Deadly Is the Night

by Dusty Richards

  “We are doing all we can. We had an old barn where I kept the dry wood, but the snow collapsed the roof in. Now, instead, I have boys cleaning the snow off of the other woodpiles so we will have the wood.” He shook his head. “I hope we don’t get more.”

  “Me too.”

  They had unloaded two of the sleighs and were going back for more. Chet rode one sled back. By evening Raphael had a head count and felt he’d lost no more than three head.

  As Chet stood before the living room fireplace warming his backside, Liz asked him about his man Toby at the new east place.

  “Soon as we can we need to take some food over there. Toby, his wife Talley, and his hands who are clearing brush may need something to eat.”

  It was almost a week before they could get into town on the one lane opened on the road. Chet with Miguel drove a big team to get supplies that the ranch needed and plus the ones he suspected his man on the eastern division would need when they could get there. It was a slushy mess but they made it, loaded the wagon bed with all the things from the mercantile, and headed home.

  Reports of people lost and killed from the storm filled the Miner’s pages in the issue he brought home. Several more were unaccounted for and still unreachable out in remote places. When he returned Raphael told him they almost had the road off the mountain cleared to Camp Verde. He said he thought Tom and some of his men were making progress from the lower end. But the sun only shone for a few hours a day on those slopes, due to the winter angle, which slowed the melting.

  Chet thanked him. They tarped down the supplies, needed at the upper ranch, in the wagon and he thanked Miguel for his help.

  “When will you try to go to Toby’s place?”

  “Even if they have the road to Camp Verde open, that mountain across the valley may still be blocked on the far side, so it will be hard to get to them.”

  “When you get ready to go, simply send me word. I am very pleased to be asked to accompany you,” Miguel said.

  “I am certain we need a report about the second mountain before we leave here.”

  “I can go check it if you want a report.”

  “Give it another day.”

  “Sure. Lisa said for you to tell Elizabeth hi for her.”

  “Can do. It’s turning colder again. Won’t help our melting any.”

  Miguel agreed and left him.

  “How is your new man?” Liz asked him on his return.

  “Sharp. I can tell he’s excited to go to work.”

  “Could you see why Raphael chose him?” she asked.

  “I think he’s carefully watched them all. Miguel reminds me of Jesus a few years back when he first joined me.”

  “I will sleep easier now that you have Miguel, since Spencer Horne is your building superintendent and not with you.” She laughed. “And he’s married by now?”

  “I don’t know about that but maybe. He will write and tell us if he is.”

  “This snow is bad business, isn’t it?”

  “No one has seen the like of it down here. Up at Center Point they get this much snow, but down here this is unusual.”

  “I wonder how Cole is doing?”

  “They planned on snow problems. It is in their postal contract as a thing of nature.”

  “I am still thinking about Toby. So you don’t know if you can reach him even with this side open?”

  “That north rim may have more or less snow than this one.”

  “How will you know?”

  “If this side gets thawed out enough not to slide a wagon off into the canyon, we will check that road on that far side.”

  She hugged him. “I’ll be glad when it melts.”

  “So will I.”

  A cold spell put it off two more days. The third one came on warmer, and a cowboy on a caulked shod horse rode up from the Verde Ranch. He reported the narrow mountain road was really thawing and he felt they could make it down safely by mid-day.

  “Has anyone seen that north road to the east ranch?” Chet asked.

  “Yes, sir. Toby is at the Verde Ranch with a wagon. Tom made him wait till it thawed and sent me to tell you about conditions.”

  Thank God they must be all right. “He say anything was wrong?”

  “No. Toby said that they were getting low on a few things, but nothing serious. Said he’d stock more next time. He’s a tough enough guy. Some of us thought he was a kid. He ain’t.”

  Chet agreed. If the devil wanted Toby, he’d only get him kicking and fighting to get loose.

  Miguel was there with Lisa at his side. When the others moved away from Chet, they joined him.

  “How are you, Lisa?” Chet asked Miguel’s wife.

  She smiled and shook her head. “Fine. I never saw so much snow in my life.”

  “You’re not alone. Thanks for all your hard work around here.”

  She nodded. “That same thanks to you for my chance to be here with him.”

  “You did well. Miguel, too.”

  His man laughed and nodded. “We going north?”

  “Just to the Verde tomorrow and see how things are going down there. Toby made it there and will come here today. He can go get anything he needs in town and then stay here overnight. We can leave Jesus and his bride at home for our trip.”

  Miguel smiled and nodded. “What horse do you want tomorrow?”

  “One of my roans.”

  “I’ll have him saddled.”

  “Tell a boy to saddle them. You and Lisa come to lunch today.”

  “We accept,” Lisa said, smiling, and took Chet’s arm. “I will go along and talk to Elizabeth.”

  Miguel smiled and fell in with them. “Did it ever snow when you were in Texas?”

  “Not much. I can recall a dusting or two.”

  “Must be like Mexico. There was only snow on some real high mountains.”

  Chet agreed and showed Lisa inside the back porch.

  Liz met and hugged her while the men washed up. Monica served them roast beef, rice, gravy, and biscuits.

  “I should have made tortillas with those two here,” Monica said.

