will meet another in Arizona.â
âI am looking forward to that.â
He chuckled. âSusie you are the light in my life. Thanks for all your help. In a few days we will be there. I want you to find a strong man.â
His sister gave him a we-will-see reply.
They left the Marcy Road on a cutoff that would shorten their miles. In two days they camped at a small natural lake. The place was a wonderful spot in the pines and produced fat cutthroat trout the younger boys hauled in on bent willow poles. They were within days of reaching the new ranch.
Chet spoke to JD and the drivers before he left. âThis is still Apache country. The army is chasing them, but be on guard and take no chances on them. They could slip in and kill some of us. So be wary all the time.â
With care, he went over the details of the map with JD and then he set out for the ranch. He rode a big stout bay horse they called Holdem and made Camp Verde the first night. He had a short beer in one of the saloons in the block of businesses that the town consisted of, then went on to the ranch after sundown.
Someone shouted, âThe boss is back!â
And he was swarmed.
Hoot came running out beating on a large kettle. âWell ainât you a picture for sore eyes. Get in this house, you rascal. Weâve been talking bad about you and you mustâve heard us.â
âWhereâs your outfit?â Wiley Combs, the shortest man in the outfit asked, hitching up his pants.
âTheyâre two or so days east of here.â
âThey need any help?â his foreman Tom Flowers asked, pushing forward through the men to shake his hand.
âWe can send a few men if you can spare them to relieve some of the drivers and my aunt.â
âHow far off are they?â Tom asked.
âMaybe thirty miles or so. Theyâre coming across from the east. Ten wagons of them. We cut off the Marcy Road.â
âWe can damn sure find them,â Hampt said, bear hugging him.
âWeâre all still here,â Sarge said. ââCept Busby Stone.â
âWhat happened to him?â
âOh, heâs working his own place. You recall Mrs. Kelly OâBryan?â
âA round redhead?â
âThatâs his bride.â
âGood for him. Tom, how is your wife and kids?â
âFine, sir. Theyâre here.â
âMr. Byrnes, I ainât shook your hand yet.â It was the kid Corey who helped Hoot.
Chet leaned back to look at the improved-looking youth. âMy gosh, you look like a cowboy to me.â
âWell Iâm trying.â
They shook hands.
âI sold the Bar C mostly lock stock and barrel, boys. Got a good price and didnât have to trail them cattle out here. We came a third of the way by freight train.â
âAw, boss, come inside. Weâve got coffee made and some apple raisin pie left,â Hoot said. âYou can tell us all about it.â
And he did.
C HAPTER 3
His foreman Tomâs new house for him and his family was nearly done, Chet learned that evening. That was good, he decided the next morning, walking around the fine log structure. There was lots of craftsmanship in the fashioning together on the two-story log house. The wide porch welcomed them. Mill-made glass windows in the front looked at the Verde River. Millie, Tomâs wife, showed him where the living room, dining room, and kitchen would be. The aroma of the fresh-cut sweet pine lumber stayed in his nose. Rock fireplaces were on both sides of the living room and half completed. Stairs went up to a fenced landing. The kitchen would have a pump in the sink and a new large wood-burning range to cook on.
âI hope you like it,â Millie said.
âHey, this is your house. Do you like it?â
She nodded her head and chewed on her lower lip. âItâs a mansion.â
He hugged her before she cried. âGood. Youâll like my sister Susie. You two