Ruby (22 page)

Opal glanced over at him after watching the nest. “Do you think the mother is there now?”

“Doesn’t look like it, but I could tell better if I had my telescope.”

“Have you seen eagle chicks?” Her voice took on awe.

“Yes. I got above a nest one time, on a cliff. There were three of them. The mother tried to chase me away.”

“And did you leave?”

“You bet I did. She flew right at me, talons foremost. I vamoosed before she could rake me or beat me with her wings. She looked vicious as all get out.”

Opal returned to watching the nest. “What do eagles eat?”

“Sometimes you see them catch fish when the streams are low, and rabbits. I heard tell of eagles taking a small dog and even a lamb. Usually they take small critters. They’re raptors, like hawks, only much bigger.”

“There sure are lots of kinds of birds out here.”

“True,” Ruby said. “I think we better be heading back.” She nodded at the long shadows cast by the buttes. “I am always amazed at the colors of the rock formations, and when the sun rises or sets, the colors are even more wonderful.” She pointed to one rock face that blazed in the light from ochre to rust to red, with a horizontal line of black and one of gray.

“I never get tired of this land.” Captain McHenry turned his horse back toward town. “Every day you see something new, or at least you see it in a different way. I’ve heard people say this land haunts you, and I’ve begun to believe it.”

“Well, it must be a pretty well-kept secret, when you think how few people live here.”

“Look over there. What’s that?” Just as Opal asked, they heard a whistle.

“Prairie dogs, small ground-dwelling mammals. They live in colonies—people call them prairie-dog towns. That whistle was the lookout telling the others that danger is near and to hide back in their burrows. If we had time to sit here and not move, they’d pop out of their holes again. They eat grasses and seeds, so they make their area pretty barren. You try running a horse through a prairie-dog town and, sure enough, he’ll step in a hole and break a leg. You got to be careful about things like that.”

“I hope I can come back here sometime,” Opal said, all the while gazing at the place the prairie dog had disappeared from.

Ruby could hear Opal’s unspoken wish for
soon
. If only horses weren’t so expensive to both buy and feed. If Opal had a horse, she would have a friend indeed.

If—the biggest small word in the language.

At least a tenuous peace had returned by the time Ruby reentered the kitchen. Perhaps having two customers to serve helped with that. It sure encouraged her.

Later that night Ruby listened to Opal’s prayers. “And dear God, thank you for the chance to ride again, and thank you for the captain who is so nice to us. Lord, if you please, I would surely love to have a horse. I’d take good care of it, and a horse would make it easier to go fishing, so I could help make sure there is enough food for our guests to eat. Thank you. Amen.”

Ruby captured her sigh before Opal heard it. How long had it been since she’d been able to pray like that? So simply, with a certainty that God heard. And cared. And might really answer. Life surely had changed and not necessarily for the better. At least for a change they had a celebration to look forward to. If nothing went wrong, of course.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

A rifleshot announced the Fourth of July dawn at the same time as the rooster crowed. The bugle at the cantonment answered, letting everyone know that the cavalry was in attendance. A platoon of soldiers had ridden in the day before, while some of their families had arrived by train. Many of them were staying at Dove House. Tents had sprung up like weeds, and a chuck wagon from one of the ranches had set up cooking by the corrals.

“Don’t you leave the hotel,” Ruby cautioned from her pallet as Opal tried to sneak out of their room.

“I just wanted to go down to see the cows and calves again.”

“No.” Ruby shuddered at the memory of the span of horns on the cattle in the corral. While someone had said the horns made an easy target for roping, all she could think of was the damage they could do to an inquisitive little girl.

“We have too many guests to take care of. We’ll need every hand to help cook and serve.” Ruby crawled out of her sheets and straightened her bedding. “I promised you we would watch the competitions . . .” As she spoke, she went behind the three-paneled screen to wash and dress. “And we will.”

“Calf roping.” Opal’s lip stuck out far enough to give a bird a good roost.

