by Jim Cox
“I can tell from the way you talk and act, Suzan. How you walk tall and carry yourself. I bet you can even read and write.”
Suzan grinned. “I was taught to read and write at an early age, but I don’t have any royal blood running through my veins as you suggested. However, you weren’t far off. I’m from Boston, Massachusetts and my grandfather is a well-known businessman throughout the world and is extremely wealthy. I was raised in luxury, living in a countryside mansion with my mother and father, not far from my grandfather’s estate. We had acres of flower gardens with walking paths through them, and a large stable of thoroughbred horses. Mother kept herself busy in the city’s social events, and my father worked in my grandfather’s business. We had several servants; cooks, maids, and butlers to do the inside housework, and gardeners and stable men for the outside.”
“Sounds like you had it made. Living in all of that luxury and not having to do any work,” Lefty said.
“Not really,” Suzan said. “I was off to boarding school, learning how to become a Bostonian social lady, so I could marry a well-respected young man and follow in my mother’s footsteps.”
“What caused you to come out here? Sounds like you had a good life in Boston.”
“My father was never satisfied working for Grandfather. They were in constant arguments on how the business should be operated, so in the heat of one of those arguments, Father resigned and responded to a local newspaper article about the gold rush in California. Within a few days, he and I boarded a ship which would be sailing around the tip of South America and up the California coastline to San Francisco. We hired two men in San Francisco to guide us to the gold fields, but they turned out to be scoundrels. They brought us to this dilapidated cabin, robbed us of our money and horses, and left us stranded.”
“What happened to your pa, Suzan?”
She put her head down and shook her head. “I’m not sure. He left on foot to find help and said he’d be back for me in a day or two, but that was over two weeks ago,” she paused. “He must have gotten lost or encountered a tragic accident of some kind.”
“This is hard country, Suzan. With him not being acquainted with this area and not knowing how to survive in the wild, anything is possible, especially if he didn’t have a horse.” She nodded.
“How about your ma? How come she ain’t with you?”
“She and Father got into an argument because he terminated his employment with Grandfather’s company. When Father told Mother the three of us would be heading to California in search of gold and become financially independent of Grandfather, she became belligerent and moved into Grandfather’s house. That’s the last time I saw her. Being an adventurous person, I came with Father.”
The two sat drinking coffee and talking well into the night. Lefty told of his growing up days on the little ranch in Pecos and how he got gold-fever when Hide came to the ranch. He explained his stay in San Francisco and his trip with Shorty into the mountains after gold. Suzan asked if he had found gold and he answered by saying he had seven bags in his saddlebags.
Suzan told of her past; her schooling, her vacation trips to other parts of the world, the family’s social events, and many other happenings in her life, which all sounded great to Lefty but to Suzan it was no big deal.
Lefty banked the fire for the night and suggested they go to bed. He was laying his bedroll out, and Suzan was heading for the curtain when she stopped and turned. “You might consider taking a bath, Lefty. There’s plenty of water in the bucket, and it won’t take long to heat.”
Lefty was taken back a little with Suzan’s comment but got the idea she was telling him he smelled and needed to bathe. It wasn’t long until the wash pan was full of hot water and Lefty was scrubbing himself. He was about finished when something banged behind the curtain. Lefty smiled and shouted out, “There’ll be no peeking, Suzan.” She quickly moved away from the curtain’s crack with a big smile.
Chapter Twenty
Lefty woke the next morning to the sound of firewood being placed on top of the red embers, being the fire back to life. He raised to an elbow, rubbed his sleepy eyes and said, “What are you doing up so early Suzan? Go lay down. I’ll get the fire going.”
“I’m already dressed,” she said. Lefty’s glance found Suzan in the same clothing she had on last evening except for her heavy coat. The cabin was freezing. “I need to learn how to do the work of a western woman, and I might as well start this morning by building the fire. And while you’re feeding the horses, I’ll make coffee and cook breakfast. You can bring in an armload of wood when you come back in. We’ve already burnt a great deal of what you brought in yesterday.” Suzan paused and then with a smiling face, she said, “Isn’t it exciting. I get to do housework and cook breakfast.” Lefty’s face had a dumbfounded expression.
