Place to Belong, a Read online

  “Greenhorn!” Chief shook his head. “Almost got us all killed more’n once.”

  With everyone still chuckling and snorting and wiping their eyes, Mavis finally got to her feet. “Anyone for more coffee?”

  For some crazy reason, that set everyone to laughing again, and she poured the round of refills with the coffeepot shaking.

  “How come we never heard this story before?” Lucas asked.

  Mavis shrugged. “Guess Dan wasn’t here to tell it.”

  The old man smiled inside that grizzled beard. “Oh, I got lotsa stories about your pa. Fine man. He just lacked a little bit on the laughter side of life.”

  Deep inside but not on the surface, Mavis had to agree. Lacked laughter. Ivar did that.

  Lucas asked, “Is that bear rug up at the cabin the hide of that bear?”

  Arnett wagged his head. “Nope. That was a big boar that got into the barn one night. Your pa shot that one just before the bear got to the cow. He killed one of the pigs first. He musta been some mad to be on a rampage like that. It was late in the year, and he should’ve already been hibernating, but for some reason, he wasn’t. Ivar always thought maybe somethin’ had gone wrong in that old boar’s head that set him on a rampage like that. Good thing he didn’t attack the house.”

  “That was after we left?” Chief asked.

  Mavis replied, “Ja, just before Ivar and I moved down from the cabin. The barns and one of the sheds were up, but the house wasn’t quite ready. Ransom was just a little fellow, and Lucas wasn’t born yet.”

  Lucas frowned. “How did Far manage to get down the hill from the cabin in time?”

  The memory washed over Mavis as if it were yesterday. “The dog set to barking, really fiercely barking. Ivar tore out of that cabin like the bear was after him. When the door opened, we could hear the pigs screaming. Nothing raises the hair on the back of your neck like an animal screaming in terror. I was praying so hard and clutching little Ransom to me. . . .” She shook her head. “Thought it was the end of our dreams for sure.” Mavis pushed back her chair. “And on that cheerful note, you men go on into the other room, and we’ll clean up here and bring the pie in there.”

  Cassie’s eyes were still huge as she scraped plates and carried them to the dishpan, steaming on the reservoir. “None of that was made up?”

  “No need to make up stories when real life hands you things like that.”

  “I suppose you’re right.” She scraped another plate. “Oh, I just remembered—I forgot to tell Micah about the plans for his wedding.”

  “We’ll bring that news in with the pie. We need to plan a wedding dinner at least, something for them. I don’t think the Indians make much fuss for weddings like white people do.”

  Runs Like a Deer looked up from the dishpan. “When?”

  “Reverend Brandenburg said he’ll come out Tuesday after dinner, and if that’s not all right, to let him know.”

  She nodded. “Good.” The young woman was hard to read, but Mavis thought she could see that Runs Like a Deer was pleased.

  The men were gathered around the low table in front of the sofa, looking at some drawings that Ransom had spread out for them to see.

  Mavis recognized his plans for furniture building. One thing was certain, Ransom knew how to dream. Mining and ranching and building furniture. Like his pa, he never lacked for future things to do. If only they could come up with money to buy what they needed. Lucas dreamed too, but his was more to homesteading in Montana, and she’d put her foot down there. She was not leaving this ranch. She’d done all the home building she’d ever cared to do. Now she wanted to enjoy the fruits of all that labor.

  She’d never told Lucas he couldn’t go. She even offered to send cattle with him. It wouldn’t really hurt to have more grazing land, especially now that Cassie owned half of this ranch, not that she’d mentioned anything about that again. It appeared that Cassie was happy just having a warm, comfortable home. Other than wanting to earn money to pay her share. The thought of that always made Mavis shake her head. Cassie did not understand the ways of family, that was all. Of course, if she and Lucas were married, something Mavis still wasn’t too sure was the best thing, a lot of these questions would be moot.

  Ransom gathered up his papers and smiled up at his mother. “Smells wonderful, as always.”

  “Heating the pie up releases the good fragrances all over again.” She set the tray on the table and motioned Runs Like a Deer to do the same with her tray. Cassie handed out pie plates and forks while Gretchen brought in the coffeepot. With everyone all served, Mavis took to her rocking chair and smiled around at the others.