  Miguel shook his head. “I like your biscuits. I can eat tortillas at home.”

  “Maybe you will eat them at home,” Lisa said.

  “Fine.”

  “We get hooked up on the telegraph business, he might not get to eat them very often.”

  She frowned. “Are you finally building one?”

  “I understand that the government is going to be committed to help us build one across northern Arizona,” Chet said.

  “If you go you will need a cook, too?”

  “I’ll need lots of things. You putting in to cook for that crew, Lisa?”

  “He goes. I can go.”

  Miguel smiled. “Only if she will bake some biscuits.”

  “I bet she can do that. We will find her an oven or a Dutch oven.”

  “When?” Liz asked.

  “When they tell me they have it all ready to start.”

  She sighed. “I still want the job.”

  Toby came back from town, and in the sundown’s last light agreed to stay overnight. The boys put up his team and grained them. Chet accompanied him to the house for the heaping plate of food Monica had kept warm for him in the oven.

  “Now, tell me about your ranch operation,” Chet said.

  “We measured it,” Toby said, waving his fork over the plate of food. “And Talley says we have forty acres of hay ground that’s brush free. We will have it fenced before the grass breaks out. That family you sent me almost have the corrals built. They will build the big barn next and we will be ready for spring. I got worried with all the snow, about supplies, so started out. Told Talley I worried it might snow again and then we’d be in tough shape. Of course I have two big bull elk hanging in the meat cooler that we built earlier so we’d not starve, but it would be rough.”

  “Good thinking and action. I may have a source of cattle, next fall, for your place.”<
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  “Where?”

  “Socorro, New Mexico. Man told me ranchers over there have to sell several cows to meet their debts. You may have to find a route to get them over here, but if they come to the sale we can buy them.”

  Toby smiled. “Now you’re talking. I’ll find me an Apache that knows the way.”

  “That’s a good idea.”

  “We’ve been working hard. I’ll be ready.”

  “Sounds that way. You be careful going back.”

  Toby yawned big. “Thanks. I can sure stand the sleep tonight though.”

  “Anything else I need to do?” Chet asked him.

  “Talley said to tell you hi. She thanked you and your wife for all you did for the two of us. She likes the house now that it is repaired and thinks we’ll have a great ranch to run someday soon.”

  “Be careful going home.”

  “I will, Chet. I promise.”

  The next morning, Chet and Miguel were about to leave when Jesus rode in. “I am coming along, too.”

  “Good. We’re going to the Verde Ranch today. You know Miguel. Let’s ride. Anita is fine?”

  “Doing very well she tells me. She has plenty of wood thanks to Raphael and enough groceries so I am glad you have a place for me.”

  “A house can get small after a while, even a big one.”

  Jesus nodded as they rode out for the lower place.

  Mid-morning they stopped at the big house to see his son Adam. Rhea and the boy answered the door and Chet swept him up. “How is my big man?”

  “Fine, Daddy. Where is Liz?”

  “It was too cold for her to come today. Did you have fun in the snow?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good, I’m glad someone did. Where is Victor?”

  “Him help feed cows. They bawl a lot these days.”

  “I bet they do. I need to find Tom,” he said to Rhea. “Is everyone all right down here?”

  “As far as I know, yes. We had less snow than you did they say, but it was a mess. I don’t know how Toby made it over here from where he lives. But he’s tough, isn’t he?”

  “Yes, a very determined young man. He’s heading back home today with supplies.”

  “I have some coffee made. Tom sees your horses he will be here.”

  He hugged her. “We have all day.”

  “You said it was too cold for Liz to come?”

  “Yes.”

  “Is she sick?” Rhea asked, concerned.

  “No, she’s lost a little spirit over her loss, but she’s doing all right.”

  Rhea wrapped her arms around herself. “I love her. I’m worried because before that happened she was with you in your travels, all the time.”

  “Losing the baby that late disappointed her.”

  Tom arrived and they drank coffee together.

  “We had less snow but it was still three feet deep. Our cattle were close and we didn’t lose any. The Herefords were fine. The men that stay over there and feed them ran out of about everything but beans before we got them re-supplied. I don’t think we have to worry about the free grazers cattle being here anymore. Most of them starved or will, and many local folks that don’t put up hay are in the same shape. What about Sarge?”

  “He planned to leave early for this month’s delivery and he has hay stored there. All we can do is hope he made it and that it isn’t as bad over there as it was up at Preskitt.”

  “Cole was set up for that kind of weather, wasn’t he?”

  “Yes. But I’d bet they had more snow at Center Point than I did.”

  “That road to the rim north of here has got more sun than this side. But I figure on top it’s deeper than a tall mule’s belly. Robert has plenty of horse feed. We sent him lots last summer. I imagine he had food stored since he knows how it snows up there every year. The snow will be gone around here in two days the way it is melting now.”

  “I wanted to come by and be sure everything clicked down here. Now I hope Shawn and Lucy are okay.”

  “They put up lots of hay. I know that. Have you heard from Spencer Horne?”

  “I expect a letter once the stage gets through.”

  “He’s building a headquarters on that new ranch?”

  “Yes. I bet they don’t have any snow down there.”

