Chapter 2

“You’re so thoughtful. Berta, I’d trap another year if I was sure you would be with me.”

“No Brady, I wouldn’t be with you. I’ve had my fill of living in the wilderness. I want a bath at least once a week and I want another woman to talk to occasionally. That said I have enjoyed being with you this winter.”

“Berta, I was just paying you a compliment that’s all. I’ve had my fill of living without being with other people too. I just meant you filled in the lonely spots that come up too often without anyone else around.”

“Oh.” Berta didn’t say anything for a bit. “Brady, what are you going to do with your life if you don’t trap?”

“I don’t know yet, but something will turn up. Are you going to Oregon when we get finished with this?”

“I don’t think so. I don’t even know if my uncle is alive. I certainly wouldn’t be alive now if things hadn’t happened the way they did after my brother died. Moreover, he and I both would have died if that hadn’t happened and we did try for Oregon. I’m sure, now that I know what the winter is really like out here, we never would have made it.

“I agree; it was foolish for him to start out so late in the summer. I didn’t tell you before, but you were on the wrong trail. The trail for Oregon is way south of here. That one has a lot of travel on it. The Mormons and the people headed for California and the gold that is being found use it and then for Oregon, they go up the coast.”

“Brady, I haven’t admitted this, but we were lost. We were just traveling west and hoping we would find our way through the mountains. I don’t want to even think about it anymore.

“Different subject, how are you going to handle questions about me being with you all winter, unmarried as we are? People are going to ask questions.”

“I am bothered about that. They are going to think you are a loose woman and I know you are not. I’ll leave it up to you what you think is the best way to handle it.”

“Brady, I don’t want you to feel trapped, but if I’m going to have the name, I might as well sleep with you. I’ll still be protected—, that is, if you think I’m worth it.”

I couldn’t think of what to say about what I wanted. Finally I blurted, “I would like it more if you would consent to be my wife when we get to where there is a preacher. We’ll just say we are married in our hearts and wait on a preacher to make it official. I also would like it if we could sleep under the same blankets together from now on.”

“You’d have me for your wife?”

“Yes.” There was a rustling on her pallet. Soon my blankets were lifted and Berta slid in beside me.

“Brady, I don’t know if I can do this. Even as much as I have come to care for you, I’m fearful of what you are going to do to me.”

“Berta, I care for you a lot. I don’t want to hurt you and if we have to sleep together for appearances sake I can handle it okay. I just hope by the time we reach civilization we can join together as husband and wife. I don’t know much about making love to a woman because I haven’t had that much experience. Right now you are the closest I have ever been to one that I feel love for.”

“That’s not true. You cleaned me up and washed me when I was so sick. That was close and you must have felt some love.”

“I did that, yes, but I wasn’t looking on you as a woman. You were just my partner and I needed you to survive and get well and be able to get out of here.”

“I should be mad you didn’t find me attractive, but given the circumstances and how badly I smelled, I understand. I still stink.”

“Not as bad as I do. You know I was thinking you have never seen me without my beard. It was well grown when we first met. When I’m in town I shave every day. I’ll probably meet you on the street and you won’t even know me.”

“I will too. I’ve watched you for months and I will know you with or without facial hair. Brady, it is going to be a long day tomorrow. Put your arms around me and go to sleep.” Berta turned her back to me and when I put my arm over her she pulled herself into my arms. “This feels great with your arm holding me. Now go to sleep.”

I wondered what it would be like lying next to each other when and if we were naked. Here in the cave it was too cold to be a possibility. It probably wouldn’t be possible on the trail either until it got warmer.

Habit woke me early and I detached myself from Berta. “Brady, can’t we stay here one more day?”

“I’d love to, but we really should be on the trail.”

“I know, but I felt so safe in your arms.”

“We’ll have more time together I promise. Our whole life, I hope.” I bailed off the pallet and poked the ashes to find the coals still alive. There was water and I filled the pot for tea. We were stretching the brew of teaberry leaves mixed with some dried mint leaves. It did get us going.