“Yes, calf roping.” Ruby threw her nightdress over the panel. “And horse racing.”

“Yep, but you have to use the right words, or they will think we are dumb.”

“Or . . .”

“Or dumb people from the east. Greenhorns, they call them, or dudes.”

“Oh. If you have already washed, you may start brushing your hair.”

“I can tie it back.”

“No. You don’t want the people staying here at Dove House to think you are not proper, do you?” The snort she heard adequately described Opal’s opinion of other people’s opinion. “Well, I care, so you better have a clean dress on under your apron.”

“But that’s what aprons are for . . . to cover up.”

“No, they are to keep your clothes clean.” Ruby buttoned her skirt and came out from behind the screen. Taking the brush from Opal’s limp hand, she began brushing her own hair and twisted it into a rope to make a bun. No matter how she dampened it, fine wisps managed to curl around her face as soon as it dried. She turned to Opal’s hair with the brush. “You have to brush the underside too.”

“Ouch. I know, but do you have to be so rough?”

“Where were you yesterday that you have bits of leaves and sticks in your hair?”

“I can do this my own self.” Opal flinched away.

“Then why didn’t you?” Ruby started at the bottom and worked her way up. “What a mess, and I should already be downstairs.”

“Ouch!”

“Sorry. Whatever happened to brushing your hair every night before bed?”
Probably the same thing that happened to us reading the Bible every night together. We get so tired, and we forget
.

Ruby parted the hair down the middle and picked up three strands from one side, starting the French braid just back of the brow hairline.

“You’re making it so tight I get a headache.”

“Sorry, but if you’d stand still, I wouldn’t have that problem.” Was this going to be one of those days when sorry had to be said far too often? As Mrs. Brandon would say,
“If you think before you act or speak, you won’t have to say I’m sorry so often.”
Sometimes Ruby wanted to plug her ears and mind so that Mrs. Brandon’s admonishments didn’t intrude so often.

“There now. All done.” She patted Opal’s shoulder and laid the brush back on the shelf. “You are most welcome.”

“Thank you. I guess.”

Ruby heard the last two words but made no comment. Since she’d been up late baking an extra batch of bread, she was in no mood to argue. Never had they cooked so much food for so many people for so long. And besides the meals at the hotel, they had promised to make pots of baked beans to go along with the barbequed beef.

“People are still coming in,” Opal announced when she returned to the kitchen from resetting a table. “Last night we had a lot, but nothing like this.”

Ruby turned from flipping pancakes. “Your order is ready, Daisy.” She started stacking the pancakes on the three plates on the tray. When she finished, she handed each plate to Cimarron who added two strips of bacon and two fried eggs and set the full plate back on the tray.

“Opal, another table to clear.” Milly backed into the kitchen with the coffeepot in one hand and the milk pitcher in the other. “Is there more coffee ready?”

Opal turned from filling the syrup pitchers. “I’ll be right there.”

“You better hurry. We need the table.”

Ruby poured more batter on the griddle. “Watch these while I mix more, will you, Cimarron?”

“Sure.”

“Don’t fill that tray so full you can’t carry it.”

Opal gave her sister a disgusted look. “I don’t make the same mistake twice.”

No, you don’t. Sorry
. But Ruby didn’t say the words because Opal was out the door again.

Daisy returned to the kitchen with four more orders. “Some of these people are taking you up on your offer of a free meal from when you went calling.”

“What a day for that,” Ruby groaned. But when she thought about it again, she changed her mind. This way they would see how busy they were today and perhaps think it was like that all the time. And tell their friends.

Belle strolled in midway through the serving and sat down at the table after pouring herself a cup of coffee.

“My, my. You all sure are busy.” Belle twitched her skirt out of the way of Cat who rubbed against her leg.

“She wants to be picked up.” Milly took up the now refilled coffeepot and headed back out the door.

“I don’t hold cats when I am dressed up.”

Ruby and Cimarron exchanged looks that clearly stated what they thought of that. No one had ever seen Belle pick up Cat, dressed up or no.

