Ginger answered the phone to hear a man’s excited voice. “Please slow down and speak clearly. I can’t understand you. Who are you?”
“I sorry, but I’m so thrilled and excited. My name is Yancy Gilliam ---”
“Oh, you’re Soliel’s husband,” (so - lay) Ginger butted in, not meaning to be rude.
“Yes! Soliel wanted me to call you and tell you that she had an eight pound ten ounce place kicker last night. I was lucky enough to get permission to come for the birth of our first child.”
“You had a boy then. Soliel was sure it was a boy. Have you named him yet?”
“We named him Warren Yancy Gilliam after her father and me. He is so strong and healthy and we’re so blessed. I’m thankful that God has blessed me with such a wonderful wife and now a son.”
“How is Soliel? Did she have an easy birth? She was so sick the entire pregnancy. Please give her my love and best wishes. I’m thrilled for your own family. Tell Soliel I’ll be around to see her as soon as I can get time. I’m sure you know how much work is involved in running a ranch.”
“I sure do and we both understand. She’ll be happy to see you anytime you can visit. I’ll tell her you sent your love and she sends hers to you.”
They spoke briefly and then Ginger hung up to tell Juanita the news. Juanita was pleased because it was a dear friend of Ginger’s.
Going over her notes again, Ginger realized she had forgotten to include a request for any dietary problems or medical problems a guest might have. She rewrote the entire brochure and set it aside to share with the men. In the meantime she went to Juanita to ask if it would be convenient for her to make her great spaghetti and meat balls for dinner. Her meat sauce was to die for. Juanita was happy to do something different and got started immediately.
Ginger was heartsick when men still tried to steal the mustangs on her property. Twenty-one year old Billy Carson and James, Jimbo, Boyd had been on duty. Billy took two bullets in his chest and later died in the hospital. Jimbo was inconsolable. The two young men had worked together for a long time. Frank was furious and Ginger was afraid Hank was going to have a heart attack with his ranting and raving.
Frank, Ginger, Jack Saunders and Sharpie met at Hank’s to discuss what their plans would be for the future. Ginger was more determined than ever to sell all the cattle, move the mustangs closer to the main house and open a guest ranch. None of the men agreed with her.
“I know some of my hands will not care for the idea of catering to the greenhorns or, as they call them, citified folks. They’ll get used to it though and welcome the easier work load.”
“Ginger,’ Hank hesitated, “I don’t think your ancestors would ever be happy with a guest ranch. This has been cattle country for hundreds of years.”
“My ancestors aren’t here having to face what we are now. Have you forgotten Billy being killed and he’s only twenty-one? I hated so badly to contact his mother and tell her. She took it awfully hard. Please, all of you, listen once again.”
The men looked at each other and settled back to listen.
“I’d like to sell all but at least fifty calves. We can keep them for future beef for us and for pretend cattle drives with the guests. Move the mustangs to the five hundred acres directly behind the ranch house. There’s a good grazing area, part of the river and trees for them to stand under out of the sun or out of the snow and wind. Leave the horses where they are. All of the animals would be closer to the main property and easier to guard.”
There was absolute silence.
“Well, don’t all of you speak at once,’ Ginger huffed. This brought a chuckle from Sharpie.
“Times are changing and I guess we’d be wise to change with them.” Frank said. More houses and shopping centers are being built. It just isn’t the old Montana.”
Hank reared back and glared at Frank. “Are you saying you agree with her?”
“I’m saying it would be wise to think about it and make a decision soon. There’s lots of snow in the higher regions and we’ll have it soon. I remember having to guard cattle in snow and wind that felt as if it was going to rip my clothes right off me. I hate to ask these men to do the same.”
Saunders took a deep breath and then spoke slowly. “It might smoke out the crooks if they get wind that we’re making changes.”
Hank reached to hug Ginger. “It’s your property and we’re just your hired hands. I was here when you were born and watched you grow up so, forgive me if I’m overly concerned about you and this property. Do me a big favor. Go home and do what you always do -- pray about it. Let us discuss the possibility and I promise we’ll have a solution before this week is out.”
Ginger stood for a few seconds. “Well, I respect your opinions and I will pray about it, but my feelings won’t change. I can’t stand to lose any more hands to this type of violence. Too, the cost of everything is going so high that it’s taking more money, which I don’t have, just to operate from day to day. Okay, I’m gone. Thank you, gentlemen.” She left to get in her ATV and go home.
Ginger ate her supper so quiet that Juanita became deeply concerned. “Honey, is there something bothering you that I can help with?”
“Thank you, no. You’re a very dear friend and like a sister to me. I’m just trying to decide what is the best direction for the future of the ranch.”
