Chapter 3

“Mr. Boyd, I’m surprised to see you this morning. Did you decide not to look at the properties?”

“We went out to see the one with the forty acres. We like it and would like to buy it. Do you have the deed?”

“I do. I’ll sign it over to you. By the way it was originally owned by a man named Newell and that is what the place goes by. There is no street address. You can go into the land office and show them your deed and they will update the records.” I withdrew money from my account, paid the price and went to the record office and got that done.

I returned to the freight yard and talked to my manager, Jack Abram. “Where can I buy some boards and find a man or men to do some carpentry?”

“We buy from a mill here locally. What do you need a carpenter for?”

“I bought the Newell place out west of town an hour ago. There is a shanty on it. I’d like to get it a little more livable so I can take my wife there when she moves from the rooming house. That will be sometime next week. I want the floor boarded over and the walls covered. You can see right through the gaps in the slabs. It should have a window overlooking the lower land too. We’ll want to see the sun come up. I guess the door is okay and the frame looks solid enough. I may enlarge the building before winter. I’ll be staying there until I get it fixed up for Berta.”

“Are you going to locate the freight yard on the property?”

“That’s the plan. It will be set up on the flat land on the town side of the creek. We should construct a bunkhouse for the teamsters and I’ll want sheds built to cover the wagons. I want those out of the weather. Who is the blacksmith or do we have our own? What else are we going to need to set up out there?”

“You have a man that has been with me and he is a good smith. He keeps the teams shod and does all the metal work at the forge. We buy chain lengths and he makes the hooks for them. He also hammers out and fits the wagon tires. Our only problem is getting charcoal for the forge. That’s hard to come by. You’ll need stables and corrals for the stock. We will need canvas for the wagons and last thing we should have before winter is a hay barn. I have been stacking the hay and covering it with canvas, but some of it always spoils.”

“Will the teamsters work moving everything?”

“Sure they will. If there isn’t any freight to haul, they just hang around playing cards. None of them are married. No extra women around. You let them have a bunkhouse to live in and they will build the whole shebang for you. Maybe if you furnish a bottle on Saturday night it’ll all get done sooner than you think. I have to tell you this is all going to cost you a bundle you know?”

“I know, but for me it is the chance of a lifetime. I’ll be out drumming up business next week.

“That’ll be good. I’ll lay out the rates we charge. There are a couple of Army Posts that I have given thought about approaching. I think we could pull in business from Fort Laramie. There are ranches that are beginning to move up into the territory. Not many yet and the government is trying to keep them out because of the treaties they made with the Indians. You can’t keep working people away from good land so the Army is having trouble containing the whole mess. This country was built on work and it all starts with the land.

“I’ll begin with the Army. It looks as if this settlement is going to be a hub for the whole territory. I think freighting is a good business to get into.”

“I found it a lot of headaches, but if you like that stuff, I can see where you will do better than me.”

“Jack, from what I have seen of you, I’d say you have done damned well.”

“Thanks for that. Let me see what I can do about getting you and your missus your house livable. I have some ideas.”

“Thanks, Jack, I appreciate it.”

I went over to the rooming house and talked with Berta. She let me into her room, which I guess she wasn’t supposed to do. We came down for supper. I looked out onto the street. There was one of my wagons loaded with lumber headed out of town. I wondered; could this possibly be going out to the Newell place? I didn’t say anything to Berta. I would find out tomorrow when I took my bride there to consummate our marriage.

I didn’t stay long after the meal was over. “Are you playing cards tonight?”

“No Berta, my card playing days are done. Actually, I am so tired I don’t know which end is up. Since we came to town I’ve been on the go constantly. So much has been accomplished, though. I’ve put more money in the bank; I’ve acquired a business, bought a piece of property to take my bride to and best of all I have spent hours making love to the woman who is to be my wife.

“I’ll get some sleep tonight and be ready to go again tomorrow. I’m sorry your brother died for us to find this happiness.”

“Don’t be sorry. I would be dead if you weren’t there to save me.”

“Something to tell our grandchildren wouldn’t you think?”

