“It will be a new ranch. This tall cowboy, Cole Emerson, will run it. He will be the boss. His wife is Val, and with my oldest son Rocky they will live here with you.”
Some applauded at that. He turned to Reuben. “Cole will be back tomorrow and go over this list with you. It is up to him who stays but he is fair.”
“I appreciate your generosity. Emilia will be dressed and ready to go with your wife when she comes.”
“We are happy to have you all stay, if that is what you want.” Watching their faces, Chet decided they were accepting him and Cole.
Cole asked, “Can Miguel come back with me? My Spanish will get better the more I am around here but for now, he would be helpful.”
“Jesus is supposed to be back.”
“Hell, yes, three is better than one.”
“Miguel?”
“I heard him. Fred speaks it good, too. We can all come, learn about this place, and help Cole get started.”
Fred was there with their horses and heard. “I’ll help.”
“Good. That poor girl hasn’t seen right all her life and no one knew what to do. Liz will help her and buy her a wedding dress.”
“That poor guy got pretty high about his raise,” Fred said.
“You guys may find out better, but I fear Mitch was pretty cheap. How many jobs could that cripple boy get? I bet he’s a good accountant-bookkeeper.”
“That’s my thought.” Cole said stepping into the saddle. “It was a great day. We have lots to do but we understand a lot now.”
They got back in mid-afternoon. Chet found the girls in the kitchen. He told them about Emilia and her problem.
“That’s horrible. To see two all your life is criminal. How old is she?”
“Between sixteen and twenty. I told her you would help her get glasses to straighten her eyes and a dress to marry Reuben in. He has thick glasses himself but didn’t know how to help her. He had a crippling disease as a child and he was afraid we wouldn’t want him on crutches so he limped out to meet us.”
“What did Cole say?” Lisa asked.
“I think he wanted his stagecoaches back.”
Val pulled on his sleeve and shook her head. “He missed riding with you every single day he was there. He needs challenges and he wants to work with you. He handled that job, it but he considers running a ranch for you the best job for him.”
“You?”
“I can tell you he did well at it, but here, on the ranch, I will have my husband back and I love that. He made great wages, but we had no time for ourselves. I can enjoy having him back here with me and Rocky.”
“Good, with you happy, we next need to know if Emilia and Reuben can get married a week from Saturday.” Lisa went to snapping her fingers and backing up dancing. “We will give them a real fandango.”
* * *
Things went smoothly at the bank the next day. Spencer and Jesus came back from Oracle saying things were well there. After a long day at the Three V’s, Cole and the rest came home saying they were making progress ironing things out there.
Chet stayed home the following day and worked on the books. Things were going smoothly there, too. After lunch he wound up the accounting, and went into the living room and asked his wife if she had anything that needed doing.
“No. All is well here. Your men, who came back, will be here with their wives for supper.”
“Good. I’m taking a nap.”
Liz waved him on his way. “We can handle it.”
He had lots of things on his mind. Straightening the new place and getting Cole and Val settled were two of them. His last letter from Chavez promised he would have three hundred and fifty young cross cows at the right price for Rustler’s Ranch. But they still had to be driven a good distance over the mountains to the ranch.
Toby told Chet he could leave two armed men to watch their ranch while they went for the cattle. Four of his men were good enough cowboys to be drovers. They’d need a wagon or two and those boys would need saddles and a remuda. That was another need he hadn’t been thinking about—horses. If Tom sent some hands, Raphael lent him some, and the four men of Toby’s plus themselves—why, they’d have an army to drive those cows.
That made him sit up and laugh. He mopped his face in his hands. No nap today.
Then Cole would need cows and bulls. He’d never bid on any bulls that were on that place. He wanted British bulls, not crosses on cows he bought. There were some unbred cows among them. It would not be too late if they were bred in the next six weeks. The calves would be worthwhile. Born after that time frame they’d be hard to fit into the system. They should wait and breed them next year. That might have to be the case.
Good thing he had sold some things. He had the money, and that fact amused him. He needed bulls for Toby. Sixteen to seventeen. Maybe Tom had enough coming on from the Hereford herd. Then Cole might have two hundred cows to start and that meant ten more. He gave up napping to go write it all down.
Liz teased him about the nap when she found him there. “Raphael is here.”
“Show him in here. I’ll have this written by then.”
“I will.”
Raphael took off his hat. “I didn’t mean to bother you. Could I help you over there at the new place?”
“Have a seat. I am about done. The guys have it going. I will need, in a week, to start a crew to go to Socorro and bring three hundred and fifty cattle back to Toby’s.”
“How many men?”
“I think three from you is enough. We may have cowboys falling over each other, but I want this to work. Hard as Toby and Talley worked they deserve this.”
A twinkle appeared in his brown eyes when Raphael spoke again. “Did you ever believe she’d ever do that?”
“Not the snooty girl we brought back here.”
His foreman shook his head amused. “None of the help did, either.”
“I think she realized the deal would work and she wanted to be a part of it.”
“I think Toby won her, too. They look very dedicated. But I am not familiar with Socorro?”
