Scar and the Double D Ranch

by Jim Cox

  “Where do you think they’re going?” Jake asked.

  “I don’t know for sure, but I imagine they’ll be driven to Omaha.”

  Mr. Douglas did some fast math. “That’ll bring in between fifty and sixty thousand dollars,” he mumbled to himself. By mid-afternoon the following day, Liz and Betty started back to Flat Peaks. It had been a short visit but time enough for Betty to get acquainted with everyone. She was pleased to find out she and Liz would likely be living at the ranch when school was recessed for the summer, which was only two weeks away.

  The following days passed slowly. The weather stayed dry, and it seemed to get warmer by the day. By the last week of May, the roundup was in its final stages. Men were now rounding up the stock that had wandered off into the woods or traveled out of the normal range.

  Scar and Tony were driving several head of yearlings from the woods north of the Indian trace when Maude stopped. Her ears were pointed. “The Indian trail is a short distance ahead,” Scar said to Tony. “I expect some Indians are passing and have gotten Maude’s attention.” They rode on, and as they approached the trail, five natives appeared. As usual, both groups of men raised their palms, but then, to everyone’s surprise, Tony continued riding until he was alongside them and began speaking in their native tongue.

  It wasn’t long before Tony and the five Indians were conversing in a friendly manner, sometimes laughing and pointing at one another as though a tale was being told about one of them. On two occasions, Scar saw the leader of the Indians point toward him and say something in a language unfamiliar to him. Both times Tony smiled and talked in the same language. This dialogue went on for fifteen to twenty minutes before Scar moved Maude forward to join them. “What’s all the talk about, Tony?”

  “Their group is traveling to their summer camp in the mountains northwest of here. It’s another day’s ride. They’re ahead of the main group because it’s their role to scout and hunt for meat. Deer, bear, and antelope.”

  “What did they say about me? I saw them pointing my way.”

  “They said you are a great warrior. That you are honest and that you are respected by all of their people. They said you are the one who kept their famous great-grandfather from dying.”

  “Ask them if he still lives.” Tony turned and asked.

  “They said he lives and his strength is fair. They also want to know if you still wear his necklace.” Scar took off the necklace and handed it to Tony who passed it around. The natives each held it, touching the claws as though they were sacred. Then with more talk between them, they handed it back to Tony.

  “They want me to thank you, Scar. They said it was an honor to see and touch the great-grandfather’s necklace.”

  “Tell them it’s a prized possession…next only to my ma’s Bible.”

  “Stay here, Tony, and keep ’em with you. I’ll be right back.” Scar turned Maude and hurried off. Ten minutes later, he came back driving ten head of yearlings. “Tell them these cows are a friendship gift. Tell the great-grandfather chief I pray he has many moons left.”

  Scar saw the men nod as Tony repeated his words.

  They were about to go their separate ways when the natives put their heads together, talked among themselves, and then spoke to Tony.

  “They’ve invited us to their camp, Scar. They said we will be welcomed and there will be a great celebration to honor you.” Scar smiled and nodded. The natives nodded back. There was no need for an interpreter.

  Chapter Eighteen

  By mid-June, the work at the Double D had eased considerably. The stock for sale had been driven to the Henry James spread and joined their cattle drive to Omaha. The heifer calves, kept for breeding, had been branded and driven back to the main herd. The Double D mares and their offspring had been sought out and driven to the horseshoe corral by the waterfall. The weanlings were now ready to be branded and the less desirable males castrated.

  The Double D horse herd was rather small, but its quality was outstanding, thanks to Black’s characteristics. Black was the prized stallion Little Big One gave to Scar.

  Little Big One’s braves had captured Scar years ago while he was traveling to Colorado in Captain Willard’s wagon train. He had been taken to their camp and was being tortured when his shirt was ripped off, exposing the old chief’s necklace around the boy’s neck. The Indians knew the old great-grandfather chief had given a young white boy his necklace for saving his life, so he was immediately released. Afterward, they treated his wounds, fed him a meal, and then took him back to the wagon train. It was at this time Little Big One gave Scar the prize stallion for saving his grandfather.

