ONCE MORE THEY PUSHED the yearlings back toward the upper range. They had spent a couple of days working on the drift fence, finding where the snow had broken it down, cutting new poles, and standing up the legs. It ran near the timber’s edge across the north of the range and then angled down toward Slate Creek. They kept watch for the mountain lion, but there had been no fresh kills.
“The mule deer are moving back uphill. The lions won’t be needing to take any cattle unless they’ve gotten lazy and gotten used to beef,” Art explained.
Samuel thought of Bonnie every day. He made it a habit to be early to breakfast and tried to remain behind later at dinner.
This morning, Mrs. Stromback was coming from behind the house with a few hens’ eggs, Roundup on her heels. The dog veered off to come and say hello to Samuel.
“You’re up earlier and earlier, Samuel.”
“I’m just happy winter’s finally over,” he said. “How can I help?”
Mrs. Stromback never asked for an extra hand in the kitchen, but Samuel hoped she would allow it so he could visit with Bonnie. She again declined.
Samuel made the effort again that evening to help wash up after dinner. Finally, Mrs. Stromback agreed. Rex made an ugly frown, but Samuel ignored him.
Samuel heated water for the dishes and helped Bonnie wash and dry them. Later, he and Bonnie again stood on the bridge, Roundup between them. Again, they gazed at the evening stars, glittering through the tree branches. They talked and dreamed, and Samuel knew with his entire being that he wanted to be with Bonnie.
This time Samuel did not need Roundup’s help. He took Bonnie’s hands. “Gosh, Bonnie, you are the most wonderful person. If I could … I mean, if it was proper, I would like to kiss you.”
Bonnie arched her eyes. She leaned toward Samuel and planted a quick kiss on his lips. Samuel stepped back awkwardly, surprised.
Bonnie laughed lightly. “Isn’t this beautiful?” She waved at the stars. A sliver of moon had crept above the mountains.
Samuel glanced at the moon, feeling confused. It was as if she was trying to brush off the most beautiful thing that had yet happened to him.
“Maybe before you go, Uncle Jon will let me take you to our favorite riding spot. It is so beautiful.” She smiled.
“I’d like that,” he murmured. He wanted to pull Bonnie to himself and hold her tightly.
“Good night.” She touched his hand.
“Good night, Bonnie.” Samuel turned and headed toward the bunkhouse. He thought he saw Rex at the window. A chill ran through him.
At breakfast, Stromback laid out the day’s plans.
“Terrance Vance should be coming in today with a couple of his hands. For sure, he’ll want help bringing his mules in. He’ll be running them over to Mr. Castle, getting them shod and ready for the season.”
Samuel’s heart caught. “Does that mean the snow’s gone and we can get into Warren’s?”
“Nope, now’s the time the packers head out to Lewiston and start bringing in goods for when the trails open. Probably Vance will take a short string to the snowline up toward Florence and maybe Warren’s so some men can snowshoe some goods in.” He pushed back his chair. “Word is coming out that supplies are pretty low.”
Stromback nodded toward Rex and Samuel. “You two can head up to the spring and sweep up that direction for any of his stock. Mr. Vance isn’t going to be all that happy. I’m guessing he lost four or five head.”
Shortly, Samuel and Rex were headed toward the upper spring. When they reached the saddle where Samuel had turned downhill, he paused.
“You know, Rex, that is pretty steep country down that way,” Samuel managed. “I’m a fool for having believed you rode it.”
“Watch it,” Rex spat. “You came about as close as a body can to calling me a liar in front of Mr. Stromback a while back.”
Samuel sat Spooky. “Well, then, what are you? You sure as blazes never rode down that ravine. You told me clear as day that you chased cows down and out the bottom all the time.”
“Watch that mouth, boy. You keep gabbing, it’ll be the last thing you do.”
Samuel studied the man. He knew he was no match for him. “What you got against me that eats at you, anyway, Rex?”
“Eats at me?” Rex laughed loudly. “You don’t have to go pretending on me. I’ve seen you and Bonnie. You know damn well what yer here for.”
“No, I don’t know, Rex. Maybe you should tell me.” Samuel began to wonder if Rex knew something he didn’t.
“It’s plain and simple, boy. Old man Stromback don’t really like me around his niece. He invited you out to interest her away. But don’t for one stinkin’ moment think it’s gonna work.”
“I came here to work.” Samuel felt his anger rising, but recalled Stromback’s hopes that Bonnie might see in him other possibilities than Rex.
