Chapter 5

Things settled down for a couple of weeks. The Indians, grateful for all that Hattie and Pete had done, helped them plow and plant most of the little valley where the line shack was. One morning all of the teepees had disappeared. Most of the Indians had left and gone back to where home and the chief was. Two braves were bunking in with Pat. This was enough to watch the herd of cattle that were getting fat out on the range. The next week there were two different braves. Mary Eustis said they were on rotation.

Mary Eustis came to my bed every night. One night she was very quiet and clung to me while I was coming down. "Sam, tomorrow night will be the last night I come to your bed. Kenny will be here in another week. You must get used to me not being with you. You will not demand me to do otherwise will you?"

"No. That was the deal. I'll abide by it. I could wish otherwise."

"I feel the same, but the path I see before us is clearly marked. To change direction would lead to disaster and heartbreak by upsetting the Gods. Take heart, before the nights get cold, your bed will be warm again. This time you will be the teacher instead of the pupil." The remainder of the night went forward as two lovers said good-bye. I didn't know it then, but it was the last night, for I had a visitor in the morning.

"Hi Bub. It took me awhile, but I got here. How're you doing?"

"Gramp, by God, it's good to see you. Come in. Fill me in on what's happening."

"You ain't got a bit of toddy have you? I could use a drink. Coffee too, if you got the pot on. Christ, I must be getting old. Can't take it anymore. Oh, I got a lot of news."

"Kenny?"

"Yes Kenny. He'll be along next week. I did just as you wanted and got him a lawyer. Worked like a charm, getting the governor to pardon him. Lot of paperwork though, an' that takes time." Mary Eustis came out to greet Gramp as he came up onto the verandah.

Gramp looked at her, knew immediately she was an Indian. "Gramp, meet Mary Eustis. She is waiting for Kenny to get home. She has been helping me get the house righted up. Her people came in and found a lot of cows and generally been working the place. Most went back to the reservation a bit ago. You'll see a couple of braves around. I'll tell you all about what I found when I first got here. I had a lot of sortin' and organizing to do, but Kenny has a home to come to now."

Mary Eustis was there at the table when I asked, "Jessie?"

"Umm. Things been happening. She sends felicitations. She's a widow now. Dropped Wilcox's kid two weeks ago. Came same day he got shot trying to escape. He got a holt of a gun and got out. Holed up in the feed store. Swore he wasn't going to go back to jail or be taken alive. The sheriff obliged. He was under sentence to hang for killing his father's drover way back, so just a matter of time."

"What about his father and mother?"

"Funny thing about that. Old lady Wilcox was visiting him every day. The sheriff searched her for awhile for a hidden gun, but didn't happen to that day. She came around and viewed the body and never shed a tear. The sheriff tried to give her the gun with his effects. She said to bury it with her son. He wanted it and he got it. Pretty plain what went down, you think on it. Best not to. Sad anyway."

"So what is Jessie going to do now?" Gramp looked across the table and hesitated. I relieved his mind. "You can say anything in front of Mary Eustis. She is a shaman and knows things."

"Well all right then. Jessie never got on with her in-laws. John's put in an offer for the ranch, and Jessie ain't too happy with her father, either, I might add. She feels that was what John wanted and pushed for her to marry young Wilcox, just to get him more land. My son and granddaughter do speak, but just hardly."

"That's too bad."

"Yep, someday John is going to have to apologize. I been on Jessie to make the first move, but it ain't happened yet. I guess she is as stubborn as he is." Gramp took a deep breath. "You goin' to ask me if she thinks about you?"

"Does she?" Gramp broke into smiles, then sobered.

"Yes she does, but maybe I better ask how you feel about her. She's worried now about having a kid and you might not want her."

"I'd like to get a chance to know her. Do you think it proper to go visit?"

"Proper be damned, if you want her, go after her. Course it'll be awhile before the kid can travel."

"I'll have to wait until Kenny gets here. How long you stayin'?"

"As long as I want. I got a poke full of money and no cares in the world. I know it's early but I could still use that whisky you must be keepin' hidden."

For a couple of days, Pat and Gramp were a pair. A drunken pair. I worried about it. I shared my concern about them with Mary Eustis. "I'll serve up the drinks while you men are out on the verandah this evening."

"Sam, I'm opening a new case of whisky for you guys tonight." Mary Eustis came out and poured the drinks, taking one herself. They watched her pour out three cups.

"God you do buy good stuff. Smoothest liquor I ever had." All were in agreement. The second went down as easy. I noticed that Mary Eustis was nursing hers. "Boy that stuff do have a kick to it. Warms a body."

I noticed that Pat and Gramp were sweating some. Mary Eustis said she had enough and wasn't feeling that well. "Finish the bottle you men I'm headed for the bed." Pat poured him a damned small shot. Gramp thought he might skip this one.

