One of the mess cooks brought her some freshly butchered beef to cook outside, with rice and beans and fresh Dutch oven soda biscuits. Plus a pot of Arbuckle coffee to wash it all down with.
Lamps set up, after the meal they began to count the dusty money. They shook each bundle of bills over a bushel basket to loosen the dust, then counted, keeping score of what by writing it down. Boone packed each bundle into the new wooden box that he and Rob made down in the shop. They had drilled holes for the string rope handles held in place by large knots. It had hinges and two lock rasps on the other side to hold the lid down on the money.
The counting went slowly. There were several bundles of large bills, like hundreds and five hundreds. Boone’s eyes got real big when counting the thousand-dollar ones.
“Where do you figure he got all this money?”
“They said Glass’s family made fortunes with ships at sea. This money was printed in this century and it’s not counterfeit, either.” Long had to find a safe place to put it.
“But down here in the foreman’s office?”
“Outlaws would never look down here.”
They all laughed. Jan finished adding it up. “Two hundred thousand, eight hundred and fifty-six dollars.”
“Men, mum is the word. Let’s get this put away. Let anyone who knows about it think it is still in the safe. In the meantime, under her bed,” he whispered as two of them carried it by the handles into their bedroom.
What next? He had found near a quarter of a million dollars in an old dusty safe on his newly purchased ranch. How did the money get that dirty? He was thinking it had been buried somewhere and in haste to get it all they just left the dirt on it. Maybe left it that way to go find more. No telling. Did Juanita know about it? He’d bet good money she had no idea it was there. Glass probably never told her about it before he died. This foreman, Doogan, might now be the only one to know it was there.
How did Rogers know how to turn the handle? He must have seen Doogan open it but didn’t recognize it was full of money . . . it was that dirty.
More things for him to worry about. Jan pulled him into their bedroom by the sleeve. “Those two guys are tired. We need to let them sleep.”
CHAPTER 29
Long left the outhouse in the gray light of the foredawn. Several people with jobs were moving about. A horse hustler was bringing in some fresh saddle horses from up the road. On horseback, he was slapping his chaps with the end of his lariat and had a sharp whistle to get the attention of any herded horse he suspected was ready to break from the bunch he was bringing in. Good horse hands were indispensable for the operation of a ranch or cattle drive—especially on the road with cattle.
Long waved at the youth taking the horses by him. He’d know his name next time. It was his business to know the men. Every man had his own world, and knowing something about it meant the boss cared. He slipped in the back door.
Jan was already out front cooking oatmeal and coffee.
Where was Boone? “Boone go somewhere?”
Rob nodded and moved closer. “He said one of us needed to check on the chuck served here. He’ll be back.”
“Good idea. The wrangler who just brought those horses in looked to be a good hand.”
“His name is Cole Henry. He checked with the two of us and asked if you’d need horses today. I told him we might need four. He will have them in the pens for us if we need them.”
“At least someone really works around here.”
Rob agreed.
They ate breakfast inside around the unfired woodstove. Boone came back picking his teeth and nodding. “Those cowboys had a good breakfast. Sammy the cook said he would feed us at dinner and supper tonight. I told him we’d sure eat with him. He had scrambled eggs, fried homegrown ham, biscuits light as a feather, and grits for everyone along with coffee. It was all damn good.”
“Send word we will eat with him. What was his last name?”
“You ask him. I can’t say it. Chinese.”
“Thanks.”
“Even without his last name I will like him,” Jan teased.
“Oh, the man in charge of cattle under Doogan is coming to see you. I think he can help us on cattle numbers. His name is Heath Carter.”
They were winding up their oatmeal when a short bowlegged man with gray temples showed up.
Long got up and shook his hand. “Long O’Malley. Nice to meet you, sir.”
“I would have come down last night, but no one told me you were here. What can I show or tell you? Your young man was very polite explaining your family had bought the ranches.”
“Have a seat on one of our kegs. We’re the O’Malley brothers. Yes, my brother Harp and I bought the ranch. Harp is nine months younger than I am. We are the ones that took a herd of steers to Sedalia two years ago and formed our business. We were sought by Mr. Glass’s widow to protect her and to buy the operation.”
Carter shook his head as if disgusted. “Those night riders were just trying to get in their bluff. They won’t harm her.”
“She told me she thought her life was in danger.”
“Mr. O’Malley—”
He used his finger to point at his chest. “My name is Long.”
“Long, I am afraid this widow is a woman quickly driven to hysterics. Even before his death she had problems. She accused a gardener of trying to rape her.”
“She convinced her lawyers about her fears.”
Carter threw his hands out. “You want my resignation now or later?”
“Carter, I’m not stupid. Of course I want you to remain. You know this ranch like the back of your hand. But I need some answers. Tell me about the botched cattle sales.”
