THE BUTTERFLY
As he stood in front of the mirror combing his hair, Joe Cartwright’s thoughts were on the dance in Virginia City and the young women who were likely to be there. He was ready for a bit of romance, and hoped he might find it that evening at the town hall. With each stroke of the stiff comb through his curly brown hair, Joe pictured a different girl from town dancing with him, and mentally listed her possibilities.
“Ain’t you ready yet? Adam and I are getting tired of waiting.”
Turning, Joe looked toward his brother Hoss, who was standing in the doorway of the bedroom. “Almost ready,” Joe replied. With a grin, he added, “I want those girls in Virginia City to remember why they missed me.”
“Standing in front of that mirror for the next ten minutes ain’t going to make you any prettier,” grumbled Hoss. “And Adam and I would like to get to the dance before it’s over.”
Looking back at the mirror, Joe checked his appearance. At 22, he was still young enough to be concerned about looking mature, and vain enough to want the girls to swoon over him. He stared hard at the image reflected by the glass. His bright white shirt contrasted nicely with his face that had been tanned bronze by a summer of ranch work. The shirt was just snug enough to outline the muscled shoulders and chest built up by the same summer of work. His brown hair was neatly combed, and long and thick enough to tempt some pretty girl to run her fingers through it. Sniffing a bit, Joe could smell the fresh soap from his bath and the touch of bay rum in his hair. With a satisfied nod, Joe picked up the string tie laying on the top of the bureau.
“We’re lucky Pa is even letting us go to this dance,” said Joe, looping the tie around his neck. “I didn’t think he was going to let us do anything but eat and sleep until the branding was done.”
“Well, I guess he figured after three weeks of rounding up cattle and branding calves, we needed a break,” Hoss answered. “You have to admit we’ve been a bit testy with each other the last day or so.”
“Why, just because I almost branded you instead of that calf yesterday?” joked Joe.
“No, I think it was when I dumped Adam into the lake for suggesting we spend another hour chasing steers that did the trick,” Hoss countered with a grin.
“I wish Pa had given us some advance notice that he was going to let us go to the dance,” complained Joe. “I didn’t have time to ask anyone to be my date.”
“Neither did Adam or me,” Hoss replied, “so quit whining. Now, get a move on or you won’t even have us to go to the dance with.”
Giving the now knotted string tie a final pat, Joe turned toward his brother. “I’m ready; let’s go. Although I have to say, you two are the ugliest dates I have ever taken to a dance.”
**********
Standing by the punch bowl at the back of the town hall, Joe surveyed the crowd of people scattered around the dance floor. He had danced twice, both times with a girl he knew well and whom he considered pleasant and attractive. But neither girl had caused his heart to flutter. Now he was studying the crowd, seeking someone who piqued his interest. Almost all of the women had come with escorts, but Joe knew the unwritten rule that, once a girl had danced with her date, she was free to accept an invitation to join another man on the floor. By now, close to an hour after the dance had begun, virtually all of the women were free to accept Joe’s invitation if they wish to do so. Deciding who he wanted to ask to dance with him was proving no easy task for Joe. Once again, he found himself mentally cataloging the attributes of the young women around the hall.
“Why, Joe Cartwright, you look so serious. I thought a dance was suppose to be fun.”
Whirling around, Joe was already smiling as he recognized the voice behind him. “Sally Randall!” he exclaimed with pleasure. “I didn’t know you were home. It’s good to see you.” He leaned forward to kiss the ash-blonde girl in greeting. Out of the corner of his eye, however, Joe noticed a frown on the face of a cowboy standing next to Sally and turned greeting into a quick hug. “You look great,” said Joe, surveying with approval Sally’s trim figure accented in all the right places by a low cut mauve dress. “When did you get back?”
“About three weeks ago,” answered Sally with a smile. “I looked for you every time I came into town, but no one had seen you. I thought maybe you had moved to Carson City or something.”
“No such luck,” Joe said with a mock sigh of despair. “Pa has had us working so hard at the ranch that I haven’t been in town in almost a month.” A devilish glint suddenly appeared in Joe’s eye. “If I had known you were looking for me, though, I would snuck away and been in town in a flash.”
“Well, I wasn’t looking THAT hard,” demurred Sally with a smile.
“How was New York?” asked Joe with genuine curiosity.
“Wonderful,” Sally answered enthusiastically. “My aunt and uncle took me everywhere – plays, museums, restaurants, everything. We went to some fabulous parties, one of which was hosted by the mayor. I even managed to find time to do some shopping.” Sally pulled out her skirt a bit and flourished it to emphasize her point.
“I’ll bet you did,” said Joe with a tinge of sarcasm. “I’m surprised there are any dresses left in New York after you were unleashed on the city for, what, about two months.”
“Three months,” Sally corrected him. “It was wonderful, Joe. I almost hated to come home.”
“Almost?” asked Joe, raising his eyebrow quizzically.
“Well, all that rich food and fancy parties do tend to get a bit tedious after awhile,” Sally admitted. “I started missing my father and the ranch, as well as some plain cooking.”
“Same old Sally,” said Joe with a laugh. “Never satisfied with what you have.”
A small frown of displeasure crossed Sally’s face, but quickly disappeared. She turned toward the cowboy standing behind her, “Have you met Jed Baker, Joe?
“Don’t think so,” answered Joe pleasantly as he extended his hand. “I’m Joe Cartwright. Nice to meet you, Jed.” Briefly, Joe studied the man – tall, dark haired, and wearing a slightly faded blue shirt, black pants and black string tie. He was, Joe supposed, what the ladies would call good looking, with thick eyebrows perched over deep blue eyes, and a small clef in his chin accenting face. As Baker briefly shook his hand, Joe had a flicker of recognition, a vague feeling of seeing the man before in circumstances that had been less than pleasant. “Been around here long?” he asked, still keeping a smile on his face.
“About six months,” replied Baker briefly. “Been working at the Randall place about four months.”
“Jed’s our foreman now,” added Sally proudly.
“Foreman?” said Joe in surprise. “What happened to Jake? He’s been your foreman for as long as I can remember.”
Sally’s face sobered. “Jake had a terrible accident,” she explained. “He got caught in a landslide. He broke his leg, ribs and I don’t what else. The doctor said he was lucky to be alive. He’s staying with his sister while he recovers, and the doctor thinks it could be as long as six months or more before he’s ready to come back to work.” Sally’s face brightened. “Jed impressed my father with the way he took charge of things right after Jake got hurt, so he made him foreman, at least temporarily.”
“I see,” said Joe in a neutral voice.
“I was just doing my best to help out,” added Baker with a shrug. “I guess Mr. Randall liked what I did.”
Nodding a bit, Joe turned back to Sally. “How about a dance?”
“Sally’s my date,” interjected Baker with a scowl on his face. He edged closer to the girl -- a blatantly possessive move -- and gave Joe a hard look.
“What Jed means,” said Sally quickly, “is that we just got here and I haven’t even had a chance to dance with him yet. Maybe later?”.
“Sure,” agreed Joe, not offended. He recognized the look on Baker’s face. The cowboy had staked out his claim on Sally and was prepared to fend off all claim jumpers. Silently, Joe wished the man luck. Knowing Sally, the new foreman would be lucky to get two dances before the night was over.
The small band at the front of the hall struck up a waltz and Sally grabbed Baker’s arm. “Come on, Jed, I think this our dance.” A look of relief as well as pride appeared on the cowboy’s face as he lead Sally toward the floor. As the pair walked past Joe, though, Sally peeked over her shoulder and gave him a smile and a wink.
