We climbed back into the saddle, and made the Chugwater station just about sun down the next day. The place was deserted. We threw our blankets on the covered porch, and slept until day break, then rode on down the creek until we spotted the ranch house. The ranch house was a long log affair sitting on a bench of land facing the creek. There were pole corrals, and a couple more cabins near the main house no more than a stones throw.
We rode slow up to the main house and were met at the door by a slip of a girl with a rifle aimed at us.
“What do you want?” She asked. The business end of that rifle didn’t quaver one bit. The girl had on men’s breaches, and a mans hat. I had never seen a young lady wear such. The ladies back east wore petticoats and such things.
“Ma’am, we are here to see Mr. Reed about work, a lieutenant Ryan back at Fort Bridger sent us.”
“Lieutenant Ryan did you say?”
“Yes Ma’am…at Fort Bridger.”
“What are your names then?”
“I’m Jason Allen and this is here is Rafe Weston, we come all the way from Tennessee ma’am.”
“I’m sorry Mr. Allen, my father was killed yesterday, and his funeral is this afternoon, so you see there is nothing I can do about work for you. My fathers two men will be riding in soon and we will bury my father by the big pine tree yonder.”
“We are real sorry to hear of his death, is there anything we can do for you ma’am?”
“No…nothing, when my father is buried I will have to pay the men, and send them away. I have just enough money to pay them.”
“If you want, you can camp by the creek there, and graze your stock.”
“Ma’am, we don’t know Mr. Reed, but we would be honored to attend funeral, and be pall bearers for you.”
“Thank you Mr. Allen, you may.”
The girl went back inside the house and shut the door. I turned the mule, and rode back to the creek. We off-loaded the pack mule, and watered the stock, then made camp on the creek banks.
“What we gonna do now Jason?”
“One thing at a time Rafe, that’s how we got here.”
“I feel awful bad about that girl’s father being kilt and all. Wonder how he got kilt?”
“We’ll probably know soon enough.”
Two riders came out of the trees, and rode up to our camp. Both of the men looked sternly at us.
“Who are you men?” One of them asked.
“We were sent here by Lieutenant Ryan from Fort Bridger. We done offered our services as pall bearers. The girl said we could camp here.”
“Well that is most welcome, his daughter is struck with grief, or she would of offered the bunk house, ain’t nobody in’um but Buck and me nohow. You gents just make yourself to home, and we’ll call you come time.”
The two rode off for the house, and tied their horses to the bunk house hitch rail. In an hour one of them came to the door, and waved at us, and then the two of them walked toward the main house.
When we got to the house the door was open so we walked on in. The girl was sitting by the coffin with her head and hands laid on it crying softly. The men stood awkwardly with their hats in hand. I tell you that sight made me feel lower than a snakes belly as I suspect it did the others.
We stood there several minutes, and let the girl grieve. After a bit she got up and walked to the door, and with Rafe on one side, and the two men on the other end we carried the coffin down the steps and toward the large pine tree where a grave had been fresh dug.
We slung ropes under the coffin, and let it down into the grave. The girl had a Bible in her hand and she held it towards us hesitantly, “Can one of you men read from the Bible for me?”
The others hung their head in embarrassment; I could tell they couldn’t read. I reached out my hand for the Bible, “I can make out words a little ma’am, I’ll read for you.” She looked at me gratefully. I read John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”
My reading of words were slow and staggered, but I got’er done, and we began filling in the hole. One of the men put a board with Mr. Reeds name carved in it, it was a real nice board, but I don’t think it made Mr. Reed no never mind. It helped the girl though, and that’s what counted the most.
A couple hours later we saw the two men leaving with a pack horse. I decided to walk up to the house, and see if there was anything I could do. I knocked on the door, pulled my hat off and stepped back.
She came to the door pale faced, and shaken.
“Ma’am.” I bowed a little.
“Mr. Allen. What can I do for you?”
