North to the Salt Fork (18 page)

Tobin and Martin arrived at the ranch the next evening. Jack stood on the porch in the twilight and watched the Mexican handyman lead their spent horses to the barn.

The rancher glanced up at Jack when he started through the yard gate. Tired, he strode up the path to the house, kissed his sister on the cheek and shook Jack's hand. “My apologies, sir. Money is very short in Texas' banks. However, I have the sum you requested. I'm sorry it took so long.”

“I'm glad to hear it,” Jack said.

“Both of you can come inside and talk,” Nilla said. “You too, Martin. I'm certain Ira would like a drink. You as well, Captain Starr?”

He nodded and the men followed her inside. Tobin looked exhausted as he collapsed in a leather-cushioned chair. Nilla moved around, pouring and serving drinks to the men.

Tobin handed him an envelope. “Here's the money.”

Jack accepted it and opened the flap. He counted the money on the table in front of Tobin, and when he was finished he nodded. “Thank you. I appreciate your sister's hospitality and in the morning we'll head for home. Your men have been riding the horses and are satisfied with them.”

“His men have been riding each day and helping our men with the daily ranching work,” Nilla said.

“Thanks,” Tobin said, too tired to muster up much appreciation for the favor. His eyes looked nearly blank as he held his glass.

“Your supper is ready, Mr. Tobin,” a young Mexican girl announced.

“Very good, Consuela,” Nilla said.

Jack quickly pardoned himself, eager to inform his rangers that they'd be on their way back home come dawn.

When he met them at the back door he smiled. “The horses are sold. We go home tomorrow.”

“That's great news!” Jangles said with enthusiasm. “If we hurry we can make the Saturday-night dance.” The others nodded their heads eagerly.

 

After a restless night in which he looked forward to reuniting with Lucy, Jack and his crew woke in the predawn, thanked Nilla and Tobin and readied their horses for the journey home.

“Captain,” Nilla called out in a husky voice. “I'll be here or in Austin should you ever . . .” Her voice trailed off as her brother stared at her curiously.

Jack nodded, still a little embarrassed by the woman's openness. Once in the saddle he joined the wagon boys and the other rangers. With a wave they left the ranch. Jack watched Nilla grow smaller in the distance, and though she made a lovely picture in his mind he wanted no part of her. The only woman who would ever mean anything to him, and to whom he would always remain faithful, was Lucy.

 

After two days of hard pushing they trotted up the dark, dusty, rutted road toward the schoolhouse. Weary and exhausted, Jack's thoughts were on the platters of food and icy-cold lemonade awaiting them. It made Jack think about the first time he met his wife, and he smiled.

The lights of the schoolhouse soon appeared and the rangers let out a whoop. Even Mac seemed more spirited as they turned in the lane and saw the parked wagons, rigs and people socializing on their way inside. He leapt down from the saddle and was immediately greeted by the now-familiar townsfolk. He spoke to a pregnant woman with a crying baby in her arms, offering to take the hot platter of food she had brought inside.

Jangles took Mac's reins and Jack handed his gun and holster to him to slip into his saddlebag. With a tip of his hat to the mother, he headed for the open double doors. He stopped on the threshold to let his eye adjust to the lights.

“It's Captain Starr!” someone shouted, and all heads swiveled toward the door. Gathering her dress in her hand, Lucy quickly rounded the food table and rushed to him.

“How wonderful to see you!” she said, peppering him with kisses. “You're back much earlier than expected. Did everything go smoothly?”

He told her about their good fortune in finding a horse buyer long before they had reached Fort Worth, and she beamed with pleasure.

“I'm so glad to hear it,” she said, giving his hand a good squeeze. Then she motioned with her head toward something behind her. “Look who's finally walking.” Jack peered over her shoulder and saw Luke making his way toward them without his crutches.

Jack shook his hand and smiled broadly. “Well, don't you look great? Nice to see you workin' both your legs now.” Jack filled Luke in on the events of their trip, but it wasn't long before Tally rushed in to hug him.

“You made fast work of those horses. Are all the rangers here too?” she asked.

“They're puttin' up the horses. We added another to our crew while we were away. His name's Shanes—you'll meet him soon enough.”

Lucy tried to maneuver him toward the food table, but he insisted on waiting for his men. Jangles soon appeared and waved to them.

“Slight misunderstanding. But we settled it.”

Jack was curious, but he figured he'd ask once Lucy was out of earshot. As the others trooped in, Jack didn't notice anything amiss, but as they went to the end of the food line he nudged Cotton.

“What happened out there?”

Cotton made a sour face. “Some guy made a remark about the rangers.”

“Oh yeah? What'd he say?”

“Not worth repeatin', but he'll think a long time before he says anything again.”

“Who was it?” Lucy asked quietly, coming up behind them.

Jack picked up a piece of golden fried chicken and spooned some squash and sweet peppers on to his plate. “Don't worry; they settled it.”

Lucy took the hint and they chatted about Shanes and how Jack had discovered him trying to steal one of the horses. She shook her head in horror when he told her about his family and she vowed to send another bag of frijoles to them as soon as possible.

She led him to a corner bench and he sat down beside Sister, whom he hadn't seen since their wedding.

“How have you been?” he asked.

“Well, I can see you didn't bring a man back for me, but I guess I'll live.” She laughed aloud.

“I had one picked out,” he said, taking a bite of chicken, “but he wasn't good enough for you so I had to cut him.” Sister and Lucy laughed heartily, and Jack winked at them as he took a bit of sweet peppers.