Watching Sally Randall and Jed Baker on the dance floor, Joe shook his head. He hoped that cowboy knew what he had on his hands. Joe was sure he would dance with Sally before the night was over, as would many of the other young men in the building. Baker would be unhappy about it, but Sally would sweet talk him out his displeasure. The new foreman at the Randall ranch may have thought he had claimed his prize, but Joe figured he would find out that holding on to Sally Randall was easier said than done.
**********
The musicians had packed up their instruments and the town hall was almost empty by the time the three Cartwright brothers left the building. Reluctant to end their first break from work in several weeks, the men had lingered in the hall until there was no point in staying any longer.
“Have a good time, little brother?” asked Hoss as he mounted his horse.
“I suppose,” answered Joe, a bit dispiritedly as climbed into his saddle.
“Didn’t you find some pretty little thing to charm?” asked Adam with a tinge of sarcasm in his voice. He kicked his horse forward and started riding slowly out of town, flanked by his two brothers.
“The most interesting girl there was Sally Randall, and I only danced with her once,” complained Joe.
“I think she danced with just about every fellow there,” commented Hoss with a grin. “Even Adam and me got a chance to swing her around the floor.”
“I know,” sighed Joe. “Every time I looked for her, Sally was already on the floor with someone else. Her date didn’t look too happy about that.”
“Look who’s talking!” laughed Adam. “You danced with just about every girl in the building.”
“Yeah, but I didn’t bring a date who spent most of the evening standing by the punch bowl scowling,” answered Joe. “That fellow, Jed Baker, looked like he could chew nails most of the night.”
“Well, at least he didn’t cause any trouble,” Adam commented. “Remember what happened a few months ago in the Silver Dollar? He practically tore that saloon apart.”
Frowning, Joe thought back, and the impression of some unpleasantness associated with Baker that had crossed his mind earlier now blossomed into a memory. As Joe recalled, he had been sipping a beer with Adam and Hoss at the bar, and idly surveying the saloon as he drank. He had seen Baker standing at the back of the saloon, talking with one of the girls. Another man had walked over and casually put a hand on the girl’s arm. Almost instantly, Baker had thrown a punch at the intruder and the fight was on. The two men fought viciously as the rest of the men in the bar watched or urged them on. By the time the sheriff had arrived to break up the melee, several tables had been overturned, a number of glasses smashed to shards and at least two chairs broken at the legs. The last thing Joe had seen of Baker was the cowboy’s back as the sheriff led him off to spend a night in jail.
“Yeah, I remember now,” Joe said, nodding slowly. “That was some fight he had over that saloon girl. I guess he’s calmed down some now that he’s the foreman over at the Randall place.”
“Foreman!” exclaimed Hoss. “What happened to ol’ Jake?”
“Some kind of accident,” explained Joe. “Sally said Jake got busted up in a landslide, and Baker is acting as foreman until Jake gets better.”
“He moves pretty fast,” Adam observed. “He’s only been around a couple of months and already he’s foreman at Randall’s ranch, and dating the boss’ daughter to boot.”
“Well, if he thinks he’s going to put his brand on that filly, he’s going to be disappointed,” remarked Hoss. “Sally don’t stay in one place or with one fellow long enough to let any grass grow under her feet.”
“Yes, she’s like a butterfly, flitting from flower to flower,” Adam agreed. “As soon as she’s had her fill of one person, she moves on to the next one without a backward glance.” He turned to Joe and gave his younger brother a sly smile. “Isn’t that right, Joe?”
“Let’s talk about something else besides Sally Randall,” answered Joe, scowling a bit.
“Why, Joe?” Hoss asked innocently. “Dating Sally Randall a sore point with you?”
“He just doesn’t like to remember the ones that got away,” said Adam with a chuckle.
“Aw, shut up,” snapped Joe. He kicked his horse forward and headed toward the Ponderosa at a lope, leaving his two laughing brothers behind.
**********
Four days of looking for strays distracted Joe from any thoughts of Sally Randall. The majority of the cattle had been rounded up and the calves cut out of the herd for branding. Now Joe and several other hands had the tough job of searching for the remaining cattle while the rest of the crew – including Adam and Hoss – kept the herd together and finished the branding. After long hours in the saddle searching the Ponderosa for stubborn steers, the object of Joe’s desire was a hot bath and a soft bed rather than an ash blonde in a mauve dress. Still, the imagine of Sally Randall lingered in Joe’s mind, and thoughts of the girl would pop up unbidden from time to time.
Carefully guiding his horse toward a box canyon, Joe was surprised to hear the bawling of cattle. The canyon was merely part of the area assigned to Joe, and he hadn’t expected to find any steers so far from the main herd. As he neared the mouth of the canyon, he was even more surprised to see a barrier made of small trees and bushes across the entrance. Behind the crude fence, ten head of cattle were contently grazing on thick grass, or sipping from a small pool formed at the base of the rocks by a steady trickle of water down the side of the canyon.
Joe looked around cautiously, keeping his left hand on his pistol, as he rode up to the mouth of the canyon. No one seemed to be around and he could see no evidence of a fire or a camp. Whoever had fenced in the cattle appeared to have left them alone, at least for now. Nevertheless, Joe remained alert for any unusual sound or movement as he dismounted and began pulling apart the barrier.
After creating an opening in the roughly built fence, Joe remounted and rode toward the cattle. It took him only a few minutes to bunch up the steers and head them toward the opening. As he herded the cattle out of the canyon, Joe inspected the steers. A deep frown crossed his face.
Almost an hour later, Joe’s little bunch of steers was nearing the main herd. Joe stopped the steers and allowed them to start grazing a short distance from the much larger group of cattle. At the edge of the main herd, his father, Ben Cartwright, sat comfortably on his buckskin horse, watching as Hoss flipped a calf onto its side and Adam quickly applied a branding iron to the flank of the bawling animal.
“Hey, Pa,” Joe shouted as he rode up to the three men. “I found ten head up in that box canyon near Snowshoe Ridge.”
Turning a bit in the saddle, Ben nodded approvingly at his youngest son. “Good. Drive them into the main herd. Any calves with that bunch?”
“No calves,” answered Joe as he stopped his horse next to his father, “but there’s something strange about those cattle.”
“They’re not sick, are they?” asked Ben in an alarmed voice.
“You know better than to bring diseased cattle so close to the main herd,” added Adam in disapproving tone as he looked up from the branding fire.
“No, they’re not sick,” Joe replied. “But they are branded with a rocking R. They’re Randall steers, not Ponderosa cattle.”
“Randall steers?” said Hoss in surprise. “Up by Snowshoe Ridge? What were they doing up there?”
“They must have found the Ponderosa grass awfully tempting to wander so far from home,” remarked Adam.
“Well, if they did, then they also built a fence across the canyon to keep themselves there,” Joe stated with a small smile.
“Rustlers?” said Ben, frowning. “Did you see anyone around?”
“No, I didn’t, “ answered Joe. “No camp, no running irons, nothing. I figure whoever took those cattle penned them up in the canyon for now and was planning to come back for them later.”
“Why drive Randall steers all the way over here to the Ponderosa?” asked Hoss. “Why not just take some of our cattle?”
“Probably the rustlers started with Randall’s herd and were planning to add some of our cattle to their collection,” suggested Adam. “They drove the steers over here so it would be easier to keep track of them while they stole some of our cattle. Only we put a crimp their plans by starting the round-up early. Joe found their little cache before they could add to it, or change the brands and sell them.”
“You may be right, Adam,” Ben agreed. He thought for a moment, then continued. “Tell the men to be on the look out for any strangers or anything unusual. If those rustlers are still around, I don’t want any of the hands running across them and getting surprised.”