  The women stayed busy with springtime chores around the homestead. They tended the garden, canned early produce, and took care of the newborns. One of their milk cows had given birth, two of the homestead’s mares had delivered foals which were now running about in the corral, and chicks roamed the yard.

  Betty kept busy with the other women but was anxious to get started on the sewing projects. Before they left Flat Peaks, she and Liz had bought several different patterns of dress material for the four ranch women and Little Turtle. They also purchased cloth for men’s shirts.

  Early summer was a special time at the Double D that everyone looked forward to. Usually, after Morning Sun’s delicious supper, folks moved to the front porch chairs. As they unwound while talking over the day’s happenings, Morning Sun kept the cups full and served pie.

  The evenings often ended without words. Folks would watch the long shadows being cast from the high cleft behind the house that soon gave way to a moonbeam and glittering stars in the clear Colorado heavens. Sometimes a cow would moo or a horse would stomp. The eerie sound of a far-off elk bugle always turned heads.

  It was late afternoon a couple days later when a solo rider crossed the Indian trace and climbed the last hill before the Double D came into sight. Tony was the first to see him riding up the valley. He alerted the others. Thomas said, “That’s Henry James or, at least, that’s his horse.” Thomas was right. It was Henry James. After dismounting and tying his reins, he walked to the porch.

  “Hello, Henry,” Mr. Douglas said with an extended hand. “What brings you to the Double D?”

  “I’ll tell you after I’ve met these new faces,” he said with a smile. “Mrs. Kaiser and Jenny have been telling me about ’em. I understand this young lady is quite the seamstress,” he said, nodding toward Betty. who blushed.

  After the introduction had been made and the coffee cups topped off, all the Double D clan gathered around to hear what Henry had to say.

  “I have a telegram for you, Scar. It’s from the governor,” Henry said handing it to the big man. Scar put it in his vest pocket. “I was in town sending off a wire when I saw your name on the envelope. I told the agent I was coming your way, so he asked me to deliver it to you.” Scar offered his thanks.

  Mr. Douglas got the impression Henry was stalling, putting off what he had come to the ranch to talk about, so he started the conversation rolling for him by asking, “What’s on your mind, Henry?”

  “Herb, I’ve been hearing a great deal about this newfangled fence called barb wire. They’ve been using it in the east for some time now. Of course, they’re all piled on top of each other in that part of the country and probably need something to separate ’em, but it’s starting to get popular on the ranches in Texas, too. I understand it does a good job keeping stock corralled, but if the trend continues and ranchers keep on installing it, it’ll eliminate free grazing and cattle drives. Given time it’ll squeeze our ranches, and we’ll be forced to share our grazing land with those dreadful sheepherders, and we sure don’t want that.”

  “I’ve been thinking the same thing, Henry,” Mr. Douglas said. “What are we gonna do about it, Herb? It’ll change our way of life and put a crimp on cattle ranching.” There was a long silence.

  Finally, Mr. Douglas asked Scar, “You’ve been traveling a lot lately and have had seve
ral conversations with the governor. Has he offered any comments about barb wire coming into the state?”

  “He’s not said a word about it to me, and I’ve not heard any talk about it from other areas I’ve been to.”

  “It’s here,” Thomas interjected emphatically. “No use fighting it. There are disadvantages to it, but there are some advantages. We might as well accept it and get on with it.”

  “I agree with Thomas,” Scar said. “Times are changing. Within six months, the Union Pacific rails will be running through Flat Peaks. We need to negotiate with them for a siding to load cattle. If we can pull that off, cattle drives won’t be necessary.”

