More than two dozen eggs were waiting to be gathered. An irate hen pecked at Lin’s hand and he had to shoo her off.
Chancy was not on the porch when Lin came back with the bucket. He knocked, and little Beth answered. She took the eggs, thanked him and hurried down the hall toward the kitchen.
Lin went around to the back. His brother was at the washbasin, stripped to the waist, splashing water on his face.
The back door opened and Sue Dixon emerged, carrying folded towels. She held them out to Chancy and started to say something, then noticed Lin. Catching herself, she said, “Etta June told me to bring these out for you and your brother there.”
“Lin?” Chancy half turned. “Oh.” He accepted the towels. “Thank her for us, Miss Dixon, if you would be so kind.”
Sue colored pink and hurried in.
“Nice girl,” Lin commented.
“I hadn’t noticed.”
“Pretty girl too, don’t you think?”
“I hadn’t noticed that, either.”
“It might be nice to get to know her better. She is about your age. The two of you could be friends.” How Lin did not laugh, he would never know.
Chancy raised a comb to his hair. “I cannot be bothered with females at the moment.”
“Is that a fact?” Lin said.
“Women are nothing but trouble. I would rather talk about cows and chickens and such.”
“Any minute now the world will come to an end,” Lin joked. When his turn came at the basin, he scrubbed vigorously with the lye soap. Once he was clean enough to suit him, he slicked his hair. His shirt could use washing too. He had a clean spare in his saddlebags, along with the object he had vowed he would not touch, no matter what, but the spare was for special occasions.
Lin settled for dipping a corner of the towel in the sudsy water and wiping at a few spots.
Breakfast was fit for a pasha. To go with the eggs, Etta June had fixed sausages and ash-pone. She also made buckwheat cakes and poured maple syrup over them. For those still hungry, there were apple dumplings.
Lin was not shy about putting the food down. Even as a boy he’d had a healthy appetite, and while his mother was alive he ate enough for an ox. Since then, pickings had been lean, and when he did eat, he did not feel the same zest. It surprised him that he felt as hungry now as in the old days.
Little was said. The children were not talkative and Sue Dixon ate with her head bowed, only now and then raising it to glance sheepishly at Chancy.
The dumplings were being served when Patricia announced, “We are leaving as soon as I help wash the dishes.”
“Must you go so soon?”
“I am worried about Cody and my boys. Whatever Seth Montfort is up to, I want to be there when he makes his move against us.” She paused. “Don’t forget to talk to him tonight. I am counting on your help.”
“You will have it.”
Lin had forgotten about Montfort coming for supper. The thought irritated him. Then Montfort was forgotten; Etta June had a question.
“How did you two sleep last night?”
“Fine,” Chancy said.
Pat forked a piece of dumpling into her mouth. “I could have sworn I heard someone moving about in the middle of the night.”
“It might have been our cat, Ma,” Tom Jr. said.
The time was right to tell them about the incident at the stable, but Lin kept quiet. He was unsure why, and felt a twinge of guilt afterward.
A gorgeous morning was unfolding. The sky was a vivid blue except for a few puffy clouds. Here and there cattle were grazing. About a score were sprinkled along the shore of the lake.
Etta June clasped Patricia Dixon’s hand in parting. “Don’t worry. We will work this out. I will impress on Seth that he is being unreasonable.”
“I hope you can,” Pat said earnestly. “My family is everything to me.”
Sue Dixon smiled at Chancy, who abruptly developed an interest in a cloud.
“That girl seems to like you,” Lin commented as the Dixons rode off. But his brother did not rise to the bait.
It was down to work.
Etta June saddled a mare. Lin offered to do it for her, but she refused to let him do something she could do herself. “I am not helpless and will not be treated as if I am,” was how she summed up her sentiments. She led them past the lake and on up the winding valley floor. Stretches of grass alternated with tracts of brush where the cattle liked to lie up.
“Some of them have become wild and will not take to being rounded up and branded,” Etta June said.
