"Ah, yeah, That there will be installed in the transom. Piece'a glass we ordered from a fella whot makes up winda's an' such with leaded glass." Pike recalled. This would surely make her happy, and would be a reminder of the times that they had had together in San Francisco. But then there was all the other places they had been, and all of the adventures they had experienced. "We can have a looksee if ya like." He paused, looking at the crate.
"So, reckon you'd remember him, Bao-yu Fa? Well, Em run onto him up in Virginia City. Makes it a small world, 'cept for all the miles we had ta travel gettin' there an' back home here." He looked at the teamster, "So, other than Speed gettin' shot, anything else I might oughtta know?"
He had an affection for the woman that had saved his life after he had been shot. Without Addy none of what he was looking at or has experienced since would have happened, least of all, Em.
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
"Well, I reckon if it's a window, we oughta check that it's all right," Addy commented, not wanting to admit that she was just a little insanely curious. She pulled out a small 'Bowie' type knife and started on the fastenings. "Come all th' way from San Francisco, best ta make sure it come through in one piece!"
"So, reckon you'd remember him, Bao-yu Fa? Well, Em run onto him up in Virginia City. Makes it a small world, 'cept for all the miles we had ta travel gettin' there an' back home here."
"Yeah, I remember him." Addy grinned, looking up from her task. "So far, an' there he was? Don't that beat all?" It really was against the odds, but showed how you just never knew what was going to happen. "Good ta know he's doin' good."
He looked at the teamster, "So, other than Speed gettin' shot, anything else I might oughtta know?"
"Trouble brewin' between Evergreen an' Lost Lake." Addy shrugged. "But that ain't nothin' really new, just heatin' up." She looked at Pronto and shook her head. "Hope this place don't get caught up in it, but yer not in anyone's way out here, so shouldn't be a problem. There's a a new gunsmith, an' Miss Arabella Mudd is sweet and demure as ever!"
Laughing, she peeled back the lid of the crate, revealing a thick layer of hay. "Reckon there's anything in there?"
"No Ma'am, no curtains needed, place is just fine as it is. Fact is, nicest bunk house I've ever seen."
"I haven't seen it yet, but it's new, so it's up to you gentlemen to make it home." Emeline grinned, looking toward the building, then back at the men. "You let me know what you need for it, and we'll get it to you. I assume there are bunks, blankets and whatnot?" It made sense that the bunkhouse would have been outfitted with everything else, but something may have been overlooked.
"I'll get with Cookie when he arrives to make sure he has everything he needs. I don't have experience in running a place like this, but I do know some about ordering food and keeping a larder stocked. We're going to have a fine place here, gentlemen!"
"Trouble brewin' between Evergreen an' Lost Lake." Addy shrugged. "But that ain't nothin' really new, just heatin' up." She looked at Pronto and shook her head. "Hope this place don't get caught up in it, but yer not in anyone's way out here, so shouldn't be a problem. There's a new gunsmith, an' Miss Arabella Mudd is sweet and demure as ever!"
"Heatin' up, beginnin' to believe it ain't nothin' but bluff an' bluster." Pike said, "They been at this a while an nothin' seems to come of it. New gunsmith? You don't say, well that's a good addition to town. Always a need of a good gunsmith." He chuckled, "Arabella Mudd, can't say as I missed the drama what follows that child. Sounds to me like all's well in town then."
Laughing, she peeled back the lid of the crate, revealing a thick layer of hay. "Reckon there's anything in there?"
"Lot's a hay I'd say, but let's have us a look underneath all'a that an' see with her windows in there." So rather unceremoniously he began pulling the hay away until they were looking at the stained glass they had bought in San Francisco. "I plumb forgot just how pretty that window was. Look good over the front door, don'cha think?"
"I haven't seen it yet, but it's new, so it's up to you gentlemen to make it home." Emeline grinned, looking toward the building, then back at the men. "You let me know what you need for it, and we'll get it to you. I assume there are bunks, blankets and whatnot?" It made sense that the bunkhouse would have been outfitted with everything else, but something may have been overlooked.
"Oh, it appears ta have all we'll need so far as bedding's concerned. All brand spankin' new from the floor on up. Danged if I ever seen the like." Dallas stated. "Thhis is quite the place, an' the boys'll all love it. I mean, what's not ta love about it?"
"I'll get with Cookie when he arrives to make sure he has everything he needs. I don't have experience in running a place like this, but I do know some about ordering food and keeping a larder stocked. We're going to have a fine place here, gentlemen!"
