The Traherns #1 (21 page)

He sat down, took out a pencil stub and started figuring.

The next gent asked me a question about miles and I converted
it.

“How do you do that?” asked Mr. Franklin.

“Was always able to,” I replied. “Numbers and me like each
other. They just line up and make sense.”

Mr. Debras stood up and put his paper away. “She’s right. I was
off a dollar.” He looked at me. “Young lady, you say you’re looking for a job.
What kind of a job do you want? I have several places in our company where I
could use you.”

“Sir, I’m plannin to see some country. Startin with California
and parts in between. I want work so I can go out there, get me an eyeful, then
go wherever else I can go. I figure I’ll have to work a year or more to earn
enough. So I’m looking for a high-payin job so’s I can get there quicker.”

“How about you work here for me until you can prove you handle
the job. If you can, I’ll send you to California to work the shipping at that
end. You’ll work out there under my brother, who is great with everything but
numbers. The clerk who’s with him right now is better than most, but when he
makes a mistake, nobody catches him, and they are costing me thousands of
dollars.”

“That was just what I was a’lookin for.”

“Here’s the address of my company. Be there tomorrow morning at
seven.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Thank you, Warren.” He nodded to the mill owner who had brought
me to lunch.

“We can’t beat his offer. Good luck, young lady.” The other two
tipped their hats and left.

“Was that what you were looking for?” the mill owner asked.

“Exactly. Thank you.”

“Well, let’s go back and watch my clerk pay the second shift.
And while we’re waiting for that, show me what you have in mind to keep this
short change from happening again.”

So I showed him—a flat plank of wood with very shallow
holes, one for each coin. The worker could quickly see if he was getting all
the money coming to him.

We went to his machinist and he ordered up several different
ones to pay different wages. He had the amount burned into each plank, and made
sure the planks didn’t look alike.

“That ought to make it harder to cheat my workers,” he said.

He carried the planks with us, signaled two heavyset men to
follow along, and we went back to where we could watch the payments being made.
My two girls were in line. When they were paid, they put their fingers on the
coins and told the clerk he hadn’t given them enough.

“That’s what you always get,” he snapped. “Now move on, so the
rest can get their wages.” He shoved them aside with one arm, and the men
behind jostled them, so they looked bewildered.

“You ain’t given us the right amount,” the older one said.
“You’re cheatin us.”

“Take it up with management,” the man said, and looked past
them, then blanched white when he saw the mill owner standing there.

“What seems to be the problem?” the owner asked, and I would’ve
hated to be that cheatin man at that moment.

“These girls, sir, they can’t count so they—”

“Don’t know when you’re cheating them?” the owner put in. He
stepped up to the counter, grabbed the man by the back of his collar and shook
him. “Where’s their money?”

The man glanced down and the mill owner reached down to where
he’d looked and pulled up a sack of coins that the man had been filling with
money he’d taken from the wages.

“You men see what he’s been doing?” The other workers nodded,
angry at him.

“Now he’s only been doing it to those of you who can’t count.
That’s not many, but enough so that he’s filled this bag today. See these
planks? If you can’t count, you ask for your money to be laid out on these
planks so you can see what you’re getting. This is for the weavers, like these
gals. This one’s for the general mill workers. And this is for the boys who
sweep and run errands.

“Now Mr. Marteen is going to pay you folks while I get as much
of your wages back as I can from this cheat, who will no longer be working
here. I thank you for your labor. I did not know this was happening. It took
this young lady here, who does not know the meaning of fear, to step up and
tell me what was going on. From now on, I want to hear from you if anything
like this happens again.”

He set the bag of money on the counter. “How long have you been
working here?” he asked my two girls.

“Three months, sir.”

“And have you always been paid by this man?”

“Yes, sir.”

“At four cents a day, how much did he take from them?” he asked
me.

“Do they work every day?”

“Yes.”

“Three dollars and sixty eight cents. A dollar eighty four
each.”

