be leaving at the same time, so I led both teams and buggies from the corral to the front of the tepee.

Burt Weatherly had seen some goings on and walked over. “Mr. Horn, this is Burt Weatherly. He lives in the cabin.”

“I thought that was your cabin?”

“It was, but I owed him, and it is his home now.”

“There must be a story behind that.”

I smiled and said, “You think so?” saying this when they got into the hotel buggy.

“Burt, this older man is Atea’s grandfather, Henry Horn. She is also Tom Horn’s niece. The other two women are her grandmother, Dorothy, and Tom’s wife, Jenny. Some other relatives and families are brothers to Tom. At present, Henry will look at the property next to the railroad.”

“That should be good for you and Atea. It should make your bank account expand a little.”

“It will. Oh, also, the father of her mother’s husband is alive, giving Atea another grandfather. I expect we will meet him someday.”

“Good for her.”

—————————

Rocky and Mable came out after talking with Karen and Atea. Mable commented, “It looks like Atea is tied to some wealthy people. Who would have thought it?”

“Rocky and Mable, I don’t believe that will affect us much. It will most likely make our lives a little easier from now on, but she and I will follow the plans we have made so far. I still want to be a wheelwright, and Atea wants to make moccasins. That will make us a good living. We will still be open to any better options. Anyway, I’m not rushing into something I know nothing about.

“Rocky, you have purchased the home you are satisfied with, and Atea and I will find some a concern to build what we want. I don’t think it will have as many rooms as you have. Your new house has a lot of waste space that isn’t used and is more for show than what we think we want.”

“Yeah, Mable wants to entertain, so you can’t say it is a waste of space.”

“True, but we don’t need or want to entertain. I will ask Tom Horn if he knows of a book of floor plans he can find for us. That goes back to me saying life will be easier for us. That’s so we don’t make so many mistakes starting.”

“Kid, I don’t think you are correct about having more money. You will have a lot of money selling land, and you should show people you have arrived. At least plan on building something with some style.”

“I can concede that point. Rocky, are you coming up when the Horns look at the land in the morning?”

“I am. I may be with the Horns at breakfast, and I’ll offer to drive them.”

“Good plan,”

———————————

Karen and Jack were asleep when we went into the tepee. Atea and I had been sitting outside watching the stars for a couple of hours. We went to our pallet, lying down and holding each other close. Outside, we hadn’t talked much, but we felt happy, only thinking about what revelations the day had brought us. Now Atea wanted to speak.

“Kid, I don’t know what I think about my grandmother. What mother wouldn’t be close to her daughter if she loved her? I’m glad my mother went to her before she left with my father and me before they headed west. That tells me that my mother was a good person. I wonder about the grandfather whom Mother lived with for years. I’ll bet he is a good person, and I wish we could meet him. There isn’t any reason why we can’t. We can take the train east and visit. He will want to know what happened to my father and mother.”

“Atea, I feel he must have loved you too. What a joy for him it would be for us to knock on his door and see you, thinking at first he was seeing your mother, Emmy, like Dorothy did tonight. Jenny and Tom must be going home, and she could show us how to ride the train and show us the way.”

“When I see Jenny, I’ll ask her. Kid, hold me close. Again, I can’t get over what a wonderful feeling it was to know I once had a father and mother and know a little about them. This other Grandpa can tell me all about them and what they were like when living at his home.”

Rocky, Tom, and Henry Horn arrived in Mable’s buggy at eight. I joined them. Henry was all eyes looking over the land I owned. I had them turn right onto Farmer's Road off Jenkins. “I want you to meet Sam Buckland. I’m not going to sell any land beyond Buckland’s Smith shop. I’m thinking about building my own business next to Sam so I can use his forge when needed.”

Rocky knew this; I was sure he had told Tom about it. We only stayed long enough to make introductions, and Rocky turned the buggy around, going back down Farmer’s Road. Henry making no comment.

Tom told his father, “I suggested to Matt that he put another street parallel to Jenkins’ road and divide it into lots. It would give him quite a bit of capital, selling them.”

“It’s an idea, and I’m thinking about it. I’m not rushing into anything. Henry, I am waiting to see what you are interested in. I’ll go on from there. I was going to have Rocky build up here near Atea and me. He found the place down nearer town. I’m not surprised that he did; I’m happy he has a place to live. Atea and I may build next to her mother’s tepee.”

“Why do you call the Indian woman Althea’s mother?”

“Because that is what she was and still his. Karen got Atea when she was about three. Atea lived with her until she was fourteen, and then I didn’t feel that she was gaining enough knowledge about the white race. Mable saw the same thing I did, so Atea moved into town with her. It wasn’t until the outlaw trouble we had that we realized we were in love and needed to be together.

“Mable and Rocky could see it, too. They were the ones to straighten it out so we could marry. We needed someone to speak for us, and the Territorial Marshal Brooks knew her background and agreed, as long as she only went by the one name of Atea, that it was acceptable for her to take the ranches’ name of Sedgewich.”

“Yes, I was proud and glad for her to use my name.”

Henry asked, “You mentioned outlaws. What was that about?”

“That was just something the Marshal told us not to talk about. Sorry, I mentioned it.”

Tom spoke, “Father, we are getting close to the rail road right of way. Start looking to see what land you might be interested in?”

Rocky stopped the team and told Henry where the railroad switch was for the spur that my land was next to and where the station was for people to embark and disembark. “You came in there yesterday. There is a crossing here, and the spur for the cattle loading is on the other side of the tracks.”

Henry said he knew where it was because they got off and went straight to town yesterday. Rocky shut up and left it to me to explain about the property. Tom, too, had walked over this land. We pulled the buggy off the road and walked over the land I had shown Tom.

When we walked the length of my property, which was as far as I owned, Henry stated, “I want to buy  a square block of 5 acres on this corner facing the Farmers road and along the railroad spur.” That is enough for me to build the store and storage buildings.”

I was surprised that he didn’t want more land along the spur. I think Tom was as astonished as I was. “Are you sure, Pa?”

“I am sure I don’t want to put money into land where I won’t need it.” I was okay with this but felt rushed into selling it to Henry. If he wanted more land in the future, it might not be available. I still would own the next fifteen acres along the spur.

Henry asked, “How much is the 5 acres going to cost me?”

“I can’t set a price on it yet because I don’t know how to price it. The land will be more expensive if we request a corner lot on Farmers Road. I’ll talk to the banker. I’ve spoken to him about advising me. He asked me to come in when Atea and I arrived in town. I thought it was because he wanted Atea and me to keep our money deposited in his bank, but we found out he has the town’s interest in mind to grow, and he would advise us.”

“Where did you get any money to deposit? I thought you were just kids living in the back country and didn’t have any.”

“I had $600 when I left here six years ago. I’ve been living on Rocky’s dime and haven’t spent any of mine. Atea and I have saved a little and have enough to build a home without borrowing. The banker knew this, and he had faith that the town would grow in this area, so he is backing us as well as advising us,”

“Son, you know that half the bankers are crooks and out for everything they can get?”

“I trust he isn’t one of them, wouldn’t you say, Rocky?”

“I do, and I use the bank. That’s how I could pay cash for the home we are now living in. When Kid and I were in town the last time, he found out the property was still his, and we did the bank a little favor. The kid learned something, and it possibly was something about someone robbing the bank. Working through his lawyer, Kid alerted the bank to prevent it from happening. I don’t know who the lawyer talked to, but I imagine it was discussed. Just another little thing we don’t talk about.”

“You two certainly have things you don’t talk about, don’t you?”

“I guess we do. Rocky, let’s get back, and I’ll go in and see Steven Nickerson to make out a deed. Also, he must know someone in the area who can survey the lot. When I’m in town, I will talk to the bank about the price I’m asking for the lot. Henry, as you are Atea’s Grandfather, I will set the price low to give you a little break.” I could tell Henry may have thought I would give him the property. He would have to live with it. Even Tom had cautioned me not to accept his father’s first offer.

“Rocky, I’m going to cut up cross lots on foot, grab my horse, and go see Steven about the deed and then talk to the banker. Why don’t you come into town and meet me at the diner? I’ll need coffee by then. I’ll saddle our horses, and we will ride together. It’s been too long since I've had Atea with me. Henry and Tom, is that okay with you?”

Tom laughed, “Sure, this tells me you two haven’t been married long.”

“No, we haven’t, thanks for noticing. Sorry about that.”

I made it soon to the tepee. “Atea, get dressed, and we will go into town together. I’m saddling our horses.”

“Kid, I am dressed in my Indian clothes.”

“The pretty ones?”

“Yes,”

“They will be fine.”

I looked back and saw Rocky coming up Jenkins Road behind us, but I urged Atea to stay beside me. “Kid, what’s the rush?”

“I wanted to talk to you, and I couldn’t with your grandfather with us. They will meet us at the diner after I talk to Steven Nickerson about a deed for five acres of our land. I also want to talk to the head teller about how much commercial land is selling for. I have in my mind about $1500 an acre. What do you think?”

“I have no idea, you decide.”

“Okay, I’ll see what the banker says.”

We were in luck. Steven was in his office. I knocked and bade to enter. “Hi, Steven; I have a man who wants to buy 5 acres of land next to the railroad. It is the corner lot on Farmer’s Road. Will you make out a deed?”

“Yes, and I can do it today. Since you came around, I have had a lot more business. You act rushed and haven’t even given me time to tell your wife that her Buckskin dress is lovely. Atea, where did you buy it? I want one for my wife.”

“Steven, my Indian Mother cut it out, and I sewed it. If I ever have time, maybe your wife and I can discuss it together this winter.”

“That would be great. Where are you off to now?”

“I’m going into the bank and talking to Mr. Collins about pricing the five acres. Do you have any idea what to ask?”

“Well, that’s a prime piece of land. You should be thinking upward of $2000 an acre situated as it is.”

“That’s about $500 more and an acre than I thought.”

“You can always come down, and it is tough to raise a price once you have stated it. What is this buyer’s business?”

“He wants to build a supply store to sell farm equipment. You may have seen a man named Tom Horn; it was his father, Henry. Tom looked at the land three days ago, telegraphed his father, and arrived yesterday to look at it. I showed it this morning, and he asked for that particular lot.”

“You can ask for what I said and possibly get it. Do what you want. It’s your land. Good luck.”

We were leaving, and Atea stopped and turned back. “I don’t think he will have to pay that much because I learned last night that Henry Horn is my grandfather. We’ve already decided to charge him less than he is willing to pay because he is family. Everyone tells us not to give our land away, but he should pay us something.”

“He certainly should. Again, good luck. Wait a minute, you said this man was your grandfather that must make you happy?”

“It does, delighted.”

Later on the street, “Kid, we talked about this last night, and you said you were not going to ask what the full price was.”

“And I’m not. I’m just trying to find out what the full price is.”

“Oh, okay. Do you think I’m attractive like Steven said I was?”

“You are very, very pretty, and I love you.”

We went down the stairs and then to the bank. Mr. Collins saw us enter and left his desk to open the gate for us. “Welcome. I saw you in the hotel dining room last night. You had some strangers with you. It looked like one lady fainted, and Mrs. Sedgewich brought her around with some smelling salts.”

“She did faint and thought I was her daughter, who she knew had to be dead for she was missing for years. We told her who I was when she came to. We explained the little anyone knew about me. Good news for all, as my Indian mother showed proof later in the evening that I am her granddaughter.” 

“That must make you and her both happy.

“It does because I didn’t know I was white and not an Indian until I was ten years or more. We will meet some time, and I’ll tell you about it. Now we need facts on how to price 5 acres of land that my new Grandfather wishes to purchase.”

I laughed at myself because Atea was speaking right up and wasn’t shrinking about talking to the people we were interacting with. She certainly wasn’t hanging back. I thought I was bold at times. Hey, maybe she got this from me.

“Okay, where is the piece of property you are selling?”

“It is the last 5 acres at the end of the Farmer’s Road. The lot is square, so it is on both Farmers Road and land next to the railroad spur. I was talking to Steven Nickerson, and he gave me some ideas. It will be used for commercial enterprises.”

“Good, you didn’t pick a figure out of nowhere. You are doing some investigating. I know what properties in town are selling per acre. Sedgewich bought a home a day or two ago. He paid a fair amount for that, and that is good. There is the old blacksmith shop here on Main Street up for sale. That isn’t selling very fast because there are restrictions on what it can be used for.

“The town property is only a quarter acre. It should sell for at least $2500 to $3000 a quarter acre. From what you tell me and what I have seen of that corner lot you are selling, I would say $2200 an acre. That isn’t too unreasonable and is a fair price. Does that help you at all?”

“It does a lot. Let me tell you my thoughts. I was considering $1500 an acre, but suddenly, I found that I was selling to my family. I feel that the price of $7500 for the 5 acres is fair. As far as now Atea having him being family, I am telling Horn that the price is $7500 for the lot. I thought of lowering the price because he is family, but he wants the property, and I might get what the Nickerson said.”

The banker thought, “That is more than fair, and it is a warm welcome to Atea’s new family members. I think you have something there.” We mounted up and rode the short distance to the diner. Rocky’s buggy was hitched to a post, and we tied our horses near his team.

We went inside, and Sary Fenton was busy wiping the counter and didn’t look at us as we entered. Atea touched her on the shoulder. “Atea, you came again. Let me hug you. Oh, and so pretty in your Indian clothes. Did you make the dress yourself?

“My Indian mother cut the pieces, and I sewed them together. Today, we came in to meet the men in the corner.”

“Would you have pie and coffee? It is blueberry, and I’ll bring it with coffee all around.”

Rocky asked Atea, “When did you ever have time to come here?”

“It was the day we bought the canvas for Karen’s tepee. Sary is so nice. She wouldn’t let us pay and gave us the pie and coffee to welcome us.”

Rocky asked another question, “Did you find out what you wanted to know from anyone?”

“We did have some thoughts on what the land is worth. They weren’t the same, but they gave us a range of workarounds. First, Henry, would you make an offer on the 5 acres? I do have a figure in mind, and that is because you are part of the family. We don’t know you and how you think. We have a deed generated by our lawyer. He’ll have it finished in another half hour. He knows the land parcel.”

Henry was staring at me, not saying anything, and Tom wasn’t meeting my eye. Rocky was disgusted at me. “Kid, tell the man what you want for the land. The seller sets the price. You can haggle after that.”

I could see that Henry wasn’t going to make an offer. “Mr. Horn, what I am asking doesn’t rise to the amount my advisers told me to ask and hang tough until I had the lowest suggestion. I’m asking much less than the median suggestion was. I’m asking $7500 for the lot. That is a fair price, and we will be satisfied with that amount. We will build ourselves a great-looking and happy home with the money.”

“What do you think, Tom?”

“I think you should ask what amounts were suggested.”

“Kid, would you tell us?”

Atea was ahead of my answer that I would, “Grandfather, I will. The lawyer suggested $2000 an acre, and the man at the bank suggested $2200. Kid is going to put it into my account at the bank anyway for a marriage gift. Kid and I  planned on $1500 an acre. We think that is fair.

“Sir, I have looked at this amount since learning of you being family. I have dropped my asking price. My onetime price is $7500 for the 5 acres. If you wish to purchase more land later, I will look at what the market will bear.”

“Kid wanted me to have a diamond ring, but we wanted a home first. See what he did give me for a ring. Some day, if we go north again, I want the jeweler who made this one to take me up where he chiseled this from a big stone with many still in it. Someday, Kid will take me to see it, and maybe the jeweler can remember and show me the original place.”

“You have my word that I am buying the 5 acres at the lower of the three prices, $7500 as quoted. I will arrange to have the money transferred to your account. It will take a few days to show up here. Dorothy and I plan to stay for three more days. Tom and I will be making plans for the buildings we want to build before I leave. I believe Jenny will return to Ohio with us. Rocky, do you know where this Lawyer’s office is?”

“I do, but Kid can show you when we hit that end of Main Street. Are you walking to the Hotel? It isn’t far.”

“We’ll walk.”

I wanted to read the deed, so I followed the Horns to Nickerson’s office. Atea rode her horse behind Rocky to his new house while I took care of the business concerning the deed. I was surprised that my land was called the Jenkins Property. I asked Steven why that was, and he said before Pa and Ma died, the town was naming all the roads in town, and Jenkins was living there, so that was why the name.  

I stayed a minute after the business was finished. Steven said, “You sold the land cheap enough. Would Horn have paid what I suggested?”

“I believe he would have if I had asked for it. The thing about it is that I wanted to welcome these strangers as family. I might have dropped my price a little lower if Horn Senior had quibbled. There is one other Grandfather that Atea is related to who isn’t part of the Horn family. The man’s name is George Franklin Senior, who was the father of Atea’s father. Junior died at the same time as her mother. Atea and I plan to visit and bring him into our lives soon. We think he may be older than Henry Horn. Atea’s mother, father, and baby Atea lived with him and not with the Horns before their journey west.”

“Atea lived two and a half years as a baby at the Franklin home. We feel there may be more love there than she will find with Henry and Dorothy Horn. It is a feeling worth looking into before we get too tied up here and before going on with our life.”

“Kid, I don’t know where your thoughtfulness for other people comes from, but I approve.”

——————————

Jenny Horn was talking to Atea. When I arrived, Dorothy had been visiting Mable but had returned to the hotel with Henry. Tom stayed and listened to Atea speak about her life with the Indians. “Atea tells me you want to go to Ohio and meet her other grandfather?”

“Yes, we have talked about it. It seems only right. I understand that Atea’s mother lived with him after she was born. What is he like?”

“I met him a few times. The Horns haven’t had much to do with him. I remember Junior, but that was before Emmy got mixed up with them. They are rough, and we moved in different circles from how they did. Mother and Dad couldn’t understand what sister Emmy saw in Junior. Sis and I once talked when I ran into her at a dance. I didn’t know her that well, myself. She was madly in love with him, and I could see he was with her.

“They were talking about traveling west that night. George Senior was watching the baby so they could have a night out. I don’t know, as I paid much attention to my sister. I was older and thought the business Dad and my two uncles were in was exciting. It was before Jenny and I got together, so she didn’t know me. At least I don’t think she did.”

“I knew you, Tom, but I knew Junior better. I thought Emmy was lucky to catch Junior. He sure loved Emmy and the baby. George Senior had a poor piece of land and was a widower. I don’t know when Junior lost his mother, but both Father and Son struggled, always working and never getting ahead. I have heard George did much better later.”

“I don’t know, as the life I have been leading has been that exciting these last few years. Jenny stuck with me, though. I have been away selling equipment, leaving Jenny with the two kids for long periods at home. I’m not saying anything yet, but if Dad doesn’t let me be the head of this place and business we plan on building, I’ll be around to help you get something going. I want to live in one location with Jenny and the kids.”

“Tom, I could certainly use some direction. We are traveling to meet George Franklin, Atea’s grandfather. We’ll come back and do something to make a living. I’ve said I am a wheelwright, but I don’t suppose I will get rich. Atea has a better prospect of making a living making Indian moccasins.”

“Is it money? If so, why did you give Father a break on the land he bought from you?”

“It is just as we said that we want to welcome you because we are family. Think of Atea growing up without ancestors; she has several and they are alive here. Money, no, that doesn’t enter into it. Before anyone knew me, I was invited to talk to the bank here in town. The Head Teller discovered some of my background and told me that Atea and I were an asset to the town. They have been trying to get the blacksmith shop off the Main Street. It was me who made it happen.”

“That can’t be all?”

“No, the teller is friends of the Territorial Marshal. I guess the Marshal let him know something that recently happened in our past.”

“Kid, do you have enough funds for the round trip to Ohio? You know Father has to transfer the money for the land from the bank back east?”

“I know, and we have enough. I hope Atea has enough traveling clothes so she won’t be embarrassed.”

“She won’t be. I know I have some that will look good on her. Tomorrow, Atea, come to my hotel room, and you will try some of them on. We may have to let the hem down, but we have time to adjust before leaving.”

“Thank you, Jenny. We are behind the times here, and I'm unsure how to prepare to travel from one point to another.”

“I’ll help in any way I can. Losing Emma and George has been resolved now for the Horn family, and the end is finally known. Althea survives at all, and it is close to being an unbelievable event. The newspapers tell about people dying on the trek west while searching for a better life. There must be thousands of stories that could be told if everyone was known. Althea’s is just one story.”

“Aunt Jenny, that is why Kid and I want to find my Grandfather Franklin and tell him my story. I’m sure he will sleep better at night. He’ll be sad, but it's better to know.”

Tom offered, “I agree. It would be best if you told him. He loved you as a baby, and I’m sure he will love you as a charming young woman. He will feel the same when he meets Matt.”

Atea giggled, “I have a hard time thinking of my Brave having the name Matthew. He has always been called ‘Kid’ or Kid Abbott.”

I knew I would become Matthew Jenkins to everyone except those who lived on a ranch in the northern part of Wyoming Territory.

————————

The following two days were a flurry of activity for Atea and me, getting ready to travel. I was giving Rocky some direction on what I wanted to do. “Start clearing the lot on this side of the tepee, for that is where Atea and I want our house built.  I don’t want any more buildings in front of our home or the tepee. I want to look out on the fields. A large field of 500 acres or more should produce something.