“They won’t believe us.”

“Maybe not, but we’ll know.”

I went to the diner in the morning. Pete, Tom, and Harry came in. They were busting me about getting married this afternoon. I asked them if any of them had ever driven a team. None of them had. Tom said he had seen Jack about hiring on as a swamper, and he had been told to see me. He thought I might.

Knowing there was going to be a lot of labor involved in moving the business to the Newell place, I said to tell Jack to put them on the payroll as laborers. They would be working for a dollar a day.

“Hey Brady, we were over to that freight outfit on the other side of town.”

“Why were you over there? You should have come to me first.”

“Oh, we wouldn’t have gone to work there. We heard the owner’s name was Frachette. I think he is brother to the bastard that robbed us. He certainly has a family resemblance.”

“Well, he wasn’t the one to rob you. Better keep away from him. Probably a good idea to not let out what happened to his brother.”

“We won’t. Berta is safe. He wouldn’t dare harm her because she is a woman.”

“We don’t know that. It didn’t stop Tim Frechette from killing her brother just to get to her.”

“Okay, we’ll keep our mouths shut. Brady, you only have five more hours as a free man. I think we ought to have a drink.”

“No way. I’m staying sober on my wedding day.” I realized I was being kidded and we had a great laugh. I walked back to the freight yard and looked for Jack. He wasn’t anywhere around.

The stable swamper said, “Jack and some of the teamsters went off somewhere with a load of lumber last evening and haven’t come back. They’ll be here this afternoon. The new owner is getting married over to the rooming house. I haven’t met him yet. He probably wouldn’t want me there so I guess I won’t go although Jack said every one of us was invited.”

“Hey, I think you should. I heard the guy getting married is going to spring for some whisky.”

“Maybe I will at that. Nobody said anything about there being drinks.” I left the four men talking and went over to the rooming house to see Berta. There was excitement in the air. Sheila was rushing around more than ever.

I went up to Berta’s room and got a kiss good morning. “Brady, I’m going to be wearing the grey dress I bought to wear the first time you saw me here. Is that okay?”

“Fine with me. We will spend our money on making a home for ourselves. I’ll be wearing the suit I had on that same day.”

“Oh, please wear the clothes you bought at the Mercantile. I wish I could wear mine.”

“I don’t think you had better. You would be ostracized by the ladies of the town forever.”

“I know. Are we going out to the Newell place to stay tonight?”

“I’d like to. We’ll be able to do some planning. We should be able to move what little stuff we have within a week or two and live there permanently.”

“Our first real home together. Neither of us have had a home for years, have we?”

“My thoughts exactly.” I left Berta there and went over to one of the bars and ordered a case of whisky. It was to be delivered to the freight yard during the wedding. I asked if they had a bottle of champagne. I was told no. I discovered there was none in town so I had to settle for brandy. I had three bottles delivered to the rooming house.

I wandered around the settlement until noon and then went into the barber shop with my clothes and got a bath and was shaven close again. I presented myself at the rooming house. I told Sheila what to do with the brandy I had brought with me. I was escorted out back to the far side of the yard. A chair had been placed for me to sit on to wait for my bride. She would be coming out the same door and then across to me.

People were coming in. There were no seats. Henry Green and Jack Abram came in and stood there talking with me. Henry said he did have three freight loads of furs to go on to Denver next week. He was surprised it was me he was doing business with and had to hear the tale of the poker game. The preacher came in and sat where I had, waiting to start the ceremony. He was older than I expected. Not too clean and pretty rough looking. Jack informed me that in the past he had carried a gun and hired it out. When he had killed someone by accident, he found the Lord and took up preaching.

There was a bustle at the door and the two women who roomed at the house came out followed by Berta. Berta only had eyes for me as she came toward me. I took her hand and we swung to face the crowd. The preacher began by saying a prayer. It was just of a few words and then he went into the traditional ceremony. Both of us stumbled over the words, us being naturally nervous. Seven minutes later, I was kissing my wife and we were taking congratulations and best wishes for a long and happy marriage.