“Here’s two dollars each, and my apologies.”  He counted it
out to them, looked over the room. “If you can count, he probably didn’t try to
steal from you. If you can’t, come to the office tomorrow before your shift.
We’ll work out what is comin to you.”

He said goodbye to me and thanked me again. It made me feel real
proud to think I could help someone like that. If’n I hadn’t spoke up, that
cheat would still be a’stealin.

The girls were waiting for me outside, all excited.

“You did it,” the youngest said.

“Yes, you caught the crook.”

“And it warn’t the mill owner who was cheatin’ us.”

“That’s right,” I told them. “He didn’t like it none, that he
was paying the wages and you folks warn’t getting all of it. Gave him a bad
name.”

“What’s he going to do?”

“I don’t know. Toss the thief in jail, I reckon. Make him work
off the money he stole. When they pay you all tomorrow, have them lay it out on
that plank, so you can see that you’re getting the right wage.”

“He gave us two whole dollars each.”

“Yes. Put it in the bank, if you wish to save it to use later.”

“We don’t know how to use the bank. But we need dresses. One
each. And a coat.”

“Then go get those things.”

“Would you come with us?”

“I can’t. I just started a job. But the landlady seems a
motherly sort. See who she recommends to help you get your clothes.”

“And shoes. I’ve been patchin’ mine together.” She lifted one
foot. The leather had thinned out so much I could see her socks through the
holes.

“Make sure y’all buy your shoes first,” I told them. “Y’all can
always keep wearing your dresses for a bit longer, but get some shoes that’ll
hold you a spell.”

We got back to the boarding house and I took Travers out and let
him have a long run. He’d been plenty of comfort to me whilst I was traveling
the hills, but here in town he was purty big. It was a mite cozy with him in my
room, cause he took up half of it.

Now I know he was well enough behaved or he wouldn’t have lasted
long at the store. But his size and looks would scare a haunt out of its sheet.
You wouldn’t want to meet him in the dark.

That night at supper the girls told everyone how I’d helped them
get their back wages. “It were the man payin’ us. The boss shook him like a rag
doll.”

“That he did,” I added. “He didn’t like gettin’ a reputation for
cheatin’ his workers when he was payin’ the wages.”

“You going to work there?” the landlady asked.

“No ma’am. I’ve got an appointment to see a Mr. Debras at his
offices. He might send me to California to do some work there for him.”

“Really?”

“Maybe. We’ll have to see.” I knew better ‘n to count my chickens
before they hatched.

I wanted to go to California. I had a feeling I’d find my Boaz
there. But preacher always warned us that feelings shouldn’t be our guide. So
that night I prayed extry hard for God to lead me to my Boaz.

I showed up ready to work the next morning. Seems Mr. Debras
shipped things to California, and from there on up and down the coast and to
the Orient. We talked gross tonnage and barrels and kegs and crates and
cartons. Each one its own poundage. Each costing separate to ship. Some things
he shipped around the tip of South America through the Strait of Magellan, but
the small stuff went by freight wagons and stagecoach. He showed me the routes
on the map and I could see how it was cheaper and faster to send things
overland. I got me a fast education and worked out some shipping manifests for
him.

“This one’s wrong,” I said, pointing to one he’d had me do as a
problem. “Whoever did this one didn’t add in the bales of cotton.”

He picked it up, looked it over. “You’re right. You just paid
for your fare to California, Ruth.”

“Tell your clerks to always add the big items first. See what
they’re going to cost. Then if’n they do make a mistake, it will be on the
little things, and won’t cost y’all so much.”

“I’d like to have you work here and in California. But the big
mistakes are being made in our California office, so that’s where I’m sending
you. If you can be ready in the morning, I’ll send you up the river to
Independence. The road boss will put you on the stagecoach.”

“Thank you. Got me a dog who came out of the mountains with me.
Well behaved. Don’t want to just abandon him, although he looks to be part wolf
and can take care of himself.”