 “Maybe I can hang out with Sam Buckland at the Blacksmith shop. Some of the farmers in their business will know the best land use. I’m almost positive it won’t be raising beef cattle. It likely will be planting some crops. I’ll need advice when I return. Rocky, you will be part of what I do and involved. You can travel the world with Mable for part of the year, but you must have an anchor somewhere, and this could be it.”

“Kid, I like the way you think. I was beginning to miss the ranch and doing what I have always raised cattle, except for my sideline, which I had left behind. That is too dangerous now, with the territory becoming a state in four or five years. How long are you going to be gone?”

“Maybe two weeks in all. I want a home to live in before the cold weather and summer days are over half gone.

“What are you building for a home?”

“I think, an eat-in kitchen, living room, and bedroom with a cellar. Upstairs will be two bedrooms and one other small room. I want a hip roof, like a hay barn, constructed so you can stand upright in every room. On the end, nearest the tepee, there will be a large room for Atea to work with leather items if she goes in that direction. It is what we have discussed, anyway.

“Let’s see, that room doesn’t need a second story. There will have to be a large footing for a big fireplace heating the add-on work area and the end of the living quarters. The foundation size will be large, like 30x45. I’ll be back before you get that excavated. See if you can get our men interested in that or maybe find them other jobs somewhere to work. I still would like to have them around.”

“I would, too. What will Horn be doing?”

“I have no Idea. Tom will be going on the train at the same time we are. The Grandfather is staying here to see about getting his lot graded for building his business. Tom misses his kids, so Jenny and Dorothy are going home at the same time. Tom is going home and coming straight back in a week or so. Tom is hoping that his father will turn this project over to him. He hasn’t had much family life yet because he was sent all over the country for years as the company’s main salesman.”

Tom found out that I would wear my pistol. I said I would have a long coat on my buckskin to cover it so it wouldn’t be evident. “Kid, we are civilized back in Ohio, not like it is here in the territories.”

“I know, but what if the train is held up or some drunk starts to bother our women? Are we going to sit there and let it happen?”

“Well, okay, but I can almost guarantee there won’t be any trouble. Please don’t let my Mother know you are wearing it. We’ll never hear the end of it.” I discussed this with Atea and said to go into the gun counter in the general store to purchase a small .28 five-shot, lightweight pistol. She wouldn’t have a chance to practice, but it would be suitable for short-range.

Rocky drove Atea and me down to the train station. Tom, Jenny, and Dorothy were already there when we arrived to get tickets. Tom said that George Franklin lived 20 miles from the Horns, and a train from their hometown went into a different valley. We wouldn’t need to rent horses to get around when we arrived at our destination.

—————————————

Atea and I had our tickets. We sat on the bench, waiting for the train. Suddenly, I had a panic attack. I could hear the train in the distance … the one I was to board in just a few minutes. I began to sweat, and Atea noticed. “Kid. Are you sick?”

“No, I’ll be okay when we get on the train. I remembered my Ma and what she was afraid of. She had good reason, but I don’t have one, so I’ll be fine.”

Tom had come up beside us, “Trouble, Kid?”

“Yeah, it’s something from my past. I can handle it, I guess,” I paused, “No, I know, I can.”

“Kid, tell me.”

“I have never said much about my Mother. My Pa had a tough time getting her to go west with him. I could hear them arguing about it when Pa made the decision that is what we should do. Ma was fine when she was a young girl before she met Pa. She told me she loved riding on the trains. Then, once, she and some friends were on the train, and some robbers held it up. Two passengers resisted the bandits, and one was killed right in front of her.

“Another time, she was on another train, and several cars were derailed. She was injured, and it took a year to get well. Anyway, Pa and Ma met and fell in love. Pa promised Ma that she wouldn’t ever have to ride on a train. Her fear was so bad they almost didn’t marry. I’ve lived with this all my life. I thought it was the only way to travel and would dream of riding on one. I never have, and it just hit me that I would be on one in a few minutes.”

“How bad was this fear of your mothers?”

“Terrible! That is why we traveled by wagon when Pa came west after leaving the Missouri River. Pa took his time, and we did enjoy the journey. Sometimes, we would stop for a half day and laze around before hitching up and moving. Sometimes, on a clear day, we would stop early, wait for the moon to come up, and stay out under the stars until it did. I used to like to go away from Camp and lie on my back just looking at the sky.”

“Kid, where did you start from?”

“Further up the Missouri, from Council Bluffs, fifty miles. One day, Pa said, ‘Today is the day we start.’ All his tools were loaded, and Ma bought vittles, so we hitched up and started.

“I didn’t know until we arrived here that Pa had already purchased this property from a land company. This town was smaller than it is now. I knew about the railroad and watched the trains from the edge of the property. I promised Ma not to get near it, though.”

At that minute, the train we were to ride on pulled in, and the excess steam blew off. I looked at Atea and Tom and declared I was okay now. (I wasn’t really, but I couldn’t show fear before my wife.)

Tom and Jenny had beds in a sleeper, and Atea and Dorothy had another. I wanted to see the country, so I didn’t bother. There were few stops, and I slept, stretched out on the seats in the regular car. After crossing the Missouri River, we had to change to different trains three times before getting to a town where the Horns lived. Jenny’s mother cared for Tom and Jenny’s two children, Jennifer and Eric Horn. Jenny looked much like her mother and had the same happy disposition.

Tom had been away from home for over three months, and the children were all over him. The next day, I went with Tom to the Company headquarters. I met his two uncles, brothers to Henry, and a couple of cousins who worked in the business.  I toured the warehouses and was amazed at the farm equipment that the concern sold. I had no idea what some machines were used for or what kind of product.

The small steam engines interested me the most. I could see that they were the wave of the future. They replaced just every machine that used water or windmills to power machinery. I was immediately interested in equipment to saw, mold, and plane boards and timbers. I saw in the future that I could have a warehouse setup to house this equipment and power it all with just a couple of these small power units.

Tom saw that I was interested. “Hey, Kid, that’s a business to get into. Buy rough lumber out of Michigan, dry it, and mill it to specifications for lumber and building houses. You have enough land to store the lumber to build a small village on your land. Another option is building water tanks for villages that have a water source to fill them. The company would turn the milling of staves for these silos we sell if you got into it. It would beat the hell out of playing with little round wooden wheels.” He laughed, and I laughed with him.

“Maybe, but making wheels is an art in itself.” I was interested, and Tom went through his catalogs and description of the various equipment his company sold and handed me a bundle I could take home with me.

Atea and I were invited to dinner at one of his two uncles’ houses that evening. These men were brothers near Henry Horn’s age and had been in business together for years. I could see that Tom didn’t get as much respect as his cousins who worked at the headquarters.

 “What do you think of my cousins, Kid?”

I looked at him, not wanting to say anything. Tom laughed, “Go on, say it, pompous twits. They work in the company and get paid for doing little. They all have a life outside the company, mainly bragging about their wealth. My mother thinks they are just about it and can’t see why I’m not like them. When my father retires, I honestly believe the company will go under when he does leave. That is one reason he bought the land from you. We are looking to the future,

“My mother will never live out there, but my father might. You are unaware, but Father and I own property as equal partners outside the company. I don’t think Dad has told my mother either. She never has been interested in the business. I’m telling you this because Atea is a granddaughter like my son and daughter.

“My sister had no use for her cousins and went off and married Franklin, who she felt a lot like she did. It turned out bad, and it was bad. Father is looking to the future now, and Atea is a major part of it. He isn’t demonstrative, as you can see, but he loves hard and talked about that with Jenny and me.”

“Tom, this is all strange to me. I could see a little that your family might have strains within, but I didn’t know about your uncles' and family’s interactions. I thought that it was your father who was keeping you outside as a salesman.”

“He was, but it was building a future that I am to be a significant part of. I hate being away from Jenny and my children, but it won’t be long before we are always together.

“What happens if you disconnect from the family business? Won’t it go to hell?”

“Probably, but I will be okay, and father will be too. We have had all the contact with the factories and concerns that fill the company’s floors with the machines and goods I have been selling for nearly ten years now.”

“I almost feel sad for your mother.”

“Don’t, if she still wants to have any contact with Dad, it will have to be near enough where he can come to visit. Father will buy her a house in Cheyenne or Denver, Colorado, which isn’t far. Maybe even Mother will see what a gem Atea, Jennifer, and Eric are now. Mother can’t compare them to their other relatives and will come to adore them. You must know Jenny, and I adore Atea. It didn’t take us long either?”

“I do. Thank you, Tom, for seeing her as she is and claiming her as your Niece.”

“Kid, I will be busy with meetings the rest of the day. I’ll be home about six. Tomorrow, I’ll give you directions on how to get to the Franklin home. You will have to take the train. I don’t think Jenny will want to go, and there are the kids.”

“That will be good. I’ll eventually have to learn how to use the rail systems. Here it is, for me, a good place to start.”

I walked along to Tom’s house. Dorothy was there. She had rounded up three girl cousins and daughters of her two other sons. They had gotten to asking Atea about living as an Indian.  The oldest girl, Olivia, was eighteen, getting her curiosity satisfied by asking questions. There were two younger girls. Atea told them about hunger because the Braves had to hunt for food. “It is difficult because the white man has been killing the buffalo just for the hides and wasting the meat. Your Government put us onto reservations. Now they are supposed to bring food to us. We never have enough because we get cheated by the whites in charge, and they get rich.”

“That’s horrible!”

“That is the way it is.”

“Gram said you are married to a white man. Did he steal you?”

Atea laughed, “No, he is a good white man, and his friend, Rocky, is too. My Indian mother does chores for Rocky, and he saw that she needed food because my Indian Grandfather was living with us. That was when the two other Indian families returned to the reservation and left us alone. The braves, who left, moved Mom’s tepee to Rocky’s ranch before leaving, and we rebuilt it in one day. My Indian brother was born two weeks later.”

“Was it fun being an Indian?”

“A few times, I learned all the Indian dances, and we all looked forward to them. We did these on our holy days. That was the time when the harvest moon was high. The planting moon in the spring and certain others answered our prayers, like when the rains came. Prayers from those who lived in the happy hunting ground. We didn’t miss the last day of winter when the storms were behind us. The only dance I didn’t like was the one where the Braves danced when getting ready for war.

“We knew there would be tepees empty of the Braves soon, and no one knew which ones. My mother lost her first Brave to war with another tribe. The brave who was the father of my brother must have died because he went hunting and never came back. He was my father for almost seven years. I loved him.

“That is like my white mother, whom I learned about when Gram Horn recognized me. She thought I was my mother, Emma. I never knew my real name until then. Gram calls me Althea, which is Gram’s middle name. When the Indians gave me to my Indian Mother, I would say only one word, Atea, and that is the name I go by. Atea is what I kept saying, and Granma and Grandpa Horn think I was trying to say my name, Althea.”

I said, “Atea, Tom said he and Jenny couldn’t take us to visit your other Grandfather tomorrow. We are going to have to go by train by ourselves. Do you think we can do it without getting lost?”

“Kid, I wish we didn’t come here so far from home. Maybe we should send his watch by mail. When someone here travels back that way, we’ll wait and go with them, even if it is a month.”

“No, we will attempt to find it. We’ll rent horses and ride home that way if we have to. I don’t mean all the way home. I mean to get back here to Tom and Jenny’s.”

Olivia offered, “I can go on the train with you. I buy my dresses in a shop around the corner from George Franklin's house. Aunt Jenny told me I used to have an aunt, Emma, who lived there once, but I don’t remember her. I see Franklin sitting in a rocking chair on his porch.  Aunt Jenny said she went west and after a while was never heard from again.”

“That was my first mother, and  Franklin’s son was my father. The man who you see rocking on the porch must be my Grandfather. My father and mother froze to death in the snow. I lived when an Indian hunting party discovered me, and I was the only one alive. Mom and Dad died just before the Indians found me; they covered me with blankets to keep me alive as long as possible. One Brave took me home to his Squaw, and she became my Indian Mother. He was the Indian father I loved.”

Olivia clapped her hands, “You must take me with you tomorrow. I want to be there when Mr. Franklin learns you are still alive and about how his Son and Aunt Emma died. Atea, can you stay with me tonight? I want to hear all about your life. Your husband is staying with Uncle Tom and Jenny, and I heard them say so.”

Atea looked at me. I thought quickly. Atea never had many friends her age to talk with, “Sure, you can stay with her. I think I met your father this morning.”

Dorothy said, “Atea, you will be near our dress shop. Order a couple of dresses made, and I will send them to you when they are finished.”

“Thank You, Grandma. I can pay so that you won’t have to.”

“Child, I will pay. I can’t see where you would have money to spend.”

“Kid gives me money when I want something.”

“I suppose, but I’m sure he can use his dollars building your home.”

“Okay, Grandma, thank you again.”

Dorothy made notice of my buckskin coat. “Mathew, you might go into a men’s shop and get something to wear that isn’t buckskin.”

“Maybe, but this is so comfortable.” I received a frown. Dorothy picked up, wished Atea a good day tomorrow at her grandfathers', and took her two young granddaughters with her.

Jenny, Olivia, and Atea talked about everything that came to mind. I was relaxed and didn’t worry about getting on the train in the morning. I couldn’t get over my concern, but I could hide it. After supper, Atea and Olivia packed what Atea was going to wear. I heard them giggling in our room, and I said she wouldn’t have to take a suitcase with her.

“Put the watch we will deliver in your handbag, and then it will be less to keep track of.”

“Okay, Kid.”

I missed having Atea close by me last night. I got up, shaved, and put on my best clothes. Jenny had breakfast for me. I complimented her, for she was an excellent cook. Jennifer and Eric came out and sat down just as I was leaving. It had been difficult to hide the fact that I was wearing a gun under my coat. I knew Eric had seen it just as I put my jacket over it, but he said nothing. I suspected Tom had cautioned him not to mention it. I walked to the train station, two streets from Tom’s house.

Dorothy was sitting on a bench outside. “Dorothy, I’m surprised to see you. I didn’t think you were coming with us today.”

“Matthew, I changed my mind, and I thought this was as momentous day for George Franklin as Atea was alive was for Henry and me. The day we were at the dinner, we discovered our granddaughter was alive, and what a shock. Have you got your ticket yet?” 

“I’m happy you are going with us. Yes, I have my ticket. I bought one each for Olivia and Atea. The agent asked me if I wanted roundtrip tickets. I said yes, not knowing. The agent said it was good for a long time.”

“You did well and won’t have any trouble returning home. I’ll write down all the changes you have to make. The girls should be here soon. It won’t take long to make the journey. It is only twenty miles.  We will make two village stops on the way.  People are going to work, you know.”                     

We watched Atea and Olivia coming down the street. “Matthew, do you think Althea should wear her Indian clothes? It is bad enough for you with your Indian coat.”

“Look closer, it isn’t Atea in the buckskin dress. The two girls exchanged clothes. I’ve never seen Atea in that dress before.”

“Well, you can’t blame your wife, for this is something that Olivia would think of as my oldest granddaughter is a trial to me. Since she came of age, she has been a trial for the whole family.”

Just then, the train pulled in, and the door opened. People came spewing out, going in all directions. The benches we were sitting on emptied just as fast. I took Dorothy’s arm and steadied her inside the last car. She slid into a seat halfway down, and I slid in beside her. Olivia and Atea grabbed the seats at the head of the car next to the car ahead of us.  

We made the stop in the first town we came to. I tried to see out the window, but Dorothy was beside it. I asked her if I could go out the end door and lean on the railing. She said it would be okay unless the door was locked, saying Henry often did when traveling.

 I waited until we stopped at the next town and got up. I looked at Atea and Olivia, talking and laughing. I knew from what Dorothy told me it would be at least a half hour to where we would be getting off. I looked at the small farms as we went by. There were several breeds of cattle I didn’t recognize. The land was a lot greener than where we lived. Not noticing much now, I turned to the door to go back.

Chapter Eight

The train was still moving when I realized something was going on as I opened the door because it was noisy. I stepped inside. A man was standing right beside my empty seat. He had a gun in his hand, the people were all talking, and I could see they were scared as hell. Another man at the far end shouted for everyone to shut up. Just then, I could see him lock the door. He had a gun in his hand, too.

“Zeke, grab whatever handbags you can from anyone that looks like they got money. That’ll add to what is in the pouch I got after killing the bank guard.” I saw him turn and look at Olivia and Atea. They didn’t appear rich enough,

The robber beside Dorothy reached across my empty seat and grabbed her bag. No way was she giving it up. He pulled her hard enough to drag her across the seat, and she went head first down onto the floor, upper body in the aisle. His gun was coming up, and I knew he was going to shoot her. When I heard the other man tell everyone to shut up, I brushed my coat away from my gun. I drew as fast as ever, making everyone scream when it went off.

I didn’t have a clear shot at the man by the door. I needn’t have worried. I heard Atea’s .28 go off, and the man went sideways, down on the floor. The man I shot was down, too, and hurt badly. I yelled for everyone to be quiet.

“Hey, it’s all over, and no more danger. Let me get this woman sitting up. You, the Indian girl in the corner, open the door. Someone is pounding on it. A couple of you find the guns and hold onto them. Both men have been shot, and I don’t think they will be any more trouble. One of you corral the pouch with the bank money in it.”

I went forward and lifted Dorothy off the floor. As I sat her up, the conductor cautiously pushed the door open. “Is everything okay in here? I have a man dead in the forward car, and I see two men are down in here.”

He walked toward me and saw two guns on an empty seat. “Those, their guns?”

“Yeah, you take them. This woman is my grandmother, and she has been mauled. You might get them two robbers some help. This one was hit with a .45, and I tagged him.

“The other one was shot with a .28 Paterson. I haven’t looked at him.”

 I didn’t remember when the train stopped, but it was now at a standstill. “You seem to know a lot about what went on here?”

“Yeah, I had to do something. This one here was about to shoot Mrs. Henry Horn of Horn Farmer’s Equipment supplies. I couldn’t let her be hurt worse than she was. Her two granddaughters are sitting by the door, and one unlocked it for you to enter. The pretty one in the dress is my wife. She is the one who shot and wounded the man near the door. The one dressed as an Indian is my wife’s cousin.”

“You people will have to hang around and tell your story of what happened here. There will be a here to take your statements. I imagine he will be taking statements from witnesses where the man in the next car was killed.”

The conductor grabbed a couple of witnesses from our car who said they saw all the action and let the rest go. The doctor came in to look at the wounded men, and he bound up their wounds. A constable placed them under arrest. The four of us ended up alone in a room in the rail station, waiting for the railroad detective to take statements.

We were there three hours and counting, and we were not anywhere near meeting George Franklin. The doctor had looked Dorothy over and put a bandage on a lousy scrape on one arm. I caught her often looking at me and Atea. She said little, though, which surprised me. Finally, she went out and demanded the station agent send a telegram to Tom Horn at Headquarters. Then she had him send a messenger with a note to George Franklin, three streets away. I don’t know what she wrote, but it was a long note.

I took Atea into a corner and said. “Atea, I’m going outside and guarding the door. I want you and Olivia to exchange clothes before you meet your grandfather. Would you do this for me?”

“Kid, I wanted to before this. It wasn’t my idea.” 

“I know it wasn’t.” I told Olivia, “You have fifteen minutes to change back into the Ohio Beauty I met last night. No excuses or arguments at all.”

“Yes, Kid.” I paused before I went out,

“Dorothy, see if you can braid Atea’s hair. Knock on the door when it is done.”

I expected an old man to come to the station. I heard it say that Atea’s grandfather, George, sat on his porch and rocked in a chair. A man came into the station and looked around. This man couldn’t be Franklin. He was tall, wearing a neatly trimmed beard. His hair was grey but not white. He was wearing clean work clothes.

“Sir, are you George Franklin Senior?”

“I am. Do I know you?”

“Not yet, but you will. I am married to your Granddaughter Althea. My name is Matthew Jenkins. We live out in Wyoming, where I own a bit of land. Dorothy Horn is here to attest who I am and that my wife is your Granddaughter.”

“My son, Junior, and wife, Emma Horn?”

“Both deceased thirteen years ago, in the cold. They did this to save their child by giving up their blankets to have Althea live a few hours longer. Althea was found before she froze to death and is inside the room here to meet you.”

“Why are you out here telling me this?”

“So that you wouldn’t be too startled at this shock. Dorothy Horn fainted when they first met.” Ready or not, I opened the door.

Atea, fully dressed now in Indian attire, was rising from the chair she was sitting in to have her hair braided and pinned. She arose and didn’t stop walking slowly toward her grandfather. He opened his arms, and she walked right into them. Tears were running down both their faces.

“Hello Dorothy, It’s been a while since I’ve seen you. Olivia, good to see you. You should stop and say more than Hi when you come to town. Why don’t you all come to the house and be comfortable? I hire a housekeeper, so it isn’t too bad.”

“I’m sorry, Sir, we can’t because there was a little trouble on the train coming up this morning. We have to stay here until the railroad gets through with us.”

“How much trouble are you in? It can’t be that bad.”

