Ride For The Sun Ch. 02

"But Daddy can't ride and it'll be too hard on his leg to work all day," Emma protested.

"He won't be ridin, we'll bring the cattle to him and the brandin iron," Rafe explained. "Emmett can rest a bit in between cattle."

"I can help and let Emmett rest a bit," Molly said. Seeing the look on her daughter's face she added, "Don't look so shocked Emma. Your father and I ran this ranch for quite a spell before you came along."

"Reckon with all this talk you're gonna take the job Rafe," Emmett said.

"Been thinkin along those lines Emmett," Rafe replied. "With your permission Miss Riley," he said with a mocking grin.

Emmett coughed to ease the tension between the young people. "We'll give you $60 and found to work the round up, do the branding, and help take the herd to market. How's that sound Rafe?"

Rafe looked at Emma until she dropped her eyes before he answered. "I believe I'd like to work for you Emmett."

********************

"I've worked harder Bowie," Rafe said aloud. "But I sure can't remember when." He was using a curry comb on the big horse after another day of roping and branding. "You've done a good job big fellar but I'll ride Buddy tomorrow and give you a rest."

The Palomino shook his head. "Don't argue with me," Rafe said and scratched Bowie's ears. "Buddy's gettin fat and needs to work a bit or he'll forget that he's a horse. Sides we're gonna be cuttin cattle out of the herd tomorrow and he's a mite faster off the mark." Rafe put Bowie in the corral and walked toward the ranch house for supper.

The Riley's, all three of them, and Rafe had been hard at work for the last seven days. Rafe, Emma, and sometimes Molly would round up the cattle. He was surprised at the women's skill on horseback. Rafe and Emma worked very well together. They cut out the calves and other cattle that needed branding and drove them to the area where Emmett was waiting with the hot irons. Throwing a lariat around a steer's horns, Rafe and Bowie would drag the animal as close to Emmett and the branding fire as he could. Emma would rope the steer's hind legs and the two horses pulled in opposite directions until the steer fell to the ground.

Emmett would rush in and apply the red hot branding iron to the steer's side. Then he loosened the ropes holding the animal and released it. Rafe and Emma would go rope another steer and they'd do it all over again. Emmett seemed to handle his part of the job just fine in spite of his broken leg.

During this period of almost back breaking work, Rafe and Emma became much closer. They began to talk a lot as they waited for Emmett or Molly to finish branding the cattle. Emma would walk to the barn with Rafe to check on the horses. Sure beats sleeping on the trail, Rafe thought. Then he chuckled to himself. Emma talks more than Bowie or Buddy too.

Rafe had asked Emmett how he broke his leg after the first day's work. "Just plain bad luck," Emmett replied. "I was drivin a few head of cattle down from the mountains on the west end of the ranch toward the Verde. A cougar let out a hunting cry which spooked my horse and he threw me. It spooked the cattle too and they turned to run from the cougar and one of them stepped on my leg." Emmett smiled, "Hurt like the dickens it did."

"Wondered why you're running white face Herefords instead of Longhorns or cross breeds," Rafe sorta asked Emmett.

"Well, I'll tell ya," Emmett replied smiling. "My neighbors thought I was loco to raise Herefords. Said they weren't sturdy enough." He nodded at Rafe and said, "They told me I should stick with Longhorns or cross breeds too. But just because I'm an old cow hand don't make me dumb." Emmett poured another cup of coffee.

"Herefords are plenty tough if they're kept fed and if they don't have to travel on long drives to the railhead. We've only got ten days or two weeks to either Flagstaff or Phoenix instead of a month or more like some of those ranches in Texas and New Mexico have."

Rafe nodded his understanding and smiled. Got to admire a man who can see a better way to do things, he thought.

"Both trails have good water and grazing along the way to boot," Emmett continued. "Herefords don't eat any more than a Longhorn, give you more weight on the hoof, and bring more money at market too. Granted Longhorns can stand the weather and long trail drives better but we don't have to put up with either one. Winter here in the Verde Valley is pretty mild as compared to other places." Emmett smiled and leaned back in his chair.

"One more thing," Emmett offered. "Herefords aren't as mean and ornery as Longhorns. They'd break a leg tryin to keep from stepping on you where a Longhorn will lower its head and run over you. Make's a world of difference when you're herding cattle."

"Reckon you know what you're doin," Rafe said. "I've worked Longhorns and wasn't lookin forward to the next few days."