“That is why rope was invented,” Lin responded. But it would be a chore. He spotted a number of bulls as well as steers, cows and calves.
“Do you two have much experience at roping?” Etta June asked.
A reasonable question. Lin answered it by reining toward a cow and calf and shaking out his rope. He held the loop and the line at his waist, the honda lower down. As he neared them, the cow moved in front of her offspring, her horns lowered. He reined to the right. The cow instantly shifted, but the buttermilk was quicker. His horse had done this hundreds of times.
The calf started to run.
Lin’s arm snaked out. He did not swing the rope around his head before he threw it but tossed it straight and true so that the loop settled over the calf’s head and neck. Lin promptly took a half hitch around the horn and the calf was nearly yanked off its feet. It bawled in alarm for its mother.
Etta June and Chancy rode over, Etta June nodding in approval. “That was mighty slick.”
The cow had retreated a short way and was letting her displeasure be known.
Dismounting, Lin released the calf and gave it a smack on the rump. He began gathering up his rope and caught his new employer eyeing him speculatively. “What is on your mind?”
“When I met you I took you for a cowman. Your rigging, how you ride—you were born to the range. So how is it you haven’t signed up with any of the big outfits? The ones that can afford to pay you top dollar? Why come to work for a nobody like me?”
“I don’t think of you as a nobody,” Lin said, evading the issue.
“Besides, ma’am”—Chancy came to his rescue—“on a big outfit we would not get to have supper and breakfast with the boss.”
“Don’t get me wrong,” Etta June said. “I am glad I hired you. You are the answer to my prayers.”
“We will not let you down,” Lin promised. Come what may.
Chapter 8
Lin had received some shocks in his life. His father’s death was one. It had been so sudden. His mother drinking herself to death over it had been another, although not her actual dying. The bank foreclosing on their ranch had been a surprise, since the banker had pretended to be so friendly. To that list he could now add Etta June’s invite.
He and his brother had spent most of the day looking the ranch over and searching out the bottomlands and ravines where the cattle liked to lie up.
Etta June spent the morning with them but rode home at midday. She had a lot to do to get ready for Montfort’s visit, she explained.
Along about five, Lin and Chancy returned. They stripped their horses and were just coming out of the stable when Etta June appeared on the porch and beckoned. They went over.
“So, what do you think of the EJ Ranch now that you have seen some more of it?”
Lin had never thought to ask what it was called. “Your husband named it after you?” he guessed.
Etta June nodded.
Chancy said, “That was right sweet of him.”
“Tom was romantic that way,” Etta June said sadly.
“You picked good land,” Lin commented. “There is a lot of good graze and plenty of water. Tomorrow we will begin rounding up the cattle.”
“I filled the washbasin out back. You have plenty of time to wash up for supper.”
“Should we wait at the back door for the food?” Lin inquired.
“Why on earth would you do that
?”
“Seth Montfort is coming over,” Lin reminded her. “You won’t want us to eat with you.”
“On the contrary. I do.”
Lin’s reaction must have shown.
“Is something the matter?”
“He is not liable to like that very much, ma’am.”
“Seth Montfort’s likes and dislikes are of little interest to me. And I have told you before to call me by my name.”
“But he might get mad,” Lin pointed out. “He is right fond of you.”
“I am not fond of him. Any other objections?”
Her tone caused Lin to say, “I am just thinking of you. I figured you would want to stay on his good side, what with the situation with the Dixons and all.”
“I want you there, and that is that.” Etta June wheeled and went back in, her back as stiff as a board.
“Well,” Chancy said.
“She sure is something,” was all Lin could think of to say.
“I like her spunk.”
Lin reckoned her guest would show up early, and they should get ready. “What do you say to putting on our clean clothes for the occasion?”
“The hell with that,” Chancy said. “It is only Seth Montfort, not God Almighty.” He glanced at Lin’s right hip. “How long are you going to go around naked?”
“I wear clothes.”