“It is about due east of us in western New Mexico. We can come up through the White Mountains and get onto the Crook Road at Fort Apache and drive them to the ranch. We are trying to get permission from the Apache Agency. Sarge asked for help from the Navajos and he thinks we will get that passage. Otherwise we must go northwest and take the Marcy Road and then back down to Rustler’s Ranch. That is what the stage line uses.”
“I have the picture. How many horses?”
“Several. We will need some for Toby to herd later but on the trip we will need each man to have four or five horses. Tom can furnish some.”
“When you get close to going, tell me your needs, we will have it all ready.”
“Thanks. I knew you’d help me.”
“You sure have a house full of women.”
“And they are all good looking,” Chet teased.
“Oh yes.” Raphael laughed as he left the room.
Liz stuck her head in. “Supper draws near.”
“Coming.”
Lisa went by him with a steaming bowl of corn on the cob for the table. “Cole’s outfit is not back yet. Jesus and Spencer and their wives are here. We will eat now. They can eat later. No doubt they had lots to do down there.”
“Thanks, Monica.”
“That is flattery, because I am doing her job.”
They both laughed.
Seated at the table, they ate. Spencer reported the main house at Oracle would be done shortly and in budget. Jesus said the cows were there and settled. Bulls were being bought for next year and seventy-five older cows had been culled.
“The ranch will be in top shape to make them money,” Jesus said.
“Yes,” Spencer said. “We have it set up for them. They really got a bargain if you compare it to most ranches.”
“Not like our new place?” Chet said.
“You bought that right,” Liz said. “B
esides, you have the crew to run it. And the ladies like that it is closer than the other place.”
“I am not complaining. You have it all arranged that Reuben and Emilia will get married here next Saturday?”
Liz nodded. “It will be a big deal for those two. She will have her glasses by then and see only one groom.”
Several laughed.
“That gal is a hard worker. How she lived cross-eyed for this long I can’t imagine,” Val said, having gone along with Liz on the glasses and dress trip. “Oh, and Cole told me to tell you Reuben’s books are neat and very carefully done.”
“We have another winner. Party Saturday and we leave Monday for Socorro. Jesus, you are the supply man. Tomorrow we will figure out food needs. And pick a cook.”
“Josey and I want to cook. She asked me if she could go along. She has never been on a drive nor seen that country.” Liz said.
“It will be a tough trip.” Chet told her.
“Oh, Chet, they all are. The two of us will handle it, won’t we, Josey?”
The girl clapped. “Yes, we will. Thank all of you. I asked Fred and he said it was not likely to happen, but you, Liz, said you’ll get us going. Thank you, boss lady.”
“Better get three supply wagons. No, no, I am only teasing.” He laughed at the situation.
The Three V’s ranch group arrived after sundown. Lisa, standing on the porch, told them she had food and to come up.
“How did it go?” Chet asked Cole as he was drying his hands.
“Good. Miguel has the open cows in a fenced hay field. Hampt came by and he promised us two bulls to be delivered next Monday. There are forty some open cows and when we get them bred they can go out with the rest. He thinks that hay meadow plan will work if we can find the artesian wells. Situated at the mountain base, Hampt said the water should be there.”
“Sounds good.”
“He has enough hay to help us this year if we need it,” Cole said.
“I knew both ranches up here have the hay if we need it. He’s some farmer, isn’t he?”
“It has been years since I saw his place, but he really is knowledgeable about it all. He did have Miguel show him how to tell the bred cows before he left. I told him I’d be by for more lessons.”
“We head east Monday for Socorro. Saturday arrange so everyone from there that wants to can come to the wedding.”
Later that night in bed, he and Liz talked.
“Josey works hard every day since she has been here, so this trip coming is a big treat for her. Her mother died, and her father found another woman who lied about her until they turned her out. That is so sad. At sixteen she lived in the alleys and slept anywhere she could. She had some very bad things happen to her. Fred sheltered her a lot but he had nothing himself. The group they belonged to protected each other. When he came back for her, she said she was so skeptical that he was serious that he had a place that she kept telling him no. Then she was afraid we’d shun her. We have her past all of that now, and she is really excited about coming on the drive.”
“Thanks. You do great with the women. I know he surprised us all bringing her back as a bride. But he has big ideas for the future, and that was part of it.”
“Like you brought a Hispanic widow back here to your family?”
“That was expected from me.”
“No, it was not. But I love all of them.”
“Now we are adding Reuben and Emilia.”
“They will fit in well. Someday you may consider letting him do all the books.”
“Someday I may agree.”
“What did your man Chavez in Socorro say in the telegram?”
“That he works on a commission and can get me five hundred head if I want them.”
“And?”
“Considering it I told him to get them.”
“Oh, Talley will be pleased.”
“They and some field hands turned cowboys will make it.”
She rolled over and kissed him. “So will we.”
He agreed, snuggled her, and fell asleep.
* * *
Sunday after church, his men were in the house for dinner.
