Brady & Berta Boyd
Chapter 2

Copyright© 2018 by happyhugo

“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.”

“But ma’am we don’t carry long pants for women or no dresses either.”

“Well what do working women wear around here?”

“We carry all kinds of cloth, but we don’t stock ready-mades.”

“What are those things hanging up over there?”

“Those are for men and boys.”

Berta stalked over and flipped through the jackets. She found some linen shirts and held one up to see if it would fit. I was laughing and when she saw me, she stuck her tongue out at me. There was a light-colored dyed wool jacket she knew would fit and laid it on the counter. She went to the island where pants were stacked. She pawed through them. Most were linsey-woolsey. The clerk was shaking his head, hoping she would leave, I think because he didn’t know how to handle this woman.

I spoke, “Where are your whipcord clothes?” I knew every clothing store carried trousers of this material.

“Right over here, sir. They are much more costly.” I went through the pile and found a fawn colored pair that Berta would look good in.

“Here, Berta, these should do. You might have to take in the waist, but you can handle that.” I whispered, “Just don’t cut a piece out. I’m planning on you having to let them out in about three months.” Berta’s face got red and she glanced to see if the clerk had heard me and then she giggled. I found a whipcord vest for her. I picked out the same for myself. My trousers were darker, and of the same material.

There was a rack of buckskin jackets and we each picked out one of those. When it came to foot wear, there was nothing for boots or shoes here for us. The clerk suggested some hard-soled moccasins made by Indians. We bartered for them and we both found a pair to our liking. Mine were comfortable, and so were Berta’s.

When it came time to pay up, Berta handed me Tim Frachette’s wallet. “He’ll pay and keep on paying until he is just a memory. When the money is gone there will be just the saddle left.” There was $40.00 still to spend of the original $67.00. I subtly held Berta’s hand as we left the Mercantile, saying I would see her at the livery when the fur buyer showed up.

I was a little concerned that Berta would be ostracized for wearing pants on the street. She got around this by wearing a heavy wool skirt that came down to mid leg. She came into the livery stable office. She had on her purchases from earlier. She was attractive and the thought teased my mind wondering if she was armed. I’ll bet she was.

There was a loading dock in the hay barn. I had asked that it be swept free of chaff. I was told if I wanted it swept, I could do it myself. Tom, Pete and Harry were damned exuberant and there was dust everywhere, but they stayed with it until the bare boards came into view. The boards were polished to a shine from hay being dragged over them. It was perfect to display our pelts. The boys helped bring out the bundles of fur. It made an impressive pile on the back of the dock.

The fur buyer, Henry Green, arrived with an assistant. Berta also came up on the dock and took a seat next to the assistant. She had a paper tablet and three pens and a bottle of ink. Somewhere she had borrowed a lap desk to write on.

Pete, Tom and Harry began cutting the ties on the bundles. They opened the bundles with the green furs in them first. We had a few that weren’t stretched or dried and these were rolled with the fur side out. I was worried that they might have spoiled. Henry knew his business. He looked them over and smelled them. They were close, but not putrid. The first bundle was Muskrat.

“Whoever cleaned and scraped these did damned well.”

“Berta did most of them, the smaller ones anyway. She ended up better at this than I ever was. She has more patience than me.”

Henry who had been trapping for years sorted them for size. “They look mostly prime, with just a few smalls. These are consistent so far. Where did you get these?”

“Up in the Crow Indian territory. Some of the pelts came from the Indians in trade.”

“You actually traded with them?”

“That’s right. We had good trade goods and they didn’t have to travel a couple hundred miles to find the same things at the trading post. I gave good value and both them and we were happy. That’s for now, but I’m afraid it won’t last much longer. The Indians are realizing that with the white men taking so many pelts it is leaving them with little. Nothing to trade for the things they have come to depend on. I wouldn’t be surprised that they might even go to war over it.”

“They won’t stand a chance of winning.”

“I agree, but a lot of people are going to die and it is all because the white man is so greedy.”