When Lefty got back from watering and feeding the horses, Suzan was smiling from ear-to-ear. Two table settings topped the table. One for her and one across the table for him. The settings had poured coffee and filled plates. Lefty smiled and gave her a nod of his appreciation. After eating a bite or two, he bragged on her food, telling her how good it tasted and what a wonderful job she had done. Her face beamed at his compliments until she ate a few bites, then it turned sober. In reality, the coffee was so weak you could see the bottom of the cup, the center of the hominy cornels was cold, and the bacon was cut nearly a half-inch thick which resulted in the outside being fried to a crisp while the inside was still lard.
She was returning from pouring their second cup of coffee when Lefty noticed her eyes tearing up. “What’s wrong, Suzan?” he asked. “Why are you crying?”
“I’m a woman who’ll be seventeen in a month, and I can’t even cook a decent meal.”
“Your breakfast was delicious, Suzan. It was…” She cut him off.
“No, it wasn’t, and you know it; it was a disaster. The coffee was weak, and the hominy and bacon were raw on the inside. You only said it was good because you wanted to patronize me.”
“Maybe I did stretch things a might, but you did your best, and that’s the important thing. It won’t take you long to catch on how to cook, so don’t be too hard on yourself.”
“Will you teach me how to cook and do other things western women do?” she said enthusiastically. “Right now, I’m worthless in the west; nothing but a detriment to society.”
“I’d be obliged to teach you to cook and get the hang of what western women do, but first you need to get the notion out of your head you ain’t worth nothing. I ain’t never been around another woman who’s worth more. It may take you a spell to learn how things are done out here, but it’ll come.” He paused and then said, “I’d give up everything I have to be able to read and write like you.”
“Thank you, Lefty. What you said means a lot to me.”
He smiled, “Why don’t we get started with your cooking lessons by learning you how to make coffee.” She stood, took on a big smile, and headed for the door with the coffee pot in hand to throw out what she’d made earlier.
“Don’t give me any slack, Lefty,” she said when she came back inside. “Teach me how to make coffee that western men like.” He nodded. After she had filled the coffee pot with water and placed it on the fire grates like Lefty had instructed, she turned toward him and asked, “How old are you, Lefty?”
“I turned eighteen two months ago.”
“Have you ever had any schooling?”
“Not a day. I ain’t good for nothing when it comes to reading and writing or other school matters like doing numbers.”
“Don’t say you’re not good for anything. I’ll teach you how to read and write and do mathematics when we get settled.”
When we get settled, Lefty heard her say. His mind started churning.
The morning lingered as the strong wind howled. The sky was clear.
Lefty stayed close-by to give her instructions while she cooked their noon meal. Suzan caught on fast and did most everything by he
rself. Slabs of fried bear meat and grits were cooked just right, and the coffee was steaming hot and strong. Lefty was sincere when he bragged on her cooking this time.
It was mid-afternoon when Lefty brought up a subject he’d been pushing off. “We need to be leaving out for Sutter’s Fort come morning, Suzan. We’re lucky the weather’s been good for the past couple of days and ain’t snowed us in. It’s probably gonna start any day now, and when it does, it could drop several feet in a day. If we stick around, we could be here ‘til spring.”
“I knew you’d be wanting to leave, but I can’t go until Father gets back. He should be here any day now,” she said as her eyes started to tear-up.
Lefty didn’t waste time trying to convince her. He simply faced the problem head-on. “Didn’t you tell me you wanted to be like western women and act like them? Ain’t that right?” She nodded and wiped her eyes. “If that’s what you want, then straighten yourself up and accept the fact we’ve got to get out of here, even if it’s without your pa. Western women face problems like you’re facing many times in their lifetime. It’s part of living in the west; you have to make the best of things.” Lefty rose to get coffee, trying to swallow the lump in his throat.
Suzan sat with red eyes drinking coffee. After a few swallows, she said, “You don’t think Father is coming back, do you, Lefty? You think he’s been killed or died in the elements in some way.”
