Arizona Territory (21 page)

Morning came, with the campfire smoke hanging low and swirling around their legs. Chet knew a storm moving in caused the smoke to hug the ground, and wanted to get set up in their camp that evening before an early snow came in.

With the horses saddled, the team hitched, dishes washed and packed away with the rest of the camp items, they rode north.

“Cold wind this morning,” Cole said, riding beside Chet and Liz.

“It will bring in a storm before nightfall.”

“If it is coming, in these dang pine trees you can't see very far,” Cole complained.

“It won't be long and we'll see it building, I bet,” Chet said.

“I'm not going to bet with you. You're too good at figuring weather out.”

They all three laughed.

They stopped and talked to Robert and Betty, who wished them good luck hunting, and then the hunting party went on to the springs to make camp. Victor told them to peg down the tents securely, that he was looking for a storm.

Cole laughed. “We're all weathermen.”

They busied themselves helping Vic fix supper. The wind came up stronger and clouds began to build afterward. They all turned in, but Chet got up in the night and discovered snow falling in great flakes like leaves.

Back in bed, Liz asked in a sleepy voice, “Is it snowing?”

“Yes, big flakes.” Snuggled against her warm back, he went back to sleep.

Come morning, they discovered six inches of snow. Vic's overhead tarp was so weighed down by the heavy snow it had to be shaken off.

“I'm glad Robert promised me hay today for our horses,” Victor said.

Chet nodded. “We'll need it.”

“Glad I made the deal,” Victor said, busy making breakfast. Liz set in to help him. There was coffee for everyone while they appraised the snow.

“You hear that bull?” Chet asked.

“Yeah, he was north of us. Made me feel warm to hear him,” Cole said.

“Bet he has a big rack,” Jesus added. “He has big lungs.”

“Will we get to see him?” Liz asked.

“That's why we came.” Chet shook her shoulders and she laughed, then headed to the Dutch oven with the unbaked biscuits.

Mid-day, he dismounted at the edge of a wide-open, snowy field, and Liz traipsed carefully behind in his tracks in the white stuff to the edge of the meadow. The buck couldn't scent them, but he must have known they were closing in. Chet aimed the .50 caliber Sharps rifle at the elk's shoulders and pulled the trigger. The ear-shattering shot struck the big buck and he half-reared, but the powerful force of the bullet threw him down on his side in the snow.

Chet restrained Liz from going closer, while the big bull kicked away snow in the final stages of his life.

“Oh,” she exclaimed. “He is huge.”

“Nice bull. Now, if Cole or Jesus have shot one, we've filled Monica's order.”

“What next?”

“Cut his throat so he bleeds out, and then go for help.”

“Does someone need to stay and watch over him?”

Chet agreed. “I'd hate for a rogue bear or wolves to find him.”

“I can ride back and get help.”

“Be careful.”

She stood on her toes and kissed him. “I will be right back.” In minutes, she was mounted and headed for camp.

With her on her way, Chet completed his job of cutting the elk's throat and admired the big six-by-six rack. This was a real trophy elk. He waded off to a downed dead pine and used his small hatchet to chop up branches to make kindling and soon had a fire started in a spot he cleared with the side of his boots. A fire would be nice to warm up by while they dressed the dead animal.

The gray cloud bank above was moving fast over his head and might bring more snow. He started the skinning process on the elk and looked up at the sound of horses returning. It was his wife, leading Cole and Jesus, with two spare horses to pack.

“Wow,” Cole said, dismounting. “Boss man, you've shot the big one. Jesus, look at that rack.”

“He's sure big,” Jesus said, wading through the snow to the carcass. “How are we going to skin him?”

“On the ground,” Chet said. “He's too big to pull up.”

The men agreed and began sharpening knives.

“Glad you found them,” Chet said to Liz.

He turned to Cole. “You didn't get a bull today?”

Cole shook his head. “We saw three nice ones, but we never get close enough for a good shot.”

“We saw them. This bull is really a wonderful elk.” Jesus shook his head. “You mounting his head?”

Chet was quick to agree. “We better save it.”

“Where will you put him?” Liz asked, amused.

“Oh, maybe the Verde house,” Chet said, bent over and working with the three of them to strip the hide off his legs and then his body. In an hour, they had the hide off and the elk gutted. Chet used a meat saw they'd brought along to begin quartering the carcass.

Cole used a small hatchet to help him in spots. The meat was soon cut into large portions and wrapped in canvas to haul back to camp. Packed in panniers, they soon had the cape and horns on another. They used Liz's horse for the wrapped-up hide, and she planned to ride double with Chet.

Work weary, the crew finally mounted up, with Liz behind Chet, and headed for camp. With his wife hugging him and her face rested on his back, he felt real comfortable.

“Been a helluva good day,” he said over his shoulder. “You glad you came?”

“I am always glad I come along with you. New adventures. Exciting things. You have time for me. I am so fortunate I found this man and he has put up with me.”

“But you could be in the warm sunshine on the patio sipping wine in Mexico, instead of smelling like blood and guts.”

“But I would not have you. You have spoiled me. You never tire of me. You talk, and listen, to me.”

“That is all part of being married.”

“No. I do not know a woman in the world lucky as me. Did Margaret ride with you?”

“Some. Did you ride with him?”

“Some. But I bet she didn't go looking for lost herds?”

“No.”

“I'm glad I did. I saw so much beautiful country. Historic places that Coronado saw hundreds of years ago and I now ride that land with you.”

“Before Christmas, let's go to Mexico and see your
hacienda
.”

“Do we have time?”

He knew he had whetted her appetite to go south. “Yes, we need to do it.”

“Good, I will notify Manuel to have us a stagecoach at your headquarters.”

“We will settle it after we get back home.”

“Good, I am excited.”

“We'll go.”