It had been the evening of the second day and Emma was watching Rafe take care of Bowie. "You were right you know," she said. Rafe turned to look at her. "I couldn't have done all the work by myself."

Rafe nodded and smiled at the young woman. "Oh I don't know. You can be downright stubborn sometimes. Don't think you'd have got it done before snow fall but I bet you would've got it done."

"My, my. Was that a compliment Mr. Cassidy?" Emma asked chuckling.

"Just an observation Miss Riley," Rafe answered with his own laugh.

Now, as Rafe went to wash up, Emma was waiting for him with a clean towel. "Wash behind your ears please Mr. Cassidy," she said with a teasing grin.

"Yes em, I sure will."

After supper as Rafe drank a last cup of coffee he looked at Emmett. "How's Emmett holdin up Molly?"

"I'm right here Rafe," Emmett said.

"Oh, Daddy you wouldn't say anything if your leg was falling off," Emma butted in.

"He's doing pretty fair," Molly offered. "I make him skip every third steer or so. Seems to help."

"Will y'all quit talkin about me like I'm not here?" Emmett asked in an exasperated tone.

Molly ignored him and continued, "There's no swelling and no sign of infection." She reached over and patted her husband's hand. "Now if he'll pay attention to what I tell him he'll be okay."

"I give up," Emmett said.

"Why do you ride different horses for different jobs Rafe?" Molly asked.

"Well if we have to cut the calves or particular cattle from the herd I use Buddy," Rafe replied. "He's smaller, very quick on his feet and makes a good cutting horse. Bowie is bigger and stronger but a mite slower as far as switchin directions real fast; I use him to rope and drag the steers over close to the fire.

Five days later the round up and branding were done. They had cut the cattle intended for market from the herd. Emmett decided to rest the horses and people for a couple of days before starting the drive to the railhead.

He stood and walked to a kitchen cabinet and pulled out a bottle of whiskey. "One drink won't hurt us and we deserve it" Emmett poured two big drinks and handed one to Rafe since the ladies declined. "Here's to the end of the roundup," he said and raised his glass.

"And to the cattle drive," Rafe added. Rafe and Emmett drank with appreciation.

"How many head are you plannin to sell?" Rafe asked. "And where are we takin em?"

"Thought we'd take a hundred head this trip," Emmett replied. "We're a little short on drovers so that'll be about all you three can handle." He smiled at his wife; this was the first she'd heard about her going on the drive. "You helped round em up and brand em, might as well see it to the end Molly girl."

"I suppose you're going to sit here in comfort waiting for us," Molly teased.

"No, I'll be drivin the chuck wagon. Fact is I'll probably be on point most of the trip." Emmett smiled at the expression on Molly's face. "Ridin in a wagon got to be easier that brandin 1000 pound steers. I'll be fine Molly."

"So where are we headed?" Rafe asked again.

"Normally we'd head up to Flagstaff. But it's gettin late in the season and weather could roll in. The trail to Flagstaff is hard enough without an early snow storm. It's all uphill until you get on top of the Mogollon. It'd be best for us to head downhill to Phoenix. It's a little farther but we shouldn't have a problem with weather and the trail is a mite easier so we should make better time." Emmett paused and added, "Price on cattle might be a bit higher in Flagstaff but we'd probably lose several head. No, Phoenix is the best place for us."

Emmett turned to Rafe and asked, "What do you think?"

"You know more about the country around here better than me," he replied. "And I think you're right, with only three drovers a hundred head is about all we can handle."

Nodding Emmett sat back in his chair with a big grin. He was well satisfied with his plan.

"Not to give you a big head, but I think you're right about makin the drive down hill too," Rafe added.

********************

Emmett got down from his chuck wagon and opened the gate to a holding corral at the rail head in Phoenix. Rafe, Emma, and Molly pushed the herd into the pen and Emmett closed the gate. It had taken eleven days to drive the herd from Camp Verde to Phoenix.

They would have made the drive in nine days but the first of the winter storms blew through the area. The rain was like sheets of water coming out of the sky. It filled the arroyos and washes with water. The drovers bunched the herd up against a rock butte to wait out the storm. The drive was delayed for a full day until the water had receded enough to cross the low lands.

For a full day Rafe, Emma, and Molly rode two man shifts around the cattle; taking turns to get some rest. The shifts were for two hours but Rafe rode almost ten hours that day. The cattle were a little jumpy because of the weather. As the wranglers rode they would talk in low tones or sing softly to calm and quiet the herd.

