Rocky Raccoon Ch. 02

They arrived in Chicago, and spent a week there, sightseeing and shopping for her, getting heavier clothes suitable for the North. Rocky was keen to see the stockyards, and he left Nancy behind, in the company of the wives of business associates. They wanted to purchase potatoes, his being much closer and would arrive in better shape, along with cabbages, carrots, onions, and anything he raised that would travel.

The women gossiped, talking about the latest fashions from Paris, the latest scandals in their social scene, and Nancy was amazed at the promiscuity. "How do your husbands put up with it?"

"Oh honey," said the matron of the groups. "they're so focused on business they don't know where we are half the time, and they travel a lot. Think they're celibate when they're off on the frontier? As long as we're circumspect, don't flaunt it in public, they have no clue. Of course," she sighed, "your options will be limited, being stuck in the wilderness. Besides, it's better if you stay close to your husband for a year or two, bear him a child, make it hard for him to leave you. In a few years, if you're interested, tell him you want to come here for some shopping, and look me up. I always have several, shall we say, well equipped young gentlemen around, and I could introduce you to one. Or maybe to all, depends on how long you've been cooped up."

Nancy expressed shock, but then giggled, and filed the information away.

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They left Chicago, and finally left the railroad in the little town outside his ranch. Nancy was surprised at the size, it wasn't much bigger than her hometown. Two general stores, a gunsmith, a livery stable, a barber shop, a dress shop, and a large railroad warehouse. There were seven wagons waiting on them, having timed their arrival with a delivery from the ranch.

There were whoops and backslapping from the men, and they all bowed as she was introduced, welcoming her to the ranch. His foreman, "Spuds" O'Shea, took her hand, settling her into the lead wagon, after filling it with her trunks. He rode beside them as Rocky drove, telling him of things that had gone on while he was gone.

"We've got what looks like a bumper crop this year, if we get enough rain. Then again, that feller you sent has done a bang up job, building that lake in that little canyon, and using rock to line the ditches to minimize water loss. You just missed him, he left about ten days ago, said he had another contract to work on. He sure grinned when I handed him that bonus, but you did say give it to him if he got done ahead of schedule. Said as soon as his new contract was up he was gonna come back, he has some ideas to run by you. You might want to give him a listen."

"We got word from Tex a few days ago, and he says he'll be here in about two weeks, and that they hadn't lost hardly any cows. He's already talking about the next trip, and some critter he calls a 'hereford', says it might be the future of the cattle business. Oh, and Robert wrote and said to tell you the vein had played out, and that you knew what he meant. He also said he was going to stay a little longer, there was a new claim he wanted to work awhile."

Rocky grinned. He knew what Robert was telling him was all the salted gold had now been used up, and he was going out on his own. Good for him and Yellow Rose. He was also curious about what kind of cow could possibly make Tex so excited.

Nancy sat and listened, realizing she had no idea how much money he had, or how many things he had invested in. Seems her new hubby was a man of far more means than she thought.

Then Spuds brought up the small ranch he had bought farther South, reminding him that the river that ran through it would make it another good agricultural spot, especially for wheat and corn, to use for feed in the winter. Rocky grinned, he'd gone on about the little ranch since he'd shown it to him.

"Tell you what, Spuds, make sure you leave me enough men with the sense to bring the crop in, and take the rest south. Break up those fields, get us a crop started, and I'll give you half ownership in the ranch. It's what you've wanted all along. And I'm a silent partner, understand? You're the boss, you run it the way you think it should be. Next time we go to town I'll get our lawyer to draw up the new papers and amend the deed. Sound all right to you? Oh, and cut about a hundred head out to take with you, no use to waste the graze. I can't spare a lot of horses, but I'm sure we can pick some from the remuda Tex is bringing when he delivers the herd."

Spuds was so overwhelmed he just stopped, before letting out a tremendous whoop and racing by them at a gallop.

"There goes one happy man," Rocky told Nancy, grinning.

"Can we...you afford to just give half a ranch away?"

