Chapter 5

“Good morning. Mrs. Orkins. May I come in? I have business with you.”

“Certainly, come in, please. What is your business with me?”

“It concerns that outlaw you shot. He was the youngest of the outlaws.”

“He appeared to be, but he was an outlaw.”

“There is no disputing that. May I sit down?”

“Of course, there is one cup of coffee. Would you like it?”

“Yes, I would enjoy it?” Brooks came in and sat at the table. He had a satchel he put on the floor beside him, withdrawing a sheaf of papers. “Okay, I’ve been waiting for everyone to be here together. These are posters that have been sent to many law enforcement officials. They show a sketch of the outlaw, the crimes committed, how they should be handled when apprehended, and the amount of the bounty to pay the person who caught the criminal. All four outlaws were bad enough to be caught when identified under their penalty of life or death.”

Brooks handed Mable a poster with a face drawn, telling of the crimes the outlaw committed. “Mable, this person shot was in the commission of a crime when you shot and killed him. He was a criminal, and he died resisting arrest when he chose to flee, which absolves you of any deeds in the eyes of the law.

“You can see that the bounties amount to $750.00. I have this money in the safe at the Wells Fargo office. I’m giving you a draft on Wells Fargo, and you can withdraw it from that office. An office here in town will cash the draft for you. If there are any problems, have the office contact me.”

Mable said, “My, my, this seems so mercenary! Please don’t tell anyone about my involvement in anything like this.”

“I won’t, and I understand your feelings in the matter.”

Brooks took up another flyer that was face down on the table. Brooks read the crimes listed in the paper and handed them to Itea. Itea’s hands were shaking, and she was very nervous. “Now, young lady, this one is for the person you shot. He had a terrible reputation for abusing women, along with other crimes he committed during his life of crime. He was mean, and law enforcement is pleased that his life has been terminated.”

Itea took the flyer and looked at it. She was not used to reading because although she could read, she was very slow to decipher the words. She handed it to me. “Kid, you tell me what it says. I think it is for the same amount as Mable’s money.”

I glanced at it. “No, Itea, you have the numbers wrong. “You have ten times as much as Mable. It is for $7,500.00, not $750.00. That is enough money to build us a house and enough to build everything I need to set up my shop, including the tools I’ll need.”

“I give it to you, my Brave.” She made us laugh, and Mable came and hugged her.

“Rocky, you are following. The man you killed goes back a long time, and I was surprised to see him here in this area. He hadn’t been seen for at least five years, and people supposed he was dead. The crimes committed by William Quantrill when he sacked Lawrence, Kansas, were horrific. The man you killed was a Sergeant in Quantrill’s band.

“This happened as far back as 1863. Every crime in the book occurs when the band kills everyone in sight. The band was even killing the dogs that ran the street, trying to escape. You are collecting $19,000 to remove the outlaw from this earth. It is a service well taken care of, and you were lucky to survive what happened a few weeks ago; enough said.”

Brooks handed me a poster. “Kid, you must be lucky as well. The outlaw you faced was out to make a name for himself by looking for and killing anyone who wore a gun and trying to build a reputation. Eleven men he faced, but that wasn’t all, sad to say. He was in on robbing a gold mine when this happened a little over a year ago near Denver. He shot two guards to death when the money chest was at his feet. As he was riding away, he shot and killed two unarmed men just out of spite.

“So that’s fifteen men that he is known for killing. I’m saying the world is a better place without him. The bounty has a total of $21,000. The killer is also the one suspected of killing two young boys while rustling cattle, only because their death was so much like something he would do. If he is the one identified for sure, you may collect another $5,000.00. That’s it, and I’m sorry you are leaving my Territory. Luck to all of you.”

“Stay for dinner, Marshal?”

“No, but thank you, Mable. Rocky, I hope you get a good price for your ranch. You’ll be around for a little while, won’t you?”

“I hope for not too long. I’ll talk to the freight outfit about moving us in a few days. It took a little convincing to persuade Mable, but I was up to it.”

“You two do make a nice couple. Luck to both of you.” The Marshal turned and went out the front door.”

“Does anyone want to discuss our windfall of money?”