“Take him with you. He can run beside the stage when he chooses,
ride with the driver the rest of the time. He’ll keep you company in
California.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“Take the rest of the day and get yourself ready to go.”

Things seemed to be falling in place to send me to California,
and right quick. Was this how God led?

I took Travers out for a long run and told him what we were
about to do. I didn’t have a collar for him, but he figured things out and
minded well, so I probably wouldn’t need it. 

I got back to the boarding house just in time for supper. As I
walked up to the porch, a long-legged gent untangled himself from the porch
rocker and spoke as he stood.

“Ruth. Hello.”

3

“Gage?” His appearance was so unexpected, I hesitated.

Gage was dressed in dark broadcloth pants and a black shirt half
unbuttoned in front. I’d never seen Gage look so handsome. I had to give my
mind a hard shake.

This was Gage. Like a crow, he’d land for a bit, then fly away.

 He stepped towards me, and Travers bristled and growled
low.

Gage stopped, looked at Travers. “So this is the dog they spoke
about. Said you had a big one traveling with you. He is huge.”

“What you doing here, Gage?” I was flummoxed by his unexpected
appearance.

“Thought I’d stop and see you.”

I was right. He’d come and would soon be gone
.
“How’d you find me?”

“Easy. They told me at the store about Travers, so I just kept
asking about a big wolf dog and a young woman together.”

Well, that was one way to find me. But why?
“You still on your way to
California?”

“Yes. Sorta.” He looked down at Travers, who was giving him the
once over. “He’s a bodyguard all by himself.”

“He is that.”

“I’m guessin you didn’t need much of a push.”

“Not much. First your Pa showed up talking about those big
trees, then you talking about canyons and all, I decided it was high time for
me to take a looksee for myself.”

“Would you like for me to take you to California?”

I laughed. “Well, you’re a little late for that. I’m leaving in
the morning. I guess you could come, if’n you’re ready.”

He stared at me, bewildered-like. “You just got here. How’d you
get a ride to California? You didn’t have the fare, did you?”

“No, sir. Got me a job. Man needs me to go to California and
work out of his office there.”

“How’d you get a job so fast?”

“Asked.”

“We always thought you were shy.”

“Can’t stay that way when I’m on my own. People take advantage.”

“Here I thought I’d come protect you...”

“Got me a dog.”

“Take you to California...”

“Got me a job.”

“Keep you from getting scared.”

“No time to do that.”

“I underestimated you, Ruth. I think the whole mountain
underestimated you.”

“I’m a Trahern, Gage. It don’t do for folks to underestimate
us.”

“So I’m learning.”

“What you been up to?” I asked, for he was the last person I’d
expected to see.

“Well, after Mary’s wedding, I went to New Orleans. Hadn’t been
there before. There’s gamblin stakes there to scare your hair white. Too rich
for me. I lit out just a jump ahead of someone who thought I’d cheated him.
Hadn’t, but I wasn’t able to get him to see that. I headed to Ft. Worth, bought
me a horse and started for California. Ran into your cousin, Matthew.”

“How’s he doing?”

“I was best man at his wedding. In Texas.”

“Really?”

“Yep. All you Traherns are getting hitched. He got himself a
beautiful yeller-haired gal named Dawn.”

“Well, I declare.”

“I decided it was time for me to start looking.”

“For what?”

“A wife. So I headed me back up to the hills...”

“Yes?”

“But you’d already left.”

“You went back home?”

“Yes’m. They said I’d missed you by less than a week.”

It would’ve been nice to have traveled with Gage at the
beginning, when I was leery ‘bout traveling so far alone
.
Oh, well. What was
done, was done. You can’t reshape a loaf once the heat hits it.
“How did Jonas take my
leavin?” I asked.

“He was sort of shocked, but said to tell you, if I ever caught
up to you, that he’s asked Josephine to marry him. Evidently you told him to in
your note.”