  Henry spoke up, “That’s what my wife told me. She says our world is changing, and I might as well get used to it.” Scar laughed. “She’s right. When I was in Denver a few months back, I read a newspaper article about new inventions. It said a man by the name of Edison is able to record a person’s voice on a machine and then replay the words whenever he wants. This same man is about to come up with a fancy light of some kind that runs off of electricity. Whatever that is. The article said it would be replacing the kerosene lamp. Another man by the name of Ford is working on a horseless carriage, but I don’t think it’ll ever be practical.”

  Scar looked at Betty. “I saw a woman through a store window in Denver making clothes with some kind of machine. When she pedaled the machine’s foot platform, the needle and thread went up and down so fast you could hardly see it. There was a sign in the window saying a woman and this machine could do the same work as twelve women could do by hand.”

  When Scar finished, Jake quickly interjected, “How about the printing press? Every large city has one that’s used to print a newspaper, reporting on all sorts of things, good and bad. I suspect someone will be printing a newspaper in Flat Peaks before long.”

  “I guess I’m getting too old to accept new things,” Henry said as he paused to gathered more thoughts. “It wouldn’t surprise me if women were allowed to vote before long.” There were several smiles.

  “Mr. James,” Scar said, “you can be sure the women in Colorado will be voting sometime in the very near future. Governor Routt has his mind set on making it a reality.” Henry shook his head at Scar’s words.

  After another cup of coffee, Henry said his goodbyes and headed for his horse.

  That evening in their room, Liz asked, “What did the telegram say, Bart?”

  “The governor sent us the dates of the statehood celebration, Liz. The parade will be the twentieth of September, and the ball will be the following evening. As it stands now, former President Grant and President Hayes will be there. He said I should wire the Inter-Ocean Hotel in Denver and speak with Barney Ford, the owner, concerning our room needs. The governor said he’s expecting our call.”

  “That’ll be exciting, sweetheart,” Liz said. “Do you think we’ll get to meet the presidents and their wives?”

  “I’m sure we will. Remember, I’ll soon be a state cabinet member,” he said, smiling with an uncharacteristic boast. “And that makes me a cabinet member’s wife.” They both laughed. After a minute or two, she asked, “Will there be anyone else from the ranch attending the celebration?”

  “I’d like for your ma and pa to go with us. Do you think they’ll be agreeable?”

  “Are you kidding? If she’s asked, Mamma wouldn’t miss it for anything. Papa would go, if for no other reason than to please her.”

  June ended with many of the summer projects completed. The women had stayed busy canning garden items and filling shelves in the cave with fruit and produce. Tony and Jake had butchered five hogs Douglas bought from a small farmer near town. They had rendered the back fat into lard and salted the meat for storage in the cave. Two yearling calves had been slaughtered, and the four sides were now hanging in the cave.

  When the women’s chores slowed a bit, they started their sewing projects of making dresses and men’s shirts. Each woman was a fair seamstress and did a share of the work, but it was Betty who measured, cut the material, and gave supervision. Betty even designed the women’s dress styles by first drawing sketches on one of Liz’s chalkboards.

  A few days after the sewing was completed, Liz asked Betty to walk with her to the storage cave for a picnic. Liz prepared a basket, and the ladies headed out shortly before lunch. “I ain’t ever been to the cave, Liz, but I’ve heard a lot about it.”

  “You’ll like it, Betty, wait and see.” They walked north between the three-hundred-foot straight-up rock cliff and the stream which was flowing swiftly over and around rocks a few yards from the cliff. Minutes later, they heard falling water. Liz sat the basket on the picnic table by the waterfall, took Betty’s hand, and started off. Standing by the pool, they gazed into crystal clear water made by the thirty-foot-high waterfall coming from the side of the cliff. Squatting, they filled their cupped hands and drank the cold water. Then Liz led Betty on the path behind the waterfall to the cave, telling her to be careful and not slip. When Betty walked inside the cave, she was astounded. “There’s enough food in here to last a year,” she said. Liz agreed with a nod.

  After they went to the horseshoe corral and Betty was introduced to Black, they went back to the table and ate lunch. Later Liz put the utensils back into the basket and removed her husband’s water-stained Bible from it. Betty had a blank expression.