“What about those Randall steers?” asked Hoss, jerking his head a bit in the direction of the small bunch Joe had left several yards away. “What are we going to do with them?”
“Well, I suppose the best thing to do is take them back,” answered Ben slowly. “Somebody will have to drive them over to the Randall ranch and tell John what happened.”
“I’ll do it,” Joe volunteered quickly.
“Awful eager, ain’t you, little brother,” said Hoss, grinning. “Couldn’t be that you’re hoping to see Sally Randall when you return them steers.”
“Trading in a hard saddle for a soft chair in the Randall’s parlor,” Adam added, also with a wide smile. “Not a bad way to spend the afternoon.”
“I’m just trying to do what’s best,” replied Joe, trying hard to keep an innocent look on his face. “Whoever returns those steers should be able to tell Mr. Randall where we found his cattle.” Then Joe’s face broke into a smile. “Besides, it’s finder’s keepers. I found those cattle and I’m keeping them until they’re home.”
“Sounds like a step away from rustling to me,” grumbled Hoss.
“What about it, Pa?” asked Joe as he turned to his father. “Is it all right if I take those steers back to the Randall place?”
“Go ahead,” answered Ben, smiling indulgently at his youngest son. “But be sure to tell John where you found those steers and about the rustlers. He’ll probably want to put some extra men on his herd.”
“Thanks, Pa.” Joe turned his horse and quickly kicked the pinto into a lope, wanting to be off before his father changed his mind.
“And be home in time for supper,” Ben called toward the back of his retreating son.
Joe waved a hand in acknowledgement as he rode toward the small herd. Whether the wave meant that he would be back in time for supper or merely that Joe had heard his father, no one was sure.
“We’d better warn Hop Sing that Joe might be late,” said Ben with a sigh.
**********
Herding ten steers who were interested in staying in the thick grass was no easy task, but Joe was up to the challenge. He whistled, cajoled and pushed the cattle in the direction of the Randall ranch for close to two hours. Once the steers started to recognize the landscape that surrounded their home pasture, they began to move forward more rapidly, displaying an eagerness to return to familiar territory. But Joe had no intention of letting the cattle merely return to their pasture. He guided them away from the open grass and toward the main house of the Randall ranch. He wanted John Randall to see the cattle he was returning and explain how he found them. The fact that Sally might be around to see him rescuing her father’s property was just an added bonus as far as Joe was concerned.
The Randall ranch house was in view of both Joe and his reluctant charges when a rider came racing toward him. Joe wasn’t surprised to recognize the man as Jed Baker. It was only natural that the foreman would come to check out a lone cowboy herding steers toward the house.
“Cartwright!” exclaimed Baker as he pulled his horse to a stop a few feet from Joe. “What are you doing?” The foreman took a hard look at the steers in front of Joe. “Where’d you get them cattle? They got a Randall brand on them.”
“I know,” Joe answered evenly. “We found them on the Ponderosa.”
A startled look crossed Baker’s face, almost as if he were shocked by Joe’s announcement, but the expression was quickly replaced with a scowl. “Found them? I’ll bet you did. More than likely, somebody from the Ponderosa stole them.”
Joe bristled at the accusation from the foreman, but kept his temper in check. “Baker, you’re new around here, so I’m going to let that pass. I told you we found these steers, and that’s all there is to it. But let me give you a piece of advice. You’d better have some hard evidence before you accuse anyone from the Ponderosa of stealing cattle. Otherwise, you’re going to find yourself with more trouble than you can handle.”
Turning away from Baker, Joe yelled and whistled at the cattle in front of him, spurring them on to a quicker pace. He ignored the man riding a few paces behind him and kept the steers moving toward the ranch house.
In the yard in front of the Randall house, a man was sitting at a grindstone, his feet peddling slowly to move the abrasive rock while his hands held the edge of an ax against the turning stone. John Randall was a tall, wiry man whose weather-beaten face and hands were testament to a lifetime of ranching. Tufts of black hair salted with white stands poked out from beneath a sweat-stained hat, and flecks of dust dotted his blue shirt and dark brown pants. As he spotted the riders and the cattle moving toward the house, Randall dropped the ax to the ground and got up from his seat He waited patiently until the cattle had moved past him and the two riders stopped in front of him.
“Hello, Joe,” Randall greeted the young Cartwright. “What have you got here?”
“Some of your cattle, Mr. Randall,” replied Joe. “We found them on the Ponderosa.” He glanced over his shoulder at Baker. “Your foreman here seems to think maybe we stole them.”
“Stole them!” exclaimed Randall with a laugh. “What a ridiculous idea! The Ponderosa has more cattle than any other spread in Nevada. Why would you want a couple of my steers? And even if you did, why would you return them after you stole them?” The rancher shook his head in disbelief. “Cartwrights stealing cattle? That’s the dumbest thing I ever heard.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Joe saw Baker lower his head and press his lips into a tight line as a light flush of red crept up the man’s neck. Satisfied that he had his revenge for the cowboy’s rash accusation, Joe turned his attention back to John Randall.
“Well, he may not be all wrong,” Joe admitted. “I found them in a box canyon up on Snowshoe Ridge. Somebody had put up a rough fence to keep them in the canyon. That’s a long way for your cattle to stray, and they sure didn’t put up that fence.”
“You’re right,” agreed Randall, nodding slowly. “Looks like someone has been helping themselves to my herd. Why do you think they hid them on the Ponderosa? Trying to get you Cartwrights in trouble maybe?”
“Could be,” Joe said. “But Adam figures it’s more likely they stashed the cattle in the canyon until they could change the brands and sell them. Maybe add a few steers from our herd and some others before they moved out. Nobody goes up that way much and the rustlers probably figured the cattle safe in the canyon for awhile. They would have been, too, except Pa started the round-up and branding a month early.”
“You doing round-up already?” asked Randall in surprise. “How come?”
“The Union Pacific offered to buy 200 head to feed the crews building track near Sacramento,” explained Joe. “Since we already have a deal with the cattle broker in Salt Lake City, Pa wanted to be sure we had enough cattle to fill both contracts. That meant rounding up the herd and counting them. And since we’re doing round-up, Pa figured we might as well get the branding out of the way too.”
“You think you got enough cattle?” asked Randall.
“Well, I haven’t seen the tally, but the herd sure seems big enough,” answered Joe. “Pa has us out scouring the countryside, though, making sure we don’t miss any. That’s how I ended up at Snowshoe Ridge.”
“You tell your Pa that if he comes up short, to let me know,” said Randall. “I’ll sell him whatever extra beef he needs at cost.”
“Thank you, sir,” replied Joe. “I’m sure he’ll appreciate that.”
Suddenly, a figure in a green dress strolled out of the house and gracefully perched on the low fence around the porch, her back resting against the pole supporting the roof. “Hello, Joe,” said Sally in an inviting tone. “Nice of you to come calling.”
“Hi, Sally,” replied Joe, touching the brim of his hat. “I’m afraid this isn’t a social call, though. I was just bring back some cattle.”
“It’s a long ride from the Ponderosa,” Sally observed. “Wouldn’t you like to stay awhile and catch your breath before heading back?” Seeing a frown forming on Baker’s face, she hastily added, “You look like you could use a break, too, Jed.”
“I think Mr. Cartwright has to head back to the Ponderosa right away, “ stated Baker, still frowning.
“I think Mr. Cartwright can answer for himself, “ Joe countered, smiling at Sally. “I guess I could spare a few minutes to visit with an old friend.”