I went down to the animals and fed them a pound each of the oats. I led them to the swamp to drink. I didn’t put them back into the lean-to, just tying them to saplings. It was light enough to see what kind of day it was going to be. I knew out on the prairie the sun would be shining, but it wouldn’t get down into our valley for another hour.

Berta passed me my tin plate with a half rabbit on it. She declared, “I’m not going to eat meat for a month when we get to Saint Louis.”

“I know how that is. We are lucky we had enough salt to flavor it. Think what it would be like if we didn’t?” Berta just shook her head.

The cart was already loaded, waiting on one of the mules to be backed between the shafts. Berta was sweeping out the cave leaving it nearly as clean as we found it. There was a pile of wood against the far wall and I had put the hide stretchers behind it. Another trapper might find this valley and we wanted to leave it just as good as we had found it. We even stacked up the empty tins we weren’t taking with us.

“Brady, come up and take a long last look at where we have lived for so many months.” I reached the cave and looked around. “Believe it or not, I have been very happy here. I doubt I would have been, with any other person but you. Not even with my brother. He was older than me and sometimes I felt I was treated more like a slave or servant.”

“How do you feel about how I have treated you? I certainly ordered you around and made you work hard enough.”

“Yes, but as you often said, it was in my own best interests. Not only that, you always looked out for my welfare and cared for me when I needed it.”

“Well we aren’t out of this yet. We still have a difficult time ahead of us. We’ll have this conversation when we reach civilization.”

“Good. We don’t need to talk about this anymore. I know how you feel about me and you know how I feel about you.” We went down and saddled the horse and one mule, backing the other mule into the shafts on the cart. I put the pack racks on the animals we were to ride, tying the bundles of fur pelts on securely. The horse and mule didn’t like the added weight, being uncomfortable and they jumped around some.

I led the saddled horse out through the gap, giving Berta the mule halters to hold. I returned to lead the mule and cart out. We came out into brilliant sunlight and from our elevation, we could see for miles. We paused to look toward the Crow camp, but couldn’t see it. I intended we should miss it by two miles anyway. Traveling was good and we dodged around some patches of snow, but generally, we went forward in a straight line.

By darkness, I figured we had made almost twenty miles. I hobbled the animals after taking off the saddles and the packs of furs. They went to eating last year’s grass that had shoots of green coming up in bunches. Another week and there would be some real feed for them. We were sore and tired. There was no complaint from Berta. What a trooper.

We were three days out, and about ready to head north, north-east for the rendezvous at Fort union. After making camp and building a small fire, we were relaxing. The horse’s head came up. I rolled into the darkness with my Paterson out.

“Hello the camp. We are eleven trappers and saw your fire. May we come in?”

I skittered to where I had made our bed out of the firelight out behind some brush. I had both my rifle and my pistol in my hands. “Come on in so I can look you over.” Eight men on foot and three mounted men slowly came into the firelight. All the men who were on foot and now took huge packs off their backs and swung them to the ground. The three horses were pulling heavily loaded travois.

When I said men, I made a mistake when it became evident one was an Indian squaw. She was carrying a pack as large as any of them. She went about opening her pack and found a bundle of jerky. Placing a tin pan on the fire, she proceeded to cut the meat into it to stew. That done she went out into the dark and dragged in some small branches that came from the tree that I had broken off earlier to make our fire.

I knew we would need more wood, so I saddled my horse and taking a rope dragged the tree up close. Axes came out and soon the tree was reduced to firewood. Berta hadn’t said a word and had edged over into the dark where just her outline could be seen.

“How was your season?” This was asked by a late middle-aged trapper, years older than me.

“Good. I’ve been up here six years and this has been my best one.”

“You’re lucky. We all took pelts, but nothing special. You and the woman work together or run separate lines?”

“We worked together. Come into the light, Berta.” She came and sat by me. You men got names? Mine is Brady Boyd? This is my wife-to-be, Berta. Her given name is Bertell.”

