Ambush Valley (31 page)

“I guess you have to say no sometimes.”

“Sometimes.”

“Two more days, you will have a daughter-in-law. Those two boys are really your sons.”

“Yes, they are.” He had to admit that.

“Good, come on, they can find that little weasel.”

“I don't blame you for hating him, but I still have to laugh about that brazen bastard for propositioning you.” He shook his head in disbelief over the matter.

“That was not funny.”

“We may go to Gallup. I want to see those agencies firsthand.”

“I'll be ready. You did the right thing, quit dreading.”

“All right, but I won't.” They both laughed.

He blinked when Susie came back inside and it struck him that she had gone out there to say something to Leif. He'd been so concerned over it all—he hadn't noticed. None of his business, but the turn of events sure meant she couldn't ride double to the Camp Verde dance and wedding.

The weekdays passed fast. He'd seen Lacy in her gorgeous wedding dress and her hair fixed. This attention and everyone fussing over her had consumed the cowgirl and he about laughed when she said, “I can't believe this is happening.”

“Accept it. You will always have this day to remember.”

“Since my father can't be here, will you give me away?”

“Why, sure.”

“Marge said for me to ask you. Thanks.”

“She's coaching you?”

“I guess.”

“Where is Fern?”

“JD is duty-like showing her the ranch.”

“Oh?”

She shook her head. “They've struck up a friendship. That's all.”

“Good.”

The wedding caused a crowd at the schoolhouse grounds. The women had baked six three-layer cakes for the occasion. The ranch crew barbequed a fat yearling on a spit for twenty-four hours at the schoolhouse site. There were Dutch ovens full of biscuits, German fried potatoes, green beans with bacon, plus brown beans and ham. Enough food there, he decided, to feed two armies.

And kids ran all over playing tag and rolling hoops, their voices shrill and excited, added to the atmosphere of a big event. There was music all afternoon. And some drinking like at most events, where the jug was passed and great things discussed like why it rained here and not there.

A report came from the three men who went looking for Carl Hartley, in a telegram from Gates:
Not known to be in Tucson.

Chet looked at the far-off mountainside in deep thought. Not satisfied, he knew Hartley was under a rock somewhere. He hoped they found him. He'd best get on with his business. He'd give the bride away in a few hours. Neat job for him and he observed Aaron Waverly was escorting May Byrnes around the grounds. Susie had baby Donna and Louise's latest escort was sipping something with her under the tarp shade.

“What plans have we ahead of us?” Marge asked, nudging him out of his deep thoughts in the canvas chair.

“Don't spill me out.” He laughed, recalling some wrecks they'd had with such things.

“With you all cleaned up I wouldn't think of dumping you.”

“I guess Navajos come next.”

“Buggy or horseback?”

“You want to go in a buckboard?”

“I haven't decided.”

“Think on it.”

“I will. We better mosey over there. The time's getting close.”

“Who brought Kay today?”

“I haven't seen her.”

“Oh, well, so much for that.”

“Is JD occupied with Lacy's sister Fern?”

“I think they're simply friendly.” He rode forward enough in the seat to get up. “I'm coming.”

He marched Lacy up front, whispering to the bride. “Just enjoy today. Relax. It will be a big day but—”

“I don't want him to think I'm some country clod.”

“You look lovely. To hell with the rest of them. This is your day girl.”

“I can't hardly get my breath.”

“Breathe deep, Mrs. Byrnes.”

“Oh, I will. I just don't know if that will be enough.”

“It will. You're fine and you look delicious.”

She snickered and slightly shook her head at him. “Thanks, you'd boost anyone.”

“Have fun.”

“I will.”

Her in place, he stepped back and took his seat with Marge.

“What's she laughing about?”

“Big secret.” He hugged her shoulder.

The ceremony over, they crowded around the cake-cutting and after that the two newlyweds ran off in a white-and-red-streamer-decorated buckboard with tin cans tied to the tailgate. He went back inside for a plate of the barbeque and trimmings. He was enjoying the food with his wife, who was seated on the bench.

Ira Camp came by and took a seat close to them. A rancher in his fifties, days of hard sunlight had turned his face saddle leather brown. “I didn't want to interrupt you two eating. But I heard you were looking for markets for cattle. I ain't a big producer, but I could use a market too if you find one.”

“I thought about the Navajos, Ira. All these tribes are getting beef and I could use the sale to them as well as you can.”

“Anyway if I can help you, holler.”

“Right now, I don't know, but in sixty days I may be the expert.”

They shook hands on the matter and the evening moved from eating to dancing and more conversation. Afterward, Chet and Marge drove back to the lower ranch to find May and Susie sitting at the kitchen table, talking.

“May, is that cowboy a serious matter?”

She made a pained face. “He's nice. He's polite. He can dance. But I don't figure he'll get up enough nerve to ever ask me anything but
could we—ah, dance?
”

“I don't know him.”

“Susie says he has a place of his own over near Strawberry Gap.”

“He comes a long ways then?”

“Oh, yes, but I don't expect much more than a dance partner. He truly is bashful. But well mannered, and I get peppermint candy every week. Oh, I think he lives with his mother over there.”

“I told May that we could go over there and meet his mother and see his place.” Susie said. “But she's not ready for that.”

May blushed.

“Peppermint candy ain't bad,” Chet said. “I could send a scout or go look myself and tell you what I found.”

May blushed some more. “Not yet.”

After all the women's words on the wedding and how nice those two looked, he and Marge went upstairs to bed.

“I think you are right, Chet. She was beautiful tonight and he loves her.”