There were nearly thirty people present. They hurriedly put planks on saw horses and grabbed tin bowls from the pile where Sheila, had placed them. She then started bringing out kettles of beef stew. Last year’s potatoes were soggy, but it did have peas, the only vegetable to come out of early gardens. To make up for the small variety, there were stacks of fresh bread and tubs of butter. The guests could get their bellies filled for the quantity was abundant.

I mentioned to Jack while the cake was being served that there was a case of whisky waiting for the men back at the yard. Jack let the word out. There was a sudden exodus by more than half of those present. Soon after that Sheila came around with trays of glasses with what looked like milk.

Sheila caught everyone’s attention. “Please, a toast to the bride and groom. May they have a happy life together?” Glasses were raised and, “hear, hear” was shouted. People rarely mixed their drinks and to have brandy mixed with milk was unheard of. The party broke up soon after this, leaving just the people who lived here still talking together. The wedding might not be remembered by many, but Berta and I would.

Berta went up to her room to change. I went for our animals. I had to stop for one drink with the men who were well on their way to being drunk. Jack laughed, “I saved a couple of bottles for tomorrow morning. Hair of the dog you know. You had better put your pack racks on your horse. The men bought a little sheet metal stove over at the hardware store for a wedding present. There is a basket for the other rack with some food in it at the rooming house. You are going to need to keep up your strength or you’ll never make it into work on Tuesday.”

“Why did they do that?”

“Beats me, but so far, you and Berta are coming up aces in their book. Most of these men have never been to a wedding before and if they had a family, they know they will never see them again. They’ve taken you for their own.”

I walked out to where the men were drinking. “Men, thank you for the presents. I never had much and I appreciate it more than you know. You’ll find Berta will too. We’ll see you on Tuesday.” I had to turn away; I was so touched by this.

Berta came out as I pulled up. She had a large blanket roll and a large food basket. “Sheila sent the remains of the cake.”

“What was left of the cake wasn’t that much. I’m hoping there is some bacon for breakfast in there. Notice I have a stove to cook it on?”

“I know all about it. Jack clued me in.”

“Let’s go, I want to get this marriage started right.”

We jogged out the trail to the Newell place. When we got to where we could see the shanty, we were amazed to see raw boards nailed on the outside. This had been done since we left yesterday morning. Berta pulled up and stared. “Oh, look there is a new window, but it is blocked up with just a hole in the middle.”

“I think that’s for the smoke pipe for the chimney to come out of. We’ll build a real chimney as soon as we can.”

I had a picket rope with me and I strung it between two trees where there was some grass and tied the animals to it. I set the stove up and put the stove pipe out through the window. There was an armful of slab wood cut up in the corner. I had thought to have the inside boarded up and I would before winter. This would be a tight little cabin when it got colder.

“Brady, are you hungry?”

“Just for you, sweetheart.”

“I made up our bunk while you were stringing the horses. I think we should try it out to see if it is comfortable.” I grinned and started taking off my clothes. Berta beat me by getting naked first.

“Berta, before you get on the bed, let me look at you? You are the most beautiful person I have ever seen.” I watched my coquettish wife finally get on the bed. With wide open eyes, she watched me come toward her. Her arms opened...

Before dark, I set up the chimney and the stove. The smoke pipe was already here. It must have come with the lumber last night. Candles had been included in the basket. There was a frying pan and a couple of small steaks. There were a tin of cooked potatoes to heat up in the pan after the steaks were done. I was guessing that this was intended for dinner tomorrow, but it was tonight we were hungry.

I saw to the horses first thing in the morning. There were eggs and bacon on the metal plates when I came back in. We didn’t have any chairs so we sat on the edge of the bunk. “Let’s go for a walk up behind the cabin. We can get a good view from there.” We went and found a big rock to sit on so we could look down on our 40 acres.

We imagined where we would place the barns and the wagon sheds. We thought the bunkhouse should be beside the wagon sheds. The hay barn would be directly in front of the stables. There would be two corrals, one on each side of the stables. We would also have one big corral across the creek to hold oxen for wagon trains. I had in mind to have some oxen and horses on hand if I could find them to sell to the wagon trains if they needed replacements. There was to be a small office just inside the hay barn.