Rex’s nostrils flared; his eyes bored into Samuel. “I want to work this ranch with Stromback’s blessings, but it don’t look like he’s gonna ever favor me. I work my butt off, but all I get is crumbs. Then he brings in a little runt to court his niece. And you ask what eats at me,” he spat. “What Stromback don’t know is Bonnie and I got a thing goin’. Soon as she can, permission or no, Bonnie and I are goin’ away.” He must have reconsidered his comment because he quickly added, “And if you go blab this to the old man”—he patted his rifle—“it’ll be the last thing you ever blab. Don’t think for a moment I won’t.”
Samuel saw hatred in the man’s eyes. He fought to stay calm and felt his own anger clouding his thoughts. “What you’re saying is your business, Rex. I didn’t come here to court Bonnie.” Not entirely, he thought.
“Maybe so.” Rex’s shoulders eased. “Maybe you’re still too wet behind the ears to know what for.” He laughed.
Samuel’s ears burned.
“Hell, Bonnie and I done things together I bet you ain’t never thought of doin’.”
Samuel knew otherwise. “I don’t believe you.”
“You callin’ me a liar?”
Samuel turned and headed uphill. He wanted nothing more to do with Rex. He had mules to find.
“I ain’t done talkin’, boy,” he snapped, but Samuel continued moving away. “You turn your back on me, you’re invitin’ a slug, coward. Turn around you bastard, or I’m the last man you’ll ever turn your back on.”
Just as Samuel told himself that Rex was bluffing, he heard the whine of the bullet and explosion from his rifle. He flinched.
Rex’s laughter reached his ears. He kept laughing. “You’re a joke, boy.”
Samuel turned Spooky and rode back to within a few feet of Rex, staring at him coldly. “The next time you take a shot at me, Rex, you better kill me. If you don’t, I swear to God, I’ll hunt you down and put a bullet in your sorry-ass carcass.” Samuel tried not to show he was shaking. “And another thing, Rex … I ain’t a boy.”
Rex must have thought about the idiocy of his actions. His face grew pale. “Look, kid, I’m just foolin’ with you.”
Samuel saw him grasping for a story. He realized if Stromback knew about this, Rex would be finished. Samuel had covered for him last time, thinking maybe there was a slight misunderstanding, although he knew otherwise.
“Forget it, Rex,” Samuel said quietly. “For sure I like Bonnie. Maybe even love her. I can’t have her. I’m heading back to Iowa soon as we finish mining. What you saw the other night was me saying good-bye.”
Rex’s mouth slackened as he must have considered Samuel’s comment. “We’re okay, then, about me foolin’ you by shooting?”
Samuel turned back uphill. He knew they were not.
Although the calves were due, Samuel could no longer stay. The water was running. He had to help at the placer. His last day, Samuel and Art headed out to look for a couple of cows that had strayed.
“They’re probably feeling their time to calve and won’t show their selves until they’ve done so. If that happens, the calf is as good as dead. Get eaten by a coyote or cougar,” Art explained. “Any cow that calves out in the bush might as well have never carried.”
Jon Stromback rode up. “Seeing that you’re headed out shortly, Samuel, mind if I tag along?”
Samuel was surprised. “Certainly not, sir.”
“You can take Rex for a ride, south, if you want, Art.”
“Obliged, Mr. Stromback.” Art turned away. Samuel wondered what that meant.
Samuel led out, heading up Slate Creek.
“Sure you know where you’re going?” Stromback asked after a moment.
Embarrassed, Samuel glanced back. “I reckon. I’m figuring the cows are holed up in one of the hollows along that side creek that empties into Slate Creek. Thought I’d check there first.” It was the most treacherous place he could think of.
“You might be correct, Samuel,” he said. “But first I’d like you to see something.” He spurred his horse and headed uphill away from Slate Creek.
It took Samuel a moment before he got Spooky turned and headed uphill, following.
They moved rapidly upward through broken brush and across grassy slopes, winding their way along a ridge that ascended gently toward some outcrops. They reached timber and continued upward, carefully crossing a steep sidehill until they reached a knoll overlooking the canyon.
Stromback dismounted. Samuel did likewise, wondering what the man had in mind. He wondered if this was the spot to which Bonnie liked to ride.
“I sometimes come up here when I got some thinking to do, Samuel.” He waved at the Salmon River carving a wide silvery arc below. The ranch house was visible amid trees near the creek. Cattle and horses spotted the river bottom. The town’s buildings spread out over the flat next to the river.
“This is my ranch, Samuel.” He stood gazing down across the countryside. “Sure proud of it. It’s been ten years in the making. I see a bright future for it. I see a bright future for all this land.”
“I agree, sir.”
He looked square at Samuel. “Here you be, lad. Tell me what you think of ranching.”
“I like it, sir. I like it a lot.”
“As much as mining?”
Samuel hesitated. “Depends on what part of mining. Now, not much can beat finding gold, but the work leading up to it can be mighty wearisome.”