  Liz opened the Bible and explained why Scar’s mother’s handwriting in the margins was so sacred to him. She explained his mother read to him from it, and how he took care of it after she died. She told how Bart gave the Bible to her when he left on his first cattle drive, and that she and Bart placed their hands on it when they recited their wedding vows. A year after their marriage, she and Bart started reading from it daily.

  Betty asked, “Why are you telling me these things, Liz?”

  “I want you to understand the importance of knowing how to read. How reading can bring things to light and be an adventure in one’s life. How books can offer guidance and give peace. Reading can give instructions, even help in your sewing.” Liz paused. “Do you understand what I’m trying to say?” Betty nodded.

  “It’s terrible I ain’t able to read, Liz.” Hanging her head, she said through sobs, “I’m ashamed of myself for not knowing.”

  “Look at me, Betty,” Liz said. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of. You haven’t had the opportunity. It would only be a shame if you didn’t learn now that you have the chance. I want to teach you.” Betty looked up and through red, swollen eyes, smiled.

  Liz spent the next few days preparing her teaching outline and gathering materials, books, chalkboards, and the like. After breakfast on the fourth day, she and her mother sat with Betty at the kitchen table with materials at hand. To their surprise, Tony, Morning Sun, and her two children approached them. Morning Sun sought the young teacher’s eyes and asked, “Will teacher learn Morning Sun and children to read and draw white man’s words?”

  “Of course, Morning Sun. I’d be honored to teach you.”

  Liz looked to Tony. “I’ve been asked to do the interpreting,” he explained with a smile. “Maybe I can even help teach.” Liz knew she’d be challenged because of the varied abilities of her students. Betty, who was intelligent and comfortable with the English language; Morning Sun, who was likewise very smart but had a limited vocabulary of the white man’s language; and her children, who like most, still had a short attention span and would grow impatient if not kept busy.

  The first session was awkward. Betty grasped the material quickly but was forced to a slow pace as Liz struggled to make the subject matter understandable to Morning Sun and her children. Most of the time the woman and her children looked lost. Occasionally, Tony stepped in and explained the information in their native tongue, which helped.

  After the lesson, Morning Sun came to Liz. “My children no longer come more school. The white man’s language and words are too hard.” She turned and started off, but Liz called her back.
/>
  “You’re not going to quit, Morning Sun,” Liz said. She reached for her friend’s hand. “I’ll figure something out. Things will be better tomorrow. You’ll see.”

  Sitting on the porch an hour or so later, Liz, Mrs. Douglas, and Tony got together to develop their teaching plan for the next day. They decided to split their efforts. Liz would spend one-on-one time with Betty. Mrs. Douglas would teach Morning Sun, with Tony acting as an interpreter when needed. He would also be the children’s teacher, which would please them since he had been spending a great deal of time with them lately.

  The students met together for three hours every day except Sunday. Homework was also assigned. The goal was to have the class members reading and writing the white man’s words by Christmas, along with speaking their second language fluently.

  It wasn’t long before Liz started understanding a few of the native words Tony was translating, which got her to thinking.

  Why don’t we expand our subject matter and have Tony teach us his native tongue? Consequently, from then on, Ute language lessons were given to the three women and several of the men who had joined the class, including the scarred warrior.

  The new school format worked wonderfully, and soon there was laughter and joking during the class. At the same time, the students were absorbing the material like sponges.

  Chapter Nineteen

  The ranch clan was sitting on the porch watching the long Saturday evening shadows turn to dark when they saw a buggy coming up the valley, the horse in a fast trot. The horse was lathered when it arrived. Rebecca sat on the front edge of the driver’s seat, looking frightened.

  “What’s wrong, Rebecca?” Mr. Douglas asked as he quickly went to her. Then he saw Jake’s unconscious body lying on the backseat floor. “It’s Jake,” he shouted. “Help me get him into the house.” Scar and Thomas hurried to the scene, and Mrs. Douglas was not far behind. Liz went to Rebecca.