“Mine is Joe Arcand. That’s my squaw, Morning Sun.” Names came forth from all. I perked up when I heard some familiar names.

I asked, “Any of you ever run into a man by the name of Timothy Frachette?”

His head came up and he began swearing. “The son-na-va-bitch stole from us. Took our packs and wallets and all of the food he could carry. I’d kill him with my bare hands given the chance.”

“You’re a little late for that. That saddle on my mule that Berta is riding belonged to him. He doesn’t need it anymore.”

“Took him did you? Good for you.”

“Nope, not me. The only time I touched him was to drag his dead carcass out of the campfire after he began to cook. It wasn’t me that shot him, either.”

“Brady, go ahead and tell what happened if you have to, but don’t be so dramatic about it.”

“Okay Berta. It went this way, me and my animals got off the boat coming up river. I came into Montana just above the Black Hills and came straight across. When I got almost to the Montana Mountains, I saw dust following behind me for two-three days. I stopped and thought I had better check it out. I was almost up to the campfire of those who had been following me when another horse drove into the camp I was heading for and started shooting.

“I was on the camp edge in the dark when this guy went after Berta. She was some scared I could tell, but when the man told her to come close or else, she went to him. She got up next to him and fired from her pocket. Then she pulled one of those little two-shot pistols and let him have both barrels in the face. He toppled right over into the campfire.

“I waited a bit until after she had checked and found her brother dead. We put our outfits together, traded to the Crows what we didn’t need and found good trapping. We’ve been out of the hills three days now. Truth to tell, Frachette had seen Berta before some place, and it was her he was after. He came up short on his brag and it killed him. I say she had the right since he had killed her brother and probably would have killed her after he was done with her.”

Joe, spoke, “I’d agree. You said she is your wife-to-be.”

“Yes I did. She is a good woman and we will be married when we come up with a preacher. I also have to say she is the best trapping partner I ever had and she pulled her weight every minute we have been working together. She may have started out a tenderfoot, but she isn’t one now.”

Berta spoke up, “You know I would be dead if it wasn’t for Brady. My brother had the crazy idea we could make it to Oregon before winter. I know now we never would have made it. Brady taught me what it takes to survive up here in the mountains and I think I could now. You have to plan ahead and be prepared.”

There was silence while the men contemplated what we told them. Berta got up and went to our packs. She came back and laid three wallets on the ground in front of her. “I was going to turn these into the Fort Union trading post when we got there, but if you own them, take them.”

Three men got up. Pete Downs was younger than Berta, Tom Samson a year or so younger than me along with Harry Horshack, who looked to be about forty. They never hesitated, recognizing their property that had been stolen, picked them up. Each opened them. Seeing that the two or three gold coins were still there, they couldn’t believe their luck. “Thank you, Ma’am. You’re honest. I’m glad to get my papers back and I never expected to see them or my money again.”

Joe asked what our plans were. “We’re headed for the rendezvous at Fort Union. I hope the fur companies are paying more than last season.”

“I doubt it. I think we are going down through the Dakota Territory to Laramie. The last I heard they were paying almost as much there as in Saint Louis. There is another rendezvous where the Wind River comes down out of the basin. They won’t pay any better than at Fort Union, but my advice would be to come with us.”

“Joe, there are a lot more Indians around through there. I’ve heard when you go down through the Wind River country they are apt to come after you.”

“We’ll be east of there and my squaw is Shoshone and can speak up for us. She is related to a bunch of them. There are eleven of us and you would make two more. I’m guessing you are well armed. We already know your wife can shoot.”

“Yeah, and it is only half as far this way to Saint Louis. Berta and I will talk tonight and we’ll let you know in the morning. For myself, I went down through that country after my first season, so I do know what the traveling would be like.”

“You better come with us. It’ll cost you a bundle with your mules and horse if you go down river by boat from Fort Union.”

“The country through the territory will be rough for the cart. I said we had a good season, and I mean a good, good season. The cart is the only way to transport our furs.”