 “George, I was being robbed, and I wouldn’t let go of my handbag. I was dragged by one hand across the seats, and he dumped me on the floor. The scoundrel was going to shoot me. I looked death right in the face,” Dorothy shuddered, “Kid saved my life by drawing his gun and shooting the bastard. Now we have to deal with the railroad.”

“What kid saved your life?”

“Kid, I’m Kid. That’s what people call me.”

Olivia had to get into this, too. “That’s when Atea shot the other robber and wounded him. The police have both robbers in Jail here in town.”

“Wait a minute, who is this Atea?”

“That’s me, Grandpa. My name is Atea. I guess it is short for Althea because when I was given to my Indian mother, that is all I would say, so they called me Atea. That’s the name I was married with, and I don’t want to change it.”

George Franklin was shaking his head from all the confusion. Just then, two railroad detectives opened the door and came in. A newspaper journalist and another person would take down what was said. We were interrogated for too long a time, and Atea and I had to produce our guns to be inspected. They didn’t want to return them to us.

I was exasperated. “Look, detectives, we were in town at 8:00 this morning. It’s almost 3:00 now. Mrs. Horn is elderly and has been injured. We shot two crooks and intentionally wounded them. Don’t you think we could have killed them both if we felt they should have been? Killing a man was reason enough, but he wasn’t my target; he was my wife’s to deal with. She was saving my life, which is why she shot the man. I was tending to one, and that one would have killed me before I could have time to turn my attention to him. Christ, we aren’t criminals!

“I’m hungry, and so aren’t the people with me.”

“Okay, I guess we have all we need from you. You may be receiving a commendation from the railroad, and I’ll put you in for one, anyway. You saved the bank a lot of money, and they should contact you. Don’t hold your breath.”

George took over. “Olivia, here is money for food. Get a bunch of food for all of us. Atea go with her, to carry it all. I’m not sure if you should go out in public to where you will be recognized. Dorothy, it would be best if you lay down. You have stood up well, and Kid shouldn’t be out.” He thought for a minute. “No, Atea, you stay with your husband. I’ll go with Olivia. Dorothy, you know my house; here are the keys to it. Kid and Atea will help you along if you get faint.”

We had quite a long walk to the Franklin house. We couldn’t hurry because Dorothy was so tired. She was also lame from the mauling she took when the robber was trying to get her purse. We did make it. The house was orderly and clean inside. The house was a man’s abode, without a woman’s touch of flowers and nick-knacks, but it was clean.

Olivia and George came in with a box of food, chinaware, and silverware. “I eat at the restaurant every day. They were glad to oblige me when I said I had guests. Ask Dorothy if she can come to the table?”

Dorothy came out and smiled, “A few minutes rest is all I needed.” She looked at Atea and asked, “Dear, you don’t seem upset with what you did this morning?”

“No, I’m not upset. Living as I did growing up, every day could turn out like this any day for me. I was sometimes fearful, but Kid came into my life and taught me more about being prepared. It is the only way to survive,”

“I’m sure it was never this bad as to what happened today.”

“Grandma, there were a couple of times it was worse. But we have learned not to talk about it. I am concerned about it being in the newspaper, there is nothing I can do about it. Kid and I will have to be aware now that our names are out there in case someone wants to take up for the robbers and retaliate.”

“Oh, Atea, you live so far out west, I’m sure it won’t happen. The news can’t travel that far.” Atea agreed, but I knew it wasn’t.

To change the subject, Atea went to her bag and brought the silver watch to her grandfather. “Grandfather, I believe this is yours. My Indian mother saved this for all these years since I was brought home to her.  It was tied to my leg when I was unwrapped from all the blankets the Indians found me in.”

“Oh my dear, Junior made sure I would know what happened to them, or they wouldn’t have put it with you. They surely had faith that you would survive.”

“I believe that too because my mother kept saying that she was going to give me back to my white people, and it has come to pass.”

“I must meet this Mother of yours. I believe I will go west with you when you leave here. How long is it before you do leave?”

“We will leave as soon as you can get ready. Tom Horn came east to be with his two kids, and he may stay over a few days if I ask him. He certainly will go out and live near us. We talked of it already.”

“Kid, he will stay until I’m ready to leave. I telegraphed Henry last evening that I was returning to him and wanted him to stay there.” Dorothy had a satisfied look on her face.

I said, “What?”

 “Kid, you saved my life, and I’m not ever going to be far away from you and Atea. Count on that for sure!”

“Gram, if you are going, I’m going with you.”

“Olivia, you must get permission from your father and mother.”

“Gram, I’ll ask, but how can I help get Atea’s business started making Moccasins if I live here? I believe I’m notional like my Aunt Emma was. I don’t have to stay here, and I’m of an age to leave if I so desire. I’m going out there with you, and if I like it, I may make my life there.”

There was a knock on the door. George stepped over and opened it. “Tom, what are you doing here?”

“Mother sent a telegram to me that there was some trouble and she wouldn’t be home tonight. I just made the train and came up. Everyone was talking about someone shot and killed in a robbery attempt. The robbers didn’t get away, and both were arrested after being wounded.  I knew Kid was wearing a gun, and I suspect Atea was too.”

He looked over at his mother, “I heard that an elderly lady was abused and injured. That was you, mother, wasn’t it.”

“It was, and you can be thankful. The robber was going to take my purse and looked right into my eyes, and I knew he was going to shoot me. Suddenly, he tipped over and fell. I didn’t know at first that Kid shot him, and my life was saved.”

“Kid, is that what happened?”

“I did have to rush some, but everything came out better than expected. The damned railroad detectives kept us there in the station for several hours. Dorothy did get scraped on the arm and is lamed up from being dragged from where she was sitting by the window across the seats and dropped on the floor.”

“Who shot who during this fracas?”

“I shot the one who mauled Dorothy, and Atea wounded the robber who killed the bank guard who was transferring a satchel full of money up here to a bank in this town. It has been a long day. George has his watch back and is glad to meet Atea. She told him how she lived with the Indians for thirteen years, or some of it, anyway. He’ll get the whole story of her life before he is finished.

“Tom, have you met this woman who is Atea’s Indian mother?”

“I have, and she is something. She directed us on how to build a home for herself in one day, the day after arriving from a 200-mile journey. You must meet her someday.”

“I’m going to leave here and go with them when Kid and Atea leave for home.”

“Uncle Tom, I’m going with them too.”

“Olivia, your Father and Mother might object.”

“I’m old enough to go on my own.”

“Okay, but it’s a cold world out there alone.”

“I won’t be alone. Gram is going, and she is going to live there with Grandpa. You and Aunt Jenny and your kids will be there. I may pair up with Cousin Atea to make moccasins. I tried on the ones that Atea made for herself; they are so comfortable. Mr. Franklin is my friend, and he may live there too. I don’t think I will be alone.”

“Olivia, you look much like my sister Emma did at your age. You act much like her, too.”

Franklin spoke, “Tom, tell me about it. Emma and Junior were bound to go west, and I finally gave them my blessing. Bad things happened to them, but at least they were well intentioned, concerning Althea. Atea tells me how the Indians found her so she could live just a bit longer than they expected to. We never knew what was ahead of us, but they did everything right.

———————————

Everyone was tired. No one wanted to take the midnight train, especially Dorothy. She was satisfied to sleep in the day bed behind a folding screen in the parlor. Tom and I slept on the floor in the same room, using cushions from two stuffed chairs. George had his room, and Atea and Olivia slept in Junior’s boyhood room.

A setting room and bedroom occupied the other two bedrooms of the house for the housekeeper to live. George didn’t want her bothered and talked to her, but she never came out.

Tom was up early, went out, and bought bread, eggs, and sausage for breakfast.  George had a cook range to cook on, using coal for fuel. I didn’t particularly care for the smell of it burning. I knew Wyoming had coal deposits but didn’t know if it was consumed much in the state.

Dorothy thanked George for her bed,” It wasn’t my own, but I did rest, and I thank you.” I was as comfortable as I would be sleeping on the ground, so I had no complaint. 

We all caught the 7:55 train for the twenty-mile journey. I saw the railroad detective sitting with an empty aisle seat who talked to us yesterday. I sat down beside him. “Hey, I’m surprised you would sit with me. You had to wait a long time for us to arrive. But, of course, the killing of the bank guard in the next car took precedence. How is the old lady, who was roughed up? By the way, my name is Johnny Tay.”

“We had a place to stay. We stayed with my wife’s grandfather. His son married my wife’s mother, and they traveled west, both succumbing to the cold thirteen years ago. The Indians found the three-year-old baby and rescued her. I met her and her Indian mother when she was ten years old. It took me several months before I realized she was white. She didn’t know English, so I taught her to speak our language.

“Living as an Indian all that time wasn’t easy, and the squaw who mothered her lost two braves during that span of years. The Braves are the ones to hunt game to feed the family. I met the squaw, and they were starving. The ranch where I lived finally had them move the tepee to the ranch with us, and that was the end of their food problem.

——————————

“But there were always other dangers, like outlaws and robbers around the sparsely populated land. I set about teaching Atea to use a weapon, which came in handy yesterday. You heard me say yesterday that one of the men told the other to kill the old woman. I took care of that. My wife knew I might not have time to protect myself, so she took care of the killer. We practiced scenarios like this before, and it kept her grandmother alive, and my wife made sure I was safe.”

“I’d say that was looking ahead. How did you learn to do that?”

“The rancher who asked me to live on his ranch with him and his crew talked a lot about the old days on the frontier and how tough it was, and he taught me. He sold out and moved to where I’m living now in the southeast corner of Wyoming, near Wheatland, almost on the Nebraska border.  Is this going to hold me up much from going home? I need to get a home built and out of living in the tepee before winter.”

“Not long. The Coroner’s Jury sits this morning at 11:00.  The Sheriff will be moving this right along because the Bank is embarrassed over not giving the guard enough protection carrying that large sum of money. When it turns to the shooting you were involved in, most of the testimony will be from you, your wife, and Mrs. Horn. It is uncertain about the trial date. The Sheriff may pull all the need-to-know testimony from the Coroner’s Jury for the trial, seeing as you live so far away. I’ll talk to him this morning to see what we can do about that.”

“Thank You. I appreciate it.”

I didn’t get a chance to talk to my crowd at all. The railroad detective, Johnny, assured the Deputy Sheriff, who awaited us as we stepped off the train. “I made sure all those involved in railcar #3 yesterday are here to testify to their actions. Each who fired their gun is present. They are from out in Wyoming Territory. Also present is Mrs. Horn of the Henry Horns of this town. She is the woman roughed up and ended up on the floor. There is another young woman, the granddaughter of Mrs. Horn. Mrs. Horn also claims one of the shooters is her granddaughter as well. I haven’t fully figured out the connection in my mind yet.”

“Fine, I’m sure I can figure it out. Have all of those you are deemed involved follow me up the street to the court. It is filled with citizens of public interest because of what the morning paper said.”

I took Atea’s hand and whispered in Shoshoni, “This isn’t going well. If you get confused, shed a few tears and speak only in Indian. I’ll interpret what you say. Do not lie. If you can help, I will fill in what I can of what you are saying.”

“I have faith in my Brave for me to go home soon.”

Dorothy was a witness. There were the two that the Detective had picked to tell us what happened that we didn’t know; they just had to tell us what happened during the action of Atea and I.

The first thing as we entered the courthouse that let me know what we were facing. Just inside the courtroom, a man in a chair was sitting at a small table. He was saying, “No guns allowed in the courtroom. You can pick them up on the way out. Give me your name, and I’ll make sure your gun is returned to you.”

There were two derringers on the table already. Atea stepped up, opened her handbag, pulled out her pistol, and lay it on the table. “That’s loaded, handle it carefully.”

“The deputy, who was directly ahead, turned and touched it. “I’ll take that. It is evidence. What’s the caliber?”

Atea answered this. “It is a .28caliber Paterson.”

“Next.”

I brushed my coat aside, drew, and put it down on the table. “Army edition Colt, caliber .45. That is loaded and has a hair trigger. Handle it carefully.”

“That one is evidence as well. Why didn’t the authorities secure these before this?”

The railroad detective’s face was red. “I let them wear them. They were protecting themselves and those they were traveling with. Mrs. Horn would be dead if they didn’t have them to use. Jenkins might have been killed if his wife hadn’t judged him in danger. They were on railroad property, and I deemed them safe enough to wear.”

“Okay, we are wasting time here. I want to get a background on these two. Yes, and on Mrs. Henry Horn, how are these two related? Have them come forward as I call and sit at the table in front. We have to get ready for the Coroner at 11:00. The judge who will be trying the robbery and the murder of the bank guard will be listening in. We may not be able to get the witnesses back from Wyoming to testify, as it is so far out in the West. The Attorney for the two men charged has agreed to this. Both men have pled guilty and will be throwing themselves on the mercy of the court.”

“Mrs. Horn, I’m going to be prosecuting the robbers. Two men were shot when they entered the car you were traveling in. I need background information on witnesses involved in yesterday’s crimes while you boarded the train traveling east from your home for twenty miles. Would you please provide your name and approximate age?”

“Dorothy Althea Horn, above 55 years and much less than 65 years.”

“Children?”

Three sons, Zebedee, Gerald, and Thomas, are all living. One daughter, Married name Emma Franklin, Deceased; this was confirmed recently after thirteen years.”

“Well, that is explicit. How does the trouble you were the victim of enter into this?”

“I just learned within the week that my daughter and husband died thirteen years ago on their journey to Oregon. I might add that her husband’s father entered the business on these passengers' trip we were on yesterday. My daughter married George Franklin, Junior. 

“Emma had a daughter named Althea, whose name I was proud to bestow on her at the time of her birth. She survived the death of her parents, and through a coincidence, I met her one night at dinner. The resemblance was so close to my daughter that it caused me to have a fainting spell because she was the mirror image—only younger. My daughter and her husband lived with his father and did until they left for Oregon.

“That crook that killed the guard told the man that came in first to hurry and grab a purse of whoever looked like they were rich. I had on the brooch that I had given my daughter the last time I saw her. I couldn’t lose that since it was returned just three days ago. My granddaughter also had a watch returned to her that belonged to my daughter’s husband, given to him by his father. The Squaw, my granddaughter’s Indian Mother, handed me both two days ago.

“For thirteen years, she saved the two items, always promising Atea that someday she could live with white people.  She then relinquished the white child she loved and cared for, like one of her own, to us, who are related. How she knew this, I have no idea. It is another coincidence, like the one that occurred a few days ago when I spoke of meeting my granddaughter.  We headed up on the train to the Franklin home to let him know that his son and daughter-in-law were dead and the child survived.”

“What are your intentions at present? You should be able to make the trials as a witness.”

“No, I will not. My husband, Henry, plans to construct a farm equipment supply depot as a concern, much like the one here in town. He has bought land in Wyoming, and I’ll be living there. The new store will widen their market considerably. My son, Tom, and my grandson, Matthew, will fully participate in this endeavor. I intend to make up for the many years that my grandchild was missing.

“Another reason for me to be close is that I looked up into the man’s face, who dragged me out of my seat, threw me onto the floor, and curled his finger around the trigger to kill me. It didn’t happen, only because Matthew shot and wounded him.”

“This is a very detailed account. Mrs. Horn, you may return to your family. I want to speak with Mr. Jenkins. Please come forward and take a seat.”

I patted Atea on the shoulder, walked ahead, and took the seat Dorothy had vacated. “State your name and age and where you reside.”

“Matthew Jenkins, age 22, lives in the Wyoming Territory near the first town, Wheatland, just beyond the Nebraska border. I own property there, purchased seven years ago by my parents. They are deceased, and the property now belongs to me. No other relatives except those related to my wife. I have been away for several years and have just taken up residence in the last two months.”

“Mr. Jenkins, you don’t have to anticipate my question. What happened to your parents that made you decide to leave them?”

“I was hunting a lost cow and heard gunshots where my father was plowing a field. When I could see the field, I saw three riders leaving in the distance. I recognized one of the horses as belonging to a neighbor from a nearby ranch. My father was dead, and the team used for plowing died as well. I went into the house and found my mother was down, struggling to breathe after having a heart attack. She died in my arms two hours later.

“I had been present the day before when the neighbor was in the yard arguing with my father, not selling our property to him. I was fearful that the neighbor would hunt me down and kill me. I took the time to bury my parents and to gather his tools to take with me. I was planning on him teaching me his trade, that of a wheelwright. I left immediately the following morning. Returning six years later, I found that it was another person who had shot my father, and the neighbor himself was innocent. We have since become friends.

“Tell me more about how you resolved this.”

“When I reached town after I was old enough to deal with the murder of my father, I talked to a lawyer about regaining the property. When he heard my story, he contacted the sheriff, who explained everything, and I found that the killer had been apprehended, found guilty, and hung for the deed.”

“So you gained back the land you had run away from?”

“If you want to put it that way, yes.”

“How old were you at that time?

“Fifteen, a week short of sixteen.”

“So, where were you all this time away?”

“I went North on my father’s saddle horse and with my father’s tools packed on my mother’s mare. I stopped in a glen a hundred miles from where I started. A ranch owner and his three cowpunchers spent the night in the same place. I left with them when invited to live by the owner. I lived there until he sold the ranch and cattle. Those punchers moved on later, and three more were replaced. The owner has now married and is living close by in my hometown. The three punchers are now staying with me and my wife, looking for work.”

“What is the name of this ranch owner you speak about?”

“His name is Rocky Sedgewich. He is a great person and taught me a lot about ranching and living in today’s time.”

“Did you have any close neighbors at the time?”

“No, not at the time I went there. I found out a short time later that there were three tepees of Indian families an hour away, branching off the road to the ranch. I became familiar with them eventually. One of the squaws was pregnant and didn’t have a brave. The two other squaws each had a brave off hunting, and I didn’t know them, only meeting them later one time. There were seven children belonging to the three squaws. They all were in trouble with only a little food. The two braves did return later, taking their squaws and children with them back to the Shoshoni Reservation.

“Before they left, they transported the pregnant squaw, an old Indian they called Grandfather, and her ten-year-old child to the ranch. They lived on the ranch in a tepee until Rocky sold the ranch. The squaw birthed a boy very shortly after arriving. The old Indian lived much longer than expected and now had enough food. The girl and I put him a mule when he died and buried him on the high mountain where he could see the sunrise in the morning.”

“Why would you do such a thing for just one old Indian?”

“Why? It was in the tribal culture for a burial like that, if possible, and it would have happened if he was with the tribe. It was an honor to treat him as such, for he was a great hunter once.”

“What were the living arrangements when all of you were living there?

“Rocky and his crew of three lived in the cabin, which is more of a shack than anything. I built a small addition to the barn for my bunk. Karen, the girl, and the old Indian lived in the tepee.” I paused, frowning. “I think you had better stop with this line of questions. I don’t like where you are going with them at all.

“One last question: Who is Karen?”

I turned and spoke to Atea in the back seat, “Tell this man Karen’s Indian name.”

“My Indian mother’s name is ‘—— —— —— ——.’  Atea said the name in Shoshoni and added. “We named her Karen because I can’t even say it and get it correct every time. My Indian brother’s name is ‘Padzits,’ and we call him Jack.” Atea sat down.

“Okay, I’ll accept that answer. You may return to your seat. Mrs. Jenkins, would you take a seat here at the table? I have questions I need to ask about your background.”

I interrupted, “I would prefer to be at her side as she answers questions. I remind you that my wife is a newly married, extremely nervous, and very young woman.”

“I’ll let you as long she answers truthfully without your influence on her answers.” I nodded that I wouldn’t.

“Please state your name.”

“My Indian name is Atea, my name I married with, Atea Sedgewich. My married name is now Atea Jenkins.  My new grandmother and new grandfather tell me I was named Althea Horn Franklin at birth.” I don’t know how old I am. No one tells me that yet. They will someday, I’m sure.”

“Your earliest memories as a child?”

“It’s of my mama cooking meat in a tepee, with her brave holding me, trying to stop me from crying because I was hungry. I was fed cornmeal soup with some bits of meat in it. The brave held me until I was warm. I would sleep between them and be warm. It was odd because they smelled so different, and I didn’t know why. I didn’t care, for they kept me warm. I have forgotten the other smell and can’t remember it.”

“At this time, Atea switched to speaking Shoshoni, not stopping, and words were spewing rapidly from her mouth. Tears appeared often, and sometimes, she smiled. She would pause shortly to catch her breath and continue. Much of this was new; I had promised to interpret her words. The interrogator who was asking questions didn’t get to ask many because she didn’t pause long enough.

“She told of when I came on the scene when I dragged the horse into their camp and what the Indians said about me. They were so happy when I brought food when they were starving, how she felt when the other Indians returned to the Wind River Reservations, and how she felt about me when I made a garden with the tools I had made myself, how she felt when she was so scared when it was the time when Padzits was born. She told of me teaching her how white people speak. She was thrilled when I took it upon myself to learn her Indian talk.

“The one time I squeezed her hand hard for her to stop and go in a different direction was the time the outlaws had come and wounded Rocky. I learned to use other weapons for survival, and I taught her as well. We were prepared and did what was needed, and best not to think of it, so we didn’t.                                                                                                                                        

“The burial of the grandfather was in her tale. How much joy she had when I would put her behind me out riding around the ranch, the joy I felt with her clinging to me. I took her to the dance, and that night, we slept in the same bed, and she was explicit about how happy she was.”