“Don’t play dumb. You know very well what I mean.” Chancy gestured. “I could not do it. I would feel undressed.”
“If you had been undressed, as you call it, when that banker rode up to our ranch, we would not be where we are,” Lin observed.
“How long are you going to hold that over my head? There is only so much a man can take and still call himself a man.”
Lin did not take the bait. They had argued about it so many times that all they did was argue in circles. “Let’s wash up.” They walked around to the back of the house. In addition to filling the washbasin, Etta June had laid out two clean towels and washcloths, besides.
“That gal thinks of everything,” Chancy said. He reached up to remove his hat while idly gazing to the north. Suddenly he stiffened. “Company is calling, and he is not alone.”
Four riders were approaching the back of the house. They were too far off to distinguish details beyond the fact that the rider in front wore a suit and bowler.
Lin was puzzled. What was Montfort doing north of the ranch when the Bar M was to the south? “He had more men with him yesterday.”
“Maybe he sent them to his spread,” Chancy suggested. Pulling his hat brim low, he hooked his thumbs in his gun belt.
“You behave yourself,” Lin cautioned.
“I wish you would stop telling me that. I am not Tom Jr. I do not need a nursemaid.”
“Tell that to the banker you shot.”
The four riders slowed from a trot to a walk. Seth Montfort was flanked by the gun shark called Stone and two others cut from the same cat-eyed cloth. When Montfort drew rein, his gunnies did the same.
“The Gray brothers, isn’t it?”
“Pleased to see you again.” Lin added to his list of lies.
“I can’t say the same.” Montfort dismounted and handed the reins to Stone. “You and the others will wait out here for me,” he commanded. “I do not know how long I will be, but it will be late.” He walked toward the washbasin.
Chancy stepped in front of him. “Hold on, there, hoss. We were here first. Wait your turn.”
“I am a guest, if you will recall. That gives me certain privileges. Out of my way.” Montfort went to push Chancy aside but froze when Chancy’s fingers flicked to his Colt.
“Touch me and see what happens.”
Lin was watching the hired guns. He saw Stone’s hand slide toward his revolver, and taking a bound, he grabbed Stone’s leg, wrenched his boot loose of the stirrup and heaved.
Stone swore as he tumbled. He landed on his shoulders and rolled up into a crouch, drawing and thumbing back the hammer as he rose.
But Lin had sprung around the horse, and kicked. He caught Stone on the wrist and the revolver went flying. It went off when it struck the ground, the slug digging a furrow in the earth. The horse bolted. Lin thought that would be the end of it, but Stone’s hand streaked to the top of a boot and came up holding a knife.
“You son of a bitch!”
Lin backpedaled. Stone came after him, the knife flashing. It would have gutted Lin like a fish had he been a shade slower. Stone stabbed at Lin’s chest but Lin sidestepped. Furious, Stone slashed and thrust. Lin avoided meeting his maker by whiskers. Cursing, Stone speared the blade at Lin’s throat. Lin dodged, and as he did he gripped Stone’s wrist and wrenched—hard.
Stone roared with pain but did not let go of the knife.
Vaguely aware that someone was shouting, Lin swept his leg behind Stone’s ankles and hooked Stone’s legs out from under him. The next moment Stone was on his back.
Lin dropped straight down, his knee slamming into Stone’s gut. The breath whooshed from Stone’s lungs and he went momentarily limp, long enough for Lin to tear the knife from his grasp and toss it away. Lin cocked his fist to smash Stone in the face.
“Lin! That is enough!”
Etta June was framed in the doorway. She was pale, a hand to her throat.
Slowly straightening, Lin ignored Stone’s glare. The other gun sharks had their hands out from their sides, with good reason. Chancy was covering them with his cocked Colt.
As for Seth Montfort, he was beet purple with rage and trembling from the violence of his barely contained emotions. “How dare you!” he exploded.
Lin nudged Stone with his toe. “This mongrel of yours was fixing to shoot my brother.”
“He what?” Etta June said, advancing. “Why on earth would he want to do that?”
