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Authors: Nancy Radke
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decide at that time I don't want to be married?"
"Then I'll set you free, Ma'am, and no harm done you."
He was a gentleman, more than any on that train, for he could have claimed a husband's rights if he wished and I would not have denied him. Resented him, maybe, but not denied him.
I had no love for this tall rawboned man, but my respect for him grew mightily right then. How glad I was I'd taken Web's advice and not gotten myself hitched to one of those others.
Now I'm not one to be contrary, but what he said just made me want to hang onto him harder. Although, if he wished to be shut of me, I wouldn't hold him neither, and I said so.
He just nodded, thoughtful like, and five minutes later, after my mind had already passed on to other things, he said, "I never meant that. I'll stay in double harness, long as you can put up with me. I reckon you're more woman than it'll ever be my fortune to find. I know what I look like and I'm no great talker. The ladies don't pay me no attention. Neither would you, 'cept for this fix you're in."
"Maybe so," I said and left it at that. The thought of that shared bed had made me nervous as a green-broke filly and his statement eased my mind somewhat. This would give me time to get to know him. We drove along in comfort, each to his own musing until I finally asked, "Where you from?"
"West Virginia, by way of Texas. I went down the Ohio when I was fourteen and been seeing country ever since. There's a spot of country out here to see. I've been to Mexico and California, came back to fight in the war but it was almost over."
"Where were you headed when the Indians got you?"
"Wyoming. Or Colorado. Towards the mountains."
The mountains sounded good to me. Having left my rolling Tennessee hills almost a month ago, the thought of any mountains appealed mightily.
This flat land lying unbroken for miles except for gullies and low mounds was fine if you liked that sort of thing. I preferred my land standing up, rising in front of me or sweeping away from under me.
After a few miles Trahern spoke again. "I thought I'd find some land, bring in some cattle and prove up. The Sweetwater sounded good. I was going to look at it, then drift south till I found a spot. What're your plans?"
For the first time since Uncle Dem had died I stopped long enough to realize I didn't have any. It made me laugh at myself. Here I'd been intent on getting to Oregon when there was no reason to go. None at all.
So I explained it to Trahern, how first my folks had died and sent me to my uncle and aunt's; then after they died too, I had kept on with the wagon train because I was already pointed that direction. It's easy to keep on drifting, for in that way no decisions need to be made. So I made my first one.
"I was traveling with Uncle Dem. Now I'll go with you, wherever; unless you don't wish me to."
He was silent for a long time, turning that statement around in his mind. I could see that it pleased him for he was nodding slightly; a quiet man and one who thought things over. “Web was tellin’ me ‘bout a place near Shoshone country. There’s a town and a fort down the river. Walla Walla. Excellent ranching country.”
"Do you have a stake?" I asked. Some men travel and never own more than what they are wearing on their backs, while others slowly build until they have something to show for their life. And some men, like my Pa, finally settle on land that is beautiful; a delight to the soul and the eye but not to the belly.
"Yes. I brought a herd up the Chisholm trail and sold them at Abilene."
"But didn't the Indians take what you had?"
His face darkened. Maybe I shouldn't be asking so many questions. "No. I banked my money in Abilene ‘fore I headed west."
So he was a careful man, looking to the future. He was also a muscular man with large hands and broad shoulders; he could probably split firewood with one blow. He wasn't a chewin' man or one to smoke, for he'd refused Uncle Dem's tobacco when I
"Then I'll set you free, Ma'am, and no harm done you."
He was a gentleman, more than any on that train, for he could have claimed a husband's rights if he wished and I would not have denied him. Resented him, maybe, but not denied him.
I had no love for this tall rawboned man, but my respect for him grew mightily right then. How glad I was I'd taken Web's advice and not gotten myself hitched to one of those others.
Now I'm not one to be contrary, but what he said just made me want to hang onto him harder. Although, if he wished to be shut of me, I wouldn't hold him neither, and I said so.
He just nodded, thoughtful like, and five minutes later, after my mind had already passed on to other things, he said, "I never meant that. I'll stay in double harness, long as you can put up with me. I reckon you're more woman than it'll ever be my fortune to find. I know what I look like and I'm no great talker. The ladies don't pay me no attention. Neither would you, 'cept for this fix you're in."
"Maybe so," I said and left it at that. The thought of that shared bed had made me nervous as a green-broke filly and his statement eased my mind somewhat. This would give me time to get to know him. We drove along in comfort, each to his own musing until I finally asked, "Where you from?"
"West Virginia, by way of Texas. I went down the Ohio when I was fourteen and been seeing country ever since. There's a spot of country out here to see. I've been to Mexico and California, came back to fight in the war but it was almost over."
"Where were you headed when the Indians got you?"
"Wyoming. Or Colorado. Towards the mountains."
The mountains sounded good to me. Having left my rolling Tennessee hills almost a month ago, the thought of any mountains appealed mightily.
This flat land lying unbroken for miles except for gullies and low mounds was fine if you liked that sort of thing. I preferred my land standing up, rising in front of me or sweeping away from under me.
After a few miles Trahern spoke again. "I thought I'd find some land, bring in some cattle and prove up. The Sweetwater sounded good. I was going to look at it, then drift south till I found a spot. What're your plans?"
For the first time since Uncle Dem had died I stopped long enough to realize I didn't have any. It made me laugh at myself. Here I'd been intent on getting to Oregon when there was no reason to go. None at all.
So I explained it to Trahern, how first my folks had died and sent me to my uncle and aunt's; then after they died too, I had kept on with the wagon train because I was already pointed that direction. It's easy to keep on drifting, for in that way no decisions need to be made. So I made my first one.
"I was traveling with Uncle Dem. Now I'll go with you, wherever; unless you don't wish me to."
He was silent for a long time, turning that statement around in his mind. I could see that it pleased him for he was nodding slightly; a quiet man and one who thought things over. “Web was tellin’ me ‘bout a place near Shoshone country. There’s a town and a fort down the river. Walla Walla. Excellent ranching country.”
"Do you have a stake?" I asked. Some men travel and never own more than what they are wearing on their backs, while others slowly build until they have something to show for their life. And some men, like my Pa, finally settle on land that is beautiful; a delight to the soul and the eye but not to the belly.
"Yes. I brought a herd up the Chisholm trail and sold them at Abilene."
"But didn't the Indians take what you had?"
His face darkened. Maybe I shouldn't be asking so many questions. "No. I banked my money in Abilene ‘fore I headed west."
So he was a careful man, looking to the future. He was also a muscular man with large hands and broad shoulders; he could probably split firewood with one blow. He wasn't a chewin' man or one to smoke, for he'd refused Uncle Dem's tobacco when I
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