With a shrewd eye, John Randall looked at the inviting smile on his daughter’s face, then turned to observe the grin on Joe’s face as well as the frown on Baker’s. It was obvious to the rancher that some sparks were about to fly, but he wasn’t sure between whom.
“Joe, why don’t you and Jed herd those cattle into the corral by the barn,” Randall suggested almost abruptly. “I want to feed and water them here tonight so I can check the steers before sending them back out to pasture. When you’re done, come on up to the house. I think all of us could use a break.”
“Sure,” agreed Joe, still smiling in Sally’s direction.
“I’ll go in and make up a pitcher of lemonade,” offered Sally. Slowly, she uncoiled her body and stood up straight. Then, walking unhurriedly, she returned to the house, making sure the men behind her could see the slight sway of her hips as she walked.
“I’ll go give Sally a hand,” Randall said. “You boys come on into the house as soon as you get those cattle settled.” The rancher walked quickly to the front door of his house, wanting to have a word with his daughter about playing with fire before the two potential powder kegs joined them.
It took only a few minutes for Joe and Baker to guide the cattle from the front yard into the corral. Neither man looked at each other and the only sound was the low bawling of the cattle, punctuated by an occasional whistle or low shout from their two drovers. As soon as the steers were in the pen, Baker dismounted and closed the gate. He watched as Joe got off his horse and led the pinto toward the side of the corral.
“Um, Cartwright,” Jed started tentatively, “I guess I shouldn’t have said what I did before. It’s just that, well, I guess I was trying to protect Mr. Randall’s property. I don’t like the idea of anyone taking something that don’t belong to him, whether it’s Mr. Randall’s – or mine.”
As he tied the reins of his pinto to the rail of the corral, Joe neither looked at or answered Baker. He understood the implied apology as well as the implied threat in the foreman’s words, and wasn’t sure how he wanted to react to them. He used the brief time it took to finish tying the reins and give his horse an affectionate pat on the neck to decide, and elected to the give the tall cowboy the benefit of the doubt. Walking over to Baker, Joe leaned against the corral and looked the foreman squarely in the eye.
“Like I said, Baker, you’re new around here,” began Joe in an even tone, “ and I’ve known Sally and her father most of my life. So let me tell you a few things. First off, John Randall doesn’t need anyone to fight his battles for him. He built this place from a small cabin and a few head of cattle into one of the finest ranches in Nevada. No one does something like that without being smart and tough, and Mr. Randall is both. He may give his hands a good bit of leeway, but he knows how to run his ranch. You’d be better off remembering who is really in charge of this place.” For the second time in the last hour, Baker looked down and flushed a bit.
“As far as Sally goes,” Joe continued, “I wouldn’t get my hopes up if I were you. Sally is a nice girl and fun to be with but she....well, let’s just say she’s easily distracted.”
Abruptly, Baker looked up. “What do you mean by that?”
“What I mean is,” answered Joe, struggling to find the right words to explain, “that Sally can be very enthusiastic about something but then someone or something else will suddenly attract her attention. Next thing you know, she’s moved on. My brother called her a butterfly and that’s a pretty good description. She stays in one place long enough to make you think you can catch her, but, then all of a sudden, she’s gone and you’ve got nothing but air.” Seeing the look of disbelief on Baker’s face, Joe continued. “Do you know what she was doing six months ago? Dating this young lawyer in Virginia City. Sally was all excited about the idea of living in town and talking about how this lawyer could be a judge someday soon. Then she got a letter from her aunt, inviting her to come visit her in New York. She started packing right away. The way I heard it, the lawyer begged her to stay and even asked her to marry him, but Sally suddenly wasn’t interested in anything except going to New York. He was so broken up that he left town the day after she took the stage east.”
“You make her sound mean,” Baker protested. “Sally isn’t like that.”
“No, Sally isn’t mean,” agreed Joe. “She just doesn’t know what she wants out of life, but she keeps right on looking for it. Sally was ten when her mother died, and that’s about the time her father started indulging her every whim. Somewhere along the line, Sally decided the whole world would treat her like her father. She really believes that if she wants to do something, she should just go ahead and do it, and never mind the consequences. Sally never intends to hurt anyone, but she honestly believes her feelings are more important than anyone else’s. And she thinks the rest of the world believes that also.”
Baker frowned. “I don’t believe you. You’re just saying all this because you’re interested in Sally for yourself.”
“Me?“ replied Joe with a grim laugh. “I was one of Sally’s early conquests. For three months or so, I thought I was the love of her life. Then there was a rodeo in Virginia City and I lost the bronc riding contest to this big, good-looking cowboy from the Bar B. Next thing I knew, Sally was sitting next to him at the barbeque and I was sitting there nursing my bruises. Suddenly, she didn’t have time for me any more, at least until the day I finally caught up with her in town and she gave me the “let’s be friends” speech. I was pretty mad about the way she treated me, and I didn’t like seeing her with this other fellow. Then one day, she gets invited to go to San Francisco with Donna Burke’s family. Next thing you know, she’s kissing her cowboy good-bye and heading for California. When she got back about six weeks later, Sally barely remembered the guy’s name. That’s when I realized what happened had nothing to do with me. Sally is….just Sally.”
“Well, she may have been like that in the past, but Sally is different now,” said Baker, sounding a bit unsure about the truth of his statement. “She told me she’s home to stay and wants to build a life here.”
“Sally always believes what she’s doing at the time is what she really wants,” Joe answered, shaking his head a bit. “Maybe she has changed. But I wouldn’t count on it if I were you.”
“You seem awfully anxious to spend time with Sally,” commented Baker, the suspicion evident in his voice. “Especially for someone who doesn’t think she’d be interested in him for very long.”
“I like Sally a lot,” admitted Joe. “She’s pretty, interesting and fun. I was hurt when she dropped me, but that was a long time ago, and I understand her now. I don’t have any illusions about Sally, but that doesn’t spot me from wanting to be with her.” He hesitated a moment, and then added honestly, “I think in the back of my mind, I’m like you – hoping that she’s changed and maybe she’s ready to get serious about someone. I guess I’m curious to find out.”
“You had your chance,” Baker stated with a scowl. “I think Sally made it clear you weren’t for her.”
Before Joe could reply to the foreman’s pronouncement, the subject of their conversation appeared on the front porch. “Joe! Jed!” called Sally from the house. “Hurry up! The lemonade’s ready.”
“On our way,” shouted Joe as he straightened up and started toward the house.
Abruptly, Baker grabbed Joe’s arm. “Cartwright, I’m not sure what your game is but understand this. Sally is seeing me now, and I don’t want you hanging around her.”
“I think that’s up to Sally to decide,” answered Joe, pushing Baker’s arm away. He walked with long strides toward the girl waiting on the porch, forming his face into a warm smile as he deliberately left Baker behind.
The next hour was more like a chess match than a refreshing break in the day. Sally maneuvered her willing pawns, smiling sweetly at Jed but casually resting a hand on Joe’s shoulder as she refilled his glass. She made both men feel like she was talking only to him as she chatted about New York as well as asked about the work on their respective ranches. For their part, Joe and Jed tried to checkmate each other as they bragged about their accomplishments. And all the while, John Randall tried to protect his queen from the two knights by dropping strong hints that Sally’s plans for the future didn’t include settling down. By the time Joe reluctantly got up to leave, the competitive atmosphere in the ranch house rivaled any game played by aspiring grand masters.
“You tell your Pa thanks for sending those cattle back, Joe”, Randall said as he walked Joe to the door. “And don’t forget what I said about selling him some steers if he comes up short.”
“I won’t,” Joe promised. He looked past the rancher and smiled Sally. “Thanks for the lemonade and cookies.”