I was worried now because I would have to give the interrogator some interpretation of what she was saying. “It was especially bothersome when we had learned to speak, but I was being asked to let her go live with Rocky’s woman. She detailed how sad she was when we were apart. Sadness disappeared when she felt Karen, and Mable said she was soon old enough to become a woman. How in hell was I going to explain anything of that sort?”

It wasn’t quite as thrilling for her when she met Dorothy and found out she had a large family she had never known about. Her words, “I want Kid for myself. All this is a bother, and I am not as brave as I should be. I want to make a home for us! I wish I were back on the ranch, on a horse flying among the cattle, and I was holding tightly onto my bravery.”

————————————

I didn’t realize, but a person sat in the seat next to me. The interrogator had been trying to break into what Atea was saying. I wasn’t aware how long Atea had been speaking. I looked at the courthouse clock. It was 11:10.

The man beside me spoke, “Sam, you know me, and you know I lived among the Shoshoni for forty years. That said, do you have to learn all about that young married woman? I listened carefully to everything she said. The only fact that you need to know is that Indians saved her. They saved her life by rescuing her from a certain frozen death, by all accounts.

“She lived as an Indian until she was about ten. Some people who lived on a ranch saved the Indians when they were starving. The young girl immediately fell in love with a friend of the Indians, who was only fifteen. He taught her how to speak the English language, the times tables, and how to survive when trouble came down on them.

“He sent her to someone who could teach her how to live out and away in a white village. Much of what she said was her intimate feeling for this man beside her. The only fact I can see that should concern you is that she was taught to use a gun responsibly. She did that yesterday. Why don’t you get on with the Coroner’s duties and wind this up?”

“Jon, I felt you would have something to say, and we have run on a bit. For those who don’t know this man, his name is Jon Pecour, and he was a famed Indian scout during the Indian wars. He is stretching how many years he lived among the Shoshoni Indians by about twenty, but I’ll take what he says as fact. Coroner Johnson, form your Jury.”

————————

The Coroner’s Jury went relatively fast, and we were out of the courthouse by noon. We were outside talking about the next moves we needed to make. Tom went home to his house and his kids. Atea, Olivia, and I were headed home with Dorothy to her house. “Franklin, what are your plans?”

“I made arrangements with my housekeeper to leave for several days. I’m going to Wyoming with Atea and Kid to their place and visiting for a few days. I heard him say he would build a home for him and Atea. I’ve been retired from home building for three years now. After seeing what he is building, I might chase up a few men who want to keep their hands in.  Kid, I’m offering, anyway.”

I answered quickly, “Great, it will give Atea and me a chance to know you. I gave the blacksmith a lot to build a new place for his business, and he will build a home for himself, his wife, and three teenage girls. We have almost decided to build our home next to Karen’s tepee.”

I walked over to Jon Pecour, who was standing outside our circle. “You know, Mr. Pecour, you saved me a lot of time explaining what Atea was saying to the Interrogator. I thank you for that.”

“I wanted to talk to Atea, so I’m hanging around. Would you ask her to repeat Karen’s Indian name and a little about her appearance? I used to see this young Indian maiden when I was living with the Indians. I was wondering if she might recognize me if we met. I might ride the train down and see her.”

I motioned Atea over to me and did as Pecour asked. She immediately repeated Karen’s name. “That sure sounds like the one I remember. I’ll go home and get some clothes. What train are you taking?”

Dorothy stated, “The 6:00. I’m not going on it today. Henry wants me to tend to some business that I didn’t get done today.  I may go with Tom and his family tomorrow if he is ready.”

Olivia said, “I’m going tonight, and Atea and I will get a sleeping car.”

“Olivia, you just can’t up and go. Your parents won’t let you.”

“Gram, if I can get permission, I can go. Atea is going with me over to ask Mom now.” Dorothy almost stamped her foot, and she was so upset. Me, I was worried for my wife. There was a new cousin she had just met. She was pretty, cheeky, white, coddled, and her parents were of the elite class. Atea, from a different world, entirely, and I certainly didn’t want my wife to pick up any of her cousin's habits.

I walked over to Olivia. “If you go west on the train, who will be responsible for you and your actions? Your mother and father can’t because they aren’t with you. Your Grandmother isn’t going on the same train, and I haven’t seen you show much respect toward her. I’m fast losing respect for you as well. I’ll tell you, you will be open to having trouble the further west you travel.

“A word for your Grandmother as well. She dressed up to impress other passengers on the train. She had her hair up, pinned with an abalone comb. She was wearing that beautiful silver and enamel broach that had just returned. Her handbag was held closed with a gold catch, and her clothes were rich and styled. Everything about her spelled money more than any other person in the car. Was I surprised when the robber told the other one to grab a bag from someone with money, and he picked her?

“That left me in the position to have to shoot a man because I felt I was the only one capable of saving her. Do I enjoy shooting people? You tell me! Look at all the hours wasted that we used to resolve this. 

“Olivia, one other thing: I didn’t know Atea had her best buckskin dress with her. You saw it, and I’ll bet you coerced her into letting you wear it. In return, she had on your pretty show-off dress. Neither was appropriate. Atea didn’t know because she had never traveled. You in buckskin were just a dirty Indian in most people’s eyes, and she had on your pretty dress and was acting like a young girl showing off her wares to be lusted after.

“I tell you it could have gotten worse if it was you in buckskin, had a gun, shot, and killed someone other than a known murderer. You could have been pulled off the train and strung up from the nearest lamppost because Indians have no value to most people who don’t know them. I am thankful that Atea was there, dressed or not, because she did know how to shoot someone who had the intention to kill me. She did it without more trouble for us than we did.

“I will go and agree to watch out over you. I hope I am responsible enough to keep you safe. I suspect you think it is romantic to live in a tepee, but you will find it is not so. You will always smell of smoke and have had your last comfortable bath unless you hire a hotel room and order a tin tub and water that is never more than warm. You will see a woman over in a corner using the dishpan that has held your food for supper out of it to take a bath. The water she uses is heated in the same pot where supper was cooked.

“I will tell you, you will take the same type of bath because Karen demands it. She is the cleanest squaw I have ever met and demands it from others. If you want to travel and live with us for a while, I will talk to your mother because I know it will make Atea happy.”

“Kid, I still would like to know my cousin better than our few hours together, and I will do just as you say.”

 I turned to Dorothy, “Gram, we won’t be long. I’ll herd these cousins along ahead of me.” We walked to an imposing house in a well-to-do neighborhood.

I stopped Olivia and asked, “Who is the boss in your family?” Olivia looked at me, not understanding the question. “Who do you always go to to get your way?”

“Mom, always.”

“Okay, we will go in, and you ask your mother if you can take the train to Wheatland, Wyoming, with your cousin to stay until you get to know her. Tell her Atea has never had friends her age to laugh with and talk with. Tell her you will travel with me, Atea’s husband, and Atea’s Grandfather, Mr. Franklin. That should do it if you say please.”

“What if she tells me no?”

“Oh, I’ll make up a dozen lies she will believe.”

“Stop it, Kid. I want Olivia to go with me.”

“Okay, no lies.”

Olivia opened the door and wandered into the kitchen. “Mom, my new cousin Atea has invited me to travel to Wheatland, Wyoming, for a while. Her Grandfather, George Franklin, will be traveling with us. Uncle Tom and Jenny are going there in a few days, and they are taking Gram Horn with them at the same time. Grandpa Horn is already there. Please, can I go?”

“No, I don’t think so. It is too dangerous. What was that all about the train robbery? You were on that train?” She directed the question to Atea and me.

“Yes, we were, and we were involved. However, we were trained to handle a situation like that. At no time was Olivia in danger. Atea and I saved the bank a lot of money, and it was up to me to save Grandma Horn’s life. I did that. The railroad detective said the action we took might reap us an award. The authorities interviewed us and said it was the appropriate action to take. I promise I will watch over Olivia as faithfully as I do, my wife.”

“You look terribly young.”

“I am young and went out on my own when I was fifteen, the day my parents died. They lived long enough to instill some sense into my head. The ranch where I stayed was interested in seeing me develop into an educated young man. I took on other tasks to advance myself. I met a girl aged ten. She couldn’t talk to me, but she wanted to learn to. I taught her my language, and she taught me hers. We can now talk together in either. The ranch owner was interested enough in our development to buy books.

“I’m not into reading fiction, but I am interested in equipment. I have read every catalog that Olivia’s Uncle Tom has. When he opens the new store, I believe I can learn how to repair most machines sold; it's just something I look forward to doing.”

“Olivia just doesn’t have anything ahead of her in her mind that she finds interesting here.”

“Maybe she will fasten onto a career out west. There are all kinds of opportunities if she will look around.”

“You hear that. Olivia. The man says to look around. Your father and I will back you in any endeavor if it is worthwhile. I think I’ll let you go. Keep connected to your grandfather and grandmother, and I’ll let you leave.”

“Mom, you are the best. I may miss you so much I may come back home to be with you,”

“Don’t give up too soon.”

The two women went upstairs to Olivia’s room. I spoke in Shoshoni to Atea as she headed up. “Two pretty dresses to go dancing in, some to walk around town, and some work clothes if she is going to help you make moccasins.”

As we were getting ready, Mr. Gerald Horn arrived, “Hi Pop, I’m staying with Gram tonight. I will go with Kid and Atea tomorrow and see Grandpa Horn the day after. I don’t know how long I’ll be staying. Mom said it was okay. I’ll be close to Uncle Tom and Jenny, and I’ll get to play with those cousins, too.”

“You are sure your mother said it is okay?”

“She urged me, saying it was a good experience for me. Hug me, Pop, I’ll miss you.”

“What’s the bundled blankets for?”

“Atea told me out west. People had to furnish their blankets unless they stayed in a hotel or boarding house.”

“Well, where are you staying?”

“With Kid and Atea.”

“And who are they?”

“Atea is your dead sister’s baby, my cousin.”

“Guess I wasn’t paying much attention. I did hear Althea was not dead for sure. You be good and be safe, hear!”

“I will, Pop.” We walked a few steps down the street. There were a few tears in Olivia’s eyes. “Pop doesn’t pay me much attention, but I love him. Kid, if you didn’t come with me when I asked Mom, I wouldn’t be going.” A few more steps and then, “Wow, my first real adventure, I feel so free.”

——————————

“Tel, to Henry, meet 6:00 pm train, Sep 4, Family, visitors with goods.”

Henry was mystified and swore at his absent wife for sending a telegram without all the details. He hunted down Rocky to provide his buggy while renting one from the hotel again. They were there to meet the train as ordered. Atea, Kid, and Olivia stepped down from the next to last car. Franklin and Jon Pecour stepped down from the one ahead of theirs. They all gathered in front of Henry and Rocky.

Henry spoke, “Well, what do we have here? I see two of my Granddaughters, Olivia and Atea. I see you. Olivia,why are you with her?”

“Gramps, I love my cousin and want to hear about her life as an Indian. Mom said it was okay. Especially after Kid promised to watch over me and be responsible.”

“Well, I don’t envy him making a promise like that. You are too much like your aunt, Atea’s mother. You do what he says and will be better for it.”

Henry turned to George Franklin. “Hello George, I’ll bet you are here for the same reason: want to know about our granddaughter's life? Her young life has been something. I don’t know if it is luck or something more Divine. I want to share a bottle with you again sometime soon.”

“Me too, Henry; we will get together soon when I get settled.” He turned to Rocky. “You must be Rocky. Atea said you might put me up for a few days?”

“Glad to. Atea lived on my ranch for a few years. I’ve come to love her as if she was my own. She also lived with my wife, Mable, the two years before we married. I want you to stay with us.”

“So, Jon, how come you here with my granddaughters?”

“Henry, they aren’t the reason I’m here at all. I heard Atea speak the name of her Indian Mother. It sounds like someone I knew many years ago. I quit scouting for the army when the Sioux fought through the Dakota Territories. There is still a lot of unrest in that area. The kid said he would take me to meet the squaw before the sun went down tonight. Is that still possible?”

“Sure, climb into my buggy, and I’ll drive you. I’ll see if Karen has enough food to feed me. She makes the most tasty stew and better than I get at the hotel. Olivia, you get in with me, too.” 

Henry clicked to the horse, and it started before Olivia was seated. “Grampa!”

“Sorry, Olivia, I am surprised you are here. You aren’t going to cause me any trouble, are you?”

“Nope. I promised if Kid could get Mom to agree, I could come and do everything he said, and you wouldn’t be responsible. He is quick on the shoot, so I’m paying attention. Kid saved Gram’s life, you know, so ask her. Atea is just as quick, for she shot the one who would kill Kid. I was sitting right beside her, and it made me jump.”

Henry looked at Jon. “Henry, I was there when the law questioned him. They didn’t hesitate to let him take the train and said they wouldn’t make him return for the trial. They said he might get an award for saving the bank money.”

“Kid is something. Tom and I are trying to figure out something to make him part of our move.”

“It sounds like a great idea to me. Kid said he owns some property?”

“He does, a full section and maybe twenty more acres. It hasn’t been surveyed yet; it has markers on the corners. This road we turned onto a few minutes ago is named Jenkins Road. I bought five acres on the corner of the land bordering the railroad. He plans to develop everything on our left, from the railroad building to housing and businesses. On our left, imagine one street of high-end housing. Look at that open land beyond. It needs work, but thinking  of planting it in corn or wheat.”

“How old is he?”

“He is twenty-two, he tells me. A man lives in a cabin that Kid and his father built. There are some closed lips about how come. All I know is that his parents died and he lived up in the hinder land for the last six years. Tom and he met, and the other man you met, Rocky, picked up Tom walking when Tom’s horse was snake bit. Tom sent me a telegram urging me to board the train and come out, so Dorothy and I did.

 “We invited him to dine at the hotel. He arrived with his wife. Dorothy took one look at her and fainted. We have now determined Atea is our granddaughter. Atea and Kid traveled to Ohio to look up and return a watch that George had given Junior when he and Emma headed west. That’s why George Franklin is here to meet Atea’s Indian mother. You are here to meet the same Indian Squaw to rekindle a friendship from the past. It is almost too much to comprehend?”

“I would say so. Henry, why don’t you introduce Olivia to Karen, the squaw, and I’ll introduce myself when she is alone and not so much occupied with family.”

“If that is what you want, Mr. Pecour, I’ll let you off at the cabin, and you can spend a little time with Burt Weatherly. He and Kid are connected, but I haven’t figured it out yet.”

Henry pulled up at the Cabin and shouted for Burt to come out. “Burt, here is someone you might like to meet. He used to scout for the army and probably has some tales. I’ll see you when you come to Karen’s for supper.”

Henry drove into the tepee yard. Karen brought out a three-gallon covered blue and white enameled kettle and hung it over the low fire. She had a hoe and pushed the coals back away from flat stones the fire built on, brushed clean with a broom. She had a bread pan, laying the cakes on the flat stone. These were stiff enough when cooked so you could scoop the stew out of your bowl and didn’t need utensils to feed yourself. “How many come?”

“Ten to thirteen, and maybe more, if the punchers eat.”

“Good, have enough food.

 “Karen, this is another one of my granddaughters. Her name is Olivia. She and Atea want to get to know each other. Rocky is bringing a man who is the grandfather to Atea. He is the man who gave the watch to his son, Atea’s father. He wants to thank you for being so kind to save and return it all these years.”

“Good, everyone, know who the mother and father of Atea was.”

Rocky picked up Mable. I saddled Rocky’s horse and rode that to the tepee because all of Atea’s and my truck were being carried in the buggy, and there wasn’t room for the extra person.

Mable and Atea got down along with George. I hitched the three horses, went to the barn, and got a big fork full of hay with enough for the Hotel horses. Jon, Weatherly, Rocky, George, and I stood in a group. Jack came over to stand with them and had one of the breads he was nibbling. I mussed up his hair. Jack usually follows me around, so this was a normal thing to happen.

“Kid, how do you like riding the train?” I shook my head, I didn’t.

“Burt, I knew before I got on the damned thing I wouldn’t like it. Ma told me she went through a train robbery one time. I didn’t think it would ever happen to me, but it did. It got damned hairy for a few minutes. Rocky, thanks again for the gun training. Atea came through and saved my life while I was busy keeping her grandmother alive. Neither of us shot to kill the outlaws, and we just knocked both down. Some of the other passengers picked up the wounded men’s guns when they went down, and it was all over.

“We had to wait hours for the railroad detective to investigate, and then we had to be investigated when the law got mixed up. Jon here beside me helped with that.” I looked around, thinking Jon was there beside him. “Where did he go?”

 Weatherly said, “I saw Karen go into the tepee. Jon followed Karen inside, and the flap door closed a few minutes later.”

I walked over to Atea. “Atea, spoon the stew and have Olivia pass out a piece of bread. It may be a while before we see Jon and Karen.”

“Rocky, what’s going on?”

“I take it Karen may know that Pecour fellow. He came looking to see her, and I would guess she does. She closed the tepee door flaps.”

“You mean she might have considered him her Brave at one time?”

“Something like that.”

Everyone had finished eating before the tepee flap was thrown back, and Jon came out, saying. “I am going to be living here in the tepee. Karen and I knew each other many years ago before she took a Brave to live with. That was even before Atea came into her life—the Brave, the father of the boy, Jack.

“I will be acting as father to the boy so he doesn’t forget the Indian way of life while living in a white village.” Jack walks over to Jon and looks up at him. Jon put his arm around Jack. Jack, always since birth, looked to punchers and Rocky, along with Kid, for adult guidance. He now had someone of his own to be that.

Karen looked in the kettle to see if we had eaten it all. We hadn’t, so she went back inside the tent and came back with bowls. The bread was gone, so it was just stew to eat. “Mom, I’m sorry, I ate two pieces.”

“That’s okay, Jack. There's plenty of stew for us.”

Olivia was concerned about where she would sleep now that a strange adult was there tonight. “That’s not a problem. I imagine Mom will put up a curtain by her pallet. Jack will be sleeping on our side of the tent. It is rude to look at other people at night while living in a tepee.”

We all lined up on the side of the open land to see the sun go down. Henry began asking questions. “Where does everyone plan to construct their homes? I have a construction crew from Ohio to build the store and the warehouse to put the inventory I’m ordering. Dorothy and I will probably stay in the hotel until that is accomplished. Tom, Jenny, and the kids need a home. They wanted to live out here the last time I talked to them.

“That blacksmith has his shop almost finished, but he wants his wife and family nearby. That will open up one house in the town; when they move, someone should look into that.”

George spoke up immediately.  “I took the train down here to see if I couldn’t help my granddaughter, who I thought was gone from life forever. I am amazed at what her husband, Kid, and many others have done for her after surviving. I believe she grew into an Indian and a damned good one. Her Indian mother knew she didn’t belong to the Indians and let it be known that she should return to her race.

“When the chance for that came, Karen let her go. In the meantime, she met Kid, and he fell into the scheme of getting Atea ready if the chance ever occurred to integrate with the White tribe fairly easily. It has occurred, and I’m now here with her, so it is time I did my part. Yes, I want her to have her own home. I have little money but enough to find workers to build the home. It may be a small home, and it will be large enough until they have a baby.”

“Grandpa, how many dollars do you need to build Kid and me a small home?”

“Atea, it will take $600 worth of material to build you a house with four fair-sized rooms. Say $1200 if your friends, the punchers, will dig the cellar hole, giving you plenty of room and storage.”

Atea turned to me, “Kid, I have more than enough in my name in the bank, don’t I?”

“Atea, you have enough to build many homes with your money. I have been slow about starting a home because I didn’t know how to hunt for a qualified builder. It looks like Grandpa George will answer what we need.”

George looked mystified, “Child, where on earth did you come into so much money as that?”

“Grandpa, I promised the Territory Marshal I would never tell, but I have the money in the bank. All who lived on the ranch promised him the same thing for the same reason.”

“Atea, I was surprised that you had any money at all. I don’t need to know. With money available, I’ll send off a couple of telegrams tomorrow, and my friends will show up here within the week. Henry, where can we order lumber to build the house?”

“I do, and I’ll simultaneously order the lumber needed for my store and warehouses. I certainly will order your house to be shipped first so you can get to the building of your home. If there is anything else you need that we stock in our store in Ohio, make a list of that at the same time.

“I have already ordered cement and small windows for the cellar walls. I stock these in our store. Be sure to make a list of all the doors and windows. The building supply company I order from carries basic inventory in stock. After the walls and the cellar are cemented, three of your men should be able to put the house up in two weeks.”

“I would be disappointed if they can’t get the house up in one week. Henry, who will build your larger buildings, and do you need my men?”

“I have Dorothy working on that, so Tom is still back in Ohio. I expect to hear from one of them that they have already signed a contract. I might as well tell all of you that my sons, except Tom, want no part of this project in the West. My two brothers want to split off, and we have two separate concerns with me there with a title but not any hand in running the Ohio Company.  There are two things: I don’t think they are smart enough to make much profit, and they might go under. Tom is up to helping me build, so that is why Dorothy and I will be moving here to live.”

