“The hell you say?” Dusty said. “Are you telling me we are going to drive an entire herd of cows that don’t have horns?”
“That’s right,” Tom said.
“Who would want cattle without horns?”
“The Black Angus make very good beef cattle.”
“All right, if you say so, Tom,” Dusty said. “No horns, huh? I sure hope none of the boys from over at the Rocking H hear about this. They’ll be ridin’ us somethin’ fierce.”
“I want every one of you to take a pistol and a box of fifty rounds. I’ll have another five hundred rounds in the hoodlum wagon. Couple of you should also take Winchesters, and maybe a shotgun.”
“I’d better take a shotgun,” Tom said. “I don’t even own a pistol, and I’ve never become proficient in the use of firearms.”
Mo laughed. “Proficient in the use of firearms,” he repeated. He slapped his hand on his knee. “Damn, Tom, maybe you can’t shoot all that good, but you are the beatinist talker I ever run in to. But don’t worry about not having a pistol, I have an extra one, and a holster, that you can take.”
“And if you get a pistol from Mo it’ll be a good one,” Dalton said. “He’s the best with a gun there ever was.”
Of all the cowboys on the ranch, Mo was the one that Dalton was closest to, and one of the reasons Clay decided to bring Mo along was his hope that Mo would be an ameliorating influence on Dalton.
“All right, if nobody has any questions, go on back and get your personal gear together. We’ll spend tomorrow picking out our remuda and loading on our victuals and gear into the wagons. I plan to get underway Saturday morning.”
The drive from Sky Meadow Ranch to the railhead at Cheyenne would be one tenth as long, and would consist of a herd about two thirds of the number of cattle that would constitute the drive from Dodge City down to Live Oaks Ranch. Duff thought the drive to Cheyenne would be a very good trial run for them.
On the morning they were to leave, the cattle were all bunched up in a long, stretched-out herd, the lead steer was belled, and the chuck wagon was underway. Falcon was one of the cowboys of course, as was Duff. Elmer was there as well, along with two other cowboys from the ranch.
And then there was Meghan, wearing pants and a warm jacket, with a hat that she kept pulled down low. Because of the way she was dressed, and the fact that she was riding straddle, coupled with her riding ability, made it impossible to tell from a distance the difference between Meghan and any of the other cowboys. When one of the cows tended to go astray, Meghan would ride it down and push it back to the herd with as much skill as any cowboy present.
After the chuck wagon started out, Elmer came riding up to Duff, Meghan, and Falcon, who were sitting their horses on top of a gentle rise that allowed them to see the entire herd.
“We’re ready to get underway, Duff. Just give us the word.”
“All right, get them started,” Duff said.
Elmer galloped back down toward the rest of the herd. Taking his hat off, he held it above his head, and shouted out at the top of his voice.
“Yee, haw!”
The other cowboys, whistling and shouting, got the big herd in motion, a few cows in front at first, then, as if picking up momentum, more and more of the herd started moving. Finally, like unraveling a ball of twine, the herd began stringing out until eventually, every cow was in motion.
“Unless you have some other place in mind, I’ll take the far side,” Falcon said.
“Good enough,” Duff replied. “Meghan and I will stay on this side.”
“Listen, you two pay attention to the cattle now,” Falcon said. “I don’t want to look over here and see you sparking.”
“Mind your own business,” Meghan replied with a little laugh.
Two wagons, four riders, and eleven unsaddled horses were lined up on the road in front of the arched gate that led up to Live Oaks Ranch. Big Ben and Julia were there, along with about thirty other ranch hands. Maria was sitting in the driver’s seat of the chuck wagon, smiling broadly at the prospect of going with her husband. Dalton was sitting on the driver’s seat of the supply wagon, frowning to show his displeasure at having been selected for this job.
For the moment, Clay was alongside Big Ben, getting his last minute instructions.
“I’m sending twenty-five hundred dollars in cash with you, along with my letter of credit,” Big Ben said. “That should take care of just about any emergency you might encounter along the way. Send me a wire when you get to Dodge to let me know that you got there all right, and send me another just before you start back with the herd.”
“Yes, sir,” Clay replied.
“I know Dalton is a little upset now at having to drive the hoodlum wagon, but he’ll get over it. I’m reasonably sure he will make a good hand for you.”
“I’m sure he will,” Clay agreed.
Big Ben stuck his hand out, and Clay took it.
“Good luck,” Big Ben said.
“Thank you,” Clay replied. Pulling his horse around, Clay galloped back down to where the little party was assembled.
“Let’s go!” he shouted.
Maria slapped the reins against the back of her team of mules, and the wagon started forward. Dalton started behind her. The riders held their horses to a slow walk, equal to the speed of the wagons, and with the whistles and cheers of those assembled to watch them depart, the Black Angus retrieval party got underway.
It was noon, and for the moment there were very few customers in the Lucky Chance. Because of that Rebecca, Candy, and the two other bar girls who worked in the saloon were sharing a table for lunch. Candy was talking about Billy Lovejoy.
“I know he cares for me,” Candy said, wiping away a tear. “He knows what I have been, but he also knows that I would be a good and faithful wife to him. But he is afraid to go against his father.”
Rebecca didn’t comment, though she knew exactly what Candy was going through. The only difference was that their roles were reversed. Candy was perceived as not good enough for Billy Lovejoy, whereas Rebecca was perceived as too good for Tom Whitman.
“Honey, it’s all a dream,” Kate said. “Girls like us never leave the line. We never get married.”
“Janie did,” Candy said. “She told me that she was just like us, once, but she met Oscar.”
Suddenly Candy realized that she might have spoken out of turn, and she put her hand on Rebecca’s hand. “Becca, I’m sorry, I don’t mean any disrespect for your Mama.”
“Nor were you disrespectful,” Rebecca said. “I know all about my mother’s past, and I am proud of her for what she has become.”
“Well if you ask me, you don’t have any business getting involved with the Lovejoy family in the first place,” Rena said. “I know they are rich, but Frank Lovejoy is a horrid person.”
“Billy is nothing like Frank,” Candy insisted. “Nothing at all.”
“I know he’s not, honey,” Rena said, reaching out to put her hand on Candy’s. “It’s just that nothing good is going to come of this, and I don’t want to see you hurt.”
“None of us want to see you hurt,” Kate said.
At that moment Rebecca saw Oscar come back down the stairs. He stood at the foot of the stairs for a moment, his head bowed, and his shoulders shaking. Rebecca felt a sudden rush of anxiety, and getting up from the table, she hurried over to him.
“Mama?” she asked, her voice catching on the word.