“Hell, if half what you told us about your wife is true about getting rid of that killer, these men would lay down their life for her. We’ll all give you a hand getting there. We might want a wing-ding before we break up, but that is all it would cost you.”

“Okay, I think that would be best the way for us. I’ll let you know for sure in the morning.”

We turned southerly and headed south. The Laramie trading post was both that and a fort. I was relieved to be traveling with the other trappers. Morning Sun worked not only for Joe, but tended the fire most of the time and did some sewing if one of the trappers brought her a torn shirt or pants for repair. She was treated with much respect. Berta was treated the same way. The men knew we weren’t married, but under the circumstances of how we came together, they understood.

Travel was easier, but only because there were so many hands to deal with the problems when they arose. I freely made my animals available. One man broke his leg and so I walked and he rode the rest of the journey. Our diet changed. I had hungered for venison during the winter. Now it was a staple. When the deer was shot for food, Morning Sun and Berta took the hide and made a stretcher for it. Our cart had hides hanging all over the sides.

We had to unload the cart though one difficult mountain pass. We made several trips carrying the bundled hides up and over on our backs. We then took the wheels off and attached poles to the underside and manhandled the cart box by hand. We actually had to tip it on its side to get through one narrow place. Down the other side, we put the wheels back on and were soon on our way.

We met three different Army patrols. They wanted to know where we had trapped and what Indians we encountered. I told them about trading with the Crows and the others shared their experiences with the natives. The First Lieutenant acted worried, just saying that there had been some bad incidents recently between the whites and redskins.

We had our own brushes with the Indians, but when they realized how powerful we were, they backed off. I didn’t think they were war parties anyway. If they could have gotten a scalp without danger, they would have gone after it. I was glad Berta and I weren’t alone.

I debated once of taking this route with just me and Berta. We never would have made it without finding a different route. Some of the area was high plains desert, but with the mountains, there were rivers and lakes to contend with. This was spring and crossing these streams was another danger.

Generally, we made good time. Joe Arcand and Morning Sun split off and headed for the Wind River Rendezvous lying west and a little north of where we were. When they left, Berta hated to see Morning Sun depart. The last word I had with Joe was that he would never leave these mountains; he would live out his life here. How long he would last could be debatable, but he was a smart man and still strong.

It took us twenty-five days to reach the Fort Laramie trading post, twenty-eight since we left our valley. Fort Laramie was bought by the army to help contain the Indians. Several of the trappers took what the fur company offered at the Laramie Post. I asked around of what was being paid for pelts in the settlement at Crow Creek Crossing. (Crow Creek Crossing became Cheyenne, Wyoming, eventually. I have adjusted the time line somewhat to fit this tale.)

The difference was enough for us to continue on our journey and take our chances they would bring more for us there. Pete Downs, Harry Horshack and Tom Samson, the three men who had gotten their wallets back from Berta decided they would go with us after selling their furs. They got a ride on a loaded freight wagon going along with us to the crossing. “You are our good luck, and besides that, we want to be at your wedding. We’ll stick with you that far anyway.”

We purchased grain for our animals and they were feeling chipper. We didn’t push ourselves and a few days later we were in civilization. This was a raw town and it seemed as if it was overly busy. I thought maybe it was because, to us, it was the crowd of people who were everywhere. Men were gathered on the street talking and men and women were going in and out of stores.

Wagon trains were coming through and would for a number of months yet. They were headed for California and the gold diggings. We had seen some Mormons at Fort Laramie, but they kept to themselves. Most of them were damned poor and some were pulling carts by hand. They were the same kind of cart as the one we had loaded with our fur.

There was traffic of buckboards, freight wagons, a couple of surreys, and we dodged a coach and six on our way to the Mercantile General store. This was no Saint Louis, but after the two of us living a lone as we had all winter, it was pretty damned exciting.

The freight wagon driver told us where we could put up our animals and where we could find a boarding house for Berta. He was headed for the yard and we had to drive right by it. Berta was going to be sleeping in a bed! I would stay with my furs with Tom, Pete, and Harry bedded down near by. I rented a double stall at the livery stable to store the furs. There was room enough for me to throw my blankets on the floor. My three companions were to sleep in the hay loft. I sent them off to eat and to get a drink.

