Place to Belong, a (4 page)

After chores the next morning, they gathered on the front porch as Lucas brought up the wagon. Usually by now they'd changed out the wheels for the sledge runners, but no snow, so no runners. Ransom helped the women into the back of the wagon, along with Dan Arnett up on the seat with him, and got everyone bundled warm with elk robes and quilts.

“Why don't you join us?” he asked Lucas, who was mounting his saddle horse.

“I have some errands to run after church, so I'll ride.”

“As you wish.” What kind of errands could he be referring to? But Ransom put a guard on his tongue. After all, Christmas was coming and no questions allowed. If only his curiosity could be stilled as easily.

“I need to talk with Reverend Brandenburg after church, if that is all right,” Cassie said as Ransom helped her to the ground in the churchyard. “I need to see if he can come out to the ranch to marry Micah and Runs Like a Deer.”

“We're not in any rush.”

“Thank you.”

Gretchen met them inside the church, and thanks to some unseen machinations, Lucas ended up on the end of the pew, obviously not next to Cassie, where he wanted to be. He glared at Ransom, but Ransom made a slight motion to the Hudson family four pews behind theirs. Betsy had returned from her trip, and the family could see no sense in throwing fuel on the fire. Mavis sat on one side of Cassie and Gretchen on the other. Ransom made sure the grin of pride he was feeling did not show on his face. What a family he had.

But then, the Hudsons had just as interesting a family. For years, Lucas had considered Betsy his girl, and everyone assumed that one day, when he was financially stable, he'd propose. Now
here he was courting Miss Lockwood. Betsy had disappeared suddenly, mysteriously, and now she had reappeared. Where had she gone? What did she do while she was away? Ransom really ought to ask, but he couldn't quite bring himself to do it. Frankly, he didn't care enough to ask. That was Lucas's job. He's the one who had courted her, sort of.

The glow lasted through the service as he and Gretchen shared a hymnal and Mavis looked out for Cassie. Arnett sat next to Mavis, leaving Lucas on the wall side. Afterwards, Mavis made a point to greet the Hudson family as if no hard feelings had ever transpired. Ransom admired that in her, especially because he knew that her openness was no act.

Betsy's little sister, Sarah, scowled smoldering coals at Lucas, but Mrs. Hudson took her cue from Mavis and returned a cheerful greeting.

“Have you heard anything more on the rustlers?” Ransom asked Mr. Hudson.

The rancher shook his head. “Strangest thing, no one has. Like they fell off the face of the earth. Took two head from us. Two from Jay Slatfield, and Arnett said he wasn't sure but maybe several. He don't run his herd as carefully as he used to, you know.”

“Not surprising, I doubt he can see far enough to count heads. He does all right reading, however, so don't count him out yet.”

“Oh no, I'm not, just trying to figure out what is happening.”

“Nothing. Looks like the sheriff got the right men in jail after all.”

“Well, if that don't beat all. From what I heard, that was some fracas at your place.”

“That would surely be one way to describe it.” Ransom glanced over and realized Cassie was back beside the wagon with his mother and Gretchen, so he excused himself and stopped at the tailgate to help them into the wagon. Lucas was nowhere to
be seen and his horse was gone, so he must have left immediately after church. Perhaps he'd told their mother where he was going.

“Lucas said he'd meet you all at the ranch,” Arnett informed him when he picked up the lines.

“Did he say where he was going?”

“Nope. And I didn't ask. Sure was good to be back in church like that. Thanks to you, Mavis. You folks are real friends.” His voice cracked on the last word.

Ransom backed the team and swung the wagon around to head for home. “Thanks, Arnett. We've been neighbors for a long time. Glad we can help each other out. Kinda fits in with his sermon today, didn't it?”

“Ya ever get the feeling like Reverend Brandenburg's been listening over your shoulder at times, or can see into your mind? I mean, it's uncanny.”

“Mor would say that is the Holy Ghost at work.”

“She sure would” came from the wagon bed.

Ransom and Arnett swapped a glance. Maybe taking this time to be with his family was more important than setting posts and supports in the collapsed part of the mine after all. Somehow it would all get done. At least he sure hoped so.

M
avis listened with one ear to Gretchen and Cassie and with the other to the conversation between the two men. While Ransom was usually the silent one, he was obviously making an effort to talk with Dan Arnett. And Dan, who once had thrived on conversation, was just as obviously realizing he'd missed too much and wanted to get back into living again. He'd always been a storyteller, but she wondered at times if he remembered the early days of ranching in the Black Hills area, since he didn't bring that up much. He and his wife had come to their ranch maybe three or four years after she and Ivar moved into the cabin.

