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down,” he said, “and when I tie some lumber up, you can get the team to drag it up the side. When we got a light load up on the road, I’ll come up and we’ll bring it down here slow and easy.”
    â€œAre you sure that you don’t want to wait a little longer?” she asked.
    â€œNo, ma’am. I have to start now. If it don’t work, then it don’t work. But I have to try.”
    â€œAll right,” she said, “then we’ll rise before the sun and do chores, then leave. It’s only a couple of miles up the grade and we can be there just after daybreak.”
    â€œGood,” Joe said. “And I’ll pay you for your help.”
    â€œYou already paid Mr. Purvis and the others twenty dollars. I think you should hang onto your money.”
    â€œI never liked to hang onto money for long,” he admitted. “I feel that it is made to be spent, and I can’t think of a better way to spend it than to give some to you for your kindness.”
    She was pleased. He could tell that she was very pleased. “I could very much use some cash.”
    â€œThen it’s settled. I paid those Mormons each four dollars a day and I’ll pay you the same, if that’s agreeable.”
    â€œIt is more than fair. Thank you.”
    Joe had to look away because, dammit, he was the one that owed Ellen Johnson more than he could ever repay.
    â€œSo we’ll get to bed early,” he said quietly. “Because tomorrow will be hard.”
    â€œYes, but I still expect you to do your studies before you sleep.”
    â€œBut, ma’am!”
    â€œStudy, Joe. You promised me that you’d learn five new words every day.”
    â€œI overreached,” he told her.
    â€œNo, you didn’t. And tomorrow we can have a spelling lesson on the way up the mountainside.”
    â€œNow that’s a right fine idea!” he said, not quite managing to hide his sarcasm as he hobbled off to the shed.

7
    T O REACH THE grade, they had no choice but to drive Ellen Johnson’s rattling buckboard through Genoa, and even though the sun still wasn’t fully off the horizon, there were a few early risers who saw their passing. Ellen and Joe both called out a greeting, which wasn’t returned.
    â€œI didn’t stop to think how much grief this is going to cause you,” Joe said with deep regret. “I’ll be leaving before the month is out, but you’ll have to stay and live with these stiff-backed people. From the feelin’ I’m gettin’, that won’t be easy.”
    Ellen sat beside him on the buckboard seat, her face wrapped in a shawl because of the early morning chill. “Don’t fret about that, Joe. I was an outcast when you arrived and I’ll be one long after you’ve left. It’s your lumber up on the mountainside, and what we need to do is to worry about getting it up to the road and onto this wagon. The rest will take care of itself.”
    â€œI expect that’s true,” Joe said as they passed through the little settlement and then started up the steep grade.
    Joe’s Palouse and gray horse were teamed with a pair that Ellen owned, and even though the wagon was empty, it was a hard climb and they had to stop and let the animals blow every half mile. But at last they reached the place where Joe had been forced over the side. Joe set their brake and climbed down to gaze at the steep mountainside.
    â€œAin’t much left of that wagon, that’s for sure,” Joe said, shaking his head. “I can’t believe any of my livestock survived.”
    â€œ You almost didn’t,” she reminded him.
    Joe studied the wreck and the lumber strewn up and down the slope. There was clear evidence that some of the lumber, which had spilled closest to the road, had already been scavenged by passersby. It was only the lumber that was scattered several hundred feet or more down the slope that