After a deep breath, he answered. “Yes, Suzan. I believe he has most likely lost his life trying to save yours by looking for a way to get you back to civilization. We shouldn’t waste his efforts by staying here and dying.”
“Couldn’t we look for him? Maybe, search a few miles around the cabin.”
“We ain’t gonna do that, Suzan. We don’t have the time to look for your pa, even if we wanted to. We need to cook up some vittles for the trail and get our things packed this afternoon. We’ll be leaving come first light in the morning. Put your personal things in a couple of the empty food bags, but don’t over-do it. We don’t want to weigh down the horses.” Suzan had started for the curtain when Lefty called to her, “Why don’t you write a letter to your pa, telling him you’ll be in San Francisco. Leave it weighted down on the table.” She nodded.
It was almost time to start supper and cook the trail vittles when Suzan came from behind the curtain holding her heavy coat and dragging two food bags stuffed full. “I’ve got my things ready to go. Everything I own are in these two food bags.”
“Why didn’t you pack the dress and shoes you’re wearing?” Lefty asked.
She looked rather puzzled. “This is what I’ll be wearing,” she answered.
“You ain’t wearing a dress and those flimsy shoes. You’d freeze to death. Go put on some warm pants and a heavy shirt,” he ordered rather firmly. She didn’t move. “I’m sorry, Suzan. I didn’t mean to come across so forceful.”
She was almost in tears when she responded, “I don’t have anything to wear but a dress and these shoes I’m wearing. They’ll have to do.”
Lefty thought for a minute and then went to Shorty’s bag in the corner. Not long afterward, he handed Suzan a pile of Shorty’s clothes including long wool underwear, a wool shirt, a pair of those funny looking pants with a bib and shoulder straps, and a pair of his clodhopper boots. He also handed her Shorty’s sweat-stained, out of shape hat. “You don’t expect me to wear these garments, do you? I’d look terrible in them. They’re not made for a woman.”
“We ain’t going to no style show, Suzan. We’re dressing as warm as possible to keep from freezing to death. And even at that, we’ll be lucky to survive the trip to Sutter’s Fort.” Suzan had started for the curtain when he called to her, “If you have any jewelry or money, put it in the saddlebag where I have my gold bags.”
“I had some valuable jewelry, and Father had several thousand dollars, but the thieves took it all when they robbed us. I don’t have a cent to my name.”
Chapter Twenty-One
“You better not laugh when I come out, Lefty Newman, or you’ll suffer the consequences,” Suzan called out loudly the following morning after she’d dressed. When the curtain was pulled back, and she stepped out, Lefty thought he was going to burst out laughing, but somehow, he kept it inside. Actually, she looked like Shorty except the clothing was baggy and the pant legs were well above her ankles. She had her hair piled on top of her head and had Shorty’s flimsy hat pulled low. She sat down at the table where her coffee was poured and looked firmly at Lefty with beady eyes and puckered lips.
“You look fine, Suzan. The clothes may not suit you the best, but your face is still awful pretty, and that’s what matters.”
Suzan eyes brightened, and her scornful look turned into a smile, “I don’t believe a word you said, but I’ll take it as a compliment.”
“You can fix us a bite to eat while I tend to the horses and get their pack-racks tied on. After that, I’ll I carry in a couple arms of firewood, and then we’ll eat.”
“Why are you bringing in more wood? We won’t be needing it,” Suzan asked with a puzzled expression.
“It’s for the next person using this cabin. It’s the way western folks leave sites they use.” Lefty started to leave but turned back. “Are you any good at riding a horse, Suzan?” he asked.
“I’m not very good if I have to ride straddle-legged in a saddle like a man. Back home, I always rode side-saddle like a woman is supposed to.” He shook his head.
Lefty stepped out the cabin door and stood taking in the morning. The far-off mountain tops were glistening with the sun’s rays, but it had not made its appearance yet in the trees on the side of the mountain where he stood. The sky was cloudless which meant the cold temperature would be brutal during their travel, but at least there’d be no snow for a few hours. After that, the weather could change to something much worse as it often does in the mountains. Lefty guessed the present temperature to be several degrees below zero.