"I'm not giving it away, he's earned it. There wouldn't be a ranch if Spuds hadn't showed up to help me years ago. The man had a lot to do with how successful I am, and I owe him. One thing you need to learn about me honey, is that I pay my debts, and that I also collect what's owed me, the hard way if I have to."

Unfortunately, Nancy never noted the seriousness of his voice. She was a little disappointed with the house, it was of log and a lot smaller than she expected. She said as much, and Rocky grinned.

"Oh, as time goes by, and we add to the family, it will get bigger, and grander. That should give you an incentive to start as soon as possible."

Nancy never told Rocky, but she couldn't stand children, and the thought of dropping half a dozen or more brats made her stomach roll. She never let on, acting as anxious as he did. Lord knows the first few months they tried hard enough. They usually ended the night and started the morning with a round of lovemaking.

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Tex showed up a few weeks later with the herd. He had almost a hundred and fifty more than he started with, stuff he'd picked up from ranchers who were going bust along the way. He made them all sign a paper giving him clear title, which he had to show twice to local lawmen after some rancher alleged he had cut their herd. They found no cattle with the brands that they claimed were missing, and Tex had a pretty salty bunch with him, so the law never pushed it. One rancher tried to stampede the herd, to cut out strays and hide them. Tex hanged him from a cottonwood the next day, and lay three bodies at his feet. No one bothered them after that.

It was now early June, and the cows spread out in the belly deep grass, happy not to have to travel every day. They would keep them on the plains during the summer, and move them up to the canyons when the weather started getting bad, so the trees and the walls would protect them from heavy snow and winds.

Tex took a few of the cowboys who stayed, and cut enough timber for a drift fence, to keep them from straying when the weather hit. They would close it up after the first storm. They also built a snug cabin big enough to hold eight, as a line camp.

Even though it was June, Rocky had a crew working the hills, dragging and chopping up dead wood where they found it. Rocky did not want to cut a live tree if he could help it. Fortunately, harsh winters and intense thunderstorms gave him plenty of wood.

In July, he took his new bride to the camp of Long Horse. Nancy was terrified, and his adopted tribe was not impressed. They carefully refrained from being too judgmental, but Rocky could sense it. He finally asked Long Horse and Swallow what they thought.

Swallow said what the whole tribe thought. "She is too soft, my son, and not a fit mate for a man such as Eight Killer. That one will bear watching. You would have done much better to have picked one of us. Sharp Arrow, he has a daughter, strong, skilled at the duties of a wife, and not unfair in appearance. He would consider it an honor to have you in his family."

Long Horse was a little kinder. "Perhaps, over time, she will learn. The long winter will tell the tale. Lead her gently, my son."

Rocky didn't really share what they had said, and when Nancy told him she didn't want to visit the village again, he sighed and agreed.

That September, before the snows flew, Rocky took two weeks and went on the winter hunt with his adopted tribe. Most of the herds had already left, but there were enough buffalo left in small groups for them to make a successful hunt of it, besides the elk, deer, and bighorn sheep Rocky and five other hunters he'd equipped with rifles managed to bag on the way back. Rocky had gone to town, picking up winter supplies for the tribe, along with delivering the vegetables from his farm. He knew his tribe fared better than most in the area, and he knew Swallow and Long Horse always gave to other villages who weren't as well prepared for winter, and didn't care, as long as they were taken care of. Sometimes, if it was a particularly harsh winter, he would drive a couple of dozen beeves into the village, to use as they saw fit. The Indian didn't particularly like beef, but it beat the hell out of starving.

Rocky had explained the white man's obsession with the yellow rocks, and warned the tribe to never speak of any on their lands. The Sioux had little regard for gold, except for ornaments, so they pretty much ignored it. Long Horse though, saw the potential, and would reward the tribe when they found a nugget. One fall, after he had delivered the winter supply of food and blankets, Long Horse took him to a small tent just outside the village. It was filled with bags of gold, almost six hundred pounds worth. When he tried to explain it's value, Long Horse waved his explanation aside. "To us, it is all but meaningless. If the white man wants to be a fool over it, and give perfectly good blankets and food for useless rocks, who are to stop them? Use it to buy extra food if you want to, there are other camps in the area who are not as fortunate to have sons such as you."