That evening Rafe came into camp for one of the few rests he'd taken that day. Emmett handed him a hot cup of coffee and a plate of food. As Rafe ate, Emmett switched his saddle from Bowie to Buddy. The horses needed rest too.

"They're catchin hell up to Flagstaff," Emmett said pointing north.

Over the mountains in the distance Rafe could see the angry black clouds. There's snow in the high country, he thought.

As if Emmett had heard Rafe's thought he said, "They're gonna get maybe a foot of snow up there. If the wind picks up, it'll be like a blizzard." Emmett chuckled and smiled at Rafe. "I sure am a smart hombre to come south instead of drivin the herd north."

Rafe returned the smile and nodded agreement.

********************

Now the drive was over as Emmett closed the gate. "Reckon I'll go get our money. We can have supper over to the hotel and stay there tonight." Looking at his companions he added, "I think we deserve a good meal, a glass of whiskey, and a soft bed."

"We'll decline the whiskey," Molly said getting a nod from Emma. "But the meal and soft bed would be a blessing."

Molly and Emma went to the hotel to arrange for rooms and Rafe went with Emmett to the cattle buyer's office. At supper Molly asked, "You haven't told me dear, how much did we get for our cattle?"

"Price was good this time, $22 a head. We didn't lose any cattle comin down the mountain so we had one hundred head. I've got a bank draft for $2200," Emmett answered. "Not a bad result for the drive."

He looked thoughtful for a minute. "Animal's fur usually grows heavier if it's gonna be a hard winter and from the looks of the beaver's in the Verde and the few deer I've seen, signs show it's gonna be a mild winter. Without a hard winter the cattle will get fat and sassy so we'll make an early drive in late spring next year and then another in the fall."

Turning to Rafe he added, "Course we hope you'll be there to help us Rafe. That is if you want to stay on pass the winter."

Rafe smiled, first at Emmett and then at Emma. "I've no plans of movin on unless y'all throw me out."

Emma's face lit up as she returned Rafe's smile. She seemed very glad that Rafe was staying.

"Reckon we'll head back to the ranch tomorrow morning. Now we have to go uphill but without havin to drive cattle we should be home inside of a week."

********************

On the evening of the fifth day the R Bar R crew made camp like they had the previous four nights. "We've made good time," Emmett said after supper. "The trail will flatten out some now and if we push a little we should be home by nightfall."

"I'd rather sleep in my bedroll in the bunk house than spend another night on the trail," Rafe said. "I think the horses want their own stalls too."

"Speaking for us ladies it will be nice to take a bath and get out of these work clothes," Molly laughed. Emma nodded her agreement.

After supper Rafe asked Emma if she'd like to go check on the horses with him. Emmett and Molly smiled as they left the campfire.

"I really don't think Rafe's going to leaving anytime soon," Molly said. She smiled and pointed to the young couple walking close together.

"Emma, I know it sounds funny livin at the ranch and all, but I'd like to call on you all proper like," Rafe said in a low voice. "I've gotten right fond of you."

"You won't have to go far to call on me what with living in the bunkhouse and all," she teased. Emma took Rafe's hand and said, "I'd like it very much if you called on me."

The crew started at first light the next morning and topped the last of the high hills that surrounded the Verde Valley around 10 AM. "It's all downhill from here," Emmett said.

Rafe has ridden Bowie over to a big rock that had a vein of quartz running through the granite. Nothing special, Rafe thought as he examined the quartz, but it sure is pretty. He'd dismounted and was trying to break off a sample of the quartz to give to Emma. The big rock hid him from view.

As Emmett finished speaking four men wearing bandanas tied over their faces rode out of the tree line. They stopped in front of the chuck wagon and pulled their guns.

"Reckon y'all got a bit of cash after sellin your cattle," the biggest of the men said. "We think you ought to share with us."

Emmett pulled the team to a stop and reached for his rifle. Molly and Emma had been riding beside the wagon and moved their horses closer.

"Just let that rifle be Mister," the bandit ordered.

"Don't rightly see how y'all earned a share of our money," Emmett said in an angry voice.

"Emmett," Molly said trying to calm her husband.

"We'll earn our share by takin it from you. If you behave that's all we'll take," the outlaw said gesturing at Molly and Emma.

One of the others said something in a low voice to the leader. He nodded and said, "There was four of you when you started up the mountain. Where's your wrangler that rides that fancy horse?"

"I'm right here you son of a bitch," Rafe answered.