Chancy answered. “Because your neighbor thinks he has the right to shove folks around.”
“Your conduct was uncalled for,” Seth Montfort snarled. “I demand an apology!”
“When cows lay eggs,” Chancy said.
Etta June put a hand on Lin’s arm. “Are you all right? Did he cut you anywhere?”
“You saw the whole thing?”
“Just part of it.” Etta June looked him up and down. “You are not bleeding, as near as I can tell.”
“I am fine,” Lin said. Once again his ears grew warm. When she took her hand away he swore he could still feel the gentle pressure of her fingers.
Seth Montfort was still trembling with fury. “What about me, my dear? Or don’t you care how your hired help treats visitors? If I were you, I would fire the both of them.”
“I am not you,” Etta June said.
Impossibly, Montfort darkened even more. “I must say, I expected better of you. I have made no secret of the high esteem in which I hold you.”
Etta June turned to Chancy. “You can holster your hardware. There won’t be any more trouble.”
“Tell them that,” Chancy said, waving his Colt at the men on horseback,
Stone sat up, a hand on his stomach.
“Seth?” Etta June said.
Montfort’s chins worked. He let out a long breath and some of the color faded from his cheeks. “There will be no reprisals. Is that clear?” he addressed his men. “Anyone who acts up will answer to me.”
Stone pushed to his knees. “No one does to me what he did and gets away with it.”
“Did you hear what I just said, Mr. Stone?” Seth Montfort demanded. “You are in my employ. You will do as I require.”
“You ask too much.”
“There is a time and a place for everything,” Montfort said. “Give me your word, Mr. Stone.”
“I would rather eat thistles.”
Montfort stepped close to him. “I am waiting, Mr. Stone. And keep in mind, I do not like to be crossed. Will you or will you not give your word that you won’t lift a finger against either of Mrs. Cather’s hired hands?”
“You are the boss,” Stone said ang
rily. “If you want my word, you have it. But I will neither forget nor forgive.”
Etta June turned to Montfort. “Might I suggest your men wait at the stable? I will have my son take food and drink to them.”
Lin did not say a word until the three leather slappers were gone and Etta June and her visitor were inside. “We handled that badly. There will be hell to pay and it is our fault.”
Chancy had stepped to the table and was removing his shirt. “You did what you had to.”
“When I said ‘we’ I meant ‘you,’” Lin said. “Would it have killed you to let Montfort wash first?”
“She set out the water for us, not for him,” Chancy said. “He thinks because he owns the biggest ranch in the Big Horns he can put on airs.”
“That, and the small army of quick-trigger artists he has riding for his brand,” Lin said.
“They don’t scare me.”
“Listen to yourself. You have shot one person and you act like you are Wild Bill Hickok.” Lin paused. “You worry me. There is reckless and there is stupid, and you are a little of both.”
“Insult me all you want. I am your brother and I will stick by your side.” Chancy bent over the basin and immersed a washcloth. “Someone has to keep you out of trouble.”
“You are the hothead.”
“I only wounded that banker. Someone else shot his three guards, or whatever they were, and killed two of them.” Chancy gave Lin a pointed glance. “I wonder who that was.”
“I could not let them shoot you in the back,” Lin reminded him.
“For that I am grateful,” Chancy said. “But don’t go throwing stones at me when you deserve to have a few chucked at you.”
They were ten minutes cleaning up. Lin swatted dust from his denims, then took off his blue bandana, soaked it in the water, and did the best he could with his boots. He wet the bandana again, wrung it out, and retied it. Checking his hair in the mirror, he ran a hand over his cowlick.
“You would think you were going to church,” Chancy teased.
Hats in hands, they went in. Lin took the lead. A narrow hall brought them to the kitchen. Etta June was at the stove. Tom Jr. and Beth were seated on the far side of the table. Seth Montfort was at one end, and at sight of Lin and Chancy, he frowned.
Ralph Compton Ride the Hard Trail Page 6