"Hey Sam, save that bottle. I reached my limit too sudden tonight. That's a damned fine drink though." Both oldsters toddled off to the bunkhouse. I went inside.

Mary was sitting in the common room smiling. "A couple days of that bottle, their limit will really be two drinks. I was getting ready to give Pat the treatment when your Gramp showed up."

"He ain't my grandfather, but he kinda' replaced the one I never knew. He and Pat will be okay, won't they?"

"Sure, no harm at all. Sam, what are you going to do about your woman?"

I studied Mary Eustis. "She is the one for me then?"

"Yes Sam. You need her and you need her here. I've got Kenny. There ain't that many women around you could take up with. Grab this one or you'll get restless for wanting and needing. My dream says she's willing."

"Thanks Mary Eustis. Is there anything else you can tell me?"

"Nope, but I do think you should leave tomorrow. Kenny will understand when he gets here and you ain't here to meet him. Gramp will back you up. I got your satchel packed. The stage leaves for the south at ten in the morning. You be on it."

"Okay. Mary Eustis?" I was asking a question.

"No Sam, I'm not yours anymore." Then she burst into smiles. "What do I have to do? Mix up a potion like I made to prevent Pat from drinking too much?"

"No. I was just remembering for a minute."

"Good. Sam, I do have something to give your woman if she needs it. In a dream I saw a colicky baby. This will sweeten a mother's milk. Just a thimble full in water morning and night will do it. Now get some rest. I'll have breakfast for you."

Gramp wanted to load up and go with me. He did ride into town with me. His last words as I stepped into the stage was to kiss Jessie for him. He almost cackled when he said this. He had also suggested that when I met John, I was not to back down a bit from him. Tell him it was him that put her into Wilcox's hands and look how that turned out.

It was a three-day journey, the stage changing drivers and horses every six hours. There would be an hour's respite at every change. Still I didn't see how a woman that had birthed her baby just three weeks ago could make the trip. I'd have to lay over. Then I remembered that Kenny was going to arrive at the ranch about the time I reached Jessie. Too, Mary Eustis was there. Nothing could go wrong.

I checked in with Sheriff Colson. "Well Sam, good to see you again. How's things up north? The sheriff up there has been keeping me posted. I understand you are turning the Ryeback ranch upside down. He tells me you and some Indians have popped a bunch of unclaimed cattle out of the brush."

"They all belonged under the Ryeback ranch at one time. There were enough branded in every bunch so we could lay claim. The Indians kept track of them. Seems the shaman knew Kenny Ryeback years ago and is waiting for him to come home. She took a shine to me when she found out I was a cellmate of his."

"The sheriff said the ranch had some outlaw trouble. What was all of that about?"

"Three renegades came in and were going to run off our cattle. They raped one of the squaws. Pete Ryeback and his new wife showed up before they could get to the rest of them. They took care of two of them. I helped corral the last one. He tried to escape and was killed by the sheriff. We buried them.

"Sheriff, what's happening with Mrs. Wilcox? Chet Comstock showed up a couple of weeks ago and told me some of it."

"Well, it'll take a little time to tell it all. Couple of things came out after he died. The old folks had gone partners with young Wilcox. That happened about the time you were down here last. Right after that, charges were brought for him killing his father's drover. I served the warrant and he has been here in jail. He was found guilty and was due to hang. He died escaping.

"Anyway, that gave Jessie title to half the Wilcox ranch. John Comstock thinks Jessie should turn her share over to him seeing that she's his daughter. She's hanging tough and won't budge. George and Sarah Wilcox think she ought to turn her share back to them. They want to sell out and move off somewhere. Their range is overstocked and the graze is getting worse each day. John Comstock says if he gets the range, he'll sell off the cattle for hide money and let the land lie fallow until it recovers."

"What's a hide bringing?"

"Two silver dollars at best. Slaughter the whole herd, maybe one and a quarter. Why, you buying?"

"Maybe, maybe not. What's my chance of seeing Jessie?"

"Good, if you want to go out to the Wilcox ranch. She's living in the cottage you come to first. She never stayed in the big house. You do know she just had a baby. It's kinda' sickly. She had to get a wet nurse in to keep it alive this long. You want me to go out there with you?"

"Would you? I'd appreciate it. I got to hire me a horse though. I come in on the stage."

"Ride one of mine. I'll lock up here and we'll be in the saddle."

I was anxious as we came onto the Wilcox ranch. I was getting nearer Jessie every hoof beat. We were seeing cattle. The graze was down, but the brush and weeds hadn't got a foothold yet. What John Comstock had planned showed he knew cattle and ranching. The cattle had to have had better bulls than the ones I had popped out at home. It would be a shame for these to go for hide and tallow. I totted up in my head what I had left in the bank. Seventeen thousand was about all I could come up with.