“Good. She was gettin right tired of waitin for him.”

“I take it you were gettin tired of waitin, too.”

“Sort of. I decided if I wanted a man, I’d best go lookin for
him. I think California will do just fine. There should be some men
thereabouts.”

“How about me?”

“I don’t know ‘bout you. Women might be scarcer than hen’s
teeth. I figure there’s a lot more men in California than women.”

“You’ll be there.”

“Yes, I will. Well, you might find a gal there. I don’t know.
When you finally make it to California, come by and see me. I’m working for the
Debras Freight Company.”

I heard the dinner bell ring and headed inside. Gage followed
me.

“I took a room here,” he said.

“It’s a good place to stay.”

The two girls showed everyone their new shoes. It sort of led
into my meeting today with Mr. Debras. “So I’m headed for California in the
morning. It was right nice meeting y’all.”

Gage spoke up. “A fellow is going to have to move mighty fast to
keep up with you, Ruth.”

“Well, I hibernated on that mountain top for many years. I
figure I need to move while I can.”

The two girls were mighty impressed with Gage, and kept asking
him questions about the mountains and the different places he’d been. He told
about taking the wagon train out with Trey and Mally. It was the first I’d
heard details of it.

“So they’re still in Walla Walla?” I asked.

“Yes’m. They invited me to come live near them. Bring my ma. But
now I’m fixin’ to take me a wife back there to live.”

“That would be nice,” I said.

After supper I sought out the landlady. “Could you give my extra
nights to the two girls? I’d like for them to have them.”

“Of course. I hate to see you go, Ruth. You’re so levelheaded.
Your young man must be quite upset, to see he’s going to have to follow you all
the way to California.”

“Gage? He’s not my young man.”

“Maybe he’d like to be. Way he was askin for you when he
arrived.”

“I’ve known Gage all my life. He was just lettin me know my
cousin got married.”

She laughed as she gathered up the plates. “Well, if he wants
you bad enough, he’ll follow you to California.”

“He was goin anyway,” I said, picking up the glasses and
carrying them for her. “I expect I’ll see him there.”

“I expect so.”

I packed up my gear and laid out my clothes. The next morning I
dressed, grabbed some hot coffee and a hunk of bread in the kitchen, then
walked away with Travers at my side.

I didn’t see Gage, so decided he was sleeping in. That sealed it
for me. If he’d ‘ave been halfway interested in me, he’d at least come out to
see me off.

The streets were fairly empty, this early in the morning, and I
walked along briskly with Travers at my side. I really appreciated that dog. I
carried my rifle, but hadn’t had to even consider having to use it. Good or
bad, men saw Travers and stepped aside.

I went to the staging area and Mr. Debras was there with my
papers to give to his brother at the other end.

“Now that’s a dog worth havin’ around,” he said, admiring
Travers.

“I think he was owned by a traveling peddler. He sure has good
manners for bein’ so scary lookin’.”

“He’ll do you just fine in San Francisco. That town can get
mighty rough. Be careful what he eats there, though, as some might try to
poison him. Or steal him for dog fighting.”

“Thank you for the warning. I’ll watch out for him.”

I boarded the riverboat that was to take us to the jumping off
place.

It was a smooth way to travel, paddling up a river, watching the
banks as the miles passed by. I was soon at Independence and escorted to the
stage station. We were fed a light lunch while our luggage was put onto the
stage. There were nine other people going to California. All men.

Then the ten of us were loaded up like sacks of potatoes and the
stage left. One man rode by the driver. There was hardly any room inside to
move, as two of the gentlemen were quite portly and I had somehow become seated
between them.

Three had to sit in the middle row, with no back to the seat and
only straps to hold onto. We were so close our knees were jammed together and
the men had to weave their legs to have room. Thankfully, mine were short
enough not to have to do that.

I had tried to get Travers to let the men lift him onto the
stage, but he was having none of it. We traveled for several hours with just a
slight pause, not long enough for me to see what had happened to him.

