Between Hell and Texas (21 page)

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Authors: Dusty Richards

BOOK: Between Hell and Texas
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Chet crossed the street to the courthouse. Inside he found the clerk's office and told the young man at the counter he was there to meet Bo Harold. The man had not seen Harold and told him to have a seat.
Fifteen after one, Harold busted in with several papers in his hand. “Sorry, I have been hurrying.”
They filed the mortgage and the clerk charged them two dollars. Chet paid—obviously Harold was short on the funds. Their business completed, they went outside into the courtyard.
“Where's Horse Thief Basin?”
“Why? What's going on down there?”
“I heard that Ryan might be hiding down there.”
Harold blinked. “Don't go down there without an army. Tough place.”
“I'll try to remember that.”
“Oh, yes. You can get killed down there. Lots of outlaws are hiding around that place.”
“What else? I want to get back to the ranch.”
“Nothing more that I can do now.”
“Thanks. I'm going to the ranch.”
“You stopping to see her?” Harold paused for an answer.
Chet frowned and then shook his head. “No.”
Harold shrugged. “But she's rich.”
“I'll handle my own business, thanks.”
“Oh, yeah. Sorry.”
“I'll be at the ranch if you need me. I want things straightened out there.” Chet parted with him and went to get the roan horse. The whole Margaret thing had gotten under his skin. It was no longer funny to him.
With the two war bags hung on his saddlehorn, he headed for the Camp Verde Road. He passed her ranch gate and kept going. And by sundown he was going off the steep road to the Verde Valley. With only starlight to guide him, he never met or passed anyone making his descent and was grateful to at last have found the bottom.
It was far past midnight when he reached the ranch. A cowboy armed with a rifle met him short of the house.
“That you, boss?” the rusty voice in the night called out.
“Yeah, Bixsby, I think. Got a late start home. You boys expecting trouble?”
“Tom ain't taking any chances. All of us that know Ryan expect him to want some revenge. You heard any word on him in town?”
“No. He's gone like smoke.” Chet dismounted and found his sea legs. With him leading the roan horse toward the corral, Bixsby offered to put him up.
“I'll accept your offer,” Chet said, took the war bags down, and carried them to the house. When he found his bedroll by moonlight, he removed his boots and pants to lay down. The night's coolness made the blanket feel good. In a sea of snorting and grunting, he quickly sought sleep.
Dawn and the wakeup call came too early. He could smell breakfast clear upstairs. Then he recalled that except for some jerky from his saddlebags, he had not eaten since noon the day before.
The usual cowboy bantering went on when he went downstairs. The young man he'd hired, Cory, was fresh-faced, looking busy, helping Hoot get things out. He nodded.
“How did you get out here?” Chet asked him.
“Like I usually do. Walked, Mr. Byrnes.”
Chet nodded. He did look better cleaned up and wearing fresh clothes—but still barefooted.
“You buy some shoes?”
“Yes, sir. But I ain't used to them yet.”
Chet nodded. He would be, in time.
“Shoot,” Hampt said. “That boy's feet are so tough, he could run over flint stones and start a fire.”
Everyone laughed. Chet didn't doubt it. “Any problems?”
“Naw. Wiley found another dozen ranch horses yesterday,” Tom said. “We've got another problem.”
“What's that?”
“Injuns.”
Chet frowned at him. “What are they doing?”
“It ain't what they're doing. They're starving.” Tom made a sour face.
“Why ain't they feeding them? Isn't the government supposed to do that?”
“They had some supplies to give them the first of the month. None now. It wasn't much then.”
“Is the army in charge?” Chet asked.
“No, some agent has them now. I mean, they're starving.” Several of the crew agreed, obviously upset about the matter.
“You give them anything to eat?”
“Some beans yesterday.”
What was Chet supposed to do? “If a couple of you boys can round up one of those big longhorn bulls this morning, drive him down there where they are and shoot him. We need those worthless studs gone, and there ain't a big market for them anywhere.”
Everyone around the table brightened up and the thanks rolled in.
Chet looked over his crew. “You all are really worried about them?”
“Boss, there were little babies up there crying for food,” Hampt said. “Even Injuns shouldn't starve.”
“Take another full sack of beans with you, too.”
“I know right where that bull is this morning,” Bixsby said.
“Good enough. Don't any of you get hurt working him. Shoot him if you have to, and they can come get him.”
“They'd do about anything to get to eat,” Hampt said between bites.
The rest agreed.
“It was real bad yesterday over there at their camp,” Heck said. “We were all taken back by what we saw. How was Preskit?”
“Fine. Jenny said to tell all of you hi.”
Next time he was over there at Camp Verde, he'd see that agent and find out what was wrong. Maybe report him to the authorities. No way they'd keep those people from going back to war if they didn't feed them. Unless starving was the plan—surely not.
Tom divided up the hands and everyone, except Hoot and his helper, started for the horses. Recalling he had not told Heck much about the ranch purchase, Chet called him back.