If you think any of us are waiting on you today, you’ve got another think coming
. Ruby gave her batter one more beat and began ladling it out on the griddle.

“Can I have some of those?” Belle asked.

“I guess so. You know where the plates are.”

Cimarron looked over her shoulder. “And if there aren’t any clean ones, check the back porch where Charlie is washing dishes.”

“Oh, well . . .” Belle was wise enough to keep the rest of her comments to herself, even though two words had already taken the place of twenty. She dished up her plate and returned to the end of the table to eat. Other than snitching a slice of bacon or grabbing a pancake, none of the rest of them had taken time to eat.

“More dishes.” Charlie carried a tray of clean supplies in and set them on the counter, then picked up a tray of dirty ones. “We got any more hot water?”

When Ruby glanced at the table again, she saw that Belle had left, leaving her plate and cup right where she had sat.

That woman. She could see how busy we are and still didn’t pick up after herself. I’m going to have another talk with her and this one will not be to her liking
. Ruby tried to think back if Belle was paid up with her room but someone called for more pancakes, and she forgot.

Sometime later Daisy pushed through the door and set a tray down. “That’s the last of them.” She wiped her sweating face with the bottom of her apron. “I know we’ve been wanting business to pick up, but if we serve like this very often, we’d need more help.”

“Set up a couple of tables in case someone comes late, then let’s all eat. The washing up can wait a few minutes.” Ruby set a platter of pancakes in the center of the table. “Help yourselves.”

“Any idea how many we served?” Cimarron asked after they’d all slowed the eating.

“Close to fifty, I think.” Daisy closed her eyes to try to remember. “Four of them were free.”

“We can count the till, that’ll tell us.”

“But the children were only two bits.”

“That’s right.”

“We’ll still know close enough. I know how much was in the drawer to start with.”

“One of the army wives said we did real good and that she was so happy to see the changes in Dove House.” Milly dug in her pocket. “Here’s my tip money. I think we should divide up what we got between everybody. Cimarron never gets tips.”

Ruby stretched her neck from side to side. “That’s up to you, but don’t include Opal and me.”

“Opal worked as hard as the rest of us.”

“I know, but—”

“If it’s our money, we can do what we want, right?”

Ruby rolled her eyes and shook her head. What did Opal need money for anyway?

“The calf roping starts at ten,” Opal reminded them.

They all fell to the remaining chores, and within an hour everything was put away again, the dining tables reset, and two cakes were baking in the oven for later.

“Come on, Ruby, or we’re going to miss everything.” Opal shifted from one foot to the other as Ruby changed her mind and settled her western hat in place instead of the small straw one that had no brim to protect her face.

“You should wear a hat too.”

“No. I don’t need a hat. Now come on.” Opal was halfway down the stairs before Ruby could respond.

When Ruby entered the kitchen, Cimarron was just taking the cakes out of the oven. “Are you coming?”

“Think I’ll just stay here and frost these. I’ve seen calves roped before. Helped out with branding too. It’s hot and dirty work.”

“Ruby!” The cry came from the porch.

“You go on and have a good time,” Cimarron said.

“You’re sure?”

“As I’ll ever be. Be right peaceful here with everyone gone. Besides, I want some time to get ready for the dancing. And I’ll come on over for the barbeque. Wouldn’t miss that.”

“I’ll be back to help get things over there.”

“R-u-b-y.”

“You go on before she faints from excitement.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

“You entering the roping?” one of the cowboys from the Triple Seven called to Rand from atop his horse.

“Soon as we get this settled.” Rand looked up from rearranging the coals under the sizzling steer half. He wiped the sweat from his face with the back of his hand. The day was hot enough on its own, but working the fire pit made the air almost unbearable.

“I can take care of this,” Beans reminded him. “You go on and keep the Double H in glory.”

“They’re not quite ready to start.” Rand glanced up to see a small crowd heading for the makeshift corral and the three-tiered stands that the army had built for the spectators. A few minutes later, with the meat sizzling again, Rand waved good-bye to Beans and headed for the long line where he had tied Buck.