“You’re welcome, Joe,” Sally replied, smiling at the young Cartwright in return. “I hope I’ll see you again soon.”
“Joe’s going to be pretty busy finishing the round-up and branding,” Barker said with a triumphant look on his face. “He probably won’t be getting away from the Ponderosa much. Just like me, he’s going to have stay close to home for awhile.”
“You know, it might not be a bad idea for us to start round-up and branding,” remarked Randall thoughtfully. “The sooner we get it done, the better position I’ll be in to sell some of the herd.”
“Sound like you might be out riding the range for awhile, Jed,” said Joe, returning Baker’s smug look. “Of course, we’re almost finished and I’ll have a lot more free time pretty soon.”
“I’m sure both you young fellows have plenty of work to keep your busy,” Randall stated pointedly. He subtly moved Joe out the door. “Give my regards to your father.”
“I will,” answered Joe. “I’ll be seeing you, Sally,” His smile was directed at the girl, but his eyes were on Baker. “It’s important for old friends to keep in touch, you know,” Joe added pointedly. Turning quickly, Joe left the house and walked across the yard toward his pinto. He whistled a tune softly as he untied the reins of the horse and mounted. The whistling was a bit off-key and hard to identify but any listener would have been able to recognized the sound of a victory march.
**********
Almost another week passed before Ben was satisfied that the whole herd had been rounded up, all the calves branded, and steers accurately counted. Joe was profoundly grateful to hear his father finally announce that the men could stop searching for strays; he felt like he had ridden over very square inch of the Ponderosa looking for steers. The thought not having to spend long days in the saddle for awhile brought a gleam of happiness to Joe’s eye for more than one reason.
While searching the all the nooks and crannies of the Ponderosa for missing cattle, Joe had spent time sorting out his feelings about Sally. He was honest enough to admit that part of his desire to attract the young girl had to do with Baker. He disliked the man, thought the Randall foreman was arrogant and opportunistic. Joe would like nothing better than to win Sally’s affection away from Jed Baker.
At the same time, Joe wasn’t sure that he really wanted to get involved with Sally again. Despite his pronouncement to Baker about understanding the girl, Joe knew he could find himself falling into the old trap of thinking he really was the true object of Sally’s affections this time, only to be rebuffed by the girl when some other man caught her eye. He had been hurt by Sally once, and he sure didn’t want to put himself through that pain again. And he wasn’t even sure how Sally felt about him. Sally had flirted with him at the Randall ranch, but then, Sally flirted with everyone. She had encouraged Baker as much as she had encouraged Joe. After one dance with him at the town hall, she had moved on to other partners without a backwards glance.
After days of riding and thinking, Joe was no closer to sorting out his relationship with Sally than when he had left the Randall ranch. He did, however, have a strategy. He would find an opportunity to talk with Sally and see if he could ascertain her feelings toward him. His encounter with her would be casual -- a “chance meeting” rather than a formal date like a picnic -- to avoid the risk of putting both of them in an awkward situation. He would be an old friend, simply catching up on news, talking about mutual acquaintances, and reviving shared memories. Joe felt sure he would be able to tell if there were a strong attraction between Sally and him if he could only spend a little time alone with her.
The trick, Joe decided, was going to be finding time to be alone with Sally. With two separate herds to move, Joe was sure to be tied up on a cattle drive for awhile. He tried to decide which drive to volunteer for. The Union Pacific herd needed to be driven to Sacramento right away. That meant about two weeks away from home, herding cattle over a rough mountain trail. Two weeks was a long time to give Baker a clear field.
On the other hand, the cattle drive to the railhead in Ogden wouldn’t be leaving for two or three weeks. The downside to being on that drive, though, was that this herd was a large one and Ogden was a good distance away. That meant being away from home for close to four weeks, not to mention the time needed beforehand to prepare for such a large drive. If Joe volunteered for that drive, he’d probably have a chance to “run into” Sally. But then, Joe would be gone for almost a month – long enough for Sally to change her mind about him, or have Baker do it for her.
The long days chasing strays gave Joe a chance to think but brought him no closer to any answers about Sally, the cattle drives, or much else. By the time his Pa had declared the herd was all rounded up, Joe decided that cattle were much easier to deal with than people.
Once he and Hoss had set the rotation of hands to watch the herd and keep the steers from straying again, Joe rode hard to the Ponderosa ranch house. He wanted to be in the house when his father and older brother finished checking the tally of the herd and completed their calculations of what was needed to fill the contracts. He had told Ben of John Randall’s offer to provide extra cattle, but Joe wanted to be near to remind his father of the offer if necessary, as well as volunteer to ride over to the Randall ranch to talk to John Randall….and perhaps Sally.
“Hey, Pa!” called Joe as he entered the house, slamming the door behind him. “Did you finish the tally?”
“Joseph, couldn’t you just once walk into this house without trying to wake the dead?” Ben complained in a loud voice from behind his desk in the den.
“Sorry, Pa,” Joe apologized as he hurried toward the alcove where his father and brother sat. Adam was perched in a chair next to his father’s desk, studying a piece of paper in his hand. “What’s the tally?” Joe asked again.
“We’re in good shape,” answered Adam. “Even taking into the consideration that we miscounted by a few head, we have more than enough to fill both contracts and still have a good size herd left.”
“That’s…good new,” Joe said slowly. He was disappointed but not surprised at Adam’s announcement. His practiced eye had estimated the size of the herd was going to be sufficient to meet their needs.
“Yes, it was a good summer,” agreed Ben, nodding. “The herd grew nice and fat.” He turned to Adam. “When you send the telegram to the Union Pacific confirming the contract, tell them they can send their drovers to pick up the cattle whenever they want.”
“Pick up the cattle?” said Joe, taken aback. “You mean we aren’t going to drive them to Sacramento?”
“No, the contract says the railroad will pick up the cattle,” replied Ben. He raised his eyebrows a bit. “It was your idea, remember?”
“As I recall, your exact comment was that if the railroad wanted those steers so much, they should come get them and save us the trouble of driving them over the mountains to Sacramento,” Adam added in a dry tone.
Almost at once, Joe recalled the remark he had made when a four Cartwrights were discussing the possible contract with the Union Pacific Railroad a month or so ago. At the time, he had been voicing a complaint rather than making a serious suggestion, but if it would avoid having to drive a herd of steers over the rugged trail to California, Joe was all for the idea. “Of course, I remember saying it,” Joe told his brother. “I just didn’t think anyone was listening.”
“We always listen,” Adam said wryly, “in the off chance that you might actually come up with an intelligent idea. It just doesn’t happen that often.”
“Adam,” Ben admonished his oldest son, “Joe’s idea was a good one. You said so yourself.”
“Yeah, I guess I did,” admitted Adam with a shrug.
“When did the railroad agree to pick up the cattle?” asked Joe. “I don’t remember you telling us about it.”
“I mentioned it the night you came back from delivering those steers to Randall’s place, “ answered Ben, looking a bit puzzled.
“I guess I had other things on my mind that night,” Joe said a bit sheepishly. “So the railroad really went for the deal?”
“It’s a good deal for both sides,” explained Ben. “With the railroad sending their own drovers, we can save the cost and trouble of hiring an extra crew. We reduced the price of the cattle a bit to reflect that savings. Since the Union Pacific keeps their drovers on salary, it doesn’t cost them extra to send drovers and they get the cattle at a cheaper price. We’ll be able to concentrate on getting ready to drive the rest of the herd to the railhead at Ogden. And the railroad will be able to deliver the steers to their camps faster since they won’t have to wait on our herd to show up in Sacramento. Everyone is happy.”
