“She was the best woman God ever put on this earth. Thank you for doing that, Dave. I’ll pay her a visit in a little while to apologize. If I hadn’t run off, she’d still be here.”
“Don’t go blaming yourself, Jake. Hell, I was here, and I didn’t stop it. I should feel worse than you do. But even I couldn’t predict your father would do anything like that. He was a hard man, but he had to be. For all his thunder, I never saw him even raise his hand against another man, much less a woman. You owe it to your mother to stay here and run the place. She probably wants you to find your own good woman and fill this house with youngsters.”
“I’m sure she does. But that will have to wait.”
“I wish you wouldn’t go, Jake. It’ll be good having you around again. I missed all those good times we used to have.”
“So, did I, Dave. But I have to do this. I’ll tell the boys what I plan to do when they all get back for supper.”
“They’re already congregating in the chow house. After Tex told me you were back, we all left the herd, but I came here while the others headed for the chow house.”
“Okay. Let’s head over there,” Jake said as he rose.
He pulled the steaming coffeepot from the hot plate then walked behind Dave as they left the house. He had to wait for Dave to unhitch his horse before they began walking to the chow house.
Dave said, “I wish you didn’t go, Jake.”
“I haven’t got a choice, Dave. Even if I decided to stay, what if my father suddenly shows up again? I need to find him. Whatever happens when I do will be up to him.”
“Will you be taking the Emperor? You’re the only one who can ride him now.”
“No. He can enjoy himself with his harem. I’ll ride Mars; if he’s still here. My father didn’t sell him; did he?”
“Nope. He’s in the corral. Bill’s been taking special care of him after you left, and nobody’s ridden him in all that time, not even your father. Partly because he’s so feisty for a gelding. I guess he’s got too much of his father in him.”
Jake wondered how much of his father was inside of his own son before he said, “My mother didn’t mention anything about anyone leaving or any new hires. I didn’t spend a lot of time looking at the books, either. Do we still have the same men?”
“Yup. The same eight ranch hands. Charlie is still keeping us fed, Bill Jackson is taking care of the horses and Big Tom McCallister is working the iron.”
Then he grinned at Jake and said, “Hell, Jake, you’re almost as big as Tom now. I reckon that the army made you a little taller but added a good forty pounds.”
“They fed us too much, Dave.”
When they entered the chow house’s open door, Jake pulled up and Dave stopped beside him. Jake looked at the eleven faces he’d known for years and didn’t notice any dramatic changes. He knew that he was the one who’d changed.
He smiled then said, “I guess you’re all surprised that I showed up. Dave seemed to think I wasn’t coming back, and I can understand why. I should have stayed, but there’s no point in crying over spilled milk. I’ll share supper with you, but before we make Charlie start earning his pay, I want to tell you what I plan to do.”
Before he could begin, Pack Oliver said, “Jake, we’re all really glad to see you again. We were fearin’ the worst. You sure have grown some.”
“Thanks, Pack. It’s good to see you all again, too. I reckon if any of you had grown at all, it would have been hanging over your gunbelt.”
The chow hall echoed with laughter, snickers, guffaws and one high-pitched giggle that erupted from Colt Hipper. He was the smallest man on the ranch at five feet and four inches. But despite his weight of less than a hundred and twenty pounds, he could handle his horse and lasso with the best of them, so no one tweaked him about his high-pitched voice or girlish giggle.
When the assorted merriment subsided, Jake said, “I talked to Dave about what happened, and I know that none of you were on the ranch at the time. But I don’t know what drove my father to do what he did, so if any of you have anything that could help me understand, I’d appreciate it if you let me know.”
Lone Bill Riker asked, “Are you gonna have to go back soon, Jake?”
“No. The army mustered me out, so I’m a civilian now. But I’m going to leave again soon to find my father. I’ll leave enough money with Dave, so you’ll all be paid. I’ll be stopping back at least once a month until I find him.”
Bill Jackson quickly asked, “What are you gonna do if you do track him down, Jake?”
“I don’t know, Bill. It depends on what he does when he sees me. I just hope that I spot him first. I’ll answer all your questions while we fill our bellies.”
Charlie took the hint and hurried to the back of the chow house to put the final steps on their dinner. It was the big meal of the day and Charlie kept it simple but filling.
_____
Jake stayed with the men for another hour after they’d finished eating to tell them what he’d been doing for the last three years and to hear them tell their stories. Not one of them was able to add any more details to what Dave had told him. None of them had seen his