“You racing that old nag?” one of the Ox Ranch cowboys called.

“Maybe so, maybe no.” Rand laid the saddle blanket in place and threw the saddle over Buck’s withers.

“Hey, Mr. Harrison.”

“Hey yourself, Opal. You come to watch the calf roping?”

The girl nodded, her braids flapping. “Captain McHenry taught me to ride.”

“Good for you. I bet you want a horse too.” He reached under the belly for the cinch and slid the strap through the brass ring.

“Always wanted a horse.”

He recognized the plea in her voice. His little sister had been the same way.

“I hoped when we came west I would get a horse.”

“They’re pretty necessary out here.” He finished looping the cinch strap through the two brass rings and secured it in place. “Anyone teach you how to saddle a horse yet?”

“Nope. What’s your horse’s name?”

“Buck.”

“ ’Cause he’s a buckskin?”

“That’s right.”

“You going to enter the calf roping?”

“Yep.”

“I hope you win.”

“Me too.” Rand caught a movement out of the corner of his eye. Oh-oh. Big sister’s come to the rescue.

“You shouldn’t be bothering Mr. Harrison.” Ruby laid her hands on Opal’s shoulders.

“But I’m not.” Opal looked up and over her shoulder.

Lady, you’ve got to give that girl some freedom
. “We’re just being neighborly.” Was that a slight snort of derision he heard? He turned from settling Buck’s headstall to catch a fleeting glimpse of an emotion that belied the polite smile on Ruby’s face. Her hat shaded her eyes, so he couldn’t tell if the smile made it to them or not.

“Come, Opal, let’s get a seat.”

“Good luck, Mr. Harrison.”

“Thanks. Enjoy the show.” He watched them walk off, wishing he had offered Opal a ride over.
Girl that age sure should have a horse
. He mounted, checked his rope, looped and tied it right under the pommel of his saddle. He’d looped the pigging string around his saddle horn.

Captain McHenry, mounted on his big bay, motioned to the bugler to blow a few notes to get everyone’s attention.

“Welcome folks to the first Fourth of July celebration here in Little Missouri. We’re asking all you children to take seats up in the stands where you’ll be safe in case some of our animals get away from us.”

Rand glanced over to see Ruby nudge her little sister. He’d have bet Buck that Opal had been begging to get closer to the action.

“All right, you cowboys,” McHenry continued, “if you will choose what pair goes first, we can begin.”

“Better explain what’s happenin’!” one of the riders yelled. “Got lots of greenhorns here.”

A chuckle rippled through those on the three-tiered stand.

“Rand, how about you do that?”

Rand nodded and nudged Buck forward so people could hear more easily.

“This is the way we catch calves for branding, which we just finished in June. The calf will come out of that chute there, and two riders will come after it from the sides of the chute, one to haze or keep it running straight and the other to rope and dog it, which means leap from your horse, flip the calf on its side, and tie the legs together with a piggin’ string. When the cowboy throws his hands in the air, he is finished. This is a timed event, and the pair with the fastest time wins the pot.”

“Our first pair will be from Triple Seven Ranch.” The captain nodded to the man on the chute gate.

“Ready?” he called, looked to both riders for nods, and swung open the gate. A red-and-white calf burst out of the chute with the two horses racing after him, one rider swinging a loop around his head. The loop dropped over the calf’s head, and the horse sat back on his haunches, skidding to a stop with the rider already on the ground and running toward the calf fighting at the end of the rope. The man reached over the calf’s back, grabbed the flank, and tipped the calf on the dirt. Knees planted on the calf, he whipped the pigging string around the legs and raised his hands in the air. They waited for a couple of seconds to make sure the string held, and the man on the stop watch announced the time.

The crowd applauded as the horse stepped forward to loosen the rope so the rider could retrieve his pigging string and loose the calf.

The calf leaped to its feet and was hazed into another corral by two other riders.

“Not bad,” Rand said to his partner, Joe.