“No, Rocky, I don’t, and I feel dirty, somehow. I’ll use the money for something useful.”

“Well said, Kid.”

We ate before noon and headed for the ranch. Itea was riding one of the horses that usually pulled the buggy. I was glad to get back into a saddle again. It was shortly after three in the afternoon when we rode into the yard. The three hands we could see out working with the cattle. It was a beautiful sight; the cattle were feeding, and the grass had come up high and a lush green.

Back on the ranch where I owned, there hadn’t been enough cattle on the ground last season browsing the grass close, so there was a lot of dead stubble showing. Rocky hadn’t told me what he would work at after he built his new house. I was hoping he might take over and return to raising cattle. Weatherly might be interested in seeing what he could do with the land. Both men were cattle ranchers, hating to see the land empty with no cattle feeding.

I looked about for Karen and Jack and finally spotted them working in the garden. It looked like Jack was walking along dropping potatoes, and Karen was behind him, covering them up. I thought this was a waste of time, but maybe not. They had saved the last of last season’s potatoes, which they used for seed. If Rocky found a buyer, planted potatoes might tip the scale in his favor.

Itea went running out to the garden. Karen and Jack dropped what they were doing and gathered around Itea, who was talking and gesturing as fast as she could. The punchers saw them and rode to join in.

Mable was standing with me while Rocky was un-harnessing the women’s horses. I ground hitched mine, and all of us went out to talk.

Dugan asked. “What’s going on, Rocky?”

“There are a lot of changes going to happen as soon I can sell this ranch. I understand a couple of buyers are interested, but I don’t have any way to contact them.”

Dugan answered that question. “I have all the information from three buyers. All came on different days, so I had an excellent chance to talk to them and show them around. They inquired how big the outfit was and what the price you were asking was. You must know the ranch buying your heifers was one of the three.

“One outfit that showed up, I didn’t cotton to at all. It made me think of the outfit that hired me and the boys to cut your herd a few weeks ago. The gang who you buried up in the woods; I didn’t like them when they looked at Karen. I was glad when they left because we didn’t want to tackle them. You may see them because they promised to return.

“The last buyer, who arrived, said he was a remittance man from England. He had a manager with him, a salty-appearing individual. He is looking for small ranches to purchase and has cattle spreads throughout the country.

“He indicated that he had a large crew and was placing three to five men on each ranch. The manager told me not to be afraid to set a fair price. If you set it too high, you could haggle with the owner until you both could make a deal. That would be the best one of the three buyers I would sell to if it were me.”

“Good, Dugan. I couldn’t have handled it better myself. Any idea when the first of these buyers will show up.”

“Not for a couple of days. You’re two days earlier than expected. I expect the first one that arrives will be the ones I didn’t take to.”

“Well, all of you keep your eyes open so we aren’t surprised. Now, the Kid will run through what he found where we went. You didn’t know it, but someone shot Kid’s father years ago, and that is why I went with him. I promised him I would be with him when he said it was time to settle with who he thought killed his father. Kid, you can tell him what you found.”

“Rocky and I rode the stage into the town where a neighboring rancher named Weatherly murdered my Pa. That’s what I thought when I saw a man on a horse disappearing over the hill shortly after I saw Pa had been shot and killed. I recognized the horse but was too far away to see this rancher. I left town, vowing to return when I was old enough to face him. I felt this ten days ago; it was time to put this vow in place for my parents behind me.

“We got off the stage, and I saw the shingle of the lawyer who had done the paperwork when Pa and Ma bought the property. His office was on the second floor across the street from where we disembarked. I invited him inside, told him my reason for contacting him, and asked if I could reclaim Pa’s property. It was open land of 640 acres when I left.

“At first, he listened to me and then said the sheriff would fill me in on some facts I didn’t know about the day my Pa died. We set out to find him, and shortly, we had hired horses and saddles and were on the way to the cabin. Anyway, long story short, I found Weatherly living on my property. I furnished identity and papers to prove I was the heir.

“Weatherly was living in the cabin that Pa and I built. Established at the trial by facts and the Sheriff, it was Weatherly’s son, Junior, who was the one to shoot my Pa. Junior Weatherly died at the end of a rope two months later.