"Yes Ma'am, gonna be a real fine place, that's fer shore! I mean, it's beautiful the waterfall an' all." Pytias agreed, "Now ol' Nate, he's a good 'um, but can get a grouch on in nothin' flat! Though I doubt neither her ner Danny Baker ever seen the like'a this place. So I reckon whatever you do'll be jest fine by them two. A real roof over are heads, this here's gonna be good, real good."
"Yes Ma'am, gonna be a real fine place, that's fer shore! I mean, it's beautiful the waterfall an' all." Pytias agreed, "Now ol' Nate, he's a good 'um, but can get a grouch on in nothin' flat! Though I doubt neither her ner Danny Baker ever seen the like'a this place. So I reckon whatever you do'll be jest fine by them two. A real roof over are heads, this here's gonna be good, real good."
"Mr. Pike is a good man, fair, a hard worker himself," Emeline commented, "and he will expect hard work from the hands, but he'll...we'll listen to your suggestions, you'll be part of this, from the ground up."
Yes, Barnabas owned the ranch, but they would all share the profits, and the pride in making the Rocking P a huge success.
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
"Lot's a hay I'd say, but let's have us a look underneath all'a that an' see with her windows in there." So rather unceremoniously he began pulling the hay away until they were looking at the stained glass they had bought in San Francisco. "I plumb forgot just how pretty that window was. Look good over the front door, don'cha think?"
"Ain't never seen th' like," Addy murmured, reaching for, but not quite touching, the glass, "not even in churches!" She looked up at Pronto with a grin. "Gonna look real nice, 'specially when th' sun shines through it. Yer house is gonna be one'a th' finest in th' territory, no question!"
It was exciting that Kalispell was growing, with the large ranches, hospital, rumors of trains and county seat, but then, growth meant civilization, and that meant more rules and constraints, not necessarily a good thing.
"Mr. Pike is a good man, fair, a hard worker himself," Emeline commented, "and he will expect hard work from the hands, but he'll...we'll listen to your suggestions, you'll be part of this, from the ground up."
The three men listened as the woman, Missus Pike expounded on how things were going to be, a bit more than thirty a month and found. All of them had ridden the grub line by choice or by circumstance from time to time, few had ever been part of anything, this, they were assured, would be different.
"You an' he talked about this?" Lorado asked a bit taken aback by the idea that they, the Pikes, were actual partners in this business of the ranch. Women were notoriously without opinions on their husband's affairs, so this was something new.
Pythias had heard of men who brought their wives in on whatever it was they were doing for a living. Now it was seeing it in action, even if he was a bit hesitant about such an idea.
Dallas grinned at the thought of it. "Was I to find a woman what would have me, why I'd do just that. Make her my partner. I surely would. Might not be so fine a place as this, but that'd be the way I'd go.
In all honesty, she and Barnabas hadn't directly discussed this sort of thing, but Emeline was certain that, as the ranch grew and prospered, the men would see the profits as well -- increased wages, bonuses.
"You can be assured, as we prosper. so will the hands. Of course, that means suffering the bad times as well, but hopefully those will be few and far between, and prudent planning will ease the hurt."
It had been one of the lessons she had had to learn after Andrew's death, but then, they'd never had the chance to save and prepare for future calamities, that had all been ahead of them.
"I've some business acumen, although my cafe isn't anything to compare to running a ranch house, but I'm sure I'll catch on." And she did know that if the workers were happy, and if they had a stake in the ranch, they'd put in extra effort. Besides, she really did want to have a regular crew who stayed on from season to season, so she could get to know them, and know what to expect.
"Well, now Ma'am. the thing is for those what rode up here with the herd, they've never had a place like this," Pythias began. "Some have had ridin' jobs on spreads, that'd be true, but to have a steady place ta call home, such as you propose, well I gotta say, ain't a one of 'em i can say wouldn't jump at the chance. 'specially with winter comin' on. I kin already feel the change."
"Ma'am Pythias is right. The boys get a load of this, they want to stay on." Lorado chimed in. "All barnd spankin' new an' ever'thin, how could ya go wrong on a deal like this?"
"Agreed. This here's like it was a Godsend fer us an' the rest. A real place ta call home, an' ta be a part'a somethin' fer sure. Ya won me over, but then seein' you on that Morgan well, I'd never seen the like, an' I knew was it possible I'd be ridin' fer this brand, I'll tell ya that!" Dallas added.
