Summer always seemed to stretch on longer in Wyoming than it ever had back home. The wind blew hot, and the plants tended towards brown when there wasn't enough rain. Though I enjoyed the season, I was looking forward to autumn, when the leaves shifted to orange, yellow, and red. It made the horizon one of the most beautiful sights I'd ever seen, even if it was a somber reminder that winter was creeping ever closer.
"I'll have to warn Elizabeth about winter so she can be ready," I said. At my feet, a half-grown kitten meowed at me in response. I reached down to run my hand along Winston's back. "No, I wasn't talking to you."
Winston twitched his black tale once and then stalked away. It had only been a couple weeks since I'd picked him up from Earnest's farm and he'd already proved his worth. Twice, I'd woken up to find a half eaten mouse in front of my door.
Though he was the smallest addition to my place, Winston already behaved as if he owned it all. He stalked towards the barn and then vanished inside. With any luck, he would keep the mice population down and keep my grain intact. Or he was going to nap in the straw, a pastime I'd often caught him at.
The deep lowing of cattle made me turn to the corral, where the other new additions were currently staying. I was keeping them close to the barn until I knew they had adjusted to their new home. It would be money lost if any of them wandered away and got lost. Since the majority of my savings had gone into this herd, I wanted to be as careful as I could be.
Not many had cattle here in Wyoming. Though there were a few places I knew of that were branching out into other animals. Some were herding sheep. Most places, once they proved their claim, took to catching wild horses and breaking them as a way to supplement their farms.
My thoughts were pulled out of worry for the future by the approach of a horse. My first instinct was to reach for where my rifle rested against the fence. No one came out my way unless they had a reason, especially this year.
I didn't recognize the black and white horse. Once the rider was closer, I didn't recognize him either. On edge, I raised one hand in greeting as I stepped closer to the rifle, just in case.
"Afternoon," the stranger greeted as he came to a halt. "I wasn't expecting to see anyone."
"Afternoon," I echosed, nodding at him. "Can I help you?"
"No, I'm just passing through," he said, tipping his hat back. "But now that you mention it, mind if I get down for a drink of water? You do have a well here, don't you? Or do you carry your water from some creek?"
There was something about the man I didn't trust, but until I could pin down what that was, I saw no reason to refuse. "Be my guest," I said, gesturing to the well. "There's the well. Name's Coleman. And you are?"
"Folks all call me Port," he responded as he dismounted. It wasn't hard to miss the gun belt he wore. It was an odd thing. Few people wore a gun belt like that unless they meant trouble. Rifles were more reliable. "Where are you from, Coleman? I can't place your accent."
That was an unwelcome question. It had been several years since someone had asked me that. "I've been here for nearly eight years," I told him, keeping my tone short. "I reckon that means I'm from here. Where are you headed, Port?"
He barely glanced over. "To visit my brother."
Fair enough. Neither of us were obligated to answer questions we didn't want to answer, and we both were entitled to our privacy. Still, I put my hand on the rifle barrel, just in case, as I watched him stride to the well. There was already a bucket of water, and he dipped out a good portion of water.
While he drank, I was able to get a good look at him. His clothes were
"Nice place you've got here," he commented once he'd drunk his fill. "You must have put a lot of work into it."
"Thanks."
"You planning on expanding into cattle?"
"That's the plan." And a rather obvious one, given the small herd that milled about in the corral. For being a man who didn't seem inclined to answer my questions, he was awfully curious about my life.
Port faced me with a grin that wasn't so friendly. "You're not one for talking, are you?"
I shrugged. I enjoyed conversation, but only a fool would give his whole life story to a stranger. "You're about fifteen miles from town," I told him, gesturing to the west. "It won't take you too long to get there and you should arrive before sunset. If that's where you're going, that is."
He gave a grunt in response, which could be taken any way. The man made a slow turn, and it seemed to me as though he were studying my property. Why? What was he looking for? I couldn't shake the feeling that he was up to something.
"Do you have any neighbors?" was his next question. "Nearby, I mean. It seems pretty remote out this way."
"I do, actually." I didn't see any reason to inform him that my closest neighbor was miles away and laid up with a bum ankle. "Out here, you learn to rely on your neighbors. A person could be vulnerable if he tried to strike out on his own."
The man let out a laugh. "I'm going to have to disagree, Coleman. Being alone can be the greatest advantage in the world if a man has the courage to do it." He started for his horse. "Well, I'll be on my way now. I expect you're ready to see me out of your way so you can get on without whateer you're up to."
There was nothing I could think of to say to that. I stayed where I was as he mounted. Port looked down at me with something close to a smirke. "Be careful, Coleman. A man never knows what can happen out here in the wilderness."