“So, I had the situation all wrong, thinking the neighboring ranch owner had killed my Pa. To make matters worse, my Ma died a few hours after Pa from the shock of Pa dying. Fifteen years old and angry as hell, the following day after burying my folks, I packed Pa’s tools on one of the horses, saddling my mount, and headed over to the Weatherly ranch. When I arrived at Weatherly’s ranch, I could see Weatherly and the crew mounted and headed toward Pa’s place.

“When they were out of sight, I fired the buildings after turning the stock out, and I never looked back, hit the trail, never knowing where I was headed. I was camping a hundred miles from there when Rocky came along and invited me to make my home with him. It has been the saving of me. That’s the story of my leaving and why.”

“Almost six years after that happened, I opened the door to the cabin again. Weatherly is somewhere near sixty and sorry as hell about his son killing my Pa. I asked Rocky, the sheriff, and the lawyer to let me talk to Weatherly alone. I came right out and told him it was me who burned his ranch. We had both lost family, and Weatherly lost not only his son but his ranch as well. And, all he had left were his cattle. His punchers left during the trial.

“He sold the cattle, which is what he has been living on. I gave him the cabin and the right to live there the rest of his life for me destroying his buildings. He sold the cattle to help pay the lawyer’s bills, trying to save Junior’s life. The claim for the ranch was lost when he sold the cattle because it was only good with cattle on the land. He does have a deed for the land the buildings were on that I burned. But he won’t sell it or ever live there again because of the memory of his son.

“I do have a deed to claim the property that Pa owned. I have promised Rocky a house lot of his and Mable’s choosing. Itea and I will choose a house lot where she feels she will be happy. I have promised another house lot to the Blacksmith and his family. I plan to take up my father’s trade of building and repairing wooden wheels. I will need the forge that the Blacksmith has.

“The plan is for us to have our business close together on two business lots. The Blacksmith has a family consisting of a wife and three girls about the same age as Itea. I suspect she and I will pick our home lot close by them.

“Rocky and I were busy for the three days we were there. The town is twice the size of downtown, where Mable and Itea live. There is a railroad station nearby, where I am located. The town has all the amenities a person can ask for. It has a poor section close to the railroad with saloons, bars, and cheap housing.

“The town elite have their section with beautiful houses, built when people with businesses gained riches from the bank, businesses, stores, and boutiques. The capper for this is a community center with theater groups and music concerts booked weeks and months in advance.”

“Hey, Kid, you didn’t tell me about the farmers and few ranches beyond your property. The farms have been new since the Kid left, and that’s why the railroad built tracks into that section of the territory. You three men are welcome to move there with us. Weatherly and I may raise some cattle if the Kid doesn’t find other land use. What do you say?”

Dugan, always the spoke person, said. “I’m interested. Who knows, I might gain a wife someday. That will be more than I ever hoped. How are we getting there?”

“We’ll be hiring wagons to freight our belongings. Mable has furniture. The kid may want some of the gardening tools he built, although he may want to build better ones when he has a forge. Karen, will you go with us? You can take your tepee, or we will build you a cabin?”

“Can’t take poles too long.”

“Kid left directions to have poles ready cut to size for your tepee. The hides will go in a freight wagon.”

“Tepee in the woods?”

“Anywhere you want it put up.”

“Kid, you good man. Maybe finding Brave will work for you. I make Indian moccasins. I go be close near Itea.”

“This is great, and we will always be family.” We then descended on the garden and finished planting potatoes—the rest of the daylight we used planning the move to the south.

I thought much about when we would make the trip, so I didn’t get much sleep. We were having breakfast in the morning when I broached a decision to Rocky. “Rocky, we have decided to move to the town in the Southern part of Wyoming Territory. I’m anxious to get there and get started. I’m thinking of how this is to happen.”

“I can understand that, Kid. What have you decided?”

“Okay, how about you go to town and hire the freight outfit to estimate moving what we want to take from here on the ranch? Have them give you an estimate on moving along with what Mable decides to take. I can leave here with the Tepee coverings and whatever else in one wagon. Itea and I will ride my two horses and go along with the freight wagon while Karen and Jack ride on the wagon. I’ll need Karen to help rebuild the tepee when we arrive there.