“Thank all of you for the fine wedding we had for Reuben and Emilia. You did them proud. A great job well done. Now Cole and Spencer will stay here and run things. Jesus and Liz are the suppliers of food and our other needs on the trip. Fred, Miguel, and Josey are going with us. We will start east in the morning. Four hands have been picked from this ranch, we pick up four riders at the Verde Ranch, and Tuesday night we join Toby and Talley at their ranch. We have saddles and horses enough for everyone. That is lots of hands, but I upped the buy to five hundred head. It is because Rustler’s Ranch made such a big hay harvest that they can support that many.”
Everyone applauded.
“This gives us another top ranch in the territory. Spencer and Val are starting house plans for Cole’s new ranch house. Cole is setting up everything else on the new ranch. We have well drillers coming to find artesian wells to water some larger acreage for hay production. The team feels with that we could build that ranch up to at least four hundred head of mother cows. Thanks to all of you for your help.”
“Boss man, be careful. We wish you success,” Cole said.
“I will and you do the same.”
Morning rolled around and the place was buzzing. Chet, Liz, and Jesus led the group. Fred was in charge of the two supply wagons loaded with everything they’d need. He and Josey were on the lead wagon seat. Miguel and two wranglers had the saddle horses. They ate an early lunch at the Verde Ranch without one horse bucking anyone off. The four hands from there climbed into their saddles and they took the Crook Highway east to make camp on the rim.
No tents were struck. The mild weather and no sign of rain made that possible. They were up at dawn. The campfire smoke hung low, but Liz, Josey, Jesus, and Fred made fast work of serving breakfast, then they were loaded and headed east. Mid-afternoon they rode into Rustler’s Ranch and were welcomed by Talley. All her men folk were gone fencing one of Bo’s purchases and they would be back by dark. They usually camped up there while building fence and didn’t come in every evening so they could complete it faster, but they knew Chet and the crew were coming, so they planned to be back that night.
She told everyone to unload.
She hugged Chet. “I am so excited we are going after those cows.”
“I can see that and so am I. We have a promise we can cross the Apache Reservation. So that will shorten our journey with the cattle and for all these folks that came to help us get them here.”
Talley was crying. “I will be fine. We are proud to be with all of you. It has been a big year for us. Toby said we could not fail. That you sent us out here to see what we could do with this place. Toby wanted to do more than what you outlined for us. You can see what we did here. Looks better?”
“It looks wonderful,” Liz said. “I can’t believe it is the same place. I was here when we tried to arrest those rustlers. I never thought you and the men could have made it this nice a looking ranch.”
They hugged.
Chet told her, “We know how hard you work. Once we have the cows here, you can chase them, too.”
She shouted. “Wonderful.”
Things settled down and the women set to feeding everyone.
Chet, Jesus, and Fred inspected the new barn stacked full of fresh hay. It was all well done. And out back, well fenced, was even more neatly stacked hay.
Jesus said, “These corrals, built by your contractor, would make Cole drool.”
“With all those cows we are bringing back, he may need more,” Chet said.
“I bet he makes it all work,” Fred said.
“Knowing those two, I bet they do.” Chet laughed as he head back to the house.
“Chet?” Jesus asked as they walked together across the mowed yard, “When you had Bo buy this ranch, did you ever dream it would look this good?”
“Not in my
wildest dream. Even the hitch racks are neat.”
Sometimes he hired good men and they turned out to be super. He chose Toby, young, a little short on education and experience but with an ethic full of hard work that the job would require on the isolated area of this ranch. He and Talley damn sure turned it around. And he’d thought, when they first came here, that in a couple of months she’d stomp out and leave him.
Toby and his crew arrived about sundown in a farm wagon. He shook hands all around, and then excused himself to go take a shower under the sheepherder in back. Chet watched him come back out in what he called cowboy clothes. Not the overalls and brogans he usually wore to work. More of the Talley touch—starched white shirt, vest, and boots. Amused, he saw her influence. The new Toby who talked seriously to everyone, about their families, how the trip went, how he only lacked a few more days of fencing, and how he was thankful for all the help in going to get the cows.
The beef was good. Potatoes and corn they had just picked. The biscuits were excellent and the blackberry jam very fresh. Then cherry cobbler and good coffee to finish the meal.
Full, Chet sat back on the bench and said, “Delightful food. Thank you, Talley. I feel I am paid back for feeding you.”
She rose and shook her head. “I won’t ever get that bill paid. I came back to Prescott with you as a spoiled child. I couldn’t wait to escape you and your house. But I had some time to reflect on things. I had a damn great man who had lots of patience with me. I came to a crossroad and had a rude awakening. I was wife to a hardworking man who took me even though I was a nobody, though I acted like the queen I thought I was. We talked and I decided I’d be a part of his life. Chet, you won’t ever get paid back for doing that for me.”
“I am proud. Thank you. Tomorrow we head east. Your men are selecting saddles and horses for the ride. We will head on and get those cattle to populate this grand ranch you and your team prepared for them.”
At dawn, they left on the rough road chiseled out by an army team to be able to reach Fort Apache across country but still a long ways from being a real road. The day passed as they went through Fort Apache and on east to drop off the mountains into Socorro. Leaving the mountains they soon approached the village, and Chet decided to hold up, park the wagons at a campground still in enough altitude to be cooler with stock water and wells for humans.
Valley of Bones Page 17