“An honest answer.” Stromback laughed. “But you could handle ranching?”
“I reckon.”
“Good.” He mounted and turned downhill.
They found the two cows up the draw where Samuel had guessed. One had just given birth.
“Appears you still got a bit more ranching to do.” Stromback sat his horse. “What’re your thoughts?”
“About like calves back home, I reckon. Too little to keep from getting eaten. We gotta take it in. Momma should follow if she gets the scent and knows I’m carrying her baby.” Samuel dismounted.
Stromback was already handing him his coat to wrap the calf in. He held it until Samuel remounted and could hold the calf.
Both cows followed along as they headed downstream back to the lower field. There, they returned the newborn calf to suckle its mother.
It was difficult for Samuel during breakfast the next day. Work had been good. He had felt good. He knew Bonnie was special to him. At last, he said good-bye to Mrs. Stromback, Josef, and the girls and then to Bonnie. Roundup had come out as well and, it seemed to Samuel, had sensed his leaving. He reached down and petted the dog.
Bonnie gave the excuse that she needed Samuel’s help with something from the house. They were alone for a moment in the kitchen.
“I wish you were not leaving, Samuel. I don’t want to say good-bye.”
Samuel could see the pain in her eyes.
They embraced and kissed. Samuel felt the warmth flood him. He felt the woman he knew he loved pressed against him and his own desires. He forced himself to push gently away, and stood, marveling at Bonnie, her cheeks flushed, eyes sparkling. He wanted to say he loved her, but he couldn’t, not when he would be leaving.
“I’ll see you before we head out,” Samuel managed. He wrestled with his feelings. He no longer knew what God had in mind for him. He prayed this would not be the last time he would see Bonnie, but he feared it was.
When they came from the house, Mrs. Stromback studied them. Samuel figured she had to know. He was going to make some excuse but decided against it. Of course she knew.
Jon Stromback rode with him a distance beyond the ranch and paused. This time, Roundup followed, padding along as if he hoped Samuel would stay.
“Hey, Samuel, a few things I didn’t get said to you. Mind if I do?”
Samuel sat Spooky.
“About my niece. Here, she’s like a daughter to Mrs. Stromback and me. I reckon you know that.”
Samuel’s heart skidded. Dread washed through him. He desperately wished he had not kissed her without proper permission. He started to apologize. “I-I’m—”
“I know you’ve got a hankering for Bonnie, and I know she’s got one for you. Sure hoped it’d be that way.”
Samuel could not believe what he heard. He tried to keep from grinning.
“And judging by what I’ve seen, Mrs. Stromback and I don’t mind. Sure we don’t want to rush you, but putting it bluntly, Mrs. Stromback and I wouldn’t mind hiring you on, maybe someday see you and Bonnie taking up a ranch and settling down here. Sure would be proud to help you.”
Without thinking, Samuel blurted out, “What about Rex?”
Stromback laughed. “Don’t worry about him. I keep him on because it’s hard to get a hand that’s willing to put up with ranching in this country. Most of them want to be near a bit more civilization or go chase gold.”
They rode in silence a moment. Samuel was thinking about being with Bonnie, but he was battling his thoughts, not letting them become real.
“Sure ain’t any of my business what you and your pa do. He’s told me he intends to head back to Iowa and take up a farm, but it seems to me there’s land here aplenty to farm, or ranch, if you prefer. I tried to show you that. In fact, I just sent a friend up the Little Salmon to file on a spot. You came in following down the Little Salmon, didn’t you?”
“Yes, sir.”
“When you do head out, drop by and say hi. His name’s Thomas Pollock. You and your pa ought to look around there as well.”
“We did look at some good ground when we came in,” Samuel remembered. “We even talked about it but figured the Indians might be a problem.”
“Treat ’em right, and I don’t think so.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Samuel felt conflicted. He had an open invitation to court the most beautiful woman in the world. He had a job if he wanted. This could be a good life—his future. Then he thought of his own family.
“Here you be, lad. I know what you’re thinking,” Stromback spoke. “I don’t have any answers for you. Sure might be it wouldn’t work anyway. You gotta do what’s right for you and your pa.” He stopped. “Just wanted you to know you’d be welcome back. We all think highly on you.”
They were in the narrows above the ranch. The Salmon, high with the beginning of spring melt, surged powerfully through the narrow gap. It was as if they stood at the gates to the wilderness.
Samuel reached to shake hands. “I’m mighty obliged, sir. Please give my best to Bonnie and to Mrs. Stromback and the children. Thank you for everything.” Roundup whined. He leaned down and patted the dog. “You too, Roundup.” He spurred his black horse down the trail; a terrible ache had risen in his chest.