Jodi's Journey (5 page)

Not only that, but when he’d touched her
chin, he’d smiled and looked at her enigmatically. It seemed as
though the touch had softened something deep inside him.

Jodi squirmed, wondering if he had forgotten
about his proposal. She'd hoped so. She wasn't up to a hot
conversation this morning. It had taken two days to get the cattle
this far and they’d swam half of that.

He rode along side of her and she wanted to
let loose with her horse and give him rein.

“Guess you didn't recognize me since I shaved
and got a haircut,” he said, peering openly at her with a
smile.

“I can see that. But what for?” She couldn't
stop the question in time.

“A man should clean up if he's going to get
married,” Hunter said matter-of-factly.

Jodi cringed. Married. To Hunter Johnson.
Surely, he wouldn't hold her to that bargain.

She stopped and turned her full attention to
him, unable to stop the little flurries of excitement skittering
through her when he turned that smile full blast on her. His face
dimpled, making him appear harmless. But she knew better. He was
lethal.

“Look, let's get something straight. We
aren't getting married,” she snapped, angry more at herself than
him.

“We're not?” he said, trying to sound
surprised and just a tad hurt.

“Nope, we're not,” she said as though that
were the end of it.

She didn't know if he was relieved, or sore.
She couldn't tell. She simply didn't know him well enough to gauge
his reactions.

“Don't care for my company?” he asked with an
impish grin.

“That's right.” She gave him a quick
once-over.

“Well, I'll say one thing for you. You are
honest.”

He sat his horse as though they were one and
the same and she envied him. Some men were just naturals in the
saddle. He was one of them. Dad-blame-it, she hadn't found one
thing not to like about him, and she knew she didn't like him.

“Because I'm just a no-good coward in your
books, right?” he suggested, a little rasp to his voice.

She eyed him a moment thoughtfully. “You said
it.” She shot him a frown and took off again.

He adjusted his sweat-faded hat and took off
after her. When he caught up, he kept up with her and watched her
for a long moment. She could feel his eyes on her. She couldn't
tell what he was thinking, but she didn't like being looked at. Not
the way he looked at her. He had a way of kind of seeing through
her, and she definitely didn't like that. She'd have rather enjoyed
the new green of the countryside than listen to him.

“So,” he said as though it were his business
to know, “are you Hershel Walker's girl? I mean, has he spoken for
you, or something?” He was purposely agitating her.

Her brows knit together in one fine line.
“I'm no one's girl.”

And she rode away again.

He chuckled and began to sing a song. She
glanced back over her shoulder. She would have hushed him, but his
music seemed to settle well with the cattle. He had a lovely
baritone voice so she left him alone and prayed he wouldn't bring
up the subject of marriage again.

Never had she heard such a voice.

It was noon or after before they stopped. She
had Brady and Dutch on the flank, and they herded the cattle into
one neat bunch while the others made camp.

Used to being the chuck wagon master, she
took out the pots and pans and began heating bacon and beans she'd
prepared before leaving that morning. She clanged her wooden spoon
against her old black pot when it was ready so everyone began
gathering about her.

As she dished out the food to each of them,
she introduced Hunter. No one smiled. No one welcomed him. She bit
her lip. She hadn't expected them to like or accept Hunter, yet,
she felt awkward trying to find a way to ease the tension in camp.
This would be a long ride and tension just didn't go with
cattle.

Joshua, one of the younger boys, ambled up to
her side and sat on a rock next to her. He was a clean cut cowboy
of barely her own age. His sandy blonde hair and his wide set brown
eyes made him look even younger than his eighteen years. He was
sporting a beard, but it was very thin, and far from full blown.
“What's he doin' here?” he asked tersely.

The dislike in his voice made Jodi eye him
steadily.

Abandoning pretense, she responded sharply,
“Clem's back is broke. I hired him to help us get the cattle
through.”

“Hired him? But he's a...” Josh began only to
be cut off by her quick gasp.

“I know. Keep your voice down, Josh.” She
elbowed him. “I know what he is. But Clem insisted he was the only
one to help us get the herd through. Don't ask me why. Because of
the fact that Clem is bedridden, I couldn't help but take his
advice.”