“Brady, that won’t work at all. We’ll need heat in the winter time. That will be with a wood stove and a spark might burn the barn down.”

“We’ll sort it out. We have to have a place for the forge too. Maybe we’ll put both the office on one end of the wagon sheds. We have four months to get it done. The good thing is that Jack knows everyone.

“I’m going in Tuesday to see where I’m at and then I’m going to start talking to all the businesses in town about what their needs are. I’ll bet I can get more of them to use The Royal Flush freight line.”

“I’m going into the yard with you and get started on how to keep records. I did the household accounts for one of the people I used to work for. I know a little about it.”

“Good, cause I know diddly squat. I didn’t have much schooling because I left home too young.”

“I wouldn’t know that. You speak well. You said you can read and write and I know how intelligent you are. Brady, you’re one of those people who are going to do well with anything you attempt.”

“I think you are the same. Where did you get your education?”

“I was able to learn right along with the kids of the people I kept house for. They had tutors. As long as my work was finished I could sit in on the lessons.”

“I would say we are well suited for each other, wouldn’t you?” We lazed around the rest of the day. The only other thing we did was to decide what we would need to furnish our home. We had more conveniences here than at the cave during the past winter. Living here we wanted comfort. We had worked hard enough for it. Monday it was much the same for us. Tuesday morning we went to work.

I met some more of our teamsters that had arrived over the weekend. Four of the men who had been at our wedding were on the road. We met the ones who weren’t. Jack said, “Berta, now that you have met everyone, we’ll go into the office and get started. I did work all weekend on getting organized. You both are lucky to have each other to run the business together. I didn’t have that luxury. You both should learn each other’s skills, so if something happens to one of you, you still have the business to support yourself.”

We spent two hours in the office and then went out into the yard. We stopped and watched Hammer, the blacksmith, shoe a horse. It didn’t take him very long. The next one, the shoes had to be fitted from a standard blank. This was heated in the forge and then hammered into the shape of the horse’s hoof.

Berta was interested in how the bellows was operated. It was hooked up to an overhead arm that raised and lowered the bellows. You pulled the arm down to draw air into the bellows. There was a flapper valve the prevented air from escaping except when it was forced out through the nozzle. The smith controlled it by just reaching up while at the anvil. Basically, two operations at once to get the most heat from the forge to heat one shoe and to work at the anvil on another.

A messenger boy came in and told Jack that the load of lumber from the saw mill was ready to be delivered up to Fort Laramie. The teamster and his swamper came out and hooked a six-horse team to a huge freight wagon. One of the wheel horses stepped over the trace chain and was tangled. The teamster calmed the horse and finally got the chain unhooked and the horse back into line before re-hooking it.

Everything ready, they made a wide swing out of the yard and with chains jangling, they took off at a fast pace. It was open country and they would be going by the Newell property. Jack said they would be back sometime on Saturday.

Berta and I went over to the Mercantile and looked at some furniture. We needed a table and two chairs and a mattress for the built-in bunk. Actually, there wasn’t any room for anything else besides the stove. We took care of ordering and I said I would pick it up by six this evening. It was dinner time so we went to the rooming house to eat. Berta told Sheila she would have her own home now and would be leaving by Friday.

Berta went back to the freight yard and I went around to the different business informing all that I was the new owner of Jack’s former business. I said my wife wanted a new name for the business so we were calling it The Royal Flush Freight Line. The town wasn’t that large so everyone got the connection. I was asked how Jack felt about losing the business and I said he appeared to be okay with it. I had hired him as my manager and he seemed to be happy.

I went into my competitor’s freight yard and introduced myself. Harry had told me that the owner looked like the Tim Frachette who had robbed him. I wouldn’t know because Berta had rearranged Tim’s features by planting two bullets in his face before I got a good look at him. I wasn’t impressed with this freight yard. There was broken equipment parked around the perimeter and piles of manure everywhere. If it rained, I knew men would be slogging through it.