“Except maybe the drovers who were counting on a few days in Sacramento, waiting for us to deliver the cows to them,” said Joe with a grin.
“Adam, why don’t you plan to go to Virginia City tomorrow to send that telegram,” suggested Ben.
Suddenly, Sally’s comment at the dance about looking for him in town crossed Joe’s mind. “Hey, Pa, how about letting me send that telegram? After all, it was my idea.”
“Well, I suppose that would be all right,” Ben answered slowly. “Adam, do you see any reason why Joe couldn’t make the trip to town tomorrow?”
“Other than he might get sidetracked in town?” Adam said with a grin. “No, I don’t see why not. Anyone can send a telegram. I’ll write it out tonight.”
It occurred to Joe that the next day was Friday, the day when most of the women from the ranches came into town to do their shopping for the week. The ladies liked to avoid Saturday when the town was filled with cowboys hung over from their Friday night drinking or arriving early to start their Saturday revelry. If Sally was in town the next day, she would almost certainly come to the General Store eventually.
“You know, Pa, while I’m in town, it might not be a bad idea for me to stop by the General Store and let Mr. Greevey know what we’re going to need for the drive to Ogden in a few weeks,” Joe offered. “That way, he can make sure he has everything and we’ll save time when we’re ready to pick up the supplies.” He didn’t add that such a list would give him a good excuse to hang around the General Store for awhile.
“Wow, two good ideas in one month!” exclaimed Adam, opening his eyes wide. “That’s got to be a record.”
“Adam.” Ben warned his oldest son once more with the tone of his voice. Looking at Joe, he nodded approvingly. “That is a good idea. Why don’t you work out a rough list tonight to give to Greevey. It doesn’t need to be exact, just close enough to make sure he has the supplies on hand when we need them.”
“Sure, Pa,” Joe agreed readily. In the back of his mind, he was already working out a plan to “bump into” Sally in Virginia City and invite her to coffee at the hotel.
“You know, Joe,” said Adam in a serious tone, “you are starting to come up with some pretty good ideas. I would have never thought it of you, but I guess I was wrong.”
“Adam,” replied Joe, giving his brother a cheeky gin, “you’d be amazed at the ideas I can come up with.”
**********
After almost two hours in Virginia City, Joe’s confidence in his plan was beginning to ebb. When he arrived in town, Joe had tied his horse to the hitching post near the hotel and strolled toward the General Store. He had appeared to be walking casually; only the most alert observer would have noticed his eyes moving rapidly as they searched the streets and sidewalks for a familiar figure. At the General Store, Joe had stood by the door and looked inside. Four women were busy with their shopping, but none of the four were Sally.
A bit disappointed but not discouraged, Joe had left the General Store and walked slowly to the telegraph office. He made the clerk read the telegraph to him before the man sent it, and then insisted on waiting for a confirmation of the wire’s receipt. While neither his Pa or Adam had mentioned the confirmation, Joe figured they would be pleased that he had thought to ask for it. Besides, it gave Joe an excuse to hang around the telegraph office for awhile.
Tucking the piece of paper with the confirmation into his jacket, Joe had taken a leisurely walk toward the General Store once again. He figured at least thirty minutes – maybe more – had passed since his first visit. As before, Joe had stopped outside the door and looked into the shop. This time, there were six women in the store, four of them different from the earlier shoppers, but none of them had been Sally.
Feeling more than a hint of frustration, Joe had turned and walked away from the store once more. He had headed to the Post Office to pick up the mail, a last minute chore his father had imposed on him before he left the ranch. Joe had made this job take as long as possible -- chatting with the clerk, inspecting each letter in the stack that had been handed to him, and strolling slowly back to where his horse was tied next to the hotel. He had carefully placed the mail in his saddlebags, taking the time to tie the leather tongs of the bag tightly. Patting his horse affectionately on the rump, Joe had searched the street and sidewalks again with his eyes. Then he took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and once more headed toward the General Store.
Now, as he stood a few feet from the door of the General Store, Joe wondered what he should do next if Sally wasn’t in the store. The saloon held little appeal for him. He had no desire to chat with Sally with the smell of beer on his breath and the stench of stale cigar smoke on his clothes. He supposed he could wander down to the sheriff’s office and mention finding the Randall cattle on the Ponderosa to Roy Coffee but since the cattle had been returned, the sheriff would probably find the conversation of little interest.
Crossing his fingers a bit, Joe walked to the door of the General Store and looked in. A large grin broke out on his face as he saw the back of an ash-blonde girl standing near the counter in the store.
“…one pound of sugar, and three pounds of flour,” Sally was saying to a balding, middle-aged man behind the counter as Joe walked up next to her.
“Hi, Sally,” Joe greeted the young woman, trying to sound as if he were surprised to find her in the store.
Turning a bit, Sally smiled at Joe. “Why, hello, Joe. How nice to see you.”
“Ordering supplies for the ranch?” asked Joe, then cursed himself silently. What else would Sally be doing in the store?
“Yes,” Sally replied. “Wah Ming seems to run out of things regularly, although I guess that’s expected with having to feed me, my father and ten hands three meals a day.” Wah Ming was the long-time cook and general housekeeper at the Randall ranch, filling a role similar to Hop Sing’s at the Ponderosa.
“Miss Sally, it’s going to take me a bit of time to pull this order together,” said Greevey from behind the counter. “There’s two ladies who put their orders in ahead of you.”
Joe could have blessed the man for his comment.
Turning to Joe, Greevey added, “What can I get for you, Joe? I’ll put your order together right after I finish Ms. Sally’s order.”
Reaching quickly into the pocket of his jacket, Joe pulled out two papers – one, the confirmation telegram and the other, his carefully crafted list of supplies. Fumbling with the papers a bit, Joe finally got the right one in his hand. He noticed an amused smile on Sally’s face as he handed the small white sheet to the storekeeper. “We don’t need anything right away.” Joe explained. “This is the list of supplies we’re going to need in two weeks for the cattle drive. Pa wanted to be sure you had enough on hand when we come in to pick it up.”
“Well, that’s right thoughtful of your Pa,” Greevey said, taking the paper from Joe. The storekeeper studied the writing for a moment. He had long practice at reading Joe’s scrawl and deciphered the words with no trouble. “I don’t see anything that should cause a problem. I’m getting a little low on coffee but I’ll send in a double order next week to make sure I have enough when you come in.”
“Thanks,” replied Joe.
“You’re leaving on a cattle drive in a few weeks?” Sally asked.
Joe tried to tell if there was a hint of disappointment in her voice. “Yeah, driving the herd to the railhead at Ogden,” he said. He hesitated a moment, then added, “Hey, Sally, since it’s going to take Mr. Greevey awhile to fill your order, how about you and me having a cup of coffee over at the hotel? We really haven’t had a chance to catch up since you’ve been back.” Joe attempted to sound as if the idea had just occurred to him.
“Why, that would be nice, Joe,” answered Sally. “Thank you.” She turned back to the storekeeper. “I’ll be back in a little while to pick up my order.”
“It’ll be waiting for you, Ms. Sally,” Greevey assured the young woman. He quickly brought his hand to his mouth to hide the smile that had formed there. Joe Cartwright looked as pleased as a peacock with himself, and Sally Randall was smiling warmly at the young man as she slipped her hand into the crook of his arm. Some things never change, the storekeeper thought to himself.
**********
“…and I heard Mary Dawes is marrying Brett Jones,” said Sally, pausing for a moment to catch her breathe and take a sip of coffee. She was seated across from Joe at a small table in the practically deserted dining room of the International House hotel. The only other people in the dining room were a middle-aged man finishing a late lunch, and two older women who were sampling a slice of the hotel’s famous apple pie. All of them were much more interested in their food than the young couple sitting at the small table in the back. Even the waitress, who came by periodically to refill the cups sitting on the starched white table cloth in front of Joe and Sally, showed only polite interest in the pair.
