Justus allowed that, while odd, 'ordering' a bride did seem to solve a problem. Even back in Texas there were not many women of marriageable age or disposition, and places like Montana seemed even more remote, and lady-less.
"I reckon those ladies must be special, ta sign up ta marry some man they never met in some place they never heard of, makin' a life an' family. Wonder what might drive a lady ta do that?" He couldn't imagine going into something completely sight-unseen, especially with no way out, should things not be acceptable. "Must be pretty scary."
"Scary'd be a good word for it." Zane agreed. "Me, I want ta find a woman, have some kids, maybe a spread of my own, Lord knows there's plenty of land out here. So far I seen plenty of water, and plenty'a graze for cattle, sure enough. Might have ta consider that. Now, I hope there's women in that place, otherwise, I might just have ta pay the freight for one'a them mail order brides."
"But I figure that maybe we'll find that Kalispell, believe that's it, right? That Kalispell'll have any number of marriageable women on hand, leastways I hope so. But having steady work is the first thing, 'less'a course, me n' Ty set out for somewhere's else."
"That's just it there," Justus observed, "can't worry 'bout findin' a lady until there's a way ta keep her, right? Not as if she can live in th' bunkhouse with me!"
He laughed and shook his head. "How's that work, anyway? Gal lives in town an' yer workin' th' ranch, do ya just ride back an' forth every day, or do they have accommodations on th' ranch?" He'd never really put any thought into that, and if town was a few miles away, that would take a good bit of time.
"Or maybe they'd let us build a small place near th' bunkhouse? Nothin' big, an' they'd still own it, but that way yer lady could be close...heck, she might even be able ta help at th' house."
Why was he even discussing this? It wasn't as if he was old, like Zane, and needed to rush into marriage before it was too late, and he really didn't have any plans for that any time soon anyway!
Zane grinned. "None a that's liable ta happen. You find a lady, more like a girl at yer age, it'll be ridin' ta town to see her come Saturday nights and Sundays. An' if you was to marry her, it'd be findin' a place in town or maybe a farm betwixt the two. I doubt that this Pike fella'd be for havin' houses build on his range for the hands what are married."
"Then again, the finding of a gal might just be the real chore, Justus. They don't grow on trees in this country, 'er most anywhere in tthe west, cept maybe the big towns live Dever 'er what is it here, Helena, maybe Boise? I an't sure, but I figger they'd be quite the ride ta get to."
"Oh, no, I ain't so anxious ta have a wife that I'd go searchin' afar fer one." Justus laughed and shook his head. "Can't see ridin' fer hours in hopes'a findin' a gal, an' 'sides, like I said, I want ta be sure I've got th' job an' a place fer family an' all. Dunno, never did put much thought into it, really, but it would be nice some day ta have a pretty gal, a family."
It was odd, that those were odd concepts to him, but first, he wasn't that old, and secondly, the life he'd been living wasn't anything that he'd want to bring anyone into. In fact, he was escaping that now, and he didn't really know where he was going to end up when all was said and done.
"Guess there's no sense fretting on it until we get these pretty cows there. Heck, I might fall in love with one'a them, an' make ol' Annie here jealous!"
"Yer young, ain't hardly no rush ta get yerself tied down." Zane observed. "Though yer right, a pudry gal, raisin' up a family an' all, sounds right nice. Maybe this here old guy whot owns the ranch we're headed to's got him a couple daughters."
They rode around the flank of the herd, which was still down when Zane added, "Course now, ya never can tell, there might be any number of women in this town like a place in the Arizona Territory close to the line with New Mexico, said the wimmin outnumbered the men three ta one. That's what they said alright, three ta one. Figger a blind man'd find a woman there with no problem"
"Three ta one?" Justus glanced at his companion with a grin. "If that's so, I just might hafta convert ta...what is that religion that lets ya have all manner of wives? Morman?" He laughed, then shook his head. "How in tarnation a man could afford that I don't know. Seems one gal'd be enough, wantin' things an' bickerin' an' whatnot!"
Seemed that there wouldn't be any peace in the house! "Not only that, but don't they have a passel'a kids, too? I wouldn't mind a couple three or so, but thirty? No sir!"
"Heard tell of 'em, them Mormon folk. "spect we're clear of their country right now," He reckoned, as it was possible the herd had crossed a corner of Wyoming driving out of Colorado then they were north-west crossing a chunk of Utah into the western corner of Montana. Which, he explained, since he had overheard of their destination and how Teal intended to get them there.
"Heard tell they wasn't real friendly, guess they'd had themselves a rough go of it getting themselves there in the first place. Even where they come from, life was hard." He continued. "But ta have a passel of wives an' young 'uns, not somethin' I'd be lookin' for."
"Makes sense fer folks ta be suspicious of them that'er different." Justus shrugged. He didn't know too much about religion, although he believed in God, and considered himself a Methodist, but Mormans weren't anything he knew anything about, except for having a passel of wives!
"Don't help none that they're stand-offish, like ya said, just makes folks think they're up ta somethin' more than they seem...an' butcherin' other folks don't help none, either." Most everyone had heard about what had happened in Utah before the War, and that certainly hadn't endeared the Mormans to anyone.
"One wife is good enough fer me!" he declared, laughing, "an' maybe more'n enough!"
"Mormons is like ever'body else I reckon, just want ta be left ta themselves. But other folks, wantin' that same thing, see others a a threat to their way'a life and that's where the trouble starts. Now I figger,, an' I sure could be wrong, all'a their trouble comes from their religious beliefs. Somethin' that's been goin' on since the beginnin' of time. So they up an' claim most'a Utah Territory fer themselves, 'cept Nevada, which is now a state." He was voicing,
"They just ain't real tolerant of others." That was when up rode Lorado and Will Ames.
"You boys wanna stay on an' gab, that'd be fine with us." Lorado offered. "Word is, the boss intends to push a bit harder, we're comin' real close, I guess. Best sleep while ya can."
"Push don't mean running the fat offa them critters, just means he ain't fer long noon breaks and drivin' closer ta sunset, and startin' afore dawn. Long days, short nights.