They came back in an hour to watch the furs while I went for a bath and haircut. I had the Chinee at the bath house, steam and iron my one suit of clothes so I would look presentable. This had been rolled up in my pack these many months, and I intended to take Berta out to supper. That plan changed when I got to the boarding house, finding this was the best place in town to eat. Venison, beans and biscuits were on the menu ... every day. Well, maybe they served bear on occasion.

I entered the dining room. There were 24 people sitting at a long table. Three teenage youths, two girls and a boy, were bringing plates and bowls of food to replenish the ones that were rapidly being emptied. Berta wasn’t there. I asked of the oldest girl if Miss Gorski was still in her room. An older woman sitting at the table nearest the door I had just entered spoke up, “You must be Mr. Boyd. Berta is finishing doing up her hair. I am to direct you to the alcove off the sitting room if you arrived before she came down. It is through that door to the right.”

The woman was looking me over very intently, and so wasn’t everyone else staring at me. “My you are a handsome young man. She said you wore a beard and had your hair tied in a knot with a string. She won’t know you.”

“She said onetime she would always know me. I see there is an empty seat. May I sit in it until she comes in? I’d like to see if what she said is true.”

Everyone started smiling as this was a bit of diversion for everyone’s humdrum day. We could hear her descending the stairs. I made as if I was waiting for a plate. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Berta standing in the doorway. I barely recognized her. Her brown hair had been shortened and what was left had been put up and was held in place with some combs. It had been washed and brushed. It shone, being somewhat lighter than I remembered.

She had on a dress of a light grey and it had a petticoat on underneath, for it flared slightly at the bottom. There was a shawl over her shoulders. Berta paused momentarily, and then came around the table behind me. I felt her hand on my shoulder and she turned my head and kissed my cheek. “Come Brady, we are to eat by ourselves.” I arose to my feet. There was a clamor of those present wanting us to eat at the table and get acquainted. The man sitting next to where I had been sitting got to his feet and told us to sit there because he was late for work.

Questions started flying about our lives, how we met, and how we knew each other. The two women who were present were shocked that Berta had spent the winter season alone in a cave with a man.

“Ma’am, let me explain. Berta was traveling for Oregon with her brother. He was killed, leaving her hundreds of miles from nowhere with winter bearing down. I came to their campfire after he died. Berta thought she should continue on, but I convinced her it would be the death of her.

“I informed her she had only two choices. One would be to try for Fort Laramie or here at the Crossing, but it would be very uncertain at best if she would be able to make it this far alone. The only other choice was to pool our supplies and stay the winter.

“I became her brother and she my tenderfoot helper. We lived as brother and sister all winter. On the last day in our cave, we talked about the future. We decided we would like to face the future together so I have proposed marriage. That will take place as soon as it can be arranged.”

“Miss Gorski, how did your brother die?”

“I killed the man after he shot my brother when he came into our camp. My brother died and the man meant me harm. Brady was close enough to hear the gunshots and investigated, finding me alone. Brady has been a perfect gentleman for these months. Tonight is the first time I’ve seen him without his beard and his hair cut. He is a very nice looking man.” Berta said this and then she blushed.

I wasn’t going to pass on letting her be the only one to say such nice things about someone. “Let me tell you a little about my partner. Berta did all of the cooking, helped clean the hides for stretching, took care of our animals if I was late getting back from servicing the day’s trap line, and best of all kept the fire going. And too, I wasn’t aware how beautiful she is before today.

“It is hard to tell what a woman looks like if she wears leggings and heavy clothes night and day. She kept her hair braided and I suppose it got as dirty as mine did. Now I can see how beautiful she is and even more than that, I’m glad I proposed when I did.”

“It is like opening a Christmas present wrapped in brown paper, isn’t it Brady?”

“It is.”

A man at the far end of the table asked, “Did you have a good season? How did you make out at the rendezvous?”