She went to her room and did get on her knees by her bed and prayed and cried. She wanted to save the ranch and her solution seemed to be the only one that would save it. After she showered and got in her pajamas, she laid in bed and talked aloud to Grandfather.
“Oh, Grandfather, what am I going to do? You and those before you took such good care of the property and passed a beautiful ranch to me which I love. You didn’t have these organized raids to deal with and money is so scarce I don’t know how I’m going to pay the hands and the expenses. The property taxes alone are a little over five thousand and then I have permits to request and pay for. I would love to give more to the community as you did, but for some reason I’m so tired at the end of a day, I just want to fall into bed and be let alone. I am keeping up with your beloved Cattlemen’s Association, but everyone misses you. Regardless of where I go there’s someone singing your praises. I’ll never live up to that. Oh, I wish there was such a thing as ghosts then maybe you’d come and advise me.” She laughed at herself, snuggled down and finally went to sleep.
The next morning Ginger worked with some of the horses and then decided to go over to the Deerhunters and visit. Howard had been a close friend of Grandfather’s and his mind was still good. It wouldn’t hurt to get the opinion of a person not directly involved with the running of her ranch.
Arline came out on the porch to welcome Ginger warmly as she got out of the truck and started toward the house. She was so glad to see Ginger and hugged her over and over. Ginger realized that it was probably lonely for Arline on a ranch full of men. They drank hot peppermint tea and chatted for over a half an hour. Howard had been watching television keeping up with the weather and news. He finally realized that company was there and wheeled in to be as delighted to see Ginger as Arline had been.
Ginger told them all that had transpired on her ranch including the deaths. She told them of her plans and why she had them.
Arline listened, nodding her head but saying nothing. Howard pulled his lower lip and thought deeply about Ginger’s plans. He finally looked straight at Ginger. “Honey, I can’t tell you what to do, but I will say that I know how hard you’ve worked to keep the ranch going. I can fully understand your concerns. Your ideas do sound good, but are you aware of how much work it’s going to take to implement them? Will you be happy in the long run without a cattle ranch as you’ve had? Of course you’ll still be training horses and I can guess you’ll be giving riding lessons. Don’t give up your dreams. My personal opinion is that Chaska Magi would be proud of you for the love and work you’ve put into the ranch and now, with an aching heart, making such drastic changes to save it.”
Ginger looked behind her when she heard a shuffle and heavy breathing. James had come in with his foreman, Stephen Two Feathers and a hand, Samuel Weaver. She didn’t know how much they had heard, but didn’t really care. She knew they were friends and would not betray her.
Stephan apologized for the intrusion and said he didn’t like the idea of a guest ranch but it might be necessary to save the ranch. James said it would take some thinking over and he would support her in whatever was decided.
Ginger looked at Samuel. She could tell he was a boy in a grown man’s body. He was tall, muscular, handsome with deep dimples as he smiled often. “Samuel, what do you think about what you’ve heard?”
Samuel shuffled his feet and ducked his head. “I don’t rightly know. I never know what I’m thinking until I’ve already said it.” He looked puzzled when everyone laughed. James clapped him on the back and told him what a good worker he was and how glad he was to have him. Stephen and Samuel went into the kitchen to get something to eat.
Ginger jumped up and apologized for taking up so much time. She hadn’t been aware that it was lunch time. “I’m sorry if I’m being rude, but what is the story about Samuel?”
Arline spoke up. “His daddy worked for us and his mother helped out in the house sometimes. They tried for years to get pregnant and finally it happened. When the mother was in the eighth month, the daddy was killed when something stampeded the cattle. His horse lost his footing and they fell in front of the frenzied herd, both horse and rider lost their lives. The mother almost had a mental breakdown. She gave up living and the baby had to be taken by C section. The mother died on the table. Another hand of ours, and his wife, raised the baby. Apparently that last month, when the mother was so upset, caused a mental defect.”
“He is one of my best workers and will do anything he’s instructed to do. He’s easy-going and the men appreciate working with him. Everyone keeps an eye out for him, but he likes to be treated as one of the men,” James explained.
“I could tell he felt confident and knew he had been loved and trained well.” She put a hand over her eyes, then rubbed her face. “I still am not sure what to do. I know for a fact that I need money to operate on and I don’t need the worry of sending men out to guard cattle and risk getting killed or crippled for life. I’ve prayed about it and have faith that a solution will be found.”
Ginger left feeling happy about her visit but still undecided as to how to go about bringing her dream to fruition. She turned her face away from Juanita to keep from smiling so broadly. Juanita was upset.