The Encounter (13 page)

CHAPTER EIGHT

Earlier that morning, about the time Martin and Joseph settled into their days work, a meeting was held in Henry Morton's office at the hotel. Several members of the Cattleman's Association were losing their patience with Henry's inability to deal with Martin McKenly.

              Ben Kramer, the owner of the Bar "K", was the most outspoken. He considered the mountain people little more than rustlers and horse thieves. It was true that in his father's day a certain amount of that went on. Rustlers had used the mountains to hide while they raided the valley herds. That had ended decades ago when Martin’s father and others had driven them out. Now, the wild stallion carried out the only horse stealing. The Indians occasionally raided the herds for food.

              Henry sat behind his desk. He lit a cigar. Several others sat around the room. Ben paced and made known their collective point of view.

              "You knew when we started this, we had to have McKenly's place to make it work." Ben argued. He stopped pacing and leaned on the desk. "You said you could handle it. Well, handle it." He pushed off the desk. "And make it soon."

              Henry drew on his cigar and exhaled. "You... all of you, act like you're the only ones with something to lose. Half the money to buy those people out came from my bank, money that belongs to the town." He stood up. "I'm ridin' up there this afternoon. I'm gonna offer him twice what we gave the others..."

              Ben jumped on it. "Twice, hell it'd be cheaper to just shoot the son-of-a-bitch."

              Henry looked over the room. "If he won't listen to reason we'll try something else. One way or another we're gonna be summer grazin' that mountain." Ben and Henry were still eye-to-eye. "Well gentlemen..." Henry motioned toward the door. "Let's go down to the bar. Drinks are on the house."

              Everyone got up and moved toward the door. Henry opened it. The others walked out mumbling among themselves.

              Ben paused in the doorway and turned to Henry. "Do what you have to do. I'll see the rest of 'em back you."

              Henry drew on his cigar. He knew exactly what Ben meant. Both men left the office.

                                                        ***

              Joseph and Martin had worked with the horses all morning and most of the afternoon. Sarah stepped out on the porch. She carried a bucket of water. It was heavy. It took both hands. She stopped at the edge of the porch, sat down the bucket and watched the goings on in the corral. She liked to watch her brother. He was younger, but he was big and strong and she felt safe when he was around. She would never tell him that, but she figured he knew. She took a dipper of water from the bucket and took a sip. She put it back, picked up the bucket and started for the corral.

              There were half a dozen horses tied to the rail fence. Joseph and Martin had been taking turns at them all day. At first the horses were winning. He and his father were scraped and bruised. By late afternoon the tide had turned and all the animals were beginning to accept a saddle and rider.

              Sarah slowly made her way toward the corral. She tried not to spill any of the water. The bucket was heavy, but she wasn't about to ask for help, at least not while Joseph was watching.

              Joseph and Martin knelt inside the corral next to the near fence. Martin tried to repair the chinch on the saddle. He was about to ask Joseph to fetch a needle and thread. Joseph glanced up and noticed two men, on horseback, approaching the corral from the far side.

              "We got company”, Joseph said.

              Martin looked around and stood up. "Looks like Henry Morton and one of his men."

              Joseph stood up. His father watched the two riders. Joseph had no use for Mr. Morton ever since he foreclosed on the two homesteads next to theirs. He heard a noise behind him, looked around and saw Sarah struggling with her bucket. Martin started across the corral. Joseph stepped through the fence and headed for his sister.

              Sarah was bending over the bucket. She held the rope handle trying to catch her breath. She didn't notice Joseph until he took her by the arm. She jumped, sloshing the water in the bucket.

              "What are you doin", she snapped. "You made me spill it." She let go of the bucket.

              "Forget that. Come to the house."

              "Why?" She looked toward the corral. "What's goin' on?"

              Joseph didn't want to argue. He was bigger and stronger and pulled her with him.

              She almost stumbled over her dress. "Don't, you're gonna tear my dress." She got her arm free and looked over her shoulder. "What's wrong? Where's Daddy?"

              Joseph moved so fast she had to run to catch up. He entered the house. She stopped on the porch and looked back at the corral. She could see the two riders approaching. Her father leaned against the fence. A moment later, Joseph joined her carrying his rifle.

              She looked at the gun. "Who is it? What do they want?"

              "It's Henry Morton. Maybe trouble is what he wants." He looked at her. "You stay here." He started for the corral.

              She didn't like being ordered around, but she didn't say anything. She stood on the porch and watched.

              The man with Henry was Jake. He stopped short of the corral. Henry continued on to the fence.

              Martin greeted him. "Afternoon Henry, what brings you all the way up here? I thought you valley folk didn't like the thin air. Nobody left up here for you to foreclose on."

              "You know why I'm here. I thought maybe we could sit down and talk this out."

              "Ain't nothing to talk about. I got two thousand acres of the best mountain range in this part of Wyoming. I was raised on it. I intend to raise mine on it."