“Sister will need some help this fall catching calves that got by the spring roundup,” Lucy said.

“Luke, Shanes and I would be happy to help. I ain't set on going after more wild horses for a long while. Figure we've caught all the easy ones.”

“Will you talk to the ranchers about doing a cattle drive next year, then?” Lucy asked.

Sister paused and looked at him with serious brown eyes. “We need a real trail boss—badly.”

Jack thought long and hard for a moment. “Well, I guess I can't say no to my favorite lady and her best friend. I guess it wouldn't hurt to talk to my men about it, but just remember that I can't work any miracles around here.”

“Can we call for a meeting at our place tomorrow afternoon?” Lucy asked.

“I'll come over early and help you fix the food,” Sister said. “I'll bring Margaret Israel and Red's new wife to help.”

Lucy frowned in disapproval.

“Go ahead and say what you're thinking,” Jack said under his breath, between bites of food.

“I think she came from a house of ill repute,” she said with a little huff.

“Give her the benefit of the doubt. She may have had a tougher life than you two,” Jack said.

Lucy gave another little huff, but softened after Jack winked at her.

News traveled fast in the crowd, and as the evening wore on Jack could see there would be several who wanted to join in the drive. He danced with Lucy; having her close stirred his heart as they gently swayed across the floor. The fiddle music soothed him, but the next square dance energized him and he was clapping and swinging in no time.

“We should start home early this evening. There's so much to do to prepare for tomorrow's meeting,” Lucy fretted once the square dance was over. Jack knew that Lucy took pleasure in playing the hostess, so he rounded up the rangers and they headed out for the night.

They arrived at the D-T gate a little past midnight, filling the night with their laughter.

“I bet you didn't get much sleep on your way home,” Lucy said.

“Ah, we slept some here and there. We all just wanted to get back.” He reached over and squeezed her knee. “Especially me.”

Leaning her head against his shoulder, she whispered, “I wanted you home too.”

The next day the meeting went smoothly. Tally wrote each person's name down when he arrived and how many cattle he'd pledge to the drive. Jack spoke to the group about the technical aspects of cattle driving while Lucy doled out the food.

“I can't guarantee I can do any better getting your stock to Kansas than any other driver. But I'll try. Between now and the fall, I'll figure out a fair tariff and line up my drivers. I'll be looking for some good hands. Luke and I'll build a chuck-wagon box and start gathering a remuda. If you have a good, solid horse, I'll pay you a fair price for him when the drive is over. But I want only geldings. No cows; just big steers between two and three years old. Those people up there won't buy yearlings. You send me a foot-sore steer and he won't make it. You'd be better off eating him at home.”

Everyone laughed.

“Any questions?”

“When you leaving with them?” an older man asked.

“March. Spring marches north fifteen miles a day they say. I'll head them toward the Salt Fork.”

“Where's that?” someone piped in.

“Wichita, Kansas,” Jack answered. “Anyway, I'll give you-all some time to think things over.”

There were murmurs of interest as everyone considered Jack's words and dug into Lucy's delicious barbecue and potato salad.

Jack was surprised he had agreed to another cattle drive. But they needed him. Everyone needed him. Across the room he could see his wife directing young girls with coffeepots toward those with empty cups. Most of all he knew he was doing it for Lucy. Had he lost his ever-loving mind?

Sister hung on his arm. “You don't know how much we appreciate you, Jack. We'd all been so scared we'd done the wrong thing not sending cattle north this year. It really hurt a lot of families. We all need the money.”

“The drive's going to work, and we'll turn a nice profit for everyone. It'll be fine.” He patted her arm reassuringly.

She smiled and led him to the food table. “I'm making sure he eats enough,” she said, passing Lucy with him in tow.

 

Later, when everyone had gone and the two of them lay in bed together, Lucy said, “You sure eased lots of folks' minds tonight.”

He shook his head, rose on his elbow and kissed her. “Everyone's but mine.”

She held him and they fell asleep in each other's arms.

Summer passed into fall. The Comanches never showed up, but McIntyre held a confab with Jack and the rangers about doing more patrolling. With the buffalo-hunting season over, they often turned their attention to raids on the settlements, ranches and farms along the frontier. No more soldiers were assigned to the forts than were already there, and there were too few troops to scout such a large area.

The young rangers began a search for signs that Comanches were in the area. Mustangs left poop in a pile, but a moving barefoot horse—which was the manner in which the Comanches liked to ride their horses—scattered it. The rangers came by the ranch on a regular basis and Luke began to patrol with them, despite his mother's unspoken concern for his safety.

Meanwhile Jack and Shanes were busy redoing the wire-stake fencing around the cropland. A couple of Mexicans delivered Jack several oxen
caritas
piled high with cedar stakes and posts that he'd ordered. The fence job proved time consuming, and each month Shanes took a few days off to go back and deliver more food to his family. He reported that they were doing much better.

When he was gone Jack was grateful for the rest, and he would reshoe his horses and use the big gray to do light work. He was sitting on the porch swing one warm late afternoon in early fall, thinking about the coming winter and his firewood supply. Shanes had gone home and the girls were busy canning apples with a new-fangled glass Mason jar system. There were sliced apples drying on racks and cinnamon lingered in the air, drawing saliva from his mouth.

Lucy brought him a hot dish of the fruit and a spoon. She stood by the porch post looking off at the fall-painted hillside as he ate.