“They let the calf get too far ahead of them. We can beat them.”

Rand glanced over in the stands to see Ruby and Opal discussing something. Their smiles said they were having a good time as they settled back down for the next pair.

Everyone groaned when the second calf broke free of the ties before the time allotted and ran out of the arena, bawling like it had been near killed. The two cowboys shook their heads, the roper mounted again, and they rode to the sidelines where the others gave them a bad time.

“You ready?” Rand asked.

“As I’ll ever be.” Joe nudged his horse forward. “I’ll rope if you’d rather not.”

“No, this is fine.”

They took their places on both sides of the chute. Rand clamped his pigging string between his teeth, loosened his rope, and waited. Waiting for the signal was always the hardest part. If they jumped too soon, they’d be disqualified, too late and they’d lose for sure.

Buck settled on his haunches and leaped forward at the same moment as the calf hit the ring. Rand swung his loop twice, and it sailed over the calf’s head like it had a mind of its own.

Rand hit the ground running, hand on the taut rope, grabbed ahold of the calf, flanking it to the ground. As Buck kept the rope tight, Rand flipped the loop of the piggin’ string around the upper front foot and scooped up both back feet with his left arm, binding them together with two wraps and a hooey, as the cowboys called the ties. Still sitting on the animal, he threw his arms in the air.

“Not bad for an old codger like you,” someone yelled from the sidelines.

Rand waited for the sign, and when Buck stepped forward, he loosened the rope from the calf’s neck and jerked on the loose end of the piggin’ string to free the calf. The calf scrambled to his feet and ran bawling back to where his mother was frantically pacing the corral.

As if he had no will of his own, Rand gazed across to the risers to see Ruby clapping and Opal dancing and cheering, her arms above her head as she clapped her hands. Ignoring the smile he could feel stretching his cheeks, Rand slapped his hat against his thigh to get rid of the dust, looped his rope in his hand, and remounted Buck with a firm pat on the horse’s shoulder.

“Well done,” Captain McHenry called as Rand and Joe returned to the sidelines, ready to watch the next release.

“Mighty smooth.” Joe crossed his arms on the saddle horn. “Puts us in the lead.”

“For now. You want to switch places and run again?”

“No, I ain’t got the speed. Might haze for Chaps if he decides to put the money up.”

Rand watched as the next calf broke loose and the riders leaped after it. His gaze strayed back to the stands again. Ruby and her western hat stood out from the straw hats and sunbonnets. Daisy sat beside her, and he wondered again at the difference. Hard to believe Daisy was Jasmine and she hadn’t left after all.

Amazing what a difference a fancy dress and face paint made.

The calf struggled to its feet before the timer, disqualifying the pair.

Two soldiers lined up for the next entry, but they hadn’t near the experience of the cowboys and came in two minutes over Rand’s time.

“You better teach your men to rope and tie,” one of the hecklers called to the captain.

“Ah, the pay’s better in the army,” Captain McHenry answered.

“The food ain’t.” General laughter answered the comment, even though the cantonment was known for having good and plentiful food.

The next pair from the Ox Ranch turned in a near perfect performance.

“I think they beat us.” Joe spat off to the side.

When the time was announced, Rand nodded. “Less than a second faster—not bad.”

Rand and Joe ended up with second place, since no one else entered.

“Decided to save my money,” Chaps said when he rode up. “You near to saved our reputation.”

“Near to don’t bring home the pot.” Joe turned his horse and rode off to the starting line to watch the races. The quarter mile would run first.

“You entering Buck?” Chaps asked.

“I don’t think so. You want to ride him?”

“He runs best for you. Why not ride him? You have as good a chance as any.”

“Not with that half-Thoroughbred McHenry rides. That horse goes like the wind.”

“Buck gets off faster. You could take him on the quarter.” Chaps spoke around the chewing tobacco that puffed out his lower lip.

“Too much weight.”

“Take the saddle off.” A glob of tobacco juice splatted in the dust.