Hunter dipped his own second helping of beans
then strode toward her. She started to get up, but he shook his
head.

“We better talk now.” Impatient blue eyes
swept over Joshua, and he moved away.

“I don't have much to say.” She started again
to get up, but was stayed by his uplifted hand.

He motioned for her to sit tight. He stood up
and looked around the camp at the men. He cleared his throat and
studied them all, one by one. She could tell just by his expression
that he had taken all of them into consideration. Could a man size
others up that quickly?

“Listen up, men.” Hunter turned away from her
to speak to the men. Jodi started to protest him making any
announcements just yet, but he was already into his little speech
and she couldn't stop him.

The drovers gathered about her and Hunter
slowly, all with well decided frowns on their faces. Obviously,
they all had the same opinion of him as she did from the looks on
their faces. She knew instinctively they weren't going to like
Hunter, but they gathered nonetheless, perhaps out of respect for
her.

“Thought you boys would like to know, Jodi
Parker and I...are going to get married.” He smiled at the crew and
seemed to wait until he got a reaction. It wasn't long in coming
either.

There was a loud silence that pierced the
air. No one said a word. No one moved for a full minute or two.
Then, they began whispering amongst themselves.

Then, Josh looked him up and down. His
distaste written on his face. “I don't believe it.”

“Well,” Hunter drawled effectively. “Believe
it, and I'll be bossing this outfit. I want no trouble from any of
you. So, if you got something to say, say it now.”

Josh moved towards Jodi protectively. “I got
somethin' to say. We all know what you are. You're a dirty,
low-down coward. You came back before the war was over. We all know
what that means, and no no-account is going to boss this herd. This
herd is Jodi's, and what she says goes!”

Hunter stared at the younger man for a long
moment, as if considering his words. Jodi watched him carefully,
realizing he wasn't a man to blurt things out. He spoke
methodically. If looks could kill, though, Josh would have been
dead. But instead of a hasty reply, Hunter measured his words
against their attitudes. Another thing the army must have taught
him, she quickly surmised.

“You've said your piece.” Hunter eyed Josh
considerably. “But if you want a job, you'll take orders from me.”
Hunter started to turn away.

“You agree with this, Miss Jodi?” Josh
glanced at her for some sort of reprieve.

Jodi stood up, took a deep breath, and
nodded.

For a full second, Jodi couldn't reply. Her
glance went from every man back to Hunter. She couldn't say
anything; she thought the same as Joshua about Hunter.

“He's forcin' you. I know he is. You wouldn't
let some no-account herd them cattle. Well sir, I won't take orders
from you!” Joshua boasted, twisting about to look as his
friends.

The others mumbled among themselves but said
nothing, preferring to wait and watch.

Hunter seemed to realize at that moment it
was an ultimate show-down, and that he would have to take the time
here and now to prove his point.

“Then get your gear together and get out,” he
finally said, as though the matter were settled.

“Fine with me.” Joshua started to move
away.

“No, you can't go, Josh. We've got to get
this herd north. I need every man,” Jodi protested. “Part of these
cattle belongs to your family.”

“I'll get you men,” Hunter replied steadily
as he hooked his hands in his back pockets.

“I've got my own men. Good men,” she added
tersely.

“You don't need them. I need men that can
take orders. Besides, he's just a kid,” Hunter said. “We can afford
to lose one….”

“They take orders from me,” Jodi snapped at
him.

“Not anymore,” he replied boldly. He eyed her
closely now, as though pulling the admission from her. “You hired
me to do it, and that's exactly what I'm going to do. Unless you
want to try to do this alone?”

Josh looked at her. “Just say the word and
I'll take him.”

His hand was on his gun, but Jodi objected to
killing and put her hand on top of his. “No. There will be no
violence, now or later.”

“Then I'll fight him. Fair and square,”
Joshua offered, unbuckling his gun.

“No!” Jodi spat the word out, trying to come
between them. Jodi knew Hunter was built more solidly and could
probably take him, but Josh was quick on his feet, and agile.