I introduced myself. “Hi, I’m the new owner of the freight company that Jack Abram owned.”

“Yeah, I heard you won it in a poker game. I also heard you gave it some cute name. Let me tell you something; this is a rough business. You won’t last a month. My men will run you off the trails given the chance. We’re tough and we play tough. If that don’t work, I’ll personally call you out. I don’t mess around. The reason Jack wanted to lose his business was because he knew he was going to get his someday.”

“Well, thanks for the warning. Nice to know what I’m in for. I hope you’re man enough to meet me face to face. You’ll probably pull your family in and back shoot me.”

“I only have one brother and I haven’t seen him for a couple of years. I don’t like you. I don’t need a brother to kill you; I’m up to it myself. If I come after you, you won’t live long.”

“Don’t hesitate on my account. I’ll meet you whenever you say. Just make sure it’s in a public place if and when you decide you want to take me on.”

“Brave bastard, ain’t you? How about three this afternoon on Main Street in front of the Mercantile? That’ll give you time to say your prayers. I might just take your new wife to bed while you’re still warm.”

“That might be a chore. Raping seems to run in your family and it doesn’t always turn out too well for the rapist. I’ll see you at three.” I turned my back on Frachette and went across the yard to my horse. I came here to be friendly but there was no use even talking to this bastard.

“Hey you, Boyd. What did you mean by that?” I kept right on walking. I swung up into the saddle, wheeled around and jogged down the street. I went to the yard.

“Berta, I have to talk to you. I went over to talk to Frachette. He threatened to ruin my business and before we were done talking, he told me he would meet me in the street at three. I didn’t back down so I’ve got it to do.” Jack and a couple of the teamsters were listening.

“Okay, Brady, I know you will come out of this all right. I’m glad you practiced pulling your gun all winter. Are you worried?”

“Not really. If anything should happen to me though, get Jack and the three men we came down out of the mountains with to help you. You’ll be okay.”

“Brady, I’ve put my faith in you for almost a year. Do what you have to do. I took care of one Frachette and you can take care of this one. You go sit down and relax. I’ll tell you when it’s time.” Berta, ignoring everyone kissed me.

I went out to the stable and sat in a chair leaning it back against the door. I tipped my hat over my eyes and relaxed. I occasionally heard voices in the office. Some of them were raised, but I paid no attention.

“Brady, you’ve got fifteen minutes to get ready.”

“Thanks, Berta.”

“Brady, the marshal was here. He wanted to stop the fight. I told him you would be out in the street. If Frachette showed up then there would be a fight. If he didn’t show there wouldn’t be. Word is out that Frachette threatened to make me his woman if he killed you. That’s never going to happen. He’ll be dead one way or another. Brady, load the last chamber in your gun. I’ll kiss the bullet. Make it the one that kills the bastard.”

I looked at my wife. At one time, she had told not to be dramatic. “Hey Berta, who is being dramatic now?” She laughed up at me and walked with me out into the street. She left me standing there and headed up the street. This was where Frachette would appear. I watched her. God she was beautiful. Berta had on those whipcord pants and that fawn colored jacket. She was wearing that light colored linen shirt. What was she up to?

Just as Berta reached the end of the street, Frachette walked out from the side street. Berta was speaking to him. She was too far away for me to hear what she was saying. Suddenly she stepped away from him and joined the crowd lining the street. He started toward me.

I shook my gun hand, willing myself to stay calm. I walked to meet him. We would both be in front of the Mercantile just as agreed. I was surprised. Frachette appeared to be a little hesitant. When we got within 100 feet, he spoke, “Your wife claimed she killed my brother; that so?”

“She did. He was going to rape her. She got up close to him and when he put his hand out to grab her, she plugged him. I was there, but this was happening before I needed to do anything. I buried him the best I could. We traded his horse and his personal stuff to the Indians.”

“She’s a killer. She never gave him a chance.”

“She didn’t need to give him one. Your brother had just killed her brother. Shot him down like a dog. I’d have done the same.” I paused and then spoke again. “You going to talk all day?”