              Henry had heard this over and over. He was tired of it. "I was hoping you could see reason. We've already bought up everything around you. I'm authorized to double our offer."

              Henry wasn't the only one tired of hearing the same thing. This so-called Cattleman's Association couldn't seem to take
no
for an answer. "I know the others gave into you. They sold the land and I got nothin' to say about that. What you're standin' on is mine and you got nothing to say about that."

              Henry was furious with this hardheaded mountain man. "Goddamnit, you know as well as I do, your place is the key to the mountain range. Without it the rest is just so much mountaintop. What is it you want?"

              "You shoulda thought about that before. What I want is to get back to work."

              "You can't stand in the way of this. It's too big. One way or another..."

              Jake shifted in his saddle to make his sidearm available.

              Joseph stepped around the far end of the corral. He leveled his rifle. "Stand easy mister." Everyone looked at Joseph.

              Henry looked back. Jake settled back and placed his hands on the saddle horn.

              Martin had heard enough. "I think you gentlemen outstayed your welcome."

              Henry swung his horse away from the fence. "This isn't the end of this. You can be sure of that."

              Joseph joined his father. Sarah had moved up and watched from behind the fence on the far side of the corral. They all watched Mr. Morton and Jake ride away.

                                                        ***

              Lawrence had done his best to keep up. She was just ahead of him, somewhere. The sound of rushing water filled the air.

              Margaret, winded, stood on a rise over looking a waterfall. At the bottom of the falls was a small basin. She kept looking back for Lawrence. She was down wind and her nose said he was close.

              Lawrence had slowed to a walk. The thin, mountain air had drained him. The careening sound of water was very close. He stepped out of the trees.

              She sat just ahead of him. He crossed the grassy knoll above the waterfall.

              He walked up out of breath. "You heard this? We must of come half a mile through the woods." He sat beside her. She was still concentrating on the waterfall. "You didn't hear this. You saw it on that map of yours"

              She looked at him. "You know what this is?"

              He studied her for a second. "Is this a trick question? A waterfall?"

              She got to her feet. "No. It's a shower."

              She held her hand down to him. He took it and she pulled him up.

              The water dropped about three stories onto a shelf, and then cascaded into the catch basin twenty feet below. The mist was very cold. The river above them was run-off from the melting snow in the mountains. The noise was deafening.

              She said something, but he couldn't make it out. He motioned her back from the water.

              They stepped back a few yards. "What did you say", he asked?

              She sat her bag down. "I'm gonna take a shower."

              She sat down and started removing her boots. He stood and watched.

              She looked up. "Come on, join me. Humans smell awful if they don't bathe everyday."

              She certainly spoke her mind. He slipped the canteen off his shoulder and sat beside her. He started pulling off his boots. She sat and waited for him to catch up.

              They stood up together and started removing their clothes. They kept glancing at one another.

              He had to admit he was curious about the rest of her. She probably felt the same way about him.

              "I've never taken a bath with an alien before", he said.

              "That makes two of us."

              He grinned. She was right. They were both aliens from different points of view. She stripped off her Long Johns and stood naked waiting for him to finish. He pushed the top off his shoulders, slipped it all down and stepped out of it. He was glad it was a cold shower they were fixing to take. Despite the few rather bizarre physical differences, she was still a beautiful woman. He couldn't help but wonder how he stacked up against the males of her kind.

              They walked toward the falling water. He was cold, but he could tell it was much worse for her.

              She was shivering all over. "This is gonna have to be quick. I can't take the temperature very long."

              They stepped into the edge of the waterfall and began to rub themselves with their hands. In a few seconds she was ready to go. She took a step, her foot slipped and it was over in the blink of an eye.

              The misstep carried her into the full force of the waterfall. She was instantly swept into the basin.

              There was nothing Lawrence could do. He stepped into the clear and looked at the water below. She surfaced at the base of the falls. Her arm came up, her mouth opened and she went under.

              Lawrence was already in the air. He broke the surface right beside her. The crystal clear, ice-cold water almost paralyzed him. The dive carried him past her. He arched his back and turned upward. In a matter of seconds, they were back on the surface. Her eyes were open. Her body was convulsing. He pulled her toward the water's edge. The only place he could get ashore was at the far end of the basin. He was ten feet from the edge before he could touch bottom.

              It was all he could do to drag her out. She was a lot heavier than she looked. When he was several feet from the water he knelt beside her. The jerking motion in her arms and legs had eased. Her eyes were still open. He started briskly rubbing her arms and shoulders. He could see her chest rise and fall slightly every few seconds. Her breathing was shallow, but even. He moved down to her legs and continued rubbing her. He had to raise her body temperature. All he could think to do was hold her. He lay down and wrapped his arms and legs around her.

              They remained that way for the better part of half an hour. When he began to sense some voluntary movement he moved off and watched her.

              She rolled her face toward him and smiled. Her voice was very weak. "Thanks, that makes twice you've saved my life."

              He grinned. "You’re right and it's gettin' old... Just lie quiet. I'll get our clothes."