“More of her hysterics. Doogan and I talked about a cattle drive. This slick cattle trader caught her alone. Told her we were doing nothing to sell her cattle and she should hire him and he’d take care of all of it. He didn’t want us doing any part of it . . . told her we’d take too long gathering them. Him and his town cowboys rounded up everything they could find on the north side—cows, calves, and bulls—and drove them away.
“We both knew it was a wreck going to happen. But she silenced us any time we tried to explain the mess they had made. He was a cattle businessman and we were mere ranch foremen.”
“I had wondered how that had happened,” Long said.
“Is she leaving the ranch?” Carter asked.
Long shook his head. “We agreed to protect her here.”
“Well I guess we can ignore her.”
“She can live in the house, but if she ever moves out or dies it belongs to us.”
“Well, at least she won’t be running the ranch.”
“Right. Where is Doogan?”
“He said he was looking for a new job. I have no idea where he went. As I said, I am sorry. I would’ve come and talked to you last night if anyone had told me you were here.”
“I met Rogers and he and those men are now guarding her house.”
“He worked for Doogan, not me. To be quite frank there was no need for him and those men.”
“Let’s talk cattle numbers.”
“We have near three thousand mother cows. Fifteen hundred bulls. All are half British blood or greater. Close to two thousand calves this year. They need to be worked and weaned. We have five thousand large steers . . . mostly longhorns but some are partial British.”
“Those we need to get road branded and ready to go north in sixty days.”
“We will need to hire help. Rupert was dying so we didn’t get the cattle on the ranch worked last spring. She didn’t want us to leave. When he died she started this business about them being after her, so we were barred from leaving the base to go do that or to hire more help. It really is not our fault.”
“That makes sense to me. You know when Doogan will be back?”
Carter shrugged. “He never talked much about himself. He was real cheap and never spent any of his money, even on soap. You living in ther
e?”
“We scrubbed it down and threw his old socks out.”
Carter laughed. “I won’t lie to you—this job would be hard for me to leave. I am pushing fifty. My wife has arthritis. We don’t have a big amount set aside, but I can pack and go if you say so.”
“Where did Doogan come from?”
“Why?”
“I want you to tell me where he came from . . .”
“They say he was a sea captain. Worked for Rupert’s father, and he wrote Rupert years ago that he wanted off the sea and would be his ranch foreman. That was twenty years ago. Rupert told him he could have the job. I was a young cowboy then. Doogan didn’t know anything about a cow, so when he got here he told me to handle the cows and I’d get to be cow foreman.”
“So that was how it worked? Okay. I want you to take my men and start showing them the steers that we need to get to Kansas. I can pay this place off with that many head of steers.
“I want all other things slowed down. Get started and hire all the men we will need. My two young men will need your knowledge. You can stay as long as you want, but I want them to drive those cattle to Kansas or to wherever they set up this year to buy them. And I will need you here to run the ranch.”
Boone and Rob, hearing all this, went to rubbing their hands together and smiling at each other.
“Rob, we each have a herd,” Boone said. “I’ll bet you a hundred dollars my herd brings more money than yours.”
“Hold up. Each of you has plans to get married. I am tying you up. Now how can we settle that matter?”
“Long,” Carter said. “Let them two go get married. I will hire several cowboys in town and start gathering. This country isn’t as tough as down where you come from. When they come back we’ll have it all set up and enough experienced hands to pick from. I have some empty jacales we can get repaired so their women can have their own places when they come back.”
“Well I like that plan. What about you two?”
“Hey it sounds great. Gladys I am certain will marry me and move up here,” Rob said.
“That goes for me, too. How long do we have?” Boone asked.
“Two weeks. Jan and I will help him get ready to gather the steers. We have time.”
Jan was shaking her head. “How will we furnish the houses that Carter gets fixed?”
“I think you can handle that.”
“My wife Edna would love to help you,” Carter offered.
“Edna and I will furnish them.”
“Hear that?”
“Yeah. Thanks, Jan. Hey we can be halfway there if we leave right now,” Boone said.
“You know what to tell Harp, Rob?”
“Yes. You have this place under control, and have five thousand steers we are going to drive to Abilene or wherever they buy cattle. Boone gets one herd. I drive number two. Boone and I have two weeks to get back with our wives to move into what will be furnished houses when we get back.”
“Ride careful. I know you will take care of each other.”
“You need that box sent back?” Rob asked.
“Naw. I’ll take it back myself when I go home.”
They waved and ran to get ranch horses ready to ride.
Long turned to her. “Are we going to eat at the mess hall?”
“You bet. After that I am going to meet Edna and get ready to see those houses we will furnish.”
Carter laughed. “How long you two been married?”
“Since Christmas last.”
“Oh, by the way you two think together, I thought you’d been married for years.”
“It seems like that,” Long said.
“Long.”
“Well we got married before—” She was shoving him around slapping his shoulder.
Walking together, he hugged her. Sam S., as the cook was known, because no one could pronounce his name, met them at the door.
“They’re newlyweds, Sam,” Carter said, and went past them going on inside.
“Where big cowboy named Boom?”