“Well, I was wondering what I could do for you?”
“There is nothing Mr. Allen, I have paid off the men, and tomorrow I must move into town.”
“That soon? Ma’am, pardon me for asking, but don’t you own this ranch now? What would you do in a town?”
“It would be expected of me Mr. Allen, and yes I own the ranch free and clear. This ranch was my fathers dream, but setbacks have taken hold, and my father’s death has finished the dream.”
“Ma’am, pardon me again for being so bold, but you still have the basics, why not work to make it your dream? That might be a sight better than doing menial task in town for a penny a day.”
“Please call me Kate Mr. Allen, I am a bit young to be called ma’am. Haven’t you heard a word I said? I had to use my last dime to pay off the hands; I have no more money, nor hands to work the cattle. I can’t protect them on my own.”
“No ma’am…uh Kate…I don’t expect you could, but me and Rafe would help you. Things have a way of looking worse when you’ve just been kicked.”
“I can’t pay you Mr. Allen, must I repeat myself?” She was becoming agitated with me.
“Ma’am…uh Kate…if you can furnish a few beans, and some beef, we’ll help you until you get on your own two feet again. No money would be needed. Won’t you let us help you?”
“I’ll think about it, I must sleep now Mr. Allen.”
“Yes ma’am, but could you call me Jason?”
“Jason…goodnight.”
“Goodnight ma’am.” I stood there like a fool twisting my hat as she closed the door. I walked away feeling like the worlds biggest idiot. When I got back down to the camp Rafe had some bacon frying in the pan, and coffee in the pot. It just takes a little bacon, and coffee to help a man straighten his mind out.
“What did you talk about up there Jason?”
“I volunteered us to work fer grub is what I done.”
“Just for grub? Are you crazy Allen?”
“That girl is busted, she used the last she had to pay off those two men she had, now she’s got nothing but us. Either that or move to town and wash clothes for peanuts.”
“What did she say when you offered?”
“She said she would think about it.”
“I know you had everybody’s interest at heart when you offered Jason, you can count on me, if she lets us stay and help her. Won’t hurt us to take a little on faith anyhow.”
“As I said some weeks back, we are becoming more like brothers Rafe.”
The next morning Kate came down to the creek, she had on her men’s pants, hat and boots. She walked up to the fire, where we had coffee sitting on the coals, “Offer you a cup of coffee Kate?”
“I see you were able to get rid of the ma’am Mr. Allen, yes I’ll take some.”
I poured her a cup, and handed it to her as Rafe looked on curiously. “I can get rid of the ma’am if you can get rid of the Mr.; its just Jason, and of course Rafe here, you can call him Mr. Weston.”
“Now wait just a minute!” Rafe turned and looked at me with a sour look.
“Just kidding Rafe, I was just telling Rafe that we had gotten to be lik
e brothers.”
“I wish I had brothers, my mother couldn’t have more children after I was born.”
“Well, now you have two, us Allen’s ain’t much on backing our ears, and running. Rafe ain’t much on backing up either.”
“I thought much about your offer during the night, and more this morning. I don’t know if I could survive in town.”
“The only way I could take your offer would be to offer you both equal shares in the ranch. Does that sound equitable to both of you?”
“What does eq…eq…equitable mean?” Rafe asked.
“It means would we be satisfied with the offer Rafe.”
“Do you mean it?” He looked incredulously at her.
“Of course, I always mean what I say Rafe.”
“I…I didn’t mean it that way ma’am, I just…”
“That’s ok Rafe, In the morning we will ride to town, and have the lawyer draw up the papers.”
“May we stay in the bunk house Kate? It gets a little cold at night.”
She stared at them crestfallen, “Oh my, what have I done? Of course you can stay in the bunk house, I should have offered you when you got here. Oh my!”
“Its ok Kate, we understood, we have to kind of work up to staying inside anyhow.” I grinned at her.
“Well just move your stuff on in right now,