Rocky thought about it for awhile, then had the gold taken to Colorado where he had his friend filter it in with his own, and send it back to him, after taking ten per cent, at Rocky's insistence. He put the money in a separate account, and used it to establish a trading post on the edge of the treaty line. He got an old trapper, married to a Sioux, and his sons, to run it, for a good wage. The Sioux soon learned if they went to that trading post, they got excellent bargains for their goods, especially since the furs they traded magically appeared back in their packs the next day. The old trapper and his wife usually kept twenty-five per cent, to keep up appearances. The logo over the store was an elongated horse, with a swallow hovering above. Every Indian knew what it signified.

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The fall passed, each worker busy from sunup to sundown. Great amounts of hay were cut in the canyons, and piled into high stacks, for winter feed. Spuds had gotten in a crop, and wagons of corn and wheat appeared at regular intervals, as well as bags of cornmeal and flour. Rocky built huge barns in two canyons, and stocked them to the rafters. He brought in three cats per barn, one tom and two females, knowing nature would increase the numbers, to take care of the inevitable mice, rats, and other varmints who craved an easy meal. His men would check them regularly, to take care of anything bigger.

His workload cut into their love life, and Nancy was not happy. The only thing that kept her from going crazy was the regular deliveries made almost weekly to the railroad, some to Chicago, some to the railroad, and some to the army, with enough left over to keep the local town supplied. She went along on almost every one, and Rocky considered it a good sign, thinking she was interested in the ranch.

Always money conscious, she complained to Rocky that everything went into the bank where she couldn't touch it. Rocky just laughed, went into the town the next week, and opened an account in her name only, putting five hundred in it, with a promise to put more in as needed. It was nearly what a cowboy would make in two years, but it seemed like pennies to Nancy. It didn't stop her from spending some every time she went to town, even with the limited selections she found. Then she discovered mail order, and soon packages started showing up. Rocky was indulgent up to a point, but he could not see the usefulness of a full tea service in sliver, and asked her to slow down a bit.

Nancy did as her husband asked, but resented it.

Then the snows hit, and she learned the value of running lines from the house to the outhouse and barn. It took a month before cabin fever hit, and she became unreasonable. Rocky took it for a while before he snapped.

"I explained to you several times, both in letters and in person how harsh a Wyoming winter could be. You said it would not be a problem. Were you wrong?"

She immediately apologized, and the next supply run they made he took her with him. wrapped in several blankets and a buffalo hide. She thought her nose was going to freeze off, even covered in the silk scarf. They stayed in town several days while Rocky corresponded with his business agents in Chicago, Texas, and Mexico, by telegraph.

The Don sent his warmest regards, assuring him Juan Carlos had almost half the cattle he needed assembled, and would have the rest by spring.

His factors in Chicago and the Quartermasters Office both asked if he could increase production, and by how much. He had told them about his ability to mill flour and cornmeal, and there was a clamor to send as much as he had. He sent word to Spuds, who had kept massive amounts for winter milling, just to give his core workers something to do. He had six tons of each available for shipment, all Rocky had to do was send word.

Rocky also told Spuds he would have the factors correspond directly with him for the flour and cornmeal. He was just an extra step in the process, slowing things down.

Nancy enjoyed the stay, and Rocky indulged her, letting her make a few mail order purchases. It was with dread when she got on the sleigh, wrapped in her robe, for the ride back.

The days blurred for Nancy. It seemed to be snowing all the time. She brightened up at Christmas, with the decorations she'd ordered and the tree almost obscured with presents.

Rocky had gotten his men new sheepskin chaps, great protection from the elements, and they paraded around in them foolishly for days. He also got them ten boxes of candies, most cowboys had a notorious sweet tooth, along with two cases of whiskey. Very little got done before the whiskey ran out. They had all gotten together and chipped in, and Rocky received a brand new Winchester, the 1873 model, far superior to the '66 Yellowboy he carried. He was moved by their thoughtfulness, the rifle was incredibly hard to come by so soon after they were released.

Rocky made a trip to the village right after the new year, to check on his family, taking a couple of pack horses laden with candies and gifts for the whole tribe. They were faring well, food was still in good supply, so after a couple of days he moved on, to check on the line camp.