“You an Indian lover?”

“Not really, but I can see what is coming. This was my last trapping season. I had a freedom up there that I’m going to miss. Just think, if you and your ancestors had lived their way for hundreds of years, wouldn’t you fight for it?”

“I guess.”

Henry had been buying furs after giving up trapping. He handled each pelt deftly and made a decision of its grade. He had a ruler and measured it from the nose tip to the base. He indicated to his associate what it was and its worth. It was five in the afternoon, when the last pelt went through his hands. “Too bad you didn’t have any beaver. Price has been down the last two years, but came back this year. I hear those Frenchys are turning to silk. That will kill the beaver trade completely.

“You have done damned well. You brought out of the mountains what was common ten years ago. The amount of furs available for me to buy has been declining ever since. Well, let’s add up what these are going to cost me.”

We huddled around his associate and I agreed to just about everything. I did ask him to bump up the price by two dollars each for the two wolverines. He did that without quibbling. We argued over the price of the green furs, he wanted to drop them four bits from the dried ones. We finally settled by my dropping them two bits. This was so he could have them stretched and dried before they were freighted on.

“$2117.00 is what I make out for a fair price.”

“Let me talk to Berta alone for a minute, she is half owner.” He nodded his okay. “Berta, is this okay with you? You do own half of them.”

“Brady, take it. Quick before he changes his mind. In fact round it off to the $2,100.00 even though $17.00 would be three weeks pay for me cleaning house.”

I walked over to Henry, “We have a deal. $2,100 even and we thank you very much.”

“My pleasure. I’ll be shipping some prime furs and I would say they will be the best coming into the company this year. You can leave them right where they sit and I’ll have my associate bundle them up. Let’s go over to the bank.”

The manager of the bank, George Cosgood, was just coming down the steps. We went back in and opened up an account. I suggested we have one each, but Berta wasn’t having any of that, so we had a joint account set up. We only deposited $2,000, keeping $50.00 each for clothes and walking around money.”


When we came out of the bank, it was too late for a meal at the boarding house so we went into a diner. The menu was the same venison, beans, and biscuits that we ate at the rooming house, but this wasn’t nearly as good. I escorted Berta to the boarding house, telling her I was going for a drink, and maybe sit in on a card game.

“Is that wise? I mean we worked hard for the money.”

“Berta, we’ll do something together tomorrow. I haven’t played cards for months. If I had known I was going to have a partner with me trapping for the winter, I would have brought a deck with me. I won’t go broke, I promise.”

“Oh go and enjoy yourself. I’m going to start getting advice about our wedding.”

“Are you planning a big one with lots of people?”

“Nope, not very many. The ones who live and operate the rooming house and maybe some of the regulars who eat there. We’re going to have Harry, Tom, and Pete come aren’t we?”

“Of course. I wish Morning Sun and Joe Arcand had come down here with us.”

“I do too, Brady. We’ll probably never see them again.”

“I know. Berta, I’ll see you tomorrow. I’m still bunking in the livery stable.”

“Okay, kiss me. Four more days and you will be my husband. Then we can decide what we are going to do with our lives.”

“We have enough money now to go to California or even up to Oregon if you want to.”

“No way, it is too dangerous. I’m staying right here. I started out trusting my brother, but I now know it wasn’t safe. Well, maybe with you it would be, but I don’t want to chance it.” Our kisses were long and they didn’t stop until one of the boarders came by us and laughed. I just knew Berta’s face was red.

I went into a bar and ordered a beer. I liked it at room temperature, as seldom was there a chance to have it cooled. There were cards being played at four tables on one end of the room. I took my beer and watched for awhile. Most of the card players were drinking. I usually had a drink on the table with me, but I nursed it slowly.

I was a serious player if I sat in. This came from the year when I first reached Saint Louis from Ohio. I bunked with a gambler who had tuberculosis. Before the summer was done he was bedridden and died the day I signed on with my first trapping expedition. He taught me what he knew about gambling. “Remember son, if you play, play to win. No one plays to lose. If they do, it is either they aren’t reading the cards or the cards are not running for you that particular night.

