The Land (24 page)

I glanced at the herd. They looked to be mostly mustangs. But there was one who was different and right away caught my eye. It was a stallion. He looked underfed and there was dried blood on his coat, as if he had been in battle. He hadn't been cleaned up, yet he stood apart from the others. He was a palomino. Both he and another stallion, a black one, had been tethered on opposite sides of the corral. “They're from out west?” I asked.

Luke Sawyer nodded. “Man brought them in a few days ago on a barge 'cross the Mississippi. They're supposed to be bronco-busted, but that's all, and from the look of some of them, seems like the job wasn't too well done. Still, he's looking to make a sizeable amount on them. He's boarding them here while he tries to round up some buyers to look them over. He says he'll give me first pick if I'm interested in buying.”

I looked at Luke Sawyer. “And are you?”

“Depends,” he said. “I've done business with the man before, but only to buy a couple of everyday kind of horses for hiring out to folks around here. I've never bought any real quality animals from him, and he swears most of this bunch is quality.”

I turned again to the herd. “Could be. Mustangs are known for their speed.”

“Well, to be truthful, I've got my eye on one in particular. That black beauty of a stallion tethered yonder on the far side. Don't know what kind of quality he is, but he sure is a beauty.”

I nodded in agreement.

“I want you to check him out and let me know what you think.”

Again I nodded.

“Fact to business,” said Luke Sawyer, “I want you to cut out the best six of the bunch.”

“That'll take time,” I said.

“Know that. But I need for you to check out all these horses and let me know what you think in the next two days. Man's expecting buyers to be coming in after then.”

I frowned. “Don't you have somebody to do that kind of work for you already?”

“Never needed anybody. Took care of it myself. This here's different, though. I've got a chance to get some real quality animals at a low price, and if I get the right ones, I can do right well in selling them later. I hadn't given much thought to this until Miz Hattie's letter arrived. If you're as good with horses as she says you are, then maybe I'll buy them.”

I fixed my eyes on Luke Sawyer. “On my word?”

Luke Sawyer fixed his eyes on me too. “On Hattie Crenshaw's,” he said.

I took a few moments to stare out across the corral before turning back to him. “You know, Mister Sawyer,” I finally said, “if I take the time I'll need with these horses, I'll lose time on the furniture you've got contracted.”

“I'll take care of that. I always give myself a little leeway in dealing with my customers, and I'll give you two extra days on the orders we've got.”

“I understand that, Mister Sawyer, but I could be losing money.”

“Not really. I'd pay you for your time, same as I'd pay my stable boy.”

I wanted to laugh at that, but of course I didn't. I remained sober. “So, all you want me to do is pick out the best six for you?”

“That's right.”

“And what if there aren't six good ones?”

“Then you pick out whatever there is. Course now, I'm going to have to approve of them.”

“I understand that, but like you said, these horses are only bronco-busted. You planning on giving them more training before you sell them?”

“Well, that would make them worth more, so I'd think so.”

“You've got somebody in mind to train them? Somebody who's trained horses like these before?”

Luke Sawyer's glance at me was coy. I figured he knew where I was leading with this. He put on his bartering face. I'd seen it often enough to know. “There are some fellas around.”

“Might be a good idea then for them to take a look at the horses as I cut them out.”

“Was thinking on that.” Luke Sawyer pursed his lips. “Was thinking too, if you'd like the chance, I'd let you see what you could do with one or two of them.”

I shook my head. “Well, I thank you, Mister Sawyer, but I've contracted with you to make furniture, and if I spend my time training a horse at a stable boy's wages, I'm definitely going to lose money. I can certainly check over the herd and take out the best for you, but I figure I'll need to get back to my workbench after that.”

“Suit yourself,” said Luke Sawyer and turned away.

“When do you want me to start?”

“Now.”