“I didn’t see Mary and Brett at the dance,” Sally added, “so I’m not sure if it’s true.”
“They got engaged at the Spring Harvest Dance,” Joe confirmed. “They weren’t at the dance last week because Brett is on a cattle buying trip with Mary’s father.“
“Well, I’m sorry I missed them,” stated Sally. “I would have liked to offer my congratulations, as well as see Mary’s ring.” Suddenly, she grinned widely. “It’s about time they got married. Mary has been making cow-eyes at Brett since we were in school. And Brett told me over a year ago that he fancied Mary but was too shy to ask her out. I had to practically push him in her direction at the church picnic last summer.”
Leaning back in his chair, Joe smiled. For the past twenty minutes or so, he and Sally had been chatting about mutual friends and local events. The conversation was pleasant as well as entertaining, and Joe was enjoying himself. But, so far, the discussion had been about rather impersonal topics and Joe was no closer to picking up any clues to Sally’s feelings about him. He decided it was time to nudge their exchange into a new direction.
“What about you?” asked Joe, trying to sound casual. “Are you making cow-eyes at anyone special?”
Me?” answered Sally, raising her eyebrows. She stirred her coffee and silently contemplated Joe’s question for a moment. “No, I guess not. No one is making my heart beat a little faster right now.”
Feeling a tug of disappointment, Joe pressed the issue. “At the ranch the other day, I thought….well, it kind of seemed like old times. I remember when I was always stopping by your place for a cup of coffee and ending up spending the afternoon with you.”
“And my father was hovering around like a mother hen, just like he did back then,” added Sally with a laugh. Suddenly, her face sobered as she seemed to realize what Joe was hinting at. “Joe,” she said in a serious voice, “I consider us as friends, good friends. I hope we will always be that. But, that’s all we’ll ever be – friends.”
Joe looked down at his half-filled coffee cup and, for several moments, said nothing. Then, raising his eyes, he said slowly, “I guess, deep down, I knew that. It’s just that when I was at the ranch, you seemed – I don’t know – interested in being more than just friends.”
“I’m sorry, Joe; that was my fault,” admitted Sally. She looked away for a moment, then turned back to Joe. “When I was in New York, I had a long talk with my aunt about what love really means, what it’s like to truly give your heart to someone. I suppose that it was the kind of talk that most girls have with their mothers at some point, but I never had that chance. My aunt helped me realize that what I always considered love was really infatuation. Her thinking was that I always find an excuse to break things off when someone seems to be getting too serious because, somewhere inside, I know it’s not true love, that it’s not going to really work out.” Sally shrugged. “I guess maybe she’s right.”
“That must have been some conversation,” said Joe, giving Sally a small smile.
“Well, it was really several conversations,” Sally said, returning Joe’s smile. Then she grew serious again. “I’m not sure what true love really is, but I know I haven’t found it yet. “
“Then what was going on at the ranch the other day?” asked Joe, more curious than upset. “You acted like you were trying to rekindle the flames.”
“Old habits die hard, Joe,” replied Sally. “When I’m around someone I like, I want to make sure they like me back. I get carried away, I guess.” She reached across the table and covered Joe’s right hand with hers. “I am sorry, Joe. Truly. I didn’t mean to mislead you like that.”
Reaching out his left hand, Joe patted the top of Sally’s hand. “You know, I told Jed Baker the other day that I understood you,” said Joe. “I guess I was wrong.” He frowned a bit as a thought crossed his mind. “What about Jed? You seemed interested in him too.”
“Jed?” answered Sally, a bit surprised. “He’s nice. I enjoy his company. But I’m not serious about Jed. He’s just someone I like being with.
“Until someone better comes along,” Joe finished for her. “You know, Sally, I’m not sure Jed understands how you feel about him. He seemed to think there was something more going on between you.”
Before Sally could answer, Baker entered the dining room and walked with long, deliberate strides toward the small table in the back of the room. His face formed into a frown as he noted Joe and Sally holding hands.
“Hello, Sally,” Baker said, pointedly ignoring Joe. “I thought you said you’d be at the store.”
Quickly, Sally slipped her hand away from Joe’s. “Hello, Jed. I was at the store, but since Mr. Greevey was going to need some time to fill my order, Joe and I thought we’d visit for awhile. You know Joe, of course.”
Forced to acknowledge the other man’s presence, Baker turned to Joe. “Cartwright, I thought you’d be out doing your round-up instead of wasting time in town,” Baker said curtly.
“We finished the round-up. What’s your excuse?” replied Joe, equally as brusque as the foreman standing over him.
“Thought I’d take your advice,” replied Baker almost smugly. “Mr. Randall is running things out on the range and didn’t really need me. We got a stream blocked by a landslide so I offered to come into town and pick up some dynamite to blow it free. Since Sally said she needed some things too, we came together.” He emphasized the last word before turning back to the girl at the table. “You ready to go, Sally?”
“In a few minutes, Jed,” answered Sally firmly, but she softened her reply with a warm smile. “Why don’t you see if Mr. Greevey has my order ready yet.”
“It’s already loaded in the buckboard,” stated Baker. “I parked it right in front of the General Store.”
“Well, then, I’ll meet you at the buckboard,” said Sally. “In a few minutes,” she added pointedly.
For a minute it seemed if Baker was going to make some kind of comment, but he quickly bit off any reply he had in mind. He merely nodded at Sally, then turned on his heels and walked out of the dining room, throwing a scowl at Joe as he departed.
“Sally, you’d better be careful with Jed,” warned Joe. “Like I said, I think he figures there’s more between you two than there really is. And he seems the kind of man who likes to get his own way.”
“You’re making too much of it, Joe,” Sally replied, unconcerned. “I went to the dance with Jed, and he’s been in the house a couple of times for coffee with me, but it’s not like we’re dating.”
“I don’t know if Jed sees it that way,” Joe said. “It might not be a bad idea to clear the air with him.”
“I suppose,” Sally answered with a shrug. She pushed back her chair and rose gracefully. “I really do have to be going. Thank you for the coffee, Joe. And again, I’m sorry about…everything.”
Getting to his feet, Joe smiled at the girl. “Still friends?”
“Always,” replied Sally, returning Joe’s smile.
As Sally walked across the dining room, Joe sat back down and stared into his coffee cup. Things hadn’t turned out the way he hoped, but perhaps they had turned out the way he knew inside of him that they would. The scowl on Baker’s face suddenly flickered into his mind. He hoped Sally would take his advice and make her intentions – or rather lack of intentions – clear to the man. Joe had a feeling that Jed Baker was not a man to be trifled with.
************
Sally and Baker rode in the buckboard in companionable silence along the road to the Randall ranch, each lost in their own thoughts. Several times in the last mile, however, Baker glanced to his right at Sally. Finally, he took a deep breath and voiced his thoughts.
“Sally, I was surprised to see you with Cartwright today,” said Baker. “I heard that you two were once a couple, but that things were over between you a long time ago.”
Looking surprised as Jed’s comment, Sally answered, “That’s true, Jed. I did see Joe for awhile, but things didn’t work out, at least not romantically. But Joe is a very old, very dear friend.”
“Looked like more than friendship to me,” muttered Jed under his breath.
“I’ve been gone for awhile, “ Sally added. “Joe and I were just talking about what has been happening while I was away.”
“You needed to hold hands to do that?” Jed’s comment was audible to Sally this time.