With that vague warning, he kicked his horse's sides and set off. I stayed by the fence and watched until I couldnt' see him anymore. Had he stopped just to offer a warning? Why? How would he have known me?
Questions swirled around my mind. Was it just because of what was happening with the Burns' that I was so uneasy? Was I making something out of nothing?
The man was riding in the direction of town, which would also take him right past Earnest's place. If the stranger was set on causing trouble, would he think my injured friend was a better target?
Worried, I pushed away from the fence and headed for the barn. The least I could do was check on Earnest and warn him. Maybe he would be able to offer a different perspective on the situation.
~*~
Though I rode Charger hard, I didn't catch up to the stranger. When I arrived at Earnest's place, my friend was hobbling about the yard with his cane. He'd had no visitors. Once I explained what had happened, he agreed that it was strange and could offer no explanation for what the man had intended.
Since I had already come this far, I decided to continue on to town. Maybe there would be a letter from Elizabeth. I'd already started a letter to tell her about the castle, a most unromantic topic, and I hoped she would find it interesting. Also, I hoped it might ease some of her mother's anxiety and prove I would be able to provide for a wife.
Clouds had moved over the sun, making it gloomy out. It did nothing to help my mood. By the time I reached the edge of town, I was sore from being so tense and on edge.
It would have been impossible to miss the black and white horse tied in front of the saloon. I dismounted in front of the general store. If anyone would have noticed the stranger, it would be Collins. He kept an eye on the street from his counter in the store whenever he didn't have any customers to occupy him.
"Well, this is a surprise," the storekeeper commented when I walked in. "You've kept yourself absent these past few weeks. Did something happen?"
"Yeah, and I'm trying to work out if I'm overreacting." I explained my interaction with 'Port'. "I see his horse over at the saloon. DId you happen to see him come into town?"
Collins' cforhead furrowed in concern. "I saw him. He had a grand reunion with John Burns before they went into the saloon. I can't say if they're just old friends or relatives."
His words sent a chill down my spine. Port knew Burns? He'd said he was going to visit his brother. Had he simply not said who his brother was because he was a private person, or for some other reason? Surely he knew his brother had been here for years and anyone would be able to point him in the right direction! What did it mean?
"But I'm sure it's nothing," Collins said swiftly. "You know it never hurts to be cautious out here. Not everyone has good intentions."
That's what worried me.
"By the way, you have a letter."
Reluctantly, I pulled my gaze away from the saloon. Hadn't that been my excuse for coming into town? Collins went to the counter and searched beneath it. He straightened with an envelope in his hand. "Your young lady writes often, doesn't she?" he commented, holding it out to me. "And you still haven't told us about her."
Blood rushed to my face as I took the letter from him. "Thanks, Collins. I'll tell you when I have something to tell."
He grinned at me, clearly enjoying my embarrassment. "Right. Well, do you have one to send?" Collins chuckled when I shook my head. "Keeping too busy? I'll expect it in a few days, then. You know, you'd do a lot for your reputation if you were to bring that young lady out here. The missus is more than ready for more women in town. Some of the other bachelors might follow your lead if they see you marry."
"Honestly, I think bringing a wife here would only convince the rest of the neighborhood that I'm a cad. There's nothing stopping anyone else from finding a wife if that's what they want to do." Maybe at one time the other bachelors would have looked up to me and followed my example, but I doubted that was the case anymore.
Collins let out a laugh. "How? Advertising for a bride in the papers? You've not read any of the recent newspapers from the east."
I tensed. Had he guessed? "Why do you say that?"
"Well, that would be the only way any man out here will find a bride, unless he marries a native girl or writes back home to family. There's been several articles from people who protest that the mail-order business is a bad one. Appears there have been some with less than honorable intentions, on the side of the ladies and the men. Some think it improper and should be criminalized."
Was this the reason behind Elizabeth's mother being so hesitant? If there were many articles as Collins' described, would Elizabeth decide to cease writing to me? The very idea was alarming.
"So because there were a few fools causing trouble, no one is allowed to find a life partner like that?" I asked, annoyed by this piece of information. I certainly didn't think Elizabeth was a fraud, but would the opinion of society keep her from accepting when I asked her to come?
Not if. When. It hit me then that I had begun to think of the future with Elizabeth by my side. She had taken it on herself to learn about how to tend a farm and I had committed to expanding my prospects. If she refused...
With a start, I realized Collins was still talking, "...so many think it's immoral if a man takes a wife from one of the native tribes," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "Too many men have left civilization behind and joined up with their wife's people. There's just no pleasing the East."
I shook my head. "If that's the case, a man would be advised to just do as he pleases when it comes to finding a bride. Write back to family in the East to make arrangements. Write an ad and correspond with the lady directly. What's the difference?"