I did just that. After Luke Sawyer left, the first thing I did was sit atop that fence and study each horse from afar. There were fifteen horses all together. I watched the movements of each and the way they were with one another. I noted the ones who stood together and the ones who stood apart. Several times I let go shrill sounds and banged tins. Some horses were nervous and bolted. Others became more alert, their ears perked, but remained in place. By the time I got down from that fence, I already had a good idea of the horses I'd be cutting out for Luke Sawyer.

Next thing I did was to build a temporary chute into which I could put one horse at a time. Then I enlisted the aid of Luke Sawyer's stable boy and two of his friends with the promise of a day's wages for each, and had them help me in roping the horses and leading them into the chute. We were able to get a few of the horses in without much difficulty, but most, including the palomino, gave us trouble. Still, I was able to get a close look at each of them, and I studied them carefully, front and rear. I checked their ears, their eyes, their abdomens, their legs, and their hooves. I should have checked their teeth too, but I chose not to be bitten. I took note of the weaker horses.

That night I spent on the ground outside the corral, talking to the horses, singing to them. I spent all the next day with them, observing them, and the next night as well. The following morning I cut seven from the herd, including the black stallion Luke Sawyer had his eyes on. He had been right about the stallion. Not only was he a beauty, but he seemed to be of fine quality. I led each horse with a rope around the meadow several times. I didn't try to mount any of them. By the time I finished, Luke Sawyer had come down to the corral. “So, you've made your cut?” he asked.

“I've picked out the best seven.”

“Seven? I thought I told you six.”

“You did, but I'm thinking of buying the seventh one myself.”

Luke Sawyer looked surprised. “Didn't know you were interested in buying yourself a horse.”

“Well, as you know, there're some mighty good ones.”

“Which one you want?”

I hesitated and hoped Luke Sawyer would prove to be the man I thought he was. “Mister Sawyer, you asked me to find you the best six horses. I've chosen you the best seven. After you choose your six from this seven, I'll take the remaining one.”

Luke Sawyer looked at me askance. “They're all that good?”

“Like I said, they're the best in the herd.”

Luke Sawyer turned toward the seven horses. “Then I expect I'd best go take a closer look at them.”

The stable boy, Luke Sawyer, and I put each horse into the chute and Luke Sawyer studied all of them. He didn't examine the horses as thoroughly as I had done, but he did check their teeth, legs, and hooves, and he questioned me about each one. When he'd checked the last of the horses, he turned to me. “I'll ask you again, which one do you want?”

“I said—”

“I know what you said. You tell me which one you want, and it better not be that black one. He's mine.”

I looked out over the horses. “Well, if I had my choice, it would be that palomino yonder. The bay also looks fine.”

“The palomino, huh? Well, I'd just better take him myself.”

My face didn't change. I knew what Luke Sawyer was doing. “As I said, Mister Sawyer, I picked out what I figured to be the best seven. Your choice comes first.”

“Miz Hattie said you know horses as well as you know carpentry. You figure that's true?”

“I believe that to be so,” I replied.

“Well, I know you know carpentry, so I'll figure your horse skills are up to the same quality. If I buy these horses, I've decided I want you to train them for me.”

I shook my head at that. “Don't see how I can, Mister Sawyer. I've got my furniture-making contract with you to honor—”

“And, I know, you can't work for a stable boy's wages. So, what do you figure you can work for? Maybe that horse you want?”

“I'd figured to buy him myself.”

“You did, huh? Well, I don't think so. I think you want to bargain me into paying you with him. That's what I think. Well, I'm willing to do it, but on one condition.”

“What's that?”

“I'm going to set a selling price this day on every horse I buy, and if after you've trained these horses and I don't at least get my asking price on every single one of them, I'm going to take that palomino back.”

“Palomino?” I questioned. “But I thought you figured to keep him.”

“Naw. He's too scrawny-looking for me. Besides, if he's the one you really want, then maybe you'll do even better at training the rest to have him. Agreed?”

“Agreed.”

“And one other thing, Paul. I'll give you to the end of our work year agreement for you to have them properly trained and for me to sell. Another thing too. Any furniture we agree to do, that still has to be done.”

“As long as I've agreed to the orders,” I stipulated. “I know how much I can do.”

