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  Chapter 5

  ~o0o~

  T he door flew open, and the cool air of evening swirled around the room. Dallin Walsh, followed by Joe, entered. Dallin, a half of a loaf of bread in his hand, quickly closed the door behind them. Joe, holding a small coffee pot by the cloth-wrapped handle with one hand and supporting it on the bottom with a hot pad between his palm and the hot metal, walked towards Shorty.

  “Welcome to the Grassy Fork, boys. My name's Dallin Walsh. I brought what was left of some pork and potato soup we had for supper up at the main house.”

  Shorty took the pot from Joe and, using his wooden spoon, shoveled soup into the bowls on top of what little remained of the stew gravy. He next cut two thick slices and passed them to the boys.

  “Uh, Shorty, you think you could divvy up what’s left of that bread so’s the rest of us can have a taste? No offense about your biscuits and cornbread, but it’s been awhile since we’ve had some of Mrs. Walsh’s good yeast bread.”

  Shorty glared at the cowhand who spoke but wordlessly cut the bread into slices, and then cut the slices in half again before he passed the chunks out to the men at the table.

  Buck shook his head when Shorty offered him a half of the heel. With his stomach tied up in knots over the arrival of the boys, he felt no desire to eat. He ignored the pointed stares directed towards him. He realized it was a rare occasion when he turned down food, and the men took note of it. Thankfully, no one said so out loud. He knew what was coming. He knew where things stood. What he did not know was what Boss would decide about the trail-worn pair who had stumbled upon the ranch.

  Dallin turned to Hal. “Now, tell me who we got here.”

  Hal introduced the newcomers, with each boy pausing his eating long enough to mumble a greeting. “Found them at the far end of the south fork riding a horse that appears to be just about done in. They’re looking for work, Boss.”

  An anguished expression on his face, Danny clutched his spoon dripping soup as he turned towards Hal. His gaze pleaded for understanding. “We did the best we could for our horse, only we ran out of feed for him long ago. He’s only had graze to eat, which should be enough since that’s all wild horses get. Only we pushed him hard going over the Front Range where there wasn’t much for him. That’s why, once we got to these valleys where we saw there’s good grass, we decided to look for work here.”

  Dallin folded his arms and nodded. “There’s plenty of grass this way with a lot of nutrition that’s healthy for livestock. That’s why several of us ranch up here, in spite of the long, harsh winters.”

  Will sat up straight and looked at Dallin. “We’re from east of Colorado Springs, sir. We’re used to snow.” He turned to his brother for confirmation. “Right, Danny? We’re not afraid of cold and snow.”

  Dallin offered him an indulgent smile. “I appreciate knowing the thought of snow doesn’t bother you. However, there’s a difference between snow on the plains and snow in these high mountain valleys. Up here, it gets really deep. You’ll think spring is never going to come, winter lasts so long. Now, what I need to know is, what kind of experience do you two have? What did you do before you came here?”

  The boys looked at each other before Danny spoke. “Our folks had a farm before they both died a couple of years back. Afterwards, we went to live with a great aunt in Golden, but then she died, too. After the funeral, our uncle from back east told us we had to get out of the house and find work in town, because he was selling it. He just got on the train after the funeral and left us locked out the house. We tried looking for work for a few months, but no one wanted to hire us permanent. At least, not for enough money so we could pay for a room and have enough to eat. We tried sleeping in back alleys and searching waste cans for food. Then a group of hooligans started following us, demanding part of any money we earned so they wouldn’t beat us up.”

  Will picked up the story. “That’s when we ran away, huh, Danny? We found an old man who hired us to plough his vegetable garden and plant it, only he didn’t have any money. He gave us Chester. He didn’t have a big pasture and he couldn’t afford the feed, plus Chester is getting old. He didn’t want to have to bury him when he died. Gave us some food and a shovel—you know, for when Chester’s time runs out.”

  Buck watched as Dallin rolled his eyes in response to the story of how they came by the horse. Not only were they two desperate boys on the cusp of manhood needing a place to light, but they had a horse near the end of his usefulness.

  Dallin shook his head before he locked gazes with Hal for several seconds. He inhaled deeply then released his breath as he looked again at the Layton boys. “You can stay here for a few days, boys, to rest up. As for something permanent, I don’t know. I’ll have to think about whether or not I can take you on. We’ve already got our supplies in for the winter, because once we get busy with roundup and then the snow comes, it isn’t often we can get to the nearest town before spring. Truth is, we don’t really need any more men right now, all except an experienced cowhand for a few weeks before snow flies to help us with the roundup. I could maybe take on one of you, but…”

  Buck used his arms to leverage himself out of his bunk. All eyes turned to him when his feet hit the floor with a loud thump. “Take them both on, Boss. I’ll leave so’s there’s room for them. It’s not right separating brothers.”

  An expression of astonishment on his face, Dallin dropped his hands to his side and turned to Buck. “Hold on a minute, Buck. No one said anything about you needing to leave. I’m not trying to talk someone into going so they can stay.”

  Buck reached for his boots and leaned against the wall as he tugged the first one on. “I know. I’m offering. It’s about time I get on with my life, anyways. I’ll draw my pay and be out of here tomorrow.”