“Grandpa, Mom, and Dad didn’t want me working in the store because they didn’t feel appropriate for a woman working in this store. That’s why I wanted to come out here where you are. I may find something on my own or with my cousin, and I won’t have to worry about whether it is appropriate or not,”

“Olivia, you make me proud.”  There was a pause in the conversation, with each thinking of what was ahead, starting with building something new in a semi-settled land. The ones who rode the train today wanted to remember their familiar surroundings, but the rocking of the train and the repetitive clicking of the joints soon put them to sleep.

I said, “Let’s all gather here in the morning. Has everyone a place to sleep?”

The only one whom I was concerned about was George. “I’m good, and I'm sleeping in the cabin with Weatherly. He said he doesn’t often know when someone bunks in the next room. That’s fine, and I like having someone to talk to.”

“Olivia, are you okay living with us in the tepee?” Olivia said she was.

I hadn’t said much to Mable, but I did now. “Mable, I don’t know how people like to travel like you used to?”

“Some of it was whom I was with. I’ll admit it was boring at times, and there were a few times when it was dangerous to board a ship with waves higher than the ship’s deck. I was never on anything as dangerous as the first time you rode the train, and I had to protect someone as well as myself. Thank God you taught Atea so well, and you could return to those who care for you.” I stepped up and kissed her on the cheek. Rocky put his hand on my shoulder, turned, and handed Mable into their buggy.

Henry mounted his buggy, waved, and followed Rocky toward town.

“Olivia, Kid, and I usually go for a walk. Would you like to go with us?”

“Not tonight. You two need time alone after the trying days you have been through. Ask me again sometime, and I’d love to go. I’m just going to sit by the fire and stare into it. I don’t think I have been this happy. You know, Grandpa never said he was proud of me before. That thrills me — strange, isn’t it?”

“I don’t think so. Grandpa apparently cares for you.” Atea and I turned away, and hand in hand, we walked along the edge of the woods. We hadn’t had much chance for this, although we did sometimes when we lived together on the ranch.

Chapter Nine

In the morning, George Franklin, Henry Horn, and Rocky Sedgewich were found in the cabin with Burt Weatherly. George was sketching the plan to become a house for Atea and myself.

I wanted specific changes (configurations.) I wanted the roof raised so the attic could be high enough to stand upright and walk around. “Kid, go to a hip roof if you desire. It will only add $300 to the total cost.”

I also wanted a chimney with two separate flues in the center of the house. One is for a kitchen range, and the second is for a cast iron parlor stove to heat the other rooms, including the second floor. “This will last us through having two or more children.”

 “Kid, that is making a lot of sense. You had better figure on another $200 for the extra windows and inside doors to the attic. Can you stand that?”

“Easily, George. I have what Henry paid me for the five acres, and I have a bit more than that.”

Henry said, “That will be big enough for Tom and his family and for Dorothy and I to have an extra bed if the family visits.”

“What about you, George? What size house do you need to be comfortable? You are staying here, aren’t you?”

“Yes, I am. I would need a cabin the size of Burt's house. I’ll get a letter from the mills I usually order from and fill out my orders. It will probably take a week for them to get the order by mail, three days to fill it, and another week to get it. So, in three weeks, that will be here. The men I’m hiring will be on site by then. They can live in army tents. I have contacted a used army supply depot for used items that the army is selling, and there are no wars in the foreseeable future. There will be six to ten tents on the pallet, and they will come by train.”

“How many men do you think will come?”

“Ten men, anyway, and maybe a half dozen more. Over the years, they often didn’t stick to just one specialty. Some would lay bricks when their preferred work was putting in stairs. Most all will roof a house. Many are widowers, and they are lonely if they don’t see their former crew members a few times a year. Good food and a small keg of beer in the evening before they crawl into a tent will keep your cost down.”

“George, bill Atea and me for whatever the cost is to put up the houses. I’m not asking you to skimp. Bill us for the actual expenses in every instance. I imagine Atea will be around watching with me a lot. We think it will be an excellent way to learn more about you.

“Atea said something about waking up warm and a strange smell to her. It was the smoke smell of the Brave holding her she didn’t recognize.  As a baby, she went to you for a hug a couple of days ago and said the way you smelled was what she was looking for again. Yours was the smell that brought a flashback of living with you and you holding her. Also, you used to hold her, and she could always hear your watch ticking.”

“I’m so glad you told me about her remembering me.”

Henry said, “I never often held Althea as a baby. I hope some of my grandkids will have children. I sure have missed a lot of closeness, and I may have something I can enjoy in my old age.”

————————————

I had Roland, Dugan, and Whitney in front of me. “Hey Guys, there will be a lot going on around here. We don’t have cows, but what I’ll be asking of you to do something you won’t like to do. Currently, three houses are planned for Tom, me, Sam Buckland, and his family. Henry Horn will be building his own house, and we won’t be involved in what he is building because he has given out the contract to a construction company.”

“Anyway, I’m upping your monthly pay by $10 more. I have a bunch of army tents coming and ten more men to do the building. George Franklin will be bossing that crew of men. He may hire someone to do the cooking for his crew. If you like Karen’s cooking, I’ll make sure she cooks enough for you.”

“Where do we start?”

“First, I want to get Atea a house to live in. She wants a cellar in it. I don’t want her to sleep in the tepee this winter. I don’t want to sleep in one, either. First, get on your horses, and two of you ride up to the farming area. See if you can rent a team, wagon, and one of those scoops for moving dirt so we can dig the cellar. Have any of you used one before?”

“I watched a big one being dug using a scoop years ago. I guess I can handle the scoop, okay.”

“Harvest time is coming, so I’ll buy all this equipment. Dugan, why don’t you scout the town and see if any is available? We need a team as soon as possible. Percherons would be ideal. I’ll ride over and talk to Sam. He might be able to help me out.” I didn’t pay much attention. Whitney got on his horse and rode toward town. Dugan rode with Roland out Jenkins Road so he would be going up to look for the scoop, wagon, and team up in the farming area. I followed along behind them, stopping at Sam’s Blacksmith’s shop.

“Hey, Kid, I was wondering when you would stop by. You’ve been around several days but haven’t stopped over.”

“No, Sam, I know I haven’t. I’ve been to Ohio and back. Atea has found a lot of ancestors: two Grandfathers, a Grandmother, Uncles, and several cousins. I sold the plot of ground next to the railroad spur to one of the grandfathers. Atea and I had trouble in the east with some train robbers, but that came out all right. I’m here looking for a team of horses and a scoop for digging cellar holes. Do you know of any?”

“There is one farmer up in farming country who does that. It is best if you hire him to dig them for you. It's cheaper, and you won’t be spending so much money. The dirt around here is easy to dig, and if you carefully keep the sides square, you only have to build forms for the inside. Pour your cement between the dirt wall and the form making up the cellar wall. He is the one I used here. You’ve got the punchers hanging around and put them to work with shovels to keep the walls from caving in. I just saw a couple of them go by ahead of you.”

“Yeah, well, I’m not very organized. All this is new to me, and I feel like I’m spinning in a circle most of the time.”

“I shouldn’t wonder. Hilda asked me when I would pick out our lot to build on. She wants it to be located facing the open land, about the third lot in on Jenkins Road, next to where Mr. Weatheryl has his. Is that acceptable to you?”

“Perfect, Sam. Do you remember Tom Horn coming here with me? He is one of Atea’s uncles and will be building beside you somewhere near. He has a wife and two young kids. I went to Ohio with him, and he is a great person.”

“Good, glad to hear about him. When are you going to get the business going making and repairing wheels you spoke about?”

“Probably not before spring. There are a lot of homes to be built before winter sets in. We want to get the homes framed and roofs on, and then work can be done inside. You’re going to see a lot of carpenters around soon. Ten men are building my home, Horn’s home, and maybe one for Tom’s father, who bought that commercial lot to house the farm equipment supply depot.

“That’s Henry Horn. He has hired a building company to build the store and some warehouses. I’ve ordered army tents for some of these workers to live in. I’ll have these put up across Jenkins Road somewhere in that empty land between here and where I sold the land for the equipment depot.”

“I can see why you won’t start your own business for a while.”

I mounted and took off at a run, catching up to my two men before entering the farming country. “How come you are after us?”

“I saw Sam, and he gave me the name of someone with the equipment to dig cellar holes. He does it for so much a day for him and his horses. Let’s look him up; at least he will know what he is doing.”

I had never talked to any of the farmers before this. I stopped at the first farm. He had a crop of corn on a vast farm that wasn’t ready to harvest yet. “Hi, I’m Matt Jenkins. Can you direct me to the farmer who digs cellars?”

“Sure, go up the road here until the end of this corn field, turn left, and he lives at the first farm you visit. He’s good, and he’ll treat you right. Say, before you ride on, I hear there is going to be a concern about opening an equipment store selling farm equipment. I like to look over the equipment before I buy. Is there any truth to this?”

“There is. I’m Jenkins, and I sold the land to Henry Horn, who is building the store and warehouse beside the railroad tracks.”

“I’m also wondering if he will be building storage silos. We have to order cars now to ship produce and often lose some of our crops if the cars don’t arrive on time.”

“I’ll mention it to him. He’ll be around there full-time. If you ride down there, he should be available to talk to you.” I shook his hand and waved so long. I was spending more time on this than I anticipated and was a little frustrated.

We rode into the yard where directed. I knew we must have it correct because the scoop was lying upside down alongside the entrance. There was a man just coming out the house door.  All three of us, armed, must have caused him some concern, and he looked like he wanted to turn back inside.

I looked around, and I could see he had two small wooden silos. There also was a Windmill turning. There was not much sound as the arms of the windmill weren’t turning very fast.

We dismounted and then could see plant fiber blown into a pile off to one side of the silo. Six men were operating a threshing machine powered by a diesel engine. A pipe was going to one of the box wagons from the machine.

I introduced myself, “I’m Kid Jenkins. Sam Bucklin told me you dig cellar holes. If you can’t get to it, I’d like to rent a team and wagon and that scoop I see out at the edge of your yard.”

“I don’t guess I can help you. We are threshing buckwheat today. We have to get it done today. I’m shorthanded as it is.”

“Is there anything we three men can help you with?”

“I can use you. Have you ever picked up bundled sheaves out of the field? There is not much to it. I’ll send a man along with you. We can get this job done by an hour before dark. Where is it you want a cellar dug?”

“You dug Sam Bucklin’s cellar. Looking east across the field at the other end of Jenkins Road is where we want the first one. I have two others that need doing.”

“You must be the Jenkins who gave Sam his land.”

“Yeah, that’s me.”

“If you want to pick up sheaves today, I’ll load up and be at your place about 9:00 tomorrow.  The other two, we’ll see how it goes?”

“You have a deal. What’s first?”

“I’ll have you loading bundles of sheaves onto a wagon. There will be one man by the headboard in front who will drive the horses. One of you men will be by the tailboard, and both will place the bundles in the same direction. The way we load the conveyor feeds the bundles into the thresher. The other two men on the ground will pitch the bundles in tumbles up the same way, with seeds always in the same direction. You’ll get onto it, and when you get good at this, the horses won’t even have to stop walking. My man will direct you until it becomes automatic.

“I have enough wagons, so when you get one load, we leave that nearby and hitch onto an empty wagon. Days when we expect rain, we cover the loaded wagons and thresh it on sunny, dry days.”

We entered the field behind the buildings. The harvesting was two-thirds completed. I said, “Boy, there are a lot of tumbles ready to be picked up. Is Mr. Boyd cutting more tomorrow?”

“Not for another week. We had a wet spell and didn’t get it planted for a week after the bigger part was finished last spring, so Boyd’ll be down at your place tomorrow.” That was good to know.  “Let’s get this picked up.” It did take us the rest of the day. A kid in a pony cart brought us water when we were near the house, and there was a platter of lamb sandwiches. Riding on an empty wagon, we had time to eat lunch on the way back to the field. We three did all right because we finished loading the bundles at 5:00. 

“See you tomorrow at about 9:00, as I promised. You men would make good farmers, hanging in there like any men I hire.  Thank you.” We mounted our horses and headed for home. The work hadn’t been heavy; the only time to rest was on the way back to get another load of bundles.

I stopped at Sam Buckland’s and asked where he got sand for the cement. “Kid, it is on your land from that big hump halfway across the far edge of your open land at the bottom this side of the steepest part of the hill. That’s the closest sand I could find. I still have the dump cart here I borrowed to get it moved. You have to shovel it on, but dumping it saves a lot of work. There is no reason you can’t use it until the owner shows up asking for it. You can use the team of horses I just bought to pull the cart. I’ll sell them to you for what I paid for them.”

 We arrived home at 7:30, hungry and tired, but overall, it was a good day, and things were moving right along. George Franklin walked over and gave me more good news. “Rocky and I went to a lumber yard looking for boards and dimension timbers to build forms for the cellars. They will be coming tomorrow, so we can knock them apart after the cement sets in three days and use them again. This was okay. Did you find the scoop you were looking for; you were gone all day?”

“Yeah, we did, and in fact, there will be a team, men, and the scoop here to start digging it at 9:00 tomorrow morning. Whitney, Dugan, and I loaded sheaves of Buckwheat onto wagons all day and watched them thrash it. I wonder if I shouldn’t turn the field into growing and harvesting something like that. That would keep the field open. Atea and I love stepping out to enjoy the sunset.”

“Little enough enjoyment after a hard day’s work, not having a lot of the hustle and bustle around, you can always get ready for the morrow. Weatherly has asked if I wouldn’t move in with him permanently. I can’t see any reason not to.”

“I hope you do. It will make Atea and me very happy.”

“Good enough, I’ll tell Burt.”

———————————————

I found a decent buckboard to purchase. Again, Sam Buckland put me in touch with the seller. The buckboard did need new planking, which was no problem. Anyway, I could buy cement locally to get the footings in. There wasn’t any stone around for the cement mix so that it would be cement and sand for the footings and cellar walls. The farmer, Boyd, said he would harvest the remainder of his Buckwheat crop on Thursday.

 George’s men had arrived by then. We were waiting on the footing for our house to cure, so I sent all three of my punchers up to Boyd’s to give him a hand. They were gone all day. I had Franklin’s men mixing cement for the cellar walls. When the punchers returned, they said that Boyd would be down to scoop out another cellar hole on Saturday. I told Tom that he could be next to get a home started. 

He refused, saying Sam Buckland had been so helpful that I should have done his house first.

“Alright, Tom, we’ll do it that way.”

There was plenty to do, and Tom had his two kids to watch and care for. Olivia, now living in the Tepee with Atea and me, said she would watch them, and there was room sleeping next to her. The pallet of army tents arrived, and they went up.

Tom and Jenny decided to stay on-site in a tent instead of in a hotel in town. Jack was out of his mind with happiness with all the kids near his age to play with.  Four more of Franklin’s crew showed up. These had their wives with them. George asked me if he could buy stoves to install in four tents to cook meals and relieve Karen of the chores.

Rocky stepped forward and said he would buy them. “I promised Kid and Atea I would shoulder some of the expenses of getting settled. I jumped ahead by purchasing a house. Kid and Atea have incurred many expenses, and I’ll pick them up, and that is the least I can do.”

The weather was good. When the last plot of buckwheat needed harvesting, George had abundant help, so six of his men traveled to the Boyd farm and completed loading his wagons. Boyd’s crops were harvested and stored almost two weeks early, even after he had dug three cellar holes. The walls in Atea’s and my home had the sills on top of the cement walls. Lumber for building was sitting on flat train cars at the spur and was being unloaded and transported by wagon to the separate home sites.

Atea and Olivia helped the four wives by looking after and feeding the men doing the building. Jon and Karen didn’t mix much with the crowd of newcomers. Jack was everywhere, and all the men seemed to enjoy kidding with him. George liked the boy and didn’t mind him hanging around.

When our home was framed and closed in, Tom hired the crew of George’s to build his home. His house was halfway between the Weatherly Cabin and the Farmer’s Road. Sam and Hilda’s house was positioned three lots from Farmer’s Road.

I had in mind a grocery store built on the first two lots, including space for parking wagons, buggies, and horses for the farmers coming over from the next valley. I sold the two lots to the owners of the general store in town. Bartering would undoubtedly occur with the farmers, benefitting both stores and selling groceries. They might not have this ready to open until June of next year.

When the house was closed in, George and Burt spent most of their time there. George built the stairs to the second floor. Burt was George’s fetch person. Then, they paneled the walls milled at the shop where we bought the boards, and they came all ship-lapped and installed vertically in all the rooms. The two bedrooms had closets built with some shelves in the cupboards. Work on the second floor was left until last.

We inherited Tom and Jenny’s two kids and Jack when we moved home. They stayed in the upstairs room. Tom’s new home quickly took shape, and he promised the kids they would move to his house very soon. Living in the Tepee wasn’t that much fun anymore. I offered him and Jenny another bedroom downstairs, but they stayed in one of the tents.

Atea was excited, not realizing how much room there was. She said, “That’s where I’m going to make moccasins. There is room enough even with one bedroom up here. It will be light enough to work most of the day because of all the windows you said we should have. Oh, I love it already.” It was what I was aiming for.

The stairs constructed were to be open on one side. The large brick chimney went up through the roof, off the center of the ridgepole. That would warm the area, and the door could remain open if it were too cold.

Karen looked at the room position and declared that I should have another chimney at the end of the house so that people could come into the kitchen and have a chimney for the cookstoves there. The bedrooms on the other end of the house need cooler or even cold. “Brave and Squaw can keep warm, somehow.”

Finding water was a problem. The spring near the cabin wasn’t big enough for all of us. Deciding what to do slowed us down, and I knew I couldn’t sell more lots along the road if there wasn’t water. Jon Pecour was the one who came up with the answer. He didn’t stay in the tepee with Karen all the time. He was always out circulating the homes being built. He was often out walking in the surrounding area. I knew this, for he had run onto the remains of Burt Weatherly’s ranch buildings and asked me about it. “They were burned many years ago. You’ll have to ask one of the old timers.”

It was a week later when he came to talk again. “I found out from Burt. He told me the whole story. He said you were a young man and did something terrible, but it wasn’t surprising at your age. That’s why he owns the cabin, and you turned the title over to him the first time you came back from up country.  He respects you and is very glad you are his friend.”

“We are friends, enough said.”

“Kid, I understand you are worried about how to get water to these house lots you are selling. I believe I have an answer to your problem. You own the water rights to that creek where it crosses your land. There isn’t much way to tap into it without building a large reservoir to draw from. And you still would have to pipe it the distance along Jenkins Road. 

“You have that big pond in the middle of your open land, but that will take a pump of some sort. A windmill could do it if the wind blows continually. You would then have to have a large tank to store it. You could install a pump at the pond along with the windmill, but someone would have to run the pump at least once a day to fill the tank after you built the tank. That would need an engine of some kind. Fuel for an engine would be ongoing and add to the cost.

“You sound like you might have an answer for me.”

“Maybe. Have you ever followed the creek's path beyond where it crosses onto your land?”

“No, no reason to. My father noted there would always be enough water to water all the cattle if this was a ranch. That is why he bought the water rights to that section of the creek. You have followed the creek, and there is an answer to my problem?”

“Yeah, I have followed to its source. That mountain behind your land has a significant swamp and is the creek's source in the swamp. The good news is a crack in the mountain just beyond your land. I’ve seen these before, and God knows how deep the crack goes down into the ledges. I tossed stones into that crack. The water was clear, and I watched the stone go down out of sight.

“The crack in the ledge is a hundred feet across at water level and is more than three times that before the creek shallows out and continues along the other side of your land until it comes to where it crosses onto your land. You have rights to that part of the creek already.

“There is your reservoir. The creek is no more than three hundred yards on the other side of your property. If I were a young fellow, I’d consider buying water rights to the swamp and the creek encompassing that ready-made reservoir. You may never know when the farmers on the other side of your hillside, where the creek runs, might take a notion to tap into the swamp and the creek. You can head them off. If you don’t tie up the whole creek and leave a section for someone else, you won’t be hurting them and show you aren’t greedy.

“Pipe and digging it in will be costly, but you have covered your water problem as soon as you have bought the water rights. You can charge so much to hook onto the water line when you sell a lot and so much each year after that. You could cover your land with houses and live high on a hog for the rest of your life.”

——————————

I stared at Pecour. “I know shit about doing all that. I do need water for my land that I can use. Who would show me how?”

“First thing, boy, is to get that water under control. Is there a government land office in town?”

“Yeah, there is. How much do you think it will cost?”

“Hard to say. You probably must tell the land agent why and what for that particular water. I could show you where it is on a map and point out where the boundaries are. That would do you the most good. If word gets out what you are thinking about doing and don’t, you might lose the chance of having the rights or later have to pay more than just for the water rights. You had better jump on it when you can. The land office will have a map of the area.”

I stood there thinking. “Would you walk me through this? I should have enough money. I’ll have money to replace the cost of the rights if I can provide water for every lot I sell.”

“There is that. Do you want to get on a horse and ride up there? It would be best if you didn’t take my word for something as costly as this will be. Better have your wife go with us.”