“A man has a right to stand up for what he
believes in.” Hunter took off his gun and holster, and rolling his
sleeves up, gave Josh a good once-over. Jodi watched him eye Josh,
as though eye contact alone could answer all his questions.

“Stop it. We don't need this.” She faced
Hunter, her anger and concern flaring at the same time. “He's just
a kid...”

“Now he's just a kid, huh?” Hunter half
laughed.

“I'm head of my family now that my pa's dead.
That makes me a man,” Josh concluded, ready for the fight. “Don't
worry, I can take him.”

“Concho, stop them.” She ran to an older
Mexican man, but the old fella shook his head.

“He's askin' for a fight. Let 'em have at it.
Git it over with. If he wins, I'll take my orders from him.” Concho
nodded.

Jodi stared at Concho in disbelief that they
could accept this stranger so easily. But she saw in all their
faces disbelief that the stranger could hold his own in a fair
fight. Maybe they were right. Perhaps it was time to see what
manner of man Hunter Johnson was. Although she abhorred violence,
there was a time and place for it. And this obviously was the place
for it.

She backed away slowly, hoping it would be
settled quickly.

Josh took the first two punches. He was wiry
and fast. One to Hunter's eye, one to his jaw as blood gushed from
his eyebrow. Josh got in another good swing. But Hunter followed
with a right punch and knocked Josh to the ground. One punch. Josh
rolled over quickly and got up. It went on and on until Jodi could
hardly stand it. Both men were given out and neither seemed to be
winning until Hunter hit him with a left hook.

Josh hit the dirt hard and didn't get up.
Jodi ran to him, thinking him dead.

“Look what you've done!” she spat at
Hunter.

Hunter staggered on his feet, and then turned
away from her.

She took Josh in her arms and wiped away the
blood from his mouth with the sleeve of her shirt.

Hunter fell to the ground with a thud, wiping
the blood with the back of his hand. He watched Jodi and Josh.

≈≈≈

“Have we settled who the boss is?” Hunter
asked, still breathing heavy from the fight that had taken more out
of him than he was willing to admit.

The others nodded.

“Good, I want Concho and Jose working swing,
Josh and Sam on flank, and Brady and Dutch on drag till we get some
more men. Understood? Until we do, we'll keep the remuda in back
for a while. They start getting restless, we'll take them up front
and let them lead.”

The men nodded without resistance.

“You'll call me Hunt, or boss,” he added.
They nodded. “There will be no drinking, no skirt chasing, no gun
play. You got a quarrel with someone, take it away from this herd.
I won't lose cattle for men's foolishness. We'll put twelve hours
in the saddle on good days, eighteen of twenty-four on bad. We'll
use hand signals, and everybody better learn to sing. When there is
trouble from the outside, keep your guns cocked and ready. Stay
alert for Indians, but don't go shooting the first one you see. We
don't want trouble with them, and like as not, they'll only want a
cow or two to satisfy them long enough for us to get out of their
way. So if you've got a grudge with the Indians, keep it to
yourself till we are through to Kansas, then it's your
business.

“We won't be hitting many towns. And anyone
looking to cut themselves into our beeves is asking for trouble.
Not that I like a fight, but when it's needed, I will. If the
rivers are too full from rain, we'll graze them if we can. If we
can't, we'll swim them over unless it's a swift current or too
deep. In that case, we'll wait a few days more then take them over.
Sometimes cattle don't take to water. Keep your eye out for prairie
dog holes, rattlesnakes, and thieves. You want to cuss and raise
Cain, save it for after the trip. We'll run a decent camp, and
we'll get this herd to market, understood?”

The men nodded, some with a little
surprise.

Jodi watched him take over as though control
was totally out of her hands now. In one regard, she seemed
pleased, but she still wore a frown. It wasn't easy handing over
the controls to a man like Hunter.

“You'll ride point with me, Jodi. You'll have
to pull the wagon, but we aren't going at break neck speed. We'll
get ten or twelve miles a day on good days, maybe eight on bad.
Less if the grazing is good.”

The men nodded agreement and scattered.