“Get out if that is what your gut tells you to do. Observe the other players. Everyone has their quirks and tells. You can soon figure out who has the cards and who is bluffing if you pay attention. It is like reading a mystery book. The clues are there to be picked up or missed. You can still win if you don’t have the cards, by reading the players and playing your game and not theirs.”

This advice had stood me in good stead and when I didn’t make anything trapping, I filled my wallet by winning at cards in the off season. Last year I did well and had money to outfit myself and go into the mountains a free trapper.

Pete, Harry and Tom were playing at different tables. Harry won a sizable pot and got up to get a drink. He winked at me so I knew he wouldn’t be going back to the table. This was an excuse to leave the game. I asked at the table if I could sit in and the other players saw Harry wasn’t coming back so they said yes. My sitting down filled the table.

“What’s the game?”

“Dealer’s choice but most usually we play five card stud. This is a friendly game just to pass the evening away.”

To me there is no friendly game. I soon saw that there was one other serious player besides me. He soon recognized that I was too. When he had a run of cards that didn’t go his way, he left the game. Two hours later I was playing with someone else’s money. I gave Harry, who was still hanging around, three double eagles and told him not to give them back to me. I would play with the money on the table in front of me until it was gone or the other players quit, leaving me being the winner.

Fresh blood came in and sat down every so often when some player went bust. I took it that some of the gamblers watched and when they saw money on the table in front of a seated player, they went after it. I recognized one whose action indicated he was cheating. After he won the third pot when he had the deal, I waited until he had the deal again.

Just before the last round of cards were to be dealt for this hand, I spoke, “Gentlemen, I’d like to make a little side bet, if you don’t mind.” There was a pause to see what I had in mind. “I would like to make a bet that the card on the bottom of the deck we are playing with is an ace. In fact I am so sure of it, I would bet $5.00 it is. If the dealer agrees with me, he can get up and walk away, leaving the money in front of him on the table. I’ll take my $5.00 out of that and the rest of you can split his winnings.

The dealer wanted to deny it, but with the looks on the faces of those seated around the table, he thought he better get out with his life while he could. He suddenly pushed his chair away and hurried out the door. I calmly counted out my $5.00 from his pile and added it to mine. A player across the table from me said, “You won your bet and we’ll split what he had amongst all of us. I hate a cheater.”

One of the players was a freighter who owned the freight yard next to the livery stable. He was sober and a serious player. When he didn’t have the cards he would fold and wait for the next hand. He played and seldom tried to fill a straight or go after three of a kind. He had one fault and I recognized it was something he did unconsciously. He would snuff his nose if he thought he had the other players beat.

I had been playing over nine hours, seven of it with other people’s money. This hand started out with a game of jacks or better to open. The freighter, whose name was Jack Abram, had set in on the game after midnight. It was now six in the morning and the sun was up. I decided this would be my last hand. Jack was about out of money and this time he must have caught a good hand. I didn’t have the cards to open. Jack was dealing.

I took two cards and he stood pat. He was snuffing with almost every breath. I saved the ten, the jack and the ace of clubs. Would I have kept going if I was playing with my own money? I would with this hand after I saw what I had drawn for cards. It was a hand that couldn’t be beat. We started bidding. He would bid and I would see and raise him. Jack was soon out of money.

He was in a sweat. “Brady, I know I have a winning hand. Can I put up something against your last bid?”

“Like what? I have a pair of mules and a horse. I certainly don’t want any more livestock so it has to be something good.”

“Would you if I threw in the wagons and all my livestock? I have to admit I don’t own the property and the lease on the lot runs out in four months. I’d say what I own is worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $3,900. I have some contracts with different businesses to move freight. That’s worth another $500 dollars. I also don’t owe a penny. I’ll put a bill of sale in the pot, if you’ll put $500 dollars into the pot out of what you have on the table.”