  “So what do you think of Ransom’s ideas?”

  Dan Arnett nodded around a mouthful of pie. “Big question is, where to sell the furniture.”

  Lucas waved his fork in the air. “I have an idea. What if I contact Wheeler and ask him for suggestions. He resells the buttons he buys from me. Maybe he’d be interested in furniture too.”

  Ransom stared at his brother, a smile widening his eyes. “Why, Lucas, I think you hit the nail on the head. That could indeed be a door opening.”

  Arnett chuckled, a bit softer than his cackle. “This be some good day for ideas. Let me tell you what I’ve been thinkin’ on.”

  All eyes swung to him.

  He took another bite of pie, scraping the last of the juice from the plate, and set the plate down. He wiped his mouth with the napkin, glanced at his coffee cup, shook his head, and settled his shoulders. “Now, I been thinkin’ . . .”

  Mavis bit her lip. Talk about a showman. This was a side of her neighbor that she had seen long ago but had only seen a hint of lately.

  Lucas started to say something, but she hushed him with a look. Gretchen, sitting on the stool at her mother’s feet, looked up into her face. Mavis answered with a slight shrug and shake of her head. She had no idea what was coming either.

  Arnett turned to Ransom. “Now, you know I been after you to buy my sawmill.” When Ransom started to respond, the older man raised his hand. “Hear me out.” He sucked in a deep breath and heaved it out on a sigh with a nod. “I say we run these two ranches together. I’d just as soon deed you the land outright, but I have a feelin’ you wouldn’t accept that.”

  “You can be sure—” Mavis stopped at his raised hand and headshake.

  “Just wait a minute. You’ll get your turn.”

  Mavis rolled her lips together. This was indeed Arnett’s show. She caught a look between her two sons that told her they had a lot to say too.

  “We could use that barn of mine for dryin’ the lumber we mill and turn it into the furniture-makin’ place. Lucas gets married and he can move into that house, not have to build a new one or leave for Montana. Micah has a good head for mechanical stuff. I can teach him to keep that old steam engine runnin’ and use it for powerin’ all kinds of machinery. If Ransom finds some gold in that there mine, all the better. You might be needin’ to look for more help, all this begins to pan out.

  “I’m perfectly content livin’ in that bunkhouse—build a little house for my pup there on the porch, and we’ll be right as rain. I can take care of the hogs and chickens and keep that smokehouse goin’ when the rest of you are too busy. Still some good left in these old bones, but like Mavis knew, living alone was killin’ me. Now I think of it, that Mr. Porter in Hill City might be a good one to talk with about all that furniture we’ll make. He might have some ideas about marketin’ it. You know, sellin’ it.”

  He raised his cup. “Think I’ll take a refill on that now, missy.” Gretchen surged to her feet and pulled the coffeepot from the stand on the edge of the fire in the fireplace. She made the rounds refilling all the cups and still no one said a word.

  “About that wedding . . .” Cassie said softly.

  “After a pronouncement like that, why not talk about a wedding.” Ransom heaved a pent-up breath and shook his head again. “What did Reverend Brandenburg have to say?”<
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  “He’ll be out here Tuesday after dinner to perform the ceremony.” She looked to Micah. “If that is all right with you. And Runs Like a Deer.”

  Micah nodded. “That will be good.” He looked to his soon-to-be wife, and she nodded also and then quickly ducked her chin, staring down at her lap.

  Ransom looked to his mother and brother, then at Arnett. “You sure gave us a lot to think about, my friend.”

  “No more thinkin’ necessary. Let’s just go ahead with the plannin’.”

  “Arnett, you can’t just—”

  He raised his hand, palm out. “Don’t go tellin’ me what I can and can’t do. I’m an old man, and I can do what I want with what I own.”

  “But what if your daughter comes back?”

  “I’ll send her a letter if’n I can figure where to send it. Seems like I don’t have too good a luck with my family folks. Something musta happened to her too, or you think I woulda heard from her by now.”