“Rocky, you stay here, sell the ranch, which should happen within a couple of weeks, and we can load Mable’s household goods, and it will only take less than a little time after I get there. By that time, I’ll have tepee up and maybe have the foundation in for our house. Our hands said they wanted to go with us. Let me have one or two with me to do all of this organizing and getting started.”

“Kid, that’s good thinking with me following when I sell the ranch. Mable can live in the hotel and become acquainted with the town until we get her new home built. You will have enough money to do most of what it takes to settle.

“When are you and Itea planning on marrying? You may have a little trouble with that because she is only sixteen. I don’t know if they will take Karen’s word that she has no history of when Itea was born or what the name of her real biological parents was.”

“I may have to wait until you and Mable arrive. Itea will be with her mother until then, anyway.”

Mable spoke up. “Rocky, if you are going into town to see about hiring the freight company, I might as well go with you, and I can begin packing.”

“Okay, Mable. There is not going to be much here to pack. I’ll get everything arranged with the freight outfit. Itea and Karen can do what needs doing here. We might as well start as soon as we get ready. There aren’t supposed to be buyers here for a day or two. I’ll be back by then.”

Karen took down the tepee, marking the hides as they were unlaced from the poles. We began immediately. I asked Rocky to bring a trunk back with him on the freight wagon so I could gather and load my tools. All the extra guns we had acquired would also be packed in one of these trunks. Mable wanted to take her buggy and team with her. Rocky would have to dismantle this when he and Mable loaded the freight from her house. The team would end up tied to the back of a freight wagon with a rope.

Rocky was gone for most of the next day. He rode into the ranch late and found we had everything ready to load. It was more than three hours before the freight wagon arrived.

“Kid, I talked with Mable about you and Itea being married. We think you should be married before leaving town. Mable will stand up with you if you can find the Marshal. He can fill in for me as a witness.”

“I want you to be my witness.”

“I’d like to be, but that will hold you up while I sell the ranch. Mable said she and I will wait to marry until we get to our new home. Itea and you will be our witnesses at that time.”

“Why do you want to do it that way?”

“Because you might have trouble convincing people in our new location that Itea is old enough to marry, for one thing, and also, she has no record of her real parents or her name. Marshal Brooks has met Itea, and he knows she is old and mature enough to marry. Karen will be with you, and Brooks knows she has mothered Itea. Mable can help by just being there with Itea and lending her approval. She and Karen can say that they wholeheartedly approve of this match.”

“I’ll talk to Karen.” Karen was all for this plan.

“Itea will be a married woman to a white man. That is important to me. From the day she was put in my hands, my hope and plan was to have her live with the white people.”

“Itea, is this agreeable to you?” It was, and she showed she was by coming into my arms and kissing me in front of everyone, including the freight wagon driver. Everyone was laughing, and she wouldn’t let me go.

Bob Ducet, the driver, asked, “Let’s see how much freight you have to transport. I can load the wagon as heavy as you like as far as weight is concerned. However, if you have too much bulk, you’ll have to hire another wagon.”

Rocky showed him what we had. Bob feared I couldn’t take the plow and the harrow I had built. “That’s okay, I can build new ones. Rocky might get a few dollars by selling to the next owner. I’m no farmer, but I swear they did the job.”

“Made them, yourself, you say? I might buy them. I can pay you, and I’ll get them when I can. That should be before you get the ranch sold. Those hides for the tepee are going to take a lot of room. Why are you taking them with you?”

“Look inside and see the scenes of woodlands and animals painted on them. Karen is quite the artist. Karen’s first Brave showed her how to draw animals and pictures with some paint. She told me it had been her home for fourteen years just a few days ago.”

Bob walked around and looked at everything. He had four trunks for small items. The tools I had brought and the ones I had Rocky buy would fill one large trunk. Rocky said he didn’t have much, but when all was done, he filled another trunk with bedding and clothes. Most long guns were in one more trunk, but we would wear our handguns while traveling.