“I could call you after my raise if you can’t meet it. The pot would be mine by default.”

“You could, but I’m figuring you have a damned good hand too. I’m betting my freight business that my hand is better than your hand. You put the $500 in and we’ll show our cards.”

“Write it up. I may be crazy, but this is just a card game to me.” None of the onlookers had any idea what we held in our hands. The owner of the bar brought ink and paper and he witnessed the agreement. I pushed a stack of 25 double eagles into the pot. If I lost and I didn’t see how I could, I still had $200 to take to Berta when I saw her this morning.

“Jack, do you want to show our cards all at once or do you want to do it card by card?”

“Let’s do it the slow way. You start.” I laid down the ten of clubs.

Jack laid down the three of diamonds. I went up through the sequence and alternated my cards with his to end with the ace. He had the three, four, five, and six of diamonds. Jack knew when I laid down the ace of clubs, my last card, he had lost. Automatically he laid down the seven.

He sat there stunned. It was unbelievable to see two straight flush hands in the same game. “Brady, you won. This game was fair and I’m not sorry how we played it.”

“Jack, this was quite a game and I’m almost sorry you lost. What are you going to do now?”

“Do you want to hire a mule skinner? I was one long before I got into owning the freight business.”

“How about being my manager and you can teach me the how to operate the freight business? The job pays $800.00 a year.”

He didn’t hesitate. “I’ll take it. That’s about what I make in a poor year and I won’t have all the headaches.

“Good, I’ll see you this afternoon. I’ll be late because I have been here twelve hours and I need sleep. You had better get some sleep yourself.”

He grinned. “Okay, Boss.” We staggered toward the livery stable, tired to the bone. Jack went into the freight yard. I couldn’t manage the rungs to the loft, and saw that the horse stall I had slept in last night was empty, so I laid down there. I would wake up feeling good about everything after I had some sleep. Now I was just numb from weariness.

I made it to the rooming house before dinner was finished. I came in and Berta was still at the table. I sat down beside her and leaned back for plate and utensils to be placed in front of me. I started loading it from the platters. Venison was on the menu. What a change of pace. “Hi. I need to talk to you. I have news.”

“I have heard some of it. I heard you had a friendly game of cards last night.”

“I did. I had also had an exceptional run of luck.”

“I heard that too. I also hear you ran a crooked gambler out of town. Brady, you have to be more careful. I can’t have you getting killed.”

“Berta, there was no danger. I just made a bet and the player wouldn’t show his cards. He was cheating me, but he was also cheating everyone else at the table. It was best for him to get out. He made the right choice.”

“Okay, maybe. Harry brought me some money this morning. He said you had given it to him to hold.”

“Yeah, after two hours at the table I played with other people’s money the rest of the night. I figured I would lose it eventually and surely by midnight, but it didn’t work out that way. Oh, you wondered what we were going to do for work after we sold the furs. I know what I am going to do and I hope you will join me.”

A quirky little smile appeared on her face. “I have heard about the game already. And what would you have in mind for me? Maybe me becoming a teamster?”

“No, not that, I don’t doubt but what you would be a good one. I was thinking more of you keeping the books for a freight business.”

“Does this business have a name?”

“Yep, Gorski’s Freight Company.”

“Thanks for thinking of me, but I like “The Royal Flush Freight Line” better. Hauling freight isn’t too romantic, so we have to give the company a romantic name. When you finish dinner, escort me down there so I can see what you won.”

“I’ll do that. So tell me, how are the plans for our wedding coming along?”

“All set. The preacher will do the ceremony for $3.00. Sheila said we could use the yard behind the building if we would pay $1.00 extra for each one of the help. That means her, her three kids and the cook. We pay the regular meal price for each guest. You and I don’t have to pay for ours. That’s her wedding present to us. If you want liquor, you have to bring the bottles.”

“What else is there to do? What about a cake?

