Read Online The Handsomest Man in the Country by Nancy Radke - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Nancy Radke
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offered it to him.
My mules liked him and I was beginning to, too.
Later that day I took the hat and scarf from my head and tried to comb my hair. It'd been left uncombed too long and was like trying to curry out a horse's tail full of cockleburs. I was still too tired to struggle with it and was ready to get out the scissors when Trahern noticed my efforts and called me up front with him.
"Bring your comb," he said, so I did, figuring he wanted me to watch the mules while he rode off. He handed me the reins, but instead of leaving, took my comb and climbed over behind me and started untangling my mop. I hadn't had anyone do for me since I was in pigtails and it felt awfully good.
"I was about ready to cut it off," I declared. "It's been nothing but a nuisance on this trip."
"Don't you dare," he said as he patiently worked out the tangles. "If need be, I'll comb it every day until we get settled."
"Web figured it attracts the Indians."
"Web's probably right, but even if you cut it short, they would spot the color."
He worked at it till he got it to flow nicely, then braided it into one long braid so as it'd stay nice. I hadn't worn it braided for several years, but out on the trail it made sense and I thanked him.
We rode on in silence for awhile, then I got out to gather fuel. Being in the lead wagon, I found some, but even then it was scattered widely. I wondered at the trains following us. How much were they finding?
A big jackrabbit jumped out from under my feet and bounded ahead of us and Trahern dropped it with a shot from Uncle Dem's pistol. It was a head shot so the meat was undamaged and I tossed it up to him.
That night I helped him dress his wounds again. They were healing swiftly, the two bullet holes causing the most grief, although they were older than the other wounds. It looked like he'd been shot before the Indians got him. I asked him.
"Three men. They robbed me a week earlier, left me for dead."
"You know them?"
"No, but if I ever see them again, I'll recognize ‘em." His voice was deadly quiet, his statement simple fact.
I wouldn't want to be any of those men, for three against one are no odds at all when the one is a skilled hunter.
Next day he brought back an antelope, killed with a single neck shot. We shared it with Axel's family and also with Kate Madison, now heavy with child.
It really made a difference being married. For one, the young men left me strictly alone. No more courting calls or offers of moonlight walks. Marriage, for me, brought freedom.
I took me a lay down every afternoon while we were going to Fort Kearney and soon regained my strength.
We arrived at Fort Kearney, glad to be with other people for awhile. There were several wagons there, folks that had stayed behind from other trains for one reason or another. Some needed to re-equip, some to rest up; some just couldn't get along with the group they were traveling with, so pulled up and waited for another train to come through.
Trahern had been here before, but that had been five years ago and the seventeen-year-old fort had grown since he'd been through. He knew some of the soldiers and went to renew friendships and also to inquire about the trail ahead.
I looked around inside the wagon for things to trade. There were a few things of Aunt Edith's I never figured to use. I gathered these along with some of her jewelry and took them over to the small store to try to buy supplies; mainly more flour and sugar.
The store was dark, and it was hard to see what I was getting. I made the storekeeper bring the flour out into the late afternoon light so as I could see it wasn't weevily. It looked good so I traded for a barrel, then looked for a hairbrush.
The rest of my things I traded for ammunition and a pistol, a twelve shot repeating pistol. It was lighter than my old one and in good condition. When trouble came out here, it seemed to come all at once. It made sense not to have to reload while an Indian was fixing to
My mules liked him and I was beginning to, too.
Later that day I took the hat and scarf from my head and tried to comb my hair. It'd been left uncombed too long and was like trying to curry out a horse's tail full of cockleburs. I was still too tired to struggle with it and was ready to get out the scissors when Trahern noticed my efforts and called me up front with him.
"Bring your comb," he said, so I did, figuring he wanted me to watch the mules while he rode off. He handed me the reins, but instead of leaving, took my comb and climbed over behind me and started untangling my mop. I hadn't had anyone do for me since I was in pigtails and it felt awfully good.
"I was about ready to cut it off," I declared. "It's been nothing but a nuisance on this trip."
"Don't you dare," he said as he patiently worked out the tangles. "If need be, I'll comb it every day until we get settled."
"Web figured it attracts the Indians."
"Web's probably right, but even if you cut it short, they would spot the color."
He worked at it till he got it to flow nicely, then braided it into one long braid so as it'd stay nice. I hadn't worn it braided for several years, but out on the trail it made sense and I thanked him.
We rode on in silence for awhile, then I got out to gather fuel. Being in the lead wagon, I found some, but even then it was scattered widely. I wondered at the trains following us. How much were they finding?
A big jackrabbit jumped out from under my feet and bounded ahead of us and Trahern dropped it with a shot from Uncle Dem's pistol. It was a head shot so the meat was undamaged and I tossed it up to him.
That night I helped him dress his wounds again. They were healing swiftly, the two bullet holes causing the most grief, although they were older than the other wounds. It looked like he'd been shot before the Indians got him. I asked him.
"Three men. They robbed me a week earlier, left me for dead."
"You know them?"
"No, but if I ever see them again, I'll recognize ‘em." His voice was deadly quiet, his statement simple fact.
I wouldn't want to be any of those men, for three against one are no odds at all when the one is a skilled hunter.
Next day he brought back an antelope, killed with a single neck shot. We shared it with Axel's family and also with Kate Madison, now heavy with child.
It really made a difference being married. For one, the young men left me strictly alone. No more courting calls or offers of moonlight walks. Marriage, for me, brought freedom.
I took me a lay down every afternoon while we were going to Fort Kearney and soon regained my strength.
We arrived at Fort Kearney, glad to be with other people for awhile. There were several wagons there, folks that had stayed behind from other trains for one reason or another. Some needed to re-equip, some to rest up; some just couldn't get along with the group they were traveling with, so pulled up and waited for another train to come through.
Trahern had been here before, but that had been five years ago and the seventeen-year-old fort had grown since he'd been through. He knew some of the soldiers and went to renew friendships and also to inquire about the trail ahead.
I looked around inside the wagon for things to trade. There were a few things of Aunt Edith's I never figured to use. I gathered these along with some of her jewelry and took them over to the small store to try to buy supplies; mainly more flour and sugar.
The store was dark, and it was hard to see what I was getting. I made the storekeeper bring the flour out into the late afternoon light so as I could see it wasn't weevily. It looked good so I traded for a barrel, then looked for a hairbrush.
The rest of my things I traded for ammunition and a pistol, a twelve shot repeating pistol. It was lighter than my old one and in good condition. When trouble came out here, it seemed to come all at once. It made sense not to have to reload while an Indian was fixing to
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