“I intend to. Atea and I are partners in everything.”

“I figured. I’ve been watching you two.”

“Jon. Would it be all right if Rocky Sedgewich rides with us?”

“I’m not surprised at that, and Rocky says you have been like a son to him.” I went into the tepee, and Atea helped Karen cook. Olivia was over-talking to her aunt. We didn’t need her.

“Atea. Jon wants to ride across the open land and up on the top of the ridge, Which is where the creek comes down from the next mountain. Would you like to ride with us?”

“Yes, of course, Karen, we have finished the dinner; come with us?”

“Okay, me come.”

We went out, saddling enough mounts for all of us to ride when Rocky rode in on his horse. We were halfway across the open land when I explained why Jon and I were heading for the hill beyond my flat land. Jon was telling Karen why, and Atea was listening to him more than I was. He was speaking in Shoshoni, her first language.

“By God, Kid, I will foot much of this cost. I have a bank full of money and haven’t spent hardly any.”

“We’ll see Rocky. I’m jittery about this because I’m out of my element, not knowing how things work.”

“Yeah, but your mind is taking this all in, and I can’t see you have made any mistakes in what is coming at you.”

Pecour led us across my open land and up the hill to my north boundary. We were about 400 feet from the stone marker at the northeast corner of my land. “Kid, it is about 1200 feet to the creek that comes off the steep part of the hill. 

“Lined up and squared with your marker would be approximately three acres extending the line parallel with the creek. You might as well buy that much more land. We can mark that on the land map. When I see the land map, it should show an area encompassing the swamp and the creek. I’ll mark so many feet outside from the center of the creek and the swamp. 

“The land agent can tell you what that area is, including the swamp and a section of the creek from which you want to draw water.”

We went to the creek and examined it. Jon tossed a white rock into the pool about a hundred feet across and three hundred feet long. We watched it descend, and it was still going down when it went out of sight. “That, Jon, is certainly a huge tank of water.”

We followed up the side of the hill until we came to the swamp. The water in the swamp didn’t just seep; before it started its journey downhill, we could see the channel starting in the middle of the swamp, and it was bubbling. The creek bed where it left the swamp was six feet deep and not more than four feet wide but full at the beginning of its descent. It soon broadened out and merged into the pool below. Where it came out of the pool, the creek bed spread out, and the water didn’t rush so fast.

Thinking of where I owned water rights already, there couldn’t have been any loss in its travels. The ford where the road crossed the creek was thirty feet wide at the point so men could walk across it without any trouble. Then I thought of one more item I wanted to deal with, “Burt Weatherly’s ten-acre house lot is on the other side of the hill. Will that show on the land map?”

 “It certainly should. Why?”

“I want him to be able to draw water from this creek. He may want to sell the land someday with another source of water. I’ll buy him that right when I get this under control.”

“Kid, that’s damned nice of you, you do look out for your friends,”

“Thanks, Rocky.  Jon, do you have any ideas on how to describe this?”

“I do; I’ve done this in several places where I’ve traveled in my lifetime.”

“Have you ever seen the like of that swamp up there on the shelf?”

“I can’t say that I have, but I’ve been several times up there to look at the hot springs in this same territory. That’s a sight worth looking at sometime in the future. We might as well head down. Maybe stop and get a bite to eat and then get this settled this afternoon.”

On the way down, Atea asked me if I would own all the water from the swamp.”Sweetheart, in a way, I am. I’m hoping to have exclusive rights to it. If I can, I can add some money to each of the lots I sell and get some back that way. It will take years, though, because it will only return  a little money at a time.

“Rocky was saying that the water he gets from the town is terribly slow, running out of the faucet.  Maybe I can run a pipe as far as his house.  He can have all that he wants to use. We’ll see how it goes and how much it costs to pipe it down to this level where there are houses.”

“That is like buying water rights and giving it to Burt Weatherly. You are helping out your friends.”

 “The very same.” After chewing on a cold ham sandwich, we headed into town and the land office. We hitched our horses in front of the same building where Steven Nickerson had his office on the second floor.  He was coming down the stairs.

“What are you people up to now?”

I answered, “I found a place on that creek directly behind Weatherly's property. I would purchase the right for him to draw water from the creek and give it to him. The creek's source isn’t far from my back line, so I thought I would buy the land and the right to draw water from the creek.”

“That’s a long way from where you are building homes and selling lots, right?”

“It is, and I don’t think the town will grow that much in my lifetime to sell lots to cover my open land, but you never know.”

“Kid, I’ve never been up in that location; do you mind if I come in and look at the map to see what’s up there?”

“Not much to see looking my way, but sure, come in with us.” I opened the door that was lettered, ‘Derrick Holt, Land Agent.’ “Hi, my name is Matthew Jenkins.”

“I know who you are. You are selling lots on the Jenkins’ property. What can I do for you?”

“First, I’d like to purchase the right to draw water from the creek that runs along the top of the ridge north of my property. Burt Weatherly owns ten acres on the other side of the creek, and I would like to present it to him. He has a better chance of selling his property that way. Make it out in his name if you would?”

“This is strange. I’ve never sold rights before to have someone buy rights and deed it to a different person, Steve. Is this legal?”

“I don’t know why not. Get the receipt from Matt and attach it to the paper. That would cover it. I’ll even sign my name as a witness to the transaction, but it isn’t necessary.”

“I’ll make it out to Burt and note Mr. Jenkins paid for it in my ledger. That will be $15:00. I’ll get out the map of that area. Will that be all?”

“No, I want to buy some land in that area. Mr. Pecour will show you where it is on the map when you show it to us. I’ll pay for both today before the bank closes. If not, give me an estimate, and I’ll have my wife get it before it does close.”

“You’re pretty anxious, aren’t you?”

“I don’t intend to rush you, so take your time.”

The land map came out, and the swamp was grey with slash marks. The creek indicated, coming off the mountain was just a wavy line. I knew the course it took was inaccurate regarding where it leveled out along the top of the ridge. It certainly needed surveying.

Jon asked, “Do you have a piece of paper we can see through to draw where the approximate property Jenkins wants to purchase? That will pin it down until the surveying is completed. I’ll make it easy for you by drawing what he wants with right angles so it will be easy for you to figure the land mass.”

“You’ve done this before, I take it?”

“Yeah, I’ve done a lot of things in my life. Surveying and looking at maps is one of them. I’ll need a straight edge and a pencil.”

Derrick handed Jon what Pecour had asked for, then, “What in hell are you people up to? It looks like you’re buying water rights for the whole creek. You know, in this instance, you can’t stop the creek from flowing. There is a percentage you can’t lower the flowing water. It is considered a natural resource, and some laws must be obeyed.”

I knew that, and it was mine to answer, “We know that. Let me ask you this? The townspeople are complaining about the water pressure. How is it here in your house? It could answer the low water pressure for houses in town. I’m concerned about the people I have sold homes to. Water is a big problem when it is difficult to find.  I wanted to tie it up until I see if the town will work with me to give the citizens the water they need. Yes, I want water in my section of town, and I think there is enough for everyone.

“Where this water is located is quite a distance, but I understand the springs you depend on just aren’t cutting it. Every inch of the water pipe will cross my land until it comes to Jenkins Road. I don’t believe I can stand the cost of installing the pipe. I could give access to my land, and I will. I want to turn my land into crops. It would not be wise to plant a crop if it was all torn up by laying a pipe through it. I’ll forgo planting until the pipe is laid.

“What happens if people on the other side of the hill should buy the rights, and where would that leave us?”

“Show me where the land you want to add to yours is, and I’ll sell it to you. I’ll lay off writing this until I can ride up there and observe both the creek and the source.”

“Tomorrow?”

“Sounds good to me.”

Rocky had money in his wallet and paid for the water rights I was giving to Burt Weatherly.  Steven halted me when we came out of the land office.

“That didn’t go as you planned, did it?”

“No, but I wasn’t too surprised. I do intend to work with the town on this. I thought I would own the rights and have the town deal with me about coming across my land. Now, it looks like the town will own the water, and I’ll have to give up rights when they cross my land. Hopefully, I can get the cost of the pipe and the installation of it paid for, and that won’t cost me anything.”

“Kid, see if the agent won’t sell you the land right up to the creek—that way, the town will have to pay one hundred percent of the entire distance. I’ll try to encourage Derrick Holt to sell it to you. You might get back the cost of the three acres you were going to purchase, little enough that it is. I’ll impress him with those three acres, which are good hunting country.

“Here is another thing you could ask the town for; there will have to be a pipeline to every house throughout the settlement you have started. You might get that installed by the town. In the past, when they installed water pipes in the village, they were installed cost-free and paid for through taxes. Is it okay for me to ride up and see this water with you and the agent tomorrow?”

“Certainly.”

Rocky wanted to be present when I gave Burt the paper that said he now owned the rights to draw water from the creek. George Franklin was sitting with him outside when we pulled up to the cabin. “Hey, I saw you mount and ride toward town. What are you up to now?”

“We were looking at the creek when it comes down off the hill near my border. I might get water rights to it for Burt’s property.  Thinking he might want to sell it or something.”

“Kid, I did think about it once in case of drought. Not much use for it now.”

“Well, I bought it for you anyway.”

“That’s good, Thank you. Maybe I can sell the property. The spring water for the buildings doesn’t always hold through a hot summer.” I passed it over to him. “What were you doing up there?”

“Burt, looking for water for these houses we are building.  The water I have rights to that Pa bought will have to have a pump to get it to the buildings. It must be a windmill, but the wind doesn’t always blow. Then Rocky said there wasn’t enough pressure to amount to much downtown. I then intended to buy the source from where the creek begins.

“I went into the land office, and the agent shut me down and won’t sell it. He thinks the town should have the first chance at water for the land on my property and the rest of the town. He will look at it tomorrow and then, I suppose, take it to the town fathers. They must run a pipe across my land to get the water to town. I’m a little worried they will take my land. Steven Nickerson will be here when we look at it tomorrow.”

“That’s not fair. You find water for the town, and then they will take your land to use it. Boy, you hang tough and fight them.”

“Burt, don’t worry until I see what I can do. I just thought I would tell you what I was up to.”

—————————

Atea and Olivia were waiting on Dorothy and Mable this morning. They were going into town to talk with the milliner about where they could purchase materials to make moccasins. Dorothy arrived weeks ago, and she and Henry lived in the hotel. Mable and Dorothy were together every day, mostly getting to know the people who lived on the street and held the so-called better class of people.

Olivia was a great companion to Atea, and Atea was acting more sophisticated. They seldom went with the two older women, but they met these women in Mable’s home when invited to tea. They were charged not to say anything about Atea living in a tepee. Atea’s and my new home was pleasant, but the location was still next to the tepee. It was doubtful that the women Dorothy and Mable, with their latest social friends, would ever be invited to Atea’s home because of the tepee.

The land agent came along, as promised with Steven Nickerson and one of the town fathers, to travel up to the water source of the creek that Kid tried to buy.

Peter Gibbs, this particular person of the town administration, had never bothered to travel Jenkins Road lately, where there were now constructed homes. Peter had seen Rocky in the hotel dining room, and his wife had been there for tea at Rocky’s house. Peter’s home had low water pressure, and he had a partial interest in the hotel's ownership. When the agent had informed him last evening, he wanted to observe this unknown water source. Whether this was good for the Atea and me, I couldn’t tell.

Atea wasn’t going, and neither was Karen. I asked Jon to go, for he was the one who brought the headwaters of the creek to my attention: Derrick, the agent, and Peter, the town's representative, plus Rocky, Steven, the attorney looking out for my interests, mounted and headed across my land to view the water source. Peter was riding beside me and seemed to want to talk.

“I haven’t been in the town’s administration very long. I was the hotel manager for years, but I stepped down from that last spring. I still own shares in it and am involved in everything but day-to-day management. I was there the night that it was determined your lovely wife was related to the Horns.  Mr. and Mrs. Horn live there, as you know. There is often another young woman with them.”

“Yes, that would be Olivia Horn. She is another granddaughter to them, the same as Atea, my wife. She hangs out with us and often stays in the tepee with Atea’s Indian mother. She will have a room with us when we finish our new house.”

I looked up, and Jon was way ahead of us, so I speeded up and soon arrived at the marker at my northeast corner. Derrick began speaking. “This land between here and the creek does not belong to Mr. Jenkins, but I have said I would sell him three acres so his land will come right up to within fifteen feet of the creek. Most waterways have a thirty-foot right of way, the same as roads laid out between properties.

“This will be my first time here, although when Jenkins applied for the water rights, he explained it to my satisfaction. If the town isn’t interested, there isn’t any reason why I can’t sell it to him.” We went across the wooded three acres and up to the creek. We approached the section before the water entered the pool that Jon had said was a massive reservoir. The creek was nowhere near overflowing its banks. It looked to be about four feet deep and the same width. There was a robust amount of water flowing.

Jon addressed us. “You’ll have to walk up the mountain if you want to see the source where the creek comes from. To me, it is worth it.” All present decided the trip was worth it.

“A swamp on top of a mountain is unusual, isn’t it?”

Jon answered, “Peter, I’ve been around in my travels as a scout for the army. Water travels where there is the least resistance. There is a crack in the sub-terrain makeup of that rock formation.  There is enough force behind it to force it to the surface; another thing is that water finds its level, so the excess flows out and downhill. That is the case in this instance. Let’s go down, and I’ll show you the reservoir where thousands of gallons must be held in reserve.”

We stopped, looked at the reservoir, and headed home, but not much was said on our way back across my land. Peter Gibbs was excited about this water. I could see him mulling the water and its possibilities in his mind. What it would cost to deliver it to the town’s homes that needed more water pressure was the next thing to address. There was no doubt of the town’s need if the town was to grow into more than a few homes and businesses.

Peter asked me when he was ready to leave me and head into town. “How much building do you plan on this land you own?”

“At first, I thought of selling lots on both sides of Jenkins  Road and possibly one or two more streets parallel with the railroad spur. There are twenty more acres in that unimproved lot. I may keep it smaller and only have the forty lots on Jenkins Road. I want to develop some business I can work for the rest of my life to support a family. I have been so busy that I have no time to plan my life. I at first planned to work as a wheel right to service the farmers in the next valley. That was my father’s business.”

“Well, take your time. The plan to buy water rights was good, but I don’t see that happening. The town does need it, and if you had bought it, we might have had to take it from you. Thanks for finding it for us, anyway.”

“A fact, I didn’t find it, and you can thank Jon Pecour, not me.”

I had a word with Derrick, the agent, that I still wanted to buy the three acres of land. He said it would cost me five dollars an acre in that location as undeveloped land. “Jenkins, I looked up what your parents paid. They bought this section for a dollar an acre with the two water rights on it and paid $670.00. You know you should hang in here and plant some crops on it.

“I don’t believe you will ever succeed as a wheelwright, and I can’t think your father intended to either. I bet he would have planted crops, been a good neighbor, and fixed the farmer’s wheels when broken. Your Pa never said he would raise cattle for a living and was never one to hang around a saloon because your Maw was sickly. Jenkins said at least twice that his son was being taught his trade at home, and he talked about you some. Your Pa was proud of you. I think he still would be proud if he could meet you today.

“Well, I guess I have talked long enough, and I’ll go along. Don’t worry about getting water to your little settlement here. I’ll nudge Gibbs and tell him that the town should be the one to lay a water pipe through to the town. Positioned as you are, you will be in the first section to get water hooked into your houses.

In the future, the town will bar people from using outhouses. Water is used for sewers, which will be the next considerable town expense. At least having potable water is a significant safety feature against many outhouses.” 

Derrick Holt and Peter Gibbs rode slowly away, talking all the time. Steven said he could inform me about any progress before the town came to me. I thanked him.

I turned to Rocky and Jon, “Rocky, you heard what Gibbs and Holt had to say. One of them knew my father. He had the thought from my father that Pa was going to raise crops instead of making a ranch of the property. I don’t think Pa ever said anything to me about it. We had a few head of cattle, but they were a dairy breed. He was concerned about Mother’s health and didn’t want to be far from her.

“Rocky, do you know where our three punchers are?”

“Nope, no idea, but they are always around at the evening meal. What do you want them for?”

“First, would they help me get the land ready to plow? I‘d increase their pay by about half again as much a month.”

“They might. They are feeling guilty about living off us. They want to stay here. They have lived with us so long; we are family to them. They are helping out, doing chores. Anyone needs a horse saddled or put away. One is right there to give a hand. They are bringing down wood from the woods for Karen to cook with and making themselves useful.”

“That’s great. I have been so busy I hadn’t noticed.”

“They knew that. You wanted them to ride up to that creek with us like yesterday. That meant a lot to them. What have you got in mind?”

“I need to start removing the brush out of the field if we are going ever to get it ready to plant crops. I’ll work along with them if they want to help.”

“What kind of work will it take to get it ready?”

“Rocky, I’ve been studying it and thought of something that might work. It’s going to take a lot of hours. Luckily, the brush doesn’t have a good grip on the field yet and is still relatively sparse. It can’t be more than three years, growing. I’m thinking of having Sam Buckland make me two or three hooks attached to a chain. If a couple of holes were dug to sink them below ground level, and the horses pulled on the chain, the hooks would hook onto the root and pull them out of the ground.

“If I have it figured correctly, it will pull all but the small roots, and when the ground is plowed, the plow will cut the roots off what is left. It’s worth the attempt.”

“Kid, how in hell do you think this will work?”

“Pa talked of what we would find in different situations, not knowing the land would be as open as it turned out to be, and was planning about reclaiming woodland.”

“It seems like he was a brilliant man.”

“He was.” I headed across the field to Sam’s blacksmith shop to discuss it with Sam.

“Hey Sam, how’s business?”

“Kid, it is great and much better than it was on Main Street. I don’t get the loafers that hung around getting in the way, either. The farmers know enough not to bother me. The house is coming well, and we’ll move into the bare house within the month. That new grandfather of yours is in there with two men finishing it off. How are you doing?”

“Atea and I are in our home, thanks to Grandfather George.” Are you busy?”

“Nope, what do you need?”

“I want you to make me some grab hooks to pull the brush out of the field. I’ve thought about it a lot since I first came here. I may not get the design right at first, so I might have to change it. That’s what I did when I built that plow back on the ranch. Here you have everything to work with.”

“Come over to the desk and draw me a picture.”

“Sam, it’s two hooks loosely attached to a ring. When dragged by a chain, the hooks will go down and cut into the ground until they reach the roots and lock on. The chain will pull the bush out of the ground, roots and all. One horse pulling will be enough to pull up any growing brush. I’ve got my three punchers who came with us, and they want to stay here. We’ve got a couple of months to complete a lot, even if we don’t finish the field.”

“What will you do with the brush after you get it out of the ground?”

“Pick it up, put it into a pile, and burn it this winter. Come spring, I’ll burn over the dead grass where it is long and be ready to plow so I can plant something.”

“That’s an awful big field.”

“I know, and it may take over a year to do it all. I have time. I won’t be twenty-three until June next year.” I was drawing a picture of what I wanted all the time I was talking.

“That doesn’t look too difficult. Come along tomorrow, and I’ll have something. I’ll show you what I have for materials now. That will give me more of an idea of what you need. I can harden everything after I get it built. It will need hardening, that’s for sure so that it won’t bend.”

Sam returned to the horse he was shoeing on, and I didn’t hang around. The Punchers were back at the tepee and asked me what I was up to when I neared them. “Men, I will begin removing that brush in the fields. Sam is making me some hooks, which I think may work. He’ll have them ready tomorrow. You can watch, and if it works and you want to help, that will keep us all busy until the ground freezes.”

“I’ll bet it means digging with a shovel.”

“Some, but not much if what Sam is constructing works the way I think it will. I’m hoping that the horse will do all the heavy work. I’m counting on not shoveling more than digging in only two places, about ten inches, one shovel wide. That’s just so the hook can get down to the roots. I also hope the hook will grab the root and bring it up, leaving most of the dirt where it was.”

Dugan laughed, “I’m not very familiar with a pointed shovel. “

No, I don’t suppose you are. We’ll switch off and on the different jobs. Atea may be driving the workhorse, and there are three of you and me to get the brush piled up. Doesn’t sound too strenuous.”

“Hey, I’ll give it a whirl.”

—————————————

I explained all this, what I was attempting to do to get the brush out of the ground that night as we cuddled in bed. Then I asked Atea when she was going to start making moccasins.

“Kid, not until it gets much colder. I wish I could be out there with you pulling brush. I’ve shown Olivia how to make moccasins, but she is terrible at it. She is in too much of a rush to finish. Her stitches aren’t even, and what she makes will never sell. Now that it is almost finished, she goes to her grandfather’s new store and talks to the clerks. I’ve been there with her, and she likes to flirt. I don’t need to flirt. I have my brave already. She hopes that Grandfather will give her a job working in the store.

“She said once that the Horn stores never had women clerks, which was one of the reasons my mother ran away and got married: her grandfather wouldn’t hire her. Do you think that is what happened?”

“It could be. Grandfather George might know more about it than anyone. I’ll suggest that Grandfather Henry hire her. The farmers will enter the store, looking at new machinery with this year’s profits very soon. They all have had a good year. The only thing left to harvest is the corn crop, which is later than the other crops like wheat and oats.”