“I wanted to tell you this ranch is going to be ours in a few days. Talley agreed to pay us the money we recovered for the livestock shortage.”
“We're damn sure low on cattle. Ain't no three hundred momma cows that I've seen.”
“Keep looking. We'll figure it out. How do you like it here?”
“Swell, these are sure enough good hands and they treat me like I'm a man.”
“You deserve that. Have a good day.”
“I will, Chet.”
Wiley must have drawn a fresh horse 'cause the pony he was aboard was bucking and farting like a steam engine. The boys were throwing lariats under his hooves to make him buck more. Chet decided the big bay could have tossed a tick off easier than that bronc buster. The excitement sure livened up the crew.
Tom rode back from the pens. “A little excitement to make the day. Heck tell you we haven't found many cows and calves?”
“Yes. How long will it take to make a good estimate of the numbers?”
“Five or six days.”
“By the way, the ranch will soon be in our name. You can tell the crew.”
Tom smiled, “Guess that means job security?”
“Yes, it does. Ride easy and thanks.”
“No, it's all mine.” Tom saluted him and then rode off in a jog.
A man drove up in a one-horse buggy. A tall man in a suit, probably fifty years old. White mustache and all, he had to duck under the roof to get off the rig. John Chandler introduced himself.
“I'm the man who bought the alfalfa hay from Ryan. I planned to cut it next Monday.”
“Did you pay him?”
“Yes. Ten bucks an acre. Did you get the money?”
“No, but you're a man of your word. He sold it to you, then you may have the first cutting.”
“I don't want to get in a war with you on our first meeting,” Chandler said briskly. “But I understood that when I paid him that I'd bought all the hay for this year.”
“No, I'm sorry. We'll need the rest of the hay for our operation. Mr. Ryan obviously had different plans than I do.”
“I suppose you want the hay equipment back.”
“That what belongs to this ranch, yes, I do.”
“I have it all. The two horse-drawn mowers and two twelve-foot-wide dump rakes, three wagons, and the stacker. See, Ryan hated making hay.”
“Come inside. Hoot will have some coffee. You no doubt have the machinery in good repair. You have a hay crew?”
“The machines are in good shape and I do have a crew hired.”
As they entered the house, Chet called for Hoot to bring them some coffee. He showed Chandler to a chair and took one opposite him. The man sat down and looked around. “I was never inside this house in all my dealings with Ryan.”
“Strange. Now what all did you and Ryan do together?”
“He didn't tell you a thing?” The man looked upset.
“No, we ran him and his bunch off. I even shot two of his men who tried to take this place back.”
“My heavens.”
Hoot arrived at the table with cups and a pot. “How are you, Mr. Chandler?”
“Why, Hoot, I see they retained you.”
“No, sir. Chet rehired me.” He poured them each some coffee and offered them sugar. “I can crack open some canned milk if you need it.”
“No, thanks.” Chandler went on. “I didn't realize there was such a stir going on up here. To explain my part in this. My man, Adrano, does the irrigation and takes care of those fields.”
“Fine, then you buy the hay?”
“I have been paying Ryan ten dollars an acre for the alfalfa each year.”
“There's timothy, too?”
“I always stack a portion of it for him to feed horses for the use of the machinery.”
Chet blew on his coffee, too hot even to sip. “Ryan hasn't been on the level with Mr. Talley. In many cases he's been pocketing the money, and we're trying to straighten things out after we ran him off the place.”
“I really don't have any hay equipment of my own, since I have been using yours on the shares. It would no doubt take some time to get my own equipment and to get it out here. Could we make a deal that I'd supply the mowing and putting up the hay, and also use your equipment to do my other places where I put up hay down the valley?”
“I do think we can make such a deal. You keep it in good repair and I'll saddle some of that, if it is major. I need to get back to Texas and close out my business back there. My cowboys, I bet, have no desire to be hay hands, and you have workers. Besides, they have plenty else to do.”
Chandler nodded. “That is sounding reasonable.”
“I'll meet your payroll when you put up my hay.”
“That's more than fair. Now, about this first cutting. I have some customers I promised hay to.”
“We can split it. You take half and I'll take half.”
“Now, about my man watering it?”
“These cowboys won't fight him over that work. I'll pay him to do that for me.”
Chandler reached over and shook his hand. “This should be a good partnership. Thanks. When do you leave?”
“Soon, I hope, when things are straightened out here. Tom Flowers will be in charge.”
“I know him. You made a good choice.”
They shook hands and the hay deal was made.
A couple of hours later, Heck and Hampt rode in together, smiling. Heck bailed off his horse when Chet came out to greet them.
“We fixed them starving Injuns. Gave them the sack of beans you sent. Boy, they were really starved. Then we went and drove them in a big fat longhorn bull. Hampt shot it and they butchered it in no time at all.”

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