“Thanks,” Chet said. “Leave it to an old military man to figure this puzzle out.”
Susie hugged her man. “I'm surprised you aren't going along.”
“I might.”
“I'd damn sure be proud to have you, too,” Chet said.
Sarge had several places he wanted checked the next day. They agreed his knowledge of the area was going to help, if the rustlers hadn't left the country. Armed with copies of the men's and the horses' descriptions, they rode out.
The sun came out, and with the three teams of riders they began checking out possible sites where Sarge thought the outlaws might hole up. Mid-day, Chet used his field glasses to scope a low-walled log cabin with smoke coming out the chimney. There were horses in the corral. One sorrel horse made him stop and try to see more of him, but the horse moved behind some others.
He turned to Liz, Jesus, and Monk, the Windmill crewmember. “There's a sorrel horse up there. It may or may not be one of them we're looking for, but Sarge told me he was suspicious about the people who live here.”
“We keep an eye on that outfit. Hanson brothers,” Monk said. “They aren't sterling citizens.”
“Liz, stay behind us.”
“Yes, sir.”
He turned and winked at her. She nodded in approval and they spread out. No way to come up on that place without being seen. As they approached across the snow, he heard shouting and he nodded at his two deputies. “They're saddling horses. We've spooked them. Let's go.”
They charged through the powdery snow and Chet fired two shots in the air. “U.S. Marshals, get your hands in the air.”
One rider leaped in the saddle and fired at them.
“Take his horse,” Chet said to Jesus.
His man slid to a halt, used his Winchester, and the horse rolled over.
“Sorry about that, but I didn't want to chase him down,” he said to Liz.
“I understand.”
“They're putting their hands up,” Jesus said.
Four men with raised hands stood in the snow. Two of them were half-dressed, in shirts and long-handle underwear. A tough-looking woman stood in the doorway. Chet held his gun on them.
“Disarm them. Liz, check the horse brands in the corral.”
“Is there anyone else in the cabin?” he asked the woman.
“Little kids.”
“I'll go see,” Liz said. “These are the stolen horses.”
“Keep your gun ready.”
“How is the one that had the wreck?” he asked Monk.
“Broke leg and he can't walk. I've got his gun.”
“Let's see here. Who are you?” he asked the first man.
“Curly.”
“You stole the horses.”
He shook his head.
“Where's Fan?”
The outlaw pointed to the other man.
Chet nodded. “Pike?”
“That's the guy the horse fell on.”
“What's your name?”
“Jim Hanson. I ain't no part of this business.”
“You are now. That your brother?”
“That's Tad.”
“Now we have five of you for horse rustling, and three for robbing those folks. Where can I hire a wagon, Monk?”
“I guess in town.”
“Go rent one. These prisoners need to go to the Windmill. From there, we can haul them back to Preskitt ourselves.”
“What about his leg?” Jesus asked.
“Better take him into town in the wagon and get it set.”
They all agreed.
“We better not eat in there,” Liz said with a frown and a head toss at the cabin. “We might die. It is too filthy.”
“We can handcuff these rustlers and Monk's going after a wagon. Susie sent lunch along for us.”
“Good.”
With the outlaws all in chains, Chet walked with Liz behind the corral. “Well, did it go like you thought?”
“Very exciting. I wasn't afraid. Your men took charge of the situation. I know some people in Mexico live in squalor, but that cabin is terrible.”
He hugged and kissed her. In a few hours, Monk returned with a wagon and team he'd rented and the outlaws were loaded. Cole and Monk were to take the prisoners to St. Johns and have the one's leg set. Then Chet told them to put the rustlers in the local jail overnight. The next day, they could bring them out to the Windmill.
The rest of the crew took the stolen horses to the Windmill. They left the woman one, and then rode west, driving the horses. The sun had melted a lot of the snow. Meadowlarks ran about looking for something to eat. A red wing hawk challenged them for being there.
“Future Mrs. Byrnes, what do you want to do next?”
“Maybe sleep for two days.”
“We should get some rest tonight in a bed at Susie's.”
“Maybe.” Then she laughed. “You can see those snowcapped peaks from a long ways off. It is all new country to me. I am glad this is over, but I liked going with you.”
“Cold and all?”
“Hey, I came to be with you. I meant it.”
“I have no doubts. I simply didn't want to run you off.”
“You will never do that. I must admit I liked the excitement. You are such a take-charge person, and that aura around you that I can slip into is wonderful.”
She made him feel over-acclaimed. “Alright.”
Then with a finger, she pointed at him. “Someday, when you work cattle, I will show you how good I can heel rope. Or in a pen, how I can rope four horses. You are not marrying a sissy.”
“I never thought you were one. Aside from the cold and snow, this went easy.”
“I will be ready the next time to go with you. I was never cold, but I bet I can dress warmer the next time.”
“It was a hurry-up situation. I'll have some Windmill hands take Doris her horses and a letter explaining the arrests. Cole and Jesus can bring the prisoners to Preskitt.”
“We can get up early and ride hard for Camp Verde.”
“Maybe we should spend one more day with her and Sarge?”
“We can do that. No problem.”
“You are too agreeable.” She playfully poked him. “I like her and I know she does not get much company up here.”
“Hell, there isn't anything going to die if we stay over.”
“Oh, Chet Byrnes, I am so very lucky to have found you.”
“Poor thing, drug through a blizzard and still glad to be here. I don't know about you. What were you thinking that day?”
“Monica said that you can always figure things out. I believed that, too.”
That evening, Victor played his guitar and sang with two other ranch hands in Susie's house with everyone there but his two men and the prisoners.
Susie remarked to Chet, “Times like this are like Texas, aren't they?”
“You homesick?”