“That’s another $3.00. These are just details Brady. My biggest concern is that we have to find a place for our first night together. I want to be alone with you.”

“Okay, I’ll find someplace. We’ll have to have our own home soon anyway. I’ll look around. I want to ask you. Do we have to live in town? I thought maybe I’d find some property a couple of miles out. I’ll be moving the freight yard by fall anyway. If we had our own home, would you mind if the freight business was nearby?”

“That’s a great idea. When I start having babies, I could be a mother and help in the business at the same time. I warn you though I’ll be wearing different clothes than what the women in town do. I got used to men’s wear last winter and I feel naked in dresses.”

“Berta, I don’t care what you wear in the daytime, but at night I’m going to be keeping you warm. The women of the town will be shocked if you show yourself in men’s clothes. Do you want to be put yourself through having them look down on you?”

“Brady, I will wear a dress when I go to town, but at home and in the yard, I’ll wear what I want.”

“That should work. So if we are a little unconventional, who cares?”

Berta did wear a dress over her trousers when we visited the yard. The tiny office was a nasty hole and there was an overflowing spittoon in the corner. There appeared to be no organization to it at all. I introduced Berta to Jack. I explained that when Berta became my wife, she would be working in the office. In his opinion, Jack was appalled because this wasn’t women’s work. He was trying to get things organized, but he wasn’t having much luck.

“Brady, I didn’t want to leave the books undone before I gave the business over to you, but as you can see it will take awhile to figure out where the business stands. I never was good at doing paperwork and hated every minute of it.”

“Okay, with Berta you will figure it out. She will be helping you. Just so you know; you are invited to our wedding. It will be Saturday afternoon behind the rooming house. Will there be some of our teamsters in town? They are invited too.”

“They are a rough bunch. Do you want them at the wedding amongst the town folk?”

“Probably not a good idea, so I’ll tell you what. Why don’t you all come to the wedding and I’ll furnish a couple of bottles and you all can come back to the yard to celebrate my nuptials after you eat.”

“That’ll work. It’ll be a good way to meet your wife. I take it they will be seeing a lot of her?”

“That’s right. Maybe you can pass on that her name is Berta. I have a pet name for her and they will hear me call her that, but she is to be addressed as Berta or Mrs. Boyd by you and the help.”

“Good, I’ll do that. Come out into the yard and see what you won this morning. I’m hoping in a couple of weeks I can go out with the wagons occasionally.”

“I’ll see that you do, but only after I learn how the business works. I’m paying you to be the manager first, but after that, you can schedule yourself in to drive a team occasionally.” Jack nodded.

The rolling stock was all in good shape and the teams and harnesses were the same. The stables were clean and Jack was buying good fodder to feed the teams. This was a good business and the yard was well managed. What went on in the office had to be organized better and whether I could improve on that, time would tell.

“How profitable is the business? The wagons look as if they have barely been used.”

“Maybe not, but that is because I have kept them in repair. Probably more’n I have needed to. There is another freight outfit on the other side of town. They undercut me and I don’t know how they stay in business. They have twice as many wagons as I do. They work their teamsters longer hours and they are always having to replace their stock. I take care of my equipment and stock. I do have to charge more to move freight, so I guess it all averages out at the end of the day. I sleep better at night knowing I am doing my best for all.”

“That sounds good to me. We’ll keep to that policy. Maybe we will need more wagons and stock.”

“No chance for it here. No room. The town has grown up around the livery stable and he wants to expand so he is raising the lease for next year.”

“Berta and I have already talked about moving outside the town limits. We also have to make ourselves a home. Ideally we can find a piece of property to have both the yard and a house.”

“I’ll inquire around if you wish. How much land are you looking for?”

“Ten acres would be enough, but twenty acres would be better.”

“You’re going to have to go out a couple of miles from the settlement then.”

“That’s okay. The livery stable has to be close in so people can leave their horse and walk to the hotel or the businesses. If the yard is out a ways we’ll have a buck board to use for coming in when anyone has to.”