“Pretty inside and out. He's got a hardworking woman.”

“When do I need to be packed?”

“We can go this week. It will take us a week to get around or longer.”

“I say we go horseback. That moves faster. And can we borrow Victor?”

“I am sure we can.”

“Good. Let's go Tuesday morning.”

He rolled over to cuddle her. “Good, that's over.”

“Were you waiting for me to answer?”

“No, really I just needed a kick to get started.” They both laughed.

 

 

Tuesday came faster than they planned, but by dawn they were headed off the mountain. Victor, with four packhorses and all the gear and food, was meeting them at the base. The sun was up when they met him and they left headed east by northeast for New Mexico. By evening they were camped at the small lake and turned in at sundown. Then up again in the cool predawn, and ready to travel. Saint Johns was their next stopover and they were tired enough after that day to turn in at sundown. Then two days later, they swung north and went by the agency at Shiprock.

A sub-agent, Daniel Carter, spoke to them at great length in his office. The beef contracts were sent out from the Gallup office and the requirements were listed on them. There were five agency sites that the livestock had to be delivered to. They usually received 150 head at Shiprock.

Chet narrowed his vision to consider the man's words. “You're talking about seven hundred and fifty head of cattle when you consider all the stations, then?”

“Yes, if the others need that many as well.”

“I have driven two thousand head to Abilene, Kansas, from west of San Antonio. That takes near three months or longer. What do these cattle you receive look like when they get them here?”

“Much thinner than what they told us they would be when they arrived here.”

“They must have gathered them in Texas and drove them here. I bet they were thin. That's lots of cattle every month—seven hundred fifty head, but I need to talk to the Arizona ranchers and see if we can line up that many cattle.”

“Mr. Byrnes, we need those cattle here on the first day of the month, and be ready to give the rations to the Navajos,” Carter said.

“No matter how skinny they are when they get them here?” Chet shook his head in disbelief.

“Yes, our agreement with the tribe is to have those cattle to butcher here on the first day of the month.”

“How much are you paying now for beef?”

“I don't know. That is a bid process.”

“Could I bid to deliver that beef too?”

“I am certain you can do that with the main agent, Fred Carlock, who resides in Gallup.”

“Thank you, I will do that.”

They shook hands, and he showed the two of them to the door.

“Thanks for stopping by. Come by anytime. I enjoy non-Indian company part of the time.”

“Judy Bell, we gave her a ride to near her home, when her horse died in the shafts on the Marcy Road.”

“She is a very intelligent lady. Maybe too intelligent for her own good at times. Indian men don't accept woman speaking out loud very well. But she has little fear.”

“If you see her give, her my regards.”

“I will do that. And so nice to have met you, Mrs. Byrnes.”

“Thanks, I am his shadow.” She smiled and nodded at the man.

“Hardly.” Chet shook his head and they left the sub-agent's office.

“This could be big job,” she remarked once they were outside in the sun. “To gather that many cattle each month. Have them in good condition during the winter when they arrive here. I don't see any great grass range up here to sustain them on, either.”

“That has been going through my mind as well, Marge. Over west in Arizona there is some real grass country in this high country, but that's a good distance from here, and that region is not overrun with water. I plan for us next to ride on to Gallup and talk to this head man, Carlock.”

“Fine.” She hugged his arm and about swung on it. “I am finding this Indian beef supply business interesting, but it will be expensive as well.”

“You're right.” He kissed her cheek and looked around at the Indian women and children at the agency. Lots more to this beef business than he ever imagined. But if some other folks were doing it there was no reason if he could make money at it for him not to try.

“Where to next?” Victor asked, when they arrived at the camp setup.

“Gallup.”

“That will take a few days.”

Chet nodded in agreement.

Gallup was a sleepy town. There were several off-duty Army cavalrymen in town, he noted. The three took a twenty-five-cent bath in the Chinaman's place and a meal in a busy café.

Then Victor went back to camp to keep an eye on things and they went to find Carlock.

The tall thin man in a suit showed them into his office and offered them something to drink.

“Thanks, we just finished lunch. My wife and I are here to talk to you about the beef supply business and bidding on it. I spoke to your man at Shiprock a few days ago”

“Strange you brought that up. Two men were here from Texas this morning on the same matter. Where is your operation located?” After they sat down he did as well.

“Camp Verde, Arizona Territory. We have supplied some beef to the Yavapai Reservations.”

“Then you know lots about the beef contract.”

“No, sir. We have sold beef to them from time to time only.”

“No doubt their supplier couldn't get there, then?”

“Actually my foreman, Tom Flowers, handled those sales. It must have been a reasonable price, he knows the business quite well.”

Marge agreed.

Carlock smiled. “Our beef is supplied by some Texas businessmen. That is a long-range business to get beef delivered out here, and they end up late many times, especially in winter, due to snow.”

“I can understand. I moved to Arizona last year from Texas. I can imagine the difficulties they must have.”

Carlock leaned back in this swivel chair with a squeak of protest. “We take bids on these deliveries for a year. And before the last year is out, we had dealt with three different people. That is how hard it is to get cattle up here. I have been promised fat cattle and all we got were real thin ones.”

“I can imagine. I drove several herds to Abilene, Kansas, from San Antonio.”

“You know driving cattle can be troublesome. I have paid as high as fifteen cents a pound to the second party for them to deliver them, even then late, which is hard. Many of these Navajo people live in the far corners of these reservations and come to here and to the other agencies on day one of each month to get provisions, and they must wait and wait.”

Chet agreed. “Could I ask your current bid price?”

“Eleven cents a pound. I am curious, is that what you expected?”