“No. I love him, the baby, and this ranch, but I do get melancholy sometimes for the past.”
“I know, but the things we've done here, we never could have done in Texas. This place and its operation are really making money. Tom's log hauling is amazing. Our ranches will soon all be profitable. When they forced us to move out here, it was a big favor.”
Susie smiled. “Liz asked me about our place back there. She said you described it as an old fort. I told her it really was one.”
“I can't get over her enjoying chasing down outlaws in the cold and snow.”
“I can. She's very dedicated to you. She told me she ignored men until she met you and couldn't get over you. I told you several times about May wanting you. You loved her, but she wasn't to be your wife. Kathrin Ivor, she idolizes you. Every time you have had a crisis, she came to help. I bet she regretted marrying Ben when she learned Marge had been killed.”
“All I did was save her.”
“They can't help it. You did not encourage them. What does Liz call it? The aura.”
“I love her.”
“What's next?”
“Look at more of our operations and make them better.”
“Well, you look much better in your earrings,” Susie said when Liz joined them.
“I would have had icicles hanging from them on our chase.”
They laughed. He hugged her, picturing long columns of ice on her ears.
His deputies and prisoners arrived. They put them in the bunkhouse, with plans to take them on toward Preskitt in the morning, with a stopover at the Camp Verde Ranch the next night. It would be a long drive, but his men were convinced they could make it.
Chet and Liz rode out about four o'clock the next day, planning to reach the lower ranch by dark. It was around freezing and threatened to warm up, so they rode the rested roans hard. They reached the ranch house about eight that evening. Lea was glad to see them and Anita hugged Liz. Chet figured Liz's lady had about given up on them ever returning.
The prisoners and his men got there after midnight. He heard them, but he was under warm covers with his wife and knew they could handle it.
The next day, they got back to the Preskitt Valley place, and ranch exams started, with Hampt's part next. His fenced hay meadows worked and his takeover of cattle on the Ralston place next door had worked. They sold off two hundred cull cows, which they hoped helped the range. Then they had driven another two hundred cows to Reg. There were lots of Shorthorn and Hereford cross cows in Hampt's original herd, but he had only begun the crossbreeding program on the Ralston operation.
“They sure look in good condition,” Liz commented as they rode through them.
Hampt agreed. “Liz, I've been working hard to make this place work. It's been a challenge, but I can see us doing it.”
“I can, too.”
“Thanks. I'm just an old cowboy blessed with May and all these kids. You know after they fired me at the Quarter Circle Z, I was doing day work. Then Chet hired me and, boy, that was the great start for me.”
Liz agreed. “I am so glad to be a part of this outfit. I understand your enthusiasm, for I have it, too.”
Chet and Liz rode back together to the Preskitt Valley house.
“May is a queen,” she said. “Those children all work for her.”
“When we were in Texas, those boys were little and they treed her.”
“What does that mean?”
“I had to make them promise not to make her cry.”
“What happened?”
“May is so tender hearted. But now those boys have come to appreciate her and they even play piano with her. As I told you earlier, my brother married her to raise his kids. She does a good job now.”
“Maybe Hampt helped her.”
“He probably did.”
“Susie told me about JD, too.”
“He was a problem. We even had to go get him out of jail in New Mexico. But he married Bonnie, and I think they're doing good.”
“Nothing is easy, is it?”
“Nothing.”
“Next?”
“We'll postpone going to Reg's. I want it to warm up there first.”
She laughed. “And I bought new underwear that fits me.”
“Keep it. We may need it yet.”
He reminded her. “In three weeks we'll be married.”
“I know that. I'm fine. Monica and I have it all planned. I can't wait.”
“I don't regret living with you for one minute. I have lived every day to the fullest and I will after we are wed. Can you see a difference coming?”
“No.”
“Good. I enjoy every day.”
“If you ever want to go off and have a man-to-man time, you tell me. I can accept that.”
“Roundup is coming. I'd like to make as many of them as I can.”
“I understand. Should we take a honeymoon?”
“That would be fine. Where should we go? There are cabins in Oak Creek.”
“Maybe. Let me think on it. Alright?” she asked.
“No problem.”
Time for the wedding came and they were to be married in the Catholic church with the reception at the upper ranch afterward. Chet found a circus tent in Tucson to rent just to be certain they had a dry reception. The carnival team brought it and set it up. She laughed about his concern, while she went running about to be sure things went just so.
Someone said to him, “You are sure spending a lot of money on this wedding.”
“It won't hurt anyone.”
“I guess not. I ain't paying for it.”
Chet gave him a curt answer. “Right.”
Two whole beefs were going to be cooked for the event. Cases of wine arrived from Liz's
hacienda
. Avocados from Mexico and lots of red chili peppers as well. Besides the array of Dutch ovens to make sourdough biscuits, three ranch wives were on hand to make
tortillas
as well.
Frijoles
in big cast iron kettles were ready to cook. Rope hitch lines were set up, and many were invited. The
vaqueros
were in charge of parking and the weather looked favorable. They had white-washed every building. Extra outhouses were assembled.
Holding his son, while Rhea was getting everything ready to go, Chet played with him. Marge left him with a fine boy. He hoped he could make a rancher out of him. But no one knew what their kids would become or do.
Hours later, he stood outside the rail inside the chapel. Coming up the aisle on Hampt's arm, and carrying Adam, came Elizabeth Delarosa Carmel. The ceremony would soon be over and the
fiesta
would begin. Cole and Jesus stood by as his best men. The ring was new, but a simple gold band that she wanted.
The church was crowded. But before the ceremony he noticed the ushers brought an older couple forward to be seated. They were well dressed and Hispanic. Were they her parents? He had no idea. They'd never replied to his invite.