That cabin. Who would have guessed that that “temporary” structure would still be finding good use? The first year Ivar and Adam Lockwood had lived in it. And then after Adam left for the Wild West show circuit, taking John Birdwing with him, Ivar lived there alone until they were married. Then it was home to the newlyweds until Ivar could complete the main ranch house. And now, Cassie's dear friends lived there, and it was still in good shape. Who would live there next?

As did all the ranchers in this area, Arnett and Ivar had traded off work. House raisings and barn raisings, fencing and haying. I'll help you and you help me. As more cattle arrived, there were roundups and brandings and a great deal of sorting during those years when the range was open and livestock roamed, before barbed-wire fences started crisscrossing the valleys. When Arnett bought the sawmill, life became easier for all of them.

Maybe this afternoon they could get the old man telling stories in front of the fireplace. She'd suggest it to Ransom. The two of them got along real well. Arnett did not need to spend the afternoon alone in the bunkhouse, though he kept saying he didn't want to impose on their hospitality. Mavis didn't mention to him that this was far easier than one of them going to his ranch every day to check on him. When they moved the dog and chickens over, Arnett came to live in their bunkhouse—for the rest of his life, as far as she was concerned, if he'd only listen to her.

Ransom drew the team to a halt beside the house. Their off gelding shook his head impatiently. He knew where his feed was, and it wasn't here. Ransom stayed in the box. “How about taking charge of keeping that front fireplace going today, Arnett? Most likely that'll be where we all end up.”

“If'n you want, a'course I will. Besides, I got something I want to talk over with all of you. Any idea when Lucas will be home?”

Mavis smiled. “He said in time for dinner, and you know Lucas, he doesn't like to miss out on apple pie.”

Arnett cackled as he stepped to the ground and came around the wagon to help the womenfolk out.

“I don't suppose you'd like to give me a hint?” Mavis shuffled her skirts back into order as she waited for Cassie and Gretchen. She loved to hear the old man laugh; one could never stay too somber with Dan Arnett around. That was one of the things she'd missed after his wife died, because she used to egg him on until they were all panting from laughter.

“You did remember to tell Micah and the others that we expect them to join us for dinner?” she asked Ransom when he came into the kitchen from unhitching the team.

“I did. They said they'd watch for the wagon to come back.” He hung his long jacket on the coat-tree by the back door. He automatically checked the woodbox to see if it needed filling.

“Lucas took care of that this morning.”

Ransom nodded.

Mavis loved seeing all the faces around her table as they bowed their heads for Ransom to ask the blessing. This room, this whole house, was designed for lots of people to share meals and the work of ranch living. She paused long enough in the serving to catch a comment from Micah. A grin split her face. He'd actually said something funny and set Arnett into a laughing spell. Even Runs Like a Deer smiled and nodded. Cassie and Mavis exchanged a look of pure delight. From the looks and sounds of it, they were all starting to become a family. Lucas tossed his coat aside and slid into his chair just as the meat platter got to him.

While Mavis kept all her thanking and praising inside, she felt like her feet didn't touch the floor and she might burst into song at any moment. Now, that would be a shocker.

“Hey, Chief, you remember the time that bear chased us all up on top of the cabin?” Arnett slapped his thigh. “Never laughed so hard in my life, seeing that old sow start up the ladder. She was one determined mama.”

Chief nodded. “You could laugh—you were already on the roof.”

“What happened?” Cassie's eyes were as big as the rim of the cup in front of her.

“We was roofing that cabin. Ivar and Chief was splittin' shakes, and Adam came running out of the woods like a bear was on his tail.”

“Only because one was.” Mavis tried to keep a straight face and let Arnett get them all laughing.

“Mor?”

“He's telling the truth, Lucas. I wasn't there, thank the good Lord. I might have keeled right over.”

Arnett continued, “Well, Adam was a-hollerin' to get on the roof. Doors wasn't in place yet. And we scampered up that ladder without touchin' a rung.”

Ransom chuckled. Micah chuckled and then snorted. That made Cassie laugh outright. Runs Like a Deer near to choked. Lucas belly-laughed and Arnett could hardly continue. He shook his head and wheezed. “Adam hit the roof and that mad mama started up the ladder. She was a-huffin' and a-gruntin'. I thought sure we was done for.”

“Was the tree there to climb?”

“Not near as big as now. But Ivar and Chief, there, grabbed that ladder and gave it a mighty heave out and away. That old bear went down with the ladder, head over teakettle. She done quit rollin' and shook her head like she had a mighty goose egg on it. She staggered around some and then headed back up to the woods. Adam said he'd made a big mistake and got between her and her cubs.”

“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.