“Boone. Him and Robbie had to go home, get married.”
“He just come.”
“Yeah. Two weeks he will be back here with his new bride.”
“You big boss he tell me is here?”
“Yes. This is Jan and I am Long.”
“You plenty long.”
“When my dad saw me that is what he said. And that is my name.”
The oriental bowed and shook his hand. “Welcome to crazy ranch.”
After the meal, Jan bragged on his food and promised they’d be back for breakfast.
He noted Toby and Rowdy were getting lots of attention from some of the Hispanic girls working for Sam.
“Long, you need us tomorrow to look at cattle with you?” Toby asked.
“Yes. First thing in the morning, have that wrangler, Cole Henry, bring in my Comanche horse to ride.”
“We will. Before he left, Boone told us the plan. We can ride guard on you.”
“I will go see that Miss Priss is all right in the morning, and then Edna and I will start shopping for furniture.”
“Need money, holler.”
“Have you figured out how that money got here?”
“It is not her money. I’d bet it’s Doogan’s money and he will be back for it. He had all that money when he quit being a sea captain and brought it up here with him as his retirement. As a sea captain, I bet he saved it and hid it, afraid of being robbed. Then dug it up from the beach and brought it for his retirement when he got the job out here. I guess he was so cheap he never spent it.”
“Carter or Rogers know?”
“No. Doogan kept it secret.”
She was undressing sitting on the edge of the bed. “You and Harp both can step in a cow pie and come out not smelling, and big-time winners.”
“I thought that when I got you.”
“Long O’Malley, if you are talking cow pies, I am going to whip you.”
CHAPTER 30
Three days passed and Doogan had not returned. On Friday a cowboy named Shirley Hanks came in and looked up Long and Carter. He said he had found out why Doogan never came back. Shirley was cutting across country on his horse and found Doogan. It appeared that the horse went down, broke his leg, and later died. When he threw Doogan as he went down, the fall broke Doogan’s neck. He didn’t suffer like the poor horse.
The three rode out there, wrapped up his corpse, and sent some boys back to bring it in. He was buried at the operations center. That night, in bed with his wife, he read Doogan’s will that he’d found in the safe: I here bye bequeath my fortune to whoever owns the ranch and finds this money.
Under blankets, pulled up to their chins in the cool night despite the stove, she asked, “Do you think he found a shipwreck?”
“No . . . he murdered two old maids in New England who had won the money in the Irish lottery.”
“Long O’Malley, you’re crazy.”
He threw his arm over her and said, “Good thing ’cause I really love you.”
Dawn, Long and Carter rode out to look at some of the cattle in the frosty morning. Sun coming up promised to warm the day.
“We never missed having spring roundup before this year. But we never had a hysterical spoiled woman for our boss. Rupert was a spoiled rich guy, but he knew how to make money. He sold cattle and even collected gold from the Confederates. He was in their high society before the war, too. Then when fall came and the screwworm flies were gone, she still wouldn’t let us do it. Hard to run a ranch like that and be successful. I told Edna we’d just roll with the tide.”
“After we get these steers rounded up, you can keep those men on the payroll and get things straightened out around.”
“Thanks. I hate the way we have been trying to hold this place together.”
“I fully understand what you have been through. Tell me more about Doogan.”
“Rupert tried to be the ranch foreman when he assembled all this land. While he co
uld wheel, deal, and make money he was neither a cowman nor a good boss for the day-to-day of a ranch. Doogan was an old sea captain and though he might’ve ran a ship, he didn’t know anything about ranching, so he made me cattle foreman and listened to me. He was a tough boss but he realized this was different than running a ship. Cowboys were not sailors. And there were not many men left to work cattle after the war started. The rest were pressed into being soldiers for the Confederacy.”
Long nodded. “Things did change overnight. Texas had the cattle, and the captain I worked with told us all the chickens and hogs had all been eaten up during the war. And they had.”
“You and your brother got on the train and kept right on going.”
Long agreed. He liked the country up here, the forage, and some good live creeks made for real cattle country. There was some rolling country, too.
If he sold five thousand steers this coming season at the railhead, he’d have the ranch debt completely paid off. He better start putting things together—two chuck wagons, teams for them. How many good horses did they have? Where were the point riders? The cooks? Lots to do and he had to do it—Jan would help.
Carter was no fool. They could do it. Harp could manage the home deal. He’d probably have six herds set to go north. Two herds from H Bar H. Two from Diamond. Plus Oscar’s herd. Then two more from their consignments from small ranchers.
This was unbelievable, but it would happen. On the way to mess, he picked up Jan and they went, hand in hand to go eat. Neat to have her . . . good things were happening in their lives together.
“Would you live in a house built right here in the dust and smells?”
“You thinking about doing that?”
“Yes. If we have this place paid for next summer, why not we stay and run it?”
“What will Harp do? I think he counts on you to help him run it all.”
“You may be right. How is the widow doing?”
“She doesn’t like the tent in front of her house.”
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