Frachette was done talking. He grabbed for his gun. He was slow. I wasn’t and I beat his draw handily. He was determined and I knew there was no stopping him. Just before his gun came level, I fired. I hit him and he went down. His gun flew from his hand when he hit the ground. Not dead yet but dying, he said, “Give my wife a little money until she gets settled someplace.” He shuddered and I thought he was gone. His eyes opened. “I wouldn’t have touched your wife. I just let my mouth get away from me. Sorry.”

The crowd had heard this exchange. Now I was bound to see to his wife. Maybe Berta would take care of it. The woman would most likely hate me and I had enough to deal with. One day at my new business and this had to happen. But then it inevitably would have happened at some point. Better to get it out of the way now.

Berta came running down the street and into my arms. “I had faith in you, Brady. I tried to stop it. I spoke to him and told him it was me who had killed his brother. All he said was that it didn’t matter. I think he was more interested in having all the freight business in town. Saying that about me was to rattle you. It comes down to you not getting rattled. He wasn’t good enough or fast enough, that’s all.”

Just then, the town marshal stepped beside me. “I saw the whole thing. He wouldn’t back down. There is nothing I can charge you with. Are you going to help his wife out?”

Berta hadn’t heard Frachette’s last words. “Why does he have to?”

“Berta, he apologized and said he wouldn’t have been after you if he had killed me. He asked me to give his wife a hand to get settled. Can you do that for me?”

She looked at me and then said, “No, he asked you to do it, but I’ll go with you. We had better do it now. Some of his teamsters have taken the body into the Mercantile where they will get him ready for burial. There is no funeral parlor and the Mercantile carries caskets.”

“I’ll saddle your mule and we’ll go get it done. His yard is across town. Marshal, tell me where I can find his wife?”

“It’s on same the street next to the yard. It’s the only place that has whitewash on it.”

“Thanks.”

There was a hitching post in front of the house. We had to make our way through seven rough looking men to the door. This was some of the Frachette freight crew. We were glared at, but no one spoke or interfered. Berta knocked on the door. It opened and a woman stood there. She was about the same size as Berta, maybe ten years older.

The woman looked past Berta at me and stated. “You’d be the man that killed my husband.”

“Yes, Ma’am. I’m Brady Boyd and I’m here to tell you I’m sorry for you. Your husband as he lay dying asked that I give you a hand because he couldn’t. What can I do for you?”

“Come in, I’ll listen. This your wife?”

“Yes

“I’m Berta.”

“Name’s Sarah.” The house was small, neat, and clean. Sarah had used an iron on her hair recently and was pretty in a faded sort of way. “Use the settle to sit on. Don’t need much furniture with a house this small. Did Tay die well?”

“His name was Tay?”

“Tayson, but mostly he went by his last name.”

“Ma’am, your husband did die well. He didn’t quit and I had him beat. I had to shoot him.”

“Yes, well that was Frachette. He was stubborn and opinionated and wouldn’t learn. The freight yard was my father’s. When he died, I let Frachette take over. He ran it into the ground. Business has slowed and that was just because of the way he ran it. We never would have had enough business to make it through the winter. Frachette knew he was in a bind. He is out of it now. Maybe that was why he faced you.”

“I wouldn’t know. What is your situation here? Do you need help?”

“I’m assuming you are here to take over. I can’t stop you. To the victor go the spoils.”

I glanced at Berta. She had heard me say those same words last fall. “I take it you are in debt and you say there isn’t much coming in?”

“That’s true. Frachette talked about running you out of town and then businesses would have to come to us, but he came up short.”

“Do you know anything about the freight business? You said it came from your father.”

“I know all about it. When Frachette married me, I promised I wouldn’t interfere, but I could have done much better than he did. Too late now.”

“What are the teamsters you have like? Are they faithful to the company?”

“Some of them are. You walked through those who worked for my father to get to the door. About the same number are like Frachette was, more’s the pity. They may try to finish what he couldn’t. Why?”

“Just wondering what you are going to do now that your husband is gone.”