“I was apologizing to Joe…for something,” replied Sally carefully. “But, Jed, really, it’s none of your business.”
“Anything that has to do with you is my business, Sally,” stated Jed. Seeing the startled look on the girl’s face, he added quickly, “Your Pa would want me to look out for you.”
“I can take care of myself just fine,” said Sally primly.
The two rode along in a silence that was not as companionable as before. Sally’s thoughts were on Joe’s comments about Baker’s feelings toward her, while the foreman mused about what to say next. He decided now was as good a time as ever to make sure the girl understood his plans.
“Uh, Sally,” started Baker cautiously, “I was thinking. I’ve been saving some money for a place of my own. It’s not much right now, but it’s a start. Once this round-up is over, maybe you and I could take a ride around and look at some places. You know, get an idea of what’s available and how much it would cost to buy a little spread.”
The look on Sally’s face was closer to shock than anything else as she listened to Baker. She understood very well what the foreman was hinting at.
“You’d have a better idea of the kind of place you’d want than I would,” Sally said slowly. “I don’t think I’d be of much help to you in picking out a ranch.”
“I know about how to look at things like land and water and barns,” agreed Baker. “But I don’t know much about how to judge a house. I’ve lived in bunkhouses or on the trail most of my life. I don’t know what a woman wants or needs in a house.”
“Maybe it would be better to wait until you find someone who was willing to share the house with before you decide on a place,” Sally replied, hoping Baker would understand the meaning behind her words.
But Sally’s subtlety was lost on the foreman. “Oh, I’ve already found her,” Baker stated, smiling broadly at the girl next to him on the seat of the buckboard. “I know I don’t have much now, Sally, but it won’t take me long to get enough money to buy my own spread and start building it up. Then you and me, we can be together.”
With a sigh, Sally realized that her gentle hints were not working and a more direct approach was necessary. “Jed, I like you,” she said. “You’re sweet, and you’re kind and you’re patient. I enjoy being with you. But, I’m not in love with you.”
“Not yet,” replied Baker confidently. “But give it time, Sally. The better you get to know me, the more you’ll see I’m just the kind of guy you need.”
“No, Jed,” said Sally, firmly. “I don’t want you building up your hopes. I like you, but I know myself well enough to know that I’m not in love with, and never will be.”
“How can you say that?” exploded Baker angrily. “How can you know you won’t ever love me.”
“I just know,” Sally answered. She struggled to find the words to explain her feelings but failed. “I just know,” she repeated.
Frowning, Baker took a deep breath, trying to bring his emotions under control. “I don’t understand, Sally,” he said, sounding confused. “You went to the dance with me, and you keep inviting me up to the house. What kind of game are you playing?”
“This really is my day for apologizing,” replied Sally with a sigh. “I’m sorry if I misled you, Jed. I didn’t mean to; truly, I didn’t. I like you, and I enjoy your company, but that’s all there is to it. If I implied there was something more, I’m sorry.” She laid her hand lightly on Jed’s arm. “I really am sorry.”
With a quick move, Jed shrugged off Sally’s hand. “It’s that Cartwright, isn’t it,” he said bitterly. “Him with his fancy house and big ranch. I should have known you wouldn’t be interested in a poor cowboy like me when you could have the likes of him. Cartwright tried to warn me that I didn’t have a chance with you, and now I know why. He wants you for himself.”
“No, Joe has nothing to do with this,” protested Sally. “We’re old friends and that’s all. This misunderstanding between you and me is all my fault. I know I can be a terrible flirt, and I guess I just let things get out of hand. I should have realized that you might misinterpret things, but I didn’t. It’s all my fault and I’m sorry.”
“So there isn’t anything between you and Cartwright?” asked Jed suspiciously.
“Nothing but friendship,” Sally asserted. She gave Jed a warm smile. “Just like I hope you and I will continue to be friends.”
“Yeah, friends,” replied Jed bitterly. “Just what I need. Another friend.”
The pair rode once more in silence toward the Randall ranch, but now, there was an awkwardness between them. Neither looked at other, and both their minds were filled with unhappy thoughts.
************
Droning meaningless words in a low voice, Joe slowly guided his pinto around the perimeter of the herd. Being the son of the boss did not exempted him from his turn at watching over the cattle the Cartwrights had gathered, and he had spent the day after his return from Virginia City keeping steers from wandering away from the pasture. Now, as day was turning to dusk, Joe spoke in a continuous monotone to the steers, trying to lull them into a stupor and settle them down for the night. Glancing across the sea of cattle, he saw his brother Hoss imitating his actions on the other side of the herd. Two men were following Hoss at spaced intervals, also riding slowly and speaking in low tones. Joe knew that there were two other hands were behind him doing the same.
Glancing up at the darkening sky, Joe wondered how much longer it would be before he could turn the herd over to the night hawkers, the men who would guard the cattle until morning. The thought of a relaxed evening at home and a good sleep in a soft bed was appealing to him. Joe studied the herd as he rode, and was glad to see that the animals seemed ready for a quiet night.
Suddenly, Joe heard a shout from behind him, followed by several gunshots. The cattle next to him sprang to their feet, confused and upset by the loud noise and trying to decide what to do. Another yell and two more gunshots decided the issue for the cattle. As a large number of the steers started to move forward in a panic, Joe kicked his horse into a gallop. By the time the cattle started running, the youngest Cartwright was already racing toward the front of the herd.
For a minute, Joe’s horse and the panicking cattle ran side by side, a dead heat between the pinto and the lead steers. Then Joe started yelling and waving his arm wildly.
It was a tricky move to try to turn a stampeding herd, especially in front. Joe had to get close enough to get the attention of the lead steers, but stay far enough away to avoid getting himself or his horse gored by the sharp horns on the cattle. Joe had seen too many men who got it wrong and ended up paying for their error with blood. He judged the distance between him and the running cattle, and prayed he had it right. Then Joe moved his horse a bit closer to the herd, and yelled at the top of his voice.
Startled, the steers nearest to the young cowboy moved away from him, bumping and slowing the animals next to them. Joe rode quickly to the front of the herd, and steered his pinto across the path of the leaders. The cattle in front slowed down, surprised to see the rider cutting in front of them. Yelling and waving his arm again, Joe turned the front steers back toward the rest of the herd. Some of cattle tried to follow the front steers, and found themselves running into each other. Steers from the other side of the herd began moving inward also as Hoss and his men turned the steers away from them. As the cattle began bumping and jostling each other, they slowed down, trying to avoid the horns and hooves around them. It took only a few more minutes to bring the herd to a walk and then to stop them.
“You all right, little brother?” asked Hoss as he rode up to Joe.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” Joe assured his brother. “For a minute there, though, I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to turn them. It’s a good thing you got them moving in from your side.”
“We were behind the leaders,” replied Hoss. “What we did wouldn’t have made much difference if you hadn’t got them front steers turned. You did a good job, Joe.”
Shrugging off his brother’s praise, Joe looked around. “Anybody see what happened?” he asked in a loud voice. “Who started the stampede?”
One of the hands rode up to Joe and Hoss. “I turned and looked when I heard the first yell,” said the cowboy. “Saw this fellow shooting into the air. He shot a couple of more times and then just rode off.”
“Did you see who he was?” asked Hoss.
“Nope,” replied the cowboy, shaking his head. “He was too far away. But he sure was trying to get them cows running.”
“Why would somebody want to stampede the herd?” Hoss said with a frown. “Ain’t no place for them to go except Ponderosa land. All we’d have to do is round them up again, and we’ve got plenty of time to do that before the trail drive.”
“Maybe it