We had most of the wagon loaded by nine the following day. Bob had made an offer on the plow and harrow and said he would pay me when we went through town, either tonight or in the morning before leaving for the south. That was fine with me. Then Rocky and I decided that Roland would be the one person who would be traveling along with me, Itea, Karen, and Jack. He could also be the spare team driver if Bob needed him. That would relieve me from handling any team pulling the freight wagon.

The plan was to leave for town by four this afternoon and be at Mable’s before dark. The freight would go there early the following day, and Itea and I would see if we couldn’t get married and leave the following day.

As always, plans need re-adjustment. When something comes up to change the plan, it happens. A bunch of riders rode in at noon. Two of the buyers showed interest in buying the ranch. One, the remittance man with a crew of four, and two, the man with a crew of three that Dugan hadn’t cared for.

These two crews didn’t mix and looked ready for a fight. I was glad I hadn’t left yet, so we and our men stood prepared to back up Rocky. Bob, the freight wagon driver, stood with us. Itea and Karen got onto the packed wagon, and I saw Itea open the trunk with the long guns and ammo.

The Remittance Man, Sir George Hamilton, asked, “I’m looking for Rocky Sedgewich. I’m buying this ranch. What are you asking? I’ve looked over the range and cattle and am making an offer. I’ll follow you into town and meet you at the Wells Fargo office to close the deal. The money will be in gold.” Hamilton made an offer.

I knew that Rocky would not accept this amount. Rocky turned to the other buyer. “Do you want to get in on this? I won’t leave if that is all I can get for the ranch.”

The other buyer, saying his name was Henry, pushed up the amount by $1200. Rocky thought this was getting close to the figure he felt the ranch should bring.

“It still isn’t enough. Hamilton?”

I was watching Hamilton. He tried to act that this was too high and was reluctant to bid. “$2,000 more on top of Henry’s bid. We both know what cattle you have are worth. That extra is on the buildings. Are you taking the tepee poles, still standing where the tepee was?”

“Nope. You hit the amount I am looking for. We’ll settle up in town tomorrow.

Hamilton asked, “I saw four graves over the back of where the tepee was. Did somebody die of sickness or something?”

“Yeah, lead poison. The Marshal was here later and told us to bury them. You can ask him if you care to, but I wouldn’t make a big deal about it. We are out of the mainstream in the hills and must take care of it ourselves. I was wounded, and two of my punchers had wounds.” Rocky paused and asked, “Why do you want this place so bad?”

“You aren’t going to turn down my offer if I tell you why, are you?”

“No, I won’t do that.”

“I told one of your men I was buying up small ranches, and I am. Your government is soon putting more of the Indian tribes on reservations. This ranch will be feeding some of them. I hope to buy enough ranches to feed them all.”

Rocky and I laughed and spoke, “Karen and Jack, did you hear that? The government will be feeding your people.”

“Kid, I trust you and Rocky. Government men always cheat Indians.”

Hamilton and his riders mounted and went out to look at the cattle. I went to where Henry and his men were getting ready to mount. “Sorry, you men didn’t get the ranch.”

“Yeah, we didn’t figure we had much chance when we learned a foreigner was buying. We might have got here before he did. I can’t blame you at all. He paid at least a thousand more than the place is worth.”

“Yeah, it was more than we figured. Keep looking, and you’ll find what you want at your price. Talk to the ranch to your right when you come out onto the main road at the foot of the hill. He might be able to help you out?”

“Thanks, we will.” They mounted and went down the trail.

I said something to Rocky. “I don’t think we had that outfit correct. They looked rough, but I don’t think they were too bad. They didn’t have enough money. What do you think of the English outfit that bought the ranch?”

“It is up to his managers whether he makes a living at ranching. He certainly has enough money. I’m glad we are getting a little extra. I could have milked it a little longer, but what the hey?”

Hamilton came back, leaving his crew out with the cattle. “Are you leaving now? I’ll ride with you into town.”

“In a half hour. You are leaving your men here with the cattle, right?”

“Yes. I’ll pay you tomorrow morning, get a load of vittles and blankets for the men, and should be back by two tomorrow. I thought you might have a buckboard that went with the ranch?”