“We didn’t sell at the rendezvous. We still have our furs. Most if not all are prime. If I can’t find a buyer here paying more than what I have been offered, I may freight them east.”

“My name is Henry Green and I’d like to make you an offer. I missed making it up to the Laramie post or the rendezvous and I need to buy furs. I’ll pay top dollar because I won’t have to freight them down out of the mountains.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow at the livery stable next to the freight yard where I have a guard on them. To let you know, Miss Gorski owns almost half of them. I’ve taught her all about pelts and what makes a good fur versus a prime one. We’ll trade if you make us a fair offer.

“Do you have many?”

“All we could get into a one-horse cart plus what all one big mule could carry on pack racks. My horse had a pair of loaded racks on its back too. I’d say we have a goodly amount.”

“I’ll look you up in the morning.”

Berta and I didn’t have a chance to say anything about our personal life until we went up to her room. “Berta, where did you get the beautiful dress?”

“Sheila, the owner of the boarding house has gained some weight and said she would be glad to sell it because it didn’t fit her any more. I paid her a whole dollar for it.”

“I would have paid her five dollars if she asked.”

“Brady, that’s your heart talking. We are going to have a little money soon I hope. We are going to have to watch are pennies until we find something to work at. Have you any ideas what we can do yet?”

“I’ll ask you the same? It would be nice if it were something we both could be involved in. I mean I don’t want to go work on a ranch and leave you here in town.”

“Maybe you could work for some rich person and I could keep house for his family. That is what my mother and father did.”

“Berta, I want more than that for us. We’ll settle on something. We may have enough money to buy a little business or own our own farm or something.”

“I don’t care as long as we are together.”

“Berta, would you kiss me now that I don’t have a beard?” No hesitation at all and she was I my arms. She molded herself against me and she smelled, oh so sweet.

“We don’t stink anymore do we? I was so ashamed of how I smelled all winter, but I couldn’t do anything about it. I had the land-lady burn my clothes because they were so soiled. Well, that was after I bought the dress. I didn’t want to get married in my birthday suit.”

“I wouldn’t mind that at all.”

“Brady, I think I am over my fear of men. I know you are going to be gentle with me. Coming together would have happened before this if we only had the chance to be clean. I’d like to share how it’s so very difficult sleeping in the same blankets with you and not being able to show you that I want you.”

“We’ll catch up, I promise. Berta, how do you feel about having children?”

“I want babies and we should get started soon because we are getting old. I’m twenty six now.”

“Okay, we’ll make babies just as soon as we are wed.” I hated to leave this woman tonight. I don’t think she realized how she had affected me in the past while we were under the same blanket. I had so many times “accidently” put my hand in intimate places on her while she was sleeping. If she only knew?

She did know. “Brady, I loved having you touch me sometimes. I always pretended I was sleeping, but I don’t think I ever was. I would have let you go further, but you always stopped.”

So much for my sneaking around. I hugged Berta to me and kissed her. I let my hands roam over her. She shuddered and I thought her knees were going to buckle. Then her hands found me. Finally she pushed me away. It was my knees that were weak this time. I pecked her lips once more and backed out of the room. Luckily, for me the dining room was empty when I passed through.

I reached the livery stable. Tom, Pete and Harry had found a bottle and it was most empty. Anyone could have robbed me. I left them right there next to the gutter and crawled up under the manger. I took my suit off before lying down in only my wool union suit. I took out my pistol and had it at hand. Someone came by with a lantern and held it up to shine in. I cocked my pistol and whoever it was hurriedly moved on.

I washed up in the water trough when I woke at daylight. I had to put my old dirty buckskins on. I’d buy new as soon as the Mercantile opened. I figured the furs were safe enough. My three companions were still sleeping. I walked out into the street and could see someone sweeping off the porch leading into the store. I drifted over and found it open. Berta was there already. She was arguing with the clerk. “I’m a working woman and I need pants. I don’t have time to have some made. I’m selling my furs this morning and a pretty dress won’t do.”