  “What do you mean? I thought you were happy here. Did I say something that upset you?”

  Buck shook his head as he reached for the second boot. “Nope, Boss, you’ve been the best boss a man could work for. You did more than right by me when I came straggling in here like these two. You made a place for me, even though we soon figured out I wasn’t no good at leaping off a horse to tie a calf for branding.”

  “Then why do you want to go, Buck? Explain so I understand why all of a sudden you’re ready to high-tail it out of here.”

  Buck stood up and took a few steps closer toward both Hal and Dallin. “I like it here real well, Boss. But it was one thing when there were only men on the ranch who worked hard and enjoyed an occasional weekend in town shopping and visiting with the women, you know? Now, both you and Hal went and got yourselves married to some really nice ladies. We got them and Mrs. Walsh’s youngsters from her first marriage on the ranch now, and hear-tell both your wives will be bringing new babies into the world come spring. Things just aren’t the same. It’s got me to thinking maybe I’m missing out on something, that there’s more to life than what I thought.”

  “Where do you plan on going, Buck?”

  Buck turned to Hal, who had asked the question. From the way Hal eyed him, he guessed his foreman and friend already had his suspicions.

  “Figured I’d head towards Wildcat Ridge. Way I figure, with all those widows, I can find work since they could use a handyman of sorts.”

  Buck watched Hal, a wide grin on his face, lean back against the wall and scratch his chin. “Your choice of Wildcat Ridge wouldn’t have anything to do with a cute little redhead that likes to talk a lot, would it?”

  Buck glared at his foreman. Dang that Hal. He always did have a way of figuring things out. He next turned to the other men in the room. Shorty, his arms folded while he clutched his ladle like a scepter, glared at him. Buck realized everyone stared back at him, full of anticipation, waited for his answer. He hadn’t told any of them about Hilaina, because he did not want to put up with the teasing. He knew if he said anything now, they would give him an earful of
harassment with both barrels.

  Dallin leaned towards Hal. “What did I miss? What woman are you two talking about?”

  “Remember the young woman Buck was with the whole time he was at the dance before the horse auction? That one. She first found him outside the mercantile and wanted to know his name, if he was married, and if he wanted to be married. Buck told her no. Maybe he’s changed his tune since then.”

  Shorty tossed his ladle into the cast iron pan that had held their stew. “Spill the beans, Buck. This about a woman—the one Hal’s asked you about? The one you never whispered nary a word to us about the whole time you’ve been back from getting them horses?”

  Resigned to the reaction that would come, Buck heaved a sigh. “Maybe.”

  The room exploded with hoots and heckling from the men. The more they commented about how Buck had been carrying a torch for some woman and never said a word about it, the more Buck felt the annoyance build up within him. He grabbed his jacket and stepped towards the door. He gritted his teeth as Shorty called out to him.

  “No sense walking away mad, Buck. We’re curious about one thing, though. You’re always dancing with girls when we go to town. What makes this one so special that you’ll leave a good job and travel the next state over to see her?”

  Buck turned back as he shrugged his jacket onto his shoulders. “Unlike you galoots, who don’t know a good thing when you hear it, she likes my whistling. It reminds her of her pa who got killed in that big mine disaster earlier this year.” Buck started once more towards the door.

  “If you love her so much, why didn’t you bring her here like Boss and Hal brought their women?”

  His hands on his hips, Buck turned back and faced the men. “First of all, it was no sure thing that Boss would tolerate Hal bringing a wife to the ranch when he showed up with her in Curdy’s Crossing and announced they were getting married. Second, her ma has her mind set on staying in Wildcat Ridge so when her time comes, she can be buried close to her husband. Hilaina refuses to leave her ma on her own, even if it means passing up on getting married. Can’t fault a woman for not being willing to leave family behind.” The twitch in his cheek revealed the emotions Buck struggled to hold in check. He turned once again and jerked the door open. “I’ll go look to the horse.”

  Danny jumped to his feet. “It’s our horse, mister. We…we don’t want to be a bother. We’ll take care of him.”

  Buck twisted back to face the boys with a sympathetic smile. “I’m sure you know how to tend to your horse. But, until I leave, I’m the wrangler here, and I’m in charge of the barn. I promise, I’ll take real good care of Chester while you boys get settled in.”

  ~o0o~

  Sometime later, while still in the barn, Buck glanced up as Dallin approached him. He turned back to the bridle he had been inspecting in the light of a lantern. “Look at this, Boss. This leather is about worn through in several places. Someone’s going to have to teach those boys how to mend tack if they don’t already know.”

  “You’re going to have to teach them, Buck. I don’t want you leaving tomorrow. I already told the boys they can stay. I’ll put them to work. Problem is, I don’t know what they can handle, which is why I need you to stick around until at least the end of the month. I need you to teach them as much as you can. Unfortunately, you know as well as I do, neither one of them is ready to take on a roundup. I’ll have to leave them here for Mrs. Walsh to watch over while we’re gone.”