“We packed everything in. My woman in town has one. Tell you what, I’ll throw the buckboard in with the ranch. Also, if your men get hungry, part of the beef haunch is suspended in the well. Use it up before it spoils. Tell the truth, this sale went through faster than I ever thought it would.”

“I’m a fast-doing man who gets things done.”

“You certainly are.”

Karen rode on the freight wagon seat. Jack begged to ride with me on my horse, and I let him. Hamilton asked about living and working with these Indians, and I assured him they were friendly. Itea was riding beside us and embarrassingly told about me helping Karen birth Jack.

She went on to tell about her background as an Indian until she was ten years old. It was at that time we on the ranch realized she was white, and I set about teaching her to speak our language and live as a white person. I give much credit to Rocky’s woman friend for promoting this endeavor. She had lived in town with Rocky’s friend for two years. It was only within the last few months that we decided we loved each other and would marry later today or tomorrow.

Hamilton congratulated us on finding each other through the odd happenings in our lives. “Kid and Itea, I’m sure you will have a happy life together. I’m so pleased to meet people who find happiness in such backward surroundings.”

Our little caravan of one freight wagon, us riding in the front, with Rocky’s crew bringing up the rear with the extra horses that didn’t go with the ranch. Traveling the four hours into town showed Hamilton that although primitive, we were capable. Rocky and Hamilton were going past Mable’s house and onto the bank.

Jack was to sit out front of the house with the hitched horses so Karen would know that she was to get off the wagon there. I suspected Dugan and the other two punchers would go on into town to a saloon. We would round them up and tell them when our marriage ceremony would happen so they could observe.

Mable was surprised to hear from me that Rocky had sold the ranch so soon. “Where is he?”

“He is in town with the buyer. I would imagine he’ll be back within the hour. I believe the man who purchased the ranch will be with him. We are all hungry if you have time to put together a meal.”

“Kid, you mean we will soon go with you when you head for your new home?”

“That’s right. Oh, Karen and Jack are with us. Jack sat behind me on the way down. Karen is on the freight wagon with the hides that cover her new tepee. She’ll be along in a half hour or so. Jack is out front to make sure she gets off the wagon. Bob, the wagon driver, will go along the road before leaving town here. After we eat, if you would get dressed, we would go into town to see if we can find someone to marry both of us.”

“Oh, dear, I’m not ready to get married today. Neither is Itea, and I want our hair done just right and make sure our dresses fit just right. I do have the picture-taking man to capture our images for posterity. Tomorrow, we may be ready.”

“Okay, we’ll put you in charge of getting on the road as soon as possible. There will be one or two freight wagons for your furniture and things. That won’t arrive until three or four days after we do.”

“I can take my buggy, can’t we?”

“I will tear it down and load it onto one of your freight wagons. I’ll put it together as soon as it gets there?”

“What about my driving team?”

“They will be on leads. All three of our crew will be with us. If that doesn’t look like it will work, we can tie them behind a freight wagon. Anyway, they won’t have to pull anything.”

“What is the person like who bought the ranch from Rocky?”

“He is an Englishman, and I like him. Rocky likes his money. He is very personable as well. So, what do you think of what is happening in the next couple of days?”

“Okay, I guess. It seems rushed, but that is what moving is like. I’ve lived in many places, and this isn’t that different.”

Just at that minute, Jack came bolting through the door. “Mom’s here, and Bob wants to see how much stuff you have for the other wagons.”

“Mable, you show him the household items, and I’ll show him the buggy and what things in the barn that need to go,”

“Is Rocky leaving his buckboard?”

“Yes. Hamilton ended up with it.”

Mable had a roast that she cooked yesterday and baked bread this morning. Itea wanted a bath and said I needed one, too. We were dressed when Rocky and Hamilton came from Wells Fargo. Itea had dressed in a floor-length dress of maroon taffeta, the top form fitting. The gown had a wide white lace collar. Karen was braiding her hair, and Mable would arrange it with combs adorning the top. Her neck was left bare. She was wearing moccasins, but they didn’t show. She stood and twirled in front of me.