“I am not worried. You keep your word with me.” She hugged him.

He shook his head. Where did he ever find her? Oh, he knew. In a haystack. How damn sweet was that?

Cole dropped a big elk on the second day. That evening, Victor looked like he was sad the hunt was over. Chet sat down with him after supper and discussed his plan for him to become the farm boss at the Verde.

“Can I think on it?”

“We have all the time.”

“Really, I like being Sarge's man. Those cattle drives are exciting and always have something happening.”

“Anyone can get cattle to the Indians. Our crops and the Hereford cows could be a good place to learn a lot.”

“I will think on it. I appreciate all you have done for me. I didn't ask to be your cook on this trip to find a new job. I always have good times on these trips. I know you miss Marge. I do, too, and your honeymoon was one of the neatest things I ever did. This new lady, Elizabeth, is so nice; you were lucky to have found her.”

“Let me ask you something personal?”

Victor smiled. “I wondered when you would ask me about her.”

“I'm talking about Rhea.”

He nodded. “I don't think she would marry me if she lost her job caring for the baby.”

“What if you and her could live on the Verde Ranch with Adam?”

“Oh, I never thought of that.”

“I have.”

Victor smiled. “I would sure ask her.”

“No rush. I better find my wife.”

“You always figure out things, don't you?”

“Only because I have such valuable people I need in charge of things.”

Victor acted embarrassed. “I still appreciate all you have done for me. How is JD doing down south?”

“Fine, as far as I know. Do you know anything different?”

“No, but he was pretty wild when he came here and nothing suited him,” Victor said.

“Maybe he had to grow up. He seems settled down with his wife and the job down there.”

“So far, things are fine. He's too busy to do anything else.”

“I'm glad. That Reg is a giant. I'm glad he married Lucy. I really got to know her back then, on that honeymoon. She was a real tomboy,” Victor said.

“Things have worked well.”

“Yes, and your sister is happy at Windmill. We talk a lot,” he said.

“I guess I miss Susie as much as anything. We were a team for so long.”

“I think she has come to understand that could not last.”

“Thanks, Victor. I'm going to go talk Liz into going to bed.”

They shook hands and parted.

The group loaded up in the morning and dragged themselves back to the Verde Ranch where they left some elk meat for the household there. Victor and Rhea had a long talk before he left and took an elk hindquarter to the Windmill. Jesus drove the women, Anita and Rhea, baby, and wagon up the hill. The other three rode ahead to the ranch and Monica met them at the door.

Wrapped in a windswept blanket for warmth, Monica came out and asked, “Any elk meat?”

“Plenty.” Chet waved. “Jesus has it with him and the women and Adam.”

“Glad you all are in one piece. I have hot coffee inside.”

The boys took their horses and they went inside and told Monica about the two big elk. Then Cole left for his wife, with word from Chet that he and Liz would stay there until they went to her
hacienda
.

Cole thanked Monica and the others and went for the fresh horse the stable boys had saddled for him. Chet walked him outside.

“Tell her I said thanks for sharing you.”

“She'll laugh about that, but I'll tell her. Thanks for the break.” Cole swung in the saddle and galloped for Preskitt.

Chet saw no sign of Jesus, but he'd be along with the wagon. The mountain was a tough pull for the animals and would require more time to reach the ranch. He went inside and drank coffee with Liz and Monica.

“Did you get snow here?” he asked Monica.

“It quickly melted. The ground was warm.”

“It must have been cold up there, for we mushed in for three days, and there was still snow when we came back.”

“Did you enjoy yourself?” Monica asked Liz.

“It was amazing. I was there when he shot the big bull. He was bigger than most horses. Wait till you see the horns.”

Monica shook her head. “Weren't you cold?”

Liz shook her head. “I never noticed.”

“You have her completely out of her mind, Chet Brynes.”

He stood up and hugged her tight. “That's what I got her for—to spoil.”

They both laughed.

“Monica, I love what we do. He is even going to take me down to my
hacienda
to see about my things.”

“Soon?” Monica asked.

“In a week,” Chet said. “I can hear Jesus is here. I better go see about hanging the elk meat in the icehouse.”

He put on his canvas coat and told Liz to stay inside. Crossing the yard, he spoke to Anita, Rhea, and Adam before he joined Jesus, and they drove up to the icehouse to unload the meat.

Raphael came in a hurry. No doubt, he had been warned, too.

“You get the big one?” he asked Chet.

“Pretty nice bull. He was six-by-six.”

The meat was soon hung, and everyone who assisted admired both sets of elk antlers but gave Chet's kill first place.

 

 

Jesus washed up and went to the house with him. Since his friendship had grown with Anita, Chet noticed how he'd become less house shy.

“Well, what did you shoot?” Monica asked.

Jesus laughed at her. “I am only the help. Chet and Cole do the shooting. Someone has to back them.”

“Good to have you back in one piece; take a seat. We are all mixed up with all of you coming home, and I did not know my family was returning. We will feed you, no worry, but it won't be right away.”

“Thanks, we know,” Chet told her. He held his son and bounced him. Adam laughed. He was a good baby, a shame his mother never had a real chance to hold and play with him. But he would grow up loved and be educated. He had many mothers besides his Rhea who loved him so much.

He read the past newspapers while the women made supper. Nothing very exciting in any of the back issues of the
Miner
. Things were quiet in the county, which was good news. Maybe Arizona was settling into being a normal place—but something made him doubt the territory was going to stay that smooth forever.

After supper, he bathed and started to turn in. Liz came upstairs and whispered, “The love birds are holding hands on the couch.”

“They won't get in any trouble doing that.”

“Sweet. I guess we could have done it that way.”

“Maybe.”

She tackled him. “I am glad you weren't that bashful.”

“So am I.”

She agreed.