If I wasn't careful, Collins would guess how I had begun writing to Elizabeth.
As it was, the other man just shook his head. "While I agree with you on principle, I think a man should be discouraged from kidnapping a lady to get a bride," he said, his tone chiding. I started to protest that I had meant any such thing. "Don't bristle up at me, Noah. I'm just telling you what I've heard. I thought it would make for an interesting conversation."
Somehow I wasn't sure that was his reason, but maybe I was just overly sensitive to the subject. The bell jangled, signalling the arrival of a customer. Quickly, I told Collins in a low voice, "Look. If you hear something, let me know, alright? I don't want to get caught off guard again."
Call me crazy, but I knew that if Burns and his brother were up to something, it would be worse than the rumors swirling our little town. Collins blinked at me in confusion. "What should I listen for?" he asked in confusion.
However, there was no time for me to answer. Mr. Evan slammed his shoulder into mine as he approached the counter. If he was trying to provoke a fight, he wasn't going to get it. I wished them both a good day and retreated from the general store.
At the same time, the stranger and Mr. Burns stepped out of the saloon. Even from where I stood, I could feel the venom in Burns' gaze. He nudged Port and nodded in my direction. Both men stared at me before they set off in the opposite direction.
It had taken less than a minute, but the encounter left me shaken. Burns' hadn't forgiven me for refusing his daughter. I still didn't know if the rumors had begun with him or if his daughter had started them. But, he wouldn't do anything else, something illegal, would he?
~*~
Late that evening, once the chores were done and I'd eaten, I allowed myself to open Elizabeth's letter. Though the first part talked about what she had learned from her aunt and how much she had enjoyed the experience, the latter half was subdued. Her unhappiness was evident in every word.
I couldn't imagine being in her position. My mother had died from the influenza, but it hadn't been a drawn out illness. I'd been taken off guard with how suddenly she had passed. What must it be like for Elizabeth to watch her mother fade away?
And not to mention her interactions with her sister-in-law. On some level, I could understand her feelings. I'd not been fond of my sister's husband, James, when she married him and we'd never moved beyond being polite to each other. I'd never been in a position where he was in charge.
For the first time, I wished I was in Indiana. If I were there, would I be able to comfort Elizabeth? Would I help her stand up to her sister-in-law?
A foolish idea since I had never been to that state. Even if I had lived there, how would we have ever met each other? And I couldn't go now. If I did, I would be giving up everything I had built. Well, maybe that was exaggerating the matter a bit. The homestead was mine and I could spend time away.
But the cattle had just arrived. The only person I would trust them with was Earnest, and he was laid up.
Maybe, though, the answer was for her to come to me. After these few months, we knew each other enough to make that decision. Of all the responses I'd received—and I had received several more, even though the advertisement was no longer printed—hers was the only one that resonated with me.
I liked what I knew of Elizabeth. Every morning, her photograph was the first thing I looked for. I looked forward to her letters. If marriage would help us both, it seemed like a good idea. But there were a few things that I knew I needed to tell her before I could ask her to come.
Sighing, I reached for my pen. "This will probably be the end of it."
~*~
Dear Elizabeth,
I have some new additions to my place. The first is a cat. I never thought I would have one, but Winston has definitely proven his worth. He might not be fully grown, but he's brought me several mice and birds.
The other new addition is a small cattle herd of about fifty head of cattle. I know it doesn't sound like much, but it is a start. Before you ask, I don't know anyone else who is raising cattle in the area. There are some who have herds of sheep, but I'm not overly fond of those animals. So, cattle it is and, if my research is correct, it will be a lucrative decision for the future.
The future has been on my mind a great deal, altely. Not just because of my cattle. I'm not ashamed to admit that I like you, Elizabeth. We may not have met in person, but I do feel like I know you. I think we would make a good match and be able to work together.
But I will not ask you to come west without being sure you know me. There are a few things I haven't told you. It wouldn't be honest for me to keep them from you any longer. They are difficult ones for me to admit, but I know that is no excuse for how long I have kept them to myself.
I've had some trouble here. One of my neighbors thought that I ought to marry his daughter. She's only sixteen. He was furious when I refused, and I'm afraid his family has done their best to ruin my reputation. The rumors have no basis in truth, but the town seems to believe every word. I swear I did not trifle with or attempt to seduce Annie Burns. She's just a child!
There are a few who believe me, including the traveling reverend, but it has been an uphill battle to get that much. I am not a very popular person in the territory. I think I've done everything I can to resolve this. I'm at a loss as to what else I can do.
I know how bad that sounds. After all, you only have my word on the matter. If you're still reading this, there is something else I need to confess. You may have wondered where I lived before I came west. Well, you see...