“What do you mean, we’ll have a pretty big fly swat?”
“Mr. Abernathy is paying thirty-five dollars a head at delivery.”
“Thirty-five dollars a head?” Smoke said in surprise. “Why, that’s….”
“That’s one hundred and five thousand dollars,” Sally said, finishing Smoke’s sentence.
Pearlie dropped his fork and stared across the table at Sally. Cal laughed out loud.
“Pearlie, that’s the first time I ever seen anything stop you eatin’ in mid-chew,” Cal said.
“Miz Sally, did you…” Pearlie began, then remembering that his mouth was full, finished chewing and swallowed before he returned to his question. “Did you just say one hunnert’n five thousand dollars?”
“I did say that,” Sally said. She smiled at Smoke. “That’s why I was able to answer your question as to how much it would cost us to lose three thousand head.”
“Lord, I’ve never seen that much money. I ain’t never even heard of that much money,” Cal said.
“You haven’t said anything, Smoke,” Sally said. She took a sip of coffee and stared at her husband over the rim of the cup. “What’s the matter? Has the cat got your tongue?”
“That’s a lot of money,” Smoke said. “And you are right, that is one big fly swat. Something like that would be worth going all the way to Sorento.”
“Smoke, do you really think we can drive that many cows all the way to Sorento?” Pearlie asked.
“Looks like we don’t have any choice,” Smoke said, smiling at Sally. “The boss has spoken.”
“Lord, just us?” Cal asked.
Smoke chuckled. “What’s the matter, Cal? Don’t you think we can do it?”
“I—I reckon so, if you say we can,” Cal said, though it was obvious he was unconvinced.
Smoke laughed again. “Don’t worry, we’ll get some men to help us: drovers, a blacksmith, a cook.”
“You won’t need a cook,” Sally said.
“No cook? Miz Sally, you don’t aim for us to make a drive like that on nothin’ but beef jerky, do you?” Pearlie asked.
“No, I expect you to make the drive on bacon and beans, biscuits and cornbread, ham and fried potatoes, some roast beef, steak from time to time, apple pie, and…maybe a few bear claws.”
“Lord a’mercy, you’re goin’ with us?”
“No,” Smoke said.
“Yes,” Sally said at the same time.
“Sally, this isn’t some picnic in the country,” Smoke said. “I’m not going to let you go.”
Sally stared at Smoke with here eyes flashing. “Smoke Jensen. Did you just say what I thought you said? Did you say you aren’t going to
“I, uh…” Smoke began, but he stammered to a stop in mid-sentence.
“Cal, if you would be so kind as to hitch up the team, I’ll take a wagon into town and pick up all the possibles we’re going to need for the drive,” Sally said.
Cal looked at Smoke.
Smoke smiled, and shook his head. “Well, do what the lady says,” he said. “Maybe a few bear claws would taste good out on the trail.”
“Yes, sir!” Cal said with pleasure.
“I’ll help you with the team,” Pearlie said, following Cal outside.
“I thought you might see it my way,” Sally said after the two young men were gone.
“I haven’t seen it your way,” Smoke said.
“Oh? Kirby Jensen, are you telling me you are going to stop me from going?”
Sally used Smoke’s real name, a sign that she meant business.
“No, hold on now,” Smoke said, raising his hands in defense. “I said I haven’t seen it your way. I didn’t say you weren’t going.”
Sally smiled. “I didn’t think you would actually try to stop me.”
“I won’t do that,” Smoke said. “But if there comes a gully-gusher and you’re trying to drive the chuck wagon hub-deep through water and mud, I don’t want to hear the slightest complaint from you.”
Sally leaned into Smoke and looked flirtatiously into his eyes.
“Why, Smoke, darling,” she said. “Do I ever complain?”
Chapter Four
Even as Pearlie and Cal were hitching up the wagon for Sally to drive into town, several hundred miles north, in the little town of Salcedo in Wyoming Territory, Trent Williams was awakened from a sound sleep by a loud knock on his hotel room door.