He found the cowboys in good spirits. Half went out every other day to check the stock, uncover new haystacks, and make sure the waterholes were clear. They were pleased to report very little die off, and many heifers with swollen bellies. They spent their spare time hunting the wolves and cougars that considered the cattle easy targets. Other than that, they sat around the cabin spinning yarns, playing penny poker, and thinking about town, with it's whiskey and women of easy virtue.

Rocky had taken a proactive stance on gambling. His men could play, and above their monthly pay, each man got a thousand pennies, five hundred coming from their wages, the other five hundred as a bonus. It was all they were allowed to gamble with, and when they ran out,they couldn't play again until the start of the next month, when he would buy the pennies from the winners and redistribute them. There were no exceptions, and even at those low stakes, there were occasional fights. Most though, knew of the value of the plan.

By March, Nancy was firmly convinced she would go mad. She even ran out into the night once while Rocky was away, screaming in frustration. She didn't watch where she was going and was totally lost within seconds. She seriously thought she was going to freeze to death when the Indian woman and her daughter Rocky had hired to cook for the men showed up,and led her back to the cabin. They heated water, splashed it into a tub, undressed her and helped her in, leaving when she was settled. She stayed in until it started growing cold, and dressed hurriedly in her thickest gown, throwing a blanket around her and sitting as close as she dared to the fireplace.

She became sullen and withdrawn, barely speaking. She focused all her anger on Rocky, and wouldn't even have slept with him if she hadn't needed the warmth at night. Rocky tried to draw her out of her shell, but soon gave up and left her alone. "She'll be used to it by next winter," he thought, "and besides, by then there should be a child for her to dote on, and that should help a lot." He still couldn't understand why she didn't conceive.

Finally, the snows started melting, turning everything into a quagmire. Nancy learned something new to hate, mud. It caked on everything and was impossible to wash out.

Then suddenly, the mud dried up and everything turned green. She enjoyed the warmth on her face, but cringed at the thought of another winter. A lot of times, she considered going into town while he was away, raiding her bank account, and purchasing a ticket home. Only the fact that the letters she had received from her folks told of the dire straits they were facing as their business failed kept her from it. Then again, she was an excellent seamstress, and she hadn't spent anything in a while, and there was almost a thousand dollars in the account. She knew if she was careful, she could live for almost four years on that alone.

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'Dapper' Dan Bradshaw sat on a rise, looking at the ranch before him. He wore a derby and a suit, something he would never normally worn on the trail, but his sudden departure from the last town was so quick he didn't have time to collect his things.

He was a gambler, and was inclined to cheat when he thought he could get away with it. He was right in the midst of plucking four locals, when one with good eyes and no alcohol caught him palming an ace, slapping his hand suddenly and watching the card flutter to the ground. There was dead silence for a moment, until one of the drunks screamed "Cheat!" and went for his gun. His hideout derringer popped out of his sleeve, and he emptied both barrels in the man's head. By now the others were reaching, so he kicked over the table and jumping up,slapped a coal lamp off it's peg. It broke, and suddenly flames were lapping up the wall.

The man who caught him was not to be deterred, so Dan leaped through the batwing doors as bullet splintered them. He grabbed what looked like the fastest horse at the hitch rail, and was thundering down the street as bullets flew around him.

Dan cursed as he ran for six straight days from a posse. Determined bastards, he thought, as his horse stumbled. He thought he was a goner, but looked back and saw them stop, linger a moment, and turn around. He had no idea, but he had reached the borders of the Sioux land, and the posse, knowing things were strained between the races, didn't enter, consoling themselves that whatever fate the Sioux held for him would be far worse than a simple hanging.

The Gods of gamblers and fools must have been smiling on him, because he spent four days in Indian territory without being detected, before crossing the border again, and finding himself in front of Rocky's ranch. He watched for two hours, and was about to leave, when the blond came outside. Damn, she was a looker! Despite his better judgement, he cleaned his clothes as best he could, wiped his boots, set his derby at a jaunty angle, and started his horse towards the house.