“That would work.”

“Where do we stand on payroll and working capital?”

“We’re good for a week or two. By that time, two of the wagons will be in with supplies here for the Mercantile. The store pays as soon as the supplies are on their dock. This will keep us going for the week after that. Something always turns up to keep the business afloat. Talk to the fur buyer you sold your furs to. They have done business with me before. If you can get him, that will mean when we have a pickup in Denver, we’ll be loaded both ways.”

“The amount I sold him won’t fill more than one wagon.”

“I know, but the furs from Fort Laramie will be here by then. All and all it will take up three wagons. What I have contracts for coming from Denver will need three teams. Sometimes we lay over for a few days if we can fill going both ways.”

“I guess I can get onto how this works. If I know everything is fine in the yard, I can concentrate on drumming up business.”

“Yeah, and if your missus can handle the paperwork, that’ll help you a lot. Me, I’ve had to do everything and sometimes I’ve just about torn my hair out. Brady, I’m feeling glad you won the business from me already.”

“Thanks, Jack. I think you and I will get along fine. You know up until that last hand I was thinking if you won the hand, I was going to ask if you had a job for me.”

“Well, I probably would have hired you.”

“You won’t see much of Berta and me until after we get married. You can chase me down if something comes up. For now, I’m leaving things in your hands. I’ll be in next Tuesday.”

“You ain’t taking a honeymoon?”

Berta spoke up, “No, we spent the winter together so we know each other pretty well. We just want to get on with our lives. A couple of days after we are married we’ll be in to work. One other thing, I’ve got used to being called Berta, so that is the way I would like to be addressed.

“Whatever you say, Ma’am. I’ll see you at the wedding.”

We left the wagon yard, leaving Jack to continue working on the books. I was thinking that if he was as good as he appeared to be, I might cut him in on some of the profit ... that is if there was any. “Berta, let’s stop at the bank. I have my winnings with me and I might as well deposit them.”

“You mean you won more than just the freight business?”

“Sure did. I have more than $1,000 in cash.”

“Wow, you did have a good game. Maybe you should just gamble for a living.”

“No, I won’t do that. There is satisfaction in winning, of course, but after a while, the money doesn’t mean much. It is even worse when you lose it all which has happened to me a few times. I doubt I will ever gamble again. The other night I wouldn’t have minded losing the fifty dollars. Now though I have so much more to lose and I just won’t gamble it at all. Now I want to build something.”

“You mean the freighting business?”

“Yes, but more importantly, a good life for us. You spoke about babies. I’m anxious to get started and to make love to you.”

“I’m ready to make love. If we only had a place to be alone we could start anytime.”

“Tomorrow, let’s take a ride out in the country. We can take some blankets, find a secluded spot and see what happens.”

“Great. Thinking back, we should have done this when we were in the cave alone.”

“I don’t think you were ready at the time. It would have been hell if it didn’t work out and you came to hate me.”

“Maybe I wasn’t ready when we first got to the cave, but after I was so sick and you took care of me, I often thought what it would be like for us to make love.”

“Two more days and you will know for sure. Berta I’m not much for saying I love you, but please know I do.”

“I love you too.”

We went into the bank. Cosgood approached. “Mr. Boyd, I understand you now own the freight business. I would like to assure you that you can come to me if you need any financing or for advice.”

“That’s nice to know. You wouldn’t know of any land on the outskirts of town that that the bank has for sale?”

“Well I might. What do need for land?”

“I have in mind I need some flat land, have water and maybe a little wood. It would be nice if it had a cabin on it, but not necessary.”

“Let me check. We had some land listed that we foreclosed on last fall.” He went out into his office. I went over to the teller and deposited my winnings of $1,070.00. When I finished and had my deposit slip the manager motioned to me from his office.

“I have two properties both with a cabin on the books. One has five acres and has quite a nice building. There are no trees on the property, but there are some close by where you can get wood. Water is from a spring.