I laughed, “It could be that she would catch some young farmer and still be close to Grandfather Henry. The farmers will never leave their land; they love it so much.”

“Kid, I feel the same way. Does that make us farmers?”

“It does. You grew up knowing the value of food because you didn’t always have enough, so it makes sense for us to be classed as a farmer now that we will be planting crops.”

I loaded the two-wheeled dump cart with a long twenty-foot, 3/8link chain, shovels, hoes, and a rake. I harnessed only one of the workhorses. Atea didn’t need a saddle. I put an extra strap around the horse for her to grab onto, which I doubted she would need. The three punchers were a bit late, so I told Atea to wait until they had breakfast, and I strung out on my saddle horse for Sam’s. He had my hooks in a sack to carry them on the horse.

“Let me know how you make it out. I’m curious if what you want will work. If the hooks do, I’ll make up a few to sell. I may even come over and watch if I see you moving to the next bush.”

“How much do I owe you?”

“Get out of here and go to work!”

I could see the cart and the horse parked by a good-sized bush waiting on me. I rode up and got off my horse. I opened the sack and showed them the hooks I had Sam make. “Here is what I think will work.  Dugan, dig a hole with the shovel right here next to the bush, about 12 inches, and another hole about four or five inches beside it. Leave the dirt in a pile near it because we will hoe or rake it back into the holes when we finish. You notice that this thing I made has a spade-like arrowhead at the bottom of the hole and a hook that snaps to the chain that will encircle the bush.

“Next, gather this short light chain with a hook on one end and a ring on the other, wind that around the brush at ground level, and put the hook end through the ring, hooking onto the chain the horse will pull. It will tighten around the bush as the horse pulls on the chain. Snap each one of the hooks onto the encircling chain.

“Signal to Atea to tell the horse to pull. The horse shouldn’t have to go but a few feet before the bush or clump of brush is up and lying on top of the ground. There may be a lot of dirt coming up, so we don’t want the bush to go far from the hole. If it lays there a few days when we pick up the brush, the soil should be loose enough to knock the bush clean of the dirt so we can rake it back into the hole then.”

It's time to try it. I walked to Atea, sitting on the horse. “Are you ready? Don’t let the horse go, but take a few steps. I’ll shout Whoa, and you pull up on the reins. I want the bush out of the ground but close by so we don’t have to rake the dirt back very far.”

“Kid, maybe you should show me.”

“Sweetheart, you’ll do fine. I’ll only be ten feet behind you so I can see both you and how far the bush is out of the ground.”  I chuckled. “That is if it works at all.”

The men said they were set. “Gig the horse and say giddup.”

The horse lunged forward and took about four steps, and I shouted whoa.” The bush was out of the ground. The hooks I had made were tangled in some roots, and the bush's center still had a few small roots in the ground that had broken off. Five steps of the horse would have pulled all of them out. “Get down and look at this, Atea, the horse won’t move.”

We walked around the site, and all had a comment. Atea came up with one that made a lot of sense. “Kid, I don’t think you have to go so deep with the two holes dug by the shovel. About half should do it. Maybe a few inches wider apart would be better.”

“The next bush in line is about the same size. Let’s try what Atea suggested. The hooks may gather a few more roots. The ones that broke off, left in the ground, should die; they are so small. The plow will cut them if they don’t die.”

We went ahead to the next bush, and ten minutes later, that bush was ready to pull, and ten more were lying on the surface. The brush was scattered, and we cleared those in a twenty-foot swath. We cleared eighty feet and had lunch. We came back and cleared another hundred feet before dark. We cleared 320 acres in the next ten days.

It was getting cold at night, and I wanted to pick up the brush and bushes before they froze. So I stopped pulling brush, and the four of us would come to one of the bushes, and two of us would hit the bush with a sledgehammer, knock what dirt we could off the roots, and head for the next one. The other two of us would rake or hoe the dirt, left on the ground, and fill what we could of the hole where the bush was removed.

“Kid, what will you do with all those low spots?”

“We’ll plow the same as if they weren’t there. The spots are shallow enough to catch some of the dirt. The plow will cut and loosen the sod, and some of that will go into the low places. I’ve ordered a regular harrow and a spring-tooth harrow to fill the rest of the dips. I have no idea what I’m going to plant for a crop. I’ll talk to some farmers and see what they say when it comes time. This soil is loose enough so that it may be potatoes. That is next year’s decision, anyway.”

——————————————

I wasn’t always out in the field; I was sometimes asked to go into town and be present whenever the town fathers met. They wanted the water flowing through a pipe to the village, and the only way to get it there was across my land. Before the first meeting, I engaged Steven Nickerson as my attorney. I had a lot of faith in him. He told me what he expected to happen at these meetings. Between that and the time the town became interested in the water and its rights, the Land Office had sold them to the town.

“Kid, you can sue the land office because you were the first person interested in purchasing the rights but were held off until the town was interested. You might win in court, But then the town could turn around and take the right away from you for the town's common good. I feel somehow, you will have to make a deal with the town for them to cross your land.

“What exactly were you going to do with the water anyway?”

“Steven, I was going to borrow to lay the pipe down where I am selling house lots. The largest pipe would terminate when it reached Jenkins Road. Then, I would lay four smaller pipes to service the lots on and off Jenkins Road, extending as far as the Farmers Road. I have enough cash to pay at least half the cost, and Rocky will lend me the remainder.”

“Kid, I expect the town will have to sell bonds to finance this, and I do have the ear of one of the town fathers, so they will have to sell enough bonds to cover the estimated cost of somewhere around $50,000.00. They will have to sell most of the bonds outside the area because no one in town has that money.”

“What would the interest on these bonds amount to?”

“Eight to Ten Percent, most likely. That would amount to another $5,000.00 cost a year for the town. That would be for an expected ten years of maturity. The town would have to recover the cost through fees, usage, and hook-up fees.  When someone new builds on a lot, they would pay for the water hook-up.

 “Kid, I’ll study this and see what I can get the town to pay before you offer to pay for any of the costs. Remember, the town has taken the water from you. We will attend the first few meetings and listen until they can’t agree on spending that much money. That will be the time to make an offer to bear some costs.”

Undecided, the town was where we stood while the town was figuring out the cost of piping the water. Labor would be much more than the cost of the pipe buried at six feet. The town had talked to the territorial administration about bearing some of the cost of developing the new water source for the town. Money was scarce, and it was possible no money at all would be available from that source.

I talked to Rocky about spending some of the bounty money. I had banked and used it to buy bonds when they came on the market. “Nickerson thinks I can make that one of the requirements for crossing my land. Another requirement he suggested is to have the housing plots I intend to sell platted and the main distribution pipes installed while the main pipe is being laid. The lots will sell for more if the water is already in place.”

“Kid, that lawyer is really looking out for you, isn’t he?”

“He is, but I’m paying him to represent me. I haven’t found that he is overcharging me either.

It concerns him dealing with my Pa when he arrived here. Rocky, on a different subject, Grandpa Henry wants that house lot that you liked with the two big trees on it.”

“Sell it to him. Mable and I are happy with the house we bought. Mable and Dorothy are daily companions all the time now. They will be head of the town’s elite before we know it. Henry Horn will soon be one of the town’s major employers when he opens the store and gets his warehouse filled with farm equipment. You still own quite a bit of land right on the railroad spur. What are you going to do with that?”

“I’m thinking all the time about that. Do you have any ideas?”

“I have one, and it might help us find something for our three men. People are buying coal stoves to heat with to keep warm and cooking. Is there room for three— three-sided sheds with roofs that unload coal from the coal cars and transfer it directly into them? Start up a delivery service for those people who use coal. Some people will always use wood. I know there isn’t much wood available here, but buy a rail carload of logs, work it up, and store it in a separate shed.  Mable might be able to figure the cost and the profit of what the market would bear.”

“Rocky, you talk to them. There should be more income from doing that than chasing cows.”

———————————————

Atea and I decided to Platt out where the house lots would be. I hoped the three houses we built would be within the one-acre division. I was close, and when the Surveyor came to the lots that were not exactly square, no objections were made, and the lots were platted that way. Atea was happy being out with me, and we worked together. People did go by and would stop and talk. That was okay, especially since Atea had gotten over being uncomfortable about her being genuinely white.

It was three-quarters mile from Weatherly’s cabin to the Farmer’s Road.  Why was I concentrating on this? I made up my mind that I was going to have a water and sewer line laid off-center of Jenkins Road. I hadn’t sold any lots opposing directly across from this side yet. I hired a surveyor, and the plat was completed and filed with the town.

As soon as water and sewer were available, and sewer pipe was attached to the town sewer line, the backhouses were to be declared unlawful. The lay of the land would handle separate lines, water, and sewer. Jenkins Road was wide enough for the pipelines to lay, so when each lot was sold and the house was built, they hooked on without tearing up any great amount of Jenkins Road.

Sam’s three girls often came out to chat with Atea. There was only one of these that was older than Atea. When Atea was asked about being married, I think she shared a few more details than needed. I paid no attention, thinking Atea had missed much of growing up as she had.

Jenny Horn was a great help to Atea. She had been the head of the household when Tom was off selling for his father’s store, sometimes for months at a time. If Jenny went shopping or Karen or the men we lived with needed something, Atea would ask Jenny to help and go with her. She helped Atea to shop, and Jennifer, her daughter, was taught to shop at the same time.

Olivia spent her time with her Grandfather, Henry. She wanted to work in the store when it opened its doors. Atea often was there where the store was taking shape with her cousin. Still, she was sometimes bored because when Olivia was assigning inventory to a specific warehouse, Atea couldn’t understand the numbers and letters she used in the inventory system.

“I had sympathy, “Sweetheart. I know you get frustrated, but you came late to see how white people organize their goods and their lives. It would help if you remembered that you know things that seem so strange to these same white people and have no knowledge about them. Few of them can make a pair of shoes or slippers as comfortable as the ones you make.

“Another thing, Olivia is three years older than you are. I could tell you that I knew she wouldn’t stay interested in making shoes for very long. Are you still interested in continuing to make footwear for people?”

“I am, but there are no deer hides to tan, and I don’t know where to find decent leather. Karen doesn’t have anything either.”

“I would suggest you ask Grandfather George. He is old enough and has been purchasing many things in his lifetime. I’m sure he knows where to find someone to tell him if he doesn’t know. Also, I think he loves you as much as he did your mother, so you can ask him anything that mystifies you. Your grandfather Henry probably would know as well.”

“Good, I’ll ask Grandpa George. I want to work in the room you built for me. I know it won’t be long before they install the water pipe to bring more water to town down across our property, and I can watch it being installed as it progresses across the field. I can move across the room and watch while the town lays the pipe for water and the line for the sewer down our street. I can concentrate better without Olivia and her mistakes while trying to stitch good slippers.”

“This is what you envisioned, isn’t it?”

“A lovely new home with a view. Kid, you make me so happy. It is exactly what I want.”

Chapter Ten

I sat around talking with Atea. After a while, I went and made coffee. We had oatmeal cookies that Jack had brought from Karen yesterday. I heard a horse in the yard. I looked out, and it was Dorothy Horn in Mable’s buggy. I stepped out of the house and tied the horse to a hitching post.

“What are you doing here so early, Grandmother?”

“I’d like you and Atea to go into the bank with me. I want to find out about making a major purchase and want you to see what you think about it. If you aren’t busy, would you go in with me? It would be good for Atea to avoid being hunched over her work. I’ll bet she has been at it for hours.”

“Come in and ask her. Should we dress up, or our work clothes okay?”

“It wouldn’t do any harm. I suppose you will be wearing your buckskin coat to cover the gun you will be wearing. I’m not criticizing what you do; I'm just commenting.”

“Speak to Atea so she wears a pretty dress. She is in her Indian clothes today. That’s a habit I can’t get her out of.”

“Grandmother, I will be right out. I know how much you like to see me dressed like other white people.”

“Maybe you wear them to show off how good you are at making items out of skins.”

“I prefer to dress in dresses now more than I used to. The colors are so bright and pretty.” Atea came out and kissed Dorothy on the cheek. I handed the two women into the rear seat while I drove the horse.

When I turned into the empty spot in front of the bank, I noticed that Mables gig was there, too. Tom and Jenny Horn’s buggy was there as well. I also thought Henry Horn’s horse was a few spots further down the row. A teller was waiting to open the door to the bank. Something had to be up, and it crossed my mind. We went inside. Olivia Horn was inside laughing and hugged Atea as we were ushered forward.

The bank manager was holding the door of the large conference room. Three men were sitting at the table dressed in ties and suit coats. I recognized one of them. The railroad detective, Johnny Tay, interrogated us many months ago and kept us for so long. I now remembered that there should be an award for what Atea and I did to break up the robbery when we went to Ohio. I heard the door close, and we all sat in chairs lining the wall back of the table. Grandfather George Franklin had been the one to close the door.

Dorothy was facing the table with Atea and me sitting on either side of her in what I felt was the crowd of people Atea and I knew. Sitting at the table facing us was the manager of our Bank. The Railroad detective was there, still standing. There were other people there I didn’t know. I glanced at Dorothy, and she had a satisfied smile as if she had a secret.

The detective was the first to speak. “People, you know, the more prominent firms and businesses are, we are apt to forget things that have happened in the past. I am here to address one of those things. One large bank and one railroad system forgot two citizens. We are here today to correct the oversight. Mrs. Dorthy Horn sent me a letter informing me of an oversight and wanted it corrected.

“This was about a bank robbery that happened three months ago. A Bank Employee was killed in the robbery. The robbery was interrupted when Mrs. Horn was relieved of her oversized purse just within a few days of acquiring said purse. It contained a Brooch that had just been returned to her. It also held a last note informing that her daughter, Emma, was dying from the cold. Her Husband, George Franklin, Althea’s father, had already died from the cold a few hours previous, but Emma said in the note that she hoped Dorothy’s granddaughter, Althea, would survive.

“Her last hope was that somehow someone would find Althea and rescue her. Before Althea did die, an Indian hunting party came along, and one brave carried the child home and gave it to his squaw to love and care for as she had just lost her own Papoose. When she removed the child’s clothes, she discovered a woman’s brooch, the note, and a man’s silver watch tied to the child’s leg.”

“Atea Jenkins, would you like to relate a little about your life and how you came to return the brooch that belonged to Emma’s mother? Also, tell me how you and her found each other?”

Atea stood up, and I was proud of her. “I will. I met Kid Jenkins when I was ten years old. He was a boy of 15 years at that time. I was living with my Indian mother. My mother was camped with two other squaws while their braves were away hunting. My mother was pregnant by my mother’s Brave. He never returned to our camp, and we only had our Indian grandfather to hunt for food with an old musket.

“He was out hunting, and we heard the musket go off. We hoped he had meat to bring to camp because we were so low on food. It was a long time since grandfather didn’t come to camp. I was the oldest of the other Indian children, and we all went toward where we heard the gun go off. We met an almost man riding his horse, pulling our dead horse that had fallen and broken its leg. Grandfather had to kill it, and that’s what happened.

“The new person to us was named Kid, stayed with us overnight while Mother and the two other squaws cut up the meat from the dead horse. The kid was white, but we weren’t scared of him. We didn’t see him again until we were starving. We thought we knew where he lived at a cattle ranch, the only other bunch of people close by we knew of on the next mountain. Grandfather was frail because he had shared most of his food with us kids.

One day, we heard someone on our trail, and scared, we ran and hid. We saw that it was the one who had helped Grandfather bring in our dead horse to eat. We ran out and welcomed him. Kid remembered after a time that if our braves hadn’t returned, we would be hungry again, and we were.  Kid had brought a horse loaded with food. There was a lot of beef and flour and many vegetables. I discovered Kid had built equipment to make a garden for the ranches.”

“I wanted to thank him, so I made him new boots. I was learning how to do this and took special care of it. Not long after that, the two other braves who had been away returned and took everyone but Mother, Jack, and our Indian Grandfather back to the Reservation. Before they left, they brought mother’s tepee up, and I lived in that four years before moving to town to learn how to live as a white person.” Atea stopped talking and looked at Dorothy. “Grandma, I talk too much; you talk.”

“You do talk a lot. Let’s let the Detective who investigated tell what he found out when the man on the train was killed and the two men you and Kid shot. We were tired and hungry and stuck in that damned train station for hours and hours.”

“Sorry about that, Mrs. Horn, but getting the right people into place to investigate takes time.”

“I wouldn’t wonder after interrogating us the next day. At least we didn’t have to go back for the trial of the two men. I heard you make excuses for us living so far away; returning and getting there would be difficult. It took a little nudge from me to remind you of your statement about a reward and commendation for saving my life. When it comes to family, I don’t forget anything. even if it is a big bank or the railroad. These two deserve recognition for saving the banks money. Several thousands of dollars, wasn’t it, and I’m alive to mention it?”

“Grandma, this is you having us before all these people talking about happenings Kid and I would like to forget. Please stop.”

“I realize there are things you want to forget, but these people should hear the unbelievable story of how you survived. Look at you; you are 16 years old and have enough events to write a book about. I want to know why you carry a gun in your purse and how you know how to use it responsibly. Have you ever used this gun before?”

“No, Grandma, I have never used it before. Ask The Territorial Marshal. He has been friends with us all for years. Grandma, you must realize that many outlaws live in the unpopulated areas of the territory. There are not enough policemen to protect those who live in the backcountry. We learn how to defend ourselves. “

Marshal Brooks rose from where he was, sitting in a chair along the wall. “Hear me, please? I’ve known Rocky Sedgewich for a while now. I had a call to visit his cattle ranch when tracking down some outlaws. The widow,  Mable Orkins, Atea, and Kid Jenkins were with Rocky, who had been ranching for several years, but I had never met them. There were three cowboys with him. I’ve kept track of these people who have since married and moved to this area of the territory.

“Guns, it is as Atea offered that guns were necessary for your protection. I knew Rocky taught Kid the use of protection. Kid, in return, taught Atea the use of a pistol. Before the train incident, I had never known her to use a weapon like that. He impressed her that she should not kill unless necessary.  That is why she shot at the outlaw’s gun shoulder. He dropped the gun, and then he was contained by other of the train’s passengers. Kid did the same as the one who was on track to kill Mrs. Horn, Atea’s grandmother.

“I speak only to say that what Atea and Kid Jenkins did was absolutely within the law whether in the Wyoming Territory or the state of Ohio. Thank you.”

“Okay, that settles that; if anyone was wondering about the incident, we are here to remember today. I wholly agree. Mrs. Horn, I will turn this over to Mr. Elmer Collins, Manager of the Bank here in town. This bank is affiliated with the same bank in Ohio whose courier was robbed and killed. I also approached the powers that be who owned the railroad where the robbery and killing occurred. I’m representing the railroad in this matter.”

“Thanks for addressing the note. Detective.”

“To get on with this, Elmer, please take over.”

“Thank you. The Bank here in town, with its headquarters in Ohio, has come up with a little award to thank the couple for their good deeds. I’m to present you with a check for $1500 each. That’s $1000 from Ohio Bank and $500 from the bank here. I have done business with Atea and Matt Jenkins almost since the day they arrived here from up north. They are the bank's clients and a real asset to our community. It would be enough funds if they built a couple more houses out on Jenkins Road. I understand there are still lots for sale there.

“The Railroad also has contributed to this couple. Atea and Matthew each will carry a pass to ride on this line free of charge for the rest of their lives. I think you can say that it is a gift that will go on giving for many years. A framed commendation will also be sent to them as soon as it has been printed. I thank Mrs. Dorothy Horn for resolving this matter by reminding us we were remiss in not attending to it sooner.”

“Thank you, Elmer. If anyone here would like a sweet something, I have engaged the hotel where I live to have coffee, tea, or coca ready with donuts and buns for a quick mid-morning repast before lunch is served. See you there.”

There were other guests in the hotel for their morning snack. One was Mrs. Brunell, owner of the dress shop. “Hello, Dorothy. Is this your granddaughter who stitches the Indian footwear I have seen on several of my clients? They all rave about them, complimenting on how comfortable they are?”

“Stella, it is.  Her biggest problem is to find workers to stitch them. She always has many orders for these shoes ahead of her. Atea has tried to explain to the people who have come in applying for the job that the stitches are to be evenly spaced to make them strong and, of course, attractive at the same time.”

“Atea, how many workers do you need?”

“The room where I work has room for eight workers. My Brave built it just for me, just how I needed it, with plenty of light and warmth during winter. My Grandfather Franklin found a source for the leather for me. It is somewhere in the east. The company sent me a sample of sheep skins. I’ll make slippers for inside wear as soon as I figure out the design. I know some Indian tribes made slippers from the hides of Mountain Sheep, but I have never even seen any of them.”

“I’m sure you will make something that will sell that is warm and comfortable. Please bring me a pair to look at when you finish a pair or two. I might stock the slippers.”

 “I will, Mrs. Brunell.”

I observed this exchange between the women. Atea came rushing to me with joy showing on her face. “Kid, I have an order for two pairs of sheepskin slippers from the dress shop. Isn’t that great? If I can find workers to sew them, I’ll have a good business.”

