"Yes 'em, headed that way come the morrow." Nate Ambrose replied with a smile. "You from this Kalispell town, 'er headed there new?" It was good to see a woman, anyone that wasn't in chaps. "Must be yer man out there jawin' with 'Weezer'."
"Nate, what are you goin' on about?" The man on the big Chestnut asked, then saw the woman, touching the brim of his hat he said, "Ma'am, how can I help you?" Not often that a woman drove a wagon, though it was done. "That yer man out there?" He pointed to Pike talking to the rider Nate had named 'Weezer'.
"Yes 'em, headed that way come the morrow." Nate Ambrose replied with a smile. "You from this Kalispell town, 'er headed there new?" It was good to see a woman, anyone that wasn't in chaps. "Must be yer man out there jawin' with 'Weezer'."
"Yes, we're from Kalispell, been gone a couple months on our honeymoon." Emeline smiled brightly and was about to introduce herself when another cowboy rode up to them.
"Nate, what are you goin' on about?" The man on the big Chestnut asked, then saw the woman, touching the brim of his hat he said, "Ma'am, how can I help you?" Not often that a woman drove a wagon, though it was done. "That yer man out there?"
"Good day to you, sir!" Emeline's smile widened as she pushed her bonnet back so she could better see around her. "Yes, I suppose that is my man, Mr. Barnabas Pike, and I'm his wife, Emeline." Her eyes roved over the milling critters, settling on the horses, and she let out a little gasp as she was able to pick out the Morgans from the remuda mounts.
"Those are my horses?" she breathed, a statement and a question. "They're more magnificent than I could have imagined!" And now she was all the more anxious to start that part of their lives.
Frank stepped down handing the reins to young Danny Baker. "Missus Pike, I do declare. Nate, two more for lunch," He ordered, "Well them certainly are your horses Ma'am. You feel free to go have a look, if you're a mind too."
That was when Pronto rode up and skidded to a halt, then dismounted. "Frank?" He asked. "Hardly recognized you." He came directly to the man and shook hands. "You've met the missus I reckon. Herd looks good, and the Morgan Horses, look fit."
"I have had the pleasure, and yes, they took the drive in stride. Maybe put on a couple pounds. Same with the cows. Didn't figure on seein' you on the trail. The wife says you're just back off yer honeymoon, so you plannin' on leadin' us to yer spread?"Frank wanted to know.
"No, gotta get Em here to the new built house we never seen. You can skirt Kalispell on the left and it'd be another five miles or so, I can ride out to meet you." Pike responded nothing was going to prevent them from seeing that house.
"We'll be resting here til the mornin' so maybe mid-day tomorrow we should reach yer spread." Frank explained, "Looks ta me like you got a load on that wagon, I'll send a couple men with ya, they can ride back an' guide us in and they help you unload, how's that?"
Pike looked to Em for the answer.
"Missus Pike, I do declare. Nate, two more for lunch," He ordered, "Well them certainly are your horses Ma'am. You feel free to go have a look, if you're a mind too."
"I do!" Emeline exclaimed excitedly, looking past the man at the horses, then back to him. "And lunch sounds wonderful!" She already liked the men she'd met here, and everything was seeming all the more real. She'd like to spend the night in their camp, but as Barnabas rode up, she realized that they could make several more miles on their own tonight, bringing them that much closer to home.
"We'll be resting here til the mornin' so maybe mid-day tomorrow we should reach yer spread." Frank explained, "Looks ta me like you got a load on that wagon, I'll send a couple men with ya, they can ride back an' guide us in and they help you unload, how's that?"
As the men discussed plans, Emeline set the break on the wagon, then climbed to the ground, her gaze out on the horses that were chomping on grass a short way off. When she heard her name, her attention moved to Barnabas and Frank. "Oh, yes, thank you, that would be kind." It occurred to her that she wasn't sure if there would still be any men at the ranch, especially if the house was finished, there'd be no need until the cows were there, and that crew was with the cows!
"Any help would be appreciated, thank you." With a nod, she smiled, distracted. "If you'll excuse me..." And with that, she headed for the horses at a jog, slowing when she got close, so as not to distract them.
They were truly magnificent, and as she approached them, she looked them over with a wide smile. Then one of the mares noticed her and ambled over, reaching her nose to Emeline's outstretched hand, and sniffed it.
"Hello there." Gently, Emeline stroked the horse's soft nose, then, on a whim, hitched her skirt, grabbed a bit of mane, and swung onto the horse's back.
Frank looked a little taken aback that Pike said he hardly recognized him, then he stoked the full beard and laughed. "Spose so, didn't have none'a this face hair back then. So, this ranch'a yers, what'a ya got?"
"Bout fifteen hundred acres, give 'er take. Open country, no fences, though some have started stringin' wire. Been some rustlin' afore I left, ain't rightly sure what's goin on an' what ain't, but I'm statin' this place, an' you an' yer boys is welcome to stay on if ya like."
"Seems the wife's made friends with one'a her brood a horses." Both men looked as Em was astride a golden Morgan, bareback. "Got yerself a horse woman. Said the mid-day sounded good to her. So you're more'n welcome ta sit fer dinner if yer a mind to."
Pronto, looking out at Em on the horse, smiled, "Happy wife, happy life, dinner it is, and the use of two of yer men is much appreciated." He said.
"Yer men ya mean." Frank corrected. "Brick! Dallas! He shouted, and two riders turned and rode over. This here's Mister Pike, the boss. You two ride on over an' help 'em off load that wagon. Then you'll ride back and show us the way to this spread's his."
"Yes sir. Pleasure. Mister Pike." Dixie said.
Dallas nodded and added "Mister Pike, real pleasure. Glad ta be here."
"Tha's either Pronto or Pike, and you tell the rest of the hands that for me." Pronto instructed. "Hate repeatin' myself."
Dixie paused, "How's the law in this town?"
"That'd be me, and Marshal Speed Guyer." Pronto replied.
Back On the Trail and Back To Their Life In Kalispell. The last of the honeymoon slowly falls behind them.
With Pike on horseback, and Pythias, Lorado, and Dallas sort of fanned out, Em sat on the seat and drove the wagon toward the town where they would be some five miles from the ranch up Whitefish trail. Pike was back on familiar ground, so to speak. The fort, Somers by name, though it had changed at one time, that name slipped Pike's thoughts being simply not important. It was enough that it was there and afforded the area its protection from the Indians who were far from pacified and apparently would be for the foreseeable future.
His thoughts were of Speed, the job, what had happened in his absence, had there been more rustling, trouble with Elias Steelgrave, thoughts rumbled through his mind like a stampede!! But all of those answers were simply a few miles further on.
He rode up next to the wagon, "Won't be long now Love, a few more miles, and we're home." He said. "Seems we been away a lifetime, don't it? I mean most of the summer traipsin' about like we had good sense. Man. Lookin' back ta all we seen and done, the places we been an' folks we met. Some kinda story book tale that's for sure." He smiled, "But it'll be good to get back, get the place set up, go after them critters, and bring the boys in with the herd an' yer string'a ponies. Gonna be some busy, 'at's fe sure!" He fished out his watch, a big open face Elgin model 1 coin silver watch. He inserted the key and wound it a bit. Supper at the cafe, then on home.
The perfect end to a great summer.