“The other property is a lot of forty acres. There is a creek that splits the acreage down the middle. The dwelling isn’t much and it has a woodlot of ten acres. The woodlot is on the hillside behind the building. The shanty is made out of slabs from a mill that was in the area at one time. I don’t remember if the shanty has a floor in it. Seems to me that it doesn’t.”

“What are the prices?”

The one with the acreage is five dollars an acre only and the shanty has no value which makes it $200. The other one is $200 too, because the building is almost ready to move into.

“Give us directions and we’ll look at them tomorrow.”

“I understand you are getting married Saturday. Congratulations.”

“Thank you. Would you like to come to the ceremony?”

“Maybe I will. Nice to have young people moving into the area. Especially those who plan to settle and work here.”

“Thank you. We’ll be talking with you tomorrow afternoon when we get back. Can we get inside of the buildings to inspect them?”

“Both are unlocked. Just walk in. There may have been someone sleeping in them occasionally, but folks are usually nice and leave it as good as they found it.” It was suppertime by now and we headed for the rooming house to eat. I was beginning to drag because I hadn’t had any sleep last night and precious little today.

When we finished eating, Berta suggested we saddle up and go look at least one property before dark. We had two hours. I got the horse and one mule and came by and got Berta. She tied a bundle of blankets on behind the mule. It was a warm night and Berta had on her man’s outfit that we had purchased at the Mercantile. One of the boarders met her coming out and looked disgusted when Berta swung astride the saddle. Berta giggled and said, “Let’s go.”

We looked at the 40 acre lot first, because it was right beside the trail. That goes to where there were a couple of areas where the wagon trains stopped for a day or two before moving on. The shanty wasn’t much, just as Cosgood, the manager at the bank had said. The building was nestled on a higher level near the woodlot. From there we could look down and view the rest of the property below. The sun was just about ready to go down behind the hill back of us to the west. In the morning when the sun rose in the east, it should be something.

We pulled the latch string and went inside. There was a dirt floor as the banker thought. The shanty was about eight by fourteen feet. There was a raised pallet along the end and it was big enough for two people to sleep on. I turned and looked at Berta. “I think this is just what we need?”

Berta didn’t even hesitate. “I’ll get the blankets from the mule.” I can’t say I was any kind of experienced lover. I would have to leave it to Berta to guide me and I said so.

“Brady, the only sex I have had was horrible for me. Please start by cuddling and kissing me. I have never had love, but anything you do, I know love is behind it.” I suppose I had listened to men talk about their prowess, but I figured it was just brag. It didn’t take us long to warm up. We took off our clothes and started again. It was still light outside, but very dim inside.

It was much like being in the cave last winter. Now though, we were both clean, comfortable and lying naked against each other. A few minutes later, Berta guided me to her and made sure I didn’t have to fumble around too much before I was there. “Oh Brady, this is so wonderful. Thank you for being so patient with me.”

“Waiting for you has been all worth it. I just know we are going to have a wonderful life together.”

“I know so too. You can move a little faster now if you want to. I think I’m ready for what is coming.” A short time later, Berta kissed me, telling me again, how wonderful this all was. Eventually I remembered I hadn’t hobbled the horse and mule.

“Brady, go out and do it now and then come back to me. We just have to stay here all night. I want to lay awake, cuddle and talk for a little while before we go to sleep. Then I want to wake up next to you in the morning.”

We were ready for more loving when we did wake. Later I mentioned I was hungry. “No problem, I came prepared. Brady, I have jerky in the pack and we can drink from the creek. It will be the best breakfast ever.” We decided to not even look at the other property. We had already made this our home.

We came into town and Berta got down in front of the rooming house. There were the two other women and two men who lived there in the sitting room when she went by and up to her room. Getting to know this woman, I knew she would go by them with head held high. I went on to the freight yard. I was stabling my horse and mules here now that I owned the business. I went over to the bank and saw George Cosgood.

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