  “Season’s getting late, Boss. If I’m going to get into Wildcat Ridge before the snow piles in too deep, I need to travel soon.”

  “I know. I’ll get you out of here in plenty of time. Until then, I need you to show those two everything you do and what’s expected of them. If they were raised on the farm, I’ve hopes they can take over the plowing and field work for the crops I raise to get our animals through the winter. They also need to plow two gardens for the women. I also want time to get you set up before you go.”

  “I won’t need much, Boss. I’ll need a horse, since the one I came with is gone.”

  “I know. I haven’t got it all worked out in my mind yet, but I figure I’ll give you Mabel. She’s not the youngest mare, but she still has a lot of good years in her. Charley, too. Might as well, since you’re the only one who can work with that stubborn mule. Those two team up so well, I thought about sending a wagon. Then again, I think you’d be better off with being given enough money to buy a used one once you get to Evanston, or maybe better yet, Curdy’s Crossing. You’ve done a good job of cutting and hauling firewood to keep the ranch in fuel over the winter, Buck. I figure those widows might not have much money, but as cold as it gets up in those Uinta Mountains, they’ll find a way to pay for someone to haul in wood or coal for them.”

  “Hadn’t thought of hauling wood and coal, but that’s a good idea, Boss.”

  “Between that and the handyman work, you should be all right. I know a lot of that coal they mine east of Evanston goes to the railroad, but if they sell it to the public, maybe you can haul a load into Wildcat Ridge for those with coal stoves. You’ll have to work out the details when you get into Wyoming—buy in Evanston and haul from there, or buy in Curdy’s Crossing and buy off the train.”

  Buck dropped his hands to his side and turned towards Dallin. “You’ve got a plan already worked out. I haven’t even gotten that far with my thinking.”

  Dallin took a deep breath. “Buck, stop worrying about the Layton boys. I’ll keep them on as long as they stay willing to work.” He paused. “My guess is this whole situation has tied you in knots because of your brother. Am I right?”

  Buck heaved a sigh and looked away. “I suppose. I still feel guilty leaving Teddy behind.”

  “From what I recall, he was several years younger than you—too young for you to take him with you, especially with you not knowing where you’d end up. You had no way of knowing your uncle would lose his farm and take off to parts unknown without telling anyone where he was headed.”

  Buck hooked the bridle on a nail and picked up a brush. He turned to Chester, still munching oats, to give him a second brushing. “I don’t know why I’m so stupid I can’t learn to read or write. Even with Hal trying to teach me, I never could pick it up. I should have written to Teddy sooner. Maybe then I’d know where they went.”

  “Hal wrote a letter for you, if I recall. Then, after you’d been here a few years, you took some time off to go back yourself to look for him. You did what you could, Buck.”

  Buck shook his head. “Not good enough. I still don’t know where my brother is. Don’t know if he’s dead or alive.”

  Silence hung in the air between them for several seconds before Dallin spoke. “I know you’ll keep looking for him, Buck. In the meantime, I need you to take these two under your wing like you’ve done my Jamie. Jamie’s going to miss you. Try to convince those boys I will be counting on them to be a good example and a friend to my stepson, like you’ve been.”

  “I can do that, Boss.”

  “Good. And, Buck? If it doesn’t work out between you and this woman, and you decide to leave Wildcat Ridge, check back with me before you try to get on with some other outfit. Also, if you aren’t tied up in a job where you’ll be fired if you take off a few months, I want you to consider coming back here next spring to make sure those boys know how to plow and plant a field. I’ll pay your wages and fare here and back.”

  “That’s right generous of you, Boss. I’ll keep it in mind.”

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  Chapter 6

  ~o0o~

  Wildcat Ridge, Utah – August 30, 1884

  H ank Cauley, his carpetbag in hand, inhaled deeply as he stepped out of the Wells Fargo stagecoach in Wildcat Ridge. He looked around, taking in the buildings of the town he could see among the trees in the background. It appeared to be a delightful little valley in the midst of the Uinta Mountains—mountains, he discovered, were high and
different in some ways from the Wasatch range he was accustomed to seeing to the east of Salt Lake City. The sound of the stagecoach driver clearing his throat prompted him to move away. Just as well. He had had his fill of being jostled about by parcels, crates, and the large canvas and leather mail bag that had shared the coach with him.

  “You’ll need to step aside. I got to get this mail to the post office and sort out the parcels from the small freight we handle here.”

  Hank fought back the annoyance he felt at the man’s brusque manner. Instead, intent on aiding his new position, he smiled congenially. “I’m impressed with how diligently you oversee the transport of the U.S. mail. Perhaps I can help you carry some of the mail to the post office, since I’m going that way myself.”

  Realizing the man eyed him with suspicion, Hank clamped his lips to keep from saying something he might regret. “Please, allow me to introduce myself. I’m the new postmaster, Henry Cauley, although most people know me as Hank.”

  “New postmaster, says who?”

  “The federal government. I have the award letter from our territorial Congressional representative in my inside pocket.”

  “Mrs. Ames know? We never heard nothing about a new postmaster for Wildcat Ridge coming in.”

  “I would assume she has been informed. My appointment is effective as of September first.”