A strong gust of cold wind nearly took his breath, causing him to pull his hat low and his coat collar up. There was plenty of light to see when he started for the lean-to because of the full moon’s reflection off of the snow, allowing him to ready the horses without any problems.
When Lefty got back to the cabin carrying two armloads of firewood, Suzan had breakfast on the table and all of their belongings sitting by the door. Within fifteen to twenty minutes, they’d eaten, bound their things on the horse’s pack-racks, and crawled into their saddles. Lefty was in the lead riding Star. Tethered behind him was Suzan on Sandy, and then the other three horses followed carrying the gear.
By the time the sun had made a full appearance, the line of five horses had traveled a considerable distance up the mountain through a foot of snow. Lefty noticed the snow depth was getting less as they climbed; probably because the wind currents carried the snowfall farther down the mountain.
Traveling up the mountain was hard in the deep snow, so Lefty stopped often to let the horses rest. He didn’t want them to work-up a sweat in the sub-zero temperature. During one of these stops, he asked Suzan how she was fairing in the freezing temperature. “I’m cold, but I’m doing all right,” she said. But when he looked at her more closely, he knew she wasn’t being honest with him because her face and fingers were beat red and her entire body was shivering.
Lefty went to a pack horse and retrieved the bearskin. “It’s time to go, Suzan. Mount-up and let me wrap you in this bearskin; it’ll help keep you warm.” She followed his instructions, and he carefully wrapped her with the skin, covering her head, around her torso, and down her legs. “Keep your hands inside your coat next to your body. That’ll get them warm in no-time.” She nodded her thanks.
They kept climbing, and the temperature kept getting colder. The strong wind didn’t help matters. By late afternoon, the mountain crest was in sight. Only another half-day’s ride ‘til we get to the top and can start going down to the valley that’ll take us to Sutter’s Fort, he thought. I’d
best start looking for a good place to spend the night. We don’t want to spend the night on top of the mountain. As cold as it’s likely to get tonight and with the extra strong wind up there, the conditions would be life-threatening. They kept going up the mountain. Nothing suitable was found.
The sun was sending out its last rays when Lefty saw an up-routed pine tree about seven feet off the ground a few yards ahead. “I’ll have to make that do, he thought. I can spread the canvas over the fallen trunk that’ll provide cover for Suzan and me and maybe three horses.
When he stopped, Suzan peeked out from the bearskin and said, “Are we taking another rest stop?”
“We’re stopping for the night. This fallen tree is the best place I’ve been able to find. It’s not the best, but it’ll have to do. Stay on Sandy with the bearskin around you while I get the camp set up and a fire going.” He handed her Star’s rein.
Lefty pushed the snow away the best he could and then retrieved the canvas. The wind made it difficult, but he got the canvas over the fallen tree trunk and staked down with pegs, using more than normal because of the wind. The tent was about sixteen-foot-deep and nine feet wide which would give space for three horses at the back. Within minutes after the canvas was in place, he had a fire going at the tent’s opening and was going after Suzan. She stood inside the tent while Lefty went after the saddles and pack-racks. Then she sat on one of the saddles, which had been placed close to the fire while Lefty re-wrapped her in the bearskin.
Before tending to the horses, he put snow in the coffee pot and set it at the fire’s edge. Then he led Star, Sandy, and Gray into the tent and tied their halter line in the back. The two horses left outside were hobbled close to the fallen tree trunk and covered with tied-on bedding. One was covered with Shorty’s bedroll and the other with Lefty’s.
One of the meals Suzan had prepared at the cabin was heated as the coffee steamed. Both were very tasty, and the coffee warmed their bodies. After their second cup, Lefty prepared Suzan’s bed by spreading saddle blankets on the ground and then placing her bedroll on top. After Lefty wrapped the bearskin around her tightly, she crawled under the covers. When she saw Lefty sitting down on the saddle by the fire, she asked, “Aren’t you going to prepare yourself a bed?”