When they finally let us out of that swinging, swaying, carriage
for a short stop while they watered the team, I could hardly stand up.  I
immediately began to look around for Travers.

 One of the outriders rode up to me. “He got tired , Ma’am,
so I put him on the stage. Look up.”

I did. Travers sat atop the luggage, looking as if he owned it
all.

“Oh, thank you,” I said. “I’m surprised he let you pick him up.”

“He remembered me,” the rider said. The voice was familiar, and
I turned and took a closer look at the rider.

“Gage?”

“Yes’m.”

“What are you...? I thought I left you behind in Memphis.”

“Not unless you tell me to stay.”

He sat there atop his horse, with hat, boots, bandana, and
chaps, looking so much the Western cowboy that I hadn’t recognized him, even
though he’d tipped that hat to me several times during the morning. He was
handsome enough to bring a dead polecat back to life, and my heart did a little
flip.

But this was Gage, who was a rolling stone, handsome as the
devil and not responsible for anything except to break women’s hearts. I
reminded myself of that and my heart just flopped right back down in place.

“Thank you. I was worried about him, but couldn’t do much about
it.”

“Don’t fret. I’ll make sure he’s taken care of during the
journey.”

“He must need water,” I said, looking back at Travers. He was
panting, but looked more hot than thirsty.

“I gave him a drink before I put him up there. When they slowed
down on that steep stretch a ways back. He should still be fine.”

I was impressed. Here I had been jostled and banged around
between those two portly gents, worrying myself thin over Travers, and Gage had
been a’seein’ to him all along. Just knowin’ someone was taking care of Travers
made the thought of twenty-two more days of riding in that stage bearable.

I suddenly realized that Gage had been at the stage before me,
loading it. That meant that he had had to take an earlier boat up the river.
That also meant that he had not seen me off at the boarding house because he
wasn’t there. I had misjudged him. He hadn’t been sleeping in, he’d been up and
gone before me.

I watched him ride over to give the driver a hand. I’d never
seen Gage work before, and I watched closely as he helped him water the horses
from the shallow well set in the rocks.

The passengers climbed back inside the stage, taking the same
seats as before. “Ruth,” I told myself, “you can either speak up, or spend the
journey wedged between those two gents, ready to pop like a trip on a trap.”

I stood on the top step and looked the situation over. The old
me would have suffered in silence, but the new me straightened my backbone, put
both hands on the plow, and spoke up.

“You two change seats, please,” I asked, splitting up the portly
men so there was one on each side. “That’s better.” This time I was between the
talkative portly man and one of the other gents, who was thinner and allowed me
some breathin’ room.

“Would you like to sit by the window, Ma’am?” the thinner gent
asked.

“No, thank you. The sides of this stage are mighty hard when the
horses are moving full out. I can see enough, now that I know my dog is taken
care of.”

“He looks part wolf.”

“I think maybe so. He’s a good traveler.”

“You knew one of our outriders?”

“Yes. An old acquaintance.”

“I’m Joshua Smithson. I’m writing a journal of the trip for my
newspaper back east. My editor figured people would be interested in what it
was like. If you could give me any quotes from a female passenger’s view, I’d
appreciate it.”

“Well, you’d want to make sure your eyeballs were tied in, or
you’d lose them.”

He started to laugh and the rest of the gents broke up, too.
“That’s for sure!”

I never considered myself funny, so it did me good to see them
enjoyin’ my comment. Part of it was the timing, for I’d said it just before the
offside wheels dropped into a rut and just about swung everyone off their seat
and onto the floor.

Once those gents got to talking, I heard a lot about different
stage routes, river crossings, Indians and robbers. Seems one of those men had
done a lot of traveling, and each of the rest, being in different trades, and
had a story to tell. Even the talkative portly gent had been in a stage that
got carried downriver. An outrider dropped a loop over him and popped him out like
a calf being born.