I stepped down in front of the cottage. I could hear a baby crying and a woman crooning to it. The sheriff stayed mounted. I knocked on the door.

"Jessie, it's me, Sam Jones. May I come in?"

"Oh, Sam, do come in. Is Gramp with you?" She could see he wasn't so I pushed in alone.

"Gramp sent you a kiss. I'll collect that sometime." I watched as Jessie lay the crying infant down and rushed to me.

"I'll take it right now." Her arms came around me. Jessie was still heavy, not having regained her figure yet. Her breasts heavy with milk pushed into me. Her lips raised to mine and I gave her a proper kiss. Her face flamed, knowing she had just kissed someone that she maybe shouldn't have. Must be she had dreams the same as I did of an evening.

"Jessie, I can't stay but a minute. The sheriff is outside. A quick question. Would you partner with your father if you were up north living with me?"

"I'd give him my share if I was living with you. I've dreamed of you and hoped I would see you soon. I sent Gramp north to find you."

"Good. I'll see what I can do to make it happen. Are Mr. and Mrs. Wilcox at home?"

"I guess so. I don't have anything to do with them." The baby started wailing really loud and Jessie looked so frustrated. "Marie is coming in to feed her. I wish she would hurry. She is the wet nurse." Just then a big fat woman came through the door. I backed out. No place for me.

I looked up at the sheriff. "Can you introduce me to the Wilcox's?"

"I can, but they ain't friendly. I killed their boy, remember?" I did.

The sheriff wasn't invited to step down and I told him to go along back to town. I'd be in later. I turned to the couple before me. "I hear you got cattle to sell. Market is only buying for hides. What you asking?"

The price was four dollars a head. I shook my head and started to mount up.

"Here, here, don't you want to dicker just a bit?" I bought the Wilcox herd for three dollars a head. Their crew was to round them up, make sure all were branded and trailed west to the river trail and north for two weeks where I would have my crew meet them and take over. I'd meet Wilcox in the bank in four days as soon as they were rounded up and turn over a bank draft to them.

Just as I was getting ready to leave, I was asked if I knew anyone that was interested in buying the ranch. They wanted to travel out to California and see her brother. This might be the only chance to leave with money in their pockets.

"I couldn't buy it for myself. I might be an agent for a buyer, though. How much are you asking?" Even I knew it was a steal if it had been the whole ranch, but they didn't. "That woman who lives in the cottage says she owns half." They looked crestfallen that I knew about them owning only half. I was quoted another figure. I arrived at an asking figure that sounded pretty fair and agreed to sell it for them if I could find a buyer.

I stopped in for a few minutes to see Jessie. The baby was sleeping. Jessie looked tired out. "If only I could feed the baby myself, I could sleep better. I don't know what I will do if I don't have a wet nurse handy all of the time."

I looked down at the sleeping infant. "I heard about your problem from Gramp. I saw a doctor and was given a compound to try. One thimble full night and morning in water will make the baby tolerate what you feed her. Try it. You try it tomorrow morning. I've got business in town. I don't know when I can see you again."

"Sam, I'm going to leave the barn door open tonight. The hay in the loft is dry and sweet. Use it if you don't have a place to lay your head." Jessie was looking intently into my eyes.

"Thank you. About ten tonight, you might hear me stable my horse. Jessie, you know if someone sees me here, your reputation will be shot to hell."

"I don't care. Sam, tell me to wait up for you."

"Wait up then, and we'll talk." I headed to town. I went into the telegraph office and sent a wire to my bank, having money sent to this bank here in town care of Samuel Jones. I sent a wire to Gramp and said I needed the funds he promised me.

I guess I had got ahead of myself, for when I stepped out of the telegraph office, Gramp was standing there. "Hey Bub, I caught the next stage out. I was right behind you all the way. What's happening?"

I explained about needing the money to buy the ranch. I had enough for the cattle. I was just about to ride out to the Comstock ranch to see if John would let me cut a deal with the Wilcox's. "No need. I got money. John wants the ranch pretty bad. You buy it with my money. Pay me back when he buys from you. You might even make a few bucks on the deal. You seen Jessie?"

"Yeah, me and her had a couple of words." I let it hang there.

"Well, you going to hook up with her or not?"

"Tell you in the morning. I'm stabling the sheriff's horse in her barn tonight."

"Damn Bub, that's great. Seen the kid?"

"Yes again. Sickly. Mary Eustis gave me something to make the baby feed better. We'll know by morning if it works."

"Kenny's Indian woman scares the hell out of me. I think she's a witch."

"She is, but a damned good one. I didn't tell you she got me indoctrinated into her Indian tribe did I? I just might be using the name of Silvercloud some."

"You be careful around her that she don't put a spell on you."

"Don't worry, she's Kenny's woman. I'll keep far away from her. Jessie wouldn't like it anyway."