  Mavis and the others knew how his sons had either died or left and not returned. His wife died, and years earlier two of his little girls had died of some strange illness. Children often died young. And here he was, soldiering on.

  “Now, before you go to thinkin’ on all the reasons not to do this, you think on this. What else can I do with what I got? Sell it all? And to who? I don’t wanna give you no bad neighbors, you know. And besides, I’m not real good at takin’ care of myself anymore, as you know.” He paused, squinted his eyes a bit, and raised one finger in the air. “I got it. I’ll sell it all to you—lock, stock, and barrel. Give me a piece of that paper, Ransom, and I’ll draw up the deed right now. From me to you for one dollar and lifetime care. There!” He grabbed a blank piece of paper and reached for the pencil.

  5

  Dumbfounded was now a figure of speech Cassie understood.

  Glancing around, looking from under her eyelashes, she could see the others felt much the same. Ransom had shifted to his granite look; Lucas’s eyes were wide and he was shaking his head slightly; Mavis wore straight-lined eyebrows, a sure sign she was thinking hard on how best to deal with this shock. Gretchen caught Cassie’s glance and covered a giggle. Runs Like a Deer was studying her hands in her lap. Micah kept looking from Ransom to Mavis and back, as if he expected one of them to blow at any minute.

  “I know. I dumped a big heap of my longtime thoughts in your laps, all sudden like. But I’m gettin’ up there in years and if I wake up some morning in heaven next to my dear departed wife, I don’t wanna be wishin’ I’d taken care of this sooner.” He looked to Mavis for help. “Mayhap I should have come to you first.”

  Mavis shook her head. “Dan, you’ve had time to think on this, and you just caught us all by surprise, shock rather. I mean, we’ve been trying to figure out how to buy the sawmill, and you come up with all this.”

  “I ain’t just givin’ it to you, ya know. It’s a trade-off. You give me a home—only God knows how long that might be—and I get to have the time of my life, workin’ with these fine young men, dreamin’ big dreams and runnin’ more cattle on that spread of mine . . . er . . . ours. I couldn’ do all that without you all. Don’t you see? You’d be doin’ me the biggest favor of my later life.”

  Was this the way business was done in the West? A pencil and paper deed and a handshake? From the looks on the faces of those around the room, she had an idea this wasn’t the usual way for any of them. Cassie tried to wrap her mind around all that was going on, but she had enough trouble trying to piece together enough cash money to cover the necessities for those living in the cabin. Not that they were asking for anything, but they were her responsibility. She took that on when they left the Wild West Show behind.

  She glanced at Mavis again and realized she was praying. She kept telling Cassie that God was indeed in control and had a plan for her life. A plan that showed how much He loved her and all the rest of them.

  Ransom cleared his throat. “Okay, Arnett, let’s chew on this a while. I don’t want you signing anything over to us yet.”

  “How long, son? You know I’m living on borrowed time as it is.”

  “How do you figure that? You’re healthy as that mule in our back corral. I know you’ve slowed down some, but that is to be expected.” He held up a hand when Arnett started to say something. From the look on his face, Cassie was pretty sure he was all set to argue. “Let me finish. You know it takes me a while to get the words all together.”

  The old man nodded and rolled his eyes. “You saying I’m old and you’re slow of speech? Mayhap you’re wrong on both counts.”

  “Maybe.” Ransom looked to his mother, who gave a slight nod.

  Lucas caught Cassie’s gaze but she couldn’t figure out what he wanted. Arnett’s comment about Lucas getting married. She’d not said yes. And she no more felt like saying yes now than ever. Why couldn’t she just agree? He would make a good husband. She was learning to be a good wife. He made her laugh. He wanted her to keep shooting and promised he would help make that possible.

  And now there was even the possibility of a real house. But she loved the cabin up there, even for the short time she had lived in it. But Micah and Runs Like a Deer needed a home too, and the cabin had been home to newlyweds before—Mavis and her Ivar. And what about Chief? Perhaps . . . Perhaps what?

  She realized that silence took up the room. It was so quiet that the popping of a log just thrown on the fire sounded gunshot loud. What had she missed? Why was Ransom looking at her and what did he want? He dropped his gaze back to the drawings in front of him. Arnett still had the pencil and paper.