“You'd better,” said Luke Sawyer.

As he walked away, I smiled. I knew how much I could do, but so far Luke Sawyer didn't.

 

That man from across the Mississippi sold his seven horses to Luke Sawyer, but not at the price he had in mind. I'd told Luke Sawyer the faults of all the horses, and that trader must have known them too, for even though he threatened to wait until the other buyers were present and put them up for bid, in the end he didn't hold up Luke Sawyer about the price. Luke Sawyer said afterward he had done too much business with the man for him to chance losing any further business. The trader sold the balance of his horses as well, some at higher prices, but I figured the buyers would one day regret that.

Right after Luke Sawyer bought the horses, I took on the training of them one at a time. I worked with one horse, keeping it separate from the others for as long as it took, and when that horse was trained, Luke Sawyer would sell it, and each time he got his price. Luke Sawyer was mighty pleased, and so was I. Throughout the time I was training Luke Sawyer's horses, I was also training the palomino. I nourished him. I fed him the best of the grains, and he gained weight and his coat healed. He became a magnificent-looking animal. I didn't neglect the others, but the palomino was special. I already considered him mine, and I trained him to race. And he was fast, faster than any horse I'd been on in quite a while. He was so fast and spirited that when I rode him, it was almost like riding Ghost Wind again. I named him Thunder. But I didn't let my feelings get close to Thunder, not like I had Ghost Wind and Appaloosa, for I knew I had to sell him one day, and I didn't want to have to give up another thing I loved.

“Looks like I made a mistake letting you keep that horse,” said Luke Sawyer good-naturedly after he'd seen me ride Thunder.

“He's a fine horse, all right,” I admitted.

“That he is.” Luke Sawyer leaned against the corral fence and stared out at the palomino. “How'd you like to race him?”

“Race him? Where?”

“Here in Vicksburg with some gentlemen I know. I can sponsor the horse. After all, he still belongs to me. You can ride. You win, we split the purse. How does that sound to you?”

I considered.

“You can make yourself some extra money.”

“All right,” I said. “I'll let you know when I think he's ready.” It wasn't until near winter that I raced Thunder. He was plenty ready by then; he won. Luke Sawyer claimed the purse and that was all right with me, for unlike Ray Sutcliffe, Luke Sawyer kept his word. He split the purse with me, right down the middle, and I put that money away. It was to be the first of several races and the first of several profitable purses.

I saw Mitchell again at Christmastime. He came and stayed Christmas Day, and left right after. I saw him only once during the next few months, but then, I hadn't expected to see him much more than that. Mitchell knew where I was. I knew where he was. Each of us had his own work and his own pursuits, and both of us knew if one of us needed the other, he'd be there. I missed Mitchell, but I wasn't lonely. My work filled my days and much of my nights. There was no time for socializing, even if I'd been inclined to do so. In addition to the horse training, the furniture orders had been steady, and folks were pleased with the furniture I had made, and those folks included B. R. Tillman and his wife. I had made their chifforobe for them and they had been mighty pleased. That meant, of course, Luke Sawyer was too. Things had worked out well for both of us. Luke Sawyer could now provide his customers with a new service, and he had increased his business. As for me, I had a roof over my head, food to eat, and most important to me, a few more dollars accumulating. The winter passed quickly.

Spring came and settled toward summer. It was during this time that a man by the name of Sam Perry came to see me. Luke Sawyer brought him to the shed. Sam Perry had with him two of his children, a boy of about twelve called Nathan and a young lady named Caroline. I smiled when I saw the young woman. She was the same young woman who had helped the harelipped boy the day after I'd arrived in Vicksburg. I rose from my bench to greet them. Sam Perry was a big man, tall and muscular, dark in coloring, and he wore a huge mustache. I shook his hand and gave a nod to the boy, Nathan, and the young lady, Caroline. I noticed that Caroline's hair was not in braids this time, but was tied with a ribbon and hung long down her back. Caroline returned my nod, and I looked into her eyes for the first time. They were intensely brown and seemed to smile.