Rafe had seen the men ride out of the trees and knew they weren't coming for a visit. He left Bowie ground tied and crept around behind the robbers. All four men turned and saw the young cowboy standing beside a big Ponderosa pine with his Winchester trained on them. When the men turned, Emmett quickly picked up his own rifle.

"Drop your guns," Emmett ordered.

The leader looked at Rafe and then at Emmett. "Don't think we will. If shooting breaks out your ladies there might get hit. I don't think y'all want that. We'll just mosey on and leave you folks be."

As the men started to turn their horses Rafe said in a cold voice. "Don't move Mister." Glancing at Emmett he asked, "What do you want to do Emmett? Should we let them ride out or take them to the sheriff at Camp Verde?"

Before Emmett could answer the man on the end snapped a shot at Rafe. The man cocked his pistol to fire again and Rafe shot back. The man was knocked off his horse and Rafe swung his rifle toward the others. There was another man on the ground; the other two were spurring their horses down the mountain. Rafe ran to Bowie and mounted. As he started to follow the road agents, Emmet yelled to him.

"Rafe hold up," Emmett ordered. "There's two of them." He could see Rafe hesitate and added, "We need to get Molly and Emma safe at home and get this man to the sheriff." He pointed at the man who was holding his shoulder.

Emmett climbed down off the wagon and approached the wounded man. He picked up the fallen pistol and looked at the man's wound. The man was holding his shoulder and groaning. "You're not hurt bad. Shut up," Emmett told him and slapped the man's head.

Damn missed my shot, Emmett thought. Meant to hit him in the chest. He walked over the other man and saw a bullet hole in the middle of his forehead.

"Rafe didn't miss though," Emmett said to himself. "This'ins dead Rafe," he said out loud.

"I know," Rafe replied as he rode Bowie back to the wagon. "Should'a let me follow them Emmett. They'll just come back on us or jump somebody else." He rode closer to Emma and asked with concern, "You all right Emma?"

She smiled, reached over to touch Rafe's hand, and nodded.

"If they come back we'll deal with them," Emmett said. "Help me get this fellar tied up and onto his horse."

They tied the man's hands behind him, put him on his horse and tied the horse's reins to the back of the chuck wagon on a short lead. Molly tended the outlaws wound when they got back to the ranch. Emmett's bullet had gone completely through the man's shoulder. After the bleeding was stopped, Emmett tied the man to an iron hitching ring set in the side of one of the stalls.

"That ought to hold him until morning," Emmet said. "We'll take him to the sheriff when I go to the bank."

********************

"Hello Emmett what can I do for you?" Sheriff Rawlings asked as Emmett and Rafe came into his office about midday. Then he saw the man with a bandage on his shoulder and his hands tied in front of him. "Why'd you bring Jim Morrison in?"

"He and three other men tried to rob us yesterday on our way home from Phoenix," Emmett explained. "Two of them got away but two didn't. We buried the other one up on the ridge."

"That attempted robbery is outside my jurisdiction," Rawlings said. "I can't hold this man."

"Then we'll make a citizen's arrest Sheriff," Emmett told him in disgust. "I know enough about the law that you have to hold him for the circuit judge."

Rawlings stood and escorted Morrison into a cell in the back. "His brother Tom ain't gonna be happy about this," he cautioned Emmett. "The one you buried must have been the other brother Bill."

"Don't much care how he feels," Emmett replied. "He pulled down on my wife and daughter. If it hadn't been for Rafe I reckon I wouldn't be here. Maybe Molly and Emma wouldn't be sittin out in the wagon either." Emmett looked into the Sheriff's eyes. "Morrison better worry about me."

"You won't do anything Sheriff?" Rafe asked in disbelief.

"According to the law I can't," Rawlings replied. "There ain't no warrants out on Morrison." The Sheriff added, "Don't like it much but that's the law. I can hold Jim until the judge gets here and if Tom shows up, I'll warn him to leave y'all alone. That's about all I can do."

Emmett and Rafe went back to the wagon and the women. "We better keep our eyes open for a while according to what Rawlings says." Turning to Rafe he said, "You didn't sign on for a war son. I'll understand if y'all want to ride out. No hard feelings either."

Rafe looked at Emmett and Molly and smiled at Emma. "If it's all the same to you Emmett, I'll stay around for a spell. Remember I told you my story when we met." The rancher nodded and Rafe continued, "Well I'm tired of runnin. At least this time I'll have a good reason to fight."

"Reckon we should go over to the bank and deposit this draft and get on home," Emmett said.