  A funny feeling tickled the back of her neck. What had she seen in Ransom’s eyes?

  Mavis stood and headed for the coffeepot. “Anyone want more pie?”

  Runs Like a Deer rose too. “I’ll take care of it.” At the nods from those around the room, she took the tray, but Mavis shook her head.

  “Just bring the pie in here. Much easier.”

  Eating pie seemed to break the conversation barrier, but it left everyone carefully not mentioning Arnett’s offer. Something like if George were standing in the middle of the room and no one wanted to talk about the bull buffalo standing in there. Strange how people could be like that.

  When they were seated again, Mavis picked up a thread of conversation that must have been going through her mind. Or she was grasping at anything to bridge the gap. “So if you don’t mind, Micah and Runs Like a Deer, we will have the ceremony right here as soon as Reverend Brandenburg arrives. I think his missus is coming too. I will bake a cake and we can celebrate with coffee and cake. Is there anything you need?”

  Micah shook his head and smiled at his soon-to-be wife. “I haven’t seen too many folks get married. The one time was at the show, and after the ceremony, there was a big party with music and dancing, and some people brought presents like it was Christmas. We have everything we need, thanks to all of you already.” Runs Like a Deer nodded her agreement.

  “Do you have a ring for your bride?” Lucas asked.

  Micah shook his head. “We need one?”

  “No, probably not, but I’ve made you one. Let’s hope it fits. It’ll be ready for the ceremony.”

  “Well, we need to get going on the chores,” Ransom announced when he’d drained his coffee cup. He tightened the thong holding back his long hair. “I’ll take care of feeding the pigs and chickens. Gretchen, you milk and—”

  “I’ll milk and do the barn chores if you and Micah will pitch down a load of hay for the morning,” Lucas interrupted.

  Ransom and Gretchen both stared at their brother, their mouths hanging open. Lucas was volunteering to milk and do chores?

  “Are you sick—in the head, I mean?” Gretchen asked.

  Lucas tried to look innocent but failed miserably. “Just take it for what it’s worth. This way you can help Mor get the supper ready.”

  “Right. It’ll take four of us to warm up the soup.” Mavis smiled at her female
forces. “I think this calls for a celebration. Come on, I have an idea.”

  “What about me?” Arnett looked about from face to face.

  Lucas cackled. “You keep the fires burning, and perhaps you and Chief can come up with more stories for the rest of us to enjoy.”

  Arnett glanced over at Chief, who shrugged. He seemed as confused as Cassie.

  “And maybe we’ll let you be the taste testers.”

  “Hey, not fair. I’m the best taste tester.” Lucas winked at Arnett. “Taking my job away, eh?”

  Cassie followed the others to the kitchen, each of them picking up cups and plates on the way. She could at least wash dishes. That she knew how to do.

  Ransom opened the back door and turned to his mother. “There are three mighty sad-looking hounds out here. I know they’d like a chance to warm up at the fire.”

  “Well, let them in.”

  Othello came and sat in front of Cassie, staring up at her with adoring eyes. She bent to smooth back the thick coat he’d grown, now that he was outside most of the time. He and Ransom’s Benny shared the spacious doghouse on the front porch, and Arnett’s dog stayed as close to him at the bunkhouse as possible.

  “You know, Arnett, if you want your dog in the bunkhouse with you, I don’t mind a bit.”

  “You mean that?”

  “Of course. That is your house now, and you do what you want. The door is always open to this house for you too. I don’t want you holing up over there, and yet I know you are enjoying the reading time.”

  Runs Like a Deer brought the soup kettle up from the cellar and set it on the back of the stove as Mavis asked her.

  “Do you know how to make dumplings?”

  Runs Like a Deer shook her head. “Like biscuits?”

  “Sort of, but we drop the spoonfuls of dough into the boiling soup, or at times on stew.”

  “Here, we’ll have a cooking lesson for Cassie too. Dumplings are just biscuits with less flour. In fact, you can just beat an egg, add salt and flour, and drop it into the soup. That works too. This time we’ll put in some baking powder to make them lighter.”