Chapter 13

When Bright Morning awoke, I kissed her and asked if she was happy with me as a lover. She looked at my smile and hugged me tight, "James, our love is strong already, but I know it will consume me before many more days."

"How did you know I would love you?" I asked her.

"After I knew you for a time, I could feel my heart pulling me to you. I could also feel your heart pulling you to me. I could see the look in your eyes, and I could see the care you had for me and also for Yellow Grass. James, please be careful, I am afraid to lose you now that you have accepted me."

"Bright Morning, I don't want many days to pass that I can't touch you," I told her.

She sighed and arranged herself so she was lying half on me, and went to sleep.

The next morning Bright Morning told Yellow Grass that she was my wife now. Yellow Grass squealed and hugged her and then came up and hugged me. "James, you have made my mother very happy. Thank you."

I kissed her cheek and said, "Bright Morning has made me very happy, also. I am very fortunate to have such a beautiful, sweet natured woman who would want me."

We continued our trip to Eden, and made it in the allotted time. I bought some supplies and asked if he could take some California gold in payment.

He asked where I got it and I told him I found a wagon that had been attacked and it had some gold in it. I told him it had a journal that told of finding and mining the gold and heading home with it.

"You just can't beat good luck," I said. "I found three bars of gold, and I want to buy some supplies and some cows."

"I can take gold for payment, it is worth twenty-three dollars an ounce," he said.

I bought supplies and staples as well as some canned fruit and several pails and other hardware. I also bought a whole set of farming implements, including a hay mower. I also bought harness and tack for the new horses.

My gold bars weighed about 14 ounces each, so one bar was worth $322.00. My bill was two hundred and 75 dollars, so I bought a spare shotgun, a well made 16 gauge double barrel with some caps powder and two bags of shot, and I left a whole bar with him.

Mr. Sharp, the storekeeper, directed me to a man who had some cattle for sale. I bought two bulls, and ten cows. They were mostly Devons, but he had one that was what he called a jersey. We made a deal for half a bar of gold. I cut the bar and he chose the half.

We headed out of town and made a couple of miles before it was time to make camp. I loaded the shotgun and told Bright Morning to keep it with her. "There may be some unwanted guests on the trip back because of the gold."

I kept watch during the night and slept in fits and spurts. The cows were used to being moved and stayed near us. I was glad for that.

We got an early start and had a good day, the cattle drove easily and Dan was a quick learner, when it came to herding the cattle. I knew the trail and planned to camp near good grass and water when we could.