  “Safe bet. What about Suzie? She has ample supplies, doesn’t she?”

  “Yes, she keeps well supplied. Isn’t your married daughter Sandy staying over there with her?”

  “Yes. Her husband, Cody, is working for Sarge this winter.”

  “Well, he’ll get broken in then. Sarge has a good hay stock on hand and we have two months’ supply of cattle over at the Windmill now, don’t we?” Chet asked.

  “That’s right and I have another bunch for the third month here, thank God.”

  “You’re right keeping that many head in back supply in case we get in a bind. Good job.”

  “I worry all the time we’ll get caught short,” Tom said. “But I still don’t want too many on hand, either.”

  Satisfied that the rest would have to wait for a big thaw to see him, he and his men rode back to Preskitt Valley after lunch.

  Waiting was a letter from Spencer that a ranch hand had fetched from town.

  Dear Chet,

  I made the trip to the ranch. Lucinda Marcos accepted my offer to marry her. I brought her out to the church at San Xavier. A father there, after some persuasion, married us. Then we went to Tucson and I bought her and the children some new clothes. I ordered some things I’d need from the mercantile that were to be hauled up to the site. We also got food, supplies, a tent to live in, cooking gear, and some tools.

  Frisco and the cowboys had made me a road (little rough) in, but we are set up at the headquarter site. He has a contractor coming with some boys and a road grader to make the road in better. More later.

  Spencer Horne

  He looked up for his wife. “Sounds like he has it all in hand down there.”

  “No report of a wire or anything from Gallup?” Liz asked.

  “The whole world may be under a blanket of snow. No, nothing at all.”

  “If they expect you to build that line overnight, someone needs to be getting things ready.”

  “I agree. But it is their job to get the material lined up, my dear.”

  “I know that. But I am thinking one day they will drop the whole thing in your lap.”

  “They might.” God forbid it.

  A warm spell with lots of rain swept in and snow went to vanishing, but the rivers swelled and the Verde River became a half-mile wide, in places, from the reports he got from the lower ranch. The creeks around Preskitt belched lots of water and several bridges were lost. They simply floated away. He wondered how Leroy and Betty Lou were doing in flooding water on Oak Creek on the fruit farm. He hoped they were smart enough to be prepared. He couldn’t go check on them until all the water went down.

  The sun came out finally and Chet drove Liz into town. They had lots of mail. The one he opened immediately was from Sarge, sent from Gallup, New Mexico.

  Dear Chet,

  We made it fine to here and fed hay a few days—made all our deliveries on time—except the two most north ones and we did them only a day late with more hired help. No one was hurt except their feelings. The Agency gave us an A. I am heading back to the Windmill Ranch. I know it must be a mess all over.

  Sincerely yours,

  Sarge

  Chet handed her the letter and laughed. “He said no one was hurt—except their feelings. No telling who or what that was all about?”

  “Now if Lucy and Cole would write we’d know all about everything.”

  “There is a letter from Bonnie here.”

  “What did she say?”

  “Dear Liz and Chet,

  “I am going to kill your man Horne. He swept in here in a big wagon and took my best helper Lucinda off to marry her. Now what will I do for help? I should make Chet come here and make him help me wi
th the fiestas. No. I am kidding. Those two left here as excited as kids at a birthday party. I know he knows by now what a great lady she is and they should make a good pair. I asked Spencer, before he left here, if he thought it was cooler up there at the new ranch than down here and he said maybe.

  “They must be settled up on the ranch by now. All we hear about is how deep the snow is up where you are at, and how many cows starved to death in the territory. I told JD you all had feed for them anyway. Hope nothing froze off. We are all well and busy ranching.

  “Love,

  “Bonnie and JD”

  “No letter from Gallup, either?”

  Chet shook his head, putting the rest of the mail into a cloth sack. “Not yet anyway.”

  On the way back to the ranch they saw meadowlarks searching the muddy-surfaced road for anything to eat. The sun’s glare off the snow was so bright it hurt his eyes even under the shade of his hat. Still, a much better day than those past snowy ones.

  “Keeps thawing out I may go check on Shawn and Lucy.”

  “I’d love to but it still would be cold and the house would be warm the entire time I am gone.”

  He shifted hands with the reins. “I don’t blame you for not coming. Stay home and warm.”

  “Good. Be careful crossing the Verde. I don’t want to lose you.”

  “I will do that. But it should be down by then.”

  “There is still snow on the rim, melting, to feed it.”

  “I realize that. I’ll send word to Jesus. We should have stopped by and I could have told him, but I can send a boy in to tell him when we will leave. We still need to get packhorses ready and get all my thick underwear out.”

  She hugged her arms to her body on the buckboard seat. “I will shiver for you.”

  They went over the hill to the ranch and he sent word to Miguel to meet with him. Raphael would take care of getting word to Jesus.

  “We are going to the upper ranch day after tomorrow. Get some packhorses and what we need to camp out on the way. I’ve sent word to Jesus about our plans. He knows what food supplies we will need. It may take two weeks to make the circuit.”

  Miguel nodded. “I can do all that. I’ve been splitting firewood and getting in shape.”