“That’s a thought. Those military saddles weigh hardly anything.” Rand sucked air through his teeth, a sure sign that he was thinking.

“I’ll put the money up.”

“No. If I race, I’ll do that. How many are entered?”

“Five in the first race and six in the second.”

“I need to go on over and check the meat.”

“No, you don’t. Beans knows what he’s doin’. He got a young private to spell him on turning the crank.”

“He might be running low on wood.”

“He knows how to split more. The stack is right there.” Chaps gave him a look painted gray with doubt. “You really don’t want to run, you don’t have to, you know.” He tipped his head slightly. “But then we on the Double H won’t be able to hold our heads up without winning something.”

Rand leaned over and punched Chaps on the shoulder. “Yeah, I saw how you did your best to hold our name up.”

“So you going to run?”

“Why do you care?”

“I plan to make good money on the bet.”

“You better keep your money in your pocket where it’s safe. I can’t guarantee a win.” Rand rode on over to see how Beans was doing, but the cook waved him off before he could open his mouth. He leaned forward and smoothed Buck’s mane to the side. “You want to run, old boy?”

Buck’s black-fringed ears swiveled back to listen better. He blew out a snort, as if daring the other horses to challenge him, and pawed one front hoof.

Rand glanced over at the crowd where the captain was already mounted and sat like he’d already attained a general’s stars. Opal and Ruby stood by the horse chatting with McHenry. From where he sat, Rand figured they looked to be fast friends. He’d seen them riding one day up the river.

Nudging Buck, he rode on over to the crowd, drawing another dollar out of his shirt pocket on the way.

“You in, Harrison?”

“Guess so.” He handed his money to Johnny Nelson, owner of the only store in town.

“Anyone breaks over the line before the pistol shot is disqualified.”

“I get it.”

“The captain wanted to take a run at it, but I told him no. Start from a standstill is the only way out here.” Johnny scratched his cheek. “You bettin’?”

“Nope. Not a bettin’ man.”

“Winner takes all.”

“I know.” Rand tipped his hat at one of the military wives and rode on over to the sidelines, where he dismounted.

“So you’re going to try to beat Kentucky here, after all?” Captain McHenry stopped his horse beside Buck.

“Looks that way.” Rand unbuckled the rear cinch and started loosening the front.

“What are you doing?”

“Lightening up my horse. What does it look like?”

“Won’t help.”

“We’ll see.” Rand sent McHenry one of his slow smiles, daring him just a bit.

“Opal, stay back from the horses.” Ruby’s voice made Rand break off the stare down.

“But I—”

“No buts. You heard me.”

Rand set his saddle on the ground with the horn down and flipped the rope over the cantle so it would be out of the way. He tossed the heavy woven wool blanket on top and brushed a gloved hand along Buck’s spine.

“How come you took the saddle off?” Opal had edged closer in spite of her sister’s warning.

“So Buck has less to carry.” At her questioning look, he added. “Then he can run faster.”

“Oh. Is he real fast?”

“On short distances.” He nodded toward her sister, who was picking her way past a pile of horse manure. “You better get back before you get in real trouble.”

“Yeah, I know. Thanks.” She flashed him a grin, saluted the captain, and meandered on over to the side before Ruby caught up with her.

Rand kept his smile to himself. She surely did remind him of his little sister. Same sass, same determination to get what she wanted.

“Mount up.” Johnny shouted to be heard over the boisterous crowd.

Rand swung aboard and signaled Buck forward. He stopped to the right of Captain McHenry, whose horse was already shifting his front feet and tossing his head.

“Bit high-strung, eh?”

“Ready to run, is all.”

Buck stood quietly, although Rand could feel the horse’s muscles bunching. He glanced ahead to where another group of spectators stood at both sides of the finish line.

The pistol fired, and within three strides Buck was a length ahead of the other horses. As one body with his horse, Rand melted into the mane and withers. While he could hear the others behind him yelling at their mounts and flailing their hides with whips, he only murmured, “Come on, Buck, old boy. You can do this.”