“We’ll find them somehow, love. I’ll ask every person I meet, and you will do the same. It will come together as we hoped. Now, it is up to me to get my business started. I haven’t had time yet to concentrate on it. Sam Bucklin has been doing a lot of what I planned. He might want to continue as I understand it brings in more money than blacksmithing.”

“That isn’t right. It was your idea, and you gave Sam the land to move to when he was desperate for a place for his business and had to leave Main Street. What are you going to do if you don’t repair wheels?”

“Atea, Sam has already talked to me about that. He wants to pay me for both the business lot and the home lot that he constructed for his family. I might let him. I’m still giving him a good break on the lots. As far as what to do, Grandfather Horn wants me to work for him. He quoted what he would pay, which is more than I will make fixing wheels. Grandfather watched me when I grabbed up a new equipment catalog to read.

When many repair manuals were unloaded, I asked if I could look at them. “Sure, go ahead. Make sure that when you are done looking at it, you put it back in the order it came from. The manuals belong here in the office. Olivia set up the system, so please give it to Olivia to put it in the correct order. She is the one responsible” better than any man I ever had keeping track of something like this.”

“Atea, the manuals come from each manufacturer for each machine and show how to fix different problems. They are very explicit. There is always a trouble-shooting section to help identify the problem, too.”

“That won’t take you away from me for a long time, will it? I couldn’t bear for that to happen.”

“I hope to be working right here in the maintenance shop. I might be working long hours, that is all.” Henry did have a man to put the machines into working order when they arrived, and I was right there asking questions and picking his brain. He had a family in Ohio and wanted to return home, so he gladly answered my questions. It was a lot more interesting than putting together wagon wheels.

I didn’t know it, but Henry talked to this person and told him to push a lot of this job of getting machinery ready to sell onto my shoulders, and he could return home before Christmas for the winter. I had a chance to study the assembly of many pieces of equipment and how the machines operated as they went together. In my mind, I knew I would be asked to go out into the fields repairing breakdowns. I would face this, and Atea, in the future.

The main waterline from the back of my property was in, and the townspeople were already hooking onto the ones of such low pressure. Several smaller lines burst, and the Engineers had to scramble to lower the pressure before they all were damaged. It was getting cold weather. This glitch kept the town busy, and the water department came and told me that the water and sewer lines that serviced Jenkins Road would cease being installed for the winter until warm weather in the spring.

This didn’t surprise me, and I was glad the problem was not on me. The people who had built homes at this point used wells they had dug and continued to use out houses. There were few health worries because so few homes constructed as of yet had this setup.

Building was still going on. A Grocery Store was being raised at the corner at Jenkins and Farmers Road. There was a single commercial lot between the grocery store and Sam’s horseshoe establishment that I had for sale between these two businesses. Sam Buckland had his family living in a house, not many lots in on Jenkins Road.

—————————————

Henry and Dorothy did take up the lot with the two giant, beautiful trees. Dorothy didn’t want to be far from where Atea and I were living. Henry said I had given him such a bargain of his business property that he was paying full price for this one,

This wasn’t all that was happening. Jon Pecour asked George Franklin to build an addition onto Atea and my house so Karen and he could abandon the tepee during cold weather. Atea had thought it a great idea, and I did as well.

Jack asked me if he could sleep in the loft above Atea’s sewing room. I was happy about this. I loved fooling with Jack, and he had always liked me. He declared that he wouldn’t have lived if I hadn’t helped his mother with his birth. I would shake my head and try to explain. I swear everyone who knew us knew the story of his birth. Atea would tell about it and giggle all through the story.

Rocky hung around the warehouse when Mable had something happening in the town. It was often, as she had been taken up by the town’s elite, of which Mable had become one. Dorothy still hung out with Mable, but she adored her grandchildren and was much with them.

“Hey, Kid, you have found a new interest in these newfangled machines, haven’t you?”

“Yeah, I have. Sam Buckland has replaced me with a man who is good at wheel repair. I have lost interest in that, anyway. I can earn more if I learn to assemble and repair farm machinery. Henry is glad to have me do it, for it is difficult. I am part of the family, so I might as well take advantage of it. What are you up to now, Rocky?”

“I have a couple of things on my mind. I was talking to a bunch of farmers up the other side of the hill. The farmers were wondering if you were going to turn that cropland over this year. Their harvesting is all over and undercover for them. Six of the farmers said they would come down and plow it for you if you wanted it done. There might be ten days left before the ground freezes. I think you should take it up with them. It might be the only time you have to get it done. You won’t get them to help you come spring. I’ll oversee the job for you.

“I have one other thing that I am doing to spend my money. I bought a parcel of land at the back of your house, going down Jenkins Road on the left toward town. I think I will build three rooming houses. Our three men need good permanent quarters. There will be single women who need a place to rent. Mable was into the dress shop and said the owner wanted to bring a few qualified seamstresses who worked at a factory that had shut down to sew for Atea. It is something that she is collaborating with a shoe salesman that she knows. What do you think?”

“That’s good, I think. I know Atea spends too much time sewing and trying to fill the orders before her.”

“If Atea should hire them, I could build a rooming house for them. As far as I know, there aren’t many open rooms to rent. Kid, you hang right in with the Horns. I’ll take care of these two things for you. I’ll bet I can swing a deal with the farmers for half your crops of whatever you plant in the spring. It might be a nice chunk of change for you. I’ve found a little more money in the bank is a nice feeling.

“I remember one time Atea said she would be happy if she made fifteen cents profit; she would be satisfied. Mable tells me that the dress shop is talking about a whole dollar for profit a pair to the manufacturer after paying all the costs. That would be something, wouldn’t it?”

“It would. I’ll believe it when I see it. Where will you find carpenters to build your rooming house? Some of the crews here have already returned to Ohio.”

“I know they have, but when I started thinking about it, I asked George Franklin if they would stay the winter and work on them. He said they would if I could find a place to stay. I kept thinking of any empty place. I came up with Sam Bucklin’s blacksmith’s shop on Main Street. I’m making it into a bunkhouse for the winter. I’ve preordered a coal furnace for heat. The men are tickled to get out of the tents and into something more solid.

“Dugan and the other two boys will be with them. You know it was your name that made it possible. I went to Elmer at the Bank and asked about it. When he learned that it was you involved even slightly, all he asked for us to use it was to have the men paint it white with barn red trim.”

I grinned, “Well, what do you know?”

Rocky left but was back the next day. “Hey, Kid, The bank will make us a deal on that bunkhouse I would like to use. The building is only plain boarded. Elmer said if we wanted to put clapboards and where the building needed trim before we painted it, you and I should buy it for an investment. The bank has a price of $23,000, and that’s the discounted price, and there are no takers.

“However, the bank wants to get rid of it. Elmer will sell it to us for $10,000 and lend us the money payable in ten years. That’s the last rough building on Main Street, and that’s the reason we have to paint it and make it neat. He said he knows we have a lot of things going on and wouldn’t want to tie up that much money. It sounds like a great little deal to me.”

“Rocky, how long will it take to do the work and shine it up like he wants?”

“Two days and a weekend. If I put the whole crew working on it, the inside will be fine to build the bunks for sleeping. We can always put up walls later if need be.”

“Let’s go sign the papers.”

Rocky, who knew most of these men by their first names, had a carpenter crew chief look at the building and decide how to proceed. There was one sliding door that had to be removed. The gap was filled with the same material trimmed to size and covered with the clapboards. Henry had built storage for items that should be out of the weather. There were many clapboards, so I ordered these and had the amount stored inside our building. There was also one sizeable swinging door that had to be taken off.

The two openings were identical and solid enough to trim for size to fill the openings. It was decided to make trim boards to outline where the bigger openings were enclosed. Two entry doors were cut three feet apart, and they would be installed with frames. The head man said not to use red and white for a scheme: “Buy pails of white lead and color it. Have the clapboards painted a light blue with a darker shade of blue for the trim. The two light brown colored entry doors should do well and last longer than red.

“This building is tall enough, so you will only need three windows high up in the front. You’ll need a few side windows, but you won’t need many. The flue for the forge Sam took out is in a good place, and the furnace you bought will heat the building. How many bunks are you putting up? I see there is a facility out back. You might want to have a couple more hooked to that one. One would not be enough. Please show me where the common room with chairs for sitting down rather than lying down is to be. You didn’t answer when I asked how many bunks you want to be built?”

“There is room for eighteen with two bunks high and twenty-seven with three bunks high.  That’s about it without going higher.”

“Where are these men going to eat?”

Rocky answered this. “I’m building a cook shack in the middle of the 3 or 4 rooming houses. Each worker will get a coupon if they eat there. There are two diners that I’m covering close by here in town who will accept the coupon, which I will pay. Kid will provide rides to where the location is via buckboards going and coming. Two going in the morning a half-hour apart, and two in late afternoon returning to town. You miss them —you walk the mile and a half.”

George Franklin became the Super of construction for Rocky. He used the men who had worked for him previously. The construction crew who built Henry Horn’s buildings for his business had returned to Ohio. Two men stayed, and there was room to move into the bunkhouse on Main Street.

Each of the three rooming houses that Rocky intended to build moved right along, the first fully enclosed before the third one had the foundation completed. There was a rush to start the third building, and much canvas was used as soon as the frame was complete.  It went forward only when a warm weather day made it possible.

Harvesting machinery was coming down from the farms to repair or replace worn-out moving parts. I had been reading the manuals for the different types of machines, and with the exploded views of the parts and where they went in a machine, I was soon doing repairs on my own without supervision.

——————————————

I couldn’t keep to Atea's promise of not being gone overnight. A telegram would come in with some farmer at a distance who needed a part that had given out and was halfway through plowing or planting and needed it installed. Atea got used to I being gone overnight. She was terribly busy as her business had taken off just from that one salesman who had noticed the shoes and slippers at the local dress shop. That was the day last fall when we received a commendation from the railroad and the bank.

Atea didn’t do much sewing any longer herself. She didn’t have time, even less so when Rocky began another building for another dozen seamstresses. These women were imported from a closed factory in Massachusetts. The design of the new building was different. Where the building at the back of our house had room for working on the lower floor with small cubbies to sleep on the second floor, it became all workshop areas, top and bottom, for women to sew. There were support beams, whereas before, there were walls, and now, both floors of the shop’s interior were open work areas.

The new building behind this was for sleeping upstairs and had a kitchen with a dining room and lounging area with comfortable furniture down. Men could visit, but if one was found going to the second floor, the one who invited him was immediately discharged. This rule had nothing to do with the owner of the building but was a rule set by a majority of the inhabitants who lived there.

Women could meet and go on fun dates for the town, which had grown, and there were meetings and entertainment where couples could go and have a good time. Rocky’s other two rooming houses weren’t always at full capacity, but was enough to give him a good return on the money invested.

The farmers had plowed the land before the cold weather, and now spring was on us. They were anxiously waiting for the land to thaw. As the land thawed, there were places where the winter snow melt hadn’t sunk into the ground, and they had to wait for those to disappear. One farmer of the six had plowed and decided he didn’t want to join the other five. I thanked him anyway for working with his team and the man he hired. He just grinned and told me to forget it.

Farmer Boyd asked me what I wanted to plant.”That’s up to you five Farmers. Just observing, we would be best off planting only one crop. You know what should grow well, so go with that. When it comes harvest time, it should be easy to divide it up if you sell it to one buyer.”

“Are you sure you only want half of the crop, and we can divide the other half? We feel it is too much for us.”

“No, I’m sticking with the promise I made. Look out over the land and think back to when I arrived. There was brush growing on it. Granted, my wife and crew pulled it up. But you men came down and cut what was left of the dried grass before you began plowing. Basically, doing that much, you have 50 more acres of cropland each, and that’s all it has cost you. I hope you make a few bucks.

“The truth is, I’m working for my grandfather in his company. I am damned interested in machinery. So I am learning about the repair and installation of new machines. After this first season, the man teaching me is returning to Ohio. If you have any breakdowns after that, it is all on me. I’ve been using the manuals with the disassembled machines and have done well all winter putting them together. I’m also selling a house occasionally, so I am busy. I’ll help with half of the deal when you buy seed.”

“Hell no, we have it covered. Don’t you buy the seed, and we will send you a bill someday.” Everyone laughed at that. It made me wonder if I ever would see a bill for seed.

Alvin Boyd came down one early evening to discuss what the other farmers would be planting. "They are trying to decide now. Five hundred acres is a lot of land. There is more of a storage problem. You can get a reasonably good year of about 25,000 bushels from the 500 acres you are planting. What I’m saying is someone will have to build silos for that big a harvest.

“I do have a connection with a grain company. You won’t be able to get that many railroad cars enough to ship the grain as it is harvested, and you only have a short window to get it all finished without storms, etc., ruining some of the crops. I’m just saying that getting grain railcars is a priority during harvesting. If you order more than you need, they will not only take them, but you may not be able to get as many next year as you need. I’ll try to advise you on this.”

“What would be the answer to this?”

“Your best bet would be to install a silo somewhere close to the rail line for any overflow when and if you have one.

“I still have a few acres on the rail spur where the grain is loaded into the railcars. Would the Grain companies help with the cost?”

“Mr. Jenkins, I’ll contact my friend and have someone look over our situation in the area. Your five-hundred-acre lot is the largest of all the farms in the area. Much of the acreage the farmers plant is in the fifty-acre size. The rail cars have sections where they can ship more than one crop species in one car. We have thought of having some smaller silos on our land, and we can’t ship until our harvest is over. We would then know precisely what cars we need.”

“Alvin, please look into this for me. Another thing, please address me as ‘Kid’ like everyone else does.”

It was still winter, yet it was time to plan for planting and harvesting crops when ripe and harvesting would start. Alvin did get in touch with the company where he sold grains. I decided Atea, and I had enough money to buy and build a silo large enough to store the amount of wheat that I would harvest in the best of years. Other grains could be stored in the silo if I decided to plant the 500 acres with a different grain.

I knew that several small farmers depended on their harvest for their yearly income. So, it would be best to let them ship by rail as they had harvested their grain. I knew I could hold off selling until later in the year and possibly get a better price.

With the help of the other farmers, I planted my first wheat crop. I was busy and glad to receive the help of the volunteer farmers during planting. I had sold three new house lots. The water and sewer went in all the way along Jenkins’ Road. That was one more project that was finished early in the year. The new grocery store opened on the lot at Farmers Road and Jenkins Road junction.

Atea was doing well with the women who arrived to sew for her. Over the winter, another six people came just because those before then had sent letters back to them that they had a comfortable workplace. The pay was nearly as much as they had received in the previous factory. The letters going back indicated that there were single men around. A farming community was not far, and dances were held there on Saturday nights.

Atea was making shipments to the concern that helped place the laid-off workers here and raved about the quality of the work. The work was good, and Atea never found any shoddy work. This concern suggested that Atea somehow identified her shoes, which she made by sewing a patch on the shoe. All the items had room to be visibly placed when looked for.

Atea wanted something far back to her childhood out of bright red cloth. I knew what it was when I first saw it. I carved the little wooden block figure image for her when her Indian friends left the area and didn’t say goodbye.

Mable wasn’t satisfied with this. She was unable to define what it was an image of.  Mable and Atea went to the dress shop together, working up the image with the owner, who sent it away to be printed with a smile and one small feather, with the braids of her hair down the front the same as I had carved it. The image came alive with the black ink lines. There were twenty-four images of these printed on each sheet.  Atea’s name was near the bottom. It was sewn onto the underside of the tongue. Atea had her Brand!

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Other things were at work troubling the farmers. The railroads were monopoles, and this was a worry for years and a detriment to the farmers getting their products to their customers. In the East, there were unions to combat monopolies. Further west, the large farms joined to form a movement called Grangers. At first, it was successful. The farmers used the courts to combat these monopolies. First, one side would win and then the other.

The Grangers built meeting halls, some quite impressive for their meetings. Eventually, these halls turned into more of a social place to meet. How long would these meeting places last after the original use was needed? I might not live long enough to tell.

1890 came along in the natural course of the territories becoming states. Atea had her twentieth birthday. She had been managing her moccasin business for four years. It was highly profitable, but home time was scarce, taking her away from the family life we both longed for.

Oh, I was part of that problem as well. Grandpa Henry had made me the vice president in charge of all the assembly and repair of old machinery.  I did that in the repair shop but almost as much out in the field when breakdowns occurred during harvesting. 

Tom Horn was vice president of sales but didn’t travel like he had earlier. He had two salesmen who traveled far and wide into three states. Henry Horn was the owner and boss. I went home every month with a check for an unbelievable amount.

“Kid, we are young but are getting older. I say it is time to have papooses. Steve stopped by the factory and said two people in town wanted to make an offer on my business. They have been here a while talking to him. They have been looking for land to build it all under one roof. They have found a lot on the other side of the Farmers Road. It will be much larger than what I have. Kid, I think I would like to sell.

“Steven said they would pay more than I can spend in my lifetime. I never started to make it a business. I just wanted you to be proud of me. I’ll still make shoes and slippers for you, our family, and sometimes for a friend.”

“Okay, Atea, I say sell. Use Steve Nickerson to set this into play. He has never steered us wrong. Is there anything else on your mind?”

“Kid, you know I want a papoose. We decided to wait a few years ago, but I have waited long enough. I want to be with Mom more. I want to walk and talk and know Jack, whom I have neglected since we built our home. He still goes to the attic, but I have never been to his room. I want to talk with Grampas, Henry, and George. I want to hear the old days from Mom’s Brave, Jon Pecour when she was a young and beautiful Indian Maiden. Mom must have messed around when she was that age.”

Are you sure you need to know about that? I think she still messes around.”

“You hear them too?” How could we not hear her and her and Jon at the other end of the house?

We thought all of these things would make us happy, and we were. We often went to the community playhouse for entertainment. We would also travel to the farming community to dances and sometimes go and watch a graduation program at the Grange Hall. I was asked to run for Selectman. Steve Nickerson urged me, and I hated to turn it down. “I’m only 27 years old and still don’t know exactly how the town government runs. Give me time, Steve.”

“ Kid, I’ll give you ten years before I start hounding you for the position.”

“I promise I will seriously consider it at that time.”

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Years go by, and people get older and some sick. This sickness was the case with Mable. Rocky visited Atea and me, immediately saying something was wrong with Mable. She was losing weight and appeared to be in pain at times. Would Karen come to examine Mable? Karen did, and with the lumps in her breast and swelling in various glans, she had cancer. Karen took it to us with the information, and sorry for all of us. Karen made Mable comfortable with some herbs she had gotten from somewhere.

Without pain now, Maple went back over her life, telling of the years she traveled with her first husband and how happy Rocky had made her when he came into her life. Her immense joy was when Atea came to live with her, becoming the loving child she had longed for. Her only real regret was that she wouldn’t see the child Atea would have in a few months. We made her life a joy again, hiding the sadness that we all knew was coming.

Rocky was with her constantly, and Atea was almost as much, Sometimes just popping in asking for a kiss from the one who mothered her for some short years. Mable eased away from us one night, gone but still with us in our memories.

 Mr. Weatherly passed three days later, so it was a sad week. Grandpa Franklin was showing his age. “Hell, I’m not old. Two of my people have lived to be a hundred and more. Atea, my loving granddaughter, you are soon to have a child. I’m not leaving before you have at least three. You are like your mother, Althea, whom I loved wholeheartedly. She said she and Junior were planning three babies. I also planned to play with them when she and Junior were planting corn. It wasn’t to be, But I intend to stick around to play with yours. You are God’s gift, surviving and coming to me as you have.”

Rocky was destroyed. He would hang around and talk about his early life. The tales got pretty wild at times. Nobody believed them. I did, for I was with him, and he spoke of things I knew were true and shouldn’t be repeated. In his mid-sixties, he no longer had a purpose in his life. I talked him into returning to his old ranch to see how that Britisher made out. 

We rode on the new railroad but didn’t stop in Mable’s town except to rent horses. Four hours later, we arrived at where the ranch was, finding the place deserted. The shanty was still there, but the roof had fallen in over the room where Atea and Mable had holed up against the outlaws— No people and no cattle and hadn’t been for a while. “Another happy part of my life gone to Hell.”

We didn’t get off our horses at first. Believe it or not, where Karen's tepee was, there was still a brown bare circle where it had stood. The outhouse was still there. We looked in and saw some of the books I used when I was teaching Atea to read that we hadn’t taken with us, which were now stacked in a corner. One was open, and most of the pages were missing, apparently used for toilet paper.

Rocky shook his head, and tears were in his eyes. “And the memories, Rocky?”

“Yes, you are right, I have those. My time here was the best with you, and it was great. I taught you a lot, just as your father would have. Let’s go home. We may have some more memories to make together, yet.

“Three weeks, and we will have someone new to make us happy. I am just curious, though, if you will need help birthing your baby like you did with Karen and Jack. What a tale and memory for you that must be.” I swung into the saddle, and Rocky pulled ahead of me onto the trail down. The best person in the world to follow!—No, he pulled to the side of the trail, and I rode beside him.

Everyone has their story, and this is the one that had to be told. I hope I have